Apex Interview with Melissa

Apex Magazine has an interview with my talented daughter-in-law Melissa HERE. Check it out, especially you science fiction/fantasy fans.  She always creates the posters for Hypericon, which is in Nashville.  Brian is one of the organizers of it. 

Hypericon 2011 Poster

Wonderful Day!

Tug, Bill, and I met at the Log Cabin for a late lunch.  It's in Hurricane Mills where Loretta Lynn's ranch and museum are.  I've never been to them but guess I should go sometime.  Funny how we don't go to places nearby.  I've never been to the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's house) either.  I have been to the Grand Ole Opry a few times, though.  Anyway, I'd heard about the Log Cabin from a friend and suggested we meet there instead of somewhere around here.  It's about 35 miles from where I live and a pretty drive, which was worth it for the company if nothing else; however, the food was country cooking from scratch and really good.

There's my car back there behind Tug's truck.

We laughed and talked and had a great time!  This is the third time Tug/Sam and I have gotten together when he passed through but the first time I'd met Bill in person.  I felt like I knew him already.  Btw, Max is HUGE for four months old and so well-behaved and sweet, especially for a puppy.  She's adorable.

Tonight my friends Paige and her daughter Virginia met at Las Fajitas for dinner and a trivia game.  We came in third and would have won if we'd bet some points on that last question.  Paige knew who the Secretary General of the UN is.  Virginia and I had no clue.  We discussed it, and Paige wasn't sure enough to bet the whole 20 points on it, so we didn't bet any points.  Only one other team and Paige got it right.  We'll go with Paige's answers next time.  She did this on a couple of others, too.  Anyway, we are happy with our 3rd place win and got a gift certificate for the restaurant.

What a fun, social day and evening I've had!

Where Can I Move?

The Republicans in TN legislature keep embarrassing and infuriating me.  This is the first Republican majority in 40 years in our state, and they are taking full advantage of it.  I'm too bummed out to post links to this madness. 

Bones

Anybody else watch Bones?  Just how much time elapsed from last week's episode until this week?  Say what?  Let's talk! 

Wheaties Trivia

American consumers were asked to vote for their favorite Wheaties champion of all time. Wheaties celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1999 by rereleasing the original cereal packages featuring the champions selected; the top ten vote recipients were Michael Jordan, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mary Lou Retton, Tiger Woods, Cal Ripken, Jr., Walter Payton, John Elway, Jackie Robinson, and the 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team.

Graduation

Kelsey graduated from high school Saturday night.  It was really fun at the end when one of her classmates led them in the "roller coaster" that was an interactive routine that's hard to describe here but sort of like a cheer.  It was a humorous touch.  Then they boogied up the aisle during the processional to Chris Brown's "Forever" their class song.  It was different and fun!

There were 102 in her class, and she won two awards that were presented Thursday night at the awards ceremony.  She got the dual-enrollment English award and the Scholar Athlete award.  A boy and a girl won that last one and had to be in at least two sports and have the highest GPA.  Kelsey played volleyball and softball.  She and Kari played on the state-championship volleyball team.  I wrote about it here and posted photos.

It was a good weekend.  We played some games, watched some movies, and talked.  Good times!  We have more photos on Facebook.  

Kari and Kelsey

Kelsey, Kathy, Luke, Kari, and Mark

Kelsey the Graduate

Flipper Trivia

A dolphin can remember a specific tone far better than a human can.

FYI

I'm going to be gone for a few days and won't be online.  My first grandchild Kelsey is graduating from high school, and I'm going to the awards ceremony tomorrow night and her graduation Saturday night.  I'm looking forward to it and to visiting with all of them.  See you later!

Ringo Trivia

Ringo Starr started out as Richard Starkey. While Starkey was in the band Skiff le, their front man Rory Storm dubbed him Rings because he wore so many rings. Storm eventually changed the nickname to Ringo to give it a cowboy flavor.

OMG!

It is thought that the saying "pulling your leg" originated from the custom in the Middle Ages of hanging people in such a creative way that the victims often choked slowly and in agony. To put an end to their sufferings, pals or relatives of the suffocating victims would pull down hard on their legs in order to snap their necks.

Big Week

This is a big week for my first grandchild.  Kelsey graduates from high school Saturday night.  Baccalaureate is Wednesday night and Senior Awards Night is Thursday.  I'm going to the awards and graduation and will give a report next week.  She's going to college this fall and has done well in high school with good grades and sports.  I'm proud of her for many reasons. 

I'm busy getting ready for the trip and am looking forward to seeing all of them! 

Mother's Day

I had a good Mother's Day.  Mother, Brian, Melissa, Brendan, and I went to lunch and enjoyed it so much.  Then Mother and I went shopping.  Great day!!

I can't believe I didn't take pictures!  Sometimes I get wrapped up in the festivities and don't think about it.  Brendan had on a Tam O'Shanter in the tartan of Melissa's father's family.  I told him I had a Scottish grandson.  So he went around saying he had on the tam because he's Scottish.  I'll have to get a picture of him in it eventually with it pulled down over his ears the way he wore it yesterday.  

Lost Week

This has been a lost week for me.  What's yours been like?

Bee Trivia

Honeybees navigate by using the Sun as a compass, even when it is hidden behind clouds, they find it via the polarization of ultraviolet light from areas of blue sky.

Maybe I Can Make Lemonade

My laptop is showing symptoms of crapping out again.  If so, this would be the third time which qualifies is as a lemon.  Then I'll get a new computer or a refund.  I'll take the money and buy a MacBook.  Let's hope for the best.  It's driving me crazy right now going from huge to regular sizes on the screen and blinking off and on.  If it's going to do it, I hope it is soon before the warranty runs out.

Eating Trivia

Deep Hunger: It might point to an unusual eating disorder called tomatophagia. People with tomatophagia develop unusual cravings for such things as tomatoes, ice, detergent, starch, clay, and even dirt.

