Sue was ready to do her civic duty on Tuesday. She had called and returned the form for disabity service at the court house. She was tagged with a jury selection summons. Lindsay and Sean had returned her car and she had practiced loading and unloading the power chair. On Tuesday she checked for inclusion in the list. Her group was not called. On Wednesday her group as called. She drove her self down and unloaded the chair by herself and reported for duty.
An hour and a half after listening to everyone else's excuse she asked to talk to the judge. She told the judge she could not sustain attention long enough and asked to be dismissed. He complied. She loaded up the chair herself and made it home in the Expedition. I was using her escape.
We went out the next night to celebrate our anniversay. She also got a huge collection of flowers from Costco. It had gerber daisies,carnations, and a lot of really exotic filler flowers and greenery. She was very pleased. She was so pleased at her new freedom with her chair that we walked to dinner at La Hacieda 2. I struggled to keep up as she kicked it in gear.
I was on the road every day this week except for one. I torqued my back one day by standing on the outside of the driver's side of the Escape and tried to pick up something on the floor on the passenger side. Too far away so el torqueo.
Saturday I was invited to participate in the questioning of the new school board candidates by our election committee. It was very interesting. One candidate is running unopposed so his name will not even be on the ballot.
I think that we as union members should take an active role in the school board politics. We were are looking for an open door policy from the candidates that we will endose. They are looking for a little cash to keep their campaigns going. It costs 900 dollars to register as a candidate.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Its still August in the Central Valley
Its 99 at 5pm and the heat won't leave the valley
Its still August
Peaches are gone and grapes and melon are going strong
Its still August
Its hot at school but the air con is on
Its still August
Gone are the days when school started after Labor Day, no use complainin
Its still August
State Fair is on a hundred miles away
Its still August
Warm nights and warm mornings
Its still August
Thought Fall was coming my 6 o'clock walk is closer to sunrise
Its still August
No more annuals flowers in the store, But Halloween stuff is on the shelves
Its still August
Its still August
Peaches are gone and grapes and melon are going strong
Its still August
Its hot at school but the air con is on
Its still August
Gone are the days when school started after Labor Day, no use complainin
Its still August
State Fair is on a hundred miles away
Its still August
Warm nights and warm mornings
Its still August
Thought Fall was coming my 6 o'clock walk is closer to sunrise
Its still August
No more annuals flowers in the store, But Halloween stuff is on the shelves
Its still August
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
How Should a Volunteer be fired?
If anyone is going to get the ax.. they need to learn about it in a private way. It needs to be followed up and added with a congratulations for all the fine service you have provided this organization. Affirm that family values should come before this service and congratulate this person for their decision. This is the diplomatic solution.
This person is very angry and wanted to know what to do. I told him that he should find a candidate that would run against the president when the time came. Someone that would support his views. This is the political solution.
I told this person that he would be needed as a kitchen cabinet support person. A consultant to the team. He would not have to invest the time required and still his point of view would be honored. I told him that he would make a great organizer for activities because of his enthusiasm. Being on the negotiation team would provide the organizing committee with our perspective. This is the re divert your energy solution.
The president is steadfast to the E board's decision. The member wants nothing to do with the president. The president even had to show me today that I was in the minutes when the removal was voted upon. I don't remember.
I hope this could help some of our lurkers..
Pat
This person is very angry and wanted to know what to do. I told him that he should find a candidate that would run against the president when the time came. Someone that would support his views. This is the political solution.
I told this person that he would be needed as a kitchen cabinet support person. A consultant to the team. He would not have to invest the time required and still his point of view would be honored. I told him that he would make a great organizer for activities because of his enthusiasm. Being on the negotiation team would provide the organizing committee with our perspective. This is the re divert your energy solution.
The president is steadfast to the E board's decision. The member wants nothing to do with the president. The president even had to show me today that I was in the minutes when the removal was voted upon. I don't remember.
I hope this could help some of our lurkers..
Pat
Monday, August 20, 2007
How do you fire a volunteer
At negotiations a members was fired. It is hard to fire a volunteer. The Exc board voted to remove a member from the team. He was not told of it until he met with us for breakfast and the president arrived and told him he was not to be a part of the team. The team was crestfallen. They knew this person had not fulfilled the requirements to stay.Many other negotiation members also fell into this category, Training of the team was required by the Exec team. This member allegedly did not call in his absence in during the summer sessions as well.
He has been on the team for a very long time. He enjoys doing it. He has connections during the summer that required him to do more family activities.
The E board had followed the bylaws and removed him. I explained that he did not fit the exec council's requirements to negotiate but he had received a substitute and therefore it should not be held against him since he did not know. The other side did not seem to have a difficulty with this.
It made for an awkward session. The exec. pro and I talked to the president after the session about the situation. It was difficult for her to do the removal. The team member is still very angry at the president.
