To: Food Services
From: Overworked Cafeteria Monitors
Subject: Bananas
Please don't put bananas on the school lunch menu any more. Do you know what hormone fueled, overly informed 5th grade boys who have less than 20 days of school do when given a banana? Let us just say that turning the fruit into a gun was the least offensive of the activities done at lunch time today. As for what else they did, well have you ever seen a demonstration of safe sex? Enough said.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Net Nannie No Habla Espanol
My district, like so many other public school systems has internet filters in place. They are supposed to protect the youth from seeing sights unfit for innocent eyes and prevent the employees from shopping on E-bay or indulging in on betting when they should be working.
Our IT department switched to what was supposed to be a new and better filtering system than the one we used the prior school year. Our IT department is always switching to something that is supposed to be new and better. A year later, they decide it isn’t really new and better and switch to something else. It’s their version of The Search for the Holy Grail.
For some reason this years new and better version blocks access to author’s websites and any number of other sites I want to use to illustrate a lesson, yet lets the most prurient of e-mails sail right on in. We’re bombarded daily with offers to increase the size of a specific male organ. Considering that, the majority of elementary school teachers are women these aren’t of any particular interest to anyone.
Today, one of our students, a second grader who is one of the Assistant Principal’s frequent flyers managed to pull up a very graphic porn site in the lab. He did it deliberately, he knew exactly what he was doing and it was obvious he knew the URL and was familiar with the contents of the site.
Of course the first thing that came to mind was “how did he get through the filters?”. It turned out that while the child is bi-lingual Net Nannie isn’t. Child typed in the URL for a Spanish Porn Site. Wanting to prove it, I made sure the library was empty and while my assistant guarded the door I typed in the the only inappropriate Spanish term I knew. Up popped some sites that had no educational or moral value at all. It was apparent that they were frequented by people who had great interest in a certain male organ.
Once we figured that out, the next thought that came to mind is, who is showing the child this site and just what is going on at home? Scary, isnt’ it? The counselor is investigating.
The last month of school is always a trial but this year appears to be starting out at a new low.
Our IT department switched to what was supposed to be a new and better filtering system than the one we used the prior school year. Our IT department is always switching to something that is supposed to be new and better. A year later, they decide it isn’t really new and better and switch to something else. It’s their version of The Search for the Holy Grail.
For some reason this years new and better version blocks access to author’s websites and any number of other sites I want to use to illustrate a lesson, yet lets the most prurient of e-mails sail right on in. We’re bombarded daily with offers to increase the size of a specific male organ. Considering that, the majority of elementary school teachers are women these aren’t of any particular interest to anyone.
Today, one of our students, a second grader who is one of the Assistant Principal’s frequent flyers managed to pull up a very graphic porn site in the lab. He did it deliberately, he knew exactly what he was doing and it was obvious he knew the URL and was familiar with the contents of the site.
Of course the first thing that came to mind was “how did he get through the filters?”. It turned out that while the child is bi-lingual Net Nannie isn’t. Child typed in the URL for a Spanish Porn Site. Wanting to prove it, I made sure the library was empty and while my assistant guarded the door I typed in the the only inappropriate Spanish term I knew. Up popped some sites that had no educational or moral value at all. It was apparent that they were frequented by people who had great interest in a certain male organ.
Once we figured that out, the next thought that came to mind is, who is showing the child this site and just what is going on at home? Scary, isnt’ it? The counselor is investigating.
The last month of school is always a trial but this year appears to be starting out at a new low.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Happy Dance
More of the Taks scores (The Test) arrived today. The 5th grade math . 93% passing! Third grade reading - 98% passing! 3rd grade math was equally impressive. Our last big hurdle is 5th grade science - D-Day or Test Day is this Thursday.
With a little luck - and a great deal of bone crushing work we'll be Exemplary again. Given our population and their mobility that is nothing short of miraculous.
With a little luck - and a great deal of bone crushing work we'll be Exemplary again. Given our population and their mobility that is nothing short of miraculous.
Monday, April 16, 2007
The More You Feed Them, The More They Read
Fourth grade is one of those make or break grades. It becomes sadly apparent who has college potential and whose career will peak with the phrase “and do you want fries with that?”
It’s sad to think that one’s life path is already determined when a child reaches the ripe old age of 9. It’s not set in stone and we all do what we can to make sure the kids have options that don’t involve hamburgers or mops.
One thing we notice is that the enthusiasm for school, learning and reading often plummets. Fourth grade is when the curriculum moves from learning to read to reading for content and many low SES students really struggle with the switch.
After a round of appalling benchmark test scores a couple of 4th grade teachers and myself came up with the “Library Club” and the “Cafeteria Club”. Students who have been doing their reading homework may bring their trays to the library and enjoy lunch in semi civilized surroundings. They may decide where they will sit and who they will sit with. They don’t have to sit with their class – they can sit with friends in other 4th grade classes.
Students who haven’t kept up with their reading homework eat in the cafeteria and read once they have finished eating. We’ve had to assign books to some of them. They are very creative when it comes to offering excuses as to why they haven’t done their homework.
We use “AR Points” as our barometer and raise the bar by 5 points every 2 weeks. Good life lesson – you can’t rest on your laurels just because you have reached a goal. You have to strive for another one. Goal setting is another life skill low SES students need to practice.
It’s been interesting to watch the kids. Some keep on reading regardless (those are the kids on college track), others still offer myriad excuses and some are determined to avoid the cafeteria at all costs. The latter group has started reading – they may slip back into the cafeteria but they quickly read their way back to the library. These are the “bubble kids” – the ones that can go either way and these are the kids we try extra hard to keep on the right track.
The students are amazingly civilized. They enjoy the privilege of picking up their trays and walking out of the cafeteria and they really do behave themselves. I’ve taken to sitting with various groups and it’s fun to talk to them. We talk about food, books and occasionally I interject a lesson in table manners or polite conversation.
The Principal is happy – it’s good for the children & doesn’t cost a penny. The teachers are happy – homework is getting done. The cafeteria monitors are thrilled –the cafeteria isn’t nearly the Animal House it used to be. The kids love it- they feel important and special. I’m happy – I’m collaborating with the 4th grade team and the library is being an integral part of this collaboration. Best of all, the Benchmark scores are up!.
It’s sad to think that one’s life path is already determined when a child reaches the ripe old age of 9. It’s not set in stone and we all do what we can to make sure the kids have options that don’t involve hamburgers or mops.
