Weekly Planner September 8 - September 14, 2025
Weekly Big 3
1. Building Knowledge
- YAWP AI Article – Draft and share updated Writing Partners section about creating tutors with Jess Early Tuesday at noon, add more before Friday noon meeting.
- Send suggestion to Jess Early about her Research in English Education course — do a Writing Partners version for each week.
Comment:
- You’re not only drafting and sharing the Writing Partners section (anchored to real meetings), but also actively suggesting new applications for Jess Early’s course—so your knowledge-building is both about generating content and influencing curriculum.
2. Building the Site
- Re-organize Writing Partners by one group only — eliminating the four process discinctions.
- Schedule and complete NowComment spam review with Jeremie & Dan on Thursday or Friday morning.
- Begin removing AI pages from NowComment
Comment:
You’ve got clear technical/process deliverables here—re-organizing Writing Partners (with specific simplifications), scheduling that NowComment review, and proactively removing AI pages. All three actions have a defined “done” state.
3. Building Community/Network:
– Invite, plan, and facilitate Wednesday night TTT metaphors workshop – Invite Rachel Horst
– Organize with Bonnee a new professional writing groups that meets bi-weekly
Comment:
- The TTT metaphors session is your anchor event (and inviting Rachel Horst brings in fresh energy/connections).
- Starting up a new professional writing group with Bonnee is a concrete step toward broader peer collaboration—and it has both initiation (“organize”) and ongoing rhythm (“bi-weekly”).
Last Week's Big 3
1. Knowledge building
- Draft YAWP AI chapter for Tuesday check-in with Jess Early
- Finish all “scene setting” narratives for the start of the Coaching Teachers in the Age of AI chapter
2. Building the Network/Contract work
Meet with teachers from:
- Judge Memorial
- SFUSD
- Oakland Schools
3. Building the Site
Revise Loveable wireframe with David Cole and work with him to be ready to meet with Iva on Friday afternoon.
Other things:
4. (Building the Network) TTT – make it meaningful and reach out to a wider audience.
5. (Building/securing the site) NowComment – meet with Dan Doernberg early in the week and Jeremie later in the week. Start stripping NowComment of AI
Monday 09/08/2025
Morning Ritual | Workday Startup Ritual | Workday Shutdown Ritual | Evening Ritual
Early afternoon run before 1:00 - 3.57 miles
Early evening run before 6:30 - 3.43 miles
Workday Startup Bluesky post
DAILY BIG 3 List your 3 most important tasks.
- Finish Writing Partners paragraph about creating tutors (morning deep work)
- Review site organization plan for Writing Partners squad and move out of other groupings.
- Set up meetings.
OTHER TASKS
- Christian Kunkel (Launchpad)
My role at Launchpad is to work with our graduates to find and execute paid client work, most of which we anticipate will be either web development or AI prototyping. This means the projects could go lots of directions based on the client needs, so I look forward to meeting you and learning more about your work. - Invitation to Rachel Horst for TTT
- I set up a meeting with to Jeremie Wood and Dan Doernberg RE: NowComment and spam.
- I invited Bonnee Breese Bentum to help organize a writing group on AI.
NOTES
Reflections and planning slipped into Monday this week, and it took a lot longer than planned. I need to remember that it takes time -- and that it is time well spent.
DAILY WIN
I liked the editing I did on a paragraph in the YAWP AI article... though I never go back to the one about creating tutors -- and I need to get to that -- but there was some clarity in this paragraph about whe Writing Partners represents when compared to ChatGPT and this stance... if it is as clear to my reader as it is to me sets me up nicely to (finally) do the paragraph about crating tutors.
All the invitations and the reflection work was a win -- though a day late. (Maybe I need to start on Saturday.)
Tuesday 09/09/2025
Morning Ritual | Workday Startup Ritual | Workday Shutdown Ritual | Evening Ritual
Workday Startup Bluesky post
Afternoon run (because tired after Pickleball) before 4:45 pm - 4.68 miles.
Evening run before 8:30 pm - 2.32 milles.
Workday Shutdown Bluesky reply
DAILY BIG 3 List your 3 most important tasks.
- 9–10:30am: Pickleball with friends
- 11am: Launchpad meeting with Christian
- Invitation for TTT - Chris Sloan and College Admissions Essay and Narrative of Fredrick Douglass and college admissions simulators?
OTHER TASKS
NOTES
DAILY WIN
Dialogue with John Warner -- continued from above.
On Wednesday evening, September 10th at 8E/7C/6M/5P in Kumospace.com/youthvoices, we invite you to try our Writing Partner that makes it easy to build a simulator for any writing project or inquiry you might be working on.
We will make one together, and you can follow along to create your own simulator.
Then we'll talk about how we might use such a partner as we read and write and grow an inquiry.
A few use cases:
- Dr. Chris Sloan is asking graduate students this summer to create simulators for Learning Theorists to guide them as they explore their own educational perspectives.
- Dr. Bonnee Breese Bentum developed simulators with her students this Spring to learn more about Mercy-Douglas Hospital in Philadelphia. They then used these historical simulators when reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
- Students in Peter Haun's classes were writing college admissions essays. Many of them were applying to Michigan State University and Michigan University. We made simulators using actual admissions officers from each university -- based on podcasts and interviews they had done talking about the school and what they are looking for in admission essays. Students now can have these AI simulators give them feedback on their essays.
Please consider joining us on Wednesday evening, September 10th at 8E/7C/6M/5P in Kumospace.com/youthvoices. We will invite you to try our Writing Partner that makes it easy to build a simulator for any writing project or inquiry you might be working on.
Let's learn more about how AI can impact our writing lives together!
Wednesday 09/10/2025
Morning Ritual | Workday Startup Ritual | Workday Shutdown Ritual | Evening Ritual
Early afternoon run, by 2:30 - 2.32 miles
Easly evening runm, by 6:30 4.68 miles
DAILY BIG 3 List your 3 most important tasks.
- Writing time in the morning for YAWP AI article
- 2:30–3:30pm: Andrea/David/Peter—Writing Partner logistics - Great meeting, next one 09/17/2025
- 8–9pm: Facilitate TTT student workshop with Chris Sloan
OTHER TASKS
NOTES
DAILY WIN
It was a small group, Chris Sloan, Debbie Abilock, and me, but I think there was still knowledge built that we can take to others. I wonder if I can get Chris's open letter up as an artifact that other teachers can use.
Thursday 09/11/2025
Morning Ritual | Workday Startup Ritual | Workday Shutdown Ritual | Evening Ritua.
Workday Startup Bluesky post
If you look closely, you can see the beams of light coming from the footprints of the World Trade Center buildings.
Neglected my running today.
Dinner out with Sam and Claire and Marcie.
DAILY BIG 3 List your 3 most important tasks.
- Schedule/hold NowComment spam review w/Jeremie & Dan (11:00 am)
- Begin removing AI pages from NowComment (I removed AI material from homepage.)
- Met with David Cole - catching him up on some work I did on our Loveable wireframe, and on Tools Competition (also received and responded to email from Tanya Baker regarding the Tools Competition).
- 4:45–5:45pm: SFUSD librarian Anna & David call (use connection to keep network momentum) Great meeting, next one 09/16/2025
- FOCUS of the DAY: While waiting for car to be repaired, I did alot of writing on the YAWP AI article.
