A Snafu Kind of First Day 13

Last Monday was the first day of school. And to call the day one big long snafu is to use the initial meaning of the word, the original acronym for the word. It was the kind of day I can only encapsulate via a Thursday 13. 

ONE

I was very happy when an assignment for the week popped up the Friday before school began. I had a suspicion it was a vacant class from how the assignment was worded, and shortly after I accepted it, I got an email from Allie verifying that my suspicion was correct. Good news/bad news.

TWO

I arrived early Monday as I didn't know what sort of situation I'd be walking into. Good thing. Because no teacher was assigned to the classes, there was no way to access the attendance online. Allie (the secretary I check in with at the school) printed me paper rosters. And that was when I first got to see what my schedule was going to be. 

THREE

The vacant position was for the athletic director. Who was also teaching two periods of seventh grade success. (I knew the success part before I got there. The athletic director part was a surprise.) What were my responsibilities regarding the athletic director? I would need to touch base with the assistant principal who oversaw athletics. (Note: this did not happen.) 

FOUR

The good news: I didn't have a first period class. The bad news: the seventh graders were spending all day with their first period teacher in an orientation. (We did the same thing two years ago when I covered that maternity leave for the seventh grade science teacher.) Where was I supposed to be? Turns out, I had not been added to the list for the day, so I had no official responsibilities. 

FIVE

As I was figuring the day out, another teacher came into the classroom. She explained that she had just learned (the previous workday) that she would be teaching two periods of success this school year. She's a PE teacher. So, she was checking out the room to see what she had and what she would need. She would have the room for first and second periods while I would need it for third and fourth periods. Not a problem, just a surprise. 

SIX

Right before first period was to begin, Allie called me. A math/credit recovery teacher had taken ill and gone home. Could I cover his first period? Well, it's not like I had anything better to do. (For the full story about this class, see yesterday's post.) 

SEVEN

For third period, I returned to "my" classroom, but "my" third period would remain in their first period classes. I remained with the PE teacher's group. The PE teacher had her PE classes to cover for the rest of the day, but they had booked another teacher to come in to supervise the class. 

EIGHT

I got to see some of the orientation. We took a tour of the campus. In the heat. And while my presence was not needed, I learned what the students learned that day. I knew most of it, but now I knew what they were supposed to know. 

NINE

I asked Allie what my responsibility was for seventh period, the athletic period. She had told me she'd ask around and get back to me. For seventh period, she said to remain in the classroom. (The school is on a block schedule, so the first day was an odd day, periods 1, 3, 5, and 7.) 

TEN

I got to work on what I'd need for the next day (when I would for sure have a class). I was going to email Allie pages I needed printed (as I don't have printer access). Only, I suddenly had no access to my district email account and it's linked drive (where I keep all the material I need for class). I got an error message saying it was disabled. I've had this account for many, many years. WTF!

Before I could panic, Allie called to tell me I was supposed to be outside. (She had only just been informed.) I told her my account was disabled. She said she'd look into it. 

ELEVEN

On my way outside, I passed the basketball team heading for the classroom. I told them to come back outside, and I took roll. I was able to locate a few of the students from the soccer team, but most had left. (They were supposed to have practice, but something something coach not there something something missing bus. I didn't get full details.) I had several other teams' attendance, but they were nowhere to be found. 

TWELVE

End of day, I went to check out. I took the athletic director attendance to the attendance office. Allie informed me that they had restored my account. I went to check it, but I couldn't get online in the office. I asked Allie to print some things for me that I'd email her when I could. And then I went home.

THIRTEEN

Yes, I could access my account. Yay! I emailed Allie what I'd need for the next day. As I sat down to make sure I had my slides and such ready for Tuesday, my account again was disabled. Grrrr.

The next day I learned that they were doing something at district that was disabling accounts. I conferred with two other subs who had the same problem. Allie contacted district and got my account restored only to have it be blocked again that day. After class, luckily. Then Allie contacted the district again... At the moment my account works. Fingers crossed that that doesn't pop up again.

13 Things I Learned This Summer

As my summer comes to a close (school started Monday), I find myself reflecting on the season that was. While I didn't do much this summer (besides flying to Ohio), I did learn a few things along the way. Here is a list of some of the tidbits I picked up, in no particular order (and for Thursday 13).

1. Trashie.io 

I was in the car with my father, driving back from lunch, when the ad came on the radio. (I couldn't find a link to the ad, but here's their YouTube page.) An easy way to dispose of old clothing so it doesn't end up in a landfill. (And you earn gift cards per each bag you send in.) Sign me up. 