One thing we notice is that the enthusiasm for school, learning and reading often plummets. Fourth grade is when the curriculum moves from learning to read to reading for content and many low SES students really struggle with the switch.
After a round of appalling benchmark test scores a couple of 4th grade teachers and myself came up with the “Library Club” and the “Cafeteria Club”. Students who have been doing their reading homework may bring their trays to the library and enjoy lunch in semi civilized surroundings. They may decide where they will sit and who they will sit with. They don’t have to sit with their class – they can sit with friends in other 4th grade classes.
Students who haven’t kept up with their reading homework eat in the cafeteria and read once they have finished eating. We’ve had to assign books to some of them. They are very creative when it comes to offering excuses as to why they haven’t done their homework.
We use “AR Points” as our barometer and raise the bar by 5 points every 2 weeks. Good life lesson – you can’t rest on your laurels just because you have reached a goal. You have to strive for another one. Goal setting is another life skill low SES students need to practice.
It’s been interesting to watch the kids. Some keep on reading regardless (those are the kids on college track), others still offer myriad excuses and some are determined to avoid the cafeteria at all costs. The latter group has started reading – they may slip back into the cafeteria but they quickly read their way back to the library. These are the “bubble kids” – the ones that can go either way and these are the kids we try extra hard to keep on the right track.
The students are amazingly civilized. They enjoy the privilege of picking up their trays and walking out of the cafeteria and they really do behave themselves. I’ve taken to sitting with various groups and it’s fun to talk to them. We talk about food, books and occasionally I interject a lesson in table manners or polite conversation.
The Principal is happy – it’s good for the children & doesn’t cost a penny. The teachers are happy – homework is getting done. The cafeteria monitors are thrilled –the cafeteria isn’t nearly the Animal House it used to be. The kids love it- they feel important and special. I’m happy – I’m collaborating with the 4th grade team and the library is being an integral part of this collaboration. Best of all, the Benchmark scores are up!.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Out of the Mouth of Babes
The library is hosting two second grade Junior Achievement classes. The volunteer teacher was attempting to explain taxes to a group of mostly bi-lingual students, many of whose parents don't pay taxes.
Teacher "What does the Tax Man Collect? "
Student "The TAKS test".
Actually in their little world the TAKS Test Agency brings up as much fear and trepidation as the IRS does to ours!
Teacher "What does the Tax Man Collect? "
Student "The TAKS test".
Actually in their little world the TAKS Test Agency brings up as much fear and trepidation as the IRS does to ours!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Feed Them & They Will Come - Or Read
According to some of the "experts" educators aren't supposed to "bribe" children to learn by using external rewards, we're supposed to foster & build their "intrinsic" needs instead. This theory may work with upper middle class children who come to school with strong parental support and realization for what school is for. Not so for many low SES children. Some of them are in school because it's the law or because their parents need free childcare. Others have parents who may have some idea that school and education are the key to their children's future but can't pass that on to their kids. Deep down they really might not quite believe it so the message doesn't always take with the kids.
We try just about every motivational technique we can muster. Pep Rallies, signs, posters, fun field trips, parties, stickers, t-shirts or school wide celebrations - you name it we've tried it.
One of my many hats is reading cheerleader. After 16 years in the biz I've come to the conclusion that some kids are born with an inner drive to read and some aren't. Some, no matter what you do just don't like reading. Hey, I don't like number crunching. I don't think there is anything that anyone could do to make my heart go pitter patter at the sight of an excel spreadsheet.
No matter what a child's opinion of reading is or isn't, it's a survival skill in our information driven world. Our job is to teach them and turn out proficient readers (who can of course pass the TAKS test!).
When it comes to reading I've yet to find a program as successful as Accelerated Reading. No librarian is neutral when it comes to AR. The mere mention of it on LM_NET results in a flood of pro and con postings. There is something in the instant gratification nature of AR that appeals to our kids. They love knowing if they "passed" and they count their points with as much fervor as a miser counts their gold.
I tie AR into goal setting (another life skill low SES kids need lots of practice to acquire) and most of the goals involve food. Ruby Payne, in her books about generational povery says food is very, very important and given how it motivates our kids I believe her.
This week's been a major food fest. Monday I took 13 kids out for pizza - the result of each of them earning 200 AR points. We went Ci-Cis, which is an all you can eat pizza buffet (quantity is very important) and they ate and ate and ate. One skinny little flint of a first grader out ate everyone - we have yet to figure out where she put her 6 slices of pizza. In between bites they giggled, talked and had a grand old time.
Wednesday was my annual Dr. Seuss Lunch. 15 kids joined me for green eggs n' ham, one fish, two fish, red fish blue fish, oobleck, pink yink ink drink and pink snow. Plus veggies - couldn't find a Dr. Seuss match so I opted for carrots and celery with ranch dressing. The lucky 15 were the winners of my annual Dr. Seuss essay contest and managed to inhale 70 fish sticks and 2 pounds of baby carrots.
In between those events I also host the 4th grade library club - children who can bring their lunch to the library and eat it there, rather than in our noisy zoo of a cafeteria. Admission is tied to AR points and the kids have to keep reading to keep their membership. It costs us nothing but a little time - and some carpet cleaner!
Lucky for me I've got an easy going principal who doesn't mind that the library smells of fish sticks and that there are chili stains on the carpet. Feed them and they will read! And with a little luck they will be learn to love it!
We try just about every motivational technique we can muster. Pep Rallies, signs, posters, fun field trips, parties, stickers, t-shirts or school wide celebrations - you name it we've tried it.
One of my many hats is reading cheerleader. After 16 years in the biz I've come to the conclusion that some kids are born with an inner drive to read and some aren't. Some, no matter what you do just don't like reading. Hey, I don't like number crunching. I don't think there is anything that anyone could do to make my heart go pitter patter at the sight of an excel spreadsheet.
No matter what a child's opinion of reading is or isn't, it's a survival skill in our information driven world. Our job is to teach them and turn out proficient readers (who can of course pass the TAKS test!).
When it comes to reading I've yet to find a program as successful as Accelerated Reading. No librarian is neutral when it comes to AR. The mere mention of it on LM_NET results in a flood of pro and con postings. There is something in the instant gratification nature of AR that appeals to our kids. They love knowing if they "passed" and they count their points with as much fervor as a miser counts their gold.
I tie AR into goal setting (another life skill low SES kids need lots of practice to acquire) and most of the goals involve food. Ruby Payne, in her books about generational povery says food is very, very important and given how it motivates our kids I believe her.
