Friday, December 26, 2008
I hope 2009 is better
Our great neighbors lent us their roof rake/shovel and we removed most of the snow from the porch roof. I was really glad for that. Even so, the water started to seep through into Clay's bedroom, at floor level, so we've been soaking it up with towels all day. Then, Clay went up to check on the towels and 9:30pm and it was raining in his room - we have an ice dam on the very top roof and it's HUGE. If it falls, it will collapse the porch roof ... I'm just hoping it MELTS. We've put buckets and towels all over Clay's room and removed a lot of his stuff.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Hope everyone is having an enjoyable Christmas! We've been eating, playing games, and watching movies with Grandma and Grandpa. The eating part has got to decrease! Our front porch roof is so laden with snow ... today it started to melt a little and we got an ice jam and it has started dripping through the roof of the porch, onto the front porch. We're hoping it doesn't seep through to the house. We tried creating a crevice through the ice and snow on the roof by leaning out the boy's bedroom windows, so that the water could flow off the roof. We also scraped a little of the snow and ice off, but we'd need 20 foot arms to make a dent in it. We're hoping the warmer weataher and melting will help take care of this problem! The forecast calls for 39 tomorrow and 48 on Saturday. My sister's garbage disposal broke twice today (after a $170 repair earlier this week) and flooded the kitchen at her house. So I guess it's been a watery Christmas for our whole family!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Christmas Countdown
Well, it's almost Christmas! We're breaking records here for snow ... we've surpassed 40 inches now. Blizzard conditions today with arctic temperatures. As if it weren't bad enough that road crews are having a hard time keeping up with the snowfall, they also can't salt or deice because the temperatures are too cold for it to work! Now we have high winds with lake effect snow, so it's blowing and drifting. We've had several huge winter storms in a row, and another predicted for Tuesday night.
We had our Christmas party (annual) last night. It was a blast! It's always so much fun to have a house full of friends. I love having all the kids around, too. I've posted some pictures of our front yard, the back yard (in the middle of the day, but the Christmas lights are on a light/dark sensor and wouldn't shut off because it was snowing so heavily it was blocking out the sun), and a picture of some of the food just before the party started. I meant to take pictures at the party, but I was having such a good time, I forgot!!
Maybe I'll have to have everyone over again so I can take pictures! Harrison and some neighborhood boys played pond hockey for several hours today. I don't know how they managed to stay out in 13 degrees with -20 windchill, but they did it. Clay stayed in with us and enjoyed the warm house! I've been heating up one of those seed filled thingees and wrapping Tiger (our old cat) up in it to help her stay warm. I'm going to try to get out tomorrow to pick up a few groceries. I also need to pick up our goose on Tuesday! I also need to enter final grades for my psychology class (one more final exam to correct) and last, but not least, I need to develop a syllabus for next semester and get it in to my supervisor!
It's actually a lot of fun to have us all home right now, kids out of school and me too, and feel snowed in. I could do this for a long time!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Santa picture gave me a chuckle! Put me in mind of when Harrison was 3 years old - his preschool had a visit from Santa, who coincidentally lived 2 blocks behind us and I'd walk Harrison almost every day in the stroller and we'd stop to say hello. Well, Harrison didn't recognize him ... and had lots of questions for "Santa!" He wanted to know where the sleigh was because he couldn't see it in the parking lot. Santa said he brought the black bronco because Federal Aviation laws stated he had to leave the sleigh at the airport. Harrison asked if he could see the truck - Santa said "Sure!" and took him out and let him crawl around in it. Then Harrison (who has never liked milk) asked if he REALLY liked milk and cookies. Santa told him he did, but he'd really rather have a beer after all that work! From then on, our Christmas tradition was leaving Santa a beer and cookies!
I did a "first" today! I made peanut blossoms - I really like those, but never make them because Harrison is allergic to peanuts. I figured he's old enough now, so the rest of us can enjoy them. He has never had a terrible allergy - immunologist says that's because we never exposed him to anything peanut - his first exposure was at 6 years old. He reacted like crazy in testing though. Immunologist also said each exposure, he'd have a worse reaction. He despises the smell of peanut butter (says it makes him gag) so he's never wanted it, but he does like certain things made with it ... especially Butterfingers! Every Halloween, I'd let him have one of those mini ones. Two years ago, I let him manage his own candy and told him not to eat all the mini Butterfingers he got. The next day, he got up, walked in the kitchen and said "Mom, I feel horrible." I turned and looked at him and he was covered in hives (literally head to toe), his eyelids and lips were swollen. So I told him that was it - he was DONE with anything peanut! My dad was also allergic (hives as well); however my neice (hello Martha if you're reading!) is one of those people that goes into shock if she's near peanuts. I just don't want Harrison to get to that point if we can avoid it!
So, the snow storm is on it's way - 6 to 10 inches the weather report says. Kids are hoping for a snow day to start vacation early. My supervisor called (tomorrow is final exam day at the university) and instructed me on contingent plans if we have to close the university. Quite honestly, I'm dreading driving there and back if it's not closed! Let's all hope for a snow day!
Monday, December 15, 2008
More Cold and Snow
I took this picture this morning as I drove 27mph to work. It was unbelievably slippery. We had a break from snow last week, then warm temperatures with pouring rain this weekend, which was good because it knocked down the snow piles to about 1/3 of what they were ... however, we had a flash freeze this morning and everything is covered in ice, then lake effect snow on top. I just read the weather report and it says 3 to 5 inches tonight with another 3 to 4 tomorrow ... I'm already tired of shoveling! The worst part is, I can't miss a second of work this week as it's the last week of school - finals on Friday and get grades in! I worry about my students that travel getting into an accident (not to mention I worry about Harrison driving to and from school!).
Can't wait for spring ... and it's not even WINTER yet! Mom reminded me it's still fall until December 21!!!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Clay's middle school band held their Christmas/holiday concert this past week. They did a great job! This group of kids is truly a talented group; of all the grades/bands I've had to watch over the years, they are the best. Clay is in the picture holding his clarinet; he's the second person in the row. Also, there's a picture of our main tree in the living room and Clay's nutcracker collection. His favorite nutcracker is the Donald Duck one over by itself on the round table.
So we're beginning the last week of school. The boys and I are both done on Friday. I'll stay late at work and get in all my final grades before leaving. Party on Saturday!
Monday, December 8, 2008
First Fender Bender Experience
This past weekend, Harrison was a backseat passenger in a friend's car. His friend lost control going downhill (bad weather) and they went off the road. Luckily, they were only going 15 or 20 miles per hour becaue of the conditions. The car stopped right up against a tree. We're thankful all were ok, the car was also fine and for an important lesson for the boys! They were all scared out of their minds!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Christmas Cat
Isn't Shanty a beautiful cat?! She's such a good kitty, too. Harrison took this picture yesterday while Shanty looked in through the back door.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Happy Birthday Harrison
Yesterday was Harrison's 17th birthday! It's so hard to believe he's that old. We had a nice day, including a snow storm, which we also had the year he was born. This is the 3rd year in a row he's had a snow day for his birthday! We got a total of about 8 inches. There's a photo of Harrison opening a gift in the morning and the next photo is a snow man (about 7 or 8 feet tall) Harrison, Clay, and 3 other boys built yesterday. Unfortunately, when I finally got my snow gear on and went to take the picture, Clay came in the house, so he's not in it.
Today, the boys built and even bigger snow man at the home of one of the other boys. The one in our yard now has a 12 foot tree stuck through it for arms (the snow brought it down - snow is really heavy). We've shoveled 5 times in the last 24 hours ... and it's still snowing. I hope it stays to just an inch or so tonight!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I got up early this morning (which was tough because I drank some pop with caffeine and had a really hard time sleeping last night!) and put in the turkey with dressing. Then I went shopping for a short time. Just now I'm watching the Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is something I like to do every year. I'm thinking I may need a nap yet today!!
The picture above is from Monday; Harrison and I went to visit Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma had surgery last Thursday and has to "lay low" for several days yet, so we're not doing Thanksgiving together. We visited so we'd see them this week and also they were able to give Harrison his birthday present. His birthday is Sunday. I think Grandma looks pretty good considering she had surgery just 4 days earlier (on her eye - an incision and vitrious fluid removal).
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
An Interesting Piece of Trivia
I read this and thought it was interesting:
Though the Thanksgiving Day is presently celebrated on the fourth Thursday of every November. This date was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941). Earlier it was the last Thursday in November as was designated by the former President Abraham Lincoln. But sometimes the last Thursday would turn out to be the fifth Thursday of the month. This falls too close to the Christmas, leaving the businesses even less than a month's time to cope up with the two big festivals. Hence the change.
http://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/history.htm
Though the Thanksgiving Day is presently celebrated on the fourth Thursday of every November. This date was set by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941). Earlier it was the last Thursday in November as was designated by the former President Abraham Lincoln. But sometimes the last Thursday would turn out to be the fifth Thursday of the month. This falls too close to the Christmas, leaving the businesses even less than a month's time to cope up with the two big festivals. Hence the change.
http://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/history.htm
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Many moons ago (in truth, it feels like another lifetime), when I was a college student for the first time, I studied Spanish literature. I was always drawn to Pedro Calderon de la Barca, a gentleman of the 1600's. A favorite that has been running through my mind (and I had to search for it because I didn't trust the accuracy of my memory after 27 years!).
CUENTAN DE UN SABIO, QUE UN DÍA...
Cuentan de un sabio, que un día
tan pobre y mísero estaba,
que sólo se sustentaba
de unas yerbas que cogía.