I have sent in one bag and one electronics box. It does cost, so that's a con. But I've been meaning to clean out my closet, and this makes it easy for me. It's just what I needed. 

2. Midnight Burger

Before my flight, I went in search of podcasts to download so I had something to listen to while crocheting on the plane. And I found this gem. It's currently in its fifth season, but I'm still on season one. 

Midnight Burger is the name of a diner that opens at six every evening. Where it'll be when it opens is anyone's guess. 

I did not expect to find a radio-play-type sci fi show podcast, but, then again, I am a total newbie with regards to podcasts, so I didn't know what I'd find. 

3. Apple Pay

On a whim I set up the wallet on my iPhone. And now I use my phone to pay for everything. It really is very convenient, although I understand why some might not want to use it. 

4. Airplane ticket on Apple Watch

I got an Apple Watch back in November, mostly to track my steps for the WeWard app. It turns out that there is so much more I use my watch for. 

When flying to Ohio, I added my tickets to Apple Wallet (as I had done in the past), and lo and behold, my boarding QR code just popped up on my watch. I did not know it did that. Now I know. 

5. Middle nephew is interested in astronomy

Just being in the vicinity of the family that I don't get to see that often teaches me so much. Middle nephew is now 16, and just in passing his mother mentioned how he's thinking of studying astronomy when he goes to college. And that just blew my mind. (I had similar aspirations at his age. Note the name of my blog. That's not an accident.) 

You better believe I asked him some follow up questions. I hope he does pursue the study. (Things got dicey for me in my twenties, and while I finished my bachelor's in physics, I did not go on to my masters as I had originally hoped to do.) 

6. Deadly Dowagers

While in Yellow Springs, Ohio, we ended up in a comic book store. They had a section of games. And I found this one. I was going to leave it behind, but SIL convinced me to go back and get it. We were going to play it, but we never did get around to it. Maybe next year... 

7. There's a castle in Loveland, Ohio

I already wrote a blog post about this. It was fascinating. If you missed the post, please check it out. 

8. Packing serving size containers

I don't know why this never occurred to me before. Game changer. 

I like ice cream. But I don't like scooping it into a bowl. Silly, I know. But, that is enough for me to not get ice cream unless it's in a smaller (and more expensive) container. Then it occurred to me that I could get the ice cream and repackage it in smaller serving-size plastic containers. 

It makes it so much easier. For me. I do something similar with cereal. This is more a neurospicy hack than something most people would even bother with, but it was new to me this summer, so on this list it goes. 

9. Making s'mores in an air fryer

We got an air fryer about a year ago. I've been learning how to make things in it. 

Put one marshmallow on a graham cracker. Set the temp for 375 degrees F. Let it heat until the marshmallow turns golden brown (about 3 minutes, but I watch it). Take out of air fryer, and put chocolate and second graham cracker on top. Squish and eat. 

10. Poaching eggs in the microwave

I learned scrambling eggs in the microwave a few years back. Why not try poaching them? 

I've only done this a couple times, but I learned quickly to poke holes in the yolks as the first time I tried it one of the eggs exploded. All over me. It was a mess. 

I've been doing 3 minutes in the microwave (in water), but I like my eggs well done. And covered, because exploding eggs. 

11. Jack in the Box and In-N-Out developed drive thrus at about the same time (but independently)

The Food that Built America has been a favorite of mine for a few years now. The current season started recording on my DVR in March (maybe February or April? I wasn't paying attention), but I didn't start watching the episodes until June. That was one of the tidbits from one of the episodes. 

12. Europeans love ranch dressing

I enjoyed seeing travelers enjoying the U.S. during the World Cup games. And this cracked me up. There were news reports of people trying to check this in with their luggage. 

I can't stand the stuff personally, so send it all overseas. I'm good with that. 

13. FAA regulations mandate pilots must retire on their 65th birthday

I learned this while eating lunch in Nashville Airport, but I already blogged about that. 

Teacher Reels 13

School starts back up next week. Now that I've had the summer to kind of cleanse my palate (so to speak), it's time to remember what I'm in for. (Not that I'll necessarily have work next week, but...) This is a Thursday 13.

1. Mr. Jahn @JahnifestDestiny

Can confirm, sometimes it's just fun to listen to them talk. 

2. Amanda & Zach Smith @amandasindallas

How was your day? Nice he gets to give a snapshot. I could totally see a kid doing this.

3. Educator Andrea @educatorandrea

"Wandering around asking people for Cheetos and Takis while we're reading about the Holocaust..." Been there.