This week's been a major food fest. Monday I took 13 kids out for pizza - the result of each of them earning 200 AR points. We went Ci-Cis, which is an all you can eat pizza buffet (quantity is very important) and they ate and ate and ate. One skinny little flint of a first grader out ate everyone - we have yet to figure out where she put her 6 slices of pizza. In between bites they giggled, talked and had a grand old time.
Wednesday was my annual Dr. Seuss Lunch. 15 kids joined me for green eggs n' ham, one fish, two fish, red fish blue fish, oobleck, pink yink ink drink and pink snow. Plus veggies - couldn't find a Dr. Seuss match so I opted for carrots and celery with ranch dressing. The lucky 15 were the winners of my annual Dr. Seuss essay contest and managed to inhale 70 fish sticks and 2 pounds of baby carrots.
In between those events I also host the 4th grade library club - children who can bring their lunch to the library and eat it there, rather than in our noisy zoo of a cafeteria. Admission is tied to AR points and the kids have to keep reading to keep their membership. It costs us nothing but a little time - and some carpet cleaner!
Lucky for me I've got an easy going principal who doesn't mind that the library smells of fish sticks and that there are chili stains on the carpet. Feed them and they will read! And with a little luck they will be learn to love it!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Term Paper Syndrome
I've been suffering from term paper syndrome. Remember it? That term paper is due and you just don't want to settle down and work on it. So you come up with all these other things you must do - the house gets clean, the car washed, the laundry folded and the flower beds weeded. But that paper is hanging over your head like the Sword of Damocles. It nags, pinches and nudges you to the degree that you can't give 100% to anything you are doing because of that TERM PAPER.
This Spring Break my term paper was my taxes. My two deductions graduated - which is a very good thing but that means I lost my Head of Household Status. I have no major deductions - My Beloved gets the house since she makes so much more than I do. I had nightmares of having to fork over thousands of dollars. Putting it off didn't make any sense from a practical standpoint because if I did owe thousands of dollars I would need some time to figure out how to find the money.
Finally this afternoon, with school starting in the morning, all the books packed, the dishes clean and the flowers dead headed I had not choice but to Just. Do. It.
And then the Internet went wonky. Being a Virgo with her mind made up I decided that a little thing like that would not stop me. Our came the phone cord and I said "hello" to dial up.
After spending an hour with turbotax.com I found that I don't owe any money after all. No more mega refunds that I enjoyed while the girls were in school but at least I broke even.
I am not happy at having to fund the war machine. If I felt the money was going to domestic issues I wouldn't mind so much. However most of it is going overseas to make sure Cheney and his cronies will continue to make obscene amounts of money. Very frustrating.
This Spring Break my term paper was my taxes. My two deductions graduated - which is a very good thing but that means I lost my Head of Household Status. I have no major deductions - My Beloved gets the house since she makes so much more than I do. I had nightmares of having to fork over thousands of dollars. Putting it off didn't make any sense from a practical standpoint because if I did owe thousands of dollars I would need some time to figure out how to find the money.
Finally this afternoon, with school starting in the morning, all the books packed, the dishes clean and the flowers dead headed I had not choice but to Just. Do. It.
And then the Internet went wonky. Being a Virgo with her mind made up I decided that a little thing like that would not stop me. Our came the phone cord and I said "hello" to dial up.
After spending an hour with turbotax.com I found that I don't owe any money after all. No more mega refunds that I enjoyed while the girls were in school but at least I broke even.
I am not happy at having to fund the war machine. If I felt the money was going to domestic issues I wouldn't mind so much. However most of it is going overseas to make sure Cheney and his cronies will continue to make obscene amounts of money. Very frustrating.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
4th and 10
....do we go for a first down or do we punt the student? If it's the week before the TAKS test (The Texas high stakes test, which the Shrub has now unleashed on the rest of the country) you punt. Actually we didn't punt, two other schools did. Parts of the district I'm in have very high mobility. An apartment complex offers a $99 move-in and there is a mass migration from one school to another. Three months later another counters with a $100 move in and there is another migration.
The day before the TAKS test two new families enrolled. Both came from within our district. The TAKS rules are such that if a student is not enrolled at your school on the day the test is given then his / her scores don't factor into your schools overall scores. They also don't factor into the school he/ she enrolls, these scores go into a general district "pot". There are many, many parts and sub parts to this rule and other rules if the student changes districts - the IRS are a brief novella when it comes to the TAKS test rules.
However, if a student is one that will pass the test and pass it well the school will move heaven and earth to keep that student in their seat come TAKS test day. The students are pre-tested and benchmark tested till they bubble in circles in their sleep so the school has a good idea of who will pass and who won't. It's to the benefit of the child too - imagine being 8 years old and having to cope with a major test and a new school all on the same day. A conscientious parent will work with the school to ensure their child has a good test taking experience (if there is such a thing) and won't move their children till after TAKS test day.
So, when the two families arrived we knew it wasn't going to be pretty. There was no need to look in the PR folder, talk to the parents or glance at the report cards. The students were not going to be a credit to their former school. In fact, their former school , once the withdrawal papers were drawn up most likely found it difficult to contain their Happy Dance till the doors closed behind them.
And we were right. One is reading 2 years below grade level, the other has yet to make it through the day without ear screeching tantrums and angry outbursts.
At least their scores won't count against us either!
The day before the TAKS test two new families enrolled. Both came from within our district. The TAKS rules are such that if a student is not enrolled at your school on the day the test is given then his / her scores don't factor into your schools overall scores. They also don't factor into the school he/ she enrolls, these scores go into a general district "pot". There are many, many parts and sub parts to this rule and other rules if the student changes districts - the IRS are a brief novella when it comes to the TAKS test rules.
However, if a student is one that will pass the test and pass it well the school will move heaven and earth to keep that student in their seat come TAKS test day. The students are pre-tested and benchmark tested till they bubble in circles in their sleep so the school has a good idea of who will pass and who won't. It's to the benefit of the child too - imagine being 8 years old and having to cope with a major test and a new school all on the same day. A conscientious parent will work with the school to ensure their child has a good test taking experience (if there is such a thing) and won't move their children till after TAKS test day.
So, when the two families arrived we knew it wasn't going to be pretty. There was no need to look in the PR folder, talk to the parents or glance at the report cards. The students were not going to be a credit to their former school. In fact, their former school , once the withdrawal papers were drawn up most likely found it difficult to contain their Happy Dance till the doors closed behind them.
