RIP Randy Pausch

Today's sad news: 'Last Lecture' professor dies at 47.

Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture is one of the most uplifting books I've ever read. The theme of the book and his famous video lecture is achieving your childhood dreams. Most "last lectures" are by professors who are much older and ready to retire. Randy wrote his for his children when he learned he was dying of pancreatic cancer. He inspired millions around the world when his book and lecture were published outside of academia.

Needless to say, Carnegie Mellon's Last Lecture page and Randy Pausch's web site are overwhelmed by traffic today by people who want to pay their respects to this brave, modest, funny, and inspiring man who lived every day to its fullest and enjoyed life to its early end.

Rest in peace, Randy. I'm sorry you had to leave your family so soon. Thank you for inspiring us with every day of your life since your diagnosis. You will continue to inspire us through the loving legacy you left for your children, which you were kind enough to share with the rest of the world. The readers/viewers who have never met you mourn with your family, friends, and colleagues because you made such a difference in their lives. Godspeed, professor.

More Physical Therapy

Although I was very careful during our recent move, moving aggravated my tendonitis. I've seen the sports doc, been resting my arm as much as possible, and start physical therapy again Monday.

I had my evaluation with the Physical Therapist this morning. He says the inflammation is mild (which I knew) and there is some scar tissue (which I also knew). The therapy will help both. Over the weekend I am to continue resting my arm, ice it three times a day whether it hurts or not, and wear my brace. I love it when their advice is easy to follow. :)

Working on the computer a lot (like my work load when school is in session) also aggravates the tendonitis, even though I've changed many of my work habits. My goal for Physical Therapy is to make it was well as possible before school starts. Since classes start at the end of August, I'll have to start preparing soon (updating my online classes, etc.). SIGH. I'm not even ready to think about the new school year yet!

Now it's time to curl up with a murder mystery, ice my arm, and not think about school...

Skinny Dippers

This ad appeared on the weather page of today's Flint Journal:

SKINNY DIPPERS -- Co-ed nude
recreation. Visit the Flint
area's finest nude resort;
tennis, volleyball, swimming,
whirlpool, camping. Legal,
no tan line. www.woresort.com.
248-628-2676.
2 for 1 pass for first
time visitors.

While I respect the freedom of consenting adults to do whatever they want, this ad did not create a pretty picture in my mind. First, 99% of the population does not look like super-models. That means almost all of us look better in clothes. Think about it: imagine any ten people you know. How many are look like super-models? How many would look betting in clothes? See what I mean?

Second, while it seems like every nude beach features volleyball (another scary image, refer to point one), I can't imagine camping in the nude. Have these people ever been camping in Michigan? Even wearing clothes and using Deet you get eaten alive by mosquitoes! Lest you think I'm mistaken about the accommodations, their web site shows tent camping. It boggles the mind.

Finally, the web site (Woresort.com = Whispering Oaks Nudist Resort, near Oxford, MI which is not near Flint, by the way) says it's family-oriented. ICK! Do you want your parents or your kids to see you naked? Do you want to see your parents or grandparents naked?

I wish these people well, but it's safe to say I won't be visiting any time soon. I know that I'm part of that 99% who look better with clothes. Beside, just imagine the sunburn and mosquitoes...

Harry Potter Park at Disney World -- and new HP Short Story

Woo Hoo! Disney is adding The Wizarding World of Harry Potter to its Universal Studios park.

Based on books and movies, with J.K. Rowling's approval (of course), the park will open late 2009. Follow link above for photos, more info, and to sign up for e-mail updates.

My dear friend Denise is a Disney travel agent (you can reach her through Magical Journeys) and she can confirm The Wizarding World will include Hogwarts castle, the village of Hogsmeade, and Diagon Alley.

I can hardly wait! I'm getting my witch's hat and heading for Platform 9 3/4...


UPDATE July 25: I just learned that J. K. Rowling has written a short story featuring Sirius Black and James Potter. Read why on Jason Fisher's blog Lingwë - Musings of a Fish. He also has a link directly to the story.

Festival of Flags 2008

Davison's Festival of Flags 2008 started tonight. Don't bother looking for details online. The new Davison Index doesn't have the schedule on their web site and neither do the Chamber of Commerce or City of Davison web sites. (I did find a nice Shop Downtown Davison website though!) Pure Michigan, the state's travel web site, has the same minimal info as teh Chamber of Commerce site, but it's more than the Index or City web sites. I guess if you want the schedule you have to read the printed copy of the Davison Index!

The festival started tonight with a parade (usually a good one -- about 1.5 hours), an ice cream social at the firehall, and fireworks in the park. After a day in the park with four of my great-nieces and -nephews, I was so tired I skipped the parade. We live behind the part and I had hoped to watch the fireworks from home but they weren't above the trees. How disappointing. By the time I realized that, I was far too tired to drive over to the football field (since we no longer live close enough to walk) and try to find a place to park before it was over. How disappointing!

Activities for the rest of the weekend include:

• A carnival at Hahn Middle School Wednesday night - Sunday
• Karoke at Davison House (formerly known as the Davison Hotel) Thusday night and Sunday night
  
• A car cruise downtown Friday night
• Family Movie Night at Colonial Square Friday night (showing Open Season starting at dusk)
  
• A beer tent at Madden's (local pub) on Friday and Saturday nights
• Art in the Park on Saturday and Sunday
• A quilt show at First Batist Church Saturday
• Miss Davison Tea Party at Trinity Lutheran Church Saturday
• A chicken dinner at the Masonic Temple Sunday

I always enjoy the Festival, especially the Art in the Park. If you are looking for something to do this weekend, come to Davison and join the fun.

Why I Love My Car Dealership

Despite GM's recent benefit cuts for retirees and omitting Flint from its 100 year celebration (as blogged by my buddy Mitch Gann), I love my GM car and I especially love my car dealership, Hank Graff Chevrolet in Davison, MI.

I recently took my car in for routine maintenance and asked them to look at the driver's window, which recently started screeching when I put it down. They fixed it but it turns out the window was not under warranty. I didn't mind paying $30 until I realized it still screeched after it was fixed!

When I took it back Kody, a nice young man in the service department, investigated further and even called GM. Seems this is happening in some cars and it has to do with the insulation strip in the door scratching the class. GM would replace the faulty part -- for $50 per window. I wasn't happy with that but Kody and his Service Manager offered me a good deal: they would do both front windows for $50 (including the $30 I'd already paid), give me a free loaner, and add an extra oil change to my service plan. I was much happier with this deal made an appointment to drop it off next Tues.

I was even happier when Kody called me at home a short while later. He talked to GM again and they agreed to fix both windows, free, and Hang Graff will give me $30 back! It will only take about an hour, so I won't even need a loaner.

