MENU OF THE DAY:
on iTunes: Long Grey Mare by Fleetwood Mac from way way back when.... (again courtesy of equeyaya)
The best thing about today: I found a cute lamp at Pier 1. And Yankee candles on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond.
In my glass: Toasted Head chardonnay. VERY good.
What i had for dinner: Brian's Boboli pizza with capers, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and pastrami.
What i keep forgetting: To call Mrs. Erickson and tell her i'm ready to tutor kids from her class. I think it's because i have to get in a better mood before i feel ready to work with kids. (But then again....maybe they will help me get in the better mood. )
Here we go with totally random thoughts. I have no idea what i am getting ready to say. Disclaimer: i am at the end of my full second glass of Toasted Head.
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OK, on with jojo's advice: (This is actually advice i give myself.)
1. Read this book: I picked up this book so many times in Barnes and Noble and put it back down until someone i respected told me to read it. The book is The Art of Racing in the Rain. I am not a dog person for so many reasons that i just now deleted because they took up too much room...But this book made me appreciate dogs in a way i never did before, at the same time it taught me something about tolerance and family and the art of working through a bad thing. (And as an aside, a fascination for race car drivers. NOT that you will ever see me at a Nascar event.) I am not saying i am going to go out and get a dog, but this book made me realize what I might be missing by not having one.
2. On weekends the first thing you should do when you wake up... is make your bed. (That way you won't crawl back into it. )
3. Wash your sheets on Thursday so that they feel great for the weekend.
4. Two cups of coffee is all any normal person needs.
5. Do not tweeze your eyebrows after three glasses of wine.
6. Don't pick up the phone if you don't know who is calling.
7. If you do, disguise your voice. (Especially if you find out it is your mother calling.)
8. Don't loan your good stuff to anyone who you believe might get arrested at any time.
9. If you are a reader and a bookstore lover, do not marry someone who never reads.
10. Don't wear skinny jeans if you have short legs. (or if your thighs are bigger than your inseam.)
11. Don't show your belly in clothes unless you are under the age of 6.
13. If possible, always bring your own pillow if you travel.
14. Send thank you cards, even for small things.
15. Write your legislator when you feel strongly about something. Don't assume some other group will get that message out for you. And if you DON'T , then don't complain when your legislator doesn't do what you feel is right.
16. After you turn 40, make sure your bathroom has good lighting so you don't feel terrible about looking in the mirror.
17. Listen to music every day.
18. Do NOT listen to Celine Dion.
19. Take calcium with Vitamin D every day.
20. Refrain from correcting people when they are wrong if you know in their heart they truly mean no harm.
21. When you feel the winter doldrums, buy yourself flowers. Even if it is just one daffodil.
22. Rearrange your living room furniture. You will be surprised what a lift it can give!
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Ok, y'all know the rules: please give us your best advice that you give to yourself that others might need.
45 comments:
On Itunes: the (500) days of summer soundtrack - i love the WHOLE thing. definitley into "The Smiths -please, please, let me get what i want" and of course "Hall and Oates - you make my dreams" (you will know from the trailer for the movie)theres even this indie song thats completely in french but i really like it haha
the best thing about today: I woke up at 10 which is surprisingly a really good thing for me, im slowly getting on a good sleeping pattern
in my glass: simply lemonade (raspberry)
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i'm glad you now understand the dog lover syndrome, jo! i always loved snickers but there is something very different about Oliver, we really do have special bond. I think i'm even guility of over-loving him and thats why he has seperation anxiety but no matter what my mood is, its always cheered up by cuddiling or playing with Oliver, he has a good soul under all that fur of his, which i have now decided its time to cut because its getting SO matted. he is soon going to look like a little rat haha
i love laying in my bed, i probably spend too much time in my bed but ash doesnt have a TV in her bedroom so she gets full reign over the living room TV (which is fine) and sometimes i can tell she just wants to be alone or if she wants to watch something i dont want to, i'll just go in my room.