And we were right. One is reading 2 years below grade level, the other has yet to make it through the day without ear screeching tantrums and angry outbursts.
At least their scores won't count against us either!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
So long, Farewell, Auf wiedersehen, Goodbye
My sister is saying Good bye to the Navy after 24 years of service and the entire family converged on Virginia Beach for the occasion.
The Navy does do these things up right. Despite it being very, very , very cold (and where those hot flashes when I needed them) and despite the ceremony being held on board The USS Theodore Roosevelt in an area with no heat it was very moving and enjoyable
During one part of the ceremony an officer recited from memory a piece of prose entitled "Old Glory" while the sailors passed a folded flag from hand to hand and saluted each other in slow motion.
My sister said this Passing of the Flag Ceremony is traditional and it brought tears to every one's eyes (even mine!).
I've never had much to do with the military - since I'm not one to keep my mouth shut about anything
I 'd be a total failure at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". All of a sudden I found myself in the middle of a Naval Shipyard surrounded by Sailors and other members of the Armed Forces. They were all so very, very young and were overwhelmingly people of color. Our all volunteer military is one place where the minorities are the majority. They all looked so serious and purposeful and were uniformly polite (I felt very old by the time the affair was over).
But they still looked much to young to be toting a lethal looking firearm that in some cases was almost bigger than they were. I hope for their sakes and the sakes of their Mothers, wives and families that they never have to use them. Given our present administrations policies I fear this is a wish that won't be granted.
The Navy does do these things up right. Despite it being very, very , very cold (and where those hot flashes when I needed them) and despite the ceremony being held on board The USS Theodore Roosevelt in an area with no heat it was very moving and enjoyable
During one part of the ceremony an officer recited from memory a piece of prose entitled "Old Glory" while the sailors passed a folded flag from hand to hand and saluted each other in slow motion.
My sister said this Passing of the Flag Ceremony is traditional and it brought tears to every one's eyes (even mine!). I've never had much to do with the military - since I'm not one to keep my mouth shut about anything
I 'd be a total failure at "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". All of a sudden I found myself in the middle of a Naval Shipyard surrounded by Sailors and other members of the Armed Forces. They were all so very, very young and were overwhelmingly people of color. Our all volunteer military is one place where the minorities are the majority. They all looked so serious and purposeful and were uniformly polite (I felt very old by the time the affair was over).
But they still looked much to young to be toting a lethal looking firearm that in some cases was almost bigger than they were. I hope for their sakes and the sakes of their Mothers, wives and families that they never have to use them. Given our present administrations policies I fear this is a wish that won't be granted.
Hey Paris!
I'm in Virginia Beach for my sister's Naval Retirement & staying at a Hilton. Normally Hilton's are good hotels, in a dependable though slightly frumpy sort of way.
This hotel has a an excellent location and it's clean enough and the staff is uniformly pleasant. But all sorts of little things keep going wrong. Nothing major, just little pin pricks of annoyance that scream "management isn't on top of things".
The breakfast buffet (which is not complimentary and on the pricey side) features pasteurized eggs out a carton and sweet breads that are not fresh baked, or even frozen baked. They all taste slightly stale and slightly Sam's Club. The coffee is downright nasty. The fresh fruit is heavy on the melon, which is cheap and given the uniform sizes of each cube is pre-cut and comes from a bag and not a fresh from the market melon.
Rooms aren't cleaned till after 4pm. Bathroom doors lock unexpectedly (and stay locked) and heater doesn't always work. The hot wate is in short supply. The key card keeps de-progaming itself. We've had to troop downstairs so often that we now check at the desk to be sure it's working before getting on the elevator.
Please Paris, stop partying long enough to chat with your Dad and the other powers that be. If you don't folks will stop staying in your family's hotels.
And if that happens there won't be as much
money in your trust fund as there once was and your new best friend Brittany will drop you like a hot potato.
This hotel has a an excellent location and it's clean enough and the staff is uniformly pleasant. But all sorts of little things keep going wrong. Nothing major, just little pin pricks of annoyance that scream "management isn't on top of things".
The breakfast buffet (which is not complimentary and on the pricey side) features pasteurized eggs out a carton and sweet breads that are not fresh baked, or even frozen baked. They all taste slightly stale and slightly Sam's Club. The coffee is downright nasty. The fresh fruit is heavy on the melon, which is cheap and given the uniform sizes of each cube is pre-cut and comes from a bag and not a fresh from the market melon.
Rooms aren't cleaned till after 4pm. Bathroom doors lock unexpectedly (and stay locked) and heater doesn't always work. The hot wate is in short supply. The key card keeps de-progaming itself. We've had to troop downstairs so often that we now check at the desk to be sure it's working before getting on the elevator.
Please Paris, stop partying long enough to chat with your Dad and the other powers that be. If you don't folks will stop staying in your family's hotels.
And if that happens there won't be as much
money in your trust fund as there once was and your new best friend Brittany will drop you like a hot potato.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
13 Thoughts
Why do the weather people start frothing at the mouth when it just might rain/ freeze/ or comes a hurricane? It might freeze in Dallas (300 miles to the north) and the local weather folks are giving the impression that a blizzard with 2 feet of snow is imminent.
What earthly purpose does a Hummer serve in a large urban area where it never (despite the actions of the weather people) snows? It eats gas and dollars and screams “Conspicuous Consumption”.
Why do the “Ban the Harry Potter” folks not only want to keep their children from reading Harry Potter, they also want to prevent everyone else’s children from doing so too? Who appointed them as parents for the world at large?
How can people take Pat Robertson seriously? God speaks only to him? From Moses to Pat Robertson is quite a comedown. I would assume God has better taste in friends and spokespeople.
Laura Bush is an educator and a librarian by education. In fact, she actually taught for a couple of years. You would think she try to talk some sense into her husband about No Child Left Behind.
I am so out of touch. I picked up a copy of People while waiting in the grocery line and I had no clue who the People that People is talking about are. The only thing I know about Brittney Spears is that she does not care to wear underwear.
Speaking of – no amount of money appears to keep some women from sinking to their trailer trash roots. Take away her cash and she’d be your standard “married young, no college, barely finished high school, 2 kids in 2 years, twice divorced, future alcoholic floozy. With a mullet.
The latest trend in home décor appears to be “Home Theaters”. From the ads I gather you have one with 6 flat screen TVs on the wall and recliners with cup holders and pull out / fold out trays. If the furniture came with an optional catheter there would be no reason for a couch potato to ever arise again.
