Friday, February 04, 2022

Snow, blowing

Suppose you've been out using a snowblower and you later want to report on your activity; which verb would you choose?

I snowblew.
I snowblowed.
I have snowblown.

Inquiring minds want to know!

I, personally, do not own a snowblower so I have not snowblown, but I have been driven through blowing snow and did not like it one bit. A colleague told me he couldn't believe I'd driven to campus today and I said, "I didn't drive--I sat in the passenger's seat and bit my fingernails." 

My husband can drive through anything--Need someone to drive up the side of Mount Everest in the heart of winter? He's you're guy--but even he had to creep along at around 12 mph on the state highway this morning. My building is practically empty because many classes have been moved online, and it's clear that the cleaning crew did not make it to campus this morning. (Not that I blame them!) I'm teaching my classes face-to-face for those who can get here but opening the Zoom link for those who can't. This morning this resulted in one-third of my students showing up for class while the rest signed on to Zoom and either did or didn't pay attention.

These hybrid divided classes are the absolute worst. I have a few colleagues who are really good at dividing their attention between in-person and online students, but I stink at it, which makes me tense and prone to doing stupid stuff, like tripping over the camera tripod or accidentally muting myself. The fact that I'm willing to open Zoom to my students at all today shows just how awful the weather is. I only wish I could do this from home, which would save me a drive through blowing snow, sleet, freezing rain, ice, and rising floodwaters in area creeks and rivers, but since I'm here, I carry on as best I can. It's all I can do.

And now the snow is coming down again. Maybe I'll just curl up into the fetal position and let it blow on by.

 

2 comments:

LJL said...

Research backs up that teaching in person and via Zoom simultaneously is the absolute worst for all students.

Bev said...

I believe it. It's certainly the worst for me!