Number 8. I almost want to say "never loan out your stuff to anyone" i've lost so much good stuff because of this. from sweatshirts to DVD's and it really pisses me off. i even lost a pair of shoes because of this.
22. i've already been sadden by the fact that I really won't be able to rearrange my living nor my bedroom. our apartment has so many unique angles and walls that the furniture in my room will really only fit one way. my bed cannot move (although i do love where it is) and my dressers need to stay where they are and all the other furniture is really minor. the living room, there is really only one spot for everything. as a designer, im VERY upset by this, but i do like how everything is right now.
Yay! New blog post!! I'm just going to ape your list cuz it's Saturday morning and I'm too lazy to come up with my own. Maybe I'll add one at the end.
1. I may read that book for the racing angle too...growing up less than 5 miles from Dayona International Speedway, I've spent my fair share of time at NASCAR events -- with my college professor dad. NASCAR and MENSA are not mutually exclusive.
2. I thought that's what weekends were for - crawling back into bed -- if you get out of it in the first place.
3. The best part of traveling is clean sheets every night. (Although I admit that in the interest of the environment, I usually exercise the option of telling the maids to not change out my linens).
4. Agreed -- especially if they're 2 really good cups. If you need more, you're not brewing it right.
5. AMEN! I'd add to that trimming your bangs and polishing your nails.
6. We have the cable option of caller ID in the back, so I will admit to occasional screening -- but it's only to avoid those obnoxious robocalls.
7. I couldn't lie to my momma.
8. I'm a bit itchy about loaning stuff. I'd just as soon give it to you and buy another.
9. Two avid readers should not marry without specific rules about keeping vs. donating books they've read, unless they have a REALLY huge house with lots of shelf space. Or two kindles.
10. And don't wear skinny jeans if you are tragically bowlegged. Not a fan of starvation chic.
11. And especially not your bare pregnant belly. We've come a long way from "confinement" of preggos, but not THAT far. NEVER THAT FAR. If I want to acquaint myself with the miracle of motherhood, I'll watch the Discovery channel.
12. You skipped 12. I would have skipped 13.
13. One of my favorite scenes in "Up In the Air" is when seasoned veteran flier George Clooney's character re-packs his new associates giant suitcase into a carry-on...and one whole side of the suitcase is her pillow, which he crams ceremoniously into the nearest trash can. For what they are charging now for checked luggage items, you can buy a brand new pillow at every stop. (Or your should travel with me -- platinums get up to 3 bags checked free...probably because they know we'd never use them!)
14. I am a shameful combination of the kind of person who rarely sits down to write a TY card by hand (though I do send emails) and the kind of person who loves to receive TYs.
15. When I retire and am at liberty to speak my mind in public forums, I plan to write letters and probably start a political blog. I do offer a somewhat uniquely non-partisan objective, heavily seasoned with solid logic. I haven't seen many like that. But until I retire, I really can't afford to air my personal opinions. I have to be able to work effectively with all of these bozos.
16. I want the unvarnished truth where I apply my makeup, so that the version that steps out the door is as gorgeous as possible.
17. A day without music just doesn't happen at my house. I'm never far from an iPod, so I get to pick. Came in handy at the dermatologists the other day when a fellow in the lobby was watching a basketball game - at full volume -- on his iPhone. I didn't know they had 'an app for that'. Annoying. But I was able to mask it pretty effectively with my snug headphones and generous application of Lady Gaga (-- don't judge.)
18. Again...AMEN. Add to that Mariah Carey singing anything except All I Want for Christmas is You and Whitney Houston singing anything.
What's this too many characters crap. Here's the rest of the story:
19. And a B-complex as well. I use Emergen-C, which is a good comprehensive multi that comes in a fizzy powder you mix with ice water that tastes terrific (especially the tangerine and the cran/pom flavors)
20. I don't do so well with this one. The teacher in me always wants to inform and can't ignore an opportunity to do so. Sorry. But I may save someone from embarassing themselves later...