Why, when the line at the post office is out the door do some people decide to dither over what kind of stamp to buy. I can understand wanting “Love” stamps for wedding invitations but other than that who cares. Do they really think the envelope opening machines are going to notice?
ED – based on the number of ads one would think every male in America suffered from this problem. The fact that the birth rate isn’t falling leads to think it isn’t true but someone sure is buying a lot of this stuff.
And why do men get ED ads and women ads for Depends? Why isn’t it the other way around?
You need a license to operate a car but not to parent a child. Both, if you used or raised incorrectly can reek all sorts of heart rending havoc. So why do you need one for a car but none for a child?
Scouting for books is so much fun. Packing them isn’t. Life is not fair.
What earthly purpose does a Hummer serve in a large urban area where it never (despite the actions of the weather people) snows? It eats gas and dollars and screams “Conspicuous Consumption”.
Why do the “Ban the Harry Potter” folks not only want to keep their children from reading Harry Potter, they also want to prevent everyone else’s children from doing so too? Who appointed them as parents for the world at large?
How can people take Pat Robertson seriously? God speaks only to him? From Moses to Pat Robertson is quite a comedown. I would assume God has better taste in friends and spokespeople.
Laura Bush is an educator and a librarian by education. In fact, she actually taught for a couple of years. You would think she try to talk some sense into her husband about No Child Left Behind.
I am so out of touch. I picked up a copy of People while waiting in the grocery line and I had no clue who the People that People is talking about are. The only thing I know about Brittney Spears is that she does not care to wear underwear.
Speaking of – no amount of money appears to keep some women from sinking to their trailer trash roots. Take away her cash and she’d be your standard “married young, no college, barely finished high school, 2 kids in 2 years, twice divorced, future alcoholic floozy. With a mullet.
The latest trend in home décor appears to be “Home Theaters”. From the ads I gather you have one with 6 flat screen TVs on the wall and recliners with cup holders and pull out / fold out trays. If the furniture came with an optional catheter there would be no reason for a couch potato to ever arise again.
Why, when the line at the post office is out the door do some people decide to dither over what kind of stamp to buy. I can understand wanting “Love” stamps for wedding invitations but other than that who cares. Do they really think the envelope opening machines are going to notice?
ED – based on the number of ads one would think every male in America suffered from this problem. The fact that the birth rate isn’t falling leads to think it isn’t true but someone sure is buying a lot of this stuff.
And why do men get ED ads and women ads for Depends? Why isn’t it the other way around?
You need a license to operate a car but not to parent a child. Both, if you used or raised incorrectly can reek all sorts of heart rending havoc. So why do you need one for a car but none for a child?
Scouting for books is so much fun. Packing them isn’t. Life is not fair.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
DNQ
The saddest acronym in Education is DNQ – Does Not Qualify.
The TAKS test lurks around the corner so testing is going on at warp speed in the hopes of diagnosing learning disabilities. I’m not a special education teacher so I don’t know the official definition but basically it’s assigned to children who have a gap between their IQ and their school performance.
The child can have dyslexia, a processing problem, ADD, ADAH, emotional problems, poor hearing, autism – any of the alphabet soup of learning disorders.
Once diagnosed they qualify for special education, Resource, and modifications.
They can have the test read to them, take it a small group situation, take a special TAKS type test or take one for a lower grade level. These kids are expected to pass A Test but it isn’t necessarily THE TEST.
It’s devastating for many parents when their child is diagnosed and many refuse to accept it and insist, at least for a time that their child is “fine”. Some on the other hand are delighted since there are government subsidies for some of these kids – known on the street as “The Crazy Money”.
However, they feel, sooner or later the parents usually come round the child starts getting the services they need.
No so the DNQ kids. DNQ means a child is learning at the best of their capability, they just aren’t capable of learning very much or learning it quickly. An IQ of 70 or below indicates mental retardation (or mentally challenged in today’s PC parlance), an IQ of 71 means that learning is long and difficult process.
Yet, this child with the 71 IQ is expected to pass the very same test that a child with an IQ of 100 or 110 or 120 is expected to take. And this DNQ child is expected to get the same score, or at least produce a 90% passing rate.
It’s not fair to the child who must spend every hour of school in special tutoring try to grasp what comes to easily to his or her classmates. It isn’t fair to the parents who are pulled in for conference after conference and given dire warnings about what will happen to their child should he not pass. And it’s not fair to the teachers who will be held accountable.
Every politician should be required to prove mastery of the concept of the Bell Curve before being allowed to file election papers.
The TAKS test lurks around the corner so testing is going on at warp speed in the hopes of diagnosing learning disabilities. I’m not a special education teacher so I don’t know the official definition but basically it’s assigned to children who have a gap between their IQ and their school performance.
The child can have dyslexia, a processing problem, ADD, ADAH, emotional problems, poor hearing, autism – any of the alphabet soup of learning disorders.
Once diagnosed they qualify for special education, Resource, and modifications.
They can have the test read to them, take it a small group situation, take a special TAKS type test or take one for a lower grade level. These kids are expected to pass A Test but it isn’t necessarily THE TEST.
It’s devastating for many parents when their child is diagnosed and many refuse to accept it and insist, at least for a time that their child is “fine”. Some on the other hand are delighted since there are government subsidies for some of these kids – known on the street as “The Crazy Money”.
However, they feel, sooner or later the parents usually come round the child starts getting the services they need.
No so the DNQ kids. DNQ means a child is learning at the best of their capability, they just aren’t capable of learning very much or learning it quickly. An IQ of 70 or below indicates mental retardation (or mentally challenged in today’s PC parlance), an IQ of 71 means that learning is long and difficult process.
Yet, this child with the 71 IQ is expected to pass the very same test that a child with an IQ of 100 or 110 or 120 is expected to take. And this DNQ child is expected to get the same score, or at least produce a 90% passing rate.
It’s not fair to the child who must spend every hour of school in special tutoring try to grasp what comes to easily to his or her classmates. It isn’t fair to the parents who are pulled in for conference after conference and given dire warnings about what will happen to their child should he not pass. And it’s not fair to the teachers who will be held accountable.
Every politician should be required to prove mastery of the concept of the Bell Curve before being allowed to file election papers.
Monday, January 22, 2007
House O' Cookbooks
The ad on Booksalefinder.com was enough to make any bookseller salivate:
50,000 COOKBOOKS!!!