Kody, you're the best. Needless to say, I'll be a Hank Graff customer for the rest of my life!

Saffron Update

This is Saffron, sleeping on her favorite pillow. Doesn't she look happy and sleepy? It's been a while since I've written about her, so here's an update.

She was doing really well, until the beginning of July. Since then she's been having lots of digestive problems and really fighting dehydration. According the blood test results we got today, her liver is about the same as it was last Dec. (and not too bad for a 12-year-old cat with liver disease), her kidneys are great, she's slightly anemic, and her red- and white-bloodcell counts are off, indicating an infection (probably parasitic). The infection is probably an overgrowth of something that's naturally in the digestive tract, but her little immune system just isn't as effective as it used to be. She's still getting fluids twice a week at the vet's to help prevent dehydration. I'm giving her two antibiotics for the infection and she's much better now.

I can't tell you how relieved I was to learn her recent problems are something that can be treated and will go away. I was terrified that her liver and/or kidneys were starting to fail. She's a spunky little thing (and I do mean little: 5 lbs. 4 oz. now) and the vet says that her attitude, plus the loads of love and care we give her, are why she's in such good shape. Her appetite is good, her coat looks healthy, and she purrs a lot. I just want to her to stay happy and comfortable for as long as possible. I'm so glad she's doing so well!

UPDATE Thurs, July 24: Tonight she rubbed her face all over my husband’s dress shoes when he got home from work. We haven’t seen her do that in ages! It’s nice to see her acting more like her old self. Whew!

Needle Felting Scultpure Class

Yesterday Laurie, Sue, and I attended Deb Koch's Needle Felting Scultpure Class. Deb doesn't have room for classes in her store, Stitches 'n' Things, so the class was held at the Senior Center in Fenton. Residents were welcome to attend the first portion of the class (free) and about 6, including Deb's mom, did!

We learned the basic techniques by making a Santa/gnome ornament. Pictured above, left to right: my ornament, Sue's, and Laurie's.

After that we made more complex sculptures. The class was designed to teach Waldorf (faceless) dolls, which several of us made, but you could make any kind of sculpture you wished. At least two ladies, including Sue, make miniature dogs.

Laurie made a Mother Earth doll, with animals on her skirt. I made a mermaid, embellished with mini-sea shells and seed beads.


























Sue's dog is not yet completed, but she has her lovely little dog, Bubbles, to use as a model:




















When she's done I will add photos of Bubbles and the completed project.

Needle Felting Sculpture turned out to be much easier than I expected! I consider myself primarily a cross-stitcher but I really enjoyed sculpting my Santa and my mermaid (especially her hair and jewelry!). Since my Sophie, my Siamese Snowshoe, is attracted to wool, I can't easily work on needle felting at home. That's one reason I really enjoy taking Deb's classes. Other reasons: she funny, an excellent teacher, and she always brings chocolate. :) After this class I feel comfortable enough with needle felting to look forward to the next sculpting class: sculpting faces.

Have You Tried Skype?

Skype is a free Internet phone service -- and it really works! Just download the software, sign up for your account, then call anyone else with a Skype account, all free.

I tried it and was very surprised at how well it works. It works just like a telephone but you make the calls via the computer software. I called some friends in Maine and, since they have a built-in camera on their laptop, I could even see them while we talked! There were only two problems. First, the calls are transferred via satellite, so there's a delay (just like when you see the newspeople on TV talking to the astronauts). Second, the connection isn't always perfect; sometimes there is static or dead air, just like some cell phone providers. Overall, though, I am impressed with this free service and will continue to use it to talk to my friends in Maine.

BTW, you can even use Skype to call a regular phone, but you have to pay for that. If you've tried Skype, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

An Exercise in Futility (or Why I Hate the Cable Company)

Today I made an incredibly frustrating phone call that reminds me why we all hate our cable company. (It doesn’t matter which one you have since they are all so similar.) I’m sure in the future this will be funny. Right now I want to reach out and slap my cable/Internet/phone provider!

This one is pretty long! Click here to read the whole thing.



Me: Hi, I don’t have my statement handy but I’d like to get my account balance, make sure both my name and my husband’s name are on our account, and learn how to check my account online.

Cable Rep. #1 (with some kind of foreign accent): What’s your home phone number, please? (I give it.) I’m sorry, we don’t have that number in our system.

Me: Oh, that’s the phone I get from you as part of my cable/Internet/phone package. I must have set up the account using my cell phone. (I give her that number.)

CR1: I see you have a business account.

Me: What? No, it’s a residential account. All I want to do is get my account balance, make sure both our names are on the account, and learn how to check our account online -- and switch my phone number on your records to my home phone.

CR1: I’m sorry, ma’am, I can only change residential accounts. I’ll have to transfer you to Business Accounts.

Me: (Sigh with exasperation and wait while my call is transferred.)

Cable Rep #1 (with an American accent – thank God!): How may help you ma’am?

Me: The first rep I talked to said I have a business account but I don’t. My account is residential. I don’t have my statement handy but all I want to do is get my account balance, make sure both my name and my husband’s name are on the account, learn how to check our account online, and switch my phone number on your records to my home phone.

CR2: You don’t have a business account. You have a residential account. I have no idea what the other person thought it was a business account.

Me: Can you help me?

CR2: I can confirm that both your name and your husband’s name are on the account, and I can change the phone number.

Me: Oh, thank you! (I give him our home phone number.)

CR2: For everything else, I’ll have to transfer you back to Residential Accounts.

Me: (Sigh with exasperation and wait while my call is transferred.)

Cable Rep #3 (with some kind of foreign accent): May I help you?

Me: Hi, I don’t have my statement handy but I’d like to get my account balance and learn how to do that online.

CR3: What is your phone number?

Me (Wondering about the accent): Did I just talk to you a few minutes ago?

CR3: No.

Me: Oh, sorry. (I give her the phone number.)

CR3: What is your account number?

Me: I don’t have statement handy, so I don’t know my account number. I just want to get the balance.

CR3: You can do that online.

Me: That would be great.

CR3: Since you don’t have your account number you’ll have to check your balance by phone.

Me: OK.

CR3: I need you to confirm the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

Me (I do, she gives me the balance, and I pay via credit card): I have $83 in credit in my old account. Can I transfer that to my new account?

CR3: No ma’am but I can send you a refund check.

Me: (I had to ask for this?!) OK. Thanks.

CR3: Remember, in the future you can check your account balance and pay online.

Me: I’m at your web site now and I don’t see where to do that.

CR3: Click “Register.”

Me: It doesn’t say “Register”; it says “Log in.”

CR3: Enter your account number.

Me (enunciation slowly and carefully): I. Don’t. Know. My. Account. Number. If. I. Did. I. Would. Have. Given. It. To. You. The. First. Time. You. Asked.