21. Or move to Hawaii, where we don't do doldrums. ;-D
22. I'm in the same dilemma as MH with the furniture moving in this house with this furniture.
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23. If you are donating to Haiti relief, check with your employer to see if they'll match your contribution -- mine did -- that way you double your effort.
24. When the sun is shining, try to spend at least 15 - 20 minutes out in it. It's the best natural source of vitamin D going. Unless you really like fish oil.
25. Try to have at least one thing in life that you are truly passionate about.
26. Be open to trying new things -- you never know where your next passion may come from.
I LOVE your list pearl. Also I want to tell you how much I love my Hope necklace that you made for me and I want you to know that i wear it often with my silver 'Create' necklace. (I like the idea of 'Create Hope' as a message.) Sometimes I wrap it around my wrist and wear it as a bracelet. (I was going to tell equeyaya about that being another way to wear it.)
I didn't miss #12 on purpose! lol.... besides deleting the stuff about dogs i don't like, i had a bunch of other numbers of advice in there i took out, so i am not surprised.
about the pillow: I only take my pillow on car trips (and louielouie can attest to this, not only do i bring my own pillow, i also bring my own 400 thread count sheets, especially in winter (in case some proprietor thinks i might need to sleep on flannel sheets - no way, not in my menopausal years.)
The "Up in the Air" scene sounds very funny. (I read the book and the whole time i read it I could only picture George Clooney in the role.) But i am actually a fairly light packer if i am traveling by air and i would never try and pack a pillow in baggage.
if only the sun would shine for 15-20 minutes where we live this time of year! Our weather is the reason i want to eat all white food all the time.
Ms. hippie, when i come to sleep at your place i bet we can figure out a way to rearrange your furniture. Think about what we did to Troy's house in changing his furniture. there might be a way.
I just went shopping at Pottery Barn and bought new curtains for my living room and slider so i can move my others to the bedroom. Also new throw pillows so i can replace the old ones. I was thinking about how the furniture rearranging gives me a lift and decided to add to it by getting some stuff i've been wanting for awhile.
i love doing stuff for my home. It's not ever very expensive to redecorate our place, since it's so small, but even the smallest things i replace can make me feel so good.
also buying music. I was just talking to Troy and he told me about Forest Sun. So I bought two songs. He is alittle like Amos Lee and Ben Harper.
I'm ready to roll.
haha oh Jo, i swear sometimes you forget i'm studying the arrangement and placement of furniture. i've already gotten exact measurements of the apartment, put them into CAD and worked out every possible scenario of furniture arrangement. haha.
technically there ARE a few ways to change it up, like in my bedroom I could turn my bed 90 degrees but since my room is very long you want the shape of the bed to follow the shape of the room, this make it feel bigger. and in the living room, we can really only put the couch in one spot which is the long wall, (one wall has a fireplace, the other wall has sliding glass doors to the balcony and the other is the opening to the kitchen and the opening to the "dining room"/ sliding glass doors to the patio)
the arrangement in the living room works, i do like it but theres always that itch to want to change things up.
i love that the smallest thing can make you feel so excited as if you changed the whole room. like buying a new bed set or painting a wall.
i did buy new curtains for our living room, we had these HORRIBLE vertical blinds, not even the tiny vertical blinds the THICK old ones that no one uses anymore, and we like to keep the ones on the patio closed all the time so when you try to walk out there its a pain. so i wanted to get curtains (also add color to our very white apartment) and with our orange chair and blue couch blue curtains would have been PERFECT a really nice balance, but ash HATES blue of any shade, so i was thinking a lime green or a purple well i couldnt find ANY purple so we have lime green, i like it, i dont know how much ash does, i have a very bright modern style and all the mismatched furniture and styles it doesnt convey the way i would want. i wouldnt put my apartment in my design portfolio, i'll just say that.
hey have you guys ever watched 'Chopped' on food network?! I LOVE it, i will stay up till like 2am watching this show. its a compeition show and there are four chefs and 3 rounds; appetizer, entree and dessert and after each round someones "meal" gets cut. its soo fun and intense. they get a basket of ingredients before each round that they HAVE to cook with and sometimes its crazy ingredients, sometimes its just ingredidents you wouldnt normally pair together or use for a dessert. its fun to see them think on their feets so quickly and what they come up with. look for it! :)
I swear I looked in here yesterday and this was not here! Sorry to be late to the party. I have that book, but have not read it yet.
on iTunes: Matchbox Twenty - "Hang"
The best thing about today: Got the house cleaned and watched LOST DVDs
In my glass: just H20... have been cutting back on wing.
