When last he wrote, Grumpy Old Teacher (GOT) had not intended to take a month off. The ongoing pandemic alone would provide topics to carry on through the remainder of Winter Break and move into the new year. Speculation about a new U.S. Secretary of Ed, the new policies that might ensue, and the same ol’, same ol’ that will probably result might generate lots of posts and thousands of words.

Then, the events of January unfolded. Education was sidelined for the ongoing drama of an attempted insurrection and overthrow of the United States Constitution. The aftermath dominated not only the news, but everyone’s thoughts.

The unbelievable happened. Betsy Devos resigned, not to avoid a 25th amendment vote, but out of conscience that one would not be held. A departing president was impeached for a second time.

We all held our breath for what might come Inauguration Day, January 20th.

GOT is a reflective blog. Blog writers, unless they are professional members of the press corps, are not journalists. In spite of that fact, a few do a very good job running down stories and verifying facts. But most of us are opining in our areas of interest, hoping to have based our commentary on objective sources (which is why most blog posts link the facts they cite,) as we offer sometimes impassioned points of view about the issues of concern.

For most bloggers, GOT among them, the primary occupation is not the blog. Educational bloggers, in particular, tend to be teachers still in the classroom. That is why our reports are authentic–we are doing the work and the blowback, the criticism, and the we-know-better-than-you attitudes of people whose last day in the classroom was the day before Senior Skip Day of their final high school year fall upon us.

Naturally, we have something to say about that.

But in a month like January 2021, reflection halted as the input, the grist for the blogger mill, poured in faster than thoughts could form about what was going on.

But as January passes into February and the hours of sunlight increase, as houseplants stir and begin new growth as James Crockett, the famous horticulturalist from a previous generation observed, new thoughts with accompanying words come to mind.

Happy 2021, readers. Let’s make it a good one.