Hello dear reader! Here are some things that happened in June this year. I hope your year is going okay so far.
Intro to Psychology
I'm taking this 100-level class at the state community college and really enjoying it. We have one topic per week and are given a choice of learning formats, whether reading an article, a textbook, listening to a podcast, or watching a TED talk, etc. I like the audio and video options best because it fits my learning style better to have people tell me stuff. So far we've covered sleep and consciousness, deception theory, classical conditioning (like Pavlov and the dogs), multitasking, and conformity. It's a fully online class but the instructor has figured out how to make it interesting and engaging nonetheless. This will go until mid-August.
Biking in the Woods
I mentioned last month that I've started biking on local trails with my kid. We continued to do this in June, with afternoon or evening rides of 3+ miles up and down local woodland trails. It's super fun. We're getting stronger at climbing up tough inclines by bike, and more confident about speeding downhill while negotiating rocks, roots, and winding paths.
Crookies
What's a crookie? It's a portmanteau word that means croissant + cookie. To make crookies, get a croissant and a package of pre-made chocolate chip cookie dough (ideally with mini chips). Split the croissant in half and flatten out a chunk of cookie dough and put it in the middle. Then flatten out another chunk of dough and put it on top of the croissant. Bake for about 13 minutes. The result is a chocolate chip cookie experience that is on another level, because it's bursting with flaky crunchy croissant-ness. Bonus: Cookie dough can be kept in the fridge and used in small portions, so you can make a crookie anytime (if you also have a croissant).
Revolution in Our Time, by Kekla Magoon
This book was on the Juneteenth display at the public library. It's a history of the Black Panther Party. The book is very clear and does a great job establishing how the Black Panthers evolved, what they did together during their heyday, and what is still important today. I was grateful to learn more about this important group--its members, its platform, its social justice programs, and it being heavily targeted by COINTELPRO and the FBI. I think everybody should learn more about the Black Panthers and their legacy, including activist work continued by Bobby Seale, Jamal Joseph, and Aaron Dixon.
Garden Harvest
We've had several meals with veggies from the garden. Green beans and chard are growing well. I've also been harvesting kale and freezing it to make a big batch of chop. The sungold tomatoes are starting to produce, too!
Kayak Float Days
One of my favorite things to do in a few spare moments is go float around in my kayak. I had a couple of days to do that in June. One day was a scorcher and I took a companion with me. We spent 2 hours just floating, paddling lazily, and dipping in and out of the water to stay cool. It was lovely.