Collection from a gourmet chef east of Houston Texas who filled her home with approximately 50,000 cookbooks
Dali Cookbook
Some 1800's
Many early 1900's including church and Jr. League
Later 1920's to present Jr. League, church, hospital etc.
Lady traveled - All regions of the country are well represented.
Pepin, Child, Claiborne, Beard, Rombauer
Many country cookbooks
Sets!
Something for everyone
Priced just like a Friends of the Library sale
I called made an appointment and headed toward east toward Baytown – home of the refineries and oil processing plants. I pulled up to a very ordinary brick 3 bedroom tract house, built in the 1960s with small rooms and low ceilings. House consisted of a living room, with dining room off the living room, which opened into the kitchen, family room across the back and 3 small bedrooms. The house was almost devoid of furniture – a shabby couch, an enormous big screen TV, dining room table and chairs and an off limits bedroom. And of course bookshelves.
There were a lot of books. A whole lot of books. A whole, whole, whole lot of books. There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to describe how many books there were.
The collection was a combination of a labor of love and an out of control case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder crossed with Hoarders Disease gone wild. Many, many, many reaching to the ceiling bookcases most of which were the grey metal steel shelving variety used in garages . The carpet was gone and the shelves stood on the bare slab - which had cracked under the weight of the books. They lined the walls and made paths through in the middle of the rooms - the aisles were barely wide enough for one person. The rooms looked like mouse mazes (complete with mouse droppings). The books were double and triple stacked. It was an archaeological excavation of books.
After an hour or two, I wasn’t to sure about the “Gourmet Cook” tag. The owner loved Southern Living, Betters Homes and Gardens, Cookbook book clubs and Readers Digest. Every cookbook published by those folks was there. In triplicate. Or quadruplicate. Or quintuplicate. Or who knows how many triplicate. I stumbled across 5 copies of 1 book - in 5 different places. Many of the books were still in their shrink wrap and had never been opened. There were books, phamplets, card sets, community cookbooks, here a cookbook, there a cookbook, everywhere a cookbook.
There is no way to look for books in a systematic manner. I decided if I was meant to find it I was meant to find it and just sort of wandered around pulling off titles that looked promising.
The gentleman running the sale said the owner was “encouraged” to move to an assisted living facility. I told him I'd like to come back in a couple of weeks when the first layer was gone so that I could have a look at the second layer. And that still leaves the third layer!
Oddly, the kitchen was rather small and the appliances were outdated. There were none of the accessories of a serious cook – no knife sets, no Kitchen Aide Mixer, no Pasta Maker. I think the lady was so busy collecting that she never had time to cook!
50,000 COOKBOOKS!!!
Collection from a gourmet chef east of Houston Texas who filled her home with approximately 50,000 cookbooks
Dali Cookbook
Some 1800's
Many early 1900's including church and Jr. League
Later 1920's to present Jr. League, church, hospital etc.
Lady traveled - All regions of the country are well represented.
Pepin, Child, Claiborne, Beard, Rombauer
Many country cookbooks
Sets!
Something for everyone
Priced just like a Friends of the Library sale
I called made an appointment and headed toward east toward Baytown – home of the refineries and oil processing plants. I pulled up to a very ordinary brick 3 bedroom tract house, built in the 1960s with small rooms and low ceilings. House consisted of a living room, with dining room off the living room, which opened into the kitchen, family room across the back and 3 small bedrooms. The house was almost devoid of furniture – a shabby couch, an enormous big screen TV, dining room table and chairs and an off limits bedroom. And of course bookshelves.There were a lot of books. A whole lot of books. A whole, whole, whole lot of books. There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to describe how many books there were.
The collection was a combination of a labor of love and an out of control case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder crossed with Hoarders Disease gone wild. Many, many, many reaching to the ceiling bookcases most of which were the grey metal steel shelving variety used in garages . The carpet was gone and the shelves stood on the bare slab - which had cracked under the weight of the books. They lined the walls and made paths through in the middle of the rooms - the aisles were barely wide enough for one person. The rooms looked like mouse mazes (complete with mouse droppings). The books were double and triple stacked. It was an archaeological excavation of books.
After an hour or two, I wasn’t to sure about the “Gourmet Cook” tag. The owner loved Southern Living, Betters Homes and Gardens, Cookbook book clubs and Readers Digest. Every cookbook published by those folks was there. In triplicate. Or quadruplicate. Or quintuplicate. Or who knows how many triplicate. I stumbled across 5 copies of 1 book - in 5 different places. Many of the books were still in their shrink wrap and had never been opened. There were books, phamplets, card sets, community cookbooks, here a cookbook, there a cookbook, everywhere a cookbook.
There is no way to look for books in a systematic manner. I decided if I was meant to find it I was meant to find it and just sort of wandered around pulling off titles that looked promising.
The gentleman running the sale said the owner was “encouraged” to move to an assisted living facility. I told him I'd like to come back in a couple of weeks when the first layer was gone so that I could have a look at the second layer. And that still leaves the third layer!
Oddly, the kitchen was rather small and the appliances were outdated. There were none of the accessories of a serious cook – no knife sets, no Kitchen Aide Mixer, no Pasta Maker. I think the lady was so busy collecting that she never had time to cook!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
13 Ways to While Away an Ice Day
Schools across the Houston area never opened up on Wednesday due to freakish ice storm. This only happens once per decade so I figure I need to take advantage of the opportunity. Who knows what form blogging will take by the time the next ice storm rolls around.
1. Go back to bed!
2. Read the paper while leisurely sipping a cup of coffee – as opposed to spilled coffee on
my white shirt as I navigate morning traffic. I am such a klutz.
3. in a Black & White Film Festival. The Heiress (the Olivia DeHaviland version),
All About Eve (after all, Houston had a bumpy night), The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
(Vivian Leigh).
4. Munch away on Pad Thai for lunch at my favorite Tai place. Getting there required no
slipping & sliding up the overpasses. Better yet, it’s a weekday so I could take advantage
of the lunch special prices.
5. Finally finish folding the laundry. I hate, detest and loathe folding sheets.
6. Snuggle with the kitties and a good book (still reading The Boleyn Legacy)
7. Write E-bay book descriptions for the box of books that’s been sitting on the pool table
for entirely to long. How fortuitous of E-bay to schedule a 20cents listing day tomorrow.