Some situations in life are just difficult.
Pat
He has been on the team for a very long time. He enjoys doing it. He has connections during the summer that required him to do more family activities.
The E board had followed the bylaws and removed him. I explained that he did not fit the exec council's requirements to negotiate but he had received a substitute and therefore it should not be held against him since he did not know. The other side did not seem to have a difficulty with this.
It made for an awkward session. The exec. pro and I talked to the president after the session about the situation. It was difficult for her to do the removal. The team member is still very angry at the president.
Some situations in life are just difficult.
Pat
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Party! Party
My daughters and my son in law arrived in Merced Saturday for a fun time and a little help.
Linzi and Sean returned the Escape after picking up Heather and Rone at the Bart station in Castroville. The Dublin station was under construction,
We all went out to dinner at Cool Hand Lukes. Everyone had more than they could eat and we had a grand time. Heather walked home with Suzy. Suzy wheeled her power chair home.
The housekeepers were here all morning and the house was even smelling good.. thank goodness for Fabrise. We all had a good time watching the 49ers Raiders game on the plasma. Apparently there the newlywed differ in their team allegiance. Linzi is a Raider fan and Sean is a 49er fan. Heather sides with the raiders as she hopes to get a raider cheerleader uni for halloween... complete with those white high heeled boots.
49ers won on nearly the last play of the game.
The next morning, Heather and I did the walk. 2 dry caps in a for here cup.. add a spoon.
When everyone else got up we went to the country waffle shop.. Sean had a wonderful fresh peach waffle. I had the crepes and waffle combo.. Great deal,
Sean, Linzi and I worked on making a place in garage for the powerchair. I think we will eventually need a trash container. For now the chair can be stored in the garage. Sean also engineered the installation of two new springs for one stide of the garage door that had been sprung. Way to go Sean.. the hero of the Western World today! Now Sue can easily open the door and get out her chair..
At 2pm we all piled into the expedition and headed over to Dublin to the Minies. 15 people showed up to our family birthday party. Even Acasia, who is busy working at Petes and getting ready for UC San Diego, got to come. Chrisy had party bags and Kelly passed out decorated bottle caps magnets. Mine was leo the lion. very cool. Mom and Dad were able to come as were all the Brownkorbel kids and Dom. What a great party. Sweet Reza picked up the tab.. after serious skulldudgery. Thanks so much Reza and Kelly.
The Brownkorbel Family game me a copy Work and Ilife 08. They will get to use it on their machines too since they bought a family license... Thanks so much.
After the party we talked an innocent bystander into taking a complete family photo.
Heather and Sean were graciously taken home by Dom and Chrissy in their escape. We dropped Heather and her trusty companion Rone off at the Dublin Bart, now up and going. We made it home before 10pm.
What a weekend. We are such a great family. Such love amongst us.
Pat
Linzi and Sean returned the Escape after picking up Heather and Rone at the Bart station in Castroville. The Dublin station was under construction,
We all went out to dinner at Cool Hand Lukes. Everyone had more than they could eat and we had a grand time. Heather walked home with Suzy. Suzy wheeled her power chair home.
The housekeepers were here all morning and the house was even smelling good.. thank goodness for Fabrise. We all had a good time watching the 49ers Raiders game on the plasma. Apparently there the newlywed differ in their team allegiance. Linzi is a Raider fan and Sean is a 49er fan. Heather sides with the raiders as she hopes to get a raider cheerleader uni for halloween... complete with those white high heeled boots.
49ers won on nearly the last play of the game.
The next morning, Heather and I did the walk. 2 dry caps in a for here cup.. add a spoon.
When everyone else got up we went to the country waffle shop.. Sean had a wonderful fresh peach waffle. I had the crepes and waffle combo.. Great deal,
Sean, Linzi and I worked on making a place in garage for the powerchair. I think we will eventually need a trash container. For now the chair can be stored in the garage. Sean also engineered the installation of two new springs for one stide of the garage door that had been sprung. Way to go Sean.. the hero of the Western World today! Now Sue can easily open the door and get out her chair..
At 2pm we all piled into the expedition and headed over to Dublin to the Minies. 15 people showed up to our family birthday party. Even Acasia, who is busy working at Petes and getting ready for UC San Diego, got to come. Chrisy had party bags and Kelly passed out decorated bottle caps magnets. Mine was leo the lion. very cool. Mom and Dad were able to come as were all the Brownkorbel kids and Dom. What a great party. Sweet Reza picked up the tab.. after serious skulldudgery. Thanks so much Reza and Kelly.
The Brownkorbel Family game me a copy Work and Ilife 08. They will get to use it on their machines too since they bought a family license... Thanks so much.
After the party we talked an innocent bystander into taking a complete family photo.