What i had for dinner: just a little hunk of cheddar cheese.
What i keep forgetting: To make an appointment for an overdue physical.
advice (i have no idea what i'm going to write):
1. spend more time reading than goofing off online.
2. try to get at least some exercise everday.
3. you need to eat less than you think you do.
4. just do it.
5. you're stronger than you think you are.
6. things don't matter. happiness doesn't depend on them.
7. most things that you spend time and energy worrying about don't end up amounting to anything.
8. keep an open mind.
9. listen before you speak.
10. be kind.
sorry mine aren't funny. i'm not in a funny place right now.
just a hunk of cheese for dinner? i hope it was a big chunk.
your #4 cracks me up
and your #7 is SOOOOO right, i learn this more from watching others worry about silly things, at the end of the day...its the END of the day. :)
working with the cruise ships we also had a motto about no matter what happens during the day and no matter how crazy it got, (because it DEFINITLEY got crazy even on a day that no one ended up yelling at you lol) at the end of the day the ship always sailed at 4:00 and the pier was always clear. that stays with me and im glad it does.
maybe some of my own advice later, for now I’m sticking with MH:
“. . . at the end of the day the ship always sailed at 4:00 and the pier was always clear. . .”
I like that; life does go on
Where is everybody? louielouie?
eque, i like your list. I like your #5 and your #7, as ms hippie says.
I have today off. Not sure what i'll do, i might spend it all day reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Has anyone read this? And if so, did you like it?
I was saying to someone recently that my favorite books i've read in the last year are:
1. Little Bee
2. The Help
3. Water for Elephants
4. The Art of Racing in the Rain
5. Still Alice
(and the Louise Penny books, though i would lump them all as one number.)
Last night i made Bayou dirty Rice for dinner for my nephew and his dad and their girlfriends and we played the Newlywed Game. Brian and i are the only ones married, z9going on 8 years now, but together for nearly 18) yet we came in second! (My brother who has been dating his girl for only about two months won) and my nephew who has been with his girlfriend for 7 years came in second. Funny how the couple with the shortest time won.
In a way i guess that is a good thing that we don't know each other SO well he knows all my answers. (He did guess my favorite actor correctly as Johnny Depp.)
OK, back to my book.
Later. same day.
weird. louielouie, you are were posting simultaneously.
actually louie picks out something very poetic that ms hippie wrote that i missed. I might have to write that down in my Book of Quotes.
i wonder how you and i would do Jo, if we were paired together. I bet we could do well. I bet ash and I would do a lot better being partners than the last time because we didnt even live in the same state. we kind of are newly weds now! haha
aw thanks guys. yeah its a motto i have to tell myself when i stress out.
time never stops, so eventually everything, including the bad, will pass.
that might be a better quote than the one talking about cruise ships, i made that one up too though haha
I'm posting without reading any comments...then I'll read the comments..
1. As a huge dog lover I can tell you that you get a kind of love from a dog than no other animal can give you.
2. I'm gonna start making my bed on Thursday..that is so awesome..I make mine on Sunday but I would so enjoy it more if I made it on Thursday.
3. I have morons for legislators. They probably can't read.
4. I love #20...and think of it often.
5. I bought flowers and rearranged my living room this weekend. It was raining and it really cheered me up.
6. I've had a head cold since New Year's. I'm so over it.
7. I'm reading the 19th Wife...it is fascinating...and I'm also reading South of Broad which so far reminds me of Peachtree Street by Anne Rivers Siddons.