CR3: You can’t log in without your account number.

Me: Do you mean my “username” is my account number? Then what is my “password”?

CR3: Those numbers are on the top of your statement.

Me (Sighing): I guess I’ll do that after I get my next statement! Thanks.

I hung up and flung my phone across the couch.

To top things off, my own cable company called twice this week trying to try to sell me cable/Internet/phone service. Talk about the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing! 29 more days until the Do Not Call Registration kicks in…

Godspeed, Tony Snow

Tony Snow
1955 - 2008

Bio * Photos * Video

Tony Snow, Former White House Press Secretary and FOX News Anchor, Dies at 53.

This news made me so sad. I always enjoyed watching Tony on Fox News and as Press Secretary. He was an inspiring man who personified integrity, honesty, and politeness. It's sad to lose such a good person any time but his relative youth makes his death tragic. I truly hoped that he would beat the odds and overcome his cancer.

I love this photo of him leaving the White House after resigning as Press Secretary:

This is not a man beaten by cancer. Despite the signs of his illness and chemotherapy, this is a man still believing and fighting. Notice, too, his yellow Live Strong bracelet.

Godspeed, Tony. God bless your family, colleagues, and admirers. We'll miss your courage, integrity, and grace.

Photos courtesy of Fox News. The first is from May 12, 2006, his first press briefing as Press Secretary. The second is from Sept. 14, 2007, his last day at the White House.

A New Blogger Trick: Expandable Posts

I've seen expandable posts on other blogs and always wondered how it was done. An expandable post means that the intro is in the blog entry but you can click the link to read the full text. It's used for long posts, stories, etc. Read more.




This was not nearly as easy as Blogger Help made it sound in "How can I create expandable post summaries?"! To make it work with my Blogger template, Denim designed by Darren Delaye, I had to turn to Google for help. I found it on a blog called Hash Out.

Even with help from Hash Out, it took some trial and error to make it work. Now that I have it set up it will be easy to use in the future, but my posts are usually so short that I can't imagine using it very often. At least I learned something!

Cool Source: Science Daily

I've started reading a new web site called Science Daily. It has current articles on all aspects of science (health, medicine, astronomy, archaeology, technology, etc.). At the end of each article is the original source, usually a scholarly journal, and it shows you how to correctly site the Science Daily article (in MLA or APA format). Wow! What a fabulous site for science and research geeks (like me :).

How did I find this wonderful site? My buddy, Mitch Gann, frequently links to it in his Boomer Blog. Thanks, Mitch!

Here's an example of the neat articles in Science Daily:

Evidence Of Water Found Deep Within The Moon: Dampens Moon-formation Theory

ScienceDaily (July 10, 2008) — A Brown University-led research team has for the first time discovered evidence of water that came from deep within the Moon, a revelation that strongly suggests water has been a part of the Moon since its early existence – and perhaps ever since it was created by a cataclysmic collision between the early Earth and a Mars-sized object about 4.5 billion years ago.

Read the whole thing.

Be sure to scroll to the end to see how to cite the article in MLA or APA format. Cool, eh?

Great Lakes Trivia

According to Mark Torregrossa's "Weather Watch" column in yesterday's Flint Journal:

The Great Lakes water levels have rebounded some after this snowy winter. The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers reported lake levels last week. All of the Great Lakes are higher than this time last year. Lakes Huron and Michigan (which are the same lake for lake-level purposes) are 7 inches higher than this time last year. I find the most amazing fact of the Great Lakes pertains to the size of Lake Superior. The water of Lake Superior is equal to the water of all the other Great Lakes and five additional Lake Eries. That's a lot of water!

Amazing, eh?

Map courtesy of Great Lakes Circle Tour.

Related Sites:
Michigan Facts and Trivia
Michigan Trivia
Great Lakes Trivia

The End of The Cat Who...?

This summer I am listening to the audio books of one my favorite mystery series: The Cat Who... by Lilian Jackson Braun. For those who aren't familiar with the series, each title begins with the words "The Cat Who" as you can see by following the link to a list of the books.

Braun doesn't have her own web site. There are several devoted to her works but most are not up-to-date. I also noticed that no two sites have the same birth year for her; estimates range from 1912-1916, making her at least 92.

Braun wrote the first three books in her series in 1966-68, then took a break until 1986 when she began writing a book or two each year until 2007 for a total of 29 books, making this one of the most prolific and longest-running modern mystery series. I think it was also the first cozy series to feature cats among the main characters. Regardless, she is the Queen of the Cat Cozies.

The series follows the adventures of journalist Jim Qwilleran (called Qwill) and his two Siamese cats, Kao K'o Kung (Koko) and Yum Yum. The cats are just as important to each story and as realistically three-dimensional as Qwill. Braun skillfully walks a fine line in her portrayal of Koko. Is he a super-smart, psychic cat who can solve crimes, or is Qwilleran projecting his own subconscious ideas onto Koko's neurotic antics and interpreting them as clues to help him solve crimes? Is it just a coincidence that the apparently psychic Koko has an unusual abundance of whiskers (60 instead of the usual 24)? And what about the tingle in his magnificent mustache that Qwill gets when he has a hunch -- is he identifying with Koko or is it all just coincidence?

One of the things I enjoy about the series is all the places Qwill and the Siamese visit and all the people they meet. At the beginning of the series they live in the city but eventually settle in the country after Qwill inherits a fortune from his mom's best friend, "Aunt" Fanny. The state is never identified but is clearly the upper-Midwest. Since Braun is from Michigan, I like to think it's Michigan because some of the names sounds very familiar: Pickax sounds Bad Axe, MI and Ittybittywassee River sounds like Titabawasee River. She's never specific and drops enough hints that it could be anywhere in northern Michigan, Minnesota, or Wisconsin.

This is a very cozy series with an emphasis on descriptions of people, places, customs, food, and Koko and Yum Yum's antics (of course). There's a host of recurring supporting characters we get to know and love almost as much as Qwill and the Siamese including Polly, Qwill's long-time girlfriend; Arch Riker, Qwill's friend since childhood and fellow journalist; Junior Goodwinter (and the extended Goodwinter clan), a newspaperman from Moose County, and many, many others. Qwill enjoys collecting folk stories so the almost every book contains a quaint historical or personal story from a minor character that greatly adds to the flavor of the series.

Cat lovers will enjoy the playful and sometimes neurotic behavior of Koko and Yum Yum and the way Qwill spoils them. Qwill doesn't cook for himself and lives on restaurant food but cooks or purchases gourmet food for the cats. In each book Koko and Yum Yum's antics relate to the title of the book and the current mystery (of course). I love the fact that they act like real cats! You can tell the author loves cats and has been owned by several Siamese. As the "owner" of a half-Siamese I can verify that Braun portrays their quirky personalities accurately and affectionately.