«Habrá otro», entre sí decía,
«más pobre y triste que yo?»
Y cuando el rostro volvió,
halló la respuesta, viendo
que iba otro sabio cogiendo
las hojas que él arrojó.
My translating skills are very (very) rusty, but ... in general ...
They tell of an old wiseman who one day
was so poor and miserable
that the only thing sustaining him
were some herbs/leaves he gathered.
While he was gathering, he said to himself,
Could there be anyone else sadder or poorer than me?
And when he turned about
there was the answer, seeing
another old wiseman gathering
the herbs/leaves he had thrown aside.
A nice sentiment I believe, as we enjoy this Thanksgiving month.
CUENTAN DE UN SABIO, QUE UN DÍA...
Cuentan de un sabio, que un día
tan pobre y mísero estaba,
que sólo se sustentaba
de unas yerbas que cogía.
«Habrá otro», entre sí decía,
«más pobre y triste que yo?»
Y cuando el rostro volvió,
halló la respuesta, viendo
que iba otro sabio cogiendo
las hojas que él arrojó.
My translating skills are very (very) rusty, but ... in general ...
They tell of an old wiseman who one day
was so poor and miserable
that the only thing sustaining him
were some herbs/leaves he gathered.
While he was gathering, he said to himself,
Could there be anyone else sadder or poorer than me?
And when he turned about
there was the answer, seeing
another old wiseman gathering
the herbs/leaves he had thrown aside.
A nice sentiment I believe, as we enjoy this Thanksgiving month.
Monday, November 3, 2008
vote-eve
This quote put me in mind of my recent musings as well as those of my friend Kelly:
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
This was said by Confucius.
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
This was said by Confucius.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
End of the Tournament
Well, it's finally over! I'm "hockey'd out" for at least a few days. The boys played with only 11 on the team today; this is really when Harrison shines. He played great today and had some great checks. The team's only goal was with him on the ice as well. Too bad the "real coach" wasn't there today! Anyway, here are some snapshots of some of the play. We were at U of M Dearborn today. Harrison is number 19, red jersey. The first photo you see him working his man.
In the second one, which I happened to like, you see him leaning up against the boards between play. This is a pose a often see him strike in the time between playing.
The next one was of half our players in the box, but now it's disappeared! Hopefully, it will "reappear" when I publish the comment!
After that is another shot of play; Harrison is facing the camer skating with his stick out in front of him on the ice.
The last one is just before they were to score.So, they ended up losing every single game, but they played quite well last night and today. Especially today.
I can't wait for the next two weeks to be gone. I know I shouldn't wish away time, but they are going to be so stressful. The week of Halloween is try-outs. Harrison wants to be on the team "for real" so badly; he practically lives to play hockey. I was talking with another mom of a kid who was cut last year and she shared a story of not only how heart-broken he was (and cried) but how they worked through it. It seems unfair somehow that the nicest kids are the ones who get hurt, or conversely, the meanest kids (on and off the ice) get to "win." Our coach last year, T. Battersby was AWESOME. He put together such a good team and it was a team of by-and-large great kids. They lost 9 of 10 preseason games, but in the end won the division championship (many of you may recall!). This was sportsmanship at it's best - Coach Battersby took a bunch of kids and taught them to play better individually and as a team and led them to victory over much better players and teams. I believe this was because he believed in these kids and the kids all appreciated the opportunity and had good hearts that never quit. I'm not so sure the "best" players are always the "best" players. I suppose one only need look at the quality of person many professional sports people are to see that!
So, here's to the next two weeks flying by and to a happy November! Well, I'm not so sure about the first week of November, either, now that I remember we'll be voting!! So, I'm going to enjoy the next 3 hours, which is all the weekend time I'm going to get before jumping back into another week. Wishing you all a better week than we will have!!
Big Bear Tournament
Last night we played a team from Hamilton, Ontario and lost 4/0. Arrived back at hotel around midnight, bed by 1. First game today against Sylvania, Ohio; we lost 5/1. Second game this evening against Tampa Bay, FL; we lost 3/1. Tomorrow will play for either last or second to last place in Dearborn - but we had kids thrown out of the tournament for fighting (see me sigh and shake my head), so we'll only have 10 players. I guess Harrison will get a lot of ice time and be exhausted. There he is in the middle of the picture (red jersey) in the game this evening against Tampa Bay. I'm pretty well burnt out on hockey at the moment, and especially not happy with coaching this fall - I know it's a dad volunteering because the "real" coach isn't allowed to coach until Halloween, but it's been ugly. I'm also tired of the overly aggressive play on our team and the fighting for the "real" coach to see play. This is just crazy and I don't believe high school kids should have to be this competitive and cut-throat in order to play a sport they love. I know a lot of parents would disagree with me and say things like "well, they have to learn about the real world sometime..." but I ask why now! I also doubt most adults ever work as hard at it as these kids are right now. I think it sets them up to see the world in a more jaundiced way and encourages them to learn cut-throat behaviors that may never be necessary in adult life. Well, enough bitching on my part! I better get to bed so I can drive from here (Ann Arbor) to Dearborn in the morning - well, later this morning I guess!Friday, October 17, 2008
GOAL!
Harrison and I are off to Ann Arbor for a hockey tournament this weekend. The team played a game last night, and Harrison scored a goal. He was extra excited because the "real coach" was watching (and will be this weekend as well) ... tryouts for the "real team" are the week of Halloween. I'm still struggling to be OK with having these kids play for 7 months on the team, practice 3 times a week, give up entire weekends (like this one!), spend thousands of dollars on ice, equipment, hotels, etc. and they don't even know if they're actually on the team until Halloween. It really is wrong to my way of thinking. Anyway, I'll bring my camera and give updates when I can!
Monday, October 13, 2008
"Fake" holiday
I have mixed feelings about today (Columbus Day)! First of all, I'm not a fan of what I call "fake holidays." These are days there is no mail, the banks are closed, but every other business and organization still is working! I also am not sure it's a day to be celebrated. The Spanish brought with them more Europeans. That brought sexual transmitted diseases (these did not exist in the Americas), small pox, chicken pox, and the cold (also unknown in the Americas), as well as indentured servitude, slavery, and oppression as well as outright slaughter of many native nations and tribes. Millions of people died. In addition, the Vikings were here long before, so Columbus didn't really "discover" the Americas. And, Amerigo Vespucci mapped it all, so we got his name. Also, the Siberians and Mongolians crossed over the Bering Straights as long as 10,000 years ago, so remembering Columbus' journey is really just commemorating the Europeans finally getting here. On the other hand, I suppose my grandparents wouldn't have come here if it hadn't been "discovered" by Columbus, and I like being here, so I'm glad in that respect! Well, it was a sunny, warm day, so not all bad!Friday, October 10, 2008
Clayton
This morning, I had the pleasure of attending a ceremony at Clayton's school as he was selected a "student of the month." We're very proud of him, as this is a real accomplishment for anyone selected. The kid must be nominated by a teacher, then all the teachers for the grade and administrators have a chance to vote. If one of them has a negative comment, the kid is out. (Kind of reminds me of "black balling" in sorrority rush!)So, there were some doughnuts and muffins, as well as hot chocolate and institutional coffee. I opted to wait until I got back home to eat breakfast! Plus
the whole thing was just too early for me! The cermony started at 7:45 am. While I am at my best in the morning ... it needs to be MY morning time!! We also got Clay's midterm report card today, which was GREAT! Actually, both boys are doing fabulous this year; they both have the best overall grades ever. I truly believe homeschooling math was a "magic bullet" for Harrison. It seems that getting that monkey off his back allows him to feel in control and positive about his school day. He's also been pleasantly surprised at the math skills he's gained, which he's been able to use in chemistry!
We're expecting a beautiful weekend, and let me say - I sure can use a dose of sunshine!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
moran?
I saw this picture and at first, it wasn't even funny ... as I thought about it, it became amusing, but unfortunately very aptly portrays a large section of our population. Ever see the movie "Idiocracy?" I highly recommend it!
There is a theory right now that we, as a world population, are truly becoming less intelligent. This theory was developed by Dr. Richard Lynn. He has written a book on the topic: "Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations." Basically, the theory is premised on well documented data showing the most intelligent people in modern societies are having the least children, whereas the least intelligent people have the most. Thus, we are slowly pruning away the most intelligent genes and increasing the genetic pool of the least intelligent. There are a lot of discussions on this (the "big" one is it's not the least intelligent, but the least educated ... however, that argument doesn't hold water because it has been shown over and over and over, world-wide, that the least intelligent also attain the lowest educational levels).
At any rate, I'm really glad to work with some very, very bright young people. On that note, if you read this and understood it the first time through, please have lots of kids! I know I haven't had enough ... but my awesome neighbor and friend "Truly Blessed" has FIVE! Now that's making a serious dent in this issue!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Hockey Weekend
Harrison's team was in a hockey tournament this weekend. Actually, it might be more accurate to say that slightly less than half of his team was in the tournament! They played Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, and again on Sunday. However, since several of the young men decided they didn't want to miss going out to dinner on homecoming evening (Saturday), they didn't show up all day Saturday. Keep in mind, they would have still had time to go home, change, and be at the dance. So, we wound up with barely enough kids to play. The bench should have 18 to 19 kids on it, enough to fill 3.5 lines. Hockey is an incredibly demanding sport and even pros can rarely skate more than a 2 minute shift. So, with only 10 kids on the bench, we were outnumbered by the other teams at least 2:1 - meaning while they had "fresh legs," we had wiped out, tired kids that would skate 2 to 2.5 minute shifts and then be right back out on the ice. The photo above is Harrison (going too fast for my camera!) - he's the blurry one getting speed up to go after the puck - red jersey, big kid!
