Month: September 2020

Behind the Mask

PavowskiLeave a comment

Masks are like, so hot right now (or I guess, depending on your circles, anti-hot).

I’m one of those ultra-cautious types wearing one almost everywhere, which is to say I wear it at work, and I wear it to the store, and that’s just about it because I’m not going anywhere else (seriously, you should still be staying at home if you can). So I’m wearing it a lot. And because I teach theatre, I’m sort of professionally interested in the things we do with our faces.

And I have caught myself smiling behind my mask more often than I would think I might. Which strikes me as odd, because in normal times, I smile all the time: that tight-lipped, not-quite-full smile (as JoCo would say, “the kind that doesn’t come with teeth”).

The fake smile, in other words. Which is, of course, my mask in non-mask wearing times: the chipper, friendly-but-not-too-friendly grin.

But when I smile behind my mask — and again, I’m doing this more and more often — it’s not the fake smile. Why would I need to fake it? Nobody can see it.

Strange how wearing the mask makes me — comfortable, I guess? — enough to show emotions, even though it covers those emotions up.

Chillin’

PavowskiLeave a comment

Fall is attempting to arrive — finally — and we can put that firmly in the category of “good things in 2020”.

Fall arriving means mornings with temperatures in the 50s, which is my favorite. Morning runs with a temperature between 50-60 degrees are some of the best things about running, putting aside that running is obviously the key to eternal youth.

But fall not yet having fully arrived means daytime temperatures still hanging close to 90, which is not my favorite. There are only so many clothes I can take off before public decency laws get broken.

Daytime temperatures in the 90s means the A/C is cranked up to eleven in my school, which is good, but in my tiny office room, which I’m pretty sure does not have its own temperature sensor, the air just keeps blowing and blowing, and I have to bundle up.

Honestly, another shirt — and maybe some gloves — would not go amiss.

This can’t be good for my body or my brain; every time I leave the building I have to deal with the shift, so I’m either charging fully suited-up for the cold into the 90-degree heat or plunging jacket- and hat-less back into the frigid depths of my office.

Routine is all kinds of busted today, but I did get some chapters edited, so progress marches along.

Happy Tuesday.

Super Productive, Not Productive Enough

Pavowski2 Comments

It’s amazing what a day without students can do for a teacher.

I’ve been so incredibly productive — both in terms of the things I’m supposed to be doing, i.e. for my classes and my students, and also for other stuff, i.e. making progress on the novel — that it’s hard to believe I fit everything into an 8-hour period.

But at the same time it feels like I didn’t get nearly enough done. There’s always more work to do, always the sense that I could’ve gotten more done. I never know whether to pat myself on the back for getting things done or kick myself for not doing enough.

how bout both GIF by Joey Bada$$

Oh well. Happy Friday.

Shaving Cream Ear

PavowskiLeave a comment

I came in to work today feeling good. Got to sleep in a little bit, didn’t have students in the building today, nice, easy drive in. Had myself a great little work session, got a handful of things done, then went into the main building. Checked mail, got a great little pick-me-up (a student nominated me for teacher of the month!), said hi to some co-workers — a lot of co-workers, actually. Sat and talked with some colleagues for a little bit, the usual workplace venting and complaining and resolving to carry on with new burdens. All in all, a great morning.

Got back to my building, went to the bathroom, caught my reflection in the mirror —

And there, just above the line of my mask (yeah I’m virtue-signaling, bring it), hanging off my earlobe, dried and crusted like a day-old bird turd, was a big ol’ glob of shaving cream.

This happens to me a lot, actually. Always the right ear. Maybe I’m like one of those people who gets brain damaged and can’t see the right sides of people’s faces, but only fills it in based on what the left side looks like. (Except that I very clearly noticed it in the mirror later, so I guess that’s out.)

Anyway, a bit of water and it’s gone, no big deal — except that I greeted over a dozen co-workers with shaving cream on my ear. I walked around the building for an hour with shaving cream on my ear. I had an impromptu department meeting — for fifteen minutes! — with shaving cream on my ear. Say what you will about me making it from my house to my job in such a sorry state; if we are colleagues, friends, acquaintances — I expect you to tell me when I look like an idiot!

This has to be the bare minimum we set for each other, to look out for each other and make sure we don’t go on from a given encounter looking ridiculous. We owe each other that much.

I would do it for you.

Tomorrow I’m going to put a dollop on both ears and see how long it takes for somebody to say something.

Bro

PavowskiLeave a comment

My wife says I should post about the kids more.

“They’re your best posts,” she says.

I think she’s biased. But here’s one anyway.

Sprout the Eldest has taken to calling me “bro”.

This is a cultural thing, I guess. Probably his classmates are saying it a lot. Certainly his mom and I say it a lot (or at least, I say it a lot) in mockery-kinda-sorta-not-really of the way it gets overused these days. (New rule: every time I say “these days” I shock myself with a cattle prod. I should be farting electricity by the end of the week.)

bro GIF

Anyway, it struck me that this is a thing my father would never have stood for, if it were me doing it to him. And doubly so if it were him doing it to his old man. It would have been disrespectful. And probably greeted with the ol’ open-palmed reminder.

Heck, I can even remember once referring to the principal at my high school as “Fred” (which was his name) — just as a joke, just in passing — and my dad got uptight about it. “You don’t get to call him that,” he told me.

And I guess I internalized that? Because I wouldn’t stand for my kids calling the other adults in their lives “bro”. I’d take a page from my dad’s book and call that disrespectful.

But me, personally? I just can’t say I’m bothered by it. It’s cute, it’s funny, and it’s not like the 8-year-old is getting crazy ideas about who’s in charge around the house. Maybe my tone would change if he were five years older.

But there’s just so many other things more worth getting upset about these days.

BZZZZAAAAAPAPPPPPPPP

(Also, a gif-search for “bro” brought me this, which I do not understand, but is heckin’ delightful)

bro minutes GIF