Heather and Sean were graciously taken home by Dom and Chrissy in their escape. We dropped Heather and her trusty companion Rone off at the Dublin Bart, now up and going. We made it home before 10pm.
What a weekend. We are such a great family. Such love amongst us.
Pat
Saturday, August 18, 2007
First Week Over Friday Follies
The first week.. one of the hardest is over. It is difficult to start with a full week . Next week, Monday, my students will meet their first substitute. We will have our fourth day of negotiations. An all day session is planned.
My students felt that Friday should be a kickback day. I told them that that was not the plan. We will, however, do our first game situation. No movies until October.
I taught them how to play Texas three second hold em. It mainly designed to slow down those students that do not filter what they say. I ask them a question that they know the answer. They must wait three seconds before they answer. If they don't wait 3 seconds or if another student in the class answers for the student, then I get the point. If they wait the required three seconds and then state the answer, the class gets the point. The teacher, being only one person, needs only 5 points to win the round. The class needs 10 points to win the round.
My lively classes "let me win" two rounds before they caught on. In the more reserved classes the tally of rounds won was very close to equal.
The purpose of the game is to increase latency and processing time.This gives those trigger responders a chance to think out their answers and rewards them for their delay. This is critical for the student responders that want to please the teacher.
We had fun and they enjoyed the game. One of my enthusiastic students in 2nd period has remarked to me on the way out of the door how fast the school day goes. Thats what it is like when you are engaged. The day goes by quickly.
My students felt that Friday should be a kickback day. I told them that that was not the plan. We will, however, do our first game situation. No movies until October.
I taught them how to play Texas three second hold em. It mainly designed to slow down those students that do not filter what they say. I ask them a question that they know the answer. They must wait three seconds before they answer. If they don't wait 3 seconds or if another student in the class answers for the student, then I get the point. If they wait the required three seconds and then state the answer, the class gets the point. The teacher, being only one person, needs only 5 points to win the round. The class needs 10 points to win the round.
My lively classes "let me win" two rounds before they caught on. In the more reserved classes the tally of rounds won was very close to equal.
The purpose of the game is to increase latency and processing time.This gives those trigger responders a chance to think out their answers and rewards them for their delay. This is critical for the student responders that want to please the teacher.
We had fun and they enjoyed the game. One of my enthusiastic students in 2nd period has remarked to me on the way out of the door how fast the school day goes. Thats what it is like when you are engaged. The day goes by quickly.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Dinner Out at the Steakhouse
We finally had time to go out to dinner for my birthday. We went to Cool Hand Lukes. It is quite a steakhouse. Western theme.. blooming onion if you want it etc.
Prices are very good in comparison to other steakhouses.. according to the girls who know such things.
Sue had the skirt steak with button mushrooms. She does not usually like steakhouses, growing up in Ft Collins Colorado the home of one of the better independent steak houses in the country.
She was impressed. I really like restaurant pork when I get a chance. I choose the rasberry chiplote spare ribs. Makes my mouth water just writing this down. We had all the fixings.. both come with soup or salad and choice of side.. we opted for baked potatoes since they are impossible to come by in our ovenless sinkless kitchen. Sue reminded me that we are over 8 months with out a complete kitchen. I think it is more like 6 months.. but who is splitting hairs.
Drinks are served in Mason jars.. of course.
Total dammage for 2 was 34dollars.. good deal.
This is my first entry from a remote site. Not possible at Golden Valley due to filtering. So for it works here.
Love to all
Pat
Prices are very good in comparison to other steakhouses.. according to the girls who know such things.
Sue had the skirt steak with button mushrooms. She does not usually like steakhouses, growing up in Ft Collins Colorado the home of one of the better independent steak houses in the country.
She was impressed. I really like restaurant pork when I get a chance. I choose the rasberry chiplote spare ribs. Makes my mouth water just writing this down. We had all the fixings.. both come with soup or salad and choice of side.. we opted for baked potatoes since they are impossible to come by in our ovenless sinkless kitchen. Sue reminded me that we are over 8 months with out a complete kitchen. I think it is more like 6 months.. but who is splitting hairs.
Drinks are served in Mason jars.. of course.
Total dammage for 2 was 34dollars.. good deal.
This is my first entry from a remote site. Not possible at Golden Valley due to filtering. So for it works here.
Love to all
Pat
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
57 and going strong
Yesterday was my birthday.. It seems like I have been telling people that I am 57 for more than a year. I am now 57,
My new freshman students thought that that was pretty ancient. It is in some respects. Especially when you cannot remember what students you had in particular decades.
I brought cup cakes to the morning students. It was the first time that I was able to celebrate my birthday with my students on my birthday. In the afternoon the fare was cookies. It was all good.
I recceived nice phone calls from my family in the evening, It was nice to get connected with their weeks.