This second photo is of our pathetic bench. Kinda looks like the game's over, doesn't it? But, no - it was during the first period! I guess when almost everybody is on the ice, nobody is on the bench! For the boys who did show up, great job! Every single one of the kids there skated their hearts out. Those boys never gave up and skated as fast in the third period as they did in the first. A very impressive display of will, determination, and committment. They held the Owls to 4 points (we had 1, which we scored with Harrison on the ice - an assist!).
So, it was actually an exhausting weekend with lots of time spent at the ice arena. I also did a TON of correcting in the wait time (waiting for games to start). Clay stayed home most of the weekend and caught up on rest. He wasn't feeling so great last week (a lot of kids at school are sick), fell asleep within a half hour of arriving home on Friday, slept 2.5 hours, went to bed early, slept in really late on Saturday ... well you get the picture! I think he needed it!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
An Update On Baby G!
Well, here he is just a month post-op and doing GREAT! B (G's mom) and I walked yesterday and G was smiling and babbling like crazy. I could hardly believe my eyes when I first saw him - the month since his open-heart surgery has made him almost into a whole different baby! He is so much stronger, it's absolutely amazing. He's gained a few pounds and grown. While he's always had such a great personality, it's was so wonderful to see how he's thriving now. He was doing just fine prior to surgery, but now ... WOW! What a great kid he is - I wish I could have caught him smiling because he's got one of the best baby smiles going.
So, it was great to walk again with B, awesome to see how much of a difference heart surgery made for G, and overall awesome to get some fresh air and relax! On another note, some of my students showed me www.blackle.com . It's google, only the screen is black so it saves you electricity. Pretty cool! Also, I visit www.therainforestsite.com every day - there are tabs to visit other site like the breastcancersite - and just by clicking on the pages, corporations donate!! Another site my students showed me was www.freerice.com where you can donate free rice to hungry people by playing a word game. All great ways to give back to our world without spending a dime!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
I Need to Insulate Myself From ... the US?
The past couple of weeks have been really disheartening for me. The political stuff has been pretty much awful, and the financial woes of our country are astounding. I listened to a guy today on cable news on my satellite radio; he was speaking to our current economic crisis. His assessment was that it will get worse before it gets better and right now the only time worse in history was the Great Depression. He was discussing some new regulations implemented in the last day and how lending will dry up; he indicated growth depends on businesses expanding, which they do with loans, but now less than 85% of US businesses will be able to get a loan. That combined with our HUGE debt (individual, state, and federal) will make for some very difficult years ahead. Then, I was reminded by the newscaster of the the hacking of Gov. Palins personal email. I am appalled, and that word doesn't nearly indicate the depth of my feeling. Her privacy has been invaded as equally as if someone broke into her house. What is worse, is things I've read online AND listened to on the news - I can hardly believe the vicious, truly EVIL feelings and pleasure some people are taking in this new invasion of privacy for Gov. Palin. What would possess a person to gloat over someone being invaded in this manner? I have to be honest and say I don't want to be associated with anyone who behaves that way - not even through citizenship.
This is not a party matter (and if news sources are to be believed, it truly isn't - just some left-wing nut operating on their own); I would feel this way no matter who it was. Our personal mail is personal - both snail mail and email and should not be invaded any more than our homes should be. The last straw today was listening to the next bit of news of a CBC (Canadian) "journalist" (Heather Mallick) who wrote an "opinion" piece on Gov. Palin in which she indicated Palin only appeals to white trash, so only white trash in the US will vote for McCain/Palin, that her husband is a redneck fool, her daughter a #$%@&, and so on. First of all, that is NOT journalism. Second, I do not take kindly to half our country being referred to as "white trash." I am amazed by this woman, who writes for an acknowledged "liberal" company said these things. Doesn't the word liberal come from the Latin word "libre" meaning free?? I thought liberals prided themselves on being open-minded, accepting, etc. This woman must be one of the most prejudiced people I've ever heard of (if you doubt that, replace the words "white trash" with any other racial slur you can think of and tell me if it would have been printed).
I read a book last year entitled "Empire," which discussed this very thing - the "liberals" promoting hate-mongering of anyone ballsy enough to disagree with them and the country being taken over by the president, as an empire, with a resulting civil war. Not too far off. I have to say, I'm not sure I would fault any successionists at this point. What has happened to common decency and respect? Socialism in the rest of the world isn't working - Europe is in a full-blown recession and has had no job growth at all (go ahead, research this on the internet). I take great exception to other countries encouraging us to become more socialistic - if it's not working for them, why should we do it?
So, I've been really frustrated and disheartened and appalled, as well as frightened by the viciousness of the past few weeks. If I have ever doubted the existence of evil, I no longer do. While I have always been somewhat of a "doubting" Thomas, preferring a more liberal and personal belief system, I found myself praying today in a very traditional way. I pray that our country doesn't split apart, even through social unrest. I pray the right candidate wins the election, admitting my personal choice may not be the right choice - I simply pray that God will guide the election in the right direction. I pray that our new president will see the importance of unity and bringing our country together, not splitting us further apart - and this can only be done through cooperation and working together. I pray the evil, hate-mongering, vicious attack behaviors I see are reduced and we can live in a world that respects others and listens calmly. I pray we find a way through this mess.
So, I'm thinking I have to go back to hiding my head in the sand. I haven't watched television programs for years, as I am familiar with all the research done and know it will diminish my cognitive capacity. Now I think I may have to stop being aware of current events (stop watching and listening to news) because it's almost too awful for me to cope with. Truly. I don't know what some in our country have come to, that they thrive on such evilness. I'm going to make an effort over the next few days to watch movies I like, listen to music when I drive, and try to find some peace within myself.
This is not a party matter (and if news sources are to be believed, it truly isn't - just some left-wing nut operating on their own); I would feel this way no matter who it was. Our personal mail is personal - both snail mail and email and should not be invaded any more than our homes should be. The last straw today was listening to the next bit of news of a CBC (Canadian) "journalist" (Heather Mallick) who wrote an "opinion" piece on Gov. Palin in which she indicated Palin only appeals to white trash, so only white trash in the US will vote for McCain/Palin, that her husband is a redneck fool, her daughter a #$%@&, and so on. First of all, that is NOT journalism. Second, I do not take kindly to half our country being referred to as "white trash." I am amazed by this woman, who writes for an acknowledged "liberal" company said these things. Doesn't the word liberal come from the Latin word "libre" meaning free?? I thought liberals prided themselves on being open-minded, accepting, etc. This woman must be one of the most prejudiced people I've ever heard of (if you doubt that, replace the words "white trash" with any other racial slur you can think of and tell me if it would have been printed).
I read a book last year entitled "Empire," which discussed this very thing - the "liberals" promoting hate-mongering of anyone ballsy enough to disagree with them and the country being taken over by the president, as an empire, with a resulting civil war. Not too far off. I have to say, I'm not sure I would fault any successionists at this point. What has happened to common decency and respect? Socialism in the rest of the world isn't working - Europe is in a full-blown recession and has had no job growth at all (go ahead, research this on the internet). I take great exception to other countries encouraging us to become more socialistic - if it's not working for them, why should we do it?
So, I've been really frustrated and disheartened and appalled, as well as frightened by the viciousness of the past few weeks. If I have ever doubted the existence of evil, I no longer do. While I have always been somewhat of a "doubting" Thomas, preferring a more liberal and personal belief system, I found myself praying today in a very traditional way. I pray that our country doesn't split apart, even through social unrest. I pray the right candidate wins the election, admitting my personal choice may not be the right choice - I simply pray that God will guide the election in the right direction. I pray that our new president will see the importance of unity and bringing our country together, not splitting us further apart - and this can only be done through cooperation and working together. I pray the evil, hate-mongering, vicious attack behaviors I see are reduced and we can live in a world that respects others and listens calmly. I pray we find a way through this mess.
So, I'm thinking I have to go back to hiding my head in the sand. I haven't watched television programs for years, as I am familiar with all the research done and know it will diminish my cognitive capacity. Now I think I may have to stop being aware of current events (stop watching and listening to news) because it's almost too awful for me to cope with. Truly. I don't know what some in our country have come to, that they thrive on such evilness. I'm going to make an effort over the next few days to watch movies I like, listen to music when I drive, and try to find some peace within myself.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Signs and Pictures That Made Me Laugh
All I can say is .... wtf????!!Nice of Arkansas to be so up-front about things.
Honestly, we couldn't have made this up 8 or 10 years ago ...
(it says his father was an African Muslim and his mother was an atheist)
Hmmm...
And boy (!) does ever feel like these prices right now! I have to feel a little good about how low the prices went last week - on Wednesday night I noticed it was down to 3.85.9 so I told Harrison we should get gas - it would only go up! Amazing that in 3 days it was waaaaaayyyyy more! So, I'm enjoying THIS tank of gas! (And of course dreading my next visit to the pump)
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Powerful Women Motto
Here's another great one from my great friend, Sharon (who seems to find a lot of these things that crack me up!):
Powerful Women Motto
Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says... 'Oh shit....she's awake!
Powerful Women Motto
Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says... 'Oh shit....she's awake!