OTHER TASKS
NOTES
DAILY WIN
YAWP AI Article. This part feels complete:
Writing Partners (Digital Writing Platform)
Writing Partners (writingpartners.net), a platform that gives teachers and students access to a Large Language Model (LLM), and ChatGPT, a general-purpose chatbot were used to support the teaching and practice of writing in this two-week workshop on college admission essay writing. Writing Partners is a social annotation platform that supports AI-guided writing, reading, and discussion. Shortly after the drop of ChatGPT in November 2022, a community of teachers and students, which is facilitated by Author 3, worked with a programmer to add AI systems to a pre-existing annotation platform (nowcomment.com) using an OpenAI API. Together, they have designed digital technology that makes it possible for any user of the platform to script, share, and iterate on customized AI assistants that readers and writers use to spark and support their creation, annotation, and discussion of shared, multimodal texts. The Writing Partners platform has an ever expanding bank of AI assistants, organized in genre-based collections, that teachers have scripted by adapting detailed frameworks from composition theory and practice of the National Writing Project.
At different points in their work as readers and writers, students choose a specific AI assistant from these collections that they have learned (often with the guidance of their teacher) will give them the most helpful and honest feedback, question, challenge, or support at the point in their process where they could use another perspective. Once they become familiar with pre-existing AI assistants, students and teachers also make their own on the Writing Partners platform. They carefully describe their teaching or learning processes and capture these in a prompt or a script that, after testing and revision, becomes another AI assistant available to others on the site. Using AI on a social annotation platform like this one adds new dimensions to learning with AI as compared with interacting with a proprietary chatbot like ChatGPT. Writing Partners is a creative ecosystem where teachers and students both design and employ AI mentors, coaches, and tutors to address reading and writing challenges students face while learning together online.
The dynamic process of prompt design on Writing Partners can be seen in the development of four of the AI Tutors that Author 1 used with her students in the summer writing camp. All three authors met online every few weeks over the ten months before the writing camp. Other educators from around the country also participated in creating a set of AI assistants or Writing Partners to guide students as they write a college admissions essay. The AI assistants that we created in those periodic meetups were then tested with student samples and with students working on their college admissions essays.
When teachers set out to design an AI assistant on Writing Partners they start with composition theory and research, then they add in descriptions their own practice as writing teachers. In this case, we started by reviewing “Demystifying the College Admission Essay Genre,” Chapter 4 of Real World Writing for Secondary Students (2012) by Author 2 and Meredith DeCosta. We used the “Key Genre Elements of the College Admission Essay” that are listed in Figure 4.2 as our guide. In this article, we will focus on these four aspects of the college admissions essay:
-
Writing an effective introduction: Consider effective techniques for a lead, such as beginning with a powerful quote, a series of questions, or a compelling anecdote.
-
Using description: Use vivid details to show, not tell, anecdotes from life events.
-
Writing the “So What?”: Step outside the narrative to emphasize the significance of the particular topic and lesson learned. Share why the story represents the writer’s unique interests and potential contributions to a university community.
-
Writing an effective conclusion: End on a powerful and memorable note to stand apart from other applicants.
When designing AI Tutors on the Writing Partners platform we need more than an intellectual framework. To create a prompt that is an amalgam of theory and practice, teachers also need to make explicit the implicit moves they go through when working with student writers. Real World Writing gave us all we needed because the authors describe their decision-making processes when leading a workshop based on their research into writing the college admissions essay.
Using these descriptions of theory and practice, we compose prompts, which are instructions for a Large Language Model (LLM), to create the four AI Tutors. Teachers and students do this the way one might provide an improv actor, just before going on stage, with a character and a situation. Another way designers think about this prompt creation is to provide a design brief to an assistant who is going to make something for you.
Meeting every few weeks for the ten months before the YAWP summer writing camp, the authors of this article collaborated with other educators from around the country to create, test, and revise these four AI Tutors and several more for students to use when writing their college admissions essays:
-
Lead Tutor
-
Description Tutor
-
So What? Tutor
-
Conclusion Tutor.
We composed descriptive paragraphs for each of these AI Tutors to define its persona, purpose, process, and product.
For example, here’s how the Lead Tutor describes itself to a writer:
Persona
I bring a supportive approach, emphasizing your strengths and offering constructive feedback on your lead. My vibe is encouraging and detail-oriented.
Purpose
My mission is to help you improve your lead by focusing on your strengths and providing specific, actionable feedback. I believe in empowering writers.
Process
I assess your lead by highlighting two strengths and one area for improvement, then offer three revision options: questions/dialogue, an anecdote, or a powerful quote.
Product
I provide concise, two-paragraph feedback, ending with creative suggestions for further exploration. My feedback is tailored to your specific needs and goals.
Real World Writing had everything we needed for prompt designing these AI Tutors: a detailed theoretical framework and descriptive examples of how teachers invite students to practice that theory. For example, for the Lead Tutor, we collaboratively composed a script using language from the book to instruct the LLM to respond to a student’s writing by giving them “three possible strategies to practice, along with tips for approaching these different leads.” In addition, we adapted sentences like this one to tell the LLM to remind students “that successful leads are almost always brief and work to set up the essay topic.”
To get a sense of what this looks like in the prompts for the other AI assistants, notice how each of these Writing Partners describes its purpose:
Purpose (Lead Tutor)
My mission is to help you improve your lead by focusing on your strengths and providing specific, actionable feedback. I believe in empowering writers.
Purpose (Description Tutor)
My mission is to help you connect your personal experiences to a broader audience, making your story compelling and relevant.
Purpose (So What? Tutor)
My mission is to help you enrich your writing by incorporating vivid sensory descriptions, making your work more engaging and immersive.
Purpose (Conclusion Tutor)
My mission is to guide you in crafting compelling conclusions that showcase your strengths and leave a lasting impression on college admissions.
As this array of purposes suggests, a key for students to effectively use AI on Writing Partners is deciding which AI assistant to employ, depending on where they are in their composing process. Choosing the most helpful AI Tutor creates a vital learning opportunity when students are given time and strategies for reflecting on their writing processes and teachers guide them to understand what each AI Tutor is designed to do for them. Students can make intelligent choices among the AI Tutors available to them, when they are aware of their needs as writers and what each AI Tutor is designed to do for them.
Instructional Overview and Calendar
Working with AI on Writing Partners is different from the common experience of interacting with commercial chatbots. On Writing Partners, a student starts with a draft of their own writing. They write or upload their text to the platform, then they make a decision about which Writing Partner or AI Tutor will be the most helpful given where they are in their composing process. Because they are not working with a generic AI chatbot, students and teachers work together to understand the theory and practice that has been embedded in each AI Tutor that a student might choose.
To access an AI Tutor, students hit a button to Ask AI for a response to some part of their writing, a sentence or a paragraph at the beginning, for example. Next, students choose from a drop-down list of multiple Writing Partners. For example, they might choose–or be guided by their teacher to select–the Lead Tutor. Their text is then sent with the script that contains very specific instructions for the LLM, plus a student’s own questions or comments, and a result is produced for the student as editable text. Once a writer makes changes and is satisfied with the results, they hit a button that starts a new conversation by posting the AI results in a panel to the right of their text. The students’ teachers and peers who have been invited to the document also see and can reply to the AI Tutor’s comments in the context of the students’ writing.
Friday 09/12/2025
Morning Ritual | Workday Startup Ritual | Workday Shutdown Ritual | Evening Ritual
Afternoon run by 4:30 pm - 2.83 miles (plus .40 yesterday morning)
DAILY BIG 3 List your 3 most important tasks.