8. I'm so proud of my kid. She is working with local vet..she is learning a lot of things I could never do.
9. I checked my Tylenol PM to see if it was part of the recall but when I looked at the expiration date - it expired two months ago..and I only bought it last October. They still work and I haven't been violently ill yet.
Nope, quit while you're ahead. I like the cruise quote.
You and i would probably win The Newlywed Game, Kylee. But i also think equeyaya and i might also give couples a run for their money!
susieatl! I just posted and saw that you were here! Where you been? Please tell Furline that she needs to get on the stick about her blog. She doesn't even have a job does she? She has no excuse.
I will be interested in what you think of Pat Conroy's South of Broad. Please remember to give me your thoughts.
lol, furline!
love kylee's cruise quote too. i may have to use it sometime.
i have to constantly remind myself to follow my own advice.
Maybe that's why i don't want to post any advice.
I know I won't follow it, so why would I expect anyone else to pay attention?
Good Weekend Advice
Some I managed to follow:
1. Invite your mother for Sunday dinner.
2. Say yes when your kid wants to bring a friend home. Buy them lunch.
3. Give gifts you would like to have yourself.
4. Shave your legs.
Some I just didn’t pull off:
1. Don’t wait until Sunday night (or Monday in the event of a 3-day weekend) to do your weekend schoolwork.
2. Only buy fabric you have a specific plan for; crazy ladies have stacks of unused-unwanted fabric around the house.
3. Keep a list of current prescriptions in your purse.
well, I'm off to start my weekend schoolwork.....
Happy Birthday, IslandPearl!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!!
wait wait i gotta stop you Louie "3. Give gifts you would like to have yourself." WORST advice ever, that is where really horrible gifts can come from.
my moms mom is a HORRIBLE gift giver and somehow only just THIS year did we realize why. she buys gifts SHE would want, so without asking my sister she bought her wine glasses for xmas(which my other grandma already bought for her) and they were these very proper english crystal glasses (very cheap actually) if you knew my sister better you could see why this is so bad. thats not even the worst of the gifts, i dont mean to sound bad about it but its a waste of her money and then we all get stuck with these gifts we have nothing to do with and we can never return them because 1. she would be offended if we asked and 2. she buys them on base so you can't do it behind her back
i can vouch for ms.hippie's nanna's horrible gift buying. It's actually pretty funny. lol....
IslandPearl, i hope your cake turned out fabulous and that as i type this you are soon to be enjoying a very nice dinner out with some really good people.
All of what you said is true MH -- and is precisely why I send my kids money. I'd rather be tacky than wrong. And a well written check is always a perfect fit.
That said, I was pleased that the Amazon gift certificate from my stepdaughter came with a book recommendation (apparently you can't gift a specific kindle book.)
And, jo, my cake is deeeelish -- and I'm cooking my own dinner too. I'm going to be on the road for the next 2 weeks, eating in restaurants every night. I didn't want one more restaurant meal than I had to. So I'm cooking surf-n-turf homestyle: crab legs and a grilled steak to split. That with broccoli and a baked tater (also shared.)
oooooooooohhhh..... i love surf and turf. But crab legs...that really makes it special! So you'll be MIA for two weeks???
You need to get your own personal netbook and take ALL of us with you on the trip so it's easier to keep up with the blogosphere! lol.
P.S. i agree with kylee too, though i probably tend to buy presents that i know i would like. But i also know that my tastes are different. For example i would never buy a cookbook for friends who don't cook! Or a bottle of Patron for friends who don't drink!
well then,
I guess I'll just ask for all those REALLY swell gifts I have given back 'cause I know I like them.
I do have some sense about what people like, but I can't give a gift that I don't like.
So if you choose a china pattern to register and I think it's ugly, I'll get you your towels instead. Unless the towels are a bad color.
The last wedding we went to was challenging. I actually bought them the dust-buster from their registry. I couldn't bring myself to purchase any of the other things they had picked out.