Faux News

Found a better picture of it and replaced that other one. FOX is messed up!  Look at that at the bottom of the screen!  Not Osama! 

May Day

Well, here it is May!  My month off from taking classes since I will take another one this summer.  It's on American Literature which I taught for many, many years - dare I say decades?  I learned so much about little-known authors Evelyn Scott and Caroline Gordon and well-known Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Penn Warren in my favorite class that I want to take more of his classes.  He said it would be around 18 months before he teaches another graduate class, so I'll keep checking online about that.  I'd also like to take a class on African-American literature.  I've read quite a few but want to study them.  I always get something out of the discussions.  I taught high school students in the 11th and 12th grades and didn't get into the depth that a graduate class covers, so this is exciting. 

Since I always wait until almost the last minute to do my taxes, I recently had my refund automatically deposited.  Yes, I wait even though I get refunds.  Once a procrastinator ...

I hope I can muster up the energy to be productive about things I've neglected for way too long.  My aunt used to say, "Energy begets energy."  How right she was!  I find that the less I do the less I do.  Eventually at this rate, I'll be in a coma. 

Ah Romance!

After 11 years of living together, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman were married during a Taxi-lunch break.

Weather

The devastation in Alabama reached southern Tennessee but not to that extent.  How horrible!  Around here we had some flooding because of all the rain.  It was bad in places but has completely receded in some areas and almost in others.  There was damage to homes that they will never be able to sell.  It's one disaster after another with weather that's been going on for quite a while now and will continue.  Partly it's La Nina but also global warming which makes all storms worse. 

Thanks to those of you who have been following the weather maps here.  I do that, too, when it's in your area.  Local TV stations here are WLAC and WSMV.

Still with the Storms

So far, so good with this round of tornadoes and torrential rain.  Again, trees had the most damage.  Schools were called off today because of a bridge being out and trees across roads.  The electricity stayed on here.  I still think the TV stations could scroll information along the bottom of the screen and break into shows briefly to give important warnings and news.  This constant coverage is too much.  We get it.  I for one can wait until the regular news reports to find out about a lot of this.  They say the same things over and over and interview people who don't say much. 

Last night was the last night of classes I've been auditing.  It's easy to get to know people in a writing class and to feel close to some of them.  Since it was a nonfiction creative writing class, we shared things from our lives with each other through our writing.  I enjoy auditing the classes and appreciate how welcome they've made me.  If any of them read my blog, I hope they'll comment.  (Melanie!)

There's one more class I plan to audit this summer and then no more unless Dr. Steve Ryan teaches one or another class seems interesting.  I like being in class just for the pleasure of learning and without the pressure of writing papers, taking tests, and being concerned about grades.  I read the books and joined the discussions and learned new things.

Vanderbilt and David Lipscomb are private universities that have classes for older students who are interested in various subjects.  I have considered taking those and might do it eventually.  I'd be with others around my age even though I've enjoyed being in class with students of different ages.  Also these are graduate English classes, and I'll probably audit more of those, too.  That's a good plan for state colleges and universities to offer those of us 60+ the opportunity to audit classes free.  Options!

See-Calling

Sam and I both have iPhones with access to Face Time calling.  When Brendan was here this weekend, I asked him if he'd like to talk to Sam on the phone where we could see him when we talked.  He said he would partly because he loves to have his picture taken and has never met a stage he didn't like.  So I got it set up after showing him pictures of Sam, Bill, and Max on Facebook.  He wanted to know why Sam used bad words to describe one of the photos.  I told him I didn't know and that he could ask him when we talked.  He asked when we were going to "see-call" Sam.  He made that up, and I like it since that's what it is.  When he asked Sam about the bad words, it was the only time I've seen Sam speechless.  Then he recovered and told Brendan that he has a potty mouth.  I hope Brendan won't use that as an excuse when he uses bad words - and he does! 

We made the see-call Sunday morning, and he had so much fun doing it.  When Sam called him Brendan, he was taken aback and gasped, "How do you know my name?"  I told him they had seen pictures of him like he saw theirs on FB.  Sam told him he was famous, which pleased him more, I'm sure.  Then when Sam asked him about my cat Brigit, Brendan asked how he knew about Brigit.  Then when Sam asked where Brigit was, Brendan said she hides from him.  This is true.  They give each other a wide berth.  They are a lot alike actually - both under foot, want what they want now, and much more.

Anyway, it was fun and hilarious!  If I could figure out how to get a video I accidentally made on here, I'd post it.  I can't email them to myself for some reason and keep getting a mail delivery notification.

Beamish Grandboy

My grandson Brendan is spending the weekend with me.  I met Brian and got him this morning since he's out of school today.  We went to Toys R Us and bought some Legos, books, and other things.  When we built things with the Legos, Brendan decided we should speak as if we live in London, so we used English accents.  He was Reginald and I was Penelope.  I might add some photos later on.  Right now I'm being summoned!  We're having fun!

This Might Explain Something

At a 1965 concert in Sacramento, Keith Richards smashed his microphone with the neck of his guitar. It produced a giant bolt of electricity that sent him flying through the air and then knocked him on his back, unconscious. Two minutes later, he came to. He credited his survival to the thick soles of the suede Hush Puppy boots he was wearing at the time.

Comedy

For those of you who read that post titled "Another One" about the piece "Bar None" I wrote for that creative nonfiction class I'm taking, you might want to know some of the remarks I got on it. The assistant professor who teaches the class said I should finish the jokes in the first two paragraphs because it would be funnier and I could do it. OK, she also really likes it when we include the unexpected in our writing.

So let me ask you if you agree with me about this. Having one of those sentences about "X walks into a bar ..." sets up a joke that doesn't come. That's unexpected and unnecessary. That would miss the point of the paper. I do agree that I could have had a more effective ending. I wasn't sure how I wanted to end it, and it shows.

