Allyson Whipple

Tag: covid

  • The Best of It: The Poetry of Donuts Edition

    A delightful donut and coffee
    1. Postcards from the August Poetry Postcards Festival have already started to arrive! They bring me such joy.
    2. The blueberry donuts from Wheatsville.
    3. Getting to participate in the Wednesday Night Poetry virtual open mic.
    4. My grading queue is clear (for now).
    5. Natalie Goldberg hopped into our workshop practice period today. Wonderful to get to be in her (virtual) presence!

  • The Best of It: Long Tuesday Edition

    Astrid and her toys.
    1. Astrid really likes the homemade pill pockets!
    2. Grilling vegetables that came straight from my garden.
    3. The library is open for curbside pickup!
    4. Trying some new recipes this week.
    5. Watching the anoles climb on my living room window to hunt for insects and moths.

  • The Best of It: Monday is Finally Over Edition

    Pretty kitty!
    1. Getting to cat sit for my neighbor
    2. Irvin’s salted egg potato chips
    3. Homemade pill pockets (Astrid is incontinent and needs pills twice a day)
    4. Transplanting cubanelles and aji amarillos in the garden
    5. Trying takeout from Pad Thai Austin and really enjoying it

  • The Best of It: Very Lazy Sunday Edition

    Sourdough beer bread
    1. I am so impressed with Chewy‘s customer service. Astrid’s harness broke after only about six weeks, and they sent a replacement right away!
    2. FatBoy ice cream sandwiches are the absolute best ice cream sandwiches I’ve ever eaten in my whole life.
    3. Going on an eight-mile bike ride yesterday and enjoying the sunshine.
    4. Watermelon agua fresca mixed with a little Topo Chico.
    5. Being able to order coffee beans from Rigby Roastery.

  • The Best of It: I Keep Forgetting What Day it is Edition

    Duolingo always keeps language study a little surreal
    1. Astrid is starting to get more comfortable spending time in the yard even after I’ve gone inside. I always keep the door ajar so she can let herself back in. I’m excited to see her get more comfortable and secure.
    2. My car passed the annual state inspection.
    3. My service tech at the dealership told me that my car is in “shockingly good condition” considering it’s 11 years old.
    4. Cucumber sandwiches.
    5. All of the time-sensitive, mandatory professional development is done!

  • The Best of It: I Meant to Post Yesterday But Then Forgot Edition

    Astrid wants to drive.
    1. The feeling of starting a fresh notebook.
    2. That feeling when you’re working on a poem that has some strong energy.
    3. Finally having settled on the notebooks I want to use for the rest of my writing life. (Plain composition books; keep it simple.)
    4. I finally finished my Pilates Level 1 mat certification!
    5. Canceled meetings

  • The Best of It: Work Stuff Edition

    Currently reading
    1. I’ve completed my biennial ADA Awareness training!
    2. I have so much professional development lined up that I don’t have to worry about meeting my hours for the coming academic year.
    3. Some of it I even get paid to do!
    4. Recording my one-minute fall course promo video actually went okay!
    5. The Purdue OWL remains to this day one of my favorite writing resources

  • The Best of It: Bits and Pieces Edition

    My Craigslist dining set, before and after
    1. How when Astrid wags her tail, she wags her entire body.
    2. That I bought this patio dining set super cheap on Craigslist, and a little sanding and teak oil brought it back to life!
    3. I got accepted to lead a workshop in ACC’s summer software day next month!
    4. I’m loving the prompts in the Two Sylvais Press online writing retreat. They’re offering two more sessions (with two different price points), and I definitely recommend it.
    5. Propane Taxi offers easy, contactless delivery. Great if your grill is running low but you’re trying to avoid going to stores in the middle of a pandemic.

  • The Best of It: Another Food Post Edition

    Begging for some grilled meats
    1. Breakfast burritos
    2. Texas barbecue
    3. Especially Smitty’s, which has an excellent jalapeno sausage, the platonic ideal of potato salad, and perfect mac and cheese.
    4. Pork shoulder steaks with horseradish mustard sauce
    5. Peaches and tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and hot sauce (the recipe calls for burrata, but I had regular mozzarella on hand, so there you go!)

  • The Best of It: I Really Shouldn’t Save the Title for Last Edition

    Issues 1 and 50 of Borderlands side by side, both featuring art by James Surls.
    1. I finally finished issue inventory for Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review!
    2. I cut my thumb deeply yesterday, but thanks to super glue and butterfly bandages, I avoiding needing to go to the ER for stitches.
    3. That I’ve gotten diligent about sharpening my knives every month. A dull knife would have caused way more damage!
    4. Michi Ramen has an option on their to-go menu where you can swap out the meat and swap in two ajitama. As someone who adores ajitama, I’m thrilled!
    5. I appreciate that my neighbors all understand who gets sidewalk space and who has to step into the bike lane to maintain social distancing when we pass each other.