8. Pack up every book that needs mailing. Murphy’s Law being what it is, no sooner do
I finish packing than I get another order. It’s money in the account so who’s complaining?
9. Light a fire in the fireplace. Watch the cats watch the fire.
10. Sip a large cup of hot chocolate – the real kind, made with milk and topped with a dollop
of whipped cream.
11. File books away in their proper boxes in the hopes that I can find them when they sell.
12. Delete the deadwood from E-Bay inventory. Freecycle it and make
1. Go back to bed!
2. Read the paper while leisurely sipping a cup of coffee – as opposed to spilled coffee on
my white shirt as I navigate morning traffic. I am such a klutz.
3. in a Black & White Film Festival. The Heiress (the Olivia DeHaviland version),
All About Eve (after all, Houston had a bumpy night), The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone
(Vivian Leigh).
4. Munch away on Pad Thai for lunch at my favorite Tai place. Getting there required no
slipping & sliding up the overpasses. Better yet, it’s a weekday so I could take advantage
of the lunch special prices.
5. Finally finish folding the laundry. I hate, detest and loathe folding sheets.
6. Snuggle with the kitties and a good book (still reading The Boleyn Legacy)
7. Write E-bay book descriptions for the box of books that’s been sitting on the pool table
for entirely to long. How fortuitous of E-bay to schedule a 20cents listing day tomorrow.
8. Pack up every book that needs mailing. Murphy’s Law being what it is, no sooner do
I finish packing than I get another order. It’s money in the account so who’s complaining?
9. Light a fire in the fireplace. Watch the cats watch the fire.
10. Sip a large cup of hot chocolate – the real kind, made with milk and topped with a dollop
of whipped cream.
11. File books away in their proper boxes in the hopes that I can find them when they sell.
12. Delete the deadwood from E-Bay inventory. Freecycle it and make
a couple of other people very happy.
13. Hope for another icy night!
13. Hope for another icy night!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Snapshot - Visual
Here's the Visual Snapshot. From left to right, My Beloved, Me, Christine (the older, by 1 minute twin) Katherine's SO and Katherine (the younger by 1 minute twin).
Snapshot
The Besty Tacy list occasionally goes through a round of "snapshots" aka "what I'm doing right now". They provide delightful peeks into some one's life and they are fun to read and to write.
What I'm Doing
Watching Chicago & Seattle. Well, sorta watching, My Beloved is a sports fanatic. Writing my blog. Not writing my article for Bookthink. Not doing book descriptions. Watching one of my E-bay auctions that ends this evening. 12 books of Japanese Animee that are sitting at $87 right now.
What I'm Reading
The Boleyn Inheritance, the latest Phillipa Gregory historical novel. It was a Christmas present to me from me. I gave my mother a copy as a Christmas present too. At 85 she's tricky to buy for - she either had it and got rid of it, still has it or doesn't want it. However she adores Phillipa Gregory who has kindly produced a next book in both December 2005 and 2006. However she's run out of Boylens (she's killed them all) so I hope she develops an interest in another royal line.
Addictions
Cape Cod White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn (trying to give that up too), which goes perfectly with Coke. Garage sales and thrift stores. My new coupon organizer (I'm easily amused)
What I'm Wearing
Baggy grey knit shorts and an oversize t-shirt and soft slippers. What Lana is wearing: Leggings, socks, long sleeve shirt, fleece jacket and 2 blankets. Guess which one of us is having hot flashes?
Dinner
Take Out from The Black Eyed Pea. Love their new Light Side Menu.
What I should be doing
Packing books. The worst part (IMHO) of selling on E-bay & Amazon. Or working on my Bookthink article.
What I want to be doing
Sleeping. Book scouting. Reading. Eating Pizza & Coke. Or Sushi. Walking on the Beach. Packing to go to Europe.
The High Point of Today?
That the L Word has started a new season. And that I don't have to get in the car and go anywhere today. And tomorrow is MLK Day and I have the day off!
What I'm Doing
Watching Chicago & Seattle. Well, sorta watching, My Beloved is a sports fanatic. Writing my blog. Not writing my article for Bookthink. Not doing book descriptions. Watching one of my E-bay auctions that ends this evening. 12 books of Japanese Animee that are sitting at $87 right now.
What I'm Reading
The Boleyn Inheritance, the latest Phillipa Gregory historical novel. It was a Christmas present to me from me. I gave my mother a copy as a Christmas present too. At 85 she's tricky to buy for - she either had it and got rid of it, still has it or doesn't want it. However she adores Phillipa Gregory who has kindly produced a next book in both December 2005 and 2006. However she's run out of Boylens (she's killed them all) so I hope she develops an interest in another royal line.
Addictions
Cape Cod White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn (trying to give that up too), which goes perfectly with Coke. Garage sales and thrift stores. My new coupon organizer (I'm easily amused)
What I'm Wearing
Baggy grey knit shorts and an oversize t-shirt and soft slippers. What Lana is wearing: Leggings, socks, long sleeve shirt, fleece jacket and 2 blankets. Guess which one of us is having hot flashes?
Dinner
Take Out from The Black Eyed Pea. Love their new Light Side Menu.
What I should be doing
Packing books. The worst part (IMHO) of selling on E-bay & Amazon. Or working on my Bookthink article.
What I want to be doing
Sleeping. Book scouting. Reading. Eating Pizza & Coke. Or Sushi. Walking on the Beach. Packing to go to Europe.
The High Point of Today?
That the L Word has started a new season. And that I don't have to get in the car and go anywhere today. And tomorrow is MLK Day and I have the day off!
Where'd The Time Go?
Aargh! I pulled up my dusty and neglected blog and discovered that I haven’t posted once in 2007. I haven’t even read anyone else’s blog. What happened?
School started up again & I went back to work. Once again book scouting, E-bay, Amazon, book packing and blogging are stuffed into the hours available between 4pm & 10pm. Oh yes, have to squeeze in grocery shopping, errand running, house tending laundry and kitty care into that time slot too.
I love my job but I’d still really like to retire so I can get off the treadmill.
My Beloved has lost weight and I sold some of her clothes on E-bay. They sold well, but I’d so much rather sell books than clothes. Books mail at one flat rate rather than priority, which the post office in its infinite wisdom varies by zip code.
Trip to College Station to meet up with my friend Maggie. Lou came along too and we trolled the thrift shops and helped Maggie dispose of her excess books at Half Price Books. And of course talked books, books, books. A good time was had by all.