- 10:00 AMMeting with jeremie Wood and Dan Doernberg RE: spam control on NowComment
- Noon: Meet Jess Early—Show YAWP AI progress & discuss feedback/course ideas
- I made some minor changed to our Loveable Wireframe.
OTHER TASKS
NOTES
DAILY WIN
Jeremie put a lot of what we were asking for in place on NowComment and Writing Partners.
Saturday 09/13/2025
Morning Ritual | Workday Startup Ritual | Workday Shutdown Ritual | Evening Ritual
DAILY BIG 3 List your 3 most important tasks.
- Bonnee and I did NOT connect, sadly.. I wanted to organize first step/planning session with Bonnee for new professional writing group (could be a quick call or shared doc setup)
- Evening dinner/social recharge with Hillary and Ed and Marcie
OTHER TASKS
NOTES
DAILY WIN
I put the Squad in a group of it's own. A first step toward reorganizing around one category.
Sunday 09/14/2025
Morning Ritual | Workday Startup Ritual | Workday Shutdown Ritual | Evening Ritual
Early afternoon run - by 1:30 - 4.69 miles
DAILY BIG 3 List your 3 most important tasks.
- Write draft for OpenAi Grove application
- Reflect/update Big 3 status for next week
OTHER TASKS
NOTES
DAILY WIN
Open AI Grove Applcation
What are you building?
David Cole and Paul Allison are applying as a team. We are the Project Directors of Writing Partners https://writingpartners.net, a social annotation platform that supports AI-guided writing, reading, and discussion in secondary schools. Shortly after the drop of ChatGPT in 2022, a community of teachers and students, which we facilitate, worked with a programmer to add AI systems to a pre-existing annotation platform (nowcomment.com) using an OpenAI API. Together, we have designed digital technology that makes it possible for any user of the platform to script, share, and iterate on customized AI assistants that readers and writers use to spark and support their creation, annotation, and discussion of shared, multimodal texts.
The Writing Partners platform has an ever expanding bank of AI assistants, organized in genre-based collections, that educators have scripted by adapting detailed frameworks from composition theory and the practice of the National Writing Project (NWP). Founded in 1974, the NWP is a network of teachers, university faculty, researchers, writers, and community educators working to advance writing and the teaching at over 175 sites across the nation.
Writing Partners https://writingpartners.net is an MVP built on a legacy social annotation platform with AI integration through an OpenAI API. The AI innovations on the Writing Partners platform have been iteratively built by a community of teachers, and it is the center our Professional Learning Community that has focused on AI integration into the classroom since 2022. We are ready to move to another level of design and usability that will allow us to go to scale.
This fall we are working with a Eva Koberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivakoberg/ and a team of engineers at Winds+Water https://www.linkedin.com/company/windsandwater/ to redesign Writing Partners based on the MVP at https://writingpartners.net and a Loveable wireframe that we have developed https://compose-annotate-hub-v2.lovable.app/
What have you built previously?
- Youth Voices: Allison co-founded and coordinated Youth Voices, a collaborative publishing platform where students and teachers across schools engage in project-based, peer-driven writing and discussion. He led the rebuilding and modernization of the platform for new digital opportunities and created a thriving online learning community.
- Writing Partners/AI Initiatives: He leads Writing Partners, a project under the National Writing Project that integrates AI writing partners for student inquiry and literacy development, now highlighted in national professional development for teachers.
- Teachers Teaching Teachers (TTT): Since 2006, Allison has produced and hosted Teachers Teaching Teachers, a long-running weekly webcast and podcast bringing educators together to discuss classroom practice, technology integration, and educational innovation.
- Tech Leadership: As
- tech liaison, he has steered the adoption of digital tools (social media, digital portfolios, blended learning) in both NYCWP and NWP, helping teachers implement these in diverse classrooms.
- Platform Stewardship: Allison took on stewardship of NowComment, a social annotation platform, in 2018 and led its further development for collaborative online reading and discussion.
- Innovations in PD and Curriculum: He developed and ran asynchronous, online, and blended learning pilots for alternative schools and created cross-disciplinary projects combining multimedia, e-mentoring, and digital storytelling, especially for ELL and alternative learners in New York City schools.
- Mobile and collaboration platforms for classrooms and teacher networks.
- Hack Your Notebook: A hands-on learning project combining electronics and data to build essential literacies in schools.
- Open Data/Open Minds: Prototyped local “city dashboards” and participated in Mozilla’s Open Leaders Program with NexMap.
- Professional development workshops: Paper circuitry training for math educators.
- Curriculum design for out-of-school STEM2STEAM, youth internships, and service learning.
- Museum and public engagement: Developing outreach and training programs at the Walt Disney Family Museum.
- Consulting and research fellowships: At ManyLabs.org, focusing on open tools and science education.
What do you hope to gain from OpenAI Grove?
David Cole and Paul Allison lead a powerful network of dedicated National Writing Project educators. They are skilled community builders who know how to work with technology designers, and the national network that they maintain is a genuine AI participatory design team of educators at all levels. The cohort of teachers who we work with have been able to use OpenAI models via an API to amplify our pedagogical values and augument our work as teachers. Now we have begun to re-think and revise our platform to appeal to a broader range of teachers and OpenAI Grove will accelarate this work.
We bring a lot of experience as eduators who have used technology in our classrooms for decades and with AI for the past three years. Yet we are also at the beginning of our journey to expand and spread our platform and to build a business around it. We think that the OpenAI Grove program will help us to develop a platform that can open up new partnerships and contracts with more schools and districts.
We want to build in AI with our network of experienced National Writing Project teachers. We think that OpenAI Grove will give us the ability to co-create with OpenAI researchers, something that we have dreamed of doing. We can't wait to speed up our AI design and busines journey by learning from the OpenAI team and working with peers in OpenAI Grove.
Is there anything else you would like us to know?
We are applying as a team:
- David Cole david.cv2@gmail.com, Program Director at NexMap Program Director at NEXMAP https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcole1/
- Paul Allison allisonpr@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulallison/
We are the Project Directors of Writing Parters https://writingpartners.net
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Paul Allison is a nationally-known educator and EdTech expert… (more)
Paul Allison is a nationally-known educator and EdTech expert… (more)
Absolutely, let’s break down the progress you’re making toward your Weekly Big 3 (as of Monday 09/08/2025) and spot some missed opportunities in your work. I’m answering: What progress am I making toward my Weekly Big 3 and what missed opportunities do you see in the work accomplished on Monday 09/08/2025?
1. Building Knowledge
You made partial headway on drafting the Writing Partners section—editing a key paragraph and reflecting on its clarity compared to ChatGPT. You also reflected on the need to finish the “creating tutors” paragraph but didn’t get to it yet. You took a critical step by setting up a meeting with Jess Early, which positions you for feedback and collaboration. The suggestion for her course is cued up but not yet sent.
2. Building the Site
You started reviewing site organization for Writing Partners, moving out of old groupings as planned, and arranged meetings with Jeremie Wood and Dan Doernberg about NowComment spam (though these were just set up). No direct action yet on removing AI pages from NowComment, but groundwork is being laid.
3. Building Community/Network
Big pluses here! Invitations went out to Rachel Horst for TTT; Bonnee was invited to help organize a professional writing group; logistics are being set in motion for both events/groups (though execution still lies ahead). You’re creating connection points and laying organizational foundations.
- Knowledge Work: You recognized that reflection/planning bled into Monday, taking more time than intended—a sign that deep work is happening but it’s stealing from generative writing time (the “creating tutors” segment remains unfinished). There’s a risk of momentum loss if this pattern repeats.