After settling down in Moose County (400 miles north of everywhere), Qwill and the Siamese sometimes visit his cottage at the lake, presumably one of the Great Lakes. Qwill is always skeptical of the lake residents' obsession with the UFOs said to appear over the lake in the summer. This becomes a running theme/joke in all the books set at the lake, my favorite of which is The Cat Who Saw Stars. (I won't give away the ending but it's perfect!)

Settling down with one of The Cat Who... books is like a pleasant visit with comfortable old friends. Although the plots are interesting, there are seldom any surprises and you love them anyway because you get to visit the people and cats you love.

The series changed noticeably in 2002 with The Cat Who Went Up the Creek. It wasn't quite as focused as the previous books, but given the author's age (probably 90 at that time), it was understandable. The next couple books were better but the last few were shorter and had a lot less plot. Most disappointing was the last book, The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers.

SPOILER ALERT! I'm about to give away important plot elements of The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers -- stop reading now if you don't want to know. The first problem in this book is the lack of a puzzle, an essential element in even a cozy mystery; there is no crime of any kind and, hence, no plot. Other troublesome problems are that a likable minor character is tragically and pointlessly killed in an auto accident; Polly unexpected leaves Qwill for a job in France, apparently permanently; Qwill, nonplussed, simply decides to date someone else; Qwill's home burns down; the cats are hardly in the story; and we never learn the significance of Koko's extra whiskers (which is what the title refers to). Most frustrating are Qwill and Polly's actions which are completely out of character. Although they never marry, Qwill and Polly are devotedly attached to each other and in The Cat Who Came to Breakfast he realizes he can't imagine life without her. These horrible events left me wondering if Braun simply wanted to end the series and decided to do so in a dramatic and unexpected way, however disappointing to her readers. When I heard she was working on a new book, The Cat Who Smelled Smoke, I hoped that she would fix or undo everything that happened in The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, or a least explain it. Sadly, the most recent news is that The Cat Who Smelled Smoke has been canceled by the publisher; no reason is given and I can't find any news about the author. I fear the worst. Apparently The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers was the last of the series and am very sad to have it end with such a disappointing and uncharacteristic book.

Despite the unfortunate last book, I still strongly recommend this series for anyone who likes cozies, cats, or light, fun mysteries. I also recommend the unabridged audio books read by George Guidall. If you don't want to buy them, you can probably find them in your local library. (I know the Flint Public Library and Genesee District Library have them.)

Related Web Sites:
Stop You're Killing Me
Fantastic Fiction (a UK site)
Wikipedia
Ronald Frobnitz and Family (not up-to-date; site name is a reference to one of Qwill's aliases)
The Unofficial Lilian Jackson Braun Site (not up-to-date)

Surprise! Girl Scout Cookies

How long do Girl Scout Cookies stay fresh? I'm still unpacking and just found several boxes I forgot I had stashed away: two boxes of Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies and two boxes low-fat Lemon Pastry cookies. They don't even make Lemon Pastry cookies any more, so I have no idea how old these are! Not that that has stopped me from eating them...

All four boxes were made by ABC Bakers, so they are the best. I just checked the FAQs on the Girl Scout web site, which says "Girl Scout Cookies do not contain preservatives. They are all made with pure vegetable shortening, are kosher, and freeze well to extend their shelf life." I'm amazed they still taste so good!

If you really bored, read all about Girl Scout Cookies and the two licensed bakeries that make them. Read up so you'll be ready to shop wisely next year. Oh, and don't bother freezing them. They apparently stay just as fresh when shoved to the back of the pantry for a couple of years.

Is the Internet Changing the Way We Think?

I read an interesting article in The Flint Journal today: “Is the Internet Shortening Our Attention Spans?” by Allan Hoffman, Newhouse News Service. It refers to “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” by Nicholas Carr, July/August 2008 Atlantic Monthly. (You can also read it on Digg.com, with readers’ comments.)

Carr’s article is especially interesting, comparing the Internet to previous changes in the way we write (i.e., writing itself which Plato feared would destroy memory, the Gutenberg press, the typewriter, etc.). As a college writing instructor I'm always interested in things that influence the way we think and write, especially the tools we use. I’m sure the Internet is changing the way we think, and I imagine the life-long exposure of our younger students means they think about things in a way we older folks (i.e., over 40) can't imagine.

I'm still pondering Carr's argument that Google has made our attention span shorter; for example, he can no longer concentrate on long articles, let alone heavy-going literature like War and Peace. I wonder if he's read any of the Harry Potter books, or if he gave up after book three when they got -- gasp! -- lengthy and literary.

Maybe the Internet has made me a little impatient, but it hasn't hurt my attention span or my love of reading. I'd write more, but my summer booklist awaits!

My Summer Reading List:

J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment (Hardcover)
by Michael D. C. Drout (Editor)

Titanic - The Ship Magnificent Vol I: Design & Construction (Hardcover)

by Bruce Beveridge, Scott Andrews, Steve Hall, and Daniel Klistorner

Titanic - The Ship Magnificent Vol II: Interior Design & Fitting Out (Hardcover)

by by Bruce Beveridge, Scott Andrews, Steve Hall, and Daniel Klistorner

The History of the Hobbit (Hardcover) by John D. Rateliff

Robin Pagie's Victorian/Edwardian Murder Mysteries

Happy Independence Day!

Happy Birthday, America!

























Photo courtesy of Fireworks by Grucci.

Indy 4

We've been so busy moving and unpacking that I didn't have a chance to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull until yesterday. It was wonderful! (Don't worry, I'm not about to give anything away.)

Most of the reviews I've read said the film has more action and less plot than the previous films, and I agree but that doesn't make this a bad film. Despite the emphasis on action, there are still lots of visual treats that are reminiscent of the previous films, which are a homage to classic B-movies: our first glimpse of Indy's shadow as he puts on his famous hat, the light focused on Indy's eyes in an otherwise dark scene, and several shots of Indy's famous silhouette. My favorite is at the end of the unforgettable opening sequence. You'll see what I mean! Speaking of the opening sequence, I doubt we'll ever see another movie that starts off with such a bang. Wow!

The cast was especially good. Harrison Ford looked great and was the same old Indy but with a little more sarcasm thrown in. Just think of it as a touch of Han Solo. (Speaking of Star Wars, look for the references to Star Wars and Young Indiana Jones in this film. :) Marian Ravenwood, played by Karen Allen, was the same Marian we all know and love from Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was wonderful to see the two of them together again (characters and actors) and see that their magnificent chemistry is still there.