4. MyTeacherFace @MyTeacherFace

Sometimes we can say the weirdest things. Teenagers...

5. Mr. Firth @Mister_Firth

Sometimes we really are in tune with the kiddos.

6. Gabe Dannenbring @gabedannenbring24

"Stop touching each other." Yup. And "It's on the board." Said frequently. 

7. Sam Salem @samuelsleeves

He's a sub and a comedian. And I absolutely want to do this. (The thing in the video, not being a comedian. I'm no comedian.) 

8. Mr. Moore Taught Me @MrMooreTaughtMe

Yup, everyone absolutely chimes in. Well, the ones that we're not talking to.

9. Levi Hawk @levihawk_teaching 

They absolutely think they're hiding their phones. They're not. They're obvious.

10. Coach Russo @MrRussoHealth

I mean, I haven't seen a dab in a while, but the rest of this...

11. Talana @Talanagram

Can confirm. Asking a class to quiet down does not work. 

12. Gregisms @Gregisms

The elementary kids say the darndest things.

13. Philip Lindsay @Mr_lindsay

I have yet to meet a student who says they're locking in actually lock in.

Why do I do this job again? 

13 Shows to Stream

Ah, the joys of mid-summer, when TV is a vast wasteland. Are you struggling to find something interesting to watch? I am. So, I've listed (for Thursday 13) thirteen shows that I enjoyed recently (across varying streaming platforms). 

(I did this last year for Apple TV Plus and Netflix. I won't repeat any of the shows already on those lists.) 

In the comments feel free to suggest anything you think we also might enjoy. (Please. Seriously. I need something to watch.) 

1. The Way Home (Netflix)

I wrote about this show back in 2023 after seeing season 1. I recently saw that Netflix had added it. (It had aired on the Hallmark Channel.) And season 4 (containing the show's finale) just finished a couple months ago. Only the first three seasons are on Netflix at the moment, but I expect that they'll add the fourth and final season soon. 

The concept: they have a time travelling pond. That is, when members of the Landry family jump into this pond, they can surface at any point in history. The show begins with Alice finding herself in 1999 when her mother was her age. But by the end of the series, they've seen the early 1800s, the 1920s, the 1970s, and then they came home. 

Link to trailer.

2. Death by Lightning (Netflix)

I wrote about this show already in December, but it bears repeating (and I needed enough shows to make 13). 

This show is all about the election of (and death of) President James Garfield. The history is way weirder than I ever knew.

Link to trailer.

3. Dept. Q (Netflix)

Crime drama in Scotland. Very well done. (Also violent. Sorry.) I don't want to give too much away as it would spoil the first couple episodes, and you really don't want me to do that. 

Link to trailer.

4. This Is a Gardening Show (Netflix)

My brother turned this on a couple weeks back (while I was visiting). Zach Galifianakis talks about gardening. The episodes are short. Lots of kids are involved. And while it is informative, it is also comedy, so if you aren't into gardening, you might still enjoy the show.

Link to trailer.

5. Lioness (Paramount +)

An elite team recruits a female soldier to insinuate herself next to a target that they need to "take out". Politics and drama ensue. Lots of famous faces. Murky moral ground. And a great show. I saw recently that season 3 is coming, and I can't wait. 

Link to trailer.

6. School Spirits (Paramount +) 

I avoided season 2 for way too long. Silly me. 

One day Maddie wakes up to discover that she's dead. How did she die? She has no idea. The other ghosts at her high school (because she died at school) want to help, kind of. And her best friend Simon can see her, for some weird reason. 

Link to trailer.

7. Sky Med (Paramount +)

I wrote about this show two years ago, but I'm repeating it here as there've been two whole new seasons since then (and I needed enough shows to make 13). 

Canadian show about an airline that transports people to hospitals. Kind of an air ambulance. The various pilots and nurses have romantic dramas in between them saving people from accidents and such. I like rescue shows, so this is right up my alley. 

Link to trailer.

8. Pluribus (Apple +)

One day an alien virus turns the whole world into one hive mind. Except for Carol (and 11 other individuals across the globe). Carol wants to turn them all back, but she doesn't know how. Oh, and the rest of the world? Very nice. Seemingly happy. And all they want is for Carol to be happy (while they figure out why the virus didn't work on her). 

Getting through the first episode or two was hard. But once the plot settles, it gets interesting.

Link to trailer.