Tony came buy to finalize the contracts for the construction and pick up a 9,136 dollar check for pay for building permits, energy tax and school assessments.
I also paid the 6300 to the mold folks and got the check off the post office.
Lindsay and Sean and Heather are slated to come down this weekend.
Bob and Mikie Sue and headed home from Colorado via plane, today the 15th.
Francis the house cleaner, Tom calls her the Mexican tornado is scheduled for Thursday.
I have done my walk every day since we came back from LA. I also did it the month before. It is getting easier. The sun is coming up later each day. Before long I will be walking in the dark.
Have a great day.. love to all
Pat
My new freshman students thought that that was pretty ancient. It is in some respects. Especially when you cannot remember what students you had in particular decades.
I brought cup cakes to the morning students. It was the first time that I was able to celebrate my birthday with my students on my birthday. In the afternoon the fare was cookies. It was all good.
I recceived nice phone calls from my family in the evening, It was nice to get connected with their weeks.
Tony came buy to finalize the contracts for the construction and pick up a 9,136 dollar check for pay for building permits, energy tax and school assessments.
I also paid the 6300 to the mold folks and got the check off the post office.
Lindsay and Sean and Heather are slated to come down this weekend.
Bob and Mikie Sue and headed home from Colorado via plane, today the 15th.
Francis the house cleaner, Tom calls her the Mexican tornado is scheduled for Thursday.
I have done my walk every day since we came back from LA. I also did it the month before. It is getting easier. The sun is coming up later each day. Before long I will be walking in the dark.
Have a great day.. love to all
Pat
Monday, August 13, 2007
Mixed Bag First Day Back
I am sharing a room with a first year Spanish teacher that is smaller than most of her students. At the first school. The number was torn off the wall but the students found me anyway.
Same students.. now they are sophomores. I will miss the Seniors (3) from Golden Valley, 2 from Merced High.
New students at each of the campuses. I was teaching three words today. Expulsion, possesion and extortion. These are words that are on the poster of every room. I also established the idea that they all know the difference between right and wrong. This means that if I am called into court to verify this I can do this. Even my lowest kids know that they should not bring weapons to school, or threaten others to get money.
The new VP came by to check my class out. He smiled and left with a wave.
At Merced High the situation was a bit more dire. They scheduled a class for me without a room with a period I was not going to be there. 8 students were roaming the campus looking for me.
The next period they assigned me a room and sent the students, one of which does not qualify, to a room that another teacher was teaching.
There is a major system infarct in progress here.
The psych I have been told has been trying to pick through the mess.
So one period at that campus had 3 students and the other had 2.
Its still August and it is early to get serious about who is where.
Kids are sweet and trying hard. What more could I want? Someday the system will catch up to them.. then again it might not.
8 {
Pat
Same students.. now they are sophomores. I will miss the Seniors (3) from Golden Valley, 2 from Merced High.
New students at each of the campuses. I was teaching three words today. Expulsion, possesion and extortion. These are words that are on the poster of every room. I also established the idea that they all know the difference between right and wrong. This means that if I am called into court to verify this I can do this. Even my lowest kids know that they should not bring weapons to school, or threaten others to get money.
The new VP came by to check my class out. He smiled and left with a wave.
At Merced High the situation was a bit more dire. They scheduled a class for me without a room with a period I was not going to be there. 8 students were roaming the campus looking for me.
The next period they assigned me a room and sent the students, one of which does not qualify, to a room that another teacher was teaching.
There is a major system infarct in progress here.
The psych I have been told has been trying to pick through the mess.
So one period at that campus had 3 students and the other had 2.
Its still August and it is early to get serious about who is where.
Kids are sweet and trying hard. What more could I want? Someday the system will catch up to them.. then again it might not.
8 {
Pat
Sunday, August 12, 2007
The Red Hat
I remembered a piece of Disneyland family lore the last week when we were in Disneyland.
As a 5th grader, my dad had decided to take me on a road trip the entire length of California. I had studied California in school and it was time that I knew what it was all about.
He and I traveled up 101 and over to Redding and experienced the upper valley. We stopped in Redding and he bought me a bright red had similar to a swiss fedora without the large brim. I thought it was a great hat. People, men and women wore more hats in that day. The 50's were hat years.
We visited Eureka, and stopped by a relative that was working at the Hupa Indian Reservation. I caught a small steelhead fish there. We also visited a friend that had a couple of boys my age that had a rope swing over the Eel river. It was great until you fell into the river because it was ice cold.
After we visited the Northern California fiends, we picked up Mom and Mikie Sue and headed to see Grandma Florence and Buck down in Sunland in Southern California. We were able to go to Disneyland when it was less than 2 years old. What an adventure. I really enjoyed the buckets that connected the edge of Fantasyland with Tomorrowlan d. The cars.. oh my the cars. And the muletrain adventure into the painted desert. There was the train and the jungle cruise and misson to mars and the house of the future.
