Birthday 09

Thanks to all the kind people who remembered me on my recent birthday. I am one lucky girl to have such thoughtful friends and family. M, in particular, outdid himself (you would not believe how talented he is with a carrot cake!) The Nieces also played a special part in that they brought me a light-up birthday crown, multi-colored birthday star necklaces, a big pink "birthday girl" button, and a coconut drink holder for my birthday beverages. They dressed me in all my finery, and then they proceeded to chase me around the yard with silly string. Now that is a birthday.

Oregon Wildlife

Over just one day in the Oregon countryside, we saw these animals:

A brindle-brown fox trotting through a new-cut field of hay.

A tall, thin jack rabbit with loooong ears and legs racing through a stand of fir trees (it reminded me of Hester from The Golden Compass).

Coil upon coil of garter snake sitting on a warm patch of brick. He lifted his head and glared at us as we came close (pic to come later).

A small herd of deer munching grass on the side of the road.

About ten million cows.

College Anniversary

This month marks the tenth anniversary of my graduation from undergrad. I absolutely cannot believe that much time has passed since I wore the silly gown and followed my departmental placard across the commons. My impression of campus is still completely fresh in my mind, and I think I could go back and find any classroom in any of those old buildings. I definitely feel nostalgia for those years since college was one of the most satisfying times in my life.

No, I didn't spend it partying (I turned 21 two weeks AFTER graduation) it was the actual learning that was so much fun. Yes, yes, I know that sounds depressingly teachery of me, but it is the simple truth. I loved that time at the end of every term when the new schedule of classes would come out. I would run down to the bookstore to pick up a copy on the first day they were available. Paging through those smudgy, newsprint listings was nothing short of thrilling. What should I take next term? There was never enough time for it all. Granted, I may be romanticizing things just a teeny bit. After all, hours of homework every night is not something I can pretend to miss.

Blood Sacrifice

Recently, I was visiting the doctor (no, not for a pre-natal visit!) when she mentioned that she would like me to stop by the lab for a blood test. This was no surprise since doctors find my blood to be quite fascinating, and I never seem to have an appointment without some quality time in the phlebotomist’s chair. I dutifully submitted to the blood-letting, and then went on my merry way.

Three weeks passed, and I noticed that I didn't get any test results. I logged in to my online health records, and there was no test listed there either. Finally, I called the doctor's office, and the assistant answered the phone:

Me: Hi I'm calling about my test results?

Her: Okay, let me pull up your file...

Me: It was on X date, and I stopped in for a blood draw after the appointment

Her: Hmm, I don't see it here. What were they testing?

Me: I'm not sure (yeah I know I suck for not asking), she just asked me to have the blood drawn, and I thought I would know when the results came.

Her: Oh it was one of those tests.

Me: ???

Her: That test was just for the doctor.

Me: What does that mean? It was my blood.

Her: Yeah, but she was just checking something, but it's not like an official test.

Me: But it's my blood!

Her: Yeah, but you don't need to worry because she was just checking on one little thing. Everything's just fine, so no need to worry. It just wasn't an "official" test.

Me: Gah!

What the heck is all this? How do they decide what's an "official" test and which ones are "just for the doctor?" Don't most people assume they will get results when they have a test? I guess not. No wonder people get so frustrated at the high-handedness of the medical establishment. Next time I'm asking really clear questions about what the tests are, and when I can expect the results.

May 19th vs June 19th

May 19th

6am ------- get ready for work
7am ------- arrive at school, scarf oatmeal, review daily plan
Period 1 --- language arts class
Period 2 --- social studies class
Period 3 --- prep time (plan, make copies, mark papers, answer email, etc)
Period 4 --- study skills class
Lunch ----- scarf food, mark papers, answer email
Period 5 --- advanced language arts class
Period 6 --- advanced social studies class
After school --- various meetings and planning tasks

June 19th

6am ------- sleep
7am ------- sleep
Period 1 --- sleep
Period 2 --- drink tea, read paper, go to gym
Period 3 --- gym, shower, read book
Period 4 --- clean house, watch tv
Lunch ----- linger over soup and salad while reading book
Period 5 --- read book
Period 6 --- go for walk in sunshine
After school --- read book

At Last

Praise the lord and pass the margaritas! The 2008/2009 school year is now a thing of the past! Yes, yes, I know, I don't actually have much use for God or tequila, but it's the thought that counts. Suffice it to say that I am VERY excited about the summer. It could not have come a moment too soon because this school year, while politically much more peaceful than last, was kind of tough on the student end of things. I think I will celebrate by going out to lunch, taking a nap, and spending tomorrow reading some "penny dreadful" novel from cover to cover. Ahhh life is good.

