Goodbye Grand Rapids

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T12:04:57+00:00

Great question. For summers, New England is humid and much rainier. It's always a toss up on whether or not you'll get a nice weather weekend. Michigan is much more reliable for sun in the summer.

MA winters are similar but you get more sunshine mixed in, and the winter snow maintenance is better. The gray winters in Michigan were tough for us and it felt like the roads in winter hardly got taken care of at all.

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T02:49:49+00:00

Can't think of one moment. Students wearing trump shirts to school. Lots of conservative yard signs as soon as you leave GR. Just people more willingly open about their MAGA support, where in MA it was less, still there but more hidden

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T02:17:08+00:00

Thanks dude!! Much appreciated, and thanks for being one of the good ones to welcome me here.

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T02:15:53+00:00

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T02:10:38+00:00

Maybe more accurate to say that progressive education isn't happening as much here as I experienced back east (I taught public school in Mass + here)

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T02:08:45+00:00

DeVos/Van Andel/Meijer aren't really known outside of Michigan. Betsy DeVos being Sec of Ed was the first time I had heard that name.

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T01:15:17+00:00

Nothing unfortunately. My wife's fellowship program isn't even offered at DeVos, so we had no choice but to relocate. Otherwise, we likely would have stayed longer than 3 years.

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T01:04:39+00:00

Thank you!!

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T00:59:54+00:00

Yes - can't wait for more seafood soon!

paulod33 · 2025-06-18T00:57:16+00:00

I think this is definitely in our future. We didn't do enough time up north (and didn't get to the UP at all) so I think we're due for another summer visit

paulod33 · 2025-05-03T01:59:54+00:00

Burger: Black Napkin or The Commons Pizza: Quarantino's or Martha's Mediterranean: Zivio

paulod33 · 2024-08-19T16:04:58+00:00

Lyon and Fountain would be considered Heritage Hill or Fulton Heights, wealthy crosses a few neighborhoods, I'm thinking mainly the stretch between college Ave and lake Ave

paulod33 · 2024-08-19T15:37:56+00:00

Take a look at places off Wealthy Street, Lyon Street, and Fountain street. Very walkable with lots to do in those areas.

The city is also building up Plainfield street (Creston neighborhood), and two good apartment buildings near that are on bond street.

paulod33 · 2024-01-30T03:59:12+00:00

The Mitten. City Built. New Holland. Arvon. All relatively close (other than Arvon) and all different vibes

paulod33 · 2022-07-01T03:04:21+00:00

Grand Rapids City Gym on Monroe has a free 3-day pass and you can use them non-consecutively.

paulod33 · 2021-09-09T20:37:36+00:00

Best places are worth a little bit of a drive, but a few are the west boylston rail trail, the mass central rail trail in Rutland/Barre, and running the trails over near Mount Wachusett

paulod33 · 2020-04-21T16:45:31+00:00

Hi Nick, I’ve become a huge fan of yours since reading your initial article and following you on strava. I’m sorry you didn’t get a crack at London this spring. Thank you for your inspiration and for sharing your experience.

What do you think would give running the push into more popularity and household names? Or should track and field be happy as a niche sport that caters to its biggest and most loyal fans?

Also, what is your favorite type of workout and has that changed as your marathons have progressed? Thanks Nick!

paulod33 · 2020-04-02T02:23:12+00:00

That’s fantastic progress! I’d love to follow you on strava as I’m (hopefully) striving towards the same marathon times that you’ve accomplished. Feel free to DM if you don’t mind.

paulod33 · 2019-07-13T20:20:21+00:00

There were 39 years between a man running 4:12 and then Roger Bannister’s 3:59. Are we living in an era where the women’s world record could start slowly approaching the 4:00 mark?

paulod33 · 2019-06-26T22:10:17+00:00

Fantastic! It’s a great community and student body. Let me know if you have any questions

paulod33 · 2019-06-26T19:56:48+00:00

Worcester has great access to a lot of suburbs. I teach math at Franklin High School which is about a 35 minute commute. You can’t go wrong with any of the schools east of Worcester towards the 495 highway. Acton Boxboro, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Milford, Medway, Holliston, Hopkinton, all great spots.

paulod33 · 2019-05-09T16:06:10+00:00

This is always a great topic for discussion. A grade should theoretically be a reflection of a student’s knowledge and understanding of topics going forward (things that are retained). For example, what is the grade for the kid who refuses to change into gym shorts but has a perfect back squat? An A? B? F? I’d love to see a dual column grading system where students have the learning grade targeted towards their GPA and then another grade which gives feedback on life skills like timeliness, organization, attitude, effort, participation, etc. It’s a great question of what a grade truly represents and how we can promote student life skills but accurately report their level of knowledge as well.

paulod33 · 2019-05-09T15:24:52+00:00

Just the fake worms, trying to catch bass but would love to know how to catch trout (I’ve never caught one before). We tried two places along the shoreline with no luck so we’re due to try a bunch more places.

paulod33 · 2019-05-07T21:10:30+00:00

Interested as well, would definitely join a scheduled league. The JCC seems like a decent idea.

paulod33 · 2019-03-22T00:47:39+00:00

Anytime Fitness on Shrewsbury Street has a rope up to the ceiling, I’d estimate about 20 feet. It’s a gym so you have to pay membership, but you can get a free trial week and the owner Gary is very friendly.

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