[Sloth] We Are the Robots

[Sloth the Enduring]

I wasn't going to do a challenge, but I heard this on the radio and I took it as a sign.

 

Being a teacher, this is the start of a new year for me.  I've learned over the years that the habits of the next few weeks will determine how the whole rest of the year will go for me fitness-wise.  Thus I need to develop robotic habits quickly.  Morning kettlebells and some cardio are what I'll focus on as I rebuild my oxygen processing capacity.

 

 

 

Did I really just spend 3 or 4 hours watching videos of 80's synthpop, synthwave, and retrowave music when I should have been sleeping?  Yes I did.

[Big_Show]

8 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Did I really just spend 3 or 4 hours watching videos of 80's synthpop, synthwave, and retrowave music videos when I should have been sleeping?  Yes I did.

 

And do you regret any of it?  No you do not.

[Harriet]

That song is incredibly weird in a great way. Good luck on laying the robotic foundation for the year.

[KB Girl]

Good, wouldn't be the same without you! 

 

4 hours ago, Big_Show said:

 

And do you regret any of it?  No you do not.

I'm gonna bet he does being tired sucks. 

[deftona]

Who needs sleep when you've got music. 

[Sloth the Enduring]

8 hours ago, Big_Show said:

 

And do you regret any of it?  No you do not.

 

I mean, I didn't last night.  Staying up too late is a good way of finally getting some solitude.

 

4 hours ago, Harriet said:

That song is incredibly weird in a great way. Good luck on laying the robotic foundation for the year.

 

Thanks.  This is the absolute best version of that song.

 

 

3 hours ago, KB Girl said:

Good, wouldn't be the same without you! 

 

I'm gonna bet he does being tired sucks. 

 

Six am was pretty tough.  Thanks   I would have dusted off the battle log.  I probably belong there anyway.

 

1 hour ago, deftona said:

Who needs sleep when you've got music. 

 

True that.  Imma spam y'all this challenge because I discovered the best retrowave channel.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I'm glad you decided to do a challenge.

[Sloth the Enduring]

9/11/20 Friday

 

I survived the first week of school.  It actually went pretty well, much better than last spring.  We have about 2/3 attendance and I think a lot of the missing students have moved schools.  We are much more regimented this year and the students seem to appreciate the structure.  They do often express a wish to be back at school.  If I was going to complain I would say I wish the kids would turn on their cameras so we could connect better.  I also don't know how to covert all of my hands-on activities, which is most of what I do until the spring, into virtual activities.

 

Slothboy is doing well.  He is really academic.  Slothgirl is struggling with the jump to middle school.  She has missed classes because she can't keep track of the schedule and the different log ins and not seeing anyone she knows all day is really hard for her.  Each grade at her school is split into two different "houses" and every single one of her friends is in the other house so she never crosses paths with them.  Mrs. Sloth is programming after-school classes this year, and may be teaching, instead of running the essential workers daycare.  I think she'll like it better, but we are both always home now and my brain needs a break from peopling.

 

I never fitness the first week of school because my body is in shock.  It's not even the change to a schedule, an early one at that, but the being constantly outwardly emotionally connected to people all day long.  What the heck I'm doing in an extrovert's job is constantly confounding to me.

 

 

Today's early synthpop: Look at how cool Germans were in the 70's and how not cool Italians were.  I'm impressed with Kraftwerk; I've seen videos of them singing in, I think, four different languages now.  I was going to see them live this summer, but COVID and then Florian died.  Also, I think they made those electronic instruments.

 

 

[sarakingdom]

Online teaching is a hard switch because you're doing the exact same thing all day. You never use different muscles, body parts, or neurons.

 

If Slothgirl's class links are the same each day, there are ways to automate the browser opening them at the right time.

 

I approve of this challenge, even if it isn't Trans-Europe Express.

 

 

[Novaurora]

Here to support you!!

[Elastigirl]

Good to hear school is going alright, and more students are showing up. 

[KB Girl]

10 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

It actually went pretty well, much better than last spring. 

That’s great  

hopefully sloth girl can also find a way to make things work for her....

and maybe we can find a time turner for you somewhere, so you can have your late nights of solitude and some sleep too. 