I had a little independence. So my parents thought they could let me loose a little in the park. After all, they could spot me anywhere with my red hat. The red hat got lost soon after they let me go. They spent the day looking for the red hat and I spent the day using my E tickets.
As a 5th grader, my dad had decided to take me on a road trip the entire length of California. I had studied California in school and it was time that I knew what it was all about.
He and I traveled up 101 and over to Redding and experienced the upper valley. We stopped in Redding and he bought me a bright red had similar to a swiss fedora without the large brim. I thought it was a great hat. People, men and women wore more hats in that day. The 50's were hat years.
We visited Eureka, and stopped by a relative that was working at the Hupa Indian Reservation. I caught a small steelhead fish there. We also visited a friend that had a couple of boys my age that had a rope swing over the Eel river. It was great until you fell into the river because it was ice cold.
After we visited the Northern California fiends, we picked up Mom and Mikie Sue and headed to see Grandma Florence and Buck down in Sunland in Southern California. We were able to go to Disneyland when it was less than 2 years old. What an adventure. I really enjoyed the buckets that connected the edge of Fantasyland with Tomorrowlan d. The cars.. oh my the cars. And the muletrain adventure into the painted desert. There was the train and the jungle cruise and misson to mars and the house of the future.
I had a little independence. So my parents thought they could let me loose a little in the park. After all, they could spot me anywhere with my red hat. The red hat got lost soon after they let me go. They spent the day looking for the red hat and I spent the day using my E tickets.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
In Pusuit of Free Food
Why did cub scouts get so many members there in the 50's? We all took turns bringing the treats. Free food. We, as members looked forward to the variety of treats as they came. Ask kids today about which holiday they like the most. You would be surprised to discover it is Halloween.. free candy. It is more important than Christmas, or Easter or even their birthdays. Why.. the other holidays have politics or meaning ascribed to them. Halloween is free of social cost.
The popularity of buffets offer the promise of free food. Dad always thought that taking me to a buffet was a good deal because they wouldn't make money on me.. I think that they do make money on their customers if they can get them to come back. The first time someone is at a Hometown Buffet they think they have to eat a whole lot of everything. Then returnees know how to "spend" their appetites and choose portions that confirm business profit. The big issue in these establishments is the management of the personnel. Can you preserve your training investment before it goes somewhere else or deteriorates in quality. To make it work your employees must be happy in their work.
At what level does free food play in the heart of professionals? It can bring the faculty together if it is not viewed as a purchase of their loyalty. How can this be done? When the food supports the already supported program. It cannot be the only thing on the agenda. Yesterday we had a "welcome to the new principal" luncheon. As usual at Merced High, excellent tri tip sandwhiches, chips and a soda were provided as well as a roaring peer karioki time machine romp through the history of Merced High.. Guest performers where Frank Sinatra, Sonny and Cher, Micheal Jackson, Brittany Spears, and Justin Timberlake. All 150 faculty gave up some of their classroom set up time to free food and entertainment. The result.. we all became closer. What you want to do in schools.
Free food was part of it. It was what was the draw.. the appropriate program with our peers was what it really was about. It could not happen without free food.
The popularity of buffets offer the promise of free food. Dad always thought that taking me to a buffet was a good deal because they wouldn't make money on me.. I think that they do make money on their customers if they can get them to come back. The first time someone is at a Hometown Buffet they think they have to eat a whole lot of everything. Then returnees know how to "spend" their appetites and choose portions that confirm business profit. The big issue in these establishments is the management of the personnel. Can you preserve your training investment before it goes somewhere else or deteriorates in quality. To make it work your employees must be happy in their work.
At what level does free food play in the heart of professionals? It can bring the faculty together if it is not viewed as a purchase of their loyalty. How can this be done? When the food supports the already supported program. It cannot be the only thing on the agenda. Yesterday we had a "welcome to the new principal" luncheon. As usual at Merced High, excellent tri tip sandwhiches, chips and a soda were provided as well as a roaring peer karioki time machine romp through the history of Merced High.. Guest performers where Frank Sinatra, Sonny and Cher, Micheal Jackson, Brittany Spears, and Justin Timberlake. All 150 faculty gave up some of their classroom set up time to free food and entertainment. The result.. we all became closer. What you want to do in schools.
Free food was part of it. It was what was the draw.. the appropriate program with our peers was what it really was about. It could not happen without free food.
Friday, August 10, 2007
The Muppet Show and VHS nostalgia
I bought the season one Muppet show 4 DVDs at Costco. Highly recommended.. it will at least make you smile a little and maybe laugh outloud.