I do sort of figure if I don't like something the recipient won't (or shouldn't) like it either.
yeah i get your mentality, if i know the person is similar to me then of course i'll try and get a gift i like. when i buy my mom things i tend to buy her things i like too, especially when she wants stuff for the home.
and i totally get you on buying what you like off the registry, i do the same thing. i do more of something I would buy and something that should come for me, it would be weird if I bought like porn or something lol
i think i wouldnt be against the "buying presents you personally like" if it wasnt for my grandmother lol
i bet you have good taste though, louielouie otherwise Jo probably wouldnt be your friend or she would have boughten you enough presents over the years to replace your lamps and pictures (what she does to her parents) LOL
you know what advice I hate? "don't listen to what other people say, wear whatever you feel good in"
i believe this to be the spark for all bad outfit decisions. from muffin tops, to heels and sweatpants it is quite a large tragedy what happens when you don't listen to your friend who says "that doesnt look good" haha
or "high fashion" i had an acquaintance/friend (friend of a friend that was always around) that was from L.A. and she actually wore a miniskirt with a lace top with pasties on her nipples. "everyone loves this outfit" um cause your basically naked, you really dont need any imagination if your wearing pasties.
I think if you buy something you would want for yourself for someone whose taste you admire, you are fine. But it doesn't work for someone who doesn't share your taste. That's when gift cards come in!
You are ALL right about the gift buying. This morning I remembered all the “cute” religious knick-knacks I have received as gifts from my stepdaughter. Her heart is so in the right place but I can’t think of a single thing she has given me that seemed as if it were “for” me, (I take that back, she gave me a dark chocolate bar for my birthday) but they are all things she likes.
It’s hard to see her spend her money on this stuff and even harder to know what to do with it all. Some of it is down right offensive. She thinks I might be going to hell and I’m raising my daughter all wrong; I mean we let Em go to a public university and major in Biology – even took a class on evolution!! She gave Em a book for high school graduation on how not to buy into all the evil stuff they try to teach you in college; the professors are out to steal your souls or something.
I give her gift cards because I figure anything I like, she won’t.
So I stand corrected on my gift giving advice; although I still mostly follow it.
I took advantage of the Yankee Candle sale too. My favorite smell is only available in the fall. It's like burning leaf piles. I LOVE it. Some folks don't, but I need my house to smell like smoldering leaf piles.
I don't have too much advice, but here goes:
• You know those people who never have a bad thing to say about anyone? They're full of it. Don't trust them.
• You can't fight PMS. Seriously. Eat the whole bag of pita chips and let it go. It's a battle you can't win.
• Leg shaving is optional and largely contingent on romantic interludes; armpit shaving is not.
• Dogs are better than people so treat them accordingly.
• The best remedy for a giant zit is neosporin and a dot bandaid overnight.
• Past friendship is no guarantee of future friendship. If you met an old friend today, would you still be their friend? If not, it might be time to move on without guilt.
Some of these things I wish I knew 10 years ago! Ha! Good topic, Jo!
ohh to bad to yours Amanda
-NEVER pop a zit because it scares and looks like a much worse zit than it was originally.
and i very much agree on dogs being better on people, and i say this as our two dogs cuddle next to me one on each side making a modernhippie sandwich.
dogs love you unconditionally NO matter what, they dont judge you and no matter where you were, who was/is at the house, how long you are gone they are always SO excited when you come home.
Amanda, i want to know how you got bullets on your comments! I can only do numbers.
I totally agree on the leg shaving. I shaved my legs WAY more when i was single. But definitely the armpits are not optional.
My favorite Yankee candle was Heather and i can't find it anymore. Then it was Sunflower and i can't find that either.
At least they still make Clean Cotton.
I love SOME dogs more than people. But i wouldn't substitute dogs for real friends. Reals friends never stink. (or you wouldn't be friends with them) and real friends don't think everything you do, even the really stupid or mean things, are okay. And we all need those boundaries.
