Why We Chose Virtual and Home Schooling in 2020

 

Sept 13, 2020.

I asked each of my three children (high school, junior high, elementary) how they were doing with our current times. How do you feel about all this and how do you feel about school? They all enjoy school, the learning, teachers, meeting friends. They have missed this environment since March now. They all said they would love to go back to school, but they also understood what that meant during covid times, wearing masks, physical distancing, not being in close project or lunch groups, not sharing papers or art projects supplies, They also know the statistics, as being the science Mom, I have shared that with them. And that Mom had a minor heart condition and studies have showed that patients with the same heart condition did not do well with covid.

So I homeschooled my third grader and the teens stayed on zoom. I did not want my 8 year old on a laptop 6 hrs a day. 

Homeschooling a third grader was an hour of her lesson in the morning, followed by imaginative play with games, cardboard boxes, paints, books, and trips to the park. I also squeezed in my work, teaching classes over zoom. We finished grade three by January 2021 so we then started grade 4 curriculum. When she got to grade four, she didn't learn anything new until half the year in.

Pivoting.

Such is the secret to life.

Harvard Week One

September 12, 2022

I have been here for almost 6 days now and I feel peaceful, excited to be part of this community and happy to be living a minimalistic lifestyle in a one bedroom place in Jamaica Plain. It is close to the subway and the commute to 77 Louis Pasteur is short and sweet. 

I am missing the children so much...

But looking forward to this experience. The people here are amazing and I have a beautiful office all to myself! Excited to meet students and other colleagues.

I have a total of 63 items listed here. This should last all Fall. 

The minimalism is bringing the peace, as I have less "things" to take care of.

1. A book
2. A journal
3. An agenda
4. Journal called story of my life
5. Pencil case with pens, pencils and eraser
6. Work notebook
7. Piano book one
8. Piano book two
9. Watch
10. Necklace
11. Bracelet 1
12. Bracelet 2
13. Bracelet 3
14. Lap top and charger
15. Cell phone and charger
16. Shoes
17. Running shoes
18. Suitcase
19. Jacket
20. Umbrella
21. Yoga mat
22. Grocery bag one
23. Grocery bag two
24. Grocery bag three
25. Socks
26. Undergarments
27. Feminine napkins
28. Passport
29. Harvard ID
30. Wallet
31. Eye glasses and case
32. Jeans 1
33. Jeans 2
34. Black pants
35. Black tote
36. Heating pad
37. Jacket2
38. Toiletries
39. Makeup and case
40. Curling Iron
41. Blazer
42. Sweater
43. - 51: 9 dresses and 52-64: 11 tops

More later!

Falling in love with waking up

Eyes open. Flutter. 

The faint light of sunrise or the dimness of predawn streams through the small rounds of my eyes. I feel my muscles move with a slowness, newly energized from rest. Tips of toes, fingers. My inner core. I can feel them and I am so happy. I smile. I say "I love you" to the day, to my own spirit.

I love falling in love with waking up.

I get to think. I get to emerge from slumber and feel the heels of my feet on the floor. I get to stretch and move towards the window to see.

Early dawn. How our planet Earth has spun around again so that the horizon greets the rays of our star. 

I get to see and feel these beautiful moments.

I love falling in love with waking up.

I remember when just walking and functioning in the morning was a struggle after my surgeries. I am so happy that today, I get to walk and run!, enjoy the views, and nourish my body, mind and soul all day.

Grateful.

I captured the rare moment when all the conditions are right for the sun to peek through the secret window. Miracles do happen.

Spotify Update with "Just Can't be That"

Hi Everyone,

Great news! After a fulfilling workday, I just checked my Spotify profile and found out my song "Just Can't be That" was added to some playlists and had reached over 1,300 streams! I am new to this music business so I assume that is alright. Exciting that people are resonating with my music! 

This song was inspired by the whole "When Harry met Sally" theme of - if men and women can be just friends? What do you think?

I also appreciate that this type of dynamic could be between different genders, but for this song, I had Harry and Sally and their genders in mind.

Sabbatical to Harvard University Overview

September-Dec 2022

I arrived into Logan International Airport with two suitcases, a backpack and about 80 items (including my passport) to embrace my sabbatical at Harvard University. I was going to sit in and observe a course and teach a session for their Master's of Medical Sciences in Immunology and learn how professional development is delivered to Harvard's bioscience PhDs and MSc's. I had also set up a professional development monthly workshop series with Tufts University and some work with UMass Medical.

All of these activities were made possible by me building professional relationships with colleagues at Harvard, Tufts and UMassMedical over years of conference attending and speaking.

The first few weeks I stayed at Jamaica Plain, a neighbourhood in Boston, which was right adjacent the Harvard Arboretum, a beautiful place where I thoroughly enjoyed the forest trails for my daily runs or walks. 

The second half of my semester, I moved to Boston Commons, right in the heart of the city, cobblestones and all. 

I worked with creative, intelligent, enthusiastic faculty, staff and students. I attended thought-provoking seminars all over campus. I made new friends and reconnected with old ones. I learned lots about life at Harvard and about myself through the process.  

Harvard definitely has the scholarship vibe. 

I kept notes. I will detail them in the entries to follow!

Updates for 2025

Dear Everyone,

Happy 2025!

It has been a while since I have written. Many things have happened in my life and am just now absorbing and processing. I think I will start writing again as the stories I have within me are ready to be told. 

Some stories about motherhood with older children. New stories about my career, sabbaticals to Harvard and Stanford, the launching of our book, the journey with cancer (I am ok now!), my music productions and Spotify debut, and the emotional experience of an amicable, conscious uncoupling. Co-parenting. How I learned so much about myself through it all. So many things to share - I will try to write weekly. I hope these stories help anyone who might be going through any of these, anyone who decides to lead an authentic life and walk another direction when everyone else seems to be walking elsewhere.

I might take these new stories to another website - will let you know if I do.

Thank-you for reading, thank-you for either visiting for the first time or coming back after I had taken a break. Ready for some stories? Stay tuned.