I remembered using my clock on my first VHS player to collect the Muppet show when it went into syndication. It was on every morning at 8. I had it set to start recording after the intro which was always a certain amount of time and a lengthy commercial break. It worked out just fine until I realized that I had bought a low quality tape to do this. It was good for about 3 plays and it showed a lot of snow throughout and probably required more expensive head cleaning because of the choice.
I worked all summer part time at the Training center to be able to afford such a luxury. Tapes were very expensive, and even renting them usually required a "club" membership of some sort. If you didn't have a VCR you could rent one for 30 dollars a night and it came with two movies.. what a luxury. We did this before we bought our own.. 600 dollars at Gottschalks. It was a Fisher.
We donated the use of the VCR to a birthday party for one of Heathers friends.
The neighborhood kids used to come down and watch "Dumbo" with our girls.
VHS is just about gone. DVD format has taken over and soon we will be all digital in any media watching.
Thanks for the walk down the media hall of nostalgia. : )
Pat
I remembered using my clock on my first VHS player to collect the Muppet show when it went into syndication. It was on every morning at 8. I had it set to start recording after the intro which was always a certain amount of time and a lengthy commercial break. It worked out just fine until I realized that I had bought a low quality tape to do this. It was good for about 3 plays and it showed a lot of snow throughout and probably required more expensive head cleaning because of the choice.
I worked all summer part time at the Training center to be able to afford such a luxury. Tapes were very expensive, and even renting them usually required a "club" membership of some sort. If you didn't have a VCR you could rent one for 30 dollars a night and it came with two movies.. what a luxury. We did this before we bought our own.. 600 dollars at Gottschalks. It was a Fisher.
We donated the use of the VCR to a birthday party for one of Heathers friends.
The neighborhood kids used to come down and watch "Dumbo" with our girls.
VHS is just about gone. DVD format has taken over and soon we will be all digital in any media watching.
Thanks for the walk down the media hall of nostalgia. : )
Pat
Thursday, August 9, 2007
A Day of Gas
Walked this morning.
I found out that I will have two classes in the morning schedule at the same room.. wahooo!
The morning was spent welcoming in new teachers and honoring the most senor teachers. No one has more than 35 years of teaching. We have 26 new teachers all but 7 have experience they are bringing with them.
A 9 o'clock we had a presentation that lasted until 12. It was all EDI(elicited Direct Instruction) stuff reworked with a Language Learners flavor. He got his PHD from Greeley. He is a presenter for Dataworks... always teach at grade level..etc. gas gas and more gas
The afternoon was spent developing the background for Jotson's Renaissance program of student and teacher recognition. Quote.."We are one student away from Columbine." He was pitching hard for overall student recognition. This guy was really full of himself. We all had to deal with his rhetorical gas.
Tomorrow is a work in your classroom day. Monday the students will be there.
In the mean time I am being sued by the mold company for not paying what the insurance was supposed to pay. I was served at 11:30 last night with papers for a court appearance. They want 6300 dollars from me.
The plans are finally complete. I paid the contractor 4K last night to get it going. I am getting 12.5k wired tomorrow to pay the down payment and pay for the school tax and the energy tax and a part of the new air conditioner/heater.
Sue called the investment folks and we are getting more out to cover the cost of the rest down the road.
In the mean time the IRS needs some returns for 2001 and 2005. Still waiting for Sue's retirement STRS W4 for last year to submit.
I was down to 0 miles in the expedition at noon and had to get some gas.
Life can be pretty hectic.
All you have to do is keep plowing forward.
I found out that I will have two classes in the morning schedule at the same room.. wahooo!
The morning was spent welcoming in new teachers and honoring the most senor teachers. No one has more than 35 years of teaching. We have 26 new teachers all but 7 have experience they are bringing with them.
A 9 o'clock we had a presentation that lasted until 12. It was all EDI(elicited Direct Instruction) stuff reworked with a Language Learners flavor. He got his PHD from Greeley. He is a presenter for Dataworks... always teach at grade level..etc. gas gas and more gas
The afternoon was spent developing the background for Jotson's Renaissance program of student and teacher recognition. Quote.."We are one student away from Columbine." He was pitching hard for overall student recognition. This guy was really full of himself. We all had to deal with his rhetorical gas.
Tomorrow is a work in your classroom day. Monday the students will be there.
In the mean time I am being sued by the mold company for not paying what the insurance was supposed to pay. I was served at 11:30 last night with papers for a court appearance. They want 6300 dollars from me.
The plans are finally complete. I paid the contractor 4K last night to get it going. I am getting 12.5k wired tomorrow to pay the down payment and pay for the school tax and the energy tax and a part of the new air conditioner/heater.
Sue called the investment folks and we are getting more out to cover the cost of the rest down the road.
In the mean time the IRS needs some returns for 2001 and 2005. Still waiting for Sue's retirement STRS W4 for last year to submit.
I was down to 0 miles in the expedition at noon and had to get some gas.