The rest of the cast was also outstanding. This was the first time I've seen Shia LaBeouf and I was impressed by the fact that he wasn't overshadowed by Harrison Ford. As an actor he is nowhere near Ford's caliber yet but he can hold his own. Cate Blanchette was amazing, as she always is, and very convincing as the leader of the evil Ruskies. (I didn't think of Galadriel or Elizabeth except to marvel at her acting ability.) I didn't recognize John Hurt as Professor Harold "Ox" Oxley, a colleague of Marian's dad, but that's probably because he's so convincing in any role he plays!

I was sorry to hear that Denholm Elliott, who played Indy's boss Dr. Marcus Brody, had died. There are nice tributes to him throughout the sequences at Marshall College. I found three. How many can you find? Jim Broadbent was a perfect choice for Indy's new boss and old friend, Dean Charles Stanforth. I can't figure out where I've seen him before but he kind of reminds me of Jack Coleman who plays Claire's dad (aka HRG or "Horn Rimmed Glasses") on Heroes, but maybe it's just the glasses.

I was also hoping, despite the producers' denial, that Sean Connery might put in a surprise appearance at the end, a la Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Sadly, the film made it clear that like Dr. Marcus Brody, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. had died since the the last film. Crap! I also missed John Rhys-Davies as Indy's friend Sallah (from Raiders and Last Crusade) and am sorry he wasn't in this film.

Those rumors you've heard about the plot involving aliens? Don't believe everything you hear. The supernatural element isn't quite up to par with Raiders or Last Crusade, but it's less disappointing than you might expect if you listen to rumors.

For those worried about spiders, snakes, etc.: arachnophobes have nothing to worry about. There is one big snake (Of course! What's an Indy film without Indy confronting a snake?), large scorpions, and ants. No bugs, spiders, or other disgusting things, probably because they overdid those in Temple of Doom.

For soundtrack fans, this one is a must. It combines motifs from all three movies, of course. I don't own it yet but even after only seeing the movie once I clearly heard famliar themes throughout the film (music we associate with Marian, Dr. Henry Jones Sr./the Grail, the Ark, etc.) as well as music for the new characters and adventures. Best of all, of course, is the familiar, rousing Indiana Jones theme. Will I buy the soundtrack? Most likely. Will I see the film again? You bet! And I want the DVD. Thank goodness Indy is back!

Related Web Sites:
Indiana Jones (official site)
The Raider (unofficial fan site. WARNING: contains spoliers!)

Michigan Solstices

This is was the Solstices are like here in mid-Michigan (43 N latitude):

Summer Solstice, 10 p.m.: Ack! Doesn't it ever get dark outside?!

Winter Solstice, 10 a.m.: Ack! Doesn't it ever get light outside?!

According to Weather Underground, today we had 16.5 hours of visible daylight. I'm looking forward to October and November, when the number of hours of daylight and dark are more balanced -- and it's dark enough to sleep at 10 p.m.!

I took this photo of the sunset over Lake Michigan in Charlevoix, 45.3 N latitude, where they have slightly longer days than we do.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

We are 99% done moving. Tomorrow we'll move the last few odds and ends and clean the old apartment one last time before handing in our keys.

Now that most of our stuff is here (even if it isn't unpacked yet), it's starting to feel more like home. It's nice to be able to cook again instead of eating take-out. Speaking of our new appliances, I especially like the dishwasher, clothes washer, and dryer.

The cats are relaxed and happy and enjoy exploring new corners or new bits of floor (each time we empty or move a box), helping us unpack, assemble new bookcases, etc.

I'm relieved to be nearly done running up and down the stairs. Since each apartment is on the second floor, I've been getting tons of exercise. One day I decided to count the number of trips I made up and down the stairs in one day but stopped counting at 30 because it was too depressing! After we are completely done moving I plan to do something less physically challenging, like run a marathon (I hear there are no stairs in those)!

The Big Move

This afternoon we moved the cats to the new apartment. It went much better than I anticipated!

First we brought over all the cat paraphernalia (blankets, toys, food, treats, etc.) and I plugged in the Feliway (happy pheromone dispenser) in the bedroom.

Then we brought the cats. I sprayed the towel in each carrier with Feliway, of course. My husband coaxed Sophie, our neurotic Siamese Snowshoe, into the larger carrier and I put Saffron, our sweet little orange cat, in the small one. Sophie cried a little in the car, but there was no yowling or panicking. Whew!

In the new apartment we put the carriers on our bed and let the cats out. They quickly explored the bedroom, master bath, and walk-in closet. Both were fascinated by the shower stall and wanted that door open so they could go inside. LOL. Even clear doors must be open. :)

Saffron quickly wanted to explore the rest of the apartment and examined the place like she was deciding whether or not to buy it. In just 15 minutes she had made the rounds a few times, then went back the bedroom and started eating. That’s my adaptable girl!

Poor Sophie was very nervous and hid in the closet under my hanging clothes. She hissed at me a little and just wanted to hide. We were both afraid to leave her anywhere unsupervised, so we carried her back to the bedroom and closed the closet door. She explored the apartment for a while, then settled under my husband's desk and seems to want to stay there!

It’s now about 7:30 pm; the cats have been here since about 3. Saffron is clingy but eating and drinking. Sophie wasn’t interested in eating until I offered her some Gerber’s chicken baby food. Now she’s back under the desk.

This is going much better than I expected. What a relief!

The Joys and Sorrows of Moving

"Why aren't you blogging?" my lone reader asked. "I check your blog every day. Nothing new. It is because you are moving?"

Bingo!

Yes, my life is nothing but boxes -- at work and at home. At work, our department is about get remodeled. That means everything in my office had to be packed. That wouldn't have been so bad but the date was unexpectedly moved up. Naturally, it was moved up to the same time I was moving at home. SIGH.

Speaking of moving at home, let me just say for the record: I hate change and I hate moving, and when you've lived in one place for 15 years during which half your family died you accumulate a lot of stuff.

To make the move less stressful we've been spreading it out over about three weeks (we are now at the end of week 2). My husband and I have been busy sorting, packing, and moving small stuff. The new apartment is only about a mile away so we're slowly but surely getting a lot done. We're unpacking as much as we can as we go along and re-using the boxes, one of advantages of moving nearby. Tuesday the movers will come for the furniture and Wednesday the cable TV/Internet will be hooked up at the new place. Tuesday or Wednesday we'll move the cats and the worst will be over.

Why are we moving to a new apartment instead of a house? Yes, I really want a house but I want to find the right house -- and right now if we buy one we don't really like we won't be able to sell it.

The new apartment is like a condo (huge kitchen, three bedrooms, two baths, laundry room, etc.) so we'll have a lot more room. It has all hardwood floors and I'm hoping the lack of carpet will mean I don't need to take my allergy medicine in the winter. Although it's much larger than our old apartment, I think we actually have less wall space for bookcases and floorspace for desks so we are now deciding what to put in storage.

