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Author: James Snyder

The Summer Vacation: COVID-19 Changes Everything

The Summer Vacation: COVID-19 Changes Everything

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As we move nearer and nearer to the summer season, one of the many things that will have to fundamentally change (due to coronavirus) is the summer vacation.  Even though many states are starting to loosen restrictions on dining, shopping, and travel, there are many new guidelines related to social distancing, sanitization, and group size that will fundamentally alter “how” we travel for months (and maybe years) to come. Will all of these changes be worth the hassle?  Better yet,…

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It’s Been a LONG Couple of Months

It’s Been a LONG Couple of Months

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I’ll admit it – I’ve been cranky lately.  It’s a combination of being cooped up in the house, working from home, the entire family living on top of each other, and watching the news and social media for updates on what’s happening in the world, the country, my state, and my county. Another source of all of this moodiness and aggression?  Well, let’s be honest here – it’s all of you. I’m kind of tired of the public-at-large. I have…

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The Spring Garden: Let’s Give It a Shot

The Spring Garden: Let’s Give It a Shot

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If you’ve followed my blog over the years, you’ll know I’m not a big fan of yard work – which would include “gardening” in general. That being said, I’m currently obsessed with these “YouTube” channels which feature “modern” homesteaders.  These folks have purchased a wild and untamed piece of land and are working towards making it their own.  Some are off-grid, some are full of modern conveniences.  Some of my favorites are Lumnah Acres, Red Poppy Ranch, and my personal…

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Where Were You When xxxxx Happened? Living Through a Historical Moment

Where Were You When xxxxx Happened? Living Through a Historical Moment

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Do you remember where you were/what you were doing when the following events occurred? The Twin Towers-9/11 disaster The Space Shuttle Challenger Exploded Hostages were taken from the Iranian Embassy Watergate The Kennedy Assassination I could go on and on.  The point is – these were defining moments in many of our memories.  For the most part, they revolved around tragedy or something “bad” that happened in our lives – or as a “benchmark” of our collective history.  That’s how…

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The Video Conference: Tips for Success

The Video Conference: Tips for Success

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With more and more folks working from home during the pandemic, I have to be honest – it’s about time some of you learned some basic etiquette and common sense when it comes to video conference calls.  Now I realize that this technology is new to some of you, but still – there are some basics you need to understand before displaying your mug on that important phone call with the company president or key client. Be On Time (and…

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Staying at Home During the Pandemic: Filling the Hours

Staying at Home During the Pandemic: Filling the Hours

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As the weeks drag on and our forced home confinement continues, I find that the family is going deeper and deeper down the well of madness when it comes to home projects and chores. Oh, at first, it started out as the normal stuff.  Our days were filled with adjusting to working from home,  participating in online classes, family dinners (with a full table), and evenings spent perusing the collected video catalogs of Netflix, Hulu, and Disney +. Projects that…

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Distance Learning: It’s a New Age of Education

Distance Learning: It’s a New Age of Education

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Sometimes, changes in a system come about organically over time.  After a while, you forget how they even came into being.  At other times, a system has change suddenly thrust upon it, altering it dramatically and quickly, like a thunderbolt. Our education system is currently undergoing such a change. Over the years, technology tools have been slowly introduced to enhance and help both teachers and students create new learning opportunities.  Remember the overhead projector?  The whiteboard? How about those gripping…

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It’s a Strange, New World: Learning to Embrace It

It’s a Strange, New World: Learning to Embrace It

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My, what a difference a month makes.  Although it seems like an eternity now, just a mere thirty days ago, my household had different priorities.  We were planning college visits, working on summer vacation plans, and riding out an unusually mild winter. Now we’re hunkered down, seeing our schedules free up on a daily basis (as more and more activities get delayed or canceled), and a family unit that was starting to go their separate ways has now been placed…

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So You’re Stuck at Home, Huh? Don’t Worry, There’s Plenty To Do

So You’re Stuck at Home, Huh? Don’t Worry, There’s Plenty To Do

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As the coronavirus continues to spread and lock-downs are becoming more and more stringent, you’ve probably got a house full of people that are cooped up and getting restless. “There’s nothing to do!” That’s a common chorus I’m hearing in my household. On the contrary, there are plenty of things to keep one’s mind and body occupied. For example, we’ve started a 2000-piece puzzle, which is now taking up space on the dining room table. I’ve got a plot in…

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Pandemic Panic: The Grocery Edition

Pandemic Panic: The Grocery Edition

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So I head out to do my weekly shopping this past Friday at my local grocery store (it starts with “M” and rhymes with “Fartin’s”), naïve as to the scenes that would soon present themselves to me.  Much to my surprise and dismay, the general public, whipped up into a coronavirus frenzy, had hit the shelves of my local store like it was the Lord’s eighth plague against Egypt (yes, that would be locusts). What’s wrong with you people?  Honestly?…

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