Back to the suggestions, some of them got it, but most of the ones in the class, including the teacher, don't think like stand-up comedians the way some of us do. What do you think?

Btw, they liked "What a Drag" with the RuPaul quote. Some of them didn't know who all the people were I mentioned, but that wasn't necessary to get the point. It got good reviews. Thank you, Miss Ginger!

Another Myth Debunked

Contrary to popular belief, Daniel Boone reportedly did not like coonskin caps.

Davy Crockett did, I guess. Thus the confusion since Fess Parker played both of them.

"Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers Through the Cumberland Gap" by George Caleb Bingham

Cruel & Unusual Death

The good news in 1547 in Britain was that the law was amended to end the practice of boiling criminals to death. The bad news was that the punishment was changed to burning them at the stake.

Better but Not Great

I'm feeling better but not great yet.  This bronchitis kicked my butt!  I have quite a cough going that I take cough syrup with codeine in, which doesn't make me sleepy but in a slightly altered state.

Not this bad though ... not addicted. 



Lot of people might not be able to listen to Buffy Sainte-Marie and her vibrato, but I like her.

Oops!

Somehow when adding a link to my blog list, I managed to delete the whole thing.  I spent quite a while restoring as many links as I could remember, saved them, and checked out my list.  For some reason after trying again and again, it wouldn't let me add some of yours to my list.  I want them on there!  I have no idea why it's acting this way and will try again tomorrow after my computer has been off and then on again.  Guess I'll have to read blogs through Google Reader, but I like clicking them from my list.  Strange. 

Sick Schmick

Ever notice how when you're sick everything look grim and hopeless?  It's mostly the annoying illnesses that involve coughing or nausea or other inconveniences.  I used to have allergies in the spring and fall and go around sniffling for a while.  Then it went into sinusitis later on, so I had to deal with that.  Quite a few years ago, it progressed quickly from allergies to sinusitis to bronchitis and even to pneumonia once.  So I take the allergies seriously now that the progression is really fast.  I went to the walk-in clinic yesterday because my doctor's wife has serious complications with her pregnancy and has to be hospitalized for months.  He had to leave and cancel appointments.  I'm worried about her and hope they can have their baby and that she will be healthy and make it OK.

So now I have a Z-pack and some cough syrup for bronchitis and am sleeping a lot until I wake myself up coughing.  All my cough muscles hurt.  Miss G knows all too well how this is because of having this hang on for over a month!  I hope his appointment with an ENT will get rid of this for him.  Tug is also suffering with allergies and sinusitis now, too.  'Tis the season!  I wish spring and fall loved me as much as I love them!

I noticed how bleak everything seems to me and how I don't like anything much right now.  When I'm sick, I almost can't remember how good it feels to be healthy.  On the other hand, when I'm fine, I take it for granted and enjoy it thoroughly.  Are any of you like this, too?

Fingernail Trivia

The fingernails grow faster on the hand you favor. If you are right-handed, your right fingernails will grow faster, and vice versa. The middle fingernail grows faster than any other nail.

Assemby Line Trivia

Henry Ford called his first car a quadricycle, but he did not invent the automobile. What Ford did accomplish was to mass-produce automobiles and provide affordable service for them.

War is a Drag

Sarah Edmonds was one of many women who fought in the U.S. Civil War in disguise as a man. She became a Union spy, and later deserted to protect her secret. Edmonds revealed her true identity after the war in an attempt to clear herself of the desertion charges and gain a pension.

Born in 1841 in New Brunswick, Canada, Sarah ran away from home in her early teens. In order to survive she became an itinerant Bible salesman, by calling herself Frank Thompson and dressing like a man.

In 1861, Frank (Sarah) enlisted in the Second Michigan Infantry and over the next two years not only fought in a number of Civil War battles, but also served as a spy for the Union Army. Solders in her unit called Frank “our woman” because of his feminine mannerisms and his extremely small boot size. However, none of her comrades ever figured out that Frank was really Sarah. This boded well for her spying, where she dressed as a young boy serving in Confederate camps, as an immigrant Irish peddler and, most interestingly, as a woman.

In 1863, Sarah caught malaria and deserted the army out of fear that hospitalization would reveal her true identity. In 1884, though, Sarah applied for and was awarded a veteran’s pension in which the secretary of war acknowledged that Sarah was a female soldier who had rendered faithful services to the ranks.

Blog Suggestion

This blog FourFour is written by someone who works at TV Guide dot com and previously worked at VH1, so it has lots of pop culture information on it.  My son Brian told me about it and said, "Your gays might like it, too."  So check it out HERE and see if you do! 

Another One

Bar None

            Angelina Jolie, Meg Ryan, and Oprah walk into a bar.  Who gets noticed?  Who gets laid?  Who intimidates?  Who is approachable? 

George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, and Bill Gates walk into a bar.  Who leaves with the most phone numbers?

Depends, doesn’t it?  Such speculations can lead to lively discussions and friendly arguments.  It can be fun to make fantasy lists and suspend reality for a while.  These discussions reveal values and judgments, intentional or not. 

My college roommate and I periodically meet for lunch in a town halfway between where we live.  She was the blonde, wholesome, outdoor type, while I was the brunette, wholesome, indoor type.  We had our moments of dating and popularity.  A few years ago during lunch, we walked past the bar to go to the restroom.  When we returned to our table, my roommate said, “You know you’ve gotten old when men in bars don’t look at you any more.” 

There is a freedom and disappointment in becoming invisible to men.  At first it’s a shock to no longer be noticed.  I never realized that I took it for granted.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying I was ever a beauty who turned heads and stopped conversation when I entered a room.  Not by a long shot.  Men had to get to know me to be interested in me.  I’m just saying that they looked and not in repulsion.  Being cute was about the best I could hope for as a short, petite girl with curly hair and a smartass sense of humor.  I didn’t know I’d miss it because I didn’t know my power. 

