Is This ZOOM or Is It Smell-O-Rama? Putting Mints or Tic Tacs in My Mouth Before I Work Digitally With Others (Is This a Bad Thing?)

The other day, before Suzie Q and I recorded our PD session she asked, "Did you just pop breath mints in your mouth? Do you think I can smell your breath all the way down in Florida? Do think viewers will think Crandall has halitosis?" It was the first time anyone noticed I do this and, to be frank, it's the first time I realized I'm doing it, too. I always have mints before I present or teach. I like the coolness in my mouth and I like to assure my breath isn't stanky. I guess doing it before ZOOM sessions or recordings is a little odd.

Yesterday morning, again, when I was being interviewed for someone's academic project, I caught myself doing once more. No, I wasn't offering my beautiful parents breath mints. Those were for me. I am a creature of habit, I guess, and I do get a little neurotic when I run out. It's just a habit. 

I'm proud of myself because I also taught myself an entirely new tool yesterday, so that surveys can go out and responses can come in anonymously. It was important to keep the data anonymous, so I found an application in the Fairfield University App-offerings, played around, tested it, and Wola! 4 hours later, I got the work done (I think, I hope, I pray...nothing like botching that up at the last second)

And the icy winds have arrived. Two days ago I was enjoying the above 50 temperatures and yesterday I felt like skin exposed to the air was being ripped open and burned. I always remember older folks being extra sensitive to the cold, but that was never something that got to me. I officially recognize it is now getting to me. That @#$#$ hurt as I walked to the library to return books (like I've been renewing them for 3 years because I am constantly referencing them). 

And I was in bed by 9 p.m. yesterday and need to be out the door by 8 a.m. today (I still hate mornings)(it will be worse now that I feel the cold). I'm fascinated by how schools are reopening for the Spring. The U.S. Department of Education sent out a glorious message about all the beautiful ways schools are countering the virus. This is a Stephen King novel. I don't think I know of a school that is having success, especially as they are ceasing to reopen this week because so many teachers are out and there are no subs. 

I have to appreciate the optimism. I am guilty of that myself from time to time. Bambi meets Godzilla, 101. Love that cartoon, because I've been there, done that. Splat.