Google Art

Be sure to check out google today. I love the different kind of art they do to celebrate various days and events. Somebody there must be a big music fan.

The Kindness of Children

Sometimes we "old" (hey compared to them!) people have sort of a dim view of America's youth. To some, they seem shallow, spoiled, and just plain annoying. That all may be true of some teens, but I am here to say that the other kind exists as well. I know this may be a shocker, but there are teenagers out there who are smart, dedicated, courteous, and kind. What's my proof? Well, I could quote stats about volunteerism, school attendance, or psychological surveys, but I think a more concrete example may be found in my classroom.

Not long ago, I was away for a family wedding. When I got back, the kids greeted me with their usual enthusiasm (they have a lot) and then we got back to the business of running a classroom. One kid asked for a ruler, so I went back to my desk and opened the ruler drawer. Just then, all the kids jumped up from their desks and crowded around. I knew something was up, and sure enough, there was a wrapped package sitting in the drawer. This turned out to be a brand new music player.

It seems the kids remembered a conversation we had about music. They asked me what kind of IPOD I had, and I told them that I didn't have a fancy music player. I thought nothing of it at the time, but the kids remembered. They organized, campaigned while in other classes, and collected enough money to buy a Zune. One kid even had the task of asking my favorite color.

Now I know many people may miss the point in this story. This may sound like an example of over-privileged kids buying favor with their teacher, but that is really not what happened there. These kids were already doing great in terms of grades, and they really had no reason to offer any kind of bribe. They did this out of the kindness of their hearts, and that, not the tech toy, is what made such an impression on me.

P.S. Lest you worry about my professional morals, I did check with the Big Boss, and he said it was okay to keep the gift.

Down with Modern Symphonic Music!

The Ades piece we heard last night reaffirmed my belief that, unlike cheese, the younger a classical piece is the MORE it is likely to stink. Yes, yes, I know this may make me sound like a philistine, but that's just been my experience over the years. I understand that composers need the chance to continue musical innovation, and it would be a tragedy to music if new work stopped and we just listened to Beethoven for the rest of eternity. I also know that Beethoven and others were considered avant-garde in their times as well.

All of that does not change the fact that the bulk of this modern music is just not fun for listening. "Ha!" you might say "but you already admitted to being a musical dumbo! All the cool people enjoy this stuff! Why should idiots like you dictate what gets played?!" Weeeelll that may be true, but the announcements the conductor made before the Ades music began made it clear that he expected a lot of the audience to dislike what they heard. Go ahead modern fans, comment away. I am not alone.

Kids Email the Darndest Things

Recently, I was out of my classroom for a day due to a team meeting. This late in the school year, I was pretty nervous about leaving my students. They tend to get a little antsy when they have a sub, and that combined with summer fever was a dangerous proposition. However, I couldn't skip the meeting, so I wrote my sub plans and hoped for the best. That night, when I checked my work mail from home, I found this email:



Hi Mrs. Totheworld



I just wanted to check that you got my note? I put a note on your desk to explain things. I just wanted to say that I'm really really sorry and I just don't know how that could have happened.



Sorry,



Bobby



This kind of cryptic note used to have me tearing my hair and rushing back to work to see how bad it might have been. After several years of this, however, I have a much more Zen approach to these issues. I calmly wait until the next day, review the situation carefully, and THEN turn red, jump up and down, and threatened to throw students to the lions.

The Final Crunch

I have a dozen or so drafts in my blogging lineup that represent ideas for posts. However, I find myself with very little time to write these days. The end is nigh (about a week and a half) and so many tasks have come to call. From the tall to the small, there is lots of organizing, sorting, finalizing, grading, lifting, hefting, and other fun verbs involved. If only I were more organized as a blogger, I might have an impressive list of pending posts, but I'm not, so I don't. Oh well. Wish me luck.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

I am thrilled! THRILLED! by the wonderful warm spring we've been having. The last few weeks have been largely sunny skies and nice temperatures, and most of the time that is a very good thing. Maybe I will actually manage to grow some tomatoes to ripeness this year. However, in regards to school, warm sunny days can be a drag.