I learned to accept being invisible and have even embraced it.  The freedom that comes with my new status works out well.  I like living alone and am no longer interested in dating or being in a romantic relationship, so I’m not sending out that vibe anymore.  It was unexpected and not so bad. 

What a Drag

I wrote this for a class I'm taking.  The assignment was to base our writing on a piece about aesthetics by one of the writers we're studying.  We had to use a quotation and then write about beauty, truth, and whatever.  I had a topic in mind and called Miss Ginger, who gave me a direction and some good ideas.  We had a wonderful phone conversation, and I got a lot of help.  Thanks, Miss G!! 

"We all came into this world naked. The rest is all drag."

                                                                    — RuPaul

Dame Edna Everage – Divine – RuPaul – The Lady Chablis – Dolly Parton … false eyelashes – wigs – glamour – sequins – feathers – 5” heels – sashaying … Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Elvis – James Dean – Fonzie – Mickey Rourke … sideburns – duck tail – black leather jacket – t-shirt – upturned collar – tattoos – chains – boots – leather … “Born to be Wild”

Sandra Dee – Debbie Reynolds – Gidget – Laverne & Shirley … bobby socks – pony tails – Laura Ashley – sweater sets – neck scarves – saddle oxfords … American Graffiti

 Urkel – Mark Zuckerberg – John Hodgman – Sheldon … pocket protectors – glasses – Dr. Who t-shirt – pale skin – D&D manual – backpack … The Big Bang Theory

Jackie Kennedy – Grace Kelly – Audrey Hepburn – Princess Diana … pillbox hat – pearls – basic black dress – Chanel – Dior – Casini – Givenchy – Saint Laurent - gloves – perfect make-up … Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Helena Bonham Carter – early Madonna – Cyndi Lauper – Bjork – Lady GaGa … eclectic – vintage – creative – individual – unique … “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”

Marilyn Manson – Pauley Perrette – Adam Lambert – Elvira – Bellatrix Lestrange … black lipstick – tattoos – piercings – red eye shadow – black nail polish – blue/green/pink/red/black dyed hair – pentagrams – postmodernism … The Sandman

Marilyn Monroe – Elizabeth Taylor – Zsa Zsa Gabor – Joan Collins – Sophia Loren … diamonds – evening gown – bikini – heels – cleavage – tight clothes – big hair – eyeliner – red lips … Dynasty

Tom Selleck – ZZ Top – Bruce Willis – Salvador Dali – Donald Trump – Cornell West – Charlie Daniels … mustache – goatee – Van Dyke – beard –bald – comb-over – dreads –  spikes –braids – corn rows – Mohawk … Hair

Casual Fridays – scrunchies – sweats – t-shirts – shorts – sandals – jeans – track suits – tank tops – tennis shoes – caps – flannel shirts – khakis …

What’s your drag?

Where Have I Been?

Some of you might have heard about the storms and tornadoes we've had in TN, especially in Dickson where I live.  Even more specifically, my neighborhood was hit hard, but mostly trees.  It just missed me.  I saw the straight-line winds whizzing by my house.  I watched out the window in fascination and later on fear because I've never seen horizontal rain before.  It was actually horizontal and really fast.  I heard 70+ mph!  Big, healthy trees were uprooted all along my street.  They all seemed to fall in yards and not on houses, but some of them fell on power lines.  I had no electricity from about 1:45 Monday until around 10:00 this morning.  There was no damage to my trees or house.  As I said, it just missed me.  I think there was a tornado near here, too, and that rainy wind might have been part of it.  Since I haven't seen the news but just read what people wrote on Facebook, I don't know much.  It will be in the local paper today. 

This morning when I went to breakfast, the Electric Company guys were up the street working on the lines.  I stopped to applaud and thank them.  They said some people won't have electricity until next week sometime and that there were 20 volunteer units here helping them.  I saw them drive along my street last night around 10:00.  They said they decided to work on it today during daylight.  I said that seemed like a good idea and asked if they'd gotten any sleep.  They said not much. 

I've been going to bed really early since there's nothing else to do.  While I was in the car charging my phone at night, I turned on the dome light and read.  Yes, isn't it great that I know how to turn that off and on now?  Thanks, Sam.  It's been great having the iPhone, but I'm so glad to be able to type on the laptop instead of thumb-texting email.  That's so tedious. 

Well, that's my news.  What have I missed?

Wait, Wait!

I am SO excited!!  My favorite program on NPR is coming to TPAC!  I've whined and begged Peter Sagal on Twitter and on his blog to bring "Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!" to Nashville.  They will be here June 30!  Yay!!  I renewed my membership early to take advantage of the thank-you gift tickets.  So I'll have two tickets down front in the good seats and get to attend the VIP reception after the show!  I've always wondered how those people get the great seats because no matter how early I get online to order tickets those are never available - even when I'm a vulture lurking until the minute they go on sale.  These tickets aren't on sale until April 11.  I guess VIPs and people with connections get those.  So anyway, I am totally thrilled and stoked!  What fun that will be!  If Roy Blount, Jr., Paula Poundstone, and Mo Rocca are on the panel, it will be perfect!

Tweets about Teaching

TeachersJourney The Joy and Sorrows

"Doctor's mistakes are in the cemetery and lawyers' mistakes are in prison, teachers' mistakes get elected."  -Robert John Meehan

"Tenure guarantees a teacher due process – NOT a lifetime job."  -Robert John Meehan

"We must shift the focus of our classrooms from obedience to understanding".  -Robert John Meehan

All teachers who have had consistent success in the classroom understand that it is not enough merely to dispense information.

Solving the problems in education are actually simple. All we need is a dedicated society, knowledgeable politicians and excellent teachers

Teachers have been conditioned to realize that every innovative teaching method is eventually discredited by further sustained research.

Student achievement cannot be measured by test scores but in the small day to day moments of their students’ individual triumphs.