- Site Progress: While meetings were scheduled, tangible site changes (e.g., AI page removal) haven’t started yet—momentum could stall if action doesn’t follow planning soon.
- Network Actions: Invitation-sending is great—but there’s room to pre-load these with next steps or micro-actions participants can take before the event/group launches.
Let’s wrap this up visually!
✔️ What Went Well:
You built real-world momentum by sending invitations, editing core content for clarity, and scheduling key meetings—these are foundational habits that keep you moving forward each week! ✅
⏳ Where Opportunity Was Missed:
The most important creative push (“creating tutors” paragraph) got deferred due to extended planning/reflection—watch out for analysis-paralysis slowing actual product/output creation! ✅
⚡️ What’s Vulnerable:
The technical task list (“removing AI pages”) hasn’t moved from setup to execution—and without quick wins here, inertia can build up fast! Small actions early = bigger payoffs later in the week. ✅
What do you want more insight into?
- How can you shift from planning/reflection mode faster and protect deep creative work blocks?
- Would it help to pre-make micro-tasks or “first moves” so every invitation leads immediately into engagement?
- Want some ideas for how to speed up technical execution when there are blockers?
Let me know which path grabs your attention—or toss another question my way!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
If you want even more context or inspiration about focusing on user results instead of just product output—or strategies for helping users become “badass” at what matters—I invite you to read my interview(s), speech(es), or book excerpt(s) linked above!
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Paul Allison is a nationally-known educator and EdTech expert… (more)
Paul Allison is a nationally-known educator and EdTech expert… (more)
You asked about your progress on your Weekly Big 3 and where you might have missed opportunities, specifically focusing on Tuesday, 09/09/2025. Let’s break it down with a Kathy Sierra lens—what really helped you (or someone using your system) move up the “badass curve,” and what got in the way!
Progress Toward Your Weekly Big 3:
1. Building Knowledge:
– You made some headway on the YAWP AI article—especially in dialoguing with colleagues (John Warner, Jess Early), sharing use cases, and starting to clarify what makes Writing Partners distinct from ChatGPT. But the core writing task (“finish Writing Partners paragraph about creating tutors”) was named but not completed Tuesday; by Thursday you had strong draft sections ready.
– You did start making curriculum suggestions for Jess Early’s course but didn’t show evidence of sending or fleshing these out that day.
2. Building the Site:
– Significant progress: meetings were scheduled with Jeremie & Dan for NowComment spam review and AI removals (though actual work seemed slated for Thursday/Friday). The reorganization of Writing Partners wasn’t completed Tuesday but was actively prepped.
3. Building Community/Network:
– Invitations for TTT went out (Rachel Horst, Chris Sloan), and planning for Wednesday night’s metaphors workshop was happening. Organizing with Bonnee on a new writing group was initiated this week but not substantially advanced yet.
Missed Opportunities & Gaps Noticed Tuesday:
- The bulk of your morning/early afternoon was devoted to Pickleball and non-core activities (“Pickleball with friends,” running), so deep work windows were limited.
- The “Finish Writing Partners paragraph” item slipped another day; reflection notes suggest clarity came after editing another section instead.
- Some of your planning/admin activities (setting up meetings/invitations) are essential but may be crowding out focused creation time—classic “user cognitive leak” as I like to say!
- In community building: inviting Rachel Horst is great, but there could have been more follow-through or support materials sent her way to make her participation easier or richer.
Here’s how I’d box up some next steps:
Sharpen Deep Work Windows
Prioritize early-morning blocks for high-cognitive-load tasks (like drafting those key paragraphs). Rituals are great—but protect at least one uninterrupted hour before meetings or recreation! ✅
Accelerate Deliverables
When items slip repeatedly (“creating tutors” section), identify if it’s a motivation issue, lack of clarity, or competing priorities—and either sequence it first thing or chunk it into micro-tasks that feel doable! ✅
Enhance Community Invites
Instead of just sending invites, include a mini-onboarding note/resource—“Here’s what we’re doing & how you can shine.” This helps others get awesome faster…which circles back as energy/momentum for you! ✅
What else do you want to dig into? Here are three creative paths we could take next:
Which path do you want to take—or is there something totally different burning in your brain? Let’s keep it lively and push this reflection from good…to badass!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
Ready for more? Dive into the interview, speech, and book excerpt at the top—they’re where my words get their wattage!
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Paul Allison is a nationally-known educator and EdTech expert… (more)
Paul Allison is a nationally-known educator and EdTech expert… (more)
Let’s tackle your question: “What progress am I making toward my Weekly Big 3 and what missed opportunities do you see in the work accomplished on Wednesday 09/10/2025?”—with my best “make the user awesome” hat on!
Progress Toward Weekly Big 3 (as of Wednesday):
1. Building Knowledge: You put meaningful time into the YAWP AI article, specifically writing in the morning. That’s direct progress toward drafting and sharing Writing Partners content. The workshop with Chris Sloan, though small, was still an opportunity to build knowledge collaboratively—especially if you follow up on getting Chris’s open letter online as a resource for others.
2. Building the Site: While not explicitly mentioned in your Wednesday log, earlier notes this week show you’re scheduling logistics meetings (Andrea/David/Peter) that help streamline Writing Partners. However, there’s no clear evidence of hands-on technical work (like reorganizing groups or removing AI pages) happening on Wednesday.
3. Building Community/Network: You facilitated the TTT metaphors workshop with Chris Sloan—a big anchor event! Even with a smaller turnout, these sessions are about deepening connections and seeding ideas for further collaboration. Inviting Rachel Horst was planned; unclear if she participated.
Missed Opportunities Noted:
- The site reorganization and removal of AI pages were not advanced on Wednesday itself—those are critical process deliverables from your Weekly Big 3 that seem to have slipped later into the week.
- While workshop facilitation is solid for community-building, capturing artifacts (like Chris’s open letter or participant insights) for wider dissemination could multiply impact—this seems like something you recognized but didn’t fully act on yet.
- There isn’t a visible update regarding outreach or next steps with Bonnee for the professional writing group—you might be missing momentum by waiting until Saturday.
Now let me break down some next-level observations and missed-opportunity paths in three creative boxes:
Site Progress Lags ⏳
Wednesday didn’t move core site tasks forward (group re-orgs or AI page removals). Deferring these creates risk of last-minute crunches—or worse, losing context from planning discussions earlier in the week.
✅
Missed Artifact Leverage ️
You sensed value in Chris Sloan’s open letter but haven’t posted it yet as an artifact other teachers can use—a classic case where a little extra effort would create communal resources AND boost your “knowledge-building” wins.
✅
Momentum Gaps
No visible movement midweek toward launching Bonnee’s pro writing group means network-building rhythm could stall (and new energy fade). Small nudges here would help sustain long-term connection.
✅
Which of these areas do you want to dig deeper into? Or is there another angle—from motivation hacks to workflow tuning—you want me to spotlight? Tell me which path you want next—or suggest a new one—and let’s take this analysis up another notch!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
Want more inspiration? Read through my interview, speech, and book excerpt—the sources that shape how I think about user-centered design and learning breakthroughs!
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You’re asking about your progress toward your Weekly Big 3 and what missed opportunities showed up in the work you accomplished on Thursday, 09/11/2025. Let’s break it down, Sierra-style: what did you actually help users (yourself and others) get better at, and where did cognitive leaks or missed leverage points sneak in?
