Ready for flight
Lift off!
Far horizons
Frosting
Look closely! (click to enlarge)
Nice digs
Patterns
Yes, we were that close
Is that you, God?
Back on the ground
Mojo Brew bio
6 months ago
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Foto dall'elicottero
At long last, photos from our helicopter tour of the Dolomites.
Ready for flight
Lift off!
Far horizons
Frosting
Look closely! (click to enlarge)
Nice digs
Patterns
Yes, we were that close
Is that you, God?
Back on the ground
Ready for flight
Lift off!
Far horizons
Frosting
Look closely! (click to enlarge)
Nice digs
Patterns
Yes, we were that close
Is that you, God?
Back on the ground
A new interest I can get hugely behind
MJ made cupcakes today. From scratch. With from-scratch frosting and coconut.
May I just say:
Oh My God!!!!!!!!!!
They are so delicious.
See photos on MJ's 365
May I just say:
Oh My God!!!!!!!!!!
They are so delicious.
See photos on MJ's 365
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Here we go again
Evidently I am addicted to comments. Even though it is after 2 a.m., 1 a.m., midnight, or 11 p.m. where most of my readers are, I am sitting here refreshing my blog like a desperate fool, hoping someone will comment on my TT. Whether you enable my "habit" or not is up to you.
In other news, I had a long and busy day at work today. I started the day visiting a perfectly lovely little gift shop in Mill Creek. They run our software and they like it, so they let us come and observe sometimes. Actually, I got to do more than observe. I probably can't put it on a resume, but I now have some experience ringing up sales and receiving inventory.
I also got some more experience as a customer and can now claim membership in that detestable group of people who start their Christmas shopping in October.
Nine hours later, I finished up my work day with an urgent request from my boss to write a too public e-mail about something I know very little about, with almost nobody left in the office to supply information. Not as fun as the morning.
In the middle there somewhere, I took a break from work to give myself a headstart on a modified NaNoWriMo attempt. (I'm going to write a little every day between now and November 30, but 5 minutes counts as much as 5 hours does.) Thanks to some writing prompts from Chloe, my story centers around one Din Simon who is looking for a key. He must do this while dealing with a cobra who has taken up residence in his bedroom, a persistent and perturbed jeweler who is making a second career out of turning up in Din's life at inconvenient moments, and the demands of his two ex-wives (who just happen to be twin sisters) and their lawyers.
As of now, I don't know what the key is for, where it went, or how any of the above came to pass.
Stay tuned...
In other news, I had a long and busy day at work today. I started the day visiting a perfectly lovely little gift shop in Mill Creek. They run our software and they like it, so they let us come and observe sometimes. Actually, I got to do more than observe. I probably can't put it on a resume, but I now have some experience ringing up sales and receiving inventory.
I also got some more experience as a customer and can now claim membership in that detestable group of people who start their Christmas shopping in October.
Nine hours later, I finished up my work day with an urgent request from my boss to write a too public e-mail about something I know very little about, with almost nobody left in the office to supply information. Not as fun as the morning.
In the middle there somewhere, I took a break from work to give myself a headstart on a modified NaNoWriMo attempt. (I'm going to write a little every day between now and November 30, but 5 minutes counts as much as 5 hours does.) Thanks to some writing prompts from Chloe, my story centers around one Din Simon who is looking for a key. He must do this while dealing with a cobra who has taken up residence in his bedroom, a persistent and perturbed jeweler who is making a second career out of turning up in Din's life at inconvenient moments, and the demands of his two ex-wives (who just happen to be twin sisters) and their lawyers.
As of now, I don't know what the key is for, where it went, or how any of the above came to pass.
Stay tuned...
Thursday 13
 It's the Little Differences |
| Italia 1. This is a "Narrow Road" sign:  2. And this is a narrow road:  3. These are parking spaces:   4. Bathrooms are tiled floor to ceiling and bidets are standard equipment. 5. The drive-through at McDonald's is called the McDrive. I kid you not. 6. This is a high place for tourists to visit:  7. Graffiti is everywhere (and some of it is damned cool):  8. The doors are unique:  Ireland 9. The fish in Fish and Chips has skin. And sometimes tails. 10. This is a high place for tourists to visit:  11. Emos are gas stations (and they are frequented by tractors):  12. Sheep are everywhere (and some of them are damned cute, even if they do urinate while we're taking their picture):  13. The doors are unique:  Happy Thursday! |
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Happy Birthday
Happy 37th Birthday to the Nature Conservancy!Here's to the next 37 and to still having wild places to protect in 2045.
Donate now
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Waterford
The coolest part of our tour of the Waterford crystal factory: watching a couple of guys drip a handle onto a pitcher.
At the end of the tour, we watched a demonstration by one of their master cutters. He was a personable man in his 50s or 60s who showed us his stuff, chatted us up, and then asked if we had any questions. A woman asked if he gets a backache from standing at the cutting machine all day.
"I don't, no," he replied smoothly. "But I had a devil of a headache until about 10 this morning. That came from leaning up against the bar in the pub last night."
At the end of the tour, we watched a demonstration by one of their master cutters. He was a personable man in his 50s or 60s who showed us his stuff, chatted us up, and then asked if we had any questions. A woman asked if he gets a backache from standing at the cutting machine all day.
"I don't, no," he replied smoothly. "But I had a devil of a headache until about 10 this morning. That came from leaning up against the bar in the pub last night."
QE2
One fine day in Ireland, we drove down to County Cork to the town of Cobh (pronounced "cove"). Our purpose in going was to see the town that rescued the Lusitania survivors and waved good-bye to the Titanic. But we were in for a wonderful surprise! The Queen Elizabeth 2 came into port while we were there, and the entire population of tourists and residents came out to greet her. We all stood at the waterfront railings waving like fools and being waved at by the equally excited fools at the railings on deck.
"It's just a cruise ship!" MJ sneered.
Kids!
For me, it was eerie and inspiring. The QE2 is of the Cunard line, so there we were in a town which is effectively a cemetery and memorial for many of those who died on one of Cunard's most famous ships, watching abig giant humongous ship sail in that had "CUNARD" proudly painted on its side. It felt like we were jinxing the ship somehow, but as far as I know, she hasn't sunk between then and now.
I'll resist my newborn impulse to take a cruise and try to keep it that way. (Can't you just see the headlines? "Queen Elizabeth 2 sinks in hurricane Veronica")
"It's just a cruise ship!" MJ sneered.
Kids!
For me, it was eerie and inspiring. The QE2 is of the Cunard line, so there we were in a town which is effectively a cemetery and memorial for many of those who died on one of Cunard's most famous ships, watching a
I'll resist my newborn impulse to take a cruise and try to keep it that way. (Can't you just see the headlines? "Queen Elizabeth 2 sinks in hurricane Veronica")
In the meantime
MJ has posted some Europe photos on her 365 blog. Here are some blurbs to accompany them.
Ireland (Tip: right-click these links and then click Open in New Window)
Poulnabrone Dolmen, the Burren, County Clare - This is a grave in the Burren that predates the pyramids at Giza. It was pouring rain the day we explored the Burren, with a rather crisp wind tugging at our jackets and freezing our noses. For me, none of this detracted from the beauty of the place. It is rugged, dramatic, simultaneously lush and barren.
The Burren, County Clare - The crevices between these stepping stones go down at least a couple of feet. There's a whole world down there: grasses, ivy, flowers, spider webs, etc. Fascinating. Evidently this vegetation would overrun the stones if not for the steady cropping of the cattle in the area.