The vast majority of students are awesome to work with, it’s a vocal minority that ends up taking up the teacher's time and attention.

Solving the problems in education are actually simple. All we need is a dedicated society, knowledgeable politicians and excellent teachers

Phone Etiquette

My grandson Brendan calls me periodically and gives telephone performances.  They can't really be called conversations except when he asks if I want to sing lead or backup for our duets or when he asks me to choose which story he'll quote or song we'll sing.  He's quite a character!  I've been trying to teach him how to end a conversation gracefully, but so far it hasn't taken.  Sometimes my son sets a limit and will give him a countdown to end the conversation.  I'll hear "3 minutes" in the background or whatever.  He's now worked this out to ask me if it's time to go yet.  If I tell him no, we keep talking.  If I say yes, he hangs up immediately.  No good-bye, nothing!  Just, "Is it time to go?"  Me, "Yes."  Then "click" and that's it.  He cracks me up. 

Sam's comment on the previous post referred to that in case you wondered. 

Future for Bernice

I found a new thing to worry about.  On Grey's Anatomy when Meredith and Derek administered the Alzheimers test and asked patients to count backwards from 100 by 7's, I panicked.  After 93, I have to subtract by picturing the numbers in the air written as a subtraction problem, concentrate really hard, and count on my fingers, which isn't easy with subtraction.  For one thing, sevens are HARD!  I asked Jackie if they time you and count off if it takes too long.  We were on the phone, so she asked her husband Ed, a clinical psychologist who specializes in head injuries, about it.  He had a field day messing with me and basically said I was doomed.  No help there.  Jackie told me to memorize it, so I could do it.  It's like studying for a test, I guess. 

Just in case, I'm going to make sure Brian, Melissa, Kathy, and my friends tell them if I have to take that test that I have never been able to count backwards like that.  How do people do that so fast?  If it were by fives or twos, it would be a snap, but not sevens!!  Also one of my pupils is naturally larger than the other, so I guess I need to wear one of those bracelets to let them know in case I pass out because that's a sign of something serious. OK, I'll stop now before I spin out of control.  Besides, I might need a paragraph on that bracelet for all my weird stuff. 

Header Design

Anyone know what that is up there?  Melissa suggested that my granddaughter Kelsey make a circle inversion fractal for her calculus project for pi day (3-14).  Of course I had no idea what that was and never took calculus since it wasn't offered in my school.  I do know about pi because I did have four years of math in high school.  At our school that involved Algebra I and II, Plane Geometry, Solid Geometry and Trigonometry (semester of each).  I had a slide rule and knew how to use it!  Actually, I had two of them a regular rectangular one and a round one.  Anyway, I googled "circle inversion fractal" and thought they were pretty.  So now I have one on the header of my blog whatever they are.  I'm not willing to try to learn that math.  

Here are some others.  Some of them look like jewelry, a kaleidoscope, or other pretty designs.  Who knew math is involved?  Well, Melissa.  She's incredibly intelligent and reads physics books for pleasure.  It's amazing how much stuff she knows.  

I just read Mrs. Miss A's blog and noticed that she knows about fractals.  Shout out to you, MMA!

Discuss

I deleted that picture of the cover of On Looking because I can't stand to look at it for many reasons.  If you missed it and want to see it, go HERE.  I'll bitch about that class later on.

What was your first thought when you looked at this book cover?  To me it looks like some sort of bony melty alien pupa type creature.  Then upon closer inspection, I realized that it's a neck and spine and shoulders.  Or as I like to refer to it - a man with his head up his ass.  I hate it.  This is one of the books of essays we have for the seminar on writing creative nonfiction. All the essays she included in this have something to do with looking at different things in various ways.

Random

Romance might happen when it is least expected but so does murder.

Japan < US

What is it about the newscasters interviewing experts about the multiple disasters in Japan asking how this affects the US?  They ask if radiation will make its way here, if we have nuclear reactors that could do that, if we could have the same kind of devastation, how this will affect our economy, and on and on.  Those are valid questions.  No doubt.  But shouldn't they be asked AFTER getting information about Japan?  They are the ones dealing with the worst disaster in their history and probably any other country's.  Could we focus on that and not make it all about us first? 

You Might Be A Dumbass if ...

The dome light and courtesy lights on the door of your car won't turn off and causes the battery to run down.  So you call AAA to jump off the battery.  You've already removed the dome light but couldn't get the door lights out.  The wrecker guy from AAA removes them for you.  So you drive around for a couple of months without those lights, which is inconvenient at night, but you get used to it.  Then last Friday the car is towed to the auto repair shop because it won't start.  It goes rrr-rrr-rrr-rrr, but that's it.  That same AAA wrecker guy comes over to let you know it's not the battery and asks what you did about the lights.  Then he tows the car away.  So when the auto repair guy calls to let you know it's the fuel pump and to give you the bad news about how much it will cost, you ask them to check the problem with the lights not going off.  They take care of the fuel pump and the light situation.  Fast forward to when you pick up the car, and they show you how that switch that dims the dashboard lights will make them stay on when it's turned all the way to the right and makes a clicking sound.  That's all that was wrong.  Yep.

Not that I would know anything about this.

Re-Tweets

askjimmycarter Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Buffett is trying to capitalize on the Charlie Sheen phenomenon ...He just filed trademark papers to create a drink: Tiger Blood.

MoRocca Mo Rocca

Hipsters are Geek Chic. True nerds are Geek Orthodox

thedailybeast The Daily Beast

Utah Names Official State Firearm… 1st state in U.S. to do so, months after #Tucson massacre http://thebea.st/eDFiHd

thenation The Nation

Places that sent pizza to Madison capitol: Egypt, Australia, Turkey, Korea, Finland and others #wiunion @LeftForum 'That's solidarity'

SteveMartinToGo Steve Martin

Out on the town today. I tried to tweet but couldn’t find a tweet booth. Maybe they’re a thing of the past.