For Those of Us Born Before 1990
Each year, Beloit College publishes a "mindset list," which highlights what the world is for the incoming freshman class. It's not only helpful for us instructors to see our student's perspective on the world, but it's truly amazing to see the differences! Here it is:
This month, almost 2 million first-year students will head off to college campuses around the country. Most of them will be about 18 years old, born in 1990 when headlines sounded oddly familiar to those of today: Rising fuel costs were causing airlines to cut staff and flight schedules; Big Three car companies were facing declining sales and profits; and a president named Bush was increasing the number of troops in the Middle East in the hopes of securing peace. However, the mindset of this new generation of college students is quite different from that of the faculty about to prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Each August for the past 11 years, Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. It is the creation of Beloit’s Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Public Affairs Director Ron Nief. The List is shared with faculty and with thousands who request it each year as the school year begins, as a reminder of the rapidly changing frame of reference for this new generation.
The class of 2012 has grown up in an era where computers and rapid communication are the norm, and colleges no longer trumpet the fact that residence halls are “wired” and equipped with the latest hardware. These students will hardly recognize the availability of telephones in their rooms since they have seldom utilized landlines during their adolescence. They will continue to live on their cell phones and communicate via texting. Roommates, few of whom have ever shared a bedroom, have already checked out each other on Facebook where they have shared their most personal thoughts with the whole world.
It is a multicultural, politically correct and “green” generation that has hardly noticed the threats to their privacy and has never feared the Russians and the Warsaw Pact.
Students entering college for the first time this fall were generally born in 1990.
For these students, Sammy Davis Jr., Jim Henson, Ryan White, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddy Krueger have always been dead.
Harry Potter could be a classmate, playing on their Quidditch team.
Since they were in diapers, karaoke machines have been annoying people at parties.
They have always been looking for Carmen Sandiego.
GPS satellite navigation systems have always been available.
Coke and Pepsi have always used recycled plastic bottles.
Shampoo and conditioner have always been available in the same bottle.
Gas stations have never fixed flats, but most serve cappuccino.
Their parents may have dropped them in shock when they heard George Bush announce “tax revenue increases.”
Electronic filing of tax returns has always been an option.
Girls in head scarves have always been part of the school fashion scene.
All have had a relative--or known about a friend's relative--who died comfortably at home with Hospice.
As a precursor to “whatever,” they have recognized that some people “just don’t get it.”
Universal Studios has always offered an alternative to Mickey in Orlando.
Grandma has always had wheels on her walker.
Martha Stewart Living has always been setting the style.
Haagen-Dazs ice cream has always come in quarts.
Club Med resorts have always been places to take the whole family.
WWW has never stood for World Wide Wrestling.
Films have never been X rated, only NC-17.
The Warsaw Pact is as hazy for them as the League of Nations was for their parents.
Students have always been "Rocking the Vote.”
Clarence Thomas has always sat on the Supreme Court.
Schools have always been concerned about multiculturalism.
We have always known that “All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
There have always been gay rabbis.
Wayne Newton has never had a mustache.
College grads have always been able to Teach for America.
IBM has never made typewriters.
Roseanne Barr has never been invited to sing the National Anthem again.
McDonald’s and Burger King have always used vegetable oil for cooking french fries.
They have never been able to color a tree using a raw umber Crayola.
There has always been Pearl Jam.
The Tonight Show has always been hosted by Jay Leno and started at 11:35 EST.
Pee-Wee has never been in his playhouse during the day.
They never tasted Benefit Cereal with psyllium.
They may have been given a Nintendo Game Boy to play with in the crib.
Authorities have always been building a wall along the Mexican border.
Lenin’s name has never been on a major city in Russia.
Employers have always been able to do credit checks on employees.
Balsamic vinegar has always been available in the U.S.
Macaulay Culkin has always been Home Alone.
Their parents may have watched The American Gladiators on TV the day they were born.
Personal privacy has always been threatened.
Caller ID has always been available on phones.
Living wills have always been asked for at hospital check-ins.
The Green Bay Packers (almost) always had the same starting quarterback.
They never heard an attendant ask “Want me to check under the hood?”
Iced tea has always come in cans and bottles.
Soft drink refills have always been free.
They have never known life without Seinfeld references from a show about “nothing.”
Windows 3.0 operating system made IBM PCs user-friendly the year they were born.
Muscovites have always been able to buy Big Macs.
The Royal New Zealand Navy has never been permitted a daily ration of rum.
The Hubble Space Telescope has always been eavesdropping on the heavens.
98.6 F or otherwise has always been confirmed in the ear.
Michael Milken has always been a philanthropist promoting prostate cancer research.
Off-shore oil drilling in the United States has always been prohibited.
Radio stations have never been required to present both sides of public issues.
There have always been charter schools.
Students always had Goosebumps.
This month, almost 2 million first-year students will head off to college campuses around the country. Most of them will be about 18 years old, born in 1990 when headlines sounded oddly familiar to those of today: Rising fuel costs were causing airlines to cut staff and flight schedules; Big Three car companies were facing declining sales and profits; and a president named Bush was increasing the number of troops in the Middle East in the hopes of securing peace. However, the mindset of this new generation of college students is quite different from that of the faculty about to prepare them to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Each August for the past 11 years, Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. It is the creation of Beloit’s Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Public Affairs Director Ron Nief. The List is shared with faculty and with thousands who request it each year as the school year begins, as a reminder of the rapidly changing frame of reference for this new generation.
The class of 2012 has grown up in an era where computers and rapid communication are the norm, and colleges no longer trumpet the fact that residence halls are “wired” and equipped with the latest hardware. These students will hardly recognize the availability of telephones in their rooms since they have seldom utilized landlines during their adolescence. They will continue to live on their cell phones and communicate via texting. Roommates, few of whom have ever shared a bedroom, have already checked out each other on Facebook where they have shared their most personal thoughts with the whole world.
It is a multicultural, politically correct and “green” generation that has hardly noticed the threats to their privacy and has never feared the Russians and the Warsaw Pact.
Students entering college for the first time this fall were generally born in 1990.
For these students, Sammy Davis Jr., Jim Henson, Ryan White, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Freddy Krueger have always been dead.
Harry Potter could be a classmate, playing on their Quidditch team.
Since they were in diapers, karaoke machines have been annoying people at parties.
They have always been looking for Carmen Sandiego.
GPS satellite navigation systems have always been available.
Coke and Pepsi have always used recycled plastic bottles.
Shampoo and conditioner have always been available in the same bottle.
Gas stations have never fixed flats, but most serve cappuccino.
Their parents may have dropped them in shock when they heard George Bush announce “tax revenue increases.”
Electronic filing of tax returns has always been an option.
Girls in head scarves have always been part of the school fashion scene.
All have had a relative--or known about a friend's relative--who died comfortably at home with Hospice.
As a precursor to “whatever,” they have recognized that some people “just don’t get it.”
Universal Studios has always offered an alternative to Mickey in Orlando.
Grandma has always had wheels on her walker.
Martha Stewart Living has always been setting the style.
Haagen-Dazs ice cream has always come in quarts.
Club Med resorts have always been places to take the whole family.
WWW has never stood for World Wide Wrestling.
Films have never been X rated, only NC-17.
The Warsaw Pact is as hazy for them as the League of Nations was for their parents.
Students have always been "Rocking the Vote.”
Clarence Thomas has always sat on the Supreme Court.
Schools have always been concerned about multiculturalism.
We have always known that “All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.”
There have always been gay rabbis.
Wayne Newton has never had a mustache.
College grads have always been able to Teach for America.
IBM has never made typewriters.
Roseanne Barr has never been invited to sing the National Anthem again.
McDonald’s and Burger King have always used vegetable oil for cooking french fries.
They have never been able to color a tree using a raw umber Crayola.
There has always been Pearl Jam.
The Tonight Show has always been hosted by Jay Leno and started at 11:35 EST.
Pee-Wee has never been in his playhouse during the day.
They never tasted Benefit Cereal with psyllium.
They may have been given a Nintendo Game Boy to play with in the crib.
Authorities have always been building a wall along the Mexican border.
Lenin’s name has never been on a major city in Russia.
Employers have always been able to do credit checks on employees.
Balsamic vinegar has always been available in the U.S.
Macaulay Culkin has always been Home Alone.
Their parents may have watched The American Gladiators on TV the day they were born.
Personal privacy has always been threatened.
Caller ID has always been available on phones.
Living wills have always been asked for at hospital check-ins.
The Green Bay Packers (almost) always had the same starting quarterback.
They never heard an attendant ask “Want me to check under the hood?”
Iced tea has always come in cans and bottles.
Soft drink refills have always been free.
They have never known life without Seinfeld references from a show about “nothing.”
Windows 3.0 operating system made IBM PCs user-friendly the year they were born.
Muscovites have always been able to buy Big Macs.
The Royal New Zealand Navy has never been permitted a daily ration of rum.
The Hubble Space Telescope has always been eavesdropping on the heavens.
98.6 F or otherwise has always been confirmed in the ear.
Michael Milken has always been a philanthropist promoting prostate cancer research.
Off-shore oil drilling in the United States has always been prohibited.
Radio stations have never been required to present both sides of public issues.
There have always been charter schools.
Students always had Goosebumps.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Scary Ike
Well, as the day progresses, I am captivated by Hurricane Ike. Mr. Chertov, the Arabian Horse Association Chair cum Homeland Security Head is announcing that some non-governmental levies in Lousiana have already been over-topped. Live pictures of Galveston, Freeport, and other coastal location in Texas already are flooded with 16 - 25 more feet of water possible. A frieghter (vessel) is without power 90 miles from the coast and the crew cannot be rescued because of the high winds. Please keep these communities, the people on the ship(s), the rescue and care workers, and others involved in your prayers. This is a very frightening storm.
