Week 18 of 2025

There are a bunch of work-related updates from the week that I should note: I spoke to Equity Unbound. Vicky Davis published the interview I did with her a month or so ago. I finished the foreword to a book on AI in education. I published two Second Breakfast newsletters. A very famous YA author subscribed. (I never bother to look and see how quickly these folks unsubscribe.)

But here's the thing that's been stuck in my head since I learned it -- a scholar who said that a reviewer left the following comment on an article submission: "Citing Watters shows a distinct lack of respect for the field of educational technology." I'm not sure I've fully sorted through my feelings about this. I mean, on one hand: hahahahaha. But also: WTF? That I can't stop thinking about it definitely means it's upsetting -- not that I need or want to be loved and respected (not entirely, at least). But there's this outsized animosity towards me -- outsized to how I certainly see my influence and impact on the field -- and it just feels weird and unpleasant. I guess that's probably the point.

I'm not in therapy right now, but I am aware enough to know when I'm just burying shit and moving on... Moving on...

Eating updates: Wondee Thai takeout -- very good. Chinatown dumpling crawl: Mei Lai Wah and Fu Zhou Wei Long -- excellent. Sunday morning -- best cinnamon rolls ever?

Running updates: I went to NYRR's Volunteer Night. The heat and humidity are making running pretty hard, and I'm going in to the Brooklyn Half with no expectations. Not even sure, to be honest, that I'll race it, as much as I'd like to be able to use the race to time-qualify for next year's NYC Marathon -- something certainly doable with colder, drier weather conditions.

Lifting updates: I pulled 6 x 135 pounds this morning in deadlifts, which is great considering 1 rep at that weight used to be my max. I won't lift next week as I taper for the race, but will work a bit harder on lifting this summer and see where my 1 rep max can go.