9. Shining Girls (Apple +)

Okay, so I lied. I did mention this one last year on that list, but I hadn't seen it yet. (I rounded out the list with shows that were recommended but I hadn't seen yet.) Now I've seen it, and woo-boy... It's a doozy. 

A woman's reality keeps changing, and she has no idea why. She'll come home from work to find she now has a cat instead of a dog. She'll go into work and find her desk has moved. No one around her notices the differences. (Imagine coming home to a husband you did not have when you left for work. Yeah, that happened.) 

At the same time, there's a series of murders that don't make sense. They take place over a time frame that doesn't make sense. But somehow they seem to be connected. 

It all connects. Eventually. And I don't want to give out how, because the reveal is so good if you don't know what you're walking into.

Link to trailer.

10. Reacher (Prime)

Large man helps people. He's a drifter (retired from the military) who shows up in a town and ends up helping someone who needs help. Not by choice, really. He just gets pulled into these things. Based on the books by Lee Child. They're doing the seasons out of book order, so if you've read the books, it'll seem jumbled. But great entertainment. 

Link to trailer.

11. Leverage: Redemption (Prime) 

Back several years ago, there was a broadcast show about a group of thieves who used their skills to take down criminals with power. They rebooted it with kind of the same cast, and it's now streaming. I have not quite finished the current season (which reminds me I do have something to watch), but the previous one (or two? hard to recall) were well worth it. 

Link to trailer.

12. Ride or Die (Prime)

I'm only halfway through this new show about an assassin and her best friend. Best friend did not know the woman was an assassin (for 20-something years), but found out because now people are after her. I'm enjoying it so far, and definitely recommend it.

Link to trailer.

13. Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney +)

One of my twin nephews was watching this show while I was visiting. I watched some of the show with him, but our timing didn't sync, so I saw an episode here or there, and then he was on to the second season. 

So, when I got home, I pulled up my rarely watched Disney + (which I bundle with Hulu, so it's not costing me extra) and watched it. And now I see season 3 is due in November. 

This show is based on the series of books. Percy finds out that he's a demigod, son of one of the Greek gods, and monsters are after him. He ends up going on quests that bring out various characters out of Greek mythology (and The Odyssey, for those of you who have seen the movie--like Medusa and Circe and Cerberus and...)

Link to trailer.

13 Days in Ohio

For the last two weeks, I was in Ohio visiting my brother and his family. Here's what I got up to. (This is a Thursday 13.) 

DAY ONE

Flight day. 

The TSA line was non-existent. The agent checked my ID and then sent me back because somehow my birthdate was wrong in the system. (I must have entered it wrong. Oops.) 

Onboard the plane, the pilot introduced himself as Abe Frohman and his copilot as Ed Rooney. I laughed. No one else got the joke. Not my neighbor, who was on his way to Texas for the World Cup game with Egypt. 

We arrived at Dallas 15 minutes early, but we had to circle for 15 minutes due to weather. I had a two hour layover, so I had time to eat something and I had plenty of time to make my flight. 

We arrived on time. My brother picked me up from the airport, and it wasn't terribly late when we got back to his place. 

DAY TWO

The plan was to go to Berlin to explore the Amish shops and such. But I woke with a terrible migraine (with nausea), so I cancelled. (My sister-in-law had other visitors in town, so they all make the trek.) I slept until about 4 PM. 

DAY THREE

The 4th of July. 

Middle nephew is in the high school marching band, so we headed out to the town's 4th of July parade. After the band passed, we headed out, but hit crazy traffic. 

A couple hours later, my niece, her boyfriend, SIL's friend's twin 13-year-old daughters, and I all headed out to the town's street fair. 

There was grilled meat. There were party guests. And there were fireworks. A great time was had by all. 

DAY FOUR

...was a very chill day. One of SIL's friends headed home. The other (Priscilla) took her daughter to skate camp and was gone all day. I watched TV with SIL, did some crochet, and wrote a blog post for Monday. 

DAY FIVE

I got invited along with SIL and her friend Priscilla (blog alias). We started off at Historic Roscoe Village (which should become its own blog post, maybe next week). Then SIL wanted cinnamon rolls from an Amish bakery, so we headed out that way, but when we arrived, it turned out the bakery was closed. Sigh. 

We had dinner at Olde Jaol in Wooster. The fun part was that the restaurant was in the brick basement which used to be the jail. The food was good. 

DAY SIX

Priscilla, Liv (my niece), and I started off in German Village in Columbus. There was a visitor's center where we learned of the history of the area. There was a bookstore with 32 rooms of books. We visited a couple shops, and then we had lunch. 