A Few Thoughts on the New Democrats
I am a committed "independent," albeit with Libertarian and Green Party leanings. Over the 29 years I have voted (and I have voted in almost all elections I was eligible to vote in), I have cast votes for Democrats, Libertarians, Greens, Socialists, Independents, and Republicans. Over the past decade, my votes for Democrats have been declining. Why? Because so many have turned into a creature I not only don't recognize but am truly frightened by. Many have become angry, almost rabid haters of everything that isn't their idea. It's really weird. Democrats were not like that 25 years ago - what is happening? An example : tax the rich. Why are we supposed to hate those who have "made it?" Isn't that the American Dream? Shouldn't we be proud of and applaud those who have done it? Isn't hating them rather hypocritical?? What incentive is there for people to work harder, go to school longer, take more risks, if the government is going to take it all away in taxes, spread it out among everyone else? Isn't that COMMUNISM????
Anyone who is reasonable (including several of my still reasonable Democratic friends who also despise the new anger and hatred) recognizes the amazing, incredible bias in the news media, particularly televised news and coastal news (both east and west coast). The bias against Sarah Palin is two-fold: there is obvious, blatant sex bias as well as bias against her affiliation! She can't do anything ... I am STUNNED at what I have read and listened to! It is absolutely incredible how her words are cut and pasted out of context. While I am not even close to being as conservative as Gov. Palin (and those of you who know me well know that), I am appalled that people in this country are OK with the distortions and in fact seem to take great pleasure not only in making the distortions, but in gobbling them up, believing them, and spreading them! All I can say is this woman has my respect. The fact that she is willing to do this for our country and not come unglued at what is being said about her, her beliefs, and things she supposed "said," is truly amazing and a testament to her character. An example of how bad this is getting: a guy wrote a satirical (comedy) piece making up fake Palin quotes that were amusing; stuff about dinosaurs being satanic creatures, etc. It was purely a humorous piece - but NATIONAL news networks ran these quotes as if she actually said them! NBC, CNN, and CBS all did. I sat here at my computer with the tv behind me and my mouth hanging down to the floor. Anyway, here is an article I read that made me laugh, especially at the last line of tongue-in-cheek humor and be glad some people are defending this brave woman.
Who Hates Sarah Palin?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
By Greg Gutfeld
According to many in the media, we truly have discovered someone worse than Hitler — and it's Sarah Palin.Head to any left-wing blog or even CNN for that matter and you'll find the zaniest of conspiracies -- froth that even a dude with rabies would find unseemly.
So how can one person create so much bile among folks who claim to be the most tolerant in the universe? I mean, liberals are the good people: They're open-minded, caring and of course, fair.
But somehow, a Republican lady in her 40s is exempt from this treatment. Perhaps, she truly is the devil in a dress, a ghoul that eats children and pollutes the planet and possibly beats Barack Obama, the patron saint of every customer buying wheat germ in bulk at GNC.
But I know the real reason why every single elitist media type is terrified of her. They've never met her. And by "her," I don't mean Sarah Palin. I mean "her", an actual normal woman with a bunch of kids, an average husband and no desire to watch "The L Word."
She's scary to these folks the way Wal-Mart is scary to them: Both are alien to someone who blogs about their chakras. They won't go there, because they've never been there.
To them, hating Sarah Palin is a symptom of larger bigotry against the rest of us, the normal. If they saw her at a party, they would wonder how she got in. She's the anti-Obama, the anti-New York Times, the anti-everything that Tim Robbins loves, which is why I love her — and you should too.
And if you disagree with me, then you sir are worse than Hitler.
So, here's one Independent voter that is begging the Democratic party to get real again. You know what? I LIKE voting all over the place. I LIKE having choice. I LIKE voting for who I think will do the best job. I feel the Democratic party is taking that choice away, because unless I want to be an angry, unreasonable, accepting of others only when it comes to Democrats, hate-the-rich goofball, I can't vote Democratic. This doesn't mean (to my Democratic friends!) I think ALL Democrats meet that description - it means that is where I think the party is going and I don't feel I can jump on board. Perhaps it is time for a viable third party for all us middle-of-the-roaders.
Want some facts (real ones) on Gov. Palin? Link: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html
Tax Facts (yes, the "rich" already pay more than their fair share): http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/04/tax_facts.html
Anyone who is reasonable (including several of my still reasonable Democratic friends who also despise the new anger and hatred) recognizes the amazing, incredible bias in the news media, particularly televised news and coastal news (both east and west coast). The bias against Sarah Palin is two-fold: there is obvious, blatant sex bias as well as bias against her affiliation! She can't do anything ... I am STUNNED at what I have read and listened to! It is absolutely incredible how her words are cut and pasted out of context. While I am not even close to being as conservative as Gov. Palin (and those of you who know me well know that), I am appalled that people in this country are OK with the distortions and in fact seem to take great pleasure not only in making the distortions, but in gobbling them up, believing them, and spreading them! All I can say is this woman has my respect. The fact that she is willing to do this for our country and not come unglued at what is being said about her, her beliefs, and things she supposed "said," is truly amazing and a testament to her character. An example of how bad this is getting: a guy wrote a satirical (comedy) piece making up fake Palin quotes that were amusing; stuff about dinosaurs being satanic creatures, etc. It was purely a humorous piece - but NATIONAL news networks ran these quotes as if she actually said them! NBC, CNN, and CBS all did. I sat here at my computer with the tv behind me and my mouth hanging down to the floor. Anyway, here is an article I read that made me laugh, especially at the last line of tongue-in-cheek humor and be glad some people are defending this brave woman.
Who Hates Sarah Palin?
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
By Greg Gutfeld
According to many in the media, we truly have discovered someone worse than Hitler — and it's Sarah Palin.Head to any left-wing blog or even CNN for that matter and you'll find the zaniest of conspiracies -- froth that even a dude with rabies would find unseemly.
So how can one person create so much bile among folks who claim to be the most tolerant in the universe? I mean, liberals are the good people: They're open-minded, caring and of course, fair.
But somehow, a Republican lady in her 40s is exempt from this treatment. Perhaps, she truly is the devil in a dress, a ghoul that eats children and pollutes the planet and possibly beats Barack Obama, the patron saint of every customer buying wheat germ in bulk at GNC.
But I know the real reason why every single elitist media type is terrified of her. They've never met her. And by "her," I don't mean Sarah Palin. I mean "her", an actual normal woman with a bunch of kids, an average husband and no desire to watch "The L Word."
She's scary to these folks the way Wal-Mart is scary to them: Both are alien to someone who blogs about their chakras. They won't go there, because they've never been there.
To them, hating Sarah Palin is a symptom of larger bigotry against the rest of us, the normal. If they saw her at a party, they would wonder how she got in. She's the anti-Obama, the anti-New York Times, the anti-everything that Tim Robbins loves, which is why I love her — and you should too.
And if you disagree with me, then you sir are worse than Hitler.
So, here's one Independent voter that is begging the Democratic party to get real again. You know what? I LIKE voting all over the place. I LIKE having choice. I LIKE voting for who I think will do the best job. I feel the Democratic party is taking that choice away, because unless I want to be an angry, unreasonable, accepting of others only when it comes to Democrats, hate-the-rich goofball, I can't vote Democratic. This doesn't mean (to my Democratic friends!) I think ALL Democrats meet that description - it means that is where I think the party is going and I don't feel I can jump on board. Perhaps it is time for a viable third party for all us middle-of-the-roaders.
Want some facts (real ones) on Gov. Palin? Link: http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/sliming_palin.html
Tax Facts (yes, the "rich" already pay more than their fair share): http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/04/tax_facts.html
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Pausing in Gratitude
As I sit and pay bills this morning, I am listening to the television in the background highlighting the events of the day which commemorate 9/11. As I sat here and paused for a few moments of reflection, I am so thankful for my wonderful family. The boys bring so much joy to our lives; I can't imagine how empty I would feel without either one of them. We have been blessed with a good life, much love, wonderful friends, and as the boys would note - 2 incredible kitties! I have attached a couple of pictures of their beloved cats, Shanty (1 year old calico) and Tiger (9 year old grey tiger).
I am also so thankful for my country. In the past 7 years we have successfully disrupted many terror cells throughout the world. We have prevented any further attacks at home. This is something I think our population fails to notice or be thankful for ... can you imagine if the terror attacks had been allowed to continue??
I am also grateful to our military and all the men and women who serve. I am thankful for the amazing job our military and government leaders have done. We have kept our casualties to 4,155 as of today. Each one of those lives was special and beyond value; however it is amazing that the number is so low in a war. To put this in perspective, keep in mind that in the exact same 4.5 years since the war began, DRUNK DRIVERS have KILLED 68,000 innocent children, women, and men right here in the United States.
I have to say, when I see people that are far left, such as Code Pink, protesting the war and calling certain politicians "murderers," I am consumed with rage and shame at my fellow countrymen. Why don't they feel any gratitude for the safety we have gained? Why aren't they thankful to the politicians and servicemen and women who have sacrificed to keep our lives safe? Why don't they care about the 68,000 completely innocent people who have been killed in our own country for no cause?? I say shame on these far left kooks.
I hope we will all take a few minutes today to relect on how fortunate we are to live in this country, to be safe and secure, and to have people who are willing to lead us even while some of us threaten them and insult them.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Well
I got up at 3:26 am and stayed up until 3:44 am. Things seemed ok! As the kids reminded me this morning, it could be years before we see an effect .... Geez! I guess I'm going to have to apply myself to physics at some point within the next couple of years so that I have a better understanding and thus don't feel so weirded out by this stuff!
