Reconsidering My Apple Watch

A few years ago, my husband gave me an Apple Watch for Christmas. What an awesome present, right? I'll admit, I had been on the fence for a while about buying an Apple Watch: they were pricey, and I worried about my work being tied perpetually to my wrist. As it turned out, I learned I could adjust the settings and control which apps vibrated my wrist and when. Overall, I loved it -- why wouldn't I? I could receive texts, notifications, and reminders. I could track my steps, celebrate when I "close my rings" (IYKYK), and log my workouts.  I am willing to bet you are surrounded by lots of people who have a smart watch of some sort; they are becoming as ubiquitous as cell phones. 

Any time we add something new to our lives, we need to make room for it -- we have to subtract in order to gain. I lost something when I donned my Apple Watch. I lost a bit of connection with my own body.  Suddenly, I was being told to stand up in order to meet my stand goal for the day; I was encouraged to complete a brisk walk in order to close my Move ring; I woke up to admonishing messages like, "Denise, you only closed 2 rings yesterday. Go for 3 today!" (I admit, these are supposed to be motivational, but for me, they became reminders of what I didn't accomplish instead.) At the beginning of each week, I was presented with a report of my screen time and how many calories I burned a day. 

Now, for some (as I've already alluded), this type of persistent data is inspiring. These messages may be just what you need to push through a plateau.  And I say with my whole heart, sincerely -- good for you! We all need to find out what works for us. 

Here's what I'm noticing about me, though: I need to cut ties with my Apple Watch. I'm feeling out of sync with my own body's messages, confusing the notifications with actual information from my body. I still want the data, but I want it from within instead. My thoughts are repeatedly interrupted. My focus has suffered. 

And so, I disconnected my watch this morning. Funny, that. The process of unpairing an Apple Watch was actually a bit complicated, and I had to turn to Google for instructions. My phone didn't seem to consider a world where a user might want to disconnect . . . unless, of course, it meant pairing up with a newer device. 

This extends beyond my watch, of course. I've deleted all trackers on my phone. My list of electronic surveillance is appalling -- the water tracker app, the food tracker, the running app, the intermittent fasting app, the activity app, the health app. No wonder I'm struggling to hear my own thoughts over the din!

Again, these apps and trackers aren't all bad. I'm simply reflecting on their role in my life, and sharing my thoughts with you. Take them or leave them. Who knows? I may discover that my smart watch had more benefits than detriments, especially when school resumes in the fall. 

Just like the traditional watch that I'll wear, only time will tell.

(Yes, I went there.) 

 

Catching My Breath

 Guys, it's been beyond insane since the last time I wrote.  My experiment with Podmatch took off with an unexpected intensity, and before I knew it, I was booked nearly every day with interviews. It took some tweaking of the online scheduling calendar, but I eventually figured out how to find more of a balance. I think. 

The result has been that I've increased to publishing 2 episodes a week, and I'm often several weeks ahead in the recording and editing process. I'm proud of my little passion project, Join the Conversation with Denise Clark.  I'm finishing up my 4th season, and I'm planning a bit of a publishing break for the summer.  I have interviews lined up, but I am not going to release them until August. I figure my audience needs a chance to catch up on content, and I need time to reflect on my next steps. 

On a family level, it's been a whirlwind. In April, we closed on a house that Gene & I have loved for years, but the time wasn't right. Quick backstory -- this house was in foreclosure & needed a LOT of work when we decided to buy the house on Loyalsock Ave.  While we loved our time in our "old new house," we wanted to grow our side business, Family Traditions RV Rentals, and we were out of space for parking. We started looking at houses in a "I wonder what's out there" kind of way, and guess what! The house we loved was back on the market -- renovated and beautiful! We decided to make an offer, knowing that if it was meant to be, it would happen.  And it did!

Gene has been hard at work, moving the fencing and expanding the parking opportunities at this house, and we've purchased another camper to add to our modest fleet. I should probably mention that the house has an indoor pool.  Yep, you read that right.  And who knew? It's Molly's favorite room in the house.  Not that she swims, mind you.  No, she's above that -- 

I am not kidding when I say we can't get in the pool without her wanting to be in one of her boats.  What a life, right?

In typical Clark fashion, we moved a few days before Gene & I chaperoned Aidan & E's marching band trip to Boston (and of course, we took Liam along!).  We left the house piled high with boxes and spent 4 days with amazing talented kids, exploring all the popular sites of Beantown -- from the Aquarium to Faneuil Hall (where the band performed) to a dinner cruise to opening day at Fenway Park. 