And then we headed to Loveland Castle which I already wrote a whole post about. 

We drove right by the place first as Priscilla had entered her daughter's skate camp into her GPS, but she figured it out before we went too far beyond where we were supposed to go. And then, on the way back, we met SIL in Columbus at a Mexican restaurant for dinner. (Definitely a different vibe than Mexican restaurants in SoCal.) 

DAY SEVEN

I woke to find a text from my niece. She'd taken the day off work, and would I like to go to Yellow Springs? Yes please. 

Once we finally departed, we had much of the family in tow. Only my brother, who had to work, and middle nephew, who just didn't want to go, stayed home. 

We looked in some shops. We had lunch at the restaurant that has live music in the evenings. 

And then we headed back. We went in search of a rock garden, but didn't make it as the neighborhood it was in was kind of sketchy. 

DAY EIGHT

It was time for a day of rest. I baked chocolate chip cookies with eldest and middle nephews. (I instructed. They did the work.) And that was about it. 

DAY NINE

This was another quiet day. Sitting and watching TV (and crocheting) with the family and getting to just talk to them was nice. Since they don't live close, I don't really get to talk to them that much. And we made plans for Saturday. (This was a Friday.) 

DAY TEN

While looking at a map of the US, I noticed that Ohio borders West Virginia. And I thought it would be cool to drive to West Virginia. 

Point Pleasant, West Virginia, is famous for Mothman sightings prior to a bridge collapse in 1967. They made a movie about this. The family wanted to see the museum. I was happy to tag along. 

Niece and eldest nephew decided to go somewhere else. SIL was feeling terrible, so she stayed home to rest. So, it was just my brother, middle nephew, and the twins with me. 

The drive was very wet. The rain came down pretty hard at times. But it wasn't raining when we arrived. 

It's a cute town. The local shops all cater to the cryptid crowd. And the museum has all sorts of stuff about the Mothman sightings. Maybe not worth the long drive if you don't like the drive, but I had a great time. 

And I got to see the Ohio River. 

DAY ELEVEN

It was a lazy Sunday. This time I baked chocolate chip cookies with Liv. The TV was on. I wrote the blog post about Loveland Castle (see day six). I caught up on some blog visiting. And we didn't do a whole lot of anything else. 

DAY TWELVE

Liv stayed home sick from work, but by the afternoon she was feeling a bit better. She found a yarn shop in Columbus for me to visit. We saw a couple more shops in German Village, but then we headed back as she was tired. And I took a nap as well. 

DAY THIRTEEN

As I prepared for my departure the nephews all wished me well. One of the twins: "I hope your plane doesn't crash." Yeah, he can be a bit blunt. Spoiler: my plane did not crash. 

My layover in Nashville did not go so well, but I already wrote about that yesterday. I got home after 9 PM, and I slept well in my own bed. 

13 Short Videos (and Their Creators)

I've joined the short video social media ecosystem. I'm not proud of this. But sometimes it's nice to just look at short videos online to wile away the time. (My platform of choice: Facebook Reels. Yeah, I know.)

Today I'm sharing 13 creators (for Thursday 13) who I enjoy. I have included one video from each as well as a link to their YouTube channel. Let me know in the comments of anyone I should find or if you watch these creators as well. 

1. Ozzy Man Reviews @ozzymanreviews 

He takes videos of animals and adds voices, as if the animals are talking. It's something we've seen before, but it's still funny. This is two rams, one who is angry and wanting to fight. 

2. Smosh Pit @smoshpit

When these pop up on my feed they suck me in. He reads posts from Reddit (usually AITA, but this one is a petty revenge), and two others sit on the couch and react. They discuss. It's way more fascinating than it should be. (And there's way more to it than what I usually see, if you follow the link.) 

3. Rangsk Puzzles @Rangsk

He does the various New York Times online puzzles. Daily. I like watching his Wordle solves after I've done them. 

4. TerryAndKaniyia @TerryJ46

These two kids (well, twenty-somethings) listen to music that they have not heard before (but you most definitely have) and react. In this video, they're hearing Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain". They seem to enjoy most of what they listen to, and it's just fun watching them hear it for the first time.

5. Taylor Black @taylormakesvideos 

She has some interesting takes on things. This video is where she's reading the comments section of a question someone posted online. Some of these are pretty funny. 

6. Refashioned Hippie @refashionedhippie

This creator has a few different things she does. She finds ridiculous clothing pieces made by famous design houses that are crazy expensive, but you wouldn't want it anyway. And here's a bad design short. Oh, this is very much NSFW. You've been warned. 