Computer Trivia

A chip of silicon a quarter-inch square has the capacity of the original 1949 ENIAC computer, which occupied a full city block.

FYI

I recently learned that gargling with ice water gets rid of hiccups.  Now you know, too! 

For Real?

Country star Lyle Lovett reportedly is afraid of cows.

But not horses?

Yikes!!

The Japanese beetle, found in the eastern United States and Canada, is the only bug in these countries you need be concerned about if it becomes lodged in your ear, for it can chew through your eardrum in a matter of minutes. Other bugs can be removed without the same urgency.

I thought they were too big to get in our ears!  Not!  I had one of those beetles that look like pale brown spotted lady bugs in my ear and didn't know it until I went to the doctor who found and removed it when I was there for bronchitis or something.  It caused quite the stir with the nurses.  I still feel weird about it. 

Another One Bites the Dust (so to speak)

Another religious zealot hypocrite!  Read about it HERE.  He looks like a perv, doesn't he?

The Rev. Grant Storms, the Christian fundamentalist known for his bullhorn protests of the Southern Decadence festival in the French Quarter, was arrested on a charge of masturbating at a Metairie park Friday afternoon.

While I'm Ranting!

Probably the major cause of the world's problems is overpopulation.  Think about it.  There are just too damn many people on earth.  Zero population, folks!  This is no time to get rid of Planned Parenthood! 

What I've Been Saying

Kailyn posted a link on FB I'll write more about later.  We're doomed as doomed can be as a nation if we don't make some major changes in education.  As I keep saying, we're not educating students any more.  It's not the teachers' fault.  They are trying their best but are handicapped by all these decrees from the federal government on down.  No Child Left Behind put so much emphasis on testing that teachers were told to teach to the test.  Then it got even worse when they ramped it up so that teachers here in my county have to write down the state standards they teach each day on the board, as if that makes any difference to the students and what or how they learn.  Students are tested within an inch of their lives.  I can't even keep up with all the tests teacher friends tell me they have to administer.  They can't TEACH!  They know how but barely have a chance to do it.

Our high schools were on the block schedule for several years, which means that there are four 90-minute classes each semester that make up a year's credit.  There are exceptions in some math and music courses and perhaps others.  Our director of schools changed this to a seven-period day.  Classes are so much shorter that the kids said it felt like speed dating.  With the block schedule, there was time to cover the material and to be able to determine if they caught on or not.  The kids, teachers, and parents are stressed out now.

The new director, who reminds me of W, has no high school experience.  He's been a coach, assistant principal, and principal of junior high and middle schools all of his career.  Not only that, but the principal and assistant principal of the high school were I taught last, secondary supervisor, other supervisors in the Central Office have only elementary and middle school experience.  Seems as if it would help to have someone who knows what needs to happen in high school, doesn't it?  When we changed to the block schedule, it was after years of study, visits to schools, and planning before making such a change.  Not so this time with the seven periods.  That change was made because that's how it was done at the middle schools.  Yeah.  No one realized how different the curriculum requirements and students are at those two levels.

Teachers are now being evaluated based on student scores.  That is so wrong because it depends on the students from year to year.  The ACT should be used because it's a standardized test used nationally.  What our state is doing now is too screwy to try to explain.  Let's just say it's supposed to give an indication of what is expected of those students the next year based on things I don't understand.  It's all crazy.

I've never seen teacher morale so low ever.  Most of the ones I'm around are so stressed out that it shows.  They care about their students and want them to learn.  They also want to keep their jobs.  Those two goals are in conflict the way the system is set up now, and it sucks.

Here's the article I mentioned earlier, which shows that unsurprisingly this dumbing down extends to colleges, but then how could it not?  We've already seen evidence of what being uninformed and unable to make rational decisions, think critically, and learn can do in a society.  This is an excerpt from the article "College the Easy Way" by Bob Herbert. 

The book is based on a study, led by Professor Arum, that followed more than 2,300 students at a broad range of schools from the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2009. The study (available at highered.ssrc.org) showed that in their first two years of college, 45 percent of the students made no significant improvement in skills related to critical thinking, complex reasoning and communication. After the full four years, 36 percent still had not substantially improved those skills.

The development of such skills is generally thought to be the core function of a college education. The students who don’t develop them may leave college with a degree and an expanded circle of friends, but little more. Many of these young men and women are unable to communicate effectively, solve simple intellectual tasks (such as distinguishing fact from opinion), or engage in effective problem-solving.

“This is a terrible disservice, not only to those students, but also to the larger society,” said Professor Arum. “I really think it’s important to get the word out about the lack of academic rigor and intellectual engagement that’s occurring at colleges and universities today.”

While there are certainly plenty of students doing very well and learning a great deal in college, this large increase in the number of students just skating by should be of enormous concern in an era in which a college education plays such a crucial role in the lifetime potential of America’s young people. It can leave the U.S. at a disadvantage in the global marketplace. But, more important, the students are cheating themselves — and being cheated — of the richer, more satisfying lives that should be the real payoff of a four-year college experience.

“You have to ask what this means for a democratic society,” said Professor Arum. “This is the portion of the population that you would expect to demonstrate civic leadership in the future, civic engagement. They are the ones we would expect to be struggling to understand the world, to think critically about the rhetoric out there, and to make informed, reasoned decisions.

“If they’re not developing their higher order skills, it means they’re not developing the attitudes and dispositions that are needed to even understand that that’s important.”

Oh Yes!

The psychology department of Dayton University reports that loud talk can be ten times more distracting than the sound of a jackhammer. Loud, incessant chatter can make a listener nervous and irritable, and even start him on the road to insanity.