Today, when I arrived in my classroom, it was already 74 degrees. Now that really isn't such a bad indoor temp, but when you consider that no computers were on, the sun wasn't fully risen, and there were no hot humans in the room, it really becomes quite an impressive number. By 9am this morning, it was 82. With the largest class yet to come, we are up to 84 degrees and counting. The only upside to the increased temps is that their naughty behavior actually peaks and begins to come down the closer you get to 90 degrees. Of course, teaching a class full of limp noodles isn't exactly a picnic, but it may be preferable to having them bouncing off the walls. Think cool thoughts for me.

Politics and the Media

I just couldn't pass up this wondeful quote since it is so heart-breakingly true:

from Quotes of the Day

"When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained."

Edward R. Murrow

Cute Kid Quotes

A family of our acquaintance has recently moved back into town (we are ecstatic with joy over this!), and we are enjoying their company once again. They have two young children, and it seems as though every time we see them, one or both of the kids says something incredibly cute. Of course it certainly doesn't hurt that they have adorable little accents as well. Here is a brief sampling:

Upon being told they could play for five more minutes before going to bed, the younger one replied "Hmm, sounds reasonable!"

Upon winning a tough game of Blockus, the older one crowed "Ha! ha! I've foxed you!"

Upon beating her brother in a video game race the younger one yelled "Look! Brother blew up! Yay!"

Upon watching her brother struggle with something, the younger one said "Be careful Brother, or you will break open your whole head!"

I could go on and on, but you get the general idea. Kids of a certain age are great fun to have as friends. This is especially true if they are borrowed kids, and you get to give them back at the end of the day.

Healthy Vegetarian Kids

Note: Keyword analysis #3 Raising vegetarian kids, healthy vegetarian kids, cooking for vegetarian kids, or a dozen other ways of saying basically the same thing.

Yes, for the 1000th time, yes, you CAN raise healthy vegetarian children. If I encounter one more person who puts on a vaguely disapproving expression and begins muttering things about protein and iron and "little bodies" and "strong bones" and then finishes up by saying something like "of course it's fine for the parents to do what they want, but growing kids need real/proper/decent/nutritious food" I am going to scream.

My brothers and I were raised on a purely lacto-ova vegetarian diet, and we have remained vegetarians in adulthood. One brother is 6'1" and the other is 6'4". We are all healthy and mentally acute (well most of us anyway!). We did not eat vitamin pills or supplements to get here, and we did not suffer significant social stigma in the lunchroom. Our mother fed us healthy, fresh, planet-based meals with a few dairy products on the side. I have never, in all my blood donating years, failed an iron test.

Sure, you might say, it's always possible to find an outlier to any situation, and maybe most vegetarian kids are shrimpy, sick, and stupid. Studies show that this is not the case. In fact, one study looked at the diets of teens and found that the vegetarians were actually HEALTHIER than their meat-eating peers. Vegetarians, over all, tend to eat less fat, less sodium, and more fresh fruit and vegetables. In addition, protein, iron, and B vitamin levels were found to be within acceptable standards. When you start looking at the research, the theory that vegetarianism is not healthy just doesn't hold water.

Now of course it is possible to become malnourished by eating nothing but French fries. Then again, it is possible to become malnourished while eating nothing but chicken nuggets too. In fact, any sensible person should spend time thinking about what they eat, and come up with a healthy balance of foods. All I'm trying to say is that a well-considered vegetarian diet can be just as healthy for children and adults as a meat-eating one. I'm living proof.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony

Keyword analysis entry #2: Beethoven's 9th

I cannot believe that I am getting hits from the simple search "beethovens 9th." You'd think there would be about a million music sites vying for the opportunity to tell about one of the most famous pieces of music in the world. Nevertheless...

Beethoven's 9th symphony (aka Symphony No. 9 in D minor) is one of the single best-known and most recognized pieces of classical music. Beethoven's last symphony, it was composed after his hearing loss had become complete. It is the choral section, commonly referred to as "The Ode to Joy", that is perhaps most memorable to the average listener.

Because many symphonic music directors are loath to overplay the "big hits", Beethoven's 9th is usually reserved for special occasions such as the winter holidays, the 4th of July, or other events. This piece is considered by many to be very accessible for listeners who are new to the genre of classical music. What do you think Symphony Club? Does that about cover it?