Life can be pretty hectic.
All you have to do is keep plowing forward.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
How Much is Day Worth?
The district is offering buy back days.. voluntary attendance at $225. It has to be at least 6 clock hours to get this sum. Is it worth a day of "off time"?
They can be very productive times to learn about new things at the school. Or they can be dreadfully boring and uncomfortable, not applicable etc.
If you choose to skip it, it makes you want to make the day you choose to to stay home more valuable. It also ups the antee regarding what you do. Is it worth 225 before taxes to get up and get dressed. Is it worth 225 to just laze around for one more day?
Is it a day to go the movies as Linzi used to do as tradition with her buds?
Can your work buy more productivity from you? If you go you will be responsible for knowing more.. and doing more.
All good questions. What would you do with an extra 160. Its a two day pass to Disneyland and 40 dollars of food or 40 dollars of gas.
It won't clean your house or do your laundry or get those things done that require a weekday 9 to 6 connection which are so tough during the year.
I am staying home. I am getting caught up. I am making phone calls to get our home remodeling project going. I am possibly going to Turlock to get some adjustments on the lift so that won't drag on every driveway we drive over.
Its time to clean the office.
Leave me a note about how you feel about buy back days.
Pat
They can be very productive times to learn about new things at the school. Or they can be dreadfully boring and uncomfortable, not applicable etc.
If you choose to skip it, it makes you want to make the day you choose to to stay home more valuable. It also ups the antee regarding what you do. Is it worth 225 before taxes to get up and get dressed. Is it worth 225 to just laze around for one more day?
Is it a day to go the movies as Linzi used to do as tradition with her buds?
Can your work buy more productivity from you? If you go you will be responsible for knowing more.. and doing more.
All good questions. What would you do with an extra 160. Its a two day pass to Disneyland and 40 dollars of food or 40 dollars of gas.
It won't clean your house or do your laundry or get those things done that require a weekday 9 to 6 connection which are so tough during the year.
I am staying home. I am getting caught up. I am making phone calls to get our home remodeling project going. I am possibly going to Turlock to get some adjustments on the lift so that won't drag on every driveway we drive over.
Its time to clean the office.
Leave me a note about how you feel about buy back days.
Pat
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Another Day of Hearing Screening
Today we started screening at 7:30. It was too old for these old ears let alone some high school students.
We had 4 testers. The students would enter in the room 25 at a time. Then with some help of an expediter, we would plow through the group. Then they would all move on to the next station in the room next door. UC Merced is conducting a study of teenage nutrition and eating habits. It is a move to work on student obesity. Some kids were even getting their fingers pricked (with parent permission) to check for blood sugar levels.
We saw about 670 students. Only 4 had recheck issues.
Its been beautiful weather in Merced, temps have been in the high 80's. Apparently we missed a lot of really hot weather last week when we there enjoying the wonder weather in the So Cal. The smog was something else again. It aggravated the asthma on my account. Sue got some dizzy thing going with her middle ear.
We went to see the latest in the Bourne movies this afternoon. It was very action oriented and employed the latest cinematic techniques that include the hand held camera following action. (Some of that was a little much for me) Sue thought it was really good. I enjoyed the plot. It is one that if you have seen the first two it would help you would understand the motivations of the movie, although Jason Bourne is still trying to discover where he came from before the big government experiment. In this episode we reunites with the girl he found in Stockholm. And the female that he is working his case.
Sue is working her chair, and learning how to drive precisely. The lift thing is hanging way too low off the back end of the expedition however. We need to go to Turlock and get the whole works moved to the proper holes. Its scraping when ever we descend from a driveway cut.
Mowed the lawn last night and busy working the laundry loads. I can appreciate Acacia's comments about the laundry.
Georgie and Nigel are not letting us out of their sight. The white and black cats are enjoying snuggling as close to us as possible whenever we are flat. Georgie the white Manx has decided that it would be fun to play with my earphone connections to my IPod.
We are now eating grapes off of the backyard arbor. Sue is not too fond of them because they are so small. I did not thin them this year and I am paying the price.
The frontyard plout tree is still kicking out hte bright yellow variety. So sweet.
Love all Pat
We had 4 testers. The students would enter in the room 25 at a time. Then with some help of an expediter, we would plow through the group. Then they would all move on to the next station in the room next door. UC Merced is conducting a study of teenage nutrition and eating habits. It is a move to work on student obesity. Some kids were even getting their fingers pricked (with parent permission) to check for blood sugar levels.
We saw about 670 students. Only 4 had recheck issues.
Its been beautiful weather in Merced, temps have been in the high 80's. Apparently we missed a lot of really hot weather last week when we there enjoying the wonder weather in the So Cal. The smog was something else again. It aggravated the asthma on my account. Sue got some dizzy thing going with her middle ear.