We returned, continued the moving process and signed our lives away on 2 house closings. What a restful spring break. ha! (I realize I have ZERO room to complain.  See above for photo of indoor pool.) 

May has been no different, honestly.  Aidan and his beautiful girlfriend went to his junior prom (and of course we hosted the after party.  It's sort of an obligation for the people with the aforementioned indoor pool). 

Aidan's been through a lot, too.  He discovered that not every mentor you have has your best interests at heart, and he learned what it's like to be taken advantage of at work. I was proud of the way he handled the situation -- calmly setting boundaries and speaking up for himself. He walked away from a toxic environment and is visibly happier (thinking the pretty girl on his arm has something to do with that, too!). He took the Defense Language Aptitude Battery and absolutely killed it. His score was phenomenal, and it's exciting to see what doors will open for him as he embarks on his career in the US Air Force -- NEXT year! He still has senior year with us, thank God! 

E has been excelling in her art courses and qualified for National Art Honor Society this year! She's been learning the tricky skill of balancing a part-time job with school work and a social life (one of her best friends lives next door now!). I can't believe we are at the end of her freshman year of high school. . . and that she's taking driver's ed this summer! Slow down, time!

"Little" Liam has discovered his musical side. He's growing so much as a soccer player, too, but it's been fun to see him in his first concerts, including one for an auditioned youth choir. 

We've also finally busted out the disc golf discs that Liam got for Christmas and tried the course right near our house.  So much fun!!  Looking forward to more of that, for sure! 

Oh, and somewhere in the midst of all that, I submitted my dissertation to my committee in preparation for my defense June 16. As for the next steps for my career, I'm seeking. I'm listening. I'm waiting. What's meant to be will happen.  It always does. 

And so, as we wrap up the school year, I am looking forward to simply catching my breath, processing all that has happened, reflecting on how to move on. I hope to write more often, but I know better than to make promises I'm not sure I can keep. 

All I can say is that I know I'm exactly where I'm meant to be, and that's more than enough. 

Adventures with PodMatch

This fall, I decided to try podcasting. I've listened to podcasts for years, and as circumstances in my life allowed for more creativity, I branched out and started Join the Conversation with Denise Clark. What started as following my curiosity has grown into a passion project that fuels me and, I'm told, my listeners. 

I've coordinated three seasons now, each on a large, overarching topic: Teaching, Learning, & Surviving.  For the most part, I reached out to people I already knew, who I knew had stories worth sharing with others. Along the way, guests were recommended to me and my circle began to expand. 

Since November 2021, I've had nearly 1500 downloads of my show, and I've published 28 episodes. With season 3, I decided to take a leap of faith and publish two episodes a week, instead of just one. I've been able to keep pace, despite working full-time, raising my kids, and completing my dissertations. 

About three weeks ago, I received an email from a company called PodMatch, inviting me to try their service. Envision online dating, but for podcast hosts & guests.  I created a profile, uploading links to my show & answering questions about my vision for the podcast. Every few hours, I am sent potential guests matches to review. There is a potential to earn money for completing interviews, and there was a nominal monthly fee for me to join. My show has never been about making money, but if I can generate some income without losing the goal of my project, I figure -- why not?

Before I knew it, I had over a dozen new interviews booked with a variety of guests, from writers and speakers to activists and moms. Reflecting on my recent fascination with connection, I settled on the theme of connecting for Season 4 of my show. Here I am, connecting with people from all over the world, from all walks of life. My new season launches April 15, and my first episode is with a former male exotic dancer whose work now centers on men's mental health and authenticity. 

I'm still finishing up a few interviews for my season on surviving, and I'm finding myself booked for the next few weeks already. I'm learning how to navigate the scheduling app to balance my life a bit better, but overall, my adventure into PodMatch has been a positive experience. I'm excited to see what happens as my show grows and these conversations reach the ears of more and more people. 

This time of year is a bit of a mixed bag -- at school, the feeling is that of winding down, finishing the year. In nature, it's supposed to have the feeling of spring coming, starting fresh (but we are in Central PA and it was 17 last night...on March 29). In our personal life, we are selling a house and buying another one, so it's a combination of both finishing and starting. It seems only fitting that my podcast project would feel the same: ending the era of only interviewing people I know, starting a phase of connecting with new people. 

Stay tuned! I think you'll be as pleased with Season 4 as I am! 

Join the Conversation about Surviving #7: Rays of Hope through the Clouds of PTSD with Melissa Harrop

CONTENT WARNING: This episode discusses trauma & PTSD and may not be suitable for all listeners. 