Why Go to the Symphony?

Note: This is keyword analysis post #1. It seems that a handful of people wonder why anyone would bother to attend a performance of classical music. For some odd reason, many of these searchers are from Texas. By the way, this entry SHOULD have been written by my friend R who is the maestro of all things symphonic.

So you're thinking of taking a trip to your local concert hall. Maybe someone is dragging you along, kicking a screaming, to see a show. Maybe you just won free tickets in a raffle. Maybe you just think it's time you tried out some of the more "grown up" cultural activities out there. Whatever the reason, going to the symphony is a great idea! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the music!

Top Ten Reasons to Visit the Symphony

1. Many classic composers had incredibly cool hair. Look through the program to find new cuts and styles for yourself.

2. You can check out all other hot symphony goers who may be sitting around you. Perhaps you can meet someone new! This is especially likely if you prefer ladies or gentlemen of the blue-haired variety. This is doubly true at Sunday afternoon performances.

3. You can score free cough drops from the ushers! Just be sure to unwrap before the music begins.

4. You get the chance to shoot withering glances at people who forget to unwrap their cough drops before the music begins. You also get to do this to ANYONE who talks for ANY reason.

5. Enjoy this chance to dress up. No, no, penguin suits are only for the performers, and you should leave your Marti gras costume at home. Symphony attire can be anything from khakis and a polo to fancy dress clothes. Saturdays tend to be the most formal.

6. Snacks are the best. At least here in Seattle, you can get an entire dinner before the performance. During intermission, they have the best cookies. Just don't try taking anything back to your seat.

7. Oh yeah the music! I knew there was something I was forgetting! The music IS the reason that most symphony goers bother to come.

8. Many claim that classical music is good for the brain improving an array of cognitive skills at least in the short term.

9. Many also claim that listening relieves stress, and thus can have positive physical benefits.

10. Last, but not least, music is good for the soul. I know, I know it sounds like a cliché, but I really think it's true. Not every composer will "speak" to you, but when you find the right piece, it will take you away completely. I recommend starting with Beethoven and working your way forward. Besides, Beethoven had some of the coolest hair of all.

Keyword Analysis

It's time once again for that fun, fun game bloggers like to play with the "keyword analysis" feature that is available on most visitor counters. This little item allows you to see how visitors managed to find your blog, and it also tells you what search terms they used in their query. Frequently people often seem to be looking for one thing when they end up finding another. Why they click on something that is obviously unrelated to their search is beyond me.

Years ago, for example, I got many, many hits on a post I did about gardening. It turns out that people were searching for an Australian band called the "Spiky Cucumbers," but for some reason they were finding me instead. I tried to find a site I could link to for the band, but alas there were none. Perhaps the strangest I've ever run across was the large number of people searching variations on "why your baby is pale." Why the heck they ended up with me is anyone's guess, but I did my best to suggest that they might like to take the baby to the doctor instead of simply googling for answers.

Anyway, the number of reasonable queries for which there must be a shortage of good answers seems quite high. Therefore, in the next few posts, I will attempt to create decent answers for common "mis-hits" on my blog. Regular readers might just want to skip these as they might be boring as all get out.

Blogger???

Why does the blogger editor have a different view than the actual blog?

Why does the "preview page" show one thing, but then the published page is totally different?

Why do pictures suddenly invent their own sizes and margins after being imported?

Why? Why? Why?

You get what you pay for perhaps?

NOLA Rocks! Part 4: Buildings

One of the parts I most enjoyed about our NOLA trip was the archetecture. Our buildings on the west coast are so young, that there isn't so much variation in the styles. In New Orleans, the fingerprints of history can be seen all over the city. A building in a more French style might sit next to one with Spanish touches. A very modern skyscraper might be found only a few blocks from a warehouse built in the 1700s. It's a wondeful mish-mash that gives the city such a unique feel.

Many of the pictures were taken on our coach tour, so they may be a bit blurry around the eges. The first two are houses from the famous (and incredibly beautiful) Garden District. Picture four was taken to show the iron railings and plantain shutters that are so common in this area (plus that little orange tree is just cool). The last pic may seem kind of dull after the others, but it is of a warehouse from the early 1700s. You can still make out some of the original signage over the doors.