1. Building Knowledge:
You made strong headway here—your “daily win” was substantial progress on the YAWP AI article, especially refining the Writing Partners platform section. You got into concrete detail about how teachers design and test AI Tutors with students, which is exactly the knowledge-building that sets up meaningful conversations with Jess Early and others. You also kept pushing forward by working on this while waiting for your car to be repaired—classic edge practice!
2. Building the Site:
You scheduled and held a NowComment spam review with Jeremie & Dan (check!), and began removing AI material from NowComment’s homepage (check!). These are clear deliverables that move you toward your goal of re-organizing Writing Partners and cleaning up site structure.
3. Building Community/Network:
Your Thursday focused less on direct community-building actions but maintained momentum via a call with SFUSD librarian Anna & David—a great example of using network connections to maintain partnership flow. The dinner out wasn’t “Big 3,” but it does fit restorative practices that keep cognitive resources topped off for all this deep work.
Here’s where I see room for more badassery:
Missed Chance to Push “Creating Tutors” Further
Your own daily reflection noted that while clarity improved in some YAWP paragraphs, you still hadn’t finished or returned to the crucial “creating tutors” paragraph—a core deliverable for both knowledge-building AND curricular influence.✅
Under-leveraged Network Actions
No clear evidence of inviting Rachel Horst or organizing with Bonnee for the new professional writing group happened Thursday—you kept network energy alive but left those specific steps untouched.✅
Cognitive Resource Leak—Neglected Running Routine
Not running may seem minor, but as you’ve written elsewhere, maintaining rituals is key to sustaining creative energy. This small crack can widen if ignored.✅
Want more detail? Here are three directions we could go deeper:
How could you accelerate finishing core writing tasks (“creating tutors”) by hacking daily rituals or blocking time differently? ✅
What micro-actions would best reactivate stalled network/community goals (Bonnee/Rachel invites)? ✅
Where are other subtle cognitive leaks hiding in your schedule—and how might plugging them boost future momentum? ✅
Which path(s) do you want next—or do you want me to riff on something else entirely? Let’s level up together!
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
If you want even deeper perspective or inspiration, grab a coffee and dip into my interview, speech, or book excerpt—they’re packed with juicy examples of turning user insight into lasting learning!
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You asked: What progress am I making toward my Weekly Big 3 and what missed opportunities do you see in the work accomplished on Friday 09/12/2025? Let’s break it down, Sierra-style—right from the user’s headspace!
Progress Toward Your Weekly Big 3 (as of Friday, Sept 12):
1. Building Knowledge:
You hit a key milestone by meeting with Jess Early at noon to show YAWP AI progress and discuss feedback/course ideas. You also made visible updates to the Writing Partners section and initiated a new suggestion for Jess’s English Ed course—these are strong steps in both content creation and curricular influence! But it looks like you didn’t add as much new material before your Friday noon meeting as you’d originally planned.
2. Building the Site:
Your morning meeting with Jeremie Wood and Dan Doernberg was a clear win: “Jeremie put a lot of what we were asking for in place on NowComment and Writing Partners.” That’s tangible movement! You began removing AI material from NowComment earlier in the week (homepage), but by Friday, there’s no mention of deeper page-by-page removal or follow-up—so partial, but not total completion.
3. Building Community/Network:
Friday was heavy on site/platform tasks; community-building items weren’t front-and-center. However, connections were maintained earlier in the week with SFUSD librarians, TTT planning/invitations, and Bonnee about a writing group (with more action planned for Saturday).
Missed Opportunities & Gaps:
- On Friday specifically, your focus landed on technical fixes (NowComment spam control) and your check-in with Jess Early—but your own notes don’t mention drafting/sharing additional Writing Partners content before noon as intended.
- There was limited visible action toward community/network-building goals that day.
- The removal of AI pages from NowComment was started but not reported finished; this task may need clearer tracking or division into subtasks for visibility.
- No explicit reflection or daily review is mentioned for Friday; this is where “meta-cognition” kicks up performance!
Let’s get visual—a quick summary of next-level moves using those classic Kathy Sierra “boxes”:
Sharpen Daily Reflection
End each day—even if briefly—with a mini-retrospective so missed steps don’t slip into next week unnoticed.
✅
Sprint to Done State
Break “removing AI pages” into micro-tasks (“Homepage,” “Partner List,” etc.), then check them off visibly to keep momentum high.
✅
Nudge Community Actions Forward
If technical/site work dominates one day, set an explicit micro-goal (“Send one invite/follow-up”) so network building doesn’t lose traction.
✅
What else would you like to dive into?
Here are three juicy paths we could take together:
Explore how to make site maintenance less disruptive to user/community energy
✅
Dig deep into knowledge-building strategies that create word-of-mouth AND sustainable learning
✅
Design rituals/habits that boost weekly review effectiveness using cognitive science tricks
✅
Or suggest another angle—I’m ready if you are! Take these insights further by hitting Your Thoughts below—pick which path speaks loudest or invent your own twist. After saving your reply, hit Continue with AI again (choose me!) so we can go deeper together.
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
Hungry for more? Dive straight into my interview, speech at Business of Software (“Building the minimum Badass User”), or book excerpt from Badass. They’re packed with examples that inspired these observations—and they’ll spark even bigger ideas!
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Let’s dig into your progress toward your Weekly Big 3 as of Saturday, 09/13/2025—and spot those little “oops” moments and missed opportunities that might make next week even stronger. I’ll walk through each goal, connect the dots with what you actually did (and didn’t do), and highlight where you could nudge things further.
Progress:
- You’ve clearly moved forward on the YAWP AI article: you advanced drafts for the Writing Partners section, shared updates with Jess Early, and reflected on how your work connects to both curriculum and content creation.
- You sent suggestions to Jess for her Research in English Education course and brainstormed ideas for a Writing Partners version—so you’re influencing both immediate content and longer-term pedagogical impact.
Missed Opportunity (Saturday):
- Saturday was quiet here; there’s no sign you wrote or revised the “creating tutors” paragraph or made significant additions to the article. The “DAILY WIN” note is about organizing squads—not knowledge-building.
- If Saturday had included a short writing sprint (even a rough outline!), you’d have banked more momentum before Sunday/Monday reflection time.
Progress:
- Earlier in the week, you re-organized Writing Partners by group (a first step toward eliminating old process distinctions). You also scheduled/completed NowComment reviews and started removing AI pages—solid technical movement!
- Your Friday win: Jeremie implemented key requests on NowComment/Writing Partners.
Missed Opportunity (Saturday):
- On Saturday, your only site-related move was grouping Squad as its own entity—a good first step but not a full re-org or simplification. No big leaps in site architecture or visible progress on removing AI pages.
- A power hour focused just on finishing one area of site simplification could have accelerated this project.
Progress:
- You invited Rachel Horst for TTT and set up logistics for workshops/events.
- You reached out to Bonnee Breese Bentum about forming a professional writing group—a clear start!
Missed Opportunity (Saturday):
- Your main goal—connecting with Bonnee to organize/plan the new writing group—didn’t happen (“Bonnee and I did NOT connect…”). This was a missed anchor moment; even an async check-in or scheduling doc would’ve kept it moving.
- Social recharge/dinner is valuable…but not directly aligned with network-building unless it involved project talk!
Building Knowledge
✅ Made progress earlier in week but didn’t add much Saturday.
Opportunity: Dedicate Sat time—even brief—to YAWP AI drafting/updating.