In other words, unconditional love is not always a good thing. Especially for those of us who need rehabilitation!
Amanda, re: fighting PMS: when you get to menopause, keep that thought in mind. You can't find that either!
MH -- I have a question for you: why do girls your age always take pictures of themselves and they're girlfriends in poses where they are either making ducklips kissy-face, or sticking their tongues out like Gene Simmons?
Inquiring old lady mind wants to know. Find it. Baffling.
Okay. That's supposed to by 'their girlfriends'.
Damn lack of edit capability or spellcheck...
OH YES... IslandPearl!!!! One of my HUGE pet peeves is photos that girls take of themselves with that stupid posed puckered lips. (and Ms hippie you know the one i am talking about of you and your sister.)
I hate that pose so much! And i also get sorta sick of how this generation takes SO many photos of themselves. But it might be that i don't really like posed photos in general anyway. When Brian and i got married we had the requisite family photos but i told Karie (my friend who shot our wedding) that i was in no way going to pose for several photos, and she (being my friend and a very good photographer) LOVED that she didn't have to take a bagillion photos like that. So she took two shots each of each family. And that was that. And they were just fine.
But i do remember that Brian's mom was rather incredulous that it took about a minute and she asked, "Is that it?" (Brian's family's tradition is to pose for many family shots which can often take awhile during reunions and especially Easter.)
(But she looked good in both photos anyway, cause she's so cute.)
LOL, i just noticed IslandPearl's very rare and unusual mistake! "they're". LOL... Kylee said "boughten" earlier and i wanted to correct it then i remembered my #20!
thanks jo.
One of my efforts is to NOT always think I am THE one who needs to make corrections, suggestions or just assume I know more than other people. I'm so proud I held myself back with the mistakes. Plus I figure I'll be making an error here soon too.
I am, however, struggling with this at work as we face giant budget reductions, staff and program changes.
It's making me CRAZY that people don't (or can't) look ahead to long term implications and all the ripple effects (oh dang, is it effects? affects?) that follow. Someone needs to step up and make the tough well-thought-out decisions. After they come to me for advice :-)
If I could only share my wisdom and insights without being such a dog-gone know it all.
I'm up early to finish my Saturday chores 'cause I'm off to work in a few hours. Hey, I got a job.
I think this sort of thing is scary evidence of people's lack of math skills.
Here in HI we have about a billion dollar budget shortfall. Translation: no money. LESS than no many. Not enough money to cover things already budgeted for.
The union's solution: shorten the school year by almost 20 days. That's instructional days by the way. They are steadfastly conserving the 'planning' days. So our school system has basically gone to a 4 day week, without lengthening the school year. The shortest instructional year in the country. In a state that is already at the bottom of the dung heap in test scores.
I used to be a public school teacher (math, natch...shoulda stuck with it and started a movement!) I would gladly trade planning days for instructional ones. It's hard to keep young minds on track and focused with continuous 3-day weekends.
But the folks in control don't seem to care about that.
And what is our legislature doing about it? Well, they opened this week and the first item on the agenda: Same sex marriage!!!
Did I mention that we have a BILLION $$ budget shortage?
And the shortest instructional school year in the country? (and some of the lowest test scores too...BEFORE they shortened the school year!!)
But the most pressing issue is gay marriage...
Which clearly illustrates to me how much they value our children (aka our FUTURE) -- it's more important that we validate the union of a couple that technically can't produce children on its own. Problem solved.
I give up.