[DJtrippyT]

Hoping for Gary Numan, and a happy slothgirl ❤️

 

[DarK_RaideR]

Surprised no songs from their Tour De France album haven't been posted yet... This is a Sloth thread, after all.

 

11 hours ago, DJtrippyT said:

Hoping for Gary Numan, and a happy slothgirl ❤️

A great segway for me to drop this...

 

[Sloth the Enduring]

On 9/11/2020 at 6:02 PM, sarakingdom said:

Online teaching is a hard switch because you're doing the exact same thing all day. You never use different muscles, body parts, or neurons.

 

If Slothgirl's class links are the same each day, there are ways to automate the browser opening them at the right time.

 

I approve of this challenge, even if it isn't Trans-Europe Express.

 

 

 

I think I've posted that one before.

 

Hmmm.  Online learning needs someone smarter than me.

 

Not sitting at work is one of the things I like about teaching.  Online is crushes me physically, which is weird because it's so sedentary.

 

22 hours ago, Novaurora said:

Here to support you!!

 

Thanks.

 

22 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Good to hear school is going alright, and more students are showing up. 

 

Thanks.  I think this year will work out.

 

16 hours ago, KB Girl said:

That’s great  

hopefully sloth girl can also find a way to make things work for her....

and maybe we can find a time turner for you somewhere, so you can have your late nights of solitude and some sleep too. 

 

Hah.  You know what's funny, for as long as I can remember I've fantasied about being able to stop time so I could go about my business without having to deal with people.

 

Thanks.

 

51 minutes ago, DarK_RaideR said:

Surprised no songs from their Tour De France album haven't been posted yet... This is a Sloth thread, after all.

 

A great segway for me to drop this...

 

 

Both of those songs are great.  In the States Gary Numan is considered a one-hit wonder, but he has so many great songs.  Many of which seem like they'd be good for the soundtrack for the 2020.

 

I don't know if you're watching the Tour, but it is the best one in a long time.  Maybe the best one since the 80's.

[sarakingdom]

12 minutes ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Hmmm.  Online learning needs someone smarter than me.

 

Not sitting at work is one of the things I like about teaching.  Online is crushes me physically, which is weird because it's so sedentary.

 

If she uses Firefox, try this add on:https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/simple-browsing-schedule/

 

lf she uses Chrome, I'm sure there is something similar. The other easy option that might be a Good Life Lesson is to have her start using Google calendar to put her class schedule in, with the links, so she can just click on it when the alerts come up.

 

I hear you on the sitting. Even as someone who does sit all day, lockdown is way worse. And it is hard on the body. I recommend sticking a box on your desk and converting it to a standing desk. That's probably more accessible to you than a lot of people, because so much of your job is talking. (Probably wouldn't hurt to give your kids some movement breaks when they don't need h to take notes. Good for learning even when they aren't sitting on video meetings all day.)

[Sloth the Enduring]

On 9/11/2020 at 5:30 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I'm glad you decided to do a challenge.

 

I didn't mean to leave you out; thanks brother.

 

13 hours ago, DJtrippyT said:

Hoping for Gary Numan, and a happy slothgirl ❤️

 

 

The Lonely Android grew up to be darker than I listen to, but he has some amazing songs.  DR already posted one of my favorites by him, I'll dump some more here.

 

Spoiler

Metal was the B Side to Cars.

 

When he was still an android.

 

 

This one hits a little too close

 

The Fall

 

DR already posted this song, but this concert looks amazing.  I regret not seeing him when he was here.  BTW the little girl is his daughter

 

 

[Maigs]

Following along.

I can't even image how hard it must be for teachers to adapt to online learning (or even for parents for that matter)

[Xena]

On 9/11/2020 at 6:30 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I'm glad you decided to do a challenge.

 

Same!! I'm super lazy about strolling over to Battle Log land. I'm glad you are here.

[Stronkey Kong]

Yay! Robots making music!

 

 

In terms of stage performance... who ripped off who?