The beach at Dooega, Achill Island, County Mayo (3 photos) - The McManamans, half of Frank's half-Irish heritage, hail from this village on Achill (pronounced "ackle") Island. They were hardy stock, I think. It is a spectacularly beautiful place, with lush grazing lands, barren hills, towering cliffs, lovely beaches, and sweeping views of a few dotted islands in the huge Atlantic. But the settlements there reminded us so much of limpets, clinging to the island rather than really being settled on it.
There are sheep everywhere. In the fields, alongside the road, in the road, in the abandoned cabins. At one point, I got out of the car to run over the edge of a (seeming) cliff and down the hidden green slope beyond into definite sheep territory. They were unconcerned with my presence.
The roads on Achill are lined with the de rigeur hedges, but here the hedges are almost entirely made up of 8-foot tall fuscia bushes, which were all in bloom. Gorgeous!
Graveyard, Ardmore, County Waterford (2 photos) - One of many stunning grave markers. The second photo is the road outside the graveyard, with the gate we used to enter the grounds on the left.
Our Irish cows, Whitechurch, County Wexford - This is the field that we could see from the windows of our cottage. It was so quiet there, and so very dark at night. It provided just the peace and quiet we needed after our busy second week in Italia.
The cottage was kind of neat, kind of funky. It's an old converted granary, and our hosts, Patricia and Roger, and their family lived there first, so it was a project house, with a lot of the renovations done piecemeal. The attic room, where MJ slept, has two twin beds tucked under the sloped roof and a tiny little en suite bath. Our room was on the "first" floor (second floor to my fellow Americans), with a TV/sitting area, the big window where we could watch the cows and the sunset, and our mock-canopy bed. Everything else—entry, kitchen and family room, Chloe's tiny little single bedroom, and the main bath—is on the ground floor. The cottage has a separate driveway and parking lot, so we had nice separation from the main house and the other cottages; we didn't see other people unless we wanted to. You can see photos here and here.
One day, I took a walk down the road a ways. I took a random turn from narrow road to really narrow road, crested a hill, and encounted a cow. Somewhat concerned because all the other cows were behind fences, I wandered back to a nearby farm where the farmer was working on a piece of machinery that this city girl is helpless to identify. His dog saw me coming first, went gaga at the prospect of a visitor, and didn't even seem to mind that I couldn't pet him; he led me on down the road with great enthusiasm. "Excuse me," I said hesitantly to the farmer. "There's a cow loose on the road over there. Is that usual around here?" He smiled a little. "It's pretty usual," he said. "Sixteen of 'em went by a little bit ago." He did a quick headcount in his own field, just to be sure, but explained that one of his neighbors is not very careful about closing gates.
The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare - It's pronounced ma-her, in case you were wondering, not "more". Now you know.
The Burren again
Hook Head, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford (2 photos) - This was one of my favorite spots. There were gale force winds blowing, so we got tossed around in an exhilarating fashion as soon as we stepped out of the car. In fact, I found one place where the wind was sort of scooped by the terrain so it would hold me up when I leaned into it. Loved it!
I don't know why the second photo looks so calm. Don't let it fool you.
Tintern Abbey, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford - And cow.
Graveyard and St. Declan's Tower, Ardmore, County Waterford - Ardmore was on my must-see list because it is featured in one of Nora Roberts' Irish trilogies. This graveyard did not disappoint. Lovely, historic, mystical, chilly despite the sun. We expected to see Carrick, Prince of Faeries, appear at any moment. And it's on a hill with territorial views of the village, bay, and cliffs.
The headstones there are fascinating. Many of them include the name of the house where the deceased lived. One of the most ornate was a four-sided monument that had the man's name on one side and his two wives' (both of whom he survived) names each on another side. And we saw one stone for an IRA soldier who died in the troubles, circa 1921.
The adjacent church (not pictured) is roofless now but still interesting from an architectural perspective. For instance, there are some fascinating Romanesque carvings on one side: http://www.inmagine.com/dp034/dp1824984-photo But perhaps the most interesting thing is that the locals have begun burying their dead inside the church. Some of the graves are marked with huge horizontal slabs, including a couple that are placed in the center aisle to unfortunately resemble big lengths of sidewalk.
On the way to Ardmore, we toured through Dungarvan. This was on Chloe's must-see list. It is mentioned in the trilogy in a bit of fanciful local color ("the pub roof blew clear to Dungarvan"), and it caught her imagination. We actually found Dungarvan prettier in an overall sense than Ardmore. I could easily spend our next Irish trip "stationed" there.
Italia
Torbole, Lago di Garda - Shopping day!
The lakeside garden of that building I can't identify, Malcesine, Lago di Garda - Chloe
The lakehouse and views therefrom, Lago di Garda (4 photos) - Chloe again, the church, just one of many sailboats, the tiled roofs below us
Trento
Near their apartment - Chiara walking Cora
Downtown (2 photos) - Typically beautiful scenery
ItalFly hangar, Trento airport (2 photos) - Our helicopter waits. Just one of the many planes Frank lusted over inside.
A view from the helicopter - I have many more of these. It was so gorgeous up there!
The Roma and Venezia ones seem pretty self-explanatory.
Ireland (Tip: right-click these links and then click Open in New Window)
Poulnabrone Dolmen, the Burren, County Clare - This is a grave in the Burren that predates the pyramids at Giza. It was pouring rain the day we explored the Burren, with a rather crisp wind tugging at our jackets and freezing our noses. For me, none of this detracted from the beauty of the place. It is rugged, dramatic, simultaneously lush and barren.
The Burren, County Clare - The crevices between these stepping stones go down at least a couple of feet. There's a whole world down there: grasses, ivy, flowers, spider webs, etc. Fascinating. Evidently this vegetation would overrun the stones if not for the steady cropping of the cattle in the area.
The beach at Dooega, Achill Island, County Mayo (3 photos) - The McManamans, half of Frank's half-Irish heritage, hail from this village on Achill (pronounced "ackle") Island. They were hardy stock, I think. It is a spectacularly beautiful place, with lush grazing lands, barren hills, towering cliffs, lovely beaches, and sweeping views of a few dotted islands in the huge Atlantic. But the settlements there reminded us so much of limpets, clinging to the island rather than really being settled on it.
There are sheep everywhere. In the fields, alongside the road, in the road, in the abandoned cabins. At one point, I got out of the car to run over the edge of a (seeming) cliff and down the hidden green slope beyond into definite sheep territory. They were unconcerned with my presence.
The roads on Achill are lined with the de rigeur hedges, but here the hedges are almost entirely made up of 8-foot tall fuscia bushes, which were all in bloom. Gorgeous!
Graveyard, Ardmore, County Waterford (2 photos) - One of many stunning grave markers. The second photo is the road outside the graveyard, with the gate we used to enter the grounds on the left.
Our Irish cows, Whitechurch, County Wexford - This is the field that we could see from the windows of our cottage. It was so quiet there, and so very dark at night. It provided just the peace and quiet we needed after our busy second week in Italia.
The cottage was kind of neat, kind of funky. It's an old converted granary, and our hosts, Patricia and Roger, and their family lived there first, so it was a project house, with a lot of the renovations done piecemeal. The attic room, where MJ slept, has two twin beds tucked under the sloped roof and a tiny little en suite bath. Our room was on the "first" floor (second floor to my fellow Americans), with a TV/sitting area, the big window where we could watch the cows and the sunset, and our mock-canopy bed. Everything else—entry, kitchen and family room, Chloe's tiny little single bedroom, and the main bath—is on the ground floor. The cottage has a separate driveway and parking lot, so we had nice separation from the main house and the other cottages; we didn't see other people unless we wanted to. You can see photos here and here.
One day, I took a walk down the road a ways. I took a random turn from narrow road to really narrow road, crested a hill, and encounted a cow. Somewhat concerned because all the other cows were behind fences, I wandered back to a nearby farm where the farmer was working on a piece of machinery that this city girl is helpless to identify. His dog saw me coming first, went gaga at the prospect of a visitor, and didn't even seem to mind that I couldn't pet him; he led me on down the road with great enthusiasm. "Excuse me," I said hesitantly to the farmer. "There's a cow loose on the road over there. Is that usual around here?" He smiled a little. "It's pretty usual," he said. "Sixteen of 'em went by a little bit ago." He did a quick headcount in his own field, just to be sure, but explained that one of his neighbors is not very careful about closing gates.
The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare - It's pronounced ma-her, in case you were wondering, not "more". Now you know.
The Burren again
Hook Head, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford (2 photos) - This was one of my favorite spots. There were gale force winds blowing, so we got tossed around in an exhilarating fashion as soon as we stepped out of the car. In fact, I found one place where the wind was sort of scooped by the terrain so it would hold me up when I leaned into it. Loved it!
I don't know why the second photo looks so calm. Don't let it fool you.
Tintern Abbey, Hook Peninsula, County Wexford - And cow.
Graveyard and St. Declan's Tower, Ardmore, County Waterford - Ardmore was on my must-see list because it is featured in one of Nora Roberts' Irish trilogies. This graveyard did not disappoint. Lovely, historic, mystical, chilly despite the sun. We expected to see Carrick, Prince of Faeries, appear at any moment. And it's on a hill with territorial views of the village, bay, and cliffs.
The headstones there are fascinating. Many of them include the name of the house where the deceased lived. One of the most ornate was a four-sided monument that had the man's name on one side and his two wives' (both of whom he survived) names each on another side. And we saw one stone for an IRA soldier who died in the troubles, circa 1921.
The adjacent church (not pictured) is roofless now but still interesting from an architectural perspective. For instance, there are some fascinating Romanesque carvings on one side: http://www.inmagine.com/dp034/dp1824984-photo But perhaps the most interesting thing is that the locals have begun burying their dead inside the church. Some of the graves are marked with huge horizontal slabs, including a couple that are placed in the center aisle to unfortunately resemble big lengths of sidewalk.
On the way to Ardmore, we toured through Dungarvan. This was on Chloe's must-see list. It is mentioned in the trilogy in a bit of fanciful local color ("the pub roof blew clear to Dungarvan"), and it caught her imagination. We actually found Dungarvan prettier in an overall sense than Ardmore. I could easily spend our next Irish trip "stationed" there.
Italia
Torbole, Lago di Garda - Shopping day!
The lakeside garden of that building I can't identify, Malcesine, Lago di Garda - Chloe
The lakehouse and views therefrom, Lago di Garda (4 photos) - Chloe again, the church, just one of many sailboats, the tiled roofs below us
Trento
Near their apartment - Chiara walking Cora
Downtown (2 photos) - Typically beautiful scenery
ItalFly hangar, Trento airport (2 photos) - Our helicopter waits. Just one of the many planes Frank lusted over inside.
A view from the helicopter - I have many more of these. It was so gorgeous up there!
The Roma and Venezia ones seem pretty self-explanatory.
Alternate ending
I've been thinking about that photo tag today and realized that there is an alternate ending available.
This is the 6th photo in the 6th folder if I count the subfolders in the tree:
It is Chiara in Venezia when she went there with friends for Carnivale, February 2005.
This is the 6th photo in the 6th folder if I count the subfolders in the tree:
It is Chiara in Venezia when she went there with friends for Carnivale, February 2005.
6th Photo Tag
Randi (who is my step-first cousin once removed) tagged me and gave me an excuse to (re)post this photo. It is the 6th photo in the 6th photo folder on my computer.
The story: This is in London on the banks of the Thames. We brought Chiara Crocs, too—bright orange ones—but she wasn't wearing them on this day. One day when we were walking around with our bright feet, Chiara overheard some Italians commenting in shocked tones about our footwear, with no idea that we had our very own interpreter.
Tagging someone in the photo is not a requirement of the game, but I tag Chloe nevertheless.
Enough to give our lawyers nightmares
The software I work on has a feature that lets store managers set up preset reasons for returns, such as "Damaged" or "Didn't Like". Well, I don't know what software they're using, but a store in Kansas City reached a new low when they came up with a reason of their own.
From the Zombie Princess "Stupidity Knows No Bounds" file
From the Zombie Princess "Stupidity Knows No Bounds" file
City of Joy
Click here to read about V-DAY's and UNICEF's efforts to stop the rape-as-WMD that's going on in the Congo. Ways you can help are listed at the bottom.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Featured quote
Category: Movie
Source: Accepted
Spoiler Alert!
If you have not seen this movie, stop reading now and go immediately out and rent it!
The scene: Bartleby welcomes the students (in spite of himself)
The quote:
I know what it's like to be rejected. It sucks. Rejection blows. Being said no to. You know what, I'm sorry, you're just not quite good enough. You didn't have enough extracurriculars. You didn't play enough tennis. You didn't study hard enough for your scores. So you're not going to make it.
You know what? Screw that! Shouldn't we all have the chance to discover ourselves? Shouldn't we all have the chance to be said yes to?
At South Harmon, we say yes to you. We say yes to your hopes. We say yes to your dreams. We say yes to your flaws. So welcome. Grab a room, grab a friend, grab yourself, we don't give a shit. Welcome to South Harmon Institute of Technology!
Source: Accepted
Spoiler Alert!
If you have not seen this movie, stop reading now and go immediately out and rent it!
The scene: Bartleby welcomes the students (in spite of himself)
The quote:
I know what it's like to be rejected. It sucks. Rejection blows. Being said no to. You know what, I'm sorry, you're just not quite good enough. You didn't have enough extracurriculars. You didn't play enough tennis. You didn't study hard enough for your scores. So you're not going to make it.
You know what? Screw that! Shouldn't we all have the chance to discover ourselves? Shouldn't we all have the chance to be said yes to?
At South Harmon, we say yes to you. We say yes to your hopes. We say yes to your dreams. We say yes to your flaws. So welcome. Grab a room, grab a friend, grab yourself, we don't give a shit. Welcome to South Harmon Institute of Technology!
What unschooling looked like today
MJ asked me to report on her "good day."
She was on MySpace in the morning, and then she watched an episode of Buffy with Chloe. After that, they went to get a Monster at Safeway and to visit Frankie Fingers at the piercing parlor. From there, they walked to my brother's to visit cousin Chelsea. They talked with her about her day, then the three of them walked back to our house. They hung out for a bit, then went back to Safeway for tortellini. Then Chelsea and MJ watched "Fight Club" while Chloe hung out with the neighbor kids. After the movie, Chelsea and MJ walked back to Chelsea's to hang out some more. They watched that show where "that dude Bear goes into, like, wild places and brings a cameraman and does crazy, survival-tactics shit. He was in the Everglades and he was catching catfish by, like, letting them bite his fingers, 'cause they just clamp on. And then he killed one with his knife and ate it raw. And he also found, like, two washed-up shrimp boats and a house that got tossed around by a storm." Then MJ got a ride home, where she hung out outside with Chloe and the neighbor kids for a long time.
When she came back in, she took down all the photos that had been her wallpaper in her room. (She hasn't yet decided what to replace them with. In the meantime, it's freaking me out. It looks like she's moving out or something.) She all the photos in a box and started decorating the box with cutouts from the many magazines that take up big chunks of our shelves. She kept doing that while she and I watched "Accepted."
What she says she learned about:
She was on MySpace in the morning, and then she watched an episode of Buffy with Chloe. After that, they went to get a Monster at Safeway and to visit Frankie Fingers at the piercing parlor. From there, they walked to my brother's to visit cousin Chelsea. They talked with her about her day, then the three of them walked back to our house. They hung out for a bit, then went back to Safeway for tortellini. Then Chelsea and MJ watched "Fight Club" while Chloe hung out with the neighbor kids. After the movie, Chelsea and MJ walked back to Chelsea's to hang out some more. They watched that show where "that dude Bear goes into, like, wild places and brings a cameraman and does crazy, survival-tactics shit. He was in the Everglades and he was catching catfish by, like, letting them bite his fingers, 'cause they just clamp on. And then he killed one with his knife and ate it raw. And he also found, like, two washed-up shrimp boats and a house that got tossed around by a storm." Then MJ got a ride home, where she hung out outside with Chloe and the neighbor kids for a long time.
When she came back in, she took down all the photos that had been her wallpaper in her room. (She hasn't yet decided what to replace them with. In the meantime, it's freaking me out. It looks like she's moving out or something.) She all the photos in a box and started decorating the box with cutouts from the many magazines that take up big chunks of our shelves. She kept doing that while she and I watched "Accepted."
What she says she learned about:
- Economics
- Favoritism (Frankie doesn't make MJ pay for replacement balls for her nose rings any more)
- Social hierarchy in high schools
- Psychology
- Anarchy
- Multiple personality disorder
- Survival (At this point, she launched into a horrified description of how dude Bear peed on the catfish bites on his hand to sterilize them.)
- Interior decoration
- Arts and crafts
- Alternative education
Friday, October 17, 2008
30 questions
I stole this from Frank.
1. Person with the same name as you?
A market research manager in Brasil. A lawyer in Frankfurt. A student at UC Santa Cruz. A nun in Philadelphia. A member of the New Jersey Ski Patrol. A 6-foot transgendered "Southern Gal" in North Carolina. A bronze-medalist Special Olympian in Canton.
Cool.
2. Where was your first kiss?
Very first: At the fence, in the shortcut from my street to his. We were 7, I think.
First French: In his sister's bedroom, with her looking on making gagging noises. I was 15 or 16, he was a year older.
3. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else’s property?
Unless TP'ing counts (aka "rolling"), no.
4. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex?
I spanked a boy I babysat when I was a teenager. :-(
5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people?
Yes, in elementary school choir. And I did some rather inebriated karaoke with Frank and Chuck and Judy at Lori's wedding. I think. The details are fuzzy.
6. What’s the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Unless he's a total hunk, his eyes probably, or more specifically, the attitude his eyes convey.
7. What really turns you on?
Intelligence and humor. IOW, Frank.
8. What do you order at Starbucks?
Tall caramel Frappucino with extra caramel.
9. What is your biggest mistake?
Hmm. Probably beating myself up for choosing things that didn't measure up to other people's expectations of me.
10. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?
No.
11. Say something totally random about yourself.
I am really enjoying the fall colors this year.
12. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
When I was in high school, Brooke Shields. And the girl in "My Girl" looks a lot like I did when I was a kid.
13. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
Of course.
14. Did you have braces?
Yes.
15. Are you comfortable with your height?
Yes.
16. What is the most romantic thing someone of the opposite sex has done for you?
There've been some memorable gifts over the years, and quite a bit of HDS, of course, but I think the most romantic thing Frank has done is years and years of little things. Backrubs. Cooking. Dishes. Filling the gas tank in my commute car. He takes very good care of me.
17. When do you know it’s love?
There wasn't one particular moment. We just knew. We talked about getting married within a few weeks of our first date. And then there was another rosy period several years ago, when I really came to know this was it.
18. Do you speak any other languages?
Some rusty Spanish. Some beginning Italian. Pig Latin.
19. Have you ever been to a tanning salon?
Once to prep for a Caribbean trip in the Winter.
20. What magazines do you read?
I can't say I read any magazine with any discipline. But we get some. We cycle through subscriptions. We've done travel magazines, sailing magazines, National Geographic, Smithsonian, Tattoo, Spin, TV Guide, Cycle, and others. Right now, I think we only get Gourmet and Chloe's anime magazine. Oh, and I really love the one that the Nature Conservancy sends.
21. Have you ever ridden in a limo?
Yes. 1950s Rolls Royce to our wedding picnic. Big stretch to a girls' night with some Maier cousins. I think that's it.
22. Has anyone you were really close to passed away?
Yes. Both paternal grandparents, my maternal grandfather, my step-grandparents, some cousins, my Aunt Barbie.
23. Do you watch MTV?
No, it's not as fun as it used to be.
24. What’s something that really annoys you?
Want a list?
25. What’s something you really like?
Hanging out with unschoolers.
26. Do you like Michael Jackson?
Some of his music, yes.
27. Can you dance?
With great enthusiasm but not necessarily any skill.
28. What’s the latest you have ever stayed up?
More than 24 hours.
29. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room?
No. But I rushed myself there for an asthma attack once.
30. Do you actually read these when other people fill them out?
Yes.
1. Person with the same name as you?
A market research manager in Brasil. A lawyer in Frankfurt. A student at UC Santa Cruz. A nun in Philadelphia. A member of the New Jersey Ski Patrol. A 6-foot transgendered "Southern Gal" in North Carolina. A bronze-medalist Special Olympian in Canton.
Cool.
2. Where was your first kiss?
Very first: At the fence, in the shortcut from my street to his. We were 7, I think.
First French: In his sister's bedroom, with her looking on making gagging noises. I was 15 or 16, he was a year older.
3. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else’s property?
Unless TP'ing counts (aka "rolling"), no.
4. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex?
I spanked a boy I babysat when I was a teenager. :-(
5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people?
Yes, in elementary school choir. And I did some rather inebriated karaoke with Frank and Chuck and Judy at Lori's wedding. I think. The details are fuzzy.
6. What’s the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Unless he's a total hunk, his eyes probably, or more specifically, the attitude his eyes convey.
7. What really turns you on?
Intelligence and humor. IOW, Frank.
8. What do you order at Starbucks?
Tall caramel Frappucino with extra caramel.
9. What is your biggest mistake?
Hmm. Probably beating myself up for choosing things that didn't measure up to other people's expectations of me.
10. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose?
No.
11. Say something totally random about yourself.
I am really enjoying the fall colors this year.
12. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?
When I was in high school, Brooke Shields. And the girl in "My Girl" looks a lot like I did when I was a kid.
13. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?
Of course.
14. Did you have braces?
Yes.
15. Are you comfortable with your height?
Yes.
16. What is the most romantic thing someone of the opposite sex has done for you?
There've been some memorable gifts over the years, and quite a bit of HDS, of course, but I think the most romantic thing Frank has done is years and years of little things. Backrubs. Cooking. Dishes. Filling the gas tank in my commute car. He takes very good care of me.
17. When do you know it’s love?
There wasn't one particular moment. We just knew. We talked about getting married within a few weeks of our first date. And then there was another rosy period several years ago, when I really came to know this was it.
18. Do you speak any other languages?
Some rusty Spanish. Some beginning Italian. Pig Latin.
19. Have you ever been to a tanning salon?
Once to prep for a Caribbean trip in the Winter.
20. What magazines do you read?
I can't say I read any magazine with any discipline. But we get some. We cycle through subscriptions. We've done travel magazines, sailing magazines, National Geographic, Smithsonian, Tattoo, Spin, TV Guide, Cycle, and others. Right now, I think we only get Gourmet and Chloe's anime magazine. Oh, and I really love the one that the Nature Conservancy sends.
21. Have you ever ridden in a limo?
Yes. 1950s Rolls Royce to our wedding picnic. Big stretch to a girls' night with some Maier cousins. I think that's it.
22. Has anyone you were really close to passed away?
Yes. Both paternal grandparents, my maternal grandfather, my step-grandparents, some cousins, my Aunt Barbie.
23. Do you watch MTV?
No, it's not as fun as it used to be.
24. What’s something that really annoys you?
Want a list?
25. What’s something you really like?
Hanging out with unschoolers.
26. Do you like Michael Jackson?
Some of his music, yes.
27. Can you dance?
With great enthusiasm but not necessarily any skill.
28. What’s the latest you have ever stayed up?
More than 24 hours.
29. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room?
No. But I rushed myself there for an asthma attack once.
30. Do you actually read these when other people fill them out?
Yes.
I can live with that
Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...
You Are a Katharine!
Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy
Friday fill-in
1. Follow the joy!
2. Curiosity is something I always take with me on vacation.
3. To achieve your goals, you must act.
4. What I choose to tell you is something I'd like you to know about me.
5. I have a computer and I'm not afraid to use it.
6. Rootbeer floats.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to being home, tomorrow my plans include a number of tasks from my sadly lengthy to-do list, and Sunday, I want to watch the Seahawks, give gifts to my nieces, and read!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
A few words from a hero
In the debate tonight, Senator McCain once again brought up remarks made by Representative John Lewis. Here's the full text of those remarks, from Politico:
As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.
During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate.
George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.
As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy. We can do better. The American people deserve better.
McCain's previously stated respect for Representative Lewis is apparently forgotten. Instead of examining these remarks for merit, instead of reading them as what they are—the plea of a man who was there in the thick of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama when those little girls died, and who must feel a tremendous obligation to speak out if he sees similar circumstances forming—McCain has used them as an opportunity to further bash Obama!
Say what?!
Consider these earlier words from Rep. Lewis on the occasion of Obama's nomination:
If someone had told me this would be happening now, I would have told them they were crazy, out of their mind, they didn’t know what they were talking about... I just wish the others were around to see this day... To the people who were beaten, put in jail, were asked questions they could never answer to register to vote, it’s amazing.
That is the context of Lewis' remarks. He's not talking about some vague threat; he's talking about the reality that he lived for years—a reality that encompassed not only the deaths of those little girls but the assassinations of Evers, King, Kennedy, Kennedy, and too many others.
I think Barack Obama is in danger every single day, and I think the McCain-Palin campaign is inciting violence with their "terrorist" rhetoric. For someone—especially for an elected official—with John Lewis' background to let that crap slide would be unconscionable.
As one who was a victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign. What I am seeing reminds me too much of another destructive period in American history. Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are sowing the seeds of hatred and division, and there is no need for this hostility in our political discourse.
During another period, in the not too distant past, there was a governor of the state of Alabama named George Wallace who also became a presidential candidate.
George Wallace never threw a bomb. He never fired a gun, but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed on Sunday morning when a church was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama.
As public figures with the power to influence and persuade, Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin are playing with fire, and if they are not careful, that fire will consume us all. They are playing a very dangerous game that disregards the value of the political process and cheapens our entire democracy. We can do better. The American people deserve better.
McCain's previously stated respect for Representative Lewis is apparently forgotten. Instead of examining these remarks for merit, instead of reading them as what they are—the plea of a man who was there in the thick of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama when those little girls died, and who must feel a tremendous obligation to speak out if he sees similar circumstances forming—McCain has used them as an opportunity to further bash Obama!
Say what?!
Consider these earlier words from Rep. Lewis on the occasion of Obama's nomination:
If someone had told me this would be happening now, I would have told them they were crazy, out of their mind, they didn’t know what they were talking about... I just wish the others were around to see this day... To the people who were beaten, put in jail, were asked questions they could never answer to register to vote, it’s amazing.
That is the context of Lewis' remarks. He's not talking about some vague threat; he's talking about the reality that he lived for years—a reality that encompassed not only the deaths of those little girls but the assassinations of Evers, King, Kennedy, Kennedy, and too many others.
I think Barack Obama is in danger every single day, and I think the McCain-Palin campaign is inciting violence with their "terrorist" rhetoric. For someone—especially for an elected official—with John Lewis' background to let that crap slide would be unconscionable.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Gollum bailout
I know, I'm behind the times. But just in case anybody else was, um, phoning it in last month, check this out from the fertile minds over at the Daily Show.
http://crooksandliars.com/media/play/wmv/6539/23216
More on the theme:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/11/opinion/11collins.html
http://crooksandliars.com/media/play/wmv/6539/23216
More on the theme:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/11/opinion/11collins.html
Monday, October 13, 2008
Speaking of Twilight
The movie comes out just before (American) Thanksgiving. And the guy who plays Edward might actually be cute enough.
Look out the window... or not
Sometimes being an unschooling parent is hard.
When Frank and I travel, we have this just-shy-of-desperate need to be busy, see as much as possible, seize the day. MJ and Chloe don't share it. Their more usual daily activities remain a big part of their days when we are traveling, and they aren't afraid to (ahem) sacrifice some sightseeing time in favor of keeping up with the usual.
For example, they started reading the Twilight series while we were in Italy and found it quite compelling. So, one fine day, I had to leave them in the hotel room while Frank and I went to explore Venezia. THIS WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME and I expect big, fat kudos for doing it.
Then there was the day in Dublin when they stayed in the B&B watching the first presidential debate while Frank and I went wandering down to Temple Bar and Grafton Street.
Then there was the day when MJ preferred sitting in the cottage alone with a book and a bad DVD to visiting the Waterford factory and the Dunbrody famine ship.
Then there was the day when Chloe was busy drawing and wouldn't get out of the car to explore the Burren.
I remember endless roadtrips when I was a kid when my boredom was addressed with the deathless advice, "Look out the window!" I tried to keep those moments in mind when the girls made these (ahem) bad choices, all the while hearing a little voice in my head chiming, "It's not at all the same thing!" But to them, it really is, even when what's out the window is one of the most famous sites in Europe.
And, hey, at least they are rarely bored.
When Frank and I travel, we have this just-shy-of-desperate need to be busy, see as much as possible, seize the day. MJ and Chloe don't share it. Their more usual daily activities remain a big part of their days when we are traveling, and they aren't afraid to (ahem) sacrifice some sightseeing time in favor of keeping up with the usual.
For example, they started reading the Twilight series while we were in Italy and found it quite compelling. So, one fine day, I had to leave them in the hotel room while Frank and I went to explore Venezia. THIS WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME and I expect big, fat kudos for doing it.
Then there was the day in Dublin when they stayed in the B&B watching the first presidential debate while Frank and I went wandering down to Temple Bar and Grafton Street.
Then there was the day when MJ preferred sitting in the cottage alone with a book and a bad DVD to visiting the Waterford factory and the Dunbrody famine ship.
Then there was the day when Chloe was busy drawing and wouldn't get out of the car to explore the Burren.
I remember endless roadtrips when I was a kid when my boredom was addressed with the deathless advice, "Look out the window!" I tried to keep those moments in mind when the girls made these (ahem) bad choices, all the while hearing a little voice in my head chiming, "It's not at all the same thing!" But to them, it really is, even when what's out the window is one of the most famous sites in Europe.
And, hey, at least they are rarely bored.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Malcesine photos
The waterfront
Just our favorite car park, but this photo gives an idea of the drama of the shoreline all along the lake
My namesake ship. (Shonna, do you guys know what "siora" means? Or is it just a name?)
I actually don't know what this building is/was, but this is the ceiling in the interior...
...and this is in the lakefront garden outside.
Afternoon spritzes (a traditional, slightly bitter afternoon refreshment)
Just our favorite car park, but this photo gives an idea of the drama of the shoreline all along the lake
My namesake ship. (Shonna, do you guys know what "siora" means? Or is it just a name?)
I actually don't know what this building is/was, but this is the ceiling in the interior...
...and this is in the lakefront garden outside.
Afternoon spritzes (a traditional, slightly bitter afternoon refreshment)
Lake house photos
The Inimitable Chiara
One of our lizard friends
Nighttime views
The Maiers do laundry the European way
One of our lizard friends
Nighttime views
The Maiers do laundry the European way
Live and Learn photos
Yes, these are all the photos we took. What can I say, it was a busy weekend!
All photos by MJ.
All photos by MJ.
This is a test
I love crossword puzzles. The challenge of finding answers is rewarding to me. I especially love crossword-puzzles-by-committee, where two or three or five brains are working together to fill in all those little blanks. Frank, on the other hand, hates crossword puzzles, by committee or otherwise, although he will occasionally let me pick his encyclopedia brain when I'm stumped.
I think we can all can accept the reality I've just described: I enjoy crossword puzzles, Frank does not. Who cares? After all, nobody's life depends on a crossword puzzle, so it doesn't really matter if either one of us ever completes one.
Replace "crossword puzzle" with "test," though, and "Frank" and "I" with the names of a couple of kids, and you get another reaction. Suddenly that paragraph up there is rife with problems. It's no longer a matter of personal preference but of weighty issues like "career" and "future" and "consequences." Even the fact that I like to collaborate (a skill that is highly valued by employers!) becomes a problem.
So, we conducted an interesting little experiment last summer. It was unintentional; we were just being good little compliant homeschoolers by completing our annual standardized tests.
(Background: Unschoolers are subject to the random homeschool laws of their particular state, which range from Texas' "do what you want" to New York's "tell us every last thing you are doing and it had better be good enough." Washington regulates homeschooling, but the requirements are pretty simple: (1) file an annual declaration of intent to homeschool, (2) keep attendance records, (3) cover each of the required subject-matter areas, and (4) test or obtain a teacher's assessment each year. The parents keep all records (including test or assessment results), there is no administrative review, and it's not a big deal to comply each year.)
Our daughters kind of enjoy taking the tests. We test at home, so it's relaxed and flexible. For us, the tests are a strewing device and nothing more. The girls are allowed to ask questions, look things up on the Internet, talk to each other, rest whenever they want, and so on. For those reasons, or maybe just because, they enjoy the challenge. When they stop enjoying it, they make pretty patterns with the remaining dots on their answer sheets and move on to other things.
With Chloe's school-induced hatred of math, there were a couple of years where her enjoyment of the Math Computation section ended after about 2 minutes. But this year, she found it fascinating. I think the rules for the section allowed her 35 minutes, but we spent an hour going through it together, working problems (she did her own) and talking about what they were testing for and why. She was having fun and would have kept going, but I encouraged her to stop since we were both getting tired and she had more than done her time. She made a pattern in the remaining dots (about a fourth of the section, I think) and called it a day.
Chloe's score on that section is three grade levels above where she's "supposed" to be.
So, what does this tell me about Chloe? Not a damned thing. But it tells me quite a bit about schooling and test results.
The suppositions about this test include:
1. The test asks questions that represent the key skills for the student's grade level.
2. If the student cannot answer enough questions correctly in the time allotted, he or she has not learned the key skills.
Right? We must assume those things are true. Otherwise, what is the point of the test?
But the only conclusion I can draw from those "facts" and the scores that schooled kids are achieving and that Chloe the unschooler achieved is this: Our schools are failing utterly to teach. What schooled kids can do on this math test in an unfriendly 35 minutes, after all those years of school, is comparable to what my third-grade dropout can do on this math test in a friendly hour.
So what exactly is Chloe supposed to have missed?
And, perhaps more interestingly, what have all those other kids missed by being in school?
What if...
I think we can all can accept the reality I've just described: I enjoy crossword puzzles, Frank does not. Who cares? After all, nobody's life depends on a crossword puzzle, so it doesn't really matter if either one of us ever completes one.
Replace "crossword puzzle" with "test," though, and "Frank" and "I" with the names of a couple of kids, and you get another reaction. Suddenly that paragraph up there is rife with problems. It's no longer a matter of personal preference but of weighty issues like "career" and "future" and "consequences." Even the fact that I like to collaborate (a skill that is highly valued by employers!) becomes a problem.
So, we conducted an interesting little experiment last summer. It was unintentional; we were just being good little compliant homeschoolers by completing our annual standardized tests.
(Background: Unschoolers are subject to the random homeschool laws of their particular state, which range from Texas' "do what you want" to New York's "tell us every last thing you are doing and it had better be good enough." Washington regulates homeschooling, but the requirements are pretty simple: (1) file an annual declaration of intent to homeschool, (2) keep attendance records, (3) cover each of the required subject-matter areas, and (4) test or obtain a teacher's assessment each year. The parents keep all records (including test or assessment results), there is no administrative review, and it's not a big deal to comply each year.)
Our daughters kind of enjoy taking the tests. We test at home, so it's relaxed and flexible. For us, the tests are a strewing device and nothing more. The girls are allowed to ask questions, look things up on the Internet, talk to each other, rest whenever they want, and so on. For those reasons, or maybe just because, they enjoy the challenge. When they stop enjoying it, they make pretty patterns with the remaining dots on their answer sheets and move on to other things.
With Chloe's school-induced hatred of math, there were a couple of years where her enjoyment of the Math Computation section ended after about 2 minutes. But this year, she found it fascinating. I think the rules for the section allowed her 35 minutes, but we spent an hour going through it together, working problems (she did her own) and talking about what they were testing for and why. She was having fun and would have kept going, but I encouraged her to stop since we were both getting tired and she had more than done her time. She made a pattern in the remaining dots (about a fourth of the section, I think) and called it a day.
Chloe's score on that section is three grade levels above where she's "supposed" to be.
So, what does this tell me about Chloe? Not a damned thing. But it tells me quite a bit about schooling and test results.
The suppositions about this test include:
1. The test asks questions that represent the key skills for the student's grade level.
2. If the student cannot answer enough questions correctly in the time allotted, he or she has not learned the key skills.
Right? We must assume those things are true. Otherwise, what is the point of the test?
But the only conclusion I can draw from those "facts" and the scores that schooled kids are achieving and that Chloe the unschooler achieved is this: Our schools are failing utterly to teach. What schooled kids can do on this math test in an unfriendly 35 minutes, after all those years of school, is comparable to what my third-grade dropout can do on this math test in a friendly hour.
So what exactly is Chloe supposed to have missed?
And, perhaps more interestingly, what have all those other kids missed by being in school?
What if...
- our schools and our government cared more about learning than the proof of learning?
- we stopped assuming there are key skills for any grade level?
- we stopped assuming that all kids test equally well?
- we stopped assuming that all people should work at the same pace?
- we stopped assuming that the average result produced by a broken system is a standard to strive for?
Friday, October 10, 2008
Friday fill-in
1. One of the best concerts I ever saw that I really didn't think I'd like was the Vibrations at LIFE is Good 2008, when they opened for Amy Steinberg. Okay, it wasn't that I didn't think I'd like it, but my expectations were pretty low. Kid group, ya know? But they were amazing and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen.
One of the best plays I ever saw that I really didn't think I'd like was "Hello, Dolly!" with Carol Channing in the lead role. She was probably about 70 at the time, but you couldn't tell by watching her. She poured joy and energy into her performance and received a whooping, cheering, grinning-like-fools standing ovation at the end.
One of the best movies I ever saw that I really didn't think I'd like was — it's a three-way tie: Terminator, The Sixth Sense, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. (I know, I know.)
2. Fish tacos is a meal I recently ordered in an Irish pub that was delicious!
3. It's time for some peace and quiet.
4. LemonSoda is quite refreshing.
5. If I never hear the word Palin again, it'll be too soon.
6. To one side of the curving road was a 13th-century abbey, and on the other was a cow.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to reading and sleeping off the jet lag, tomorrow my plans include reading, unpacking, doing laundry, and sleeping off the jet lag, and Sunday, I want to read, post some more Europe photos to my blog, and sleep off the jet lag!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
LnL gratitude
To Frank, MJ, and Chloe for putting up with my nerves for weeks, for listening to my talks several times (each), and for being you
To Steph for driving up from Georgia to offer moral support — GUH!
To Robin Bentley for being at my talks, flat but beautiful (she had Beth tape up her picture right there in the front row)
To Kade, for "Bohemian Rhapsody"
To Alec Traaseth for being a good friend, even if it did mean I had to cry when I told him good-bye on the last day
To Caren and the whole LnL Drum Ensemble for one of the most amazing experiences of my life — I'm kuku for cocoa puffs and I want some more!
To all the teens who came to my teen talk and provided the perfect (disgusted) reactions to all those nasty quotes I opened with
To EVERYBODY for being fun and creative and inspiring
And especially to Kelly, Ben, Cameron, and Duncan ("the Dunkster" Frank says) for hosting, for their incredible contribution to—no, creation of—our unschooling community, and for making me a part of the last Live-and-Learn-in-its-current-incarnation. You guys rock!
To Steph for driving up from Georgia to offer moral support — GUH!
To Robin Bentley for being at my talks, flat but beautiful (she had Beth tape up her picture right there in the front row)
To Kade, for "Bohemian Rhapsody"
To Alec Traaseth for being a good friend, even if it did mean I had to cry when I told him good-bye on the last day
To Caren and the whole LnL Drum Ensemble for one of the most amazing experiences of my life — I'm kuku for cocoa puffs and I want some more!
To all the teens who came to my teen talk and provided the perfect (disgusted) reactions to all those nasty quotes I opened with
To EVERYBODY for being fun and creative and inspiring
And especially to Kelly, Ben, Cameron, and Duncan ("the Dunkster" Frank says) for hosting, for their incredible contribution to—no, creation of—our unschooling community, and for making me a part of the last Live-and-Learn-in-its-current-incarnation. You guys rock!
LnL reports
I've finally had a moment to cruise blogs and read people's posts about Live and Learn. Wow. I'm right back in the conference groove now. Too cool. We didn't have our usual post-conference period of euphoria since we jumped right into jetlag and headcolds. Nice to enjoy it now.
I have "Bohemian Rhapsody" playing to help with that. What a fun 5 minutes that was! Anne has some photos here.
Ren (who is even more beautiful in person) has her writeup, photos, and links to a bunch of other conference posts here.
So, all this reminiscing has led me into thinking about—no, anticipating—LIFE is Good 2009. Mary has honored me with an invitation to speak there. I'm pondering what to talk about. My "Unschooling the Wrong Way" talk was so fun to do, I'm tempted to reprise that. But I think the teen one challenges me more (and perhaps my audience). But doing something all new might be fun, too.
You can help! If you heard my talks, drop me a line at hmsdragonfly at hotmail dot com and tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, what you wish I'd said, what you thought about afterward, etc.
If you didn't hear my talks, drop me a line anyway. I am craving feedback.
:-)
I have "Bohemian Rhapsody" playing to help with that. What a fun 5 minutes that was! Anne has some photos here.
Ren (who is even more beautiful in person) has her writeup, photos, and links to a bunch of other conference posts here.
So, all this reminiscing has led me into thinking about—no, anticipating—LIFE is Good 2009. Mary has honored me with an invitation to speak there. I'm pondering what to talk about. My "Unschooling the Wrong Way" talk was so fun to do, I'm tempted to reprise that. But I think the teen one challenges me more (and perhaps my audience). But doing something all new might be fun, too.
You can help! If you heard my talks, drop me a line at hmsdragonfly at hotmail dot com and tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, what you wish I'd said, what you thought about afterward, etc.
If you didn't hear my talks, drop me a line anyway. I am craving feedback.
:-)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Journal excerpt: Peeking at the Knights of Malta
9/18/08
Gianguido's friend Mauro and his wife led us from Trastevere up to a swank neighborhood that is home to foreign embassies and Italian movie stars. Our destination was the Priory of the Knights of Malta, not to visit the grand master of the order (who still lives there) but to peer through the peephole in the front door. Through it, you see a fairy-lighted, tree-lined avenue and a perfectly framed view of the lighted dome of St. Peter's. Very pretty.
Local lovers visit this spot. Some of them sit in their cars and neck under the tolerant eyes of the machine-gun-toting guards, but one couple wasn't content with that and instead engaged in a little nooky at the peephole itself, he peering through while his hands roamed and she giggled. They weren't in the least concerned that we were standing just a few feet away.
Gianguido's friend Mauro and his wife led us from Trastevere up to a swank neighborhood that is home to foreign embassies and Italian movie stars. Our destination was the Priory of the Knights of Malta, not to visit the grand master of the order (who still lives there) but to peer through the peephole in the front door. Through it, you see a fairy-lighted, tree-lined avenue and a perfectly framed view of the lighted dome of St. Peter's. Very pretty.
Local lovers visit this spot. Some of them sit in their cars and neck under the tolerant eyes of the machine-gun-toting guards, but one couple wasn't content with that and instead engaged in a little nooky at the peephole itself, he peering through while his hands roamed and she giggled. They weren't in the least concerned that we were standing just a few feet away.
Journal excerpt: Roman gladiators
9/18/08
The motorcycles are the new gladiators. At every red light, they move between and alongside the cars to the front of the line so that, when the light changes, they all leave at once in a big roaring pack.
People from all walks of life travel by "moto" and scooter: kids, business people (the women in high heels), some studious looking fellows in corduroy and tweed. It is understandable on the one hand—two-wheeled vehicles get twice as far in half the time—but I also think they must be a little bit suicidal. To drive in Roma at all is to engage in fierce (yet also pretty calm) battle, with lane markers and stop signs regarded as mere suggestions. Stop lights, though, are obeyed always, since running a yellow can cost you two points off your 24-point license, and the fines are hundreds of Euros.
We have been surprised by the lack of Italian motorcycles. Japanese bikes hugely outnumber them.
One amusing note: The Ducati Il Monstro that is sold in America is here offered as the Monster.
The cars here are distinctly different from those in America. Private SUVs and vans are very rare, and I have seen only one (smaller) pickup truck here. Also, as Chloe and I noted in England, the auto manufacturers offer different models in Europe, smaller and boxy and very cute. Smart cars are hugely popular, since they fit into the motorcycle parking spaces. It's entertaining to see them nosed up against the curb next to the Vespas and Yamahas.
The motorcycles are the new gladiators. At every red light, they move between and alongside the cars to the front of the line so that, when the light changes, they all leave at once in a big roaring pack.
People from all walks of life travel by "moto" and scooter: kids, business people (the women in high heels), some studious looking fellows in corduroy and tweed. It is understandable on the one hand—two-wheeled vehicles get twice as far in half the time—but I also think they must be a little bit suicidal. To drive in Roma at all is to engage in fierce (yet also pretty calm) battle, with lane markers and stop signs regarded as mere suggestions. Stop lights, though, are obeyed always, since running a yellow can cost you two points off your 24-point license, and the fines are hundreds of Euros.
We have been surprised by the lack of Italian motorcycles. Japanese bikes hugely outnumber them.
One amusing note: The Ducati Il Monstro that is sold in America is here offered as the Monster.