Between losing Uncle Bob, moving at work, and moving at home, I feel pretty overwhelmed. Grief counseling is helping, slowly but surely, and after we are done moving I plan on spending the rest of the summer relaxing, recuperating, and doing nothing (except blogging)!

If you need a daily blog fix, read Mitch Gann's Boomer Blog by one of my colleagues. It's wonderfully funny!

PS: I should mention that physical and moral support from our dear friends Laurie, John, and Denise during this move are priceless.

Sophie's Treasures

Last night we moved the cedar chest. Underneath it we found 14 sparklie balls, 1 fluffy ball, and one toy mouse. Sophie immediately reclaimed her treasures:

















Then our clever girl showed us how they got there in the first place:


















Before I went to bed, I put all the these toys in the toy basket. When I got up this morning, Sophie had moved 10 of the sparklie balls to strategic locations around the apartment. She was a busy girl!

Happy Retirement, Mr. Tuttle!

One of my favorite high school teachers, Mr. Tom Tuttle, is retiring.

Mr. Tuttle, after putting up with us kids for 36 years and spending your summers teaching driver's training, I hope you have a wonderful retirement! I'll never forget all the fun we had in Earth Science and Astronomy, or how disappointed I was when you didn't get selected for the teaching space program, or how glad I was that you weren't on Challenger that day. I wish you happy travels always; may you find many more additions for your space memorabilia collection.

---

Here's the story from The Davison Index:

Long-time teacher retiring

Tom Tuttle in his classroom. He’s been teaching in room 344 since 1972.

By Monica Dufour
INDEX Staff Writer

DAVISON — Davison High School opened its doors in 1972, with Tom Tuttle teaching in room 344.

This June, the earth science teacher will close the door for the last time.
“I think the time is right for me to retire,” Tuttle said. “I’ve been teaching in the same classroom for 36 years.”

Tuttle said the earth science program is transferring to the Davison Middle School after this school year because of a state mandate, so he thought the time was right for him to leave.
He’s enjoyed his time at the high school. “I was hired by Don Green, the assistant superintendent,” Tuttle said. “I remember him telling me I’d like teaching in the Davison school system. He was right.”

Tuttle’s involvement at the school didn’t stop with teaching sciences. He has taught driver’s education for 27 years. He has been the Gen-Net Fiber optic instructor, teaching earth science and astronomy for 10 years.

He has volunteered for high school activities such as working in the press box at Cardinal stadium during games and has assisted with the basketball team. Tuttle has helped out with Davison’s senior prom since 1982. “I enjoy helping with the prom,” he said. “It’s a great community activity for kids and parents.”

The development of technology is something he’s noticed as one of the biggest changes over the years. “Especially with the Gen-Net program,” he said. “It allows me to teach to students at other schools.”

Tuttle said the same activities that have kept him busy over the years will be what he will misses the most.

“I’m planning on helping out still with football games if they need me,” he said.

Tuttle will also miss the staff. “We have a great support staff in Davison. We have the best secretaries, custodians, coaches and aides,” he said. “They’re fantastic people who make teachers’ jobs a lot easier.”

The Richfield Township resident said that once he’s retired, he’d like to travel. “My summers I would spend teaching driver’s education, so now I will have some time to go to places I haven’t been able to go,” he said.

Tuttle and his wife, Kathleen, have been married for 37 years. They have two daughters, Jennifer, and Heather.

In his spare time, he enjoys collecting space memorabilia from American and Russian Space programs.

Review: I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming

I Shall Not Want is the sixth book in Julia Spencer-Fleming’s Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne series. In this much-anticipated book, we learn what happens after the death Russ’s wife and Clare’s reinstatement in the military at the end of All Mortal Flesh.

In you aren’t familiar with this series, it’s set in the small town of Millers [sic] Kill in up state New York where ex-military helicopter pilot and newly ordained Episcopal Priest Clare Fergusson often gets involved in the criminal cases of Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne. Clare is a refreshingly unusual heroine while Russ, also ex-military, is a much more traditional hero: an admirably good and decent man who is also a very good cop. The two are antagonistic at first but soon realized they are strongly attracted to each other. Clare is reluctant to get involved with a married man for moral reasons and Russ is determined to be faithful to his wife despite recent troubles in their marriage. Trite as it sounds, the tension between Clare and Russ is the driving force between these two very likeable characters in a very well-crafted series. All of the plots are amazingly but understandably complex and compellingly unpredictable. Keeping with the theme of Clare’s vocation, each book title refers to a hymn or scripture with the related text included as a preface.

I Shall Not Want starts off with a bang that will drive you crazy until you see how it plays out. You may be tempted to skip to the end but resist the urge and enjoy the ride. The plot is excellent, as usual, and involves the deaths Latino immigrants who work on the local farms. Clare’s work with the immigrants throws her into close proximity of Russ and the tension between the two is heightened by the grief and guilt they feel over the recent accidental death of Russ’s wife. The possibility that Clare’s unit will be called up for active duty in Iraq increases the tension throughout the book.

In addition to the usual supporting characters, we meet a new police officer Hadley Knox, who returns to Millers Kill as a divorced mom. The first female officer in the Millers Kill PD struggles to adapt and has her own romantic problems that complicate her new career. I really like her and hope she sticks around!

The book has an ending that will satisfactorily resolve some issues but leave you looking forward to the next book. I can’t say more than that without giving anything away! Do plan on uninterrupted reading time because once you start this book, you won’t want to stop.

If you haven’t read the series I strongly recommend you start at the beginning so you don't miss any of these fantastic stories or the on-going character development:

1. In the Bleak Midwinter (2002. Agatha Award for Best First Novel)
2. A Fountain Filled With Blood (2003.)
3. Out of the Deep I Cry (2004. Finalist 2005 Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel)
4. To Darkness and to Death (2005.)
5. All Mortal Flesh (2006. 2007 Nero Award, Finalist 2006 Agatha Award for Best Novel, Finalist 2007 Macavity Award for Best Novel, and Finalist 2007 Anthony Award for Best Mystery)
6. I Shall Not Want (2008.)

Thank you, Julia, for another wonderful book and for allowing me to review it! I hope to goodness you are busy writing the next one. ☺

An Engineer's Guide to Cats

I got this link from a colleague and just had to share. (Thanks, Jan B.!) It's hilariously funny: deadpan engineers discuss cat care. Don't drink while you are watching, especially the cat yodeling sequence, unless you want to spit all over your computer screen. Be sure to get a good look at the smallest cat (Ginger); she looks a lot like my Saffron!




If the connection is slow, here's the direct link to YouTube.com: An Engineer's Guide to Cats. Thank you to Paul Klusman and T. J. Wingard (Engineers) and Oscar, Zoey, and Ginger (stunt cats) for this wonderful video!