[Sloth the Enduring]

  If she uses Firefox, try this add on:https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/simple-browsing-schedule/

 

lf she uses Chrome, I'm sure there is something similar. The other easy option that might be a Good Life Lesson is to have her start using Google calendar to put her class schedule in, with the links, so she can just click on it when the alerts come up.

 

I hear you on the sitting. Even as someone who does sit all day, lockdown is way worse. And it is hard on the body. I recommend sticking a box on your desk and converting it to a standing desk. That's probably more accessible to you than a lot of people, because so much of your job is talking. (Probably wouldn't hurt to give your kids some movement breaks when they don't need h to take notes. Good for learning even when they aren't sitting on video meetings all day.)

 

  The Google calendar idea is brilliant.

 

I use a standing desk type thing at school, but I work differently, I'm up and around and I work on my computer a couple of minutes at a time as I'm also monitoring and interacting with the students, dealing with materials, and what not.  I tried it last year during lockdown, put keeping myself on camera nd seeing the students made it difficult.  I should ease back into it again and see if I can make the standing desk work.

 

My students are mostly working on their beds and do a lot of rolling around as we do our thing.

 

 

Following along. I can't even image how hard it must be for teachers to adapt to online learning (or even for parents for that matter)

 

  It's not that bad.  I just like to whinge.  It is really hard for parents though.  I don't think anyone is giving them enough credit.

 

 

  Same!! I'm super lazy about strolling over to Battle Log land. I'm glad you are here.

 

  I think I'm better suited for the Battle Log arena - my goals and methods haven't changed in years they just ebb and flow with the seasons.  But I like to make you happy, so here I am.

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________________

 

9/13/20 Sunday

 

I don't really have anything to post about, but I'm here since I have one last Gary Numan song and it's amazeballs.  It's from 1978 when he was 20;  Moog synthesizers were something like $10,000 then.  I wonder how he got one.  

 

Mystery illness was plaguing me this weekend.  I was going to ride on Saturday, but I was fatigued, and today it was like an asthma attack so I didn't do anything but a little yard work.  I should just be glad I'm not out west.  I can't imagine having to breath air that is practically solid. 

 

I spent a good part of the day texting with my teammates as we tried to coordinate our teaching with inadequate direction from above.

 

Anyway, here is today's robot music.

 

[Sloth the Enduring]

31 minutes ago, Chris Tarly said:

Yay! Robots making music!

 

 

In terms of stage performance... who ripped off who?

 

hahahahaha.  I saw them in concert at the Wisconsin Dells 40 years ago.

 

Let's say Devo expanded on the stage performance and made it all their own.

[WhiteGhost]

I always enjoy your challenges.  Even though you often don't have much interesting to say, you still manage to say it in a very interesting way   That is a real talent.

 

Following along 

[EricMN]

Last spring I told one of my kids' teachers that I appreciated them and everything they did for her because distance learning took away all the good things about teaching and turned them into curriculum implementers. It's not what you got into the profession to do and I can't imagine how hard it is with younger kids.

 

On 9/11/2020 at 5:36 PM, Sloth the Enduring said:

Slothgirl is struggling with the jump to middle school.  She has missed classes because she can't keep track of the schedule and the different log ins and not seeing anyone she knows all day is really hard for her.  Each grade at her school is split into two different "houses" and every single one of her friends is in the other house so she never crosses paths with them.

My kids' district uses Google Docs and Google Classroom for a lot of stuff and that means they have a managed Gmail account. Which means they have a Google Calendar. I've finally got them doing things like putting their scheduled Zoom meetings on there. That way they get browser notifications, and when they use Chrome, they don't need to install anything to get them. Today it's working. I hope it continues. I hope y'all come up with a working solution for your Slothgirl. She's pretty awesome.

 

On 9/11/2020 at 5:36 PM, Sloth the Enduring said:

being constantly outwardly emotionally connected to people all day long.  What the heck I'm doing in an extrovert's job is constantly confounding to me.

My kids' mom was the same way. I have a ton of respect for all y'all, my introvert people, who do this.

 

[Xena]

21 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

I think I'm better suited for the Battle Log arena - my goals and methods haven't changed in years they just ebb and flow with the seasons.  But I like to make you happy, so here I am.

 

Thanks Sloth! This one's for you: