Does This Chest Make Me Look Like A Boy?

"36 D and I am playing Greylag the gander in Denton Community Theatre's production of HONK JR. Go figure!"
Erin, my very girl-shaped girl has played a male in two of the last shows she has done. Greylag is not nearly the stretch that Ito, the Japanese house boy, was in MAME. It is amazing what make-up and Ace bandages can do. I guess that is why they call it acting. She does have a cute red-headed wife in HONK.

Just Be Quiet

Remember that lesson that your mother taught you, If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all? I remember it because I learned it the hard way - many times. Today is one of those days where I have nothing particularly good to say so I should say nothing. However . . .

• The refrigerator, that was "fixed" a month ago is again covered with ice on the freezer side. I have to be up and drssed at 7:30 for the repairman.
• I spent two hours last night with an electrician trying to trace a short in a circuit.
• I am having trouble printing photos - the color on my printer is not matching the on screen at all. (Same printer, new problem)
• The current issue of Spirit of Knitting is not done.
• The dogs have shredded an entire dog bed's worth of foam on my office floor. When that ceased to be fun, they shredded paper. Who needs one of those fancy electric shredders anyway?
• My schedule the rest of the week sucks.
• I am leaving on vacation on Sunday. Praise God! However, I may be going naked because I have not done laundry in . . . .I can't remember.
• Not only are all my clothes dirty, my house is filthy too.

You probably get the picture. Nothing terrible is going on, just several things that are a pain in the butt.

I suppose I should stop complaining and go do something about all the things that need to be done.

Bye!

A Miracle

If you ever have a day where all seems dark and dismal, here is a story that ssays that there is still good in the land.

I had a phone call from Alissa today saying that she had received an email from TSA at Logan Airport saying that they needed to reach me concerning a lost item. As far as I knew, I was missing nothing. And why did they contact Alissa? I did travel through Boston Logan on July 1st. Maybe I left a notebook or something that had a Knitting Fairy card or handout. Alissa forwarded me the email that she had received which had a phone number to contact TSA.

I called and a friendly man answered. He asked me if I was missing anything. I said, "I must be, but to tell you the truth, I have no idea what it is." A deep silence came over his end of the phone. I asked him if he could tell me what he had found. As it turns out, I had failed to pick up my laptop when I went through security. I had not noticed that it was missing because I almost never use it when I am at home. The monitor is much smaller than the one on my desktop, it is much harder for me to see. So, I have not even opened my computer bag since I returned from Boston. I would not have noticed it was missing until this coming weekend when I started packing for our upcoming trip to New Mexico.

That particular computer lists three users - me, Betty Kay, and Spirit of Knitting. The TSA people searched for Spirit of Knitting on the web. Our web page is not up and running yet, but it does exist. All correspondence goes to Alissa, or maybe it is Brad. Anyway, it does not come to me so this is the only contact information they could obtain.

AFter our conversation, the TSA officer emailed me two forms, one with shipping info so they could FedEx my computer home and one that stated that I had not filed a loss on the computer. I signed, scanned, and emailed the forms back to him. Within 30 minutes I received an email saying that my computer was on its way to Texas via FedEx. He sent the tracking number. It should arrive tomorrow afternoon.

Is that not an amazing story? I can't believe my computer was not stolen off the security line after sitting there for an unreasonable amount of time. Actually, it was probably swept away to make sure that it did not contain a bomb or something. I was flying right after all of the airport attacks in London and Scotland. After it was seemed harmless, someone went through the trouble to figure out how to contact me. I have identification on my computer bag, but not on the computer itself. I am impressed that they put forth the extra effort to find me.

I think that it is important for us all to remember that the person who turned in my computer to lost and found is the same person who is cursed by all those air travelers who are required to take their shoes off, empty their pockets, remove their belt, take off their jewelry, step to the side to be wanded, and place their computer in a separate bin. They really are not the enemy; they are on our side - the side of safety and honesty, at least in Boston.

This whole incident is even more amazing to me because back in May when Mike flew to Johannesburg, the security people in London made him check his computer bag. When he arrived in South Africa, both his personal laptop and his work laptop were gone. The airline refused to take any responsibility. Though he tried to file a complaint, ultimately he had to replace his own computer. The work one was covered by Accenture's insurance.

I suppose that the happy ending does not really come until after 3 pm tomorrow when I receive my computer in one piece. I am sure all will be fine when it arrives.

Miracles really do happen!

Summer School

I did something this summer that I never do. I agreed to teach summer term. I don't teach over the summer because I like being a lady of leisure and because the courses I teach are not offered during the summer. I really did not have "a class" this term; I had one student who essentially wanted tutoring.

He was a student who had been in my class during the long semester but dropped because he was going to fail had he not. His biggest problem was not that he was unable to grasp the material, but rather that he was so unsure of his skills that he convinced himself that he could not succeed.

During our summer meetings, I reintroduced the material from class by going back a little further than I normally do. This made a huge difference in his self confidence. With some of his insecurities now removed, we were able to make great strides. We had our last meeting of the summer today. He left ready to tackle the next semester of this sequence, which I also teach, in the fall.

Working with a student on an individual basis is a luxury that is not afforded to most teachers, or students for that matter, very often. In this case, I believe that this opportunity was the only way that this student could master the course content. I had the time to address his particular problems and focus 100% of our class time addressing his specific needs. Because this class was a skills class, this was crucial to his success. He left happy with his accomplishments.

He, however, was not the only one of us to have benefited from this summer school experience. It was a tremendous learning experience for me as well. I gained some real insight into the weaknesses that many of my students bring to my class from previous classes. I developed some new exercises to help this particular student, but they also have the potential to be helpful to many others. I learned how much faith a student can put in an instructor's ability to teach them. And, I saw how much an instructor's faith in a student's ability to learn can benefit that student.

Life Has Gone To Pot(ter)

I must confess that I am culturally illiterate. I am not a Harry Potter fan. I have not read a single book, and don't intend to. I have seen one, maybe two, movies but I would be hard pressed to tell you what they are really about. The only thing I can say with any certainty is that Hagrid is sexy in his own hairy way.

As not to have my children follow on my path of illiteracy, I have supported and encouraged their following of Harry Potter. At the recommendation of a friend of a friend, Brooke read the first book long before Harry Potter was as common a name as Bart Simpson. After reading the first book, Brooke was hooked.

The early books were all released in the UK before they were released here in the US. I know that I ordered at least one book from amazon.uk so that Brooke could read it before anyone here had it. This also meant that she read the British version. Not only are a few of the titles different "across the pond", but some of the language is also altered a bit. Reading the book in it's native tongue was a treat.

Another of the books was to come out in the US while we were on a trip to England. This did not play well with the then ten year old until we told her that it was already available in bookstores in England. We got this volume at Waterstone bookstore in Canterbury.

After the third book, Erin, who was then seven or so, became a Harry Potter fan though she was a little intimidated by the 500 page books. She listened to these early volumes on CD. When the fourth book came out, the CDs were about three times the price of the book. I told her she would have to wait until the price came down. She decided that it really was not such a big book. From that point on, I have had to buy two copies of every book.

Last night was no different. The girls decided that since the new book is the last, they would become a part of history and join all of those who were at the bookstore at midnight to purchase their copies. I was spared this adventure. Their Daddy took them. I think they all git home around 2 am. Both girls started reading immediately.

AT about 7:15 this morning, Brooke came in to my room and tossed her already devoured copy of the book on her daddy's nightstand. He left for South Africa this afternoon so he was able to take her book with him to read on the plane.

This is where I found her when I got up around 9 this morning.

When I went to check on the status of Erin and Harry, I found her still reading. She had fallen asleep for a few hours so she was behind her sister.
Unfortunately, Erin had to get up and go to the theater for tech day. The whole time she was there she was saying, "I'd rather be reading. I'd rather be reading! I"D RATHER BE READING!!" As soon as she got home, Erin assumed her position in the chair that her sister had since vacated and resumed reading. She has just finished the book.

We have a "no talk" rule at our house. No one can talk about the book until everyone who wants to read it has finished. Since I would not be one of those people, the conversation has started.

The girls are very different in their tastes concerning books and movies. The Harry Potter books are one place where they intersect. I am glad that they have both enjoyed the Harry Potter books and can engage in lively discussion about them.

I must also confess that we own the first book in American English, British English, French, German, Spanish, and Latin. And, they have each been read. Perhaps this is one of those things that is also an indicator that your kid is a nerd.

Are You Talking To Me?

Today's post contains another picture from my travels in the consumer world. I do not spend much time in the big malls anymore, but I made an exception today. It had to do with a gift for all those July birthday's I mentioned a few weeks ago. I don't know where my head was that I was actually paying attention to the marketing ploys as I made my way to my destination, but this one caught my attention. I guess they got their money's worth from the ad agency.

In case you can't read the cutline, it says, "A VEGAN DID NOT CHOOSE GREEN" it is an ad for Dell computers. I guess it caught my attention because of living with our family vegan and the fact that we are about to buy her a computer to take to school. I am fairly sure it will not be a pink one! And, I think she is leaning towards a Mac.

What I find amusing about this ad is the fact that the computer geeks are marketing to female vegan. (Okay, I realize that this a bit sexist but I am not sure even a guy who wanted a pink computer would actually get one.)

My blue-haired (really blue-haired now) vegan has worked so hard to embody the true essence of non-conformity. She does not dress "like the other girls"; she does not think like "the other girls"; she does not act "like the other girls". This way of life as kept her drug free and childless, so, suffice it to say, I am not complaining! I just think that it is hilarious that someone who has worked so hard to fly through life on the outskirts of society is the focus of what is probably an expensive ad campaign. Maybe there are more young female vegans than I know. Based on the menu choices at most restaurants, I can't believe that to be true. Maybe the same company that does marketing for Dell could work on the restaurant chains.

I believe that I said yesterday that I am often easily amused. This post is further evidence in support of that. Or, maybe it is evidence that I do not get out enough. That could be too. Maybe I am the average American driven by consumerism who is drawn into every ad gimmick that the marketing firms have up their sleeves. No way!

Not So Free Wheelin'

I will admit it - I am easily amused. As we were walking into Hobby Lobby this afternoon, the following caught my attention. And then, it made me laugh.

How often does one see a sign that says "NO SHOES WITH WHEELS" when entering a public place. The sign is referring to Heelys, a shoe with a wheel in the heel that creates a skate. These shoes have gained much attention recently, most of it negative. Doctors have warned about the dangers of such shoes saying that the unnatural position necessary to maneuver on the wheel in the heel causes children to fall backwards resulting in head injuries. The likelihood of this is augmented by the fact that most who wear Heelys do not wear protective gear.

But is it really necessary to post such a sign at Hobby Lobby? I will admit that the aisles of this store are lined with glass items for home decor. Even a slight bump into one display tower would create a huge mess. But why focus on the shoes with wheels? Almost anything with wheels in this environment could result in the same disaster.

Have you ever been behind a toddler pushing his own stroller through a store? That is definitely a recipe for disaster, but I do not see a sign forbidding that. Then there are those pushing their carts, paying attention, and still running into people and things. Why do we not ban shopping carts? Then there are those who just flat aren't paying attention to what they are doing, no wheels involved, who run into people and things. What should be done about them? Should all "space cases" be banned from public places? This is showing some promise!

I also had to laugh at the juxtaposition of the no shoes with wheels sign right above the handicapped accessibility sign. I am not sure what makes Hobby Lobby handicapped accessible. They do not have automatic doors. The layout is similar to that that a lab rat must endure. It is just as likely that a person in, or one who is pushing, a wheelchair will run into something as it is that the kid in roller shoes will. In fact, it is probably more likely because there are more people in wheelchairs shopping at Hobby Lobby than there are kids on wheels.

I suspect that the ban on Heelys is the result of an accident, possibly even a lawsuit, at some store. So as is the American way, we ban the problem item rather than learning how to deal with it properly.

The rebel in me wants to roll right back to the yarn aisle!