Another Saturday adventure of garage & estate sailing. Nothing special turned up. I keep looking for another estate sale that will measure up to The BookMan sale but fear it is to be a once in a lifetime experience. However, I the complete optimist keep hoping.
New Year’s Resolution – try to achieve a little balance here! And why does Judy Collin's song 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes" keep playing in my head?
School started up again & I went back to work. Once again book scouting, E-bay, Amazon, book packing and blogging are stuffed into the hours available between 4pm & 10pm. Oh yes, have to squeeze in grocery shopping, errand running, house tending laundry and kitty care into that time slot too.
I love my job but I’d still really like to retire so I can get off the treadmill.
My Beloved has lost weight and I sold some of her clothes on E-bay. They sold well, but I’d so much rather sell books than clothes. Books mail at one flat rate rather than priority, which the post office in its infinite wisdom varies by zip code.
Trip to College Station to meet up with my friend Maggie. Lou came along too and we trolled the thrift shops and helped Maggie dispose of her excess books at Half Price Books. And of course talked books, books, books. A good time was had by all.
Another Saturday adventure of garage & estate sailing. Nothing special turned up. I keep looking for another estate sale that will measure up to The BookMan sale but fear it is to be a once in a lifetime experience. However, I the complete optimist keep hoping.
New Year’s Resolution – try to achieve a little balance here! And why does Judy Collin's song 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes" keep playing in my head?
Thursday, December 28, 2006
13 Depressing Sights or Places to Be on Dec. 25 & 26
1. The Laundromat. At 8am , enroute to feed my friends cats I passed a Laundromat. Not only was it open but inside sat a lone man – doing his laundry.
2. A stack of unsold Christmas Trees. The Houston Garden Center near
our house appears to be the resting place for the surplus trees. The weather was damp and the sky was gray and that added to general gloom of the sight.
3. The cars in front of the X-rated video store. It too was open and while the parking lot was not SRO there were definitely customers inside. Of all the places to spend Christmas Day, a “Private Viewing Booth” is truly last on my list – right above “a prison cell”. Not that I’ve ever (knock wood) seen the inside of either them.
4. Christmas cards that arrive on Dec. 26th. They always look forlorn.
5. Wrapped Christmas gifts under the tree. On Dec. 24th they appear mysterious and festive. On Dec. 26th they appear tired and shabby.
6. Store shelves after the “Dec. 26th” holiday bargain folks have picked them clean. I’ve always wondered what happens to all the unsold decorations. Could someone enlighten me?
7. Stacks of leftover Christmas goodies in the grocery store. Who could possibly want a about to be stale sugar cookie bell sprinkled with red sugar?
8. A lone Christmas TV Ad that slips by and is still running on the 26th. I’m so over those ads anyway and ones that aren’t pulled on the 25th are not only tiresome, they are ludicrous
9. Bus terminals. Depressing under the best of circumstances. On Dec. 25th I would assume that they are soul stupefying.
10. Movie theaters. In Houston they tend to do a good business – mostly because I think folks need a break from to much “Christmas Cheer” and “Christmas Togetherness”. Movies are something a family can do together but it does not require conversation or any sort of interaction.
11. Pro sports events. I don’t feel any sorry for the athletes, they are paid such obscene amounts of money, nor sorry for the announcers who also earn a hefty salary. However, I don’t think the camera men and other behind the scenes folks make enough mega bucks to take the sting out of being away from their family.
12. Obligatory news stories of the “Troops at the Front Lines”. Those boys and girls belong home, celebrating the holiday with their parents or their wives and children. Especially the latter – so many of them are the parents of little ones. It’s the little ones that make Christmas a magical time.
13. Martha Stewart Magazine. No matter how hard we all try, Christmas never quite measure up to the yardstick held so firmly in her hand!
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Thumbs and Pointers
For Christmas this year, we not only have our two daughters we also have the boyfriend of one and for a couple of days the BFF (a charming gay man we’ve known since he came out) of the other. Two lesbians, 1 queen, 2 breeders living in sin and unattached eldest twin – gender bending hits a new level.
At a recent library meeting, we had a presentation on “thumbs” and “pointers”. Those of us who are digital immigrants use our pointer fingers to operate all these new
gizmos and gadgets, those of us who are digital natives use their thumbs. 4 of the current members of the household are natives and 2 are immigrants (there are also 5 cats but they appear to be indifferent to the controversy).
The 6 people are accompanied by 6 cell phones (each with a different ring tone), 5 laptops and 5 iPods. When several cell phones ring at once, the colophony of sound is overwhelming.
Every morning the “thumbs” drift downstairs, grab a coke from the fridge and fire up their laptops to check e-mail and pursue the daily news and weather. Need a phone number? Don’t need the yellow pages – Yahoo has the information. What time does the movie start? Don’t need the paper, don’t need to call the theater, just check on line. Plane delayed? Ask Southwest to send a text message so that airport times can be calculated. Where’s the museum? Don’t need a paper map - Mapquest suffices nicely. Anything good on television? Hope on over to Directtv.com and check the listings.
This morning I looked up and all six of us were sitting around with our laptops checking our various e-mails, blogs, Hollywood gossip sites and news sources.
The Houston Chronicle , our daily paper newspaper? It lay unread and ignored on the dining room table. Times they are a’changing.
At a recent library meeting, we had a presentation on “thumbs” and “pointers”. Those of us who are digital immigrants use our pointer fingers to operate all these new
gizmos and gadgets, those of us who are digital natives use their thumbs. 4 of the current members of the household are natives and 2 are immigrants (there are also 5 cats but they appear to be indifferent to the controversy).
The 6 people are accompanied by 6 cell phones (each with a different ring tone), 5 laptops and 5 iPods. When several cell phones ring at once, the colophony of sound is overwhelming.
Every morning the “thumbs” drift downstairs, grab a coke from the fridge and fire up their laptops to check e-mail and pursue the daily news and weather. Need a phone number? Don’t need the yellow pages – Yahoo has the information. What time does the movie start? Don’t need the paper, don’t need to call the theater, just check on line. Plane delayed? Ask Southwest to send a text message so that airport times can be calculated. Where’s the museum? Don’t need a paper map - Mapquest suffices nicely. Anything good on television? Hope on over to Directtv.com and check the listings.
This morning I looked up and all six of us were sitting around with our laptops checking our various e-mails, blogs, Hollywood gossip sites and news sources.
The Houston Chronicle , our daily paper newspaper? It lay unread and ignored on the dining room table. Times they are a’changing.
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