Melissa (Missi) Harrop is a wife, mother, farmer, and passionate advocate for agricultural education. She served our country in the U.S. Army from 2002-2006 and fought in the Iraq War. She also struggles every day with fibromyalgia -- a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. 

In today's episode, Missi shares how she has survived not only the trauma of the war, but also the trauma of a toxic previous relationship. Now in a healthy and supportive marriage, Missi has grown to be able to ask her loved ones for the help that she needs, when she needs it. 

For more information on PTSD, see the National Center for PTSD or the National Alliance on Mental Illness. 

Please be sure to subscribe to Join the Conversation with Denise Clark so that you don't miss a moment of this exciting season! Check out Denise's blogs for more of her musings: The Stories that We Weave.

Find us on Instagram @jtc_with_denise_clark  
Email show comments and ideas directly to Denise: jtcwithdeniseclark@gmail.com!

Music Credit: Ikson 

Join the Conversation about Surviving #5: Beating Breast Cancer while Pregnant with Jaclyn Gailit Trepanowski

Join the Conversation about Surviving #6: Living with Joy & Cystic Fibrosis with Amy Stubanas

Re-Connecting the Disconnections

As COVID-19 eases its vice grip on our personal and social lives, we are find ourselves faced with the invisible pandemics of isolation and loneliness that have fractured us collectively. The next time you are in a public place, take a look around to see how many people are on their phones, with headphones in, or otherwise disengaging from those around them. I've already written about the decline of volunteers in some organizations, but we are seeing disengagement across the board -- from the "Great Resignation" to the employee shortage facing nearly every industry in America. People are isolating themselves, turning to TikTok and YouTube over in-person interactions and community gatherings.

In schools, we see students who would rather put in their AirPods and tune out the world as they walk from class to class. Who am I kidding? We are seeing students who would rather tune out the teacher and their peers while they sit in class. 

While technological advances are incredible, we have allowed them to replace human contact -- and we are suffering as a result. We are perfectly poised as a society to rethink our goals and values. We need to re-humanize our worlds. In politics, in education, in the workforce -- we need to realign our priorities and re-connect. 

Re-connecting the disconnections is not as herculean as it sounds. I, for one, hate when Those with the Theories have no practical examples of how implement their Important Ideas. So, allow me to share a simple example with you. 

Each morning, a handful of colleagues and I are assigned to hall duty. Supposedly, our adult presence will deter students from making poor choices between 7:20 and 7:40 AM. Most of the time, it even works. But, being the kind of people who want to do more than just monitor, my colleagues and I have made it a personal mission to make our hall space welcoming and fun. Admittedly, we are led by a very creative, out-of-the-box guy who teaches science and has experience in school administration. (He's the kind of guy who owns a 3-D printer. You know the type.) 

At the beginning of the school year, we put a random lamp post left in the hall to good use and created a pen for an invisible dog. Imagine a cage at the zoo, but with one of those gag dog leashes -- 

We had a water dish, fake food, even zoo-like informative signs about the "Caninis Invisibilis." It was fun, but eventually it ran its course. 

Our fearless leader then began what we've termed, "Random Hub Surveys." He stands in the center of the hall and takes a survey . . . every morning. Questions range from, "Are there more doors or windows in the world?" to "Do you sleep with your socks on or off?" 

At first, kids were like, "What? Are you talking to me? I have my headphones in, and I'm clearly trying to ignore all of you people." Now, we have kids saying, "What's the question today?" as soon as they come up the stairs to our hall. One day when our colleague was absent, a senior jumped in with a clipboard to ask if students liked the morning surveys. (A resounding YES! One student even said, "It's what gets me here in the morning.) 

The questions spark little conversations among teachers and students -- even students who aren't necessarily friends with each other. Sometimes, the questions inspire heated debates, like the day we asked about iPhone or Android preference. I'm not even getting into the Xbox vs. Playstation day. 

We've been posting the results in the hall, and a cross-curricular activity with a statistics class may even come out of it. 

As silly as this sounds, the "Random Hub Survey" goes beyond having a little fun in the morning. When I look at the numbers posted, I see that we make contact with roughly 130-160 students every single day. Eye contact, quick Q&A, maybe a little follow-up discussion. Every single day. 

What's a non-school equivalent? Making eye contact and saying hello when we see people in the store or on the street, perhaps? As simple as it sounds, acknowledging our common humanity is a crucial step toward re-connection, to re-humanization. 

As educational leader and consultant Angela Maiers says, "We have to move from commonsense to commonplace and common practice." Small steps toward each other will ultimately make us stronger and closer -- even if we don't all believe that Lucky Charms are magically delicious.