Response to Comments and Voltaire

Since there were several comments on my previous post, I decided to address them here.  I think what the WBC does is like shouting fire in a crowded theater.  But yes, Voltaires (Bob, Beth, DTGuy) you are right - what we do here is defend the right to say it even if we abhor it.  I'm just afraid of repercussions from it.

They came here to my hometown to "protest" the funeral of a soldier, but motorcycle groups (local and other) dissuaded them.  They went away.  Maybe it can be like the KKK rallies held in Pulaski, TN, where the revival of it originated.  Businesses closed, people stayed away, and the town closed down.  I haven't heard anything about it for a long time.  Maybe they quit.  The citizens of Pulaski hate that part of their history and tried to stop them from having that parade, but the ACLU said they had the right to peacefully assemble, so they finally decided to ignore them.  Maybe Hells Angels, etc., will continue to block these hatemongers.

I was up in arms, downtown guy, when I first heard about them and blogged about it, but I don't exactly have a wide audience or any influence.  So yes, I was disgusted and irate and sick that they picketed funerals of gay people.  There were counter-protests then, too.  This soldier's father is the first who filed suit against them that made it to the Supreme Court. 

Oh no, Froggy, about your student.  That's horrible and scary!  It's not paranoid these days to protect yourself.  Glad you did it.  Teachers don't have the "right" to say or do much of anything any more.  That teacher should have been allowed to say whatever she wanted to on a restricted blog, Mrs. Miss A.  I feel freer to say what I think on here now that I'm retired but am still careful just in case and have worried about posting those answers I might delete.  I'd like to keep that job.

 Last Words Of: Voltaire, philosopher

This one requires a little context. Voltaire was a famous essayist, deist and apparently smartass.

So who is the "enemy" he's talking about in the above quote? It was his response to a priest at the side of his deathbed, asking Voltaire to use the precious few moments left to renounce Satan.

Disappointed in the Supremes

There's freedom of speech and then there's the Westboro Baptist Church, which is entirely composed of the Phelps family, in fact one of his daughters argued the case before the Supreme Court.  I heard on the radio that out of the many children, some are estranged.  The others are deranged.

I don't understand the 8-1 decision of the Court on this and am fearful of the repercussions from it.  Will hate speech, bullying, and other forms of violence be allowed now without prosecution?  Although all of them were repulsed by the words and actions of WBC, they upheld the First Amendment.  Article HERE.  I agree with Justice Alito in his dissenting opinion.

Justice Samuel Alito, the lone dissenter, said Snyder wanted only to "bury his son in peace." Instead, Alito said, the protesters "brutally attacked" Matthew Snyder to attract public attention. "Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case," he said.

Where do we go from here?

Depressed State

Bob had a post about more oppressive and crappy bills TN state legislators introduced.  This one is anti-gay.  They're also trying to do the same thing to us that WI is doing.  There's going to be a rally Saturday in Nashville at the capitol building to protest them, and I hope it helps.  For those of you who think of TN as a total Red State, that's why the electoral college needs to be abolished because that's how ours go.  However, for the first time in 40 years, we now have a Republican majority in the state legislature.  This means that not only will the bastards pass some horrible laws but will have the opportunity to gerrymander the districts for an even bigger advantage.  The governor is Bill Haslam, Republican who owns all those Pilot gas stations and truck stops.  We're doomed.

Who Are These People?

OK, I remembered what I was going to say.  I've quit recapping DWTS but will watch it 'cause that's what I do.  That said, I don't know who but three of the dwarf stars are who will be on this season, and that's Kirstie Alley who probably won't be on there long, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Ralph Macchio.  Otherwise, I have no idea who they are but guess I'll get to know the ones who hang in there a while.

Kirstie Alley
"Psycho Mike" Catherwood
Chris Jericho
Sugar Ray Leonard
Ralph Macchio
Romeo Miller
Petra Nemcova
Chelsea Kane Staub
Hines Ward
Kendra Wilkinson
Wendy Williams

So Sad

I logged on here to post something I'd been thinking about all morning but now I can't remember what it was.  Bet it comes back to me as soon as I turn off the computer.  Have class this evening. 

Did Not Know

Early handheld lights used carbon-zinc batteries that did not last very long. To keep the light burning required that the user turn it on for a short time and then turn it off to allow the battery to recover. That’s how they originally became known as a flashlight.

Oscarama

I agree with Roger Ebert that this was the worst Oscarcast ever.  They need better writers, a comedian host, and some production changes.  Mostly it would have helped to have Billy Crystal back or someone who could keep things moving with banter. That didn't stop me from watching the whole show because I have this loyalty thing that keeps me hanging on to shows long after I probably should abandon them.  Ask Brian.

There were moments that worked really well and many that didn't.  I like funny speeches and touching ones.  There were a few that were memorable in that respect - Colin Firth, the screenwriter of The King's Speech David Seidler, and Sandra Bullock's presentation.  The winners were predictably who I thought might win based on what I've read and heard.  Now I need to see the movies.

Their attempt to appeal to a younger, hip audience didn't work.  Anne Hathaway looked great in the dresses, and James Franco seems like a stoner.  Oh, it was a nice touch having the public school kids chorus on there.  They were good and helped counteract the negative press we teachers get. 

I miss the Oscar days of outrageous outfits Cher wore, unexpected speeches, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Billy Crystal, laughter, and being entertained.

Awards Shows

The Oscars are on tonight, and I've never missed one yet.  I do like awards shows for some reason and like to see who wins, what they wear, who they are with, and how the show is put together.  So far I've seen the Golden Globes, SAG, BAFTA, and the Independent Spirit Awards, which are better some years than others.  They seem to revel in their independence by dressing in various degrees of casualness, holding the ceremony in a tent on the beach, and occasionally trying to be outrageous.  Last night wasn't so good.  They were all cold and complained about it and the humor was even more adolescent than usual.  Oh well.  What I like is learning about some movies I hadn't heard much about since they are Indie films.