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Albert Einstein
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Albert Einstein
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Doomsday
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,419404,00.html
I don't know about anyone else, but this is really starting to creep me out! Maybe because my kids have been so freaked by it all and talking about it a lot at school and home. Stephen Hawking thinks if a black hole does open up, it would be a parallel universe. I guess my lack of understanding of the theories and math behind this stuff makes for my level of discomfort (don't we always fear that which we don't understand?). So, they're doing this at 3:30 am ... a short 5 hours and a few minutes away from now. I'm going to set my alarm; I'd like to be awake at that time, rather than sleeping. So, now that I'm done reassuring my kids and wishing I could make my own uneasiness go away (!), I think I'll go set my alarm.
I don't know about anyone else, but this is really starting to creep me out! Maybe because my kids have been so freaked by it all and talking about it a lot at school and home. Stephen Hawking thinks if a black hole does open up, it would be a parallel universe. I guess my lack of understanding of the theories and math behind this stuff makes for my level of discomfort (don't we always fear that which we don't understand?). So, they're doing this at 3:30 am ... a short 5 hours and a few minutes away from now. I'm going to set my alarm; I'd like to be awake at that time, rather than sleeping. So, now that I'm done reassuring my kids and wishing I could make my own uneasiness go away (!), I think I'll go set my alarm.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Back To School
The kids are back in school ... I guess that's both good and bad! I hate getting back into such a grinding schedule and I miss having them around, as well as I miss being able to do things on the spur of the moment with them. The upside ... I suppose that they'll get an education! I go back to teaching tomorrow, so lots of new faces for me!
Labor Day Weekend passed in a blur. I finished up my final statistical analyses (15 hours on the calculator towards the end) and finished writing up the results. I also got started on chapter 5 and today finished up my first draft of that. The next few months will consist of revisions, rewrites, approvals, and so on. I've been so overwhelmed and concentrated on my dissertation the past 2 months, it feels like there wasn't a summer! It's kind of like a dream. After typing the last word of my draft of chapter 5 today, I sort of wandered around the house feeling really lost and without anything to do! Even so, with all the rewrites and revisions I know will be coming, as well as teaching (correcting homework, preparing for class, tests, etc), I'll be just as busy again within 2 days!
Both boys seem to be happy with their school schedules and teachers this year. Harrison really enjoyed driving his new Dodge Charger to school!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
I Need to Blow Off Steam!
I am so frustrated by our education system. Years of trying to advocate for my children - and why is this? Shouldn't educators be in the profession because they want the best for the children?? Why would parents need to fight for what is right for their kids? We had middle school orientation this evening and once again I was frustrated beyond belief. If nothing else, I will be so glad when my kids graduate and I will no longer have to deal with public school!!
I was AMAZED to find out my kid's school (Forest Hills Eastern) scores in the top 6% of the nation. If this is the top, I am horrified to even consider what a school in the 10th percentile looks like, let alone less than the 50th percentile. During orientation this evening, the principal, 2 counselors, and the "student dean" spoke briefly. Afterwards, as near as I could tell, all but 1 made themselves very scarce (I think maybe they left out the side door!). Hundreds of parents and children milling around with questions, scheduling issues, etc. and not one person to help. All there were was 2 office assistants left alone to try to handle the line of people that went out the door. When the woman in front of me asked when the counselors would be available, she was told "They have an inservice tomorrow and they won't be here until next week because they aren't paid to be here." Well. I was left standing there wondering what they are paid for.
My sister teaches high school in Maryland. She's there already, full-time (before the students!). Michigan teachers are some of the best paid in the country, yet they aren't around. I want to homeschool very, very much but both my boys want to stay in school to be with their friends, experience school athletics, electives, and school activities. As most of you know, I already pulled Harrison out of all math and homeschool that (and he did GREAT this summer - his teacher from MSU actually wrote me a letter sharing how very much she enjoyed having him and what a great kid he is). My sister is one of the "good guys" when it comes to teaching. She works in a state that doesn't pay teachers great and has mediocre benefits, yet she is willing to tutor students during her prep hour, her lunch hour, and her time after school hours. I wish I could find more like her! So far, my experience here has been a few (very few) awesome teachers, let's say 5%, and about 15% just OK, and 80% shouldn't be anywhere near a school. (OK, I admit I'm worked up right now - I might be a mite kinder in the morning!).
Here is an interesting article I will share that highlights the fallacies of poor pay for teachers; what this means is teachers must be intrinsically motivated:
Civic ReportNo. 50 January 2007
How Much Are Public School Teachers Paid?
by Jay P. Greene and Marcus A. Winters
Executive Summary
Education policy discussions often assume that public school teachers are poorly paid. Typically absent in these discussions about teacher pay, however, is any reference to systematic data on how much public school teachers are actually paid, especially relative to other occupations. Because discussions about teacher pay rarely reference these data, the policy debate on education reform has proceeded without a clear understanding of these issues.
This report compiles information on the hourly pay of public school teachers nationally and in 66 metropolitan areas, as collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in its annual National Compensation Survey. We also compare the reported hourly income of public school teachers with that of workers in similar professions, as defined by the BLS. This report goes on to use the BLS data to analyze whether there is a relationship between higher relative pay for public school teachers and higher student achievement as measured by high school graduation rates.
Among the key findings of this report:
According to the BLS, the average public school teacher in the United States earned $34.06 per hour in 2005.
The average public school teacher was paid 36% more per hour than the average non-sales white-collar worker and 11% more than the average professional specialty and technical worker.
Full-time public school teachers work on average 36.5 hours per week during weeks that they are working. By comparison, white-collar workers (excluding sales) work 39.4 hours, and professional specialty and technical workers work 39.0 hours per week. Private school teachers work 38.3 hours per week.
Compared with public school teachers, editors and reporters earn 24% less; architects, 11% less; psychologists, 9% less; chemists, 5% less; mechanical engineers, 6% less; and economists, 1% less.
Compared with public school teachers, airplane pilots earn 186% more; physicians, 80% more; lawyers, 49% more; nuclear engineers, 17% more; actuaries, 9% more; and physicists, 3% more.
Public school teachers are paid 61% more per hour than private school teachers, on average nationwide.
The Detroit metropolitan area has the highest average public school teacher pay among metropolitan areas for which data are available, at $47.28 per hour, followed by the San Francisco metropolitan area at $46.70 per hour, and the New York metropolitan area at $45.79 per hour.
We find no evidence that average teacher pay relative to that of other white-collar or professional specialty workers is related to high school graduation rates in the metropolitan area.
About the Authors
JAY P. GREENE, Ph.D., is Endowed Chair and Head of the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas and a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. He has conducted evaluations of school choice and accountability programs in Florida, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and San Antonio. He has also recently published research on high school graduation rates, social promotion, and special education. His articles have appeared in policy journals, such as The Public Interest, City Journal, and Education Next; in academic journals, such as the Teachers College Record, the Georgetown Public Policy Review, and the British Journal of Political Science; and in major newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and USA Today. Dr. Greene is the author of Education Myths (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005). Dr. Greene received his B.A. in history from Tufts University and his doctorate in political science from Harvard University.
MARCUS A. WINTERS is a Senior Research Associate at the Manhattan Institute and a Doctoral Academy Fellow at the University of Arkansas. He has performed several studies on a variety of education policy issues, including high-stakes testing, charter schools, and the effects of vouchers on the public school system. His op-ed articles have appeared in numerous newspapers, including the Washington Post, USA Today, and the Chicago Sun-Times. He received his B.A. in political science with departmental honors from Ohio University in 2002 and an M.A. in economics from the University of Arkansas in 2006.
As a teacher myself (well, technically, a college instructor), I am appalled by what goes on in 6th through 12th grades. Yes, students are different than they used to be (I've taught for 16 years). They question more now (even authority) and are much more cynical. However, they are also able to do amazing things. I have consistently seen students rise above their own imagined ability to obtain excellent grades, and more importantly gain knowledge. I design new tests every semester so my students can have their test back and see their mistakes (something my highschool student isn't allowed - he gets his scantron back so his teachers don't have to make up a new test- EVER). If I see a student struggling, I'll stay and help. I'll come in to meet with them. I'll set up tutoring - even if it's not in my subject (when they're struggling in another course). Heck, isn't this my job?? I love teaching and I feel each and every one of those students deserves the best I can give, just exactly as if each one were my own child. I honestly have to say, teaching is like the ministry. Those who have no faith shouldn't be ministers and those who don't believe in their students and enjoy giving their all to them shouldn't teach. Hard line, I know.
I've read and heard so much about how HARD it is to teach now-a-days. Well, tell me how hard it is to get your child to respect their teacher that refuses help when the kid asks for it. Tell me how hard it is to get your child to respect their teacher when she comes to a parent/principal meeting wearing a peasant skirt, 2 layers of tank tops, a nose ring, and flip flops. Tell me how hard it is to get your child to respect their teacher when he comes to class and describes how he and his wife enjoy bondage games and last night he locked her in the closet, tied up, with a rubber ball in her mouth, for hours, then took her out and spanked her. Hmmm (all true stories from FHEHS, one of the top schools in the nation!). It's a two-way street. While I agree students do need to respect elders and authority, I also say those in authority need to respect themselves and others as well. Our children (and I mean all our children - the future of our world) both need and deserve better than what they're getting now.