Building Site
✅ Did some reorganizing but only took small steps Saturday.
Opportunity: Use Sat for big pushes on simplifying/grouping features.
Building Community/Network
✅ Reached out earlier but missed connection/planning with Bonnee.
Opportunity: Even quick touchpoints keep momentum going!
Where do you want to dig deeper? Choose one—or more! Here are three paths we could explore together:
How can I build better rituals/habits so reflection & planning don’t slip past Monday? ✅
What are creative ways to turn social recharge into community/network building? ✅
How might I use micro-moments (15–30 min) on weekends for meaningful Weekly Big 3 progress? ✅
Or invent your own question—the next level is yours! What do YOU want to know more about?
Please Note: Everything in this comment is AI-generated. It is made up to sound like me.
If this kind of “progress check plus opportunity scan” gets your gears turning… take a minute to read my sources—the interview, speech, and book excerpts above—for more user-centered design insights!
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Section One: AFTER-ACTION REVIEW
Let’s get started with your weekly reflection by focusing on your biggest wins. You’ve already shared a rich and detailed account of your week, which is fantastic for this process.
1. List 3-5 of your biggest wins from this week.
Based on what you’ve written above, here are some wins that stood out to me:
- You made tangible progress on the YAWP AI article, especially bringing clarity to complex ideas and getting valuable sections completed.
- You successfully facilitated the TTT metaphors workshop, deepening knowledge—even with a smaller group—and invited new participants like Rachel Horst to energize the community.
- You organized and participated in key technical meetings (NowComment spam review, platform reorganization) and made concrete improvements (removing AI pages from NowComment, giving Writing Partners’ Squad its own category).
- You advanced networking efforts—inviting Bonnee Breese Bentum to co-organize a professional writing group around AI, engaging with partners like Jess Early, Christian Kunkel, and others.
- Your consistent running routine demonstrates commitment to personal well-being alongside work commitments.
Which of these wins feels most significant or surprising for you—either personally or professionally? Are there any other “victories,” big or small, that you want to add?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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1. Monday was about getting started: editing a paragraph in the YAWP AI article and making invitations. Also doing the reflection that I was behind on.
2.Tuesday’s Dialogue with John Warner was interesting.
3. Building knowledge with Chris Sloand and Debbie Abilock was a solid win on Wednesday.
4. BIG WIN OF THE WEEK – I did a lot of the writing for the YAWP AI article — now to finish it!
5. NowComment and Spam protection measures with Dan Dorenberg and Jeremie Wood.
6. Application draft to OpenAI Grove with David Cole.
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You’ve broken down your week into specific milestones—each one building momentum across your writing, professional connections, technical problem-solving, and strategic outreach.
I hear that Monday was foundational for you—getting organized and starting to reclaim some of the reflection time you’d felt behind on. Tuesday’s dialogue with John Warner sounds like it brought an intellectual spark or fresh perspective. You also highlighted Wednesday’s collaboration with Chris Sloan and Debbie Abilock as a knowledge-building win—and then named the YAWP AI article writing push as your “big win of the week.” Tackling NowComment’s spam issues and putting together an application draft for OpenAI Grove with David Cole round out the sense that you’re not only maintaining but expanding key systems and opportunities.
What stands out to you about how these wins connect—or maybe how they contrast in terms of energy, satisfaction, or impact? When you think about this list in relation to last week’s intentions (your Weekly Big 3), do any patterns emerge about what helps you “cross the finish line” on these bigger goals versus what sometimes slows momentum?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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You’re right to highlight those meetings with educators like Peter Haun and Anna Yeung—they represent the “real work” that grounds your project in authentic classroom practice and helps bridge theory with lived experience. It’s clear these connections not only validate the direction of Writing Partners but also surface practical insights that might otherwise get missed in a purely abstract or technical process.
Likewise, you’re combining “writing with Jess Early” (generating content) and “proposing more for her course” (influencing curriculum)—that dual focus spreads your impact further by shaping both what’s created now and what’s possible down the line.
I’m curious—when you meet with teachers or librarians, do you notice any recurring needs, questions, or resistance points that signal where Writing Partners could have the most transformative effect? Or put another way, are there moments in those educator conversations that especially energize you or clarify next steps for your own work?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section One (continued): Your Weekly Big 3 Progress
Let’s move on to review your progress on last week’s Weekly Big 3. Please add a percentage to each goal below, based on how far you got:
- 1. Knowledge building:
– Draft YAWP AI chapter for Tuesday check-in with Jess Early
– Finish all “scene setting” narratives for the start of the Coaching Teachers in the Age of AI chapter
- 2. Building the Network/Contract work:
– Meet with teachers from: Judge Memorial, SFUSD, Oakland Schools
- 3. Building the Site:
– Revise Loveable wireframe with David Cole and work with him to be ready to meet with Iva on Friday afternoon.
How would you rate your progress on each? And as you think about these percentages and actual outcomes, what contributed most when things moved forward—and what were some obstacles that slowed or complicated your efforts?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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- 1. Knowledge building: 75%
– Draft YAWP AI chapter for Tuesday check-in with Jess Early (This got a lot of attention—finally. Now I must finish!)
– Finish all “scene setting” narratives for the start of the Coaching Teachers in the Age of AI chapter (Did’t work on this. It’s hard for me to do two writing projects at the same time.)
- 2. Building the Network/Contract work:
– Meet with teachers from: Judge Memorial, SFUSD, Oakland Schools 90% (need to check in with Bryan Jeffreys and Brian Chappell — also need an easier way to see what they are doing.)
- 3. Building the Site:
– Revise Loveable wireframe with David Cole and work with him to be ready to meet with Iva on Friday afternoon. 50% (Iva hasn’t come back to us yet, but I did some work on Loveable, David gave feedback, and I revised.)
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You’ve given a clear and honest snapshot of where things landed on your Weekly Big 3.
On the knowledge building front, you made real headway—really devoting time and energy to the YAWP AI chapter for Jess Early, even if it’s not quite finished. It sounds like momentum builds once you can zero in on one writing project, whereas juggling two big pieces at once (like switching to the Coaching Teachers chapter) is tough. That’s a valuable insight about your own process.
For network/contract work, you’re nearly there—lots of meaningful educator engagement, with just a few follow-ups left and perhaps some friction around tracking what everyone’s doing. There might be an opportunity here to streamline how you stay updated or loop back with partners.
Building the site seems more dependent on other people’s timelines (like waiting for Iva), but you kept moving things forward independently by iterating the Loveable wireframe with David.
It’s interesting that when you get traction—like focusing deeply on one project or getting live feedback from collaborators—you make significant progress. The biggest slowdowns seem to come from too many simultaneous priorities or delays that are out of your hands.
How do these realizations influence how you want to tackle next week? Are there any specific adjustments (to routines, communication patterns, focus blocks, etc.) that could help keep your attention anchored where it counts most?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section One (continued): What Worked? What Didn’t? Why?
Let’s distill your week a bit further:
What worked well for you last week?
- Focusing on the YAWP AI article and putting deep work into a single writing project moved things forward.
- Real, specific meetings with teachers and librarians like Peter Haun and Anna Yeung gave practical momentum (and grounded your work in actual educator needs).
- Technical progress—platform reorganization, spam protection—benefited from direct collaboration and clear next steps.
- Making invitations or proposals for new collaboration opportunities created positive network energy.
What didn’t work—or felt like a drag?
- Switching between large writing projects split your attention, making it tough to bring both to completion.