Titanic

This is the last known picture of Titanic. She sank 96 years ago today, taking over 1,500 people with her.

I've been thinking about it all day and was inspired to write another Haiku:

Starry night, white ice
Titanic meets destiny
A legend is born

Godspeed Titanic, her victims, and all who keep her memory alive.

My First Haiku

Aren't these crocuses pretty? I've been too busy to take pictures lately; I found this one on Wikimedia. The spring weather has inspired my first attempt at poetry in decades:

Warm sun, bright flowers
Bringing forth pollen and mold
I sneeze joyfully

---

Thank you to everyone who has e-mailed to see if I'm OK. I am, just too busy to blog. I had bronchitis the second week of March and got way behind on my grading. I've done nothing but go to class and grade papers for the last four weeks. The end is in sight though! This is the last week of class and I should be done with all of my grading sometime next week. I'm looking forward to having the Spring and Summer semesters off!

Camp Stitchalot

Feb. 29-Mar. 2 Stitches 'N Things (my favorite store!) hosted Camp Stitchalot at the Comfort Inn in Davison, MI. The weekend featured classes by three needlework designers, a needle felting class by Deb Koch of Stitches 'N Things, an on-site store, and lots of time to stitch! I attended with my stitchin' friends Laurie and Sue.

We spent most of the weekend stitching current projects. Laurie started and nearly finished a Huckwork baby afghan. Huckwork is a Swedish surface weaving done with yarn on Monk's Cloth, a soft, layered cloth that's easy to work with -- and the needlework doesn't show on the back! Huckwork goes quickly, as long as you count correctly on the first row.

Sue worked on a beautiful counted-thread "housewife" piece by Betsy Morgan (Willing Hands Designs). I keep thinking it's Hardanger because it includes eyelet stitches, but there is no cut work on this piece! It looks like a long, narrow band sampler on the outside but is designed to roll up to carry around your stitching tools and threads inside. She's stitching it in variegated silk floss on linen. I'd never be patient enough to do such beautiful work! It's amazing.

Here's the cover of Betsy's book and Sue's work in progress:






















A close-up of Sue's work:


























Isn't the shading amazing?! Sue uses a laying tool so all the threads lay flat to show off the stitches and shading. She says there's a reason I can't find a web site for Betsy:

She may not have a website because you can only take her pieces when you take a class from her. She gets hired for seminars and by guilds, then you can get her stuff. You really need her, because of the idiosyncrasies in her stuff that she tells you in person, then you write your own notes so you remember. Plus her technique for joining from the outside is pretty nifty – you need to see it in person – then have her watch you do it so you can complete the project later.

This kind of beautiful, detailed work is way out of my league! I used to like complicated pieces but now that I have very limited stitching time I stitch mostly small, simple things that I can actually finish. I really admire Sue and others who have time patience and dedication for such amazing and time-consuming projects!


I only took one class this weekend:

Deb Koch of Stitches N Things

The "'Sheep Tricks' Needle Felting Pin" class included a kit with everything we needed to learn how to needle felt and make a cute sheep pin. Mine looks like the one on the right. I chose it because it's cute and the bell reminds me of an iPod (these are very smart sheep). Deb also told us about the history of needle felting. This was my second needle felting project (the first was a snowman pin when I took Deb's other class last October). This time I learned that when she says to go slow and be careful with those sharp, barbed needles, she's not kidding!

When I wasn't doing that I started and finished cross-stitching "Frosty Whiskers" by Mosey N Me:

















I stitched the piece on the right but used a light pewter gray instead of light blue for the background. This was one of the few times I've stitched on linen instead of aida cloth and I really like it! The linen is a finer even weave cloth than aida; this linen was 25 threads/squares per inch so I stitched over two threads/squares. This makes the three-quarters stitches much easier and neater. I'm very pleased with myself for starting and finishing two projects in one weekend!

I enjoyed meeting the designers and admiring their work. Their classes looked really cool but I already have so many projects to work on! Here are the classes I did not take (descriptions adapted from the Stitches 'N Things web site):

Betsy Stinner of Earth Threads

The "Amish Basket Stitching Smalls" kit included a basket handmade by an eighty year old Amish woman. Stitchers made the "smalls" to go in the basket: a needle book, wax container, and scissor fob. The class also included a lecture on the Amish people and their way of life presented with Power Point. (I love the irony of that!)

Catherine Strickler of Indigo Rose

Students in "Kate's Necessaire" class made a cool caddy for needlework tools. When closed, it looks like fancy book. When, open it has pockets for scissors, a laying tool, and needle tin. It even has a tiny pin cushion!

Denise Archer



Students in this class learned how to make, bead, and finish/assemble a "biscornu" (pronounced "biss-kor-noo" or "biss-core-new"), a French adjective that means "that which has an irregular form, with projections" or "complicated and bizarre." It's also called a "tuffet" (yes, as in "Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet"!). It's a tiny cushion that can be used as a pincushion, ornament, scissor fob, sachet, or whatever else you can think of. (In our house it would be a cat toy.) The kit included buttons and beads for the top and a magnet for the bottom. I wasn't interested until I actually saw these! They are interesting, attractive, and look like a lot of fun to stitch!

As always, it was fun and inspiring to see what all the other stitchers (about 40 in all) were working on. I saw lots of cool needlework, made new friends, and am very glad we went! I'm already looking forward to the next camp in October.

French Hall Remodeling

French Hall, the building where my office and classrooms are located, is under construction. The central portion is blocked off and only two hallways are open.

Here's the Foreign Language hall (photos courtesy of my colleague Fred):






















Here's the English Department hall:






















Interesting, eh? The overhead lights disappeared with the drop ceiling and we are amused by the temporary coal-mine style lighting. (If you can't tell from the photos, the lightbulbs are in cages on a heavy extension-cord type line, strung along the hall at ceiling level.) When I look at all the steel above the ceiling level I am amazed that my cell phone works at all in this building!

This phase of remodeling should be done around the end of this semester (April). Then they'll start on our hall: rearranging walls, painting, recarpeting, etc. I'm glad I'm not teaching spring or summer semesters and will miss all the mess, but it will be weird to pack up and leave my old office and come back to a brand new one!

---

While Googling "French Hall" for external pics of our building, I found a few related links:

French Hall Renovations (with a really nice external photo)

The University of Michigan-Flint on Wikipedia (who knew?!)

Indy's Back!