7. Gabe @gabectomy

He works in a phone store (which he does not name). And he tells stories of bad customer interactions. It reminds me of my days working retail. Yes, customers are this bad. 

8. Sums of Anarchy @SumsofAnarchy

She does shorts on math. There's a lot of different ways to calculate things that I find interesting. This short is on where the word square came from (for you math-phobics). 

9. Kameron Johnson @Kameronisfunny

He talks a lot about his family, mainly his daughter who must be a teenager. In this short he lists various punishments he can come up with in case she misbehaves. Like chaperoning prom and showing off his dance moves. Of which he has no good ones. 

10. Sidneyraz @sidneyraz 

"Here's something I wish I knew before I was in my thirties," is how he starts all his life hack videos. Well, I'm in my fifties, and I didn't know some of these. I definitely didn't know this about three fingers on my laptop trackpad. 

11. JasonKPargin @JasonKPargin 

He finds interesting things to say about all sorts of things. This is about how people tend to move counterclockwise. You'll find this fascinating. 

12. Steve Hofstetter @stevehofstetter

He's a stand up comedian (who in this bit is talking about why he shouldn't be). Yeah, funny. Funny is good. 

13. John Kotrides @genxjono

And for us Gen Xers, he talks a lot about our '80s childhoods and such. When did we get old? 

Fourth Annual Meme Collection 13

So, yeah, it's now become a thing.

In 2023 during the summer, I was bored and looking for topics for Thursday 13, and I thought to mine my phone for the various memes I had saved. When summer 2024 came around I realized I had 13 more memes to share. I did it again last year. So, now it's an annual event. 

(Now that I know it's an annual event, I'll be more careful to collect some more. I came up a little short, so the last couple are posters I found in classrooms that I snapped pictures of. Kinda meme-y. I hope you don't mind.) 

1. I think I saw this on Bluesky, and now I can't find the creator to credit. I showed this to the art students in August as I thought it was something they should see. 

2. Same creator as #1. Very good education-type explanation. 

3. Also found on Bluesky. You can find the whole comic here. 

4. Vintage cartoon.

5.

6.

7. I looked at this. And I looked at this. And then I remembered that that white thing is called a buoy. And then I couldn't stop laughing for five minutes. 

8. I love to watch the tracking of everything I order online. I feel this meme so hard. 

9.

10.

11.

12. Found in a 12th grade government class. 

13. Found in a forensic science class. 

13 Busiest US Airports

I am getting on a plane today (or I'm on a plane or I'm getting off a plane, depending on when you read this). I am going to visit my brother and his family in Ohio for several days. (They have internet and I am taking my computer with me. I'll be around the blogosphere, although I may not be checking in daily.) So, in honor of my travel day, I thought it would be fun to find the top 13 U.S. airports. Yes, this is a Thursday 13. 

I got my data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, ranked by passenger enplanements for the year 2025. (I used the spreadsheet which was the third sheet tab at the bottom of the chart.) 

1. Atlanta, GA (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International)
2. Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (Dallas/Fort Worth International)
3. Chicago, IL (Chicago O'Hare International)
4. Denver, CO (Denver International)
5. Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles International)
6. New York, NY (John F. Kennedy International)
7. Orlando, FL (Orlando International)
8. Las Vegas, NV (McCarran International)
9. Miami, FL (Miami International)
10. San Francisco, CA (San Francisco International)
11. Charlotte, NC (Charlotte Douglas International)
12. Seattle, WA (Seattle/Tacoma International)
13. Phoenix, AZ (Phoenix Sky Harbor International)

None of the airports I'll be in are on this list. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I do know that when I went through Denver last year, things did not go so well. 

13 Useful Gadgets

I've been trying to write this Thursday 13 for something like three years. I finally have thirteen things to list. 

I've acquired a few things that until I got them I didn't know they existed. And they definitely solve a problem I had. Some you've probably seen and/or heard about. But there are some I'm sure will be new to you. Let me know in the comments of other gadgets that you have that you've found useful. I'm sure there will be others I want to acquire. 

1. GripStic (where to find)

I was at the Orange County Fair more than fifteen years ago. We were in the building where the various vendors sold stuff. And the guy slipped one of these on a bag just as I was walking past. I stopped. What the...? 

These are way better than any clips you might use. It seals any bag up very simply and securely. I have used these continuously since I got my first bag and even went back and got more a couple years later. These are the best. 

