2020 Reflection and 2021 Goals

 I realized this afternoon that I never made a true goal or resolution for 2020, beyond the goal to use up the hoard of NuSkin facial products that I amassed when I used to work there. I guess the lack of a real goal is for the best, because the pandemic through our lives into survival mode. I am proud of the things that I did accomplish, though, including:

• I taught eight classes during 2020, not to mention helping to teach my kids at home from March until the end of the year. All of the university courses I taught had some type of distance learning or online component. The one class that actually was in a physical classroom (ART 103 in Winter quarter) still was taught as a hybrid.
• In the Winter 2020 quarter I created and taught a course on American art (while simultaneously learning the material one step ahead of my students, since I never took a class on American art when I was an undergrad). I also had to learn how to teach in a Distance Learning format, in which I was in a classroom in Sammamish but my lecture was broadcast to a classroom in Ellensburg. There were some challenges getting students to engage in this format, but it helped to prep me for synchronous Zoom teaching in the Spring quarter.
• I created and taught a course on Gender, Sexuality, and Identity in Renaissance and Baroque Art during Spring 2020. I had a basic idea of the things that I wanted to cover, but I still was learning and developing the course one step ahead of my students), as well as converting to the course into an online format. I learned a lot while teaching this class, especially from my LGBTQ students, and I was grateful for the opportunities to think more about inclusion, equality, and equity. 
• I feel like I am learning more about how to be a better professor, not only in connecting my course material to topics that are relevant, but also in how to give empathy when needed. George Floyd was killed near the end of the quarter, which ended up impacting me directly because one of my students at the time was related to Floyd and needed to travel home. The subsequent protests generated dialogue with my students that helped me reflect on how to best teach and meet the needs of my students.
• Hiking the Snoqualmie 7 Summits with Carrie and Rachael was the other great highlight of this year for me. I'm grateful for friends who want to go on hiking adventures and readily take on challenges that require effort.

In thinking about 2021, it's difficult to even think about what goals might be realistic. I've been writing a paper on William Morris (to present at CAA later this winter) and I'm so impressed with all of the things that William Morris was able accomplish in his life. I want to make better use of my time, so that I can have more time to be outdoors, as well as read and write things that are meaningful and inspirational to me. So here is how I will create more time to do those things:

• When I am home (which is pretty much all the time), I'll keep my phone upstairs on my nightstand unless I am expecting a call/text
• Check social media only once or twice per week
• Check the news only once per day (and as the pandemic dies down, I might be able to switch to 2-3 times per week)
• Read a book if I wake up early and don't want to get out of bed
• Write on this blog at least once per month
• Write on AW at least once per month