The cars here are distinctly different from those in America. Private SUVs and vans are very rare, and I have seen only one (smaller) pickup truck here. Also, as Chloe and I noted in England, the auto manufacturers offer different models in Europe, smaller and boxy and very cute. Smart cars are hugely popular, since they fit into the motorcycle parking spaces. It's entertaining to see them nosed up against the curb next to the Vespas and Yamahas.
Journal excerpt: Helicopter tour of the Dolomites
9/16/08
Gianguido treated us to a one-hour Dolomite tour in one of ItalFly's helicopters. I prepped my stomach by drinking little, eating, and taking some Dramamine. Maybe it helped.
Me as we boarded the 'copter: Are there air-sickness bags?
Gianguido to the pilot: Sacchi di vomito?
The pilot (in a "there is no way you are going to need one" tone): Oh, no, no, no!
My mistake: I didn't insist. Fortunately, MJ had brought along a shopping bag which served in a pinch.
But all of this is secondary to the flight itself. Wow! Totally, spectacularly beautiful. I took 7,000 pictures [on MJ's camera, fortunately - see photos here]. And Frank was on Cloud 9. Or maybe Cloud 999. He was really short on sleep and not feeling 100% when we arrived at the airport. By the time we left, he was cured, ecstatic, and energized.
Gianguido treated us to a one-hour Dolomite tour in one of ItalFly's helicopters. I prepped my stomach by drinking little, eating, and taking some Dramamine. Maybe it helped.
Me as we boarded the 'copter: Are there air-sickness bags?
Gianguido to the pilot: Sacchi di vomito?
The pilot (in a "there is no way you are going to need one" tone): Oh, no, no, no!
My mistake: I didn't insist. Fortunately, MJ had brought along a shopping bag which served in a pinch.
But all of this is secondary to the flight itself. Wow! Totally, spectacularly beautiful. I took 7,000 pictures [on MJ's camera, fortunately - see photos here]. And Frank was on Cloud 9. Or maybe Cloud 999. He was really short on sleep and not feeling 100% when we arrived at the airport. By the time we left, he was cured, ecstatic, and energized.
Roma
Gianguido, Gloria, Chiara, and some random tourist in front of the Colosseum.
Me and my girls and some random tourist in front of Constantine's Arch adjacent to the Colosseum. The cobblestones you can see in this shot are called "San Pietrini," little St. Peters. Some of the roads around the Colosseum are still paved with these.
Chloe and the cop. You can't tell by looking at him, but he did agree to this photo. This is near the Spanish Steps.
Party at the Spanish Steps. Click to enlarge (but it won't help much).
Family photo (and a couple of goofy faces) in front of La Fontana di Trevi. This area was packed with people even in the pouring rain.
Me and my girls and some random tourist in front of Constantine's Arch adjacent to the Colosseum. The cobblestones you can see in this shot are called "San Pietrini," little St. Peters. Some of the roads around the Colosseum are still paved with these.
Chloe and the cop. You can't tell by looking at him, but he did agree to this photo. This is near the Spanish Steps.
Party at the Spanish Steps. Click to enlarge (but it won't help much).
Family photo (and a couple of goofy faces) in front of La Fontana di Trevi. This area was packed with people even in the pouring rain.
Trento
A random building in Chiara's "boring" town. Click the image to see the details.
I can't remember if this is a church or part of the university. Anyway, it's gorgeous.
MJ's birthday party. Gloria, Max, Chloe, MJ, and Chiara.
I can't remember if this is a church or part of the university. Anyway, it's gorgeous.
MJ's birthday party. Gloria, Max, Chloe, MJ, and Chiara.
Lago di Garda
This was our view from the lake house. Don't you feel sorry for us?
Chiara and Gloria:
Beauties by the (chilly) pool. Note that Chiara is wearing her Zenmomma art, the chocolate lollipop purse, which she just loves.
Chiara and Gloria:
Beauties by the (chilly) pool. Note that Chiara is wearing her Zenmomma art, the chocolate lollipop purse, which she just loves.
My favorite one-two punch
Saturday at the conference was sort of "advanced unschooling" day, with a series of talks by and about teenaged and 20-something unschoolers. I enjoyed the whole day (well, aside from an extreme case of nerves about my own teenager talk), but the combination of Brenna McBroom's and Cameron Lovejoy's talks was a real highlight.
Brenna spoke first, sharing stories about her life as an academically inclined unschooler, her decision to go to college, and her preparation for that path. Brenna is tiny, but her intelligence and drive give her a presence beyond her height. Plus, she's a knockout. She talked about prom (she went to one and was unimpressed) and being valedictorian (she got an hour to talk instead of only 5 minutes). And she talked about the things she's gotten to explore as an unschooler that she wouldn't have had time for if she'd been on the AP track in school.
Then Cameron had his turn. He talked about starting out unschooling as a kid who didn't want to do anything. He was shy and something of a hermit. This image is hard to reconcile with the Cameron we got to know. He helped run the conference, for one thing, and he's a talented drummer who accompanied Amy Steinberg brilliantly, and he is just the neatest guy. Anyway, he talked about his gradual emergence from his shell and how unschooling gave him the space to do that. His plans for the near future include(d) working as a junior staffer at Not Back to School Camp, followed by some world-schooling with Eli Gerzon on a multi-month trip to Mexico.
The two talks complemented each other beautifully, especially because Cameron and Brenna are really close friends—something that might not have been an option for them without unschooling, even if they'd attended the same school. And the talks in combination really illustrated how unschooling can be tailored to suit an individual without forcing the individual into a mold.
Brenna spoke first, sharing stories about her life as an academically inclined unschooler, her decision to go to college, and her preparation for that path. Brenna is tiny, but her intelligence and drive give her a presence beyond her height. Plus, she's a knockout. She talked about prom (she went to one and was unimpressed) and being valedictorian (she got an hour to talk instead of only 5 minutes). And she talked about the things she's gotten to explore as an unschooler that she wouldn't have had time for if she'd been on the AP track in school.
Then Cameron had his turn. He talked about starting out unschooling as a kid who didn't want to do anything. He was shy and something of a hermit. This image is hard to reconcile with the Cameron we got to know. He helped run the conference, for one thing, and he's a talented drummer who accompanied Amy Steinberg brilliantly, and he is just the neatest guy. Anyway, he talked about his gradual emergence from his shell and how unschooling gave him the space to do that. His plans for the near future include(d) working as a junior staffer at Not Back to School Camp, followed by some world-schooling with Eli Gerzon on a multi-month trip to Mexico.
The two talks complemented each other beautifully, especially because Cameron and Brenna are really close friends—something that might not have been an option for them without unschooling, even if they'd attended the same school. And the talks in combination really illustrated how unschooling can be tailored to suit an individual without forcing the individual into a mold.
Grief
It looks like ~400 of my Europe photos are lost to the Evil Gods of Digital Destruction. I can only be thankful that MJ was taking photos in most of the same places as me. Exceptions: Murano, Waterford, the Dunbrody famine ship, Duncannon Beach.
We'll take the camera card to a technician and see if s/he can recover them, but for right now it doesn't look good.
Woe! Woe! Woe!
We'll take the camera card to a technician and see if s/he can recover them, but for right now it doesn't look good.
Woe! Woe! Woe!
24
We're home! Dublin airport hotel to our front door took about 24 hours. Phew! What a trip!
I actually slept last night (in my own bed!!!), so I'm at work this a.m. Frank and the girls are settling in back at home.
Trip report posts will begin later today. Promise!
I actually slept last night (in my own bed!!!), so I'm at work this a.m. Frank and the girls are settling in back at home.
Trip report posts will begin later today. Promise!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