2. Bowl holder

I first saw these at a craft fair. I'm sure they have mass produced ones, but I've only ever gotten them from independent sellers. They can go in the microwave with the bowl while it's heated, and then when you take it out, you don't burn your hands. It's also great to hold a hot bowl (of soup or something) when you're not sitting at a table. 

3. Seat belt clip (where to buy)

As someone who's rather well-endowed in the chest department, I used to have issues with my seat belt. It never stayed positioned across me in a comfortable manner. It always rode up and choked me. And then I was introduced to this thing, and it is the best. It clips on the lap part of the belt, and the chest strap hooks on it, keeping that from straying up to my neck. I no longer have to adjust my seat belt for my entire drive. Game changer. 

Sadly, I only found these on Amazon. And they have all sorts of different types. My link is to one example (as the one I bought I can't find). If you find it at another retailer, let me know so I can buy from them next time.

4. Shower step (where to buy)

We got a new shower for my bathroom. (It was a process which I detailed in another Thursday 13.) And while it's very nice in some ways, there was one glaring problem. With no bathtub component, I had no place to balance my leg when I would shave in the shower. There had to be a solution for that. 

Once I started looking, I found this. And it's perfect. Just what I need in a shower with no way to balance my foot. 

5. Cell phone kickstand (where to buy)

When I got my current phone, I discovered MagSafe cases and wireless charging. One thing I had had before was one of those things for the back of the case to help me grip the phone. When I went to purchase a new one for the new phone, I found one that magnetically attaches, and I'm never going back. It helps me grip the phone. It props it up when I've set it down (making my knit pyramid redundant, sigh). And it comes off easily when I charge my phone. I've had this two years, and it still works great. Expensive (for what it is) but worth the price. 

When I went to find the link for this, I discovered that they've upgraded it with a finger strap, and now I need a new one...

6. Phone charging clock (where to buy)

Speaking of my phone... When I got my first iPhone, I had the best bedside clock. It was a docking station. It charged my phone and it played music from my phone through a speaker. It worked via an app, and I loved this thing. But, the iPhone charging connection changed, the apps were upgraded, and the clock became obsolete. 

I'd been looking for a replacement for a decade. 

Clock: check. Charging: check (via wireless). Speaker: check (via Bluetooth). And no app to go out of date. Perfect. 

7. Bed caddy (where to buy)

This attaches to the side of my bed. I keep my ereader in it. It's big enough for physical books, remote controls, or anything else you might want to keep handy. It's brilliant, and I love mine. 

I got mine via Zulily back before it went defunct (but it's back now), but when I searched it online, I found that Target had one, Walmart had one, and there were instructions on how to make your own. I linked to Amazon, but those are not the only options. 

8. Shower speaker (where to buy)

Waterproof. Connects to my phone via Bluetooth. Just what I need to listen to music in the shower.

9. Neck light (where to buy)

I know, most people get these to read by. I use mine to knit (or crochet) with. It's great in the summer (rather than a big task light that heats me up). I didn't buy mine off Amazon or a online yarn retailer, but I've linked to the latter. You can search these up as many retailers have them.

10. Door stopper (where to buy)

This is one I use at work. Nowadays we don't unlock the classroom doors. Mostly a safety thing. (The doors don't lock from the inside.) But what do you do if you want the door closed, but you want kiddos to be able to get in without knocking? I use this. (The doors are self-closing.) I mean, most teachers have something that works, like a magnet or a blocker, but not all do. It's helpful for the days I need it.

11. Desk ring light with phone holder (where to buy)

When I started making videos (for my YouTube channel), I got this phone holder/light that clipped on the side of a table. It worked, but I needed something better. So, I got one of these.

I haven't used it yet, but the light is much brighter, so it should make my next videos that much nicer. 

12. Microwave egg poacher (where to buy)

Did you know you can make hard-boiled eggs in the microwave? I happened upon a gadget that did that a couple years ago, and I'm never going back. (Alas, the first one I used kept failing at the vent hole. The second one I used exploded one day with a force so hard it blew the microwave door open.) This is the third version that I've bought, and so far, this one works pretty well. Will it fail, too? I hope not. This is way easier than boiling the eggs in water. 

13. Meat chopper (where to buy)

When I was in elementary school, my father worked in fast food. The way they mashed up the ground beef for the burritos was by using a potato masher. (That's how he taught us to brown ground beef.) But now there's a better tool. 

Do you have any gadgets that you don't know how you ever did without? 

13 Phone Apps

What apps do you have on your phone? 