If you wanted to play basketball in the olympics, wouldn't you search out the best coach possible? Olympic teams don't employ the local rec-league coach - they get the best. In the same fashion, those who are TEACHING should be the BEST. I mean they should be the top of their class - overall college gpa at least 3.0. They should be upstanding, respectable citizens. They should adhere to a professional dress code. They should be people our children look up to, admire, and aspire to be like. Maybe I'll take this on statewide after I finish my PhD!
I was AMAZED to find out my kid's school (Forest Hills Eastern) scores in the top 6% of the nation. If this is the top, I am horrified to even consider what a school in the 10th percentile looks like, let alone less than the 50th percentile. During orientation this evening, the principal, 2 counselors, and the "student dean" spoke briefly. Afterwards, as near as I could tell, all but 1 made themselves very scarce (I think maybe they left out the side door!). Hundreds of parents and children milling around with questions, scheduling issues, etc. and not one person to help. All there were was 2 office assistants left alone to try to handle the line of people that went out the door. When the woman in front of me asked when the counselors would be available, she was told "They have an inservice tomorrow and they won't be here until next week because they aren't paid to be here." Well. I was left standing there wondering what they are paid for.
My sister teaches high school in Maryland. She's there already, full-time (before the students!). Michigan teachers are some of the best paid in the country, yet they aren't around. I want to homeschool very, very much but both my boys want to stay in school to be with their friends, experience school athletics, electives, and school activities. As most of you know, I already pulled Harrison out of all math and homeschool that (and he did GREAT this summer - his teacher from MSU actually wrote me a letter sharing how very much she enjoyed having him and what a great kid he is). My sister is one of the "good guys" when it comes to teaching. She works in a state that doesn't pay teachers great and has mediocre benefits, yet she is willing to tutor students during her prep hour, her lunch hour, and her time after school hours. I wish I could find more like her! So far, my experience here has been a few (very few) awesome teachers, let's say 5%, and about 15% just OK, and 80% shouldn't be anywhere near a school. (OK, I admit I'm worked up right now - I might be a mite kinder in the morning!).
Here is an interesting article I will share that highlights the fallacies of poor pay for teachers; what this means is teachers must be intrinsically motivated:
Civic ReportNo. 50 January 2007
How Much Are Public School Teachers Paid?
by Jay P. Greene and Marcus A. Winters
Executive Summary
Education policy discussions often assume that public school teachers are poorly paid. Typically absent in these discussions about teacher pay, however, is any reference to systematic data on how much public school teachers are actually paid, especially relative to other occupations. Because discussions about teacher pay rarely reference these data, the policy debate on education reform has proceeded without a clear understanding of these issues.
This report compiles information on the hourly pay of public school teachers nationally and in 66 metropolitan areas, as collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in its annual National Compensation Survey. We also compare the reported hourly income of public school teachers with that of workers in similar professions, as defined by the BLS. This report goes on to use the BLS data to analyze whether there is a relationship between higher relative pay for public school teachers and higher student achievement as measured by high school graduation rates.
Among the key findings of this report:
According to the BLS, the average public school teacher in the United States earned $34.06 per hour in 2005.
The average public school teacher was paid 36% more per hour than the average non-sales white-collar worker and 11% more than the average professional specialty and technical worker.
Full-time public school teachers work on average 36.5 hours per week during weeks that they are working. By comparison, white-collar workers (excluding sales) work 39.4 hours, and professional specialty and technical workers work 39.0 hours per week. Private school teachers work 38.3 hours per week.
Compared with public school teachers, editors and reporters earn 24% less; architects, 11% less; psychologists, 9% less; chemists, 5% less; mechanical engineers, 6% less; and economists, 1% less.
Compared with public school teachers, airplane pilots earn 186% more; physicians, 80% more; lawyers, 49% more; nuclear engineers, 17% more; actuaries, 9% more; and physicists, 3% more.
Public school teachers are paid 61% more per hour than private school teachers, on average nationwide.
The Detroit metropolitan area has the highest average public school teacher pay among metropolitan areas for which data are available, at $47.28 per hour, followed by the San Francisco metropolitan area at $46.70 per hour, and the New York metropolitan area at $45.79 per hour.
We find no evidence that average teacher pay relative to that of other white-collar or professional specialty workers is related to high school graduation rates in the metropolitan area.
About the Authors
JAY P. GREENE, Ph.D., is Endowed Chair and Head of the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas and a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. He has conducted evaluations of school choice and accountability programs in Florida, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and San Antonio. He has also recently published research on high school graduation rates, social promotion, and special education. His articles have appeared in policy journals, such as The Public Interest, City Journal, and Education Next; in academic journals, such as the Teachers College Record, the Georgetown Public Policy Review, and the British Journal of Political Science; and in major newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and USA Today. Dr. Greene is the author of Education Myths (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005). Dr. Greene received his B.A. in history from Tufts University and his doctorate in political science from Harvard University.
MARCUS A. WINTERS is a Senior Research Associate at the Manhattan Institute and a Doctoral Academy Fellow at the University of Arkansas. He has performed several studies on a variety of education policy issues, including high-stakes testing, charter schools, and the effects of vouchers on the public school system. His op-ed articles have appeared in numerous newspapers, including the Washington Post, USA Today, and the Chicago Sun-Times. He received his B.A. in political science with departmental honors from Ohio University in 2002 and an M.A. in economics from the University of Arkansas in 2006.
As a teacher myself (well, technically, a college instructor), I am appalled by what goes on in 6th through 12th grades. Yes, students are different than they used to be (I've taught for 16 years). They question more now (even authority) and are much more cynical. However, they are also able to do amazing things. I have consistently seen students rise above their own imagined ability to obtain excellent grades, and more importantly gain knowledge. I design new tests every semester so my students can have their test back and see their mistakes (something my highschool student isn't allowed - he gets his scantron back so his teachers don't have to make up a new test- EVER). If I see a student struggling, I'll stay and help. I'll come in to meet with them. I'll set up tutoring - even if it's not in my subject (when they're struggling in another course). Heck, isn't this my job?? I love teaching and I feel each and every one of those students deserves the best I can give, just exactly as if each one were my own child. I honestly have to say, teaching is like the ministry. Those who have no faith shouldn't be ministers and those who don't believe in their students and enjoy giving their all to them shouldn't teach. Hard line, I know.
I've read and heard so much about how HARD it is to teach now-a-days. Well, tell me how hard it is to get your child to respect their teacher that refuses help when the kid asks for it. Tell me how hard it is to get your child to respect their teacher when she comes to a parent/principal meeting wearing a peasant skirt, 2 layers of tank tops, a nose ring, and flip flops. Tell me how hard it is to get your child to respect their teacher when he comes to class and describes how he and his wife enjoy bondage games and last night he locked her in the closet, tied up, with a rubber ball in her mouth, for hours, then took her out and spanked her. Hmmm (all true stories from FHEHS, one of the top schools in the nation!). It's a two-way street. While I agree students do need to respect elders and authority, I also say those in authority need to respect themselves and others as well. Our children (and I mean all our children - the future of our world) both need and deserve better than what they're getting now.
If you wanted to play basketball in the olympics, wouldn't you search out the best coach possible? Olympic teams don't employ the local rec-league coach - they get the best. In the same fashion, those who are TEACHING should be the BEST. I mean they should be the top of their class - overall college gpa at least 3.0. They should be upstanding, respectable citizens. They should adhere to a professional dress code. They should be people our children look up to, admire, and aspire to be like. Maybe I'll take this on statewide after I finish my PhD!
Monday, August 25, 2008
More Michigan Beauty
The straights of Mackinac - viewing from atop a hill on Mackinac Island (this is the front lawn of the Grand Hotel).
Downtown Mackinac Island during the busy part of the day! Thankfully, no single-rider horses.
The other end of the main street, but a less busy time of day. I always enjoy seeing the kites on Mackinac.
The boys dining - always fun to see them dressed well!I caught (by accident) the opening of the Democratic National Convention this afternoon. Intersting. I've never watched any convention before. I was changing to meet up with friends for dinner and clicked the tv on. Now I'm intrigued! I might watch more - and would also like to see the beginning of the Republican National Convention.
Friday, August 22, 2008
A Real Blessing
Today, we were heading back south to home on I-75 and dear friends of ours were minutes behind us. Long story short, they were in an accident (this picture doesn't do justice to the damage in reality!). Two of them whacked their heads pretty good and I have no doubt they will all be very, very sore tomorrow, but God was watching over them. After hitting a guard rail, they flew back sideways across the highway - it's amazing there was a break in traffic and they weren't hit by another car. They did spin around and hit the guardrail again. We are so thankful they are all OK and we all made it home this evening. I am so relieved they are fine; right now sitting here it's really kind of hitting me more how much worse this could have turned out.Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Quick Update
For those of you wondering ... little G. is doing fabulously! Only a week and half since surgery and he's already put on a pound. Mom says he's not needing any pain meds at this point, either. Such great news!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Summer's Almost Gone
This picture really has nothing to do with anything today, but I like it! It shows the 2 big hotels in downtown Grand Rapids: the Amway Grand on the left and the J.W. Marriott on the right. Both are lovely hotels with great restaurants! You might notice they both also have wonderful views of the Grand River.