In case you haven't heard, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the fourth Indy movie and the first in almost 20 years, will be released May 22. Take a look at the trailer:



I can hardly wait! It looks like an outstanding successor to Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. They've advanced the timeline 20 years so it's set in the 50s with Indy fighting Commies instead of Nazis, with Cate Blanchett at the head of the bad guys. Other characters include Marion Ravenwood; her father and Indy's mentor, Abner (who was supposed to be dead before Raiders so let's hope we see him via flashback); and a new character, Mutt Williams (rumored to be Indy and Marion's son). Sadly, Denholm Elliott (who played Dr. Marcus Brody) died in 1992 and there is no sign of John Rhys-Davies (who played Sallah) or Sean Connery (Dr. Henry Jones, Sr.). I hope they are just being careful with the credits and we'll get to see Indy's dad.

For more info visit Indian Jones: The Official Site, The Raider (fan site), or The Internet Movie Database (which isn't very helpful at this point).

Get your Fedora and leather jacket ready... only 87 more days...

Always a Marine

In memory of my cousin, Gene, who died unexpectedly this week of heart failure at age 57. He was one of my favorite cousins, and one of the nicest guys I've ever known. We hadn't been close for years, but I will miss him and I am proud of his service as a Marine -- and he was one of the best.

I love you, big Gene.

Marines' Hymn

From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli,
We fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea.
First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title of United States Marine.

Our Flag's unfurled to every breeze from dawn to setting sun.
We have fought in every clime and place, where we could take a gun.
In the snow of far off northern lands and in sunny tropic scenes,
You will find us always on the job, the United States Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps, which we are proud to serve.
In many a strife we've fought for life and never lost our nerve.
If the Army and the Navy ever look on heaven's scenes,
they will find the streets are guarded by United States Marines.


Taps

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Fading light, dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.
From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.

Thanks and praise, for our days,
'Neath the sun, 'neath the stars, neath the sky;
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

Happy Valentine's Wedding

Congratulations to my nephew, Derrik, and his beautiful bride, Katrina, on their romantic Valentine's Day wedding!

Bifocal Contacts

A couple of years ago I had to get bifocal eyeglasses. Since I wear my contact lenses about 14 hours a day and they changed the contact Rx slowly, I never noticed a problem with my aging eyes -- until now.

Recently I've had trouble reading small print. I just can't get it to focus no matter where I put it, even with a new Rx for my contacts. I spent the weekend with a pair of over-the-counter reading glasses for emergencies but they weren't quite right either. I was so frustrated! Oh sure, reading glasses are way better than the Coke-bottle glasses I used to wear before I got contacts at age 18, but I don't like the inconvenience.

Today they eye doctor gave me bifocal contacts to try. Unlike my old contacts where one eye saw clearly up close and the other eye saw clearly far away (don't ask me how my brain figured it out!), these contacts are bifocal lenses, just like my glasses. I don't understand how they work but they are like magic! Once again I can see any range and it feels very natural. Best of all, no reading glasses are required. Whew.

I've got to stop typing now. Now that I can see better, I have papers to grade and books to read!

Winter as it Should Be

For the first time in years, I have a snow day today! (U of M closing last Friday, a day we don't have class, in anticipation of bad weather we did not get, does not count!)

Yesterday we got a foot of snow. One report said we were getting an inch an hour but judging by the amount of snow each time I cleared off my car, I'm sure it was faster than that! It was so heavy I couldn't see a block away. It was so heavy that snow accumulated on the roof of my car, then slid down on the windshield in an avalanche so heavy the wipers couldn't move. I was so glad to get home and out of the mess! All the schools, including U of M, closed early.

Since a snow day is an unexpected gift from God, and rare indeed at U of M, I decided to enjoy my holiday. I mostly spent it cuddling with my cats and reading The Bradbury Chronicles by Sam Weller.

So much for global warming, eh? :) This is winter as is should be, the kind of winters I grew up with: lots of snow with an occasional snow day. I just wish the meteorologists would stop acting like snowstorms are something new!

6 More Weeks of Winter

In case you missed it on CNN: "Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Saturday, leading the groundhog to forecast six more weeks of winter."

For more on this quaint superstition, follow the CNN link above or visit:



Groundhog.org - Official site of the Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Groundhog Club

Groundhog.com - yet another site about Phil

Brain Age and Other Puzzles

I've never been good at crossword puzzles or Scrabble (oh, the irony for an English/writing teacher!), so I've doing more crosswords and slowly getting better. The last time we went to Traverse City, I discovered that the Detroit Free Press has an acrostic puzzle every Saturday. I love acrostics! I like Sudoku, too, as I've mentioned before.

Last year my mom-in-law got a Nintendo DS Lite and a Brain Age 2 game for her birthday. The game is supposed to stimulate the cortex, improving memory. The games are challenging but fun.

As a reward for surviving the first three weeks of the semester and completing my Major Review, I bought myself a Nintendo DS Lite and Brain Age 1. Brain Age 1 has completely difference games than Brain Age 2, so Mom and I can trade. I'd like to get Ultimate Brain Games and Ultimate Card Games when they are released for the DS.

No doubt all this cortical stimulation will help me avoid perpetuating the absent-minded professor stereotype. :)

Whew!

Whew! Things are finally getting back to normal for me. When my uncle died, I spent that week at the funeral home and frantically preparing to teach my Winter semester classes (which started following Monday). Since the semester started, whenever I wasn't in class I was frantically working on the materials for my first Major Review, which I finished and turned in yesterday.

All professors do an annual review. Since I'm non-tenure track, our union requires a Major Review every 3-5 years. A Major Review covers the previous three years. I had to complete and present in a notebook:

A Summary
The Review Form
My Vita
My Teaching Philosophy
Syllabi for every class I've taught over the last 3 years
Student evaluations for every class I've taught over the last 3 years
My Analysis of Student Evaluations
My Analysis of My Successes and Challenges
At least one Classroom Observation by someone who outranks me (I included 3!)
Any Additional Materials

For additional materials I included a couple of assignment sheets, unsolicited feedback from students (letters, cards, e-mail, etc., about how I helped them, changed their lives, etc.), Golden Apple Awards (award certificates students can give to their instructors each semester), feedback from my Department Chairman and Director of Writing Programs on my previous reviews, and the papers I presented or published during the past three years.

Whew! I'm glad that's over. I'm really glad that since I turned it in I haven't thought of anything I should have included but forgot.

What do I get for all this? A promotion from Lecturer III to Lecturer IV, a raise, and more job security -- but I won't know for sure for about 2 months. The good news is that everyone who has seen the notebook tells me I have nothing to worry about. In the meantime, I'm glad to return to my normal stress/workload!

Christmas Cactus

Isn't this a beautiful Christmas Cactus? It is about 50 years old and was my grandma's. When we were preparing for my uncle's funeral we noticed that it was blooming. You may not be able to tell from this picture, but it is also full of buds! I've never had good luck with Christmas Cactuses (Cacti?) so I just hope we can keep it alive.

By the way, don't tell the plant it's supposed to bloom only at Christmas. It blooms from about Christmas to about Easter.