We went to see the latest in the Bourne movies this afternoon. It was very action oriented and employed the latest cinematic techniques that include the hand held camera following action. (Some of that was a little much for me) Sue thought it was really good. I enjoyed the plot. It is one that if you have seen the first two it would help you would understand the motivations of the movie, although Jason Bourne is still trying to discover where he came from before the big government experiment. In this episode we reunites with the girl he found in Stockholm. And the female that he is working his case.
Sue is working her chair, and learning how to drive precisely. The lift thing is hanging way too low off the back end of the expedition however. We need to go to Turlock and get the whole works moved to the proper holes. Its scraping when ever we descend from a driveway cut.
Mowed the lawn last night and busy working the laundry loads. I can appreciate Acacia's comments about the laundry.
Georgie and Nigel are not letting us out of their sight. The white and black cats are enjoying snuggling as close to us as possible whenever we are flat. Georgie the white Manx has decided that it would be fun to play with my earphone connections to my IPod.
We are now eating grapes off of the backyard arbor. Sue is not too fond of them because they are so small. I did not thin them this year and I am paying the price.
The frontyard plout tree is still kicking out hte bright yellow variety. So sweet.
Love all Pat
Monday, August 6, 2007
Back in the Saddle Again
I am off to Atwater High this morning to start the school year. Rosemary and I are the only Speech and Langs in this district. We join forces with the nurses to check hearing of sophomores as a state mandated requirement of the schools. Freshman, at a different time of the year get their vision tested. It takes a lot longer to do vision than hearing.
If there are 5 of us testing we will do 600 hearing tests in 2 hours. That is 6 tones and placement of earphones on each student and about 7 rechecks each.
We get comp time for doing this. The district makes 22k for getting it all done.
This afternoon we will do Merced High.
August 6 and we are back at work. Some teachers are back today to get do an all day inservice for 225 dollars. The new teachers have so choice, their indoctrination in the Merced Union High School life starts today as part of their calendar year.
ohmPa! Pat
If there are 5 of us testing we will do 600 hearing tests in 2 hours. That is 6 tones and placement of earphones on each student and about 7 rechecks each.
We get comp time for doing this. The district makes 22k for getting it all done.
This afternoon we will do Merced High.
August 6 and we are back at work. Some teachers are back today to get do an all day inservice for 225 dollars. The new teachers have so choice, their indoctrination in the Merced Union High School life starts today as part of their calendar year.
ohmPa! Pat
Sunday, August 5, 2007
We are Back Back and More Back
5 Days at UCLA
Food was great. Sue had a great time met some others that were along for the ride while pappa as doing advanced bargaining training.
We enjoyed movie night each night together. Sue and I ate all meals together. She learned how to maneuver her new chair in ways only she could. At first I teased her about being a painter's job security. We both had a great laugh about that.
We were housed in apts that were made for the 86 Olympics in LA. They were very comfortable and had a handicap bathroom. We had to move furniture around in some creative ways to accommodate the chair. It worked and we had fun taking the chair over the hill to the bookstore and suveying the UCLA campus.. huge. Weather was very comfortable.
2 days of Big D and CA adventure
Lindsay, Sean and Heather flew down Friday night and met us in Disneyland. We had such a great time. Sue was our ticket to the long lines.. yes we say nemo.. and closed the park down both nights.. !AM. We had nice accommodations at the Holiday Inn.. No parking charge and plenty of room for the chair. 79 dollars a night 3 star through Hotwire.
We drove home today.. Sunday.. 3:30 PM after leaving LA and dropping off the kids at the Orange County airport at 10AP. Not a tough drive.. no backups and mostly 65 the whole way. More later.
Food was great. Sue had a great time met some others that were along for the ride while pappa as doing advanced bargaining training.
We enjoyed movie night each night together. Sue and I ate all meals together. She learned how to maneuver her new chair in ways only she could. At first I teased her about being a painter's job security. We both had a great laugh about that.
We were housed in apts that were made for the 86 Olympics in LA. They were very comfortable and had a handicap bathroom. We had to move furniture around in some creative ways to accommodate the chair. It worked and we had fun taking the chair over the hill to the bookstore and suveying the UCLA campus.. huge. Weather was very comfortable.
2 days of Big D and CA adventure
Lindsay, Sean and Heather flew down Friday night and met us in Disneyland. We had such a great time. Sue was our ticket to the long lines.. yes we say nemo.. and closed the park down both nights.. !AM. We had nice accommodations at the Holiday Inn.. No parking charge and plenty of room for the chair. 79 dollars a night 3 star through Hotwire.
We drove home today.. Sunday.. 3:30 PM after leaving LA and dropping off the kids at the Orange County airport at 10AP. Not a tough drive.. no backups and mostly 65 the whole way. More later.
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