Most of us have the usual things, like texting and calls. We know about food delivery and ride shares. We scroll social media. But I have run across some apps that were news to me, so they might be news to you as well. Some are more specialized (getting up to 13 apps presented a challenge), and some are ones you'll need as soon as you know about them. And yes, this is a Thursday 13.

1. Roku remote (Android link / Apple link)

The other day I was searching for something on my TV. When I went to the search bar ready to use the arrow keys to slowly spell out the title on the screen, my Roku TV offered to connect to my phone so I could pull up a keyboard and type in what I was searching. So much easier. 

I'm sure the other streaming platforms have something similar. This app is just for the remote (not for the platform which you can totally stream on your phone as well). I did not know this thing existed until prompted, but now it's one of my many apps. 

2. SkyView Lite (Android link / Apple link)

Looking up at the night sky and wondering what that bright object is? There's an app for that. 

Open the app, and point it towards the sky. This app names the constellations and identifies the planets. Way cool. (I could not find this name in Android, but I'm sure they have something similar.)

3. IMDb (Android link / Apple link)

For years I have whined about this. You're watching a TV show and that actor just looks so familiar. Where do you know them from? There has to be an app... 

Well, this is not perfect, but it's close. Type in the actor's name. It lists their filmography. There's also so much more information about movies and TV that you can find, but the only thing I use this app for is to look up actors that I just can't place. 

4. Yuka (Android link / Apple link)

An instructional aide introduced this one to me. Scan the barcode of whatever food you're choosing. It gives you a rundown of what's in it (and how healthy it is). Ingredients. Calories. Healthier alternatives. (Full disclosure: I can't recall which app the IA showed me as when I went to look for it, I found several versions of the same idea. But this was news to me, so I thought it might be news to you, too.) 

5. Fetch (Android link / Apple link)

Scan receipts. Earn points. Use your collected points to convert into gift cards. (I got a $50 Amazon gift card a bit ago. I'm waiting until my point total is high enough for another good gift card. Soon.) 

If you're interested in trying it, you can use my referral code: 6VMWJH. (I get points and you get points for using the code. And then we become "friends" on the app.) 

6. Strava (Android link / Apple link)

When I go for a walk, I "record" it using this app. It tells me how long I've been walking and for how far. Then I get a nifty map of where I've been (although, the map can be glitchy). I have not signed up for the subscription, which has more features, as the free version has everything I need. But if you're serious about tracking your walking (or running or biking), this is a good app to do that with. 

7. WeWard (Android link / Apple link)

Fetch, but for walking. This app tracks your daily steps. You convert them to wards. And those wards convert to gift cards and/or shopping discounts. This is another one I have a referral code for: ValidTiger9242. (If you're going to sign up, this gives you and me a few wards to start with.) 

8. LastQuake (Android link / Apple link)

I live in southern California. Of course I have an earthquake app. (Although, they changed this one so that it's functionality isn't as good as it once was. It's time for me to make a switch.) 

It happens frequently enough. I feel something. Was that an earthquake? Time to open the app. Usually, it was. And the app tells me the severity and the epicenter. And then I move on with my day. 

9. My Q (Android link / Apple link)

Okay, this one is pretty specialized. A little over a year ago our garage door opener broke. They replaced it with a "smart" garage door opener. It has a camera. (We don't pay to store the video, so it doesn't "record", but if we want to check the camera, we can see what's going on in real time.) It has alerts (that you can turn off if you don't want to be notified every time the garage door opens or closes). And, this is the cool thing, you can open and close the garage door via your phone. 

I usually use the remote. I don't often check on the empty garage. But, if you've ever gone, "Did I remember to close the garage," well, this solves that problem. And, when my remote's battery dies, I have a backup. 

10. Sub Alert (Android link / Apple link)

Speaking of specialized...

Have you wondered how substitute teachers get their gigs? The school districts contract with a company that posts the jobs, pushing alerts to the subs who can then pick them up. But competition is fierce. So, this second party app (that does cost money) exists. Do the jobs pop up quicker? All I know is that I see this app more than the official one, and it's kept me in work (during the school year). I'll keep it.

11. Medisafe (Android link / Apple link)

I have run out of apps I have that you might not know about. But, that's what the internet is for. I found this one that reminds you to take your medication. This is something I will probably need in not too many years from now.

12. Soundscape (Android link / Apple link)

This contains a library of calming sounds. Nature sounds. For relaxation, sleep, focus, or meditation. 

13. Daylio Journal (Android link / Apple link)

Mood diary and happiness tracker. It's a bullet journal for your phone.

What apps do you have on your phone that I might not have heard of?