Happy November on standard time. I don't know anyone who likes the twice-a-year ritual of changing our clocks ahead or back an hour, but here we are still doing it. I'm more of a morning person, so if I were to choose a preference, I guess I'd go with standard time, but really, I'd be happy to just pick ONE and done.
I did another one of those Tortoise and Hare races this morning - this one a 5k. It was well attended under overcast skies and about 40 degrees F. Results aren't in yet, so I don't have a final count on attendees, but it was probably the most crowded of these races I've done yet. Granted, I started doing them in 2020, somewhat socially distanced, so it's good to see the numbers continuing to increase.
As far as my performance, I felt pretty good about it. My big push to the finish was a bit hampered by the crowd - the nature of these Tortoise and Hares is that the pack gets thicker closer to the finish - so it was more of a big bob and weave, but much fun was had and that's the point.
We watched a couple of movies this weekend. Firstly, Athena was an engrossing film, loaded with symbolism and complex cinematography. Thinking back on it now, I don't remember any "slow" parts with any sort of breather. That said, it's also very gritty, violent, and edgy and is not one I would recommend for the masses. It's French with English subtitles, and it was challenging to follow the dialogue while also taking in all the visuals. The ending left us with more questions than answers, and I'm sure if we watched it again, we'd see things we missed the first go around.
Nextly, we watched The Way Way Back which was certainly on the lighter side from Athena, but it had its share of emotion as well. It's about an awkward 14-year-old kid who spends the summer at a beachhouse with his mom, her jerk boyfriend, jerk boyfriend's daughter, and the somewhat lacking-in-morals adult friends of jerk boyfriend.
It was cute, predictable, had its comedic moments, and I liked it well enough. Steve Carrell plays the jerk boyfriend, and it was interesting to see him as a non-humorous asshole for a change.
I've taken on a couple more tutees, and a common theme is how lacking in skills a lot of these kids are. I call them "lost children of the pandemic". 2020 and 2021 were not good years to be in high school. Ooch.
5 comments:
My DIL teaches- it has been challenging to try to bring the kids up to speed, parents have been no help. So grateful for tutors.
Linda Sue, there's always been the kids who struggle more than others, but we've not seen it so rampant since lockdown times. They're like deer in the headlights.
I have to agree with you about your term "the loss kids". Those were tough years for education, especially kids in higher grades, with the pandemic. I was grateful that grandson started kindergarten in 2021, thus not being subjected to virtual learning, and although protocols were there as far as not going to school when exposed, etc., at least this year is more normal and kindergarten is a better grade to recover from then some of the higher ones like in high school. Move to Arizona, we don't change the time here! Though hubby's cell phone decided to (it is iffy, some years the cell phones don't, some years they do). Great that you were out running too!
betty
Abby steve carrell in The Patient is not a humorous asshole role. He is very good in this. (and my fave Crazy Stupid Love) I never watched the American Office so I don't know him from that. I watched the BBC one and I tried the American one once but Ricky Gervais was better.
Betty, when the pandemic lockdown was going on, I was so grateful my kids were finished with K-12. Meego was in college, but I don't think remote learning suffered as much as for the high schoolers.
And yes, Arizona knows what's what. Now to get the rest of the country on board!
Peggy, yes, Steve Carrell is very talented. I saw Crazy Stupid Love and also The Big Short - both different roles from Michael in The Office and 40-year-old-virgin guy. I've mainly seen him in roles where he's likeable and a bit humble. The Way Way Back was quite different from that! He was very good as the jerk Mom boyfriend.
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