So I spent much of the day working on my dissertation. I am now working on the final numbers for the actual draft of chapter 4. I got about half way through today and plan on spending time on it Monday and Tuesday as well. Clay and I took a break mid-afternoon to see "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor." I liked it a lot. The whole family went to see "Tropic Thunder" a few days ago and I liked that as well - irreverent humor, but funny! I will say I liked "The Mummy" better though. Clay and I have been keeping up with doing "Wii Fit." I like my Wii Fit age - it gives you an age based on your real age and your fitness level == it makes me about 10 to 15 years younger (depends on the day)!! Can't argue with those results! Harrison and I have also continued to lift weights 3x a week. Ladies, want a way to GAIN weight? This is it! Ha ha. The last thing I need is any more weight (I was shocked to find out that 1 more pound and I get an "obese" BMI) - but lifting has put several more pounds on me. I keep reminding myself it will pay off in the end and I do like feeling stronger - I really hate the more pounds though. Walking has been a challenge as the mold levels outdoors have been so high (mold is my worst allergy so my asthma kicks in big time). I went a little over a mile this morning then gave up on it.
We had dinner with friends Mary and Bob this weekend which was a BLAST! It was GREAT to see them; we enjoy their company so much. I was stunned to find out a few weeks ago, when checking my fall class rosters, that I have Mary and Bob's oldest son in a class! He's still in high school, but will have dual enrollment. THAT will be fun and weird at the same time.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Bigfoot Hoax?
Well, now I really can't wait for the press conference today at noon! Some are saying this is all a hoax and the body is mixed gorilla costume and animal entrials, just to get business for these two cops who are starting a "hunting for bigfoot" expedition business. Hmmm. I guess a number of things will have to be present to make it believable (rather than a hoax), such as legitimate US scientists, presentation of the body, presentation of legitimate DNA evidence and turning over the body to a legitimate research facility, such as at a major university with animal studies (how about the veterinary school at MSU?). If they're unwilling to turn over the "body" to a legitimate university for study, I'll get on the hoax bandwagon! Ah well, it would still be cool to find a real bigfoot! I'll update after the press conference!
It's now almost 8 pm; it looks like this is a hoax. Harrison and I watched the newscast online and I sure don't believe these guys at this point. It's a shame charlatans such as these take advantage of others. I hope they don't make any money from their websites, treks, or online store!!
On a more positive note, Clay and I went to see "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and it was watchable (from me, a person who is not a Star Wars fan). Clay thought it was great!
It's now almost 8 pm; it looks like this is a hoax. Harrison and I watched the newscast online and I sure don't believe these guys at this point. It's a shame charlatans such as these take advantage of others. I hope they don't make any money from their websites, treks, or online store!!
On a more positive note, Clay and I went to see "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and it was watchable (from me, a person who is not a Star Wars fan). Clay thought it was great!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Georgia Gorilla
I don't know about anyone else, but I think the news about the two cops finding a "bigfoot" in Georgia is just cool!! Here's a link to the story on Fox News http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,402882,00.html
The news story has a still from old footage (1960's) but here is the actual photo of the creature in the freezer. An interesting commentary from Jane Goodall: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NmCmfdFAhQ
So, that made my day! I bet they'll find after DNA assessment that this guy is gigantopithecus (a 7 foot tall gorilla that lived in Northern Asia and was thought to be extinct). People into the "bigfoot" think have speculated that in the past and it seems about right. Won't it be fun to listen to and watch the news conference on Friday and hear the full DNA report??!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Update
Well, the little guy is doing wonderfully! He was moved out of the ICU yesterday afternoon ( a couple of days ahead of schedule) and has had most of the tubes removed. Mom reports he's still pretty groggy but otherwise doing very well. Such a positive outcome! Thank you all for your prayers.
On another note, is the high mold count getting to anyone else?? My asthma has been terrible for the past week or so and I'm getting tired of not being able to breathe well! It's especially irritating at night. Well, hopefully the mold counts will drop later this week (obviously I won't be holding my breath waiting! ha ha).
Any of you try WiiFit?? What a great thing! Clay got the WiiFit "game" last week and it's so cool! It measures your BMI, posture, flexibility and gives you a "real age" for your body. It also has lots of different types of activities to help you stay fit. I've been doing the yoga so far. Try it if you have the opportunity - it's really fun and healthy!
On another note, is the high mold count getting to anyone else?? My asthma has been terrible for the past week or so and I'm getting tired of not being able to breathe well! It's especially irritating at night. Well, hopefully the mold counts will drop later this week (obviously I won't be holding my breath waiting! ha ha).
Any of you try WiiFit?? What a great thing! Clay got the WiiFit "game" last week and it's so cool! It measures your BMI, posture, flexibility and gives you a "real age" for your body. It also has lots of different types of activities to help you stay fit. I've been doing the yoga so far. Try it if you have the opportunity - it's really fun and healthy!
Friday, August 8, 2008
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The GOOD: The very, very good news is that baby G. is out of surgery and doing well! He'll be in CICU for a few days and I'm sure cranky, but isn't it just wonderful that things went just as planned (by the surgeon), smoothly, and he's doing as well as can be expected! Thank you all for your prayers.
The BAD: Clay sprained his left ankle last night. He just got out of the cast on his right leg the beginning of June and now is in an air cast on the left with crutches!
The UGLY: More trees are dying. We're trying to save at least some of the trees ... we walked the yard with a tree specialist today and chose older, larger trees to try to save through innoculation. We're going to lose a lot. Right now we've got 6 confirmed dead and several more going. I don't even want to think about the removal of all these old oaks in the fall!! What a loss.
Even so, with the good news about baby G., I can hardly brood for too long over the trees!
The BAD: Clay sprained his left ankle last night. He just got out of the cast on his right leg the beginning of June and now is in an air cast on the left with crutches!
The UGLY: More trees are dying. We're trying to save at least some of the trees ... we walked the yard with a tree specialist today and chose older, larger trees to try to save through innoculation. We're going to lose a lot. Right now we've got 6 confirmed dead and several more going. I don't even want to think about the removal of all these old oaks in the fall!! What a loss.
Even so, with the good news about baby G., I can hardly brood for too long over the trees!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Please Pray
Remember this sweet little guy? He's several months old now and weighs 12 pounds. Tomorrow, he, his mom (B.) and dad will leave for Ann Arbor for open heart surgery. The surgery is scheduled for Friday morning. Please pray for this sweet baby, that his surgery will go smoothly and his recovery will progress equally well. Please pray also for his mom and dad that they find the strength to carry them through this. This child is so precious; he is an absolute joy to be around. His eyes and face just light up when he sees mom or dad. He watches everything around him with curiosity and pleasure in discovering new things. His smile is one of the best baby smiles I've ever seen! He has been such a blessing to his family already in his first few months of life. I hope you will all find it in your hearts to say a prayer for this little guy, his heart, and his family.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Whew!
Well, I finally finished the first draft of chapter 4 of my dissertation (statistical analysis chapter). I feel like July was just a blur after spending every available minute with numbers and books! I completed preliminary analyses on the first 3 (of 5) - preliminary in that I don't have all my data in yet. I did not do preliminary stats on the last 2, as I was unable to use my stats program , because I'm using pre-existing data for comparison, which means I don't have raw data. For those of you familiar with SPSS, you can't run an analysis without raw data! So, I spent hours looking for a way to conduct a factorial ANOVA using means and standard deviations. I finally found (a wonderful) guy who had submitted a formula to a statistical journal 4 years ago. It has the catchy title of "Computing a Factorial Analysis Using Means and Standard Deviations." Well, long story short, it took me 15 hours just to understand the formula (that involved going back to old text books, googling stat lingo, doing lots of algebra, etc.) and THEN when I finally understood the whole process, I did the sample problem at the end of the article to see if I could do it right. Well, that took me 2.5 hours to compute (by hand). It was an analysis with 4 cells - my analysis has 60 cells! So I'm guessing 10 to 14 hours per analysis (for the 2 I have left) and I refuse to do a preliminary when using that kind of time on a calculator! I'll wait for all the data to come in.
Any way, here are a few pics from around the house. Top is my kiwi vine which is growing like crazy this years, but no kiwi (we had kiwi last year). Next, a lovely Peace rose bud. Then you will see sick trees. We're losing the oaks on our property (2.5 acres). They have something called oak wilt, which is a fungus. We have had the trees immediately surrounding our home "innoculated." Even so, in the past 2 months we've lost 6 trees. The ones shown here are in our side yard (not the back where we have the woods). So, we're hoping to stop the thing from spreading. We have to wait until late fall to cut down the dead trees. The tree people said cutting them now will spread the fungus (last thing we want!).
I have noticed a couple of other trees in our neighborhood like this and I'm hoping it doesn't become an epidemic! Our neighborhood is so beautiful because it's so heavily treed.
So right now, I'm having dinner and watching "Harold and Kumar Go to Guantanamo" and feeling really strange - I feel like I should be out on the 2-season porch with my laptop, calculator, spread sheets, and piles of articles and books!
So, the plan is to work on syllabi for my courses (I'm teaching) this fall over the next week. My goal is to develop the tests, homework - everything- so that it's all done, for both courses. That way, I'll be able to focus on my dissertation defense this fall, providing I get in the last bit of data. Specifically, that is FOUR MORE ASSSESSMENTS! I just can't seem to get those last four. I need Haitian-Americans (4 people, born in the US, of Haitian descent, at least 18 years of age). I have been begging all my past participants and everyone I know for the past 3 months and would really like to wrap this up, but I need those last 4! I'll appreciate help and/or prayers!
Clay has been busy with his summer job, walking Abby, the schnauzer from down the street. Harrison has been working about 24 hours a week (3 full days), lifting weights, practicing for the varsity hockey team - and he has a tournament this weekend. Games Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The boys have also enjoyed swimming, biking, and movies this summer. Clay has been so fortunate to have been invited to his best buddie's cottage TWICE this summer! Clay insists he wants to live there, we need to buy a cottage on the same lake,there's nothing as awesome as T.'s cottage!!
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