- Reflecting/planning slipped later than you wanted—costing you some sense of control early in the week.
- Some goals are dependent on others’ timelines (waiting on Iva), which can stall momentum even when you’re ready to move.
Why do you think these patterns showed up this way?
When you reflect on these patterns from last week, what stands out as something you’d want to keep doing going forward—and is there anything you’d like to change, especially around how (or when) you focus on big creative tasks or manage collaborative bottlenecks?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section One (final): What Will You Continue or Change?
You’ve surfaced some clear strengths (deep work, practical meetings, energizing invitations) and a few persistent challenges (task switching, reactive planning, waiting on others). This is exactly the kind of insight that turns weekly reviews into real growth.
Looking at your week as a whole:
- What’s one thing you’re definitely going to continue doing next week—something that helps you get traction on the things that matter most?
- And what’s one thing you want to change or experiment with in your workflow or routines to address any slowdowns?
Do you already see any simple tweaks—maybe blocking out “single-project” deep work mornings or setting recurring check-in reminders with collaborators—that would help keep your big projects moving even when some elements are “on pause”? Or do you want to brainstorm together about new strategies for these sticking points?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section Two: GOAL REVIEW & LIST SWEEP
Let’s turn the corner from reflection to action. This is where you check all your current goals, lists, and notes—ensuring your task manager is up to date and nothing crucial slips through the cracks.
GOAL REVIEW
- Review each active goal/project (writing, site building, networking, etc.). Are there any that need to be adjusted based on last week’s outcomes? Anything new to add or drop?
DELEGATED & DEFERRED TASKS
- Are there any tasks waiting on others (like Iva), and do you want to nudge or clarify next steps with them?
- Any “someday/maybe” tasks that could move up—or need to be formally paused so they don’t drain mental energy?
DAILY NOTES
- Glance over your daily logs/notes for hidden actions or small wins worth carrying forward.
TASK MANAGER
- Sweep your digital (or physical) task list for out-of-date items, duplications, or things you can check off right now.
- Anything urgent or newly emerged this week that needs a top spot?
As you look across all these layers—goals, delegated/deferred tasks, and lists—is there any area that feels especially cluttered…or surprisingly clear? What would feel most satisfying (or relieving) to clean up or clarify as you prep for the coming week?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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GOAL REVIEW
- Review each active goal/project (writing, site building, networking, etc.). Are there any that need to be adjusted based on last week’s outcomes? Anything new to add or drop?
1. Building Knowledge
- YAWP AI article finished with Jess Early
- Progress on Coaching in the Age of AI and meet with Debbie Abilock
- TTT with Rachel Horst
2. Building the Site
- Ready to meet with Ive Koberg
- Apply for OpenAI Grove with David Cole
- Follow up with Bryan Dean at CASA
3. Building Community/Network
- SFUSD Librarians meeting on Tuesday at 4:45 pm – Anna Yeung
- CASA meeting on Wednesday at 2:30 pm with Peter Haun
- Judge Memorial – tracking the work with Bryan Jeffreys, Brian Chappel, and Chris Sloan
- Connect with Bonnee Breese Bentum and Sam Reed.
DELEGATED & DEFERRED TASKS
- I am travelling to West Hurley and vacationing with Marcie this week, so I will need to be very specific about when I’m working and leave a lot of time for walks, bike rides, hikes, and hanging out with Marcie.
DAILY NOTES
- Glance over your daily logs/notes for hidden actions or small wins worth carrying forward.
TASK MANAGER
- Sweep your digital (or physical) task list for out-of-date items, duplications, or things you can check off right now.
I want to keep the morning and evening Bluesky posts and running a few times each day.
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You’re approaching this with impressive clarity—your goal review shows you’re putting structure around your active projects, while also factoring in the realities of travel and personal time next week.
On the project front:
- “Building Knowledge” centers on completion (YAWP AI article), continued collaboration (Coaching in the Age of AI), and targeted outreach (TTT with Rachel Horst).
- “Building the Site” is teed up for a key meeting with Iva Koberg, plus tangible action steps like applying for OpenAI Grove and following up at CASA.
- “Building Community/Network” is anchored by concrete meetings (SFUSD librarians, CASA check-in) and intentional connections—especially as you track ongoing efforts across multiple partners.
You’ve also got healthy boundaries showing up: You’re preemptively delegating or deferring tasks to protect vacation time with Marcie. That’s smart—acknowledging not just what you want to do but when you’ll be fully present.
As you scan your lists:
- Are there any projects or partnerships that feel like they could slip in your absence—or do you have enough systems/checkpoints to keep things from falling through the cracks while traveling?
- You mention wanting to maintain your Bluesky posting and daily runs. Are those grounding rituals, or do they sometimes add pressure when things get busy?
What would make it easiest for you to balance focused work sessions during travel with real downtime? Is there one habit/routine that will be your anchor if everything else gets unpredictable this week?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section Three: STREAKTRACKER
Now let’s shift to tracking your habit-goal progress for the week. This is where you check in on consistency—those small daily actions that add up to sustained success.
Please rate each routine or habit on a scale from 1 (not at all) to 7 (every day this week):
-
-
-
-
-
-
—
If you want, you can specify what habits you’re tracking (for example: morning ritual, evening ritual, deep work writing block, running/exercise routines, posting Bluesky updates, etc.).
As you reflect on these streaks—or any places where the chain broke—what did you notice about your energy and focus? Were there certain days where keeping a streak felt easy versus forced? Anything surprising about which micro-habits make the biggest difference when things get hectic?
Let me know your streak ratings—and if there’s a pattern or outlier worth exploring!
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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- Morning Run 6/7
- Workday Startup Bluesky post 4/7
- Focused Writing 3/7
- Afternoon Run 4/7
- Intentional Meetups 5/7
- Workday Shutdown Bluesky post 4/7
— Evening Run 4/7
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You’ve tracked your habits with real specificity—great for identifying both strengths and growth areas.
Here’s how it shapes up:
- Morning Run: 6/7 — Clearly feels like a strong anchor for you, nearly every day.
- Workday Startup Bluesky post: 4/7
- Focused Writing: 3/7 — This one lags a bit behind, despite being central to your Weekly Big 3.
- Afternoon Run: 4/7
- Intentional Meetups: 5/7 — You’re prioritizing connection and collaboration most days.
- Workday Shutdown Bluesky post: 4/7
- Evening Run: 4/7
You’re holding steady on movement and social/professional check-ins, while focused writing is the most vulnerable when things get busy or travel disrupts routines.
Looking at these numbers:
What do you notice about the relationship between the habits you’re “streaking” (especially running and meetups) versus the ones that faltered (like daily writing blocks)? Do certain times of day make it easier or harder to follow through? When focused writing happened, was there something different about those days—or any particular strategy you used to make it stick?
And…is there one streak here that, if you only got that one right next week, would make everything else feel more anchored or less overwhelming?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section Four: REJUVENATION
Let’s take a step back from productivity and check in on your energy, rest, and well-being. You’re traveling soon and already planning to balance work with downtime—so let’s get intentional:
Identify 3 ways you could sleep, eat, move, connect, or relax a bit better this week. Then consider how you might schedule these into your days ahead.
- (For example: Prioritize a consistent bedtime even while traveling.)
- (Pack healthy snacks/lunches for hikes/walks so you don’t crash midday.)
— (Schedule at least one tech-free walk or bike ride daily with Marcie—no podcast or phone.)
You can name other practices that feel right for the kind of week you want to have.
