Commencement (and Michelle Obama, our guest speaker) has come and gone. Final grades are submitted. I had a fun visit with my mom last week, and she flew home on Thursday. I started teaching a summer course online last week. The class I am teaching right now is one of my favorites: Families, Alzheimer's and Related Dementias. Really, it should be one of my favorite courses to teach because I created it. It's the only real course I've had the privilege of creating since I've been at UNI. I hope I get the opportunity to do more.
As for teaching online rather than face to face...It's a good change in the summer and makes my schedule more flexible. I like it because I don't have to stare at students in a warm classroom all summer, but I also do miss the student contact to some extent. I also feel like there are some things that you just can't convey online. However, it's what students want in the summer. I will say that it is difficult for students to maintain motivation in online courses, especially in the summer. I don't get to know students as well when I have them in online courses. This is not always a good thing for them--especially when they want letters of recommendation. Also, students tend to underestimate how much effort and time an online course takes. It's usually more reading than a classroom course. In my online courses, students really have to focus on reading and retaining material because I am not standing in front of them a few times a week to emphasize important points.
Last week I visited the Mayo Clinic-Rochester to see a urologist about what I thought was a kidney stone issue. Apparently, my pain (which is still mild to moderate) is not caused by a very small kidney stone that I do have. It's caused by something else. Their best guess is that it's caused by scar tissue (ureteral stricture) and I will go up for a test called a MAG 3 to see if they can learn more. A MAG 3 is a test where they hook you up to an IV to put some dye in your system and watch your kidneys function. I need to call tomorrow to schedule that. I am fortunate that Mayo is so close. It's about 2 1/2 hours away. My perception of Mayo after my first visit is that they are very efficient and have their act together--particularly when it comes to labs, etc. I would recommend them highly. I hope I continue to have a good experience.The bad news is that if this is a scar tissue issue, the treatment options are not so appealing, so I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
I've taken over teaching another aerobics course, so now I am scheduled to teach at the rec every weekday except for Tuesday. It's an extra about $240 a month, and it's money for working out, so no complaints there. I am getting called to sub quite a bit as well. For instance, I am teaching a kickbox Friday morning at 5:30. I could live without teaching at 5:30 in the morning, but I am helping out a friend. And I know I'll be glad I taught the class once it's over!
I need to get myself registered for a few summer races but feel like I need to wait until I know more about the kidney situation. I haven't run in several days. I need to get back in gear. As the weather gets nicer (and less windy), it will be easier for me to get in the groove of running. I don't really have the kidney pain when I run but I do feel it later. I have realized that the more liquids I drink, the more it hurts. Although I haven't been running as much as I would like, I have been keeping my fitness level up because I am teaching enough aerobics classes. It's not the same though. I need to get back into a more regular running habit.
Our beagle mix Murphy is very proud of himself for killing a rabbit and presenting it on the back porch yesterday. As disgusting as this was, I was just a little bit proud of him for accomplishing his goal (although I certainly don't share his motivation for killing rabbits) and I did feel loved that he would bring it to us--since it was his prize, of course. However, Bill shattered his glory by trashing the rabbit. I am glad Bill grabbed the rabbit and threw it away. I might have had trouble doing that. Anyway, Murphy was pretty disappointed to see that rabbit leave the porch. I almost felt badly for him. Poor Murphy.
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