Five Ways that Technology Made Me Happy This Week

This month I am participating in the 13th Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. Visit Two Writing Teachers for more information.

Social distancing and sheltering in our homes is quite a new way of living. There's so much I'm missing like going to the coffee shop to read, meeting friends and family for dinner, and going to work where I can see students and colleagues in person. As challenging as it is, I feel very lucky that we're living in a time in which technology makes parts of life easier and provides us options to connect with each other. I keep thinking about life growing up in the eighties and how much of what we are doing to connect with each other today wouldn't have been possible then. As I reflect on the week, I am thinking about the ways that technology has made me happy this week.

• Through videoconferencing, I participated in a group workout with about fifty other people. The workout usually takes place on the beach once a week, but instead everyone followed along from their homes.
• I ordered and had delivered right to my door step some things I need (another pair of lounge pants) and things I don't need, but make me happy (felt tip pens).
• My book review group, #BookExcursion, met up virtually to chat about life, teaching and learning, and books. This is the first time we've done this and it was a lot of fun.
• Through two Facebook group pages (one devoted to exercise and the other to books), I connected with colleagues. We're sharing what we're doing to stay fit and what we're reading both to motivate each other and just to stay in touch.
• I worked from home as I met with teachers to plan ways to support students and connected with classes through videoconferencing and Google Classroom.

In the eighties, we had snail mail and telephone party lines. Connecting to others definitely would have been much harder than it is today, so this week I am grateful for all the ways technology has helped to make my life easier and better.