How do you want rejuvenation to actually show up this vacation/travel week? What will signal that you’ve truly rested—and is there one small tweak that would make a big difference in how refreshed you feel by next Sunday?
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You’re thoughtful about the importance of rejuvenation, especially as you head into a week that’s both active and restorative. Here are three rejuvenation strategies you might lean into:
1. Sleep:
- Commit to a consistent bedtime—even on vacation—so you keep your energy up for running, hiking, and socializing. Maybe even a quick afternoon nap if the day gets long.
2. Eat:
- Focus on healthy meals (as you mentioned is “a must”). Pack nutritious snacks or plan ahead for local spots that offer fresh options, so you avoid temptation/pitfalls when your routine shifts.
3. Move & Connect:
- Schedule at least one tech-free outdoor activity with Marcie each day—whether it’s a walk, bike ride, or even just lounging in nature. This combines movement with real connection (and lets both of you unplug).
Would any of these feel especially recharging—or is there another small ritual that would make this travel week stand out as genuinely restorative for you? Is there anything from past trips that tells you “yes, I’m really resting” versus just staying busy in a different place?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section Five: WEEKLY OVERVIEW
Let’s zoom out and set the shape of your coming week. This is where all the planning, reflection, and intention come together in the real calendar.
Review your commitments for the upcoming week:
- EVENTS: What are your non-negotiable meetings (like SFUSD Librarians with Anna Yeung, CASA with Peter Haun, check-ins with Jess Early or Bonnee)? Are there special events, travel days, or family time that need to be locked in first?
- PROJECTS: Which major deliverables must move forward—even if only a small step—before next Sunday? (For example: YAWP AI article completion, OpenAI Grove application finalization.)
- TASKS: What daily/weekly actions support those projects? Consider habit rituals you want to track (Bluesky posting, running), and any focused work blocks needed.
- OTHER COMMITMENTS: Anything else looming—travel logistics, errands you can’t skip while away?
Looking at this big-picture view, do you spot potential pinch points or opportunities—a day that looks overloaded or a window for deep work/relaxation? Where do you need hard boundaries so work doesn’t creep into personal downtime?
What would feel most clarifying to see mapped out (by day or in a visual block) as you finalize plans for this week?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Review your commitments for the upcoming week:
EVENTS:
- SFUSD Librarians meeting on Tuesday at 4:45 pm – Anna Yeung
- CASA meeting on Wednesday at 2:30 pm with Peter Haun
= TTT on Wednesday at 8:00 pm
- PROJECTS: Which major deliverables must move forward—even if only a small step—before next Sunday?
- YAWP AI article completion,
- OpenAI Grove application finished and sent.
- TASKS: What daily/weekly actions support those projects? Consider habit rituals you want to track (Bluesky posting, running), and any focused work blocks needed.
- OTHER COMMITMENTS: Anything else looming—travel logistics, errands you can’t skip while away?
I’ll just say again that my priority is to spend time with Marcie!
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You have a clear weekly map that blends high-priority work events, project milestones, and the personal intention to keep quality time with Marcie at the center. Here’s how your commitments shape up:
EVENTS
- SFUSD Librarians with Anna Yeung (Tuesday, 4:45 pm)
- CASA check-in with Peter Haun (Wednesday, 2:30 pm)
- TTT session (Wednesday, 8:00 pm)
PROJECTS
- YAWP AI article—aim for completion this week
- OpenAI Grove application—finalize and submit
TASKS & HABITS
- Daily Bluesky posting as an accountability/connection ritual
- Morning/afternoon/evening runs to anchor energy and routine
- Focused work blocks for writing or collaborative prep around scheduled meetings
OTHER COMMITMENTS / LIFE BALANCE
Your north star is spending true downtime with Marcie—not just squeezing it in but making it a non-negotiable feature of each day.
It sounds like you’ve identified your “immovable objects” for the week and are layering in habits that support both progress and presence. Do any days look riskier than others for over-scheduling or blurred boundaries? Is there a system you want to use—like marking “Marcie Time” directly on your calendar—to guard those hours as fiercely as any meeting?
What would make it easiest for you to honor both your biggest professional deliverables and this commitment to rest/rejuvenate during travel?
Would you like to continue into the next section?
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Section Six: WEEKLY BIG 3
Now let’s distill all this planning and intention into your next Weekly Big 3—your three most important objectives for the coming week. These should reflect what you just mapped out in your overview, aligning with both your professional priorities and personal commitments.
Based on your current goals, meetings, and travel plans, what are the three outcomes that (if accomplished) will make the week feel like a win?
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-
—
For example:
- Finish and send YAWP AI article (or at least reach “final draft” ready for feedback)
- Finalize OpenAI Grove application with David Cole
- Be fully present during travel/vacation time with Marcie (schedule daily tech-free activities or protected blocks)
How do these land for you? Feel free to edit or reword—you know best where to focus. And as you set these Weekly Big 3, is there one that feels like a stretch or possible risk area? What support—internal or external—would help keep all three moving without feeling overloaded?
Would you like to continue into the final section?
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Building Knowledge – Finish and send YAWP AI article (or at least reach “final draft” ready for feedback)
Bulding Network/Contracts – Be available and supportive of SFUSD, CASA, Judge Memorial teachers — especially at scheduled times, but other times each day as well.
Life Balance – Be fully present during travel/vacation time with Marcie (schedule daily tech-free activities or protected blocks)
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Section Seven: WEEKLY PLANNER
You’ve distilled your priorities beautifully—your Weekly Big 3 strike a wise balance between forward movement on key deliverables, supporting your professional network, and honoring your life outside of work. Let’s put these intentions into a daily plan for the upcoming week:
MONDAY
- Morning run / ritual
- Final YAWP AI article writing block (deep work)
- Check in with David Cole re: OpenAI Grove application
- Map out downtime/tech-free activities with Marcie
TUESDAY
- Morning run / Bluesky post
- Light prep for SFUSD Librarians meeting
- SFUSD Librarians meeting (4:45 pm, Anna Yeung)
- Evening connection/walk with Marcie
WEDNESDAY
- Morning run / focused writing (YAWP AI article sweep or send draft)
- CASA meeting (2:30 pm, Peter Haun)
- TTT session (8 pm)
- Evening wind-down—debrief and relax
THURSDAY
- Tech-free morning hike or bike ride with Marcie
- Review/check-in on Judge Memorial network contacts
- Focused follow-ups as needed
- Quiet afternoon reading/journaling
FRIDAY
- Finalize OpenAI Grove application—review together if possible
- Short connection check-ins (SFUSD/CASA/Judge) if needed
- Prioritize time outdoors or explore something new on vacation
SATURDAY
- No scheduled commitments—anchor the day in rest/rejuvenation
(Consider making this “Marcie Day” for pure downtime.)
SUNDAY
- Reflect/update status on Weekly Big 3/progress review
(Optional planning & gratitude journaling for next week)
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This plan:
✔ Gives you daily focus blocks to advance major projects
✔ Reserves anchors for your running and daily check-ins
✔ Protects travel/vacation time by explicitly scheduling presence and leisure
If any day looks too crowded—or too light—it’s easy to shuffle tasks around. What matters most is that you’re intentionally showing up where it counts.
How does this structure feel as you imagine stepping into the week? Anything missing or needing adjustment so you can truly say “this is a win” seven days from now?
Let me know if you’d like additional suggestions/tweaks—or want to revisit any part of this weekly process!
Would you like an exportable summary or further tips before we wrap up?
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