My favorite movie awards show is BAFTA probably because I love British humor.  There's a bit of irreverence to the whole show but sincere gratitude for the awards.  A good mix.

I'll be on Twitter during the Oscars and will chat with any of you who are there, too.  I follow Roger Ebert, who always makes interesting comments on things.  It doesn't even bother me that it lasts a long time.   I have my Oscar ballot printed, so I can check the winners.  What predictions do any of you have?  This year I haven't seen many of the movies at all and just know what I've heard about them. 

Going to get some reading done for my classes before I watch the Oscars! 

My Phone is Stalking Me

I got an iPhone and love it! Even the box it comes in is classy. The phone and accessories fit inside the sturdy, attractive box neatly and ergonomically. Impressive right off the bat!  Just look at this!  If you've felt the box and touched all of it, you know what I mean.

Then I connected it to iTunes on my laptop and went through the steps to make it my own.  I've been playing with it ever since I bought it yesterday.  Sam has and will continue to answer questions and help me with it.  My learning curve hasn't been as much as I thought it would be except for answering the phone!  I finally caught on to that for the most part.  LOL  Oh, yes, it's a phone, too.  The text messages are so cute with conversation bubbles.  A friend told me to click the arrow on the map, and it will show me where I am.  Most of the time I know that but did it anyway.  Then I wanted to get back on the map of the world, but it wouldn't let me do it.  So I called Earl to ask how to do that.  He said it couldn't be done and that it would always show where I am unless I ask for directions somewhere.  So I said, "My phone is stalking me!" 

I downloaded Google Earth so I can see the world now, too.  So far the apps are impressive, and the phone is amazing!  Based on all this, I'm getting a Macbook soon as I can! 

Oh and I got the Xfinity app to see my TV listings.  I signed into my Comcast account to set it up since I'm supposed to be able to set my DVR from my phone.  It said I had two sets available and gave labels for each.  All of a sudden a window popped up on the TV in the den that said that set was DVR 1.  Then I went in the bedroom where a window said that one was TV 1.  Sort of neat and creepy at the same time.  Big Brother is in my phone!  

Dilemma

The good news in 1547 in Britain was that the law was amended to end the practice of boiling criminals to death. The bad news was that the punishment was changed to burning them at the stake.

Too Late

A woman’s arthritic pains will almost always disappear as soon as she becomes pregnant.

Sir Charles!

A $10,000 fine was promptly issued to Charles Barkley by the NBA for accidentally spitting on an 8-year-old girl.

Shocking Trivia

Using the electric chair could be overkill, since it only takes 15 watts of electricity going through a human body to stop the heart. Common lightbulbs run on about 25 to 75 watts of electricity. So come on, let’s try to conserve energy!

Must Be An Underlying Reason

During the rule of Peter the Great, any Russian man who wore a beard was required to pay a special tax, although you could get away scot-free with just a mustache and sideburns.

Well OK

In August 1998, Priscilla Presley won $75,000 in a defamation lawsuit against Lavern Grant, a former army buddy of Elvis Presley’s who claimed they had an affair before Priscilla married Presley It was ruled in a California superior court that Grant made false statements that were repeated and used in the book Child Bride: The Untold Story of Priscilla Beaulieu Presley by Suzanne Finstad. Priscilla long assured the world she was a virgin when she married the King.

I'm Afraid They'll Vote

Questions and answers from assignments I'm grading.  See why my hope for the future becomes bleaker by the year?

1. What are a few of the positive things the Equal Rights Amendment would have done for women in America?
2. Critics of the amendment pointed out some negative repercussions. What were they?
3. All things considered, would you be in favor of the amendment or against it and why?

1. Women got equal rights as men. (got to vote, work, and be educated)
2. Racial preferences violate the 14th amendment, no freedom of speech, no same sex marriage,  no bare arms.
3. It's really hard to say. I have my reasons I'd be for it, and against it. Women should have equal rights as men, but we should have the right to bare arms, freedom of speech, and no one should be racist. 

I reassigned it to her and left her this note:

Women already had the right to vote, work, and be educated in 1972.  You need to do more reading about the ERA and think about your answers.  The 2nd Amendment had nothing to do with the proposed Equal Rights Amendment.  And it's "bear" not "bare" arms unless you meant wearing sleeveless dresses. 

Next assignment that got a note and was reassigned.  Kill me now!

1. How have social norms changed in America since the decade of the '60s?
2. How does your generation's norms and mores differ from those of your parents? Grandparents?
3. In your opinion, why do these changes take place?

1. Attitudes to a variety of issues changed, sometimes radically, throughout the decade.
2. Both of my parents are different, but parts of me look the same as both of them. Some things are different as well like my eyes change to my mood, my moms eyes are hazel and my dads are blue. I'm very light skinned like my mother, but my father and sister are very dark. My grandparents have blue and brown eyes. We all have brown dark colored hair.
3. If everyone looked the same the world would be a lot different, and not for good. We all have our own personality and our own look, but what make's some of those looks, is our parents.

There are some worse than these!  Yes, it's possible! 

Trivia

Dolphins have killed sharks by ramming them with their snouts.

Wish I'd Thought of This

The man behind the Beanie Babies phenomenon of the late 1990s is still quite a mystery. Ty Warner has shunned interviews, and the company’s financial records and phone number are hard to find. Reports in 1999 identified Warner as a billionaire and the richest toy maker in the world. He purchased New York’s Four Seasons luxury hotel for $275 million.

The King's Speech (not)

In the latter part of the eighteenth century, Prussian surgeons treated stutterers by snipping off portions of their tongues.

Gum Trivia (chewing not tooth holders)

The first product to have a UPC bar code on its packaging was Wrigley’s chewing gum.

Bridal Gowns

In ancient times, the traditional color of bridal gowns was red. The wife of Napoleon III broke the tradition and wore a white gown. Then, brides began wearing white gowns (which were worn only once) as a symbol of their wealth.