Pearl, I have NO idea why girls do this apparently they think it makes them look cute or "gangster" when it just makes them look stupid, i will admit there are a few old pictures of me doing this when i was a freshmen in high school but by my sophmore year I realized what was going on. i think it has something to do with a camera in their face and they don't know what to do, apparently smiling is uncool haha
what picture of me and ashley?! am i doing it, or just ash? i know we have one picture when im driving and i have sunglasses on but there is no puckering of the lips nor peace sign which is apparently the white girl version of throwing up 'blood'
i dont mind posed pictures if they still have a natural sense to them, like the group picture at the 50th anniversary where everyone is cracking up laughing (its a great photo of josh)
haha i will tell you guys a million times on here, I do NOT even second guess myself or check for grammar or spelling, although I do try a little for you guys if im tired or there is a lot to say, i'm not paying attention im typing and i type as fast as i talk so - suck it up! hahaha
but. i have an issue i'd like to vent. so in classes we often do "group projects" which i hate because a group project you can't really put in your portfolio, you can but you dont really want to showcase someone elses work in your own portfolio (what if the one part of the project the employer really likes, was by someone else, plus its really hard to explain who did what in a classy way) anyways, some teachers like the idea of not letting you pick your own groups, its like in HS they pick it for you or you number off 1-5 and all the 1's are one group. I HATEEEE this for one solid reason. yes in the business world we will be working with other people, thats not my problem its the fact that I might get paired with someone who doesnt know what they are doing. they are people who fail classes over and over again and they would NEVER be hired in the business world, OR they NEVER show up to class or show up when your team desginates when to meet up, your not only doing 3x the amount of work, but they get to put their name on it, or if you let them do the work you get a bad grade and it looks bad on you. its total crap, we are in college, and not even that our college is SO different, we have students that are older than the professors, most of my classmates already have degrees and everyone is mid 20's- early 30's we are not children. there is an entire studio class called "team design" where we break up into groups but its essentially the entire class working on the same project. you would NEVER have 20-30 people working on one design project, correction, we would not have 20-30 designers working on one design project.
*deep breathe* its been bugging me, i need to talk to our director about it i dont know what he can do though. there was actually one teacher (who i really love and i think he only tried this one quarter) but he paired up all the D students with the A students, i see the thought process, it helps the D student but that is NOT fair on the A student at all.
In pairing up the D wiht the A, do you not think that there may be some slack cut to the A? What % of your final eval is based on the project?
I assign one team project each semester for exactly the reason you cited: people have to know how to work together in the real world. And in the real world you will inevitably end up in groups with people of varying skill levels and committment. So learning how to manage in that environment is very very valuable.
I also, recognizing (and totally sharing) your concerns, make at least 40% of the grade peer driven. My evaluation counts 60% (of course!) but the other 40% is a combination of peer evaluation of the team itself by the rest of the class (their projects must be presented with the rest of the class sitting as a board of directors that needs to be convinced) and a peer evaluation within the team of the team members (which includes self evaluation by the individual).
That gives a bit more balance to the inevitable...
My VERY EXCELLENT thoughts about group projects:
Cooperative learning groups are just that, learning groups. Here’s where it’s appropriate to be as diverse as you can with group composition; gender, ethnicity, and partner up (back in my Slavin, Johnson & Johnson www.co-operation.org days) one smart, one dumb, 2 middles. These groups learn together and take FORMATIVE assessments. IF done correctly the “smart” kids learn too, sometimes by explaining to others and sometimes because no one is the smart one all the time.
When it comes to SUMMATIVE assessments, it’s important for the instructor to find out who knows what and who can do what. If it’s a group project, individual sections should be discernable. IF part of the assessment is to judge each individual’s ability to do group work, there need to be clear rubrics for that. As Pearl says,it may include peer and self evaluation.
Students always need to know ahead of time what is being assessed and against what standard. The learning goal should not be a secret
For the most part, in k-12 education I do not think it’s appropriate to ask kids to pair up (except in brief non-formal, turn to your neighbor and ask, think-pair-share ways) or choose teammates. It excludes individuals (can be painful and humiliating to not be chosen) and reinforces think-alike groups.
A thoughtful teacher partners students with someone they can be comfortable with and someone who is a stretch, maybe socially, maybe academically, for them. - I’m not talking about always putting the most boisterous boy next to the quietest girl. I’m a believer in groups and seating charts that change frequently, you’re never “stuck” next to someone you struggle with for a whole term.
PLUS, you have to overtly teach what it means to be a good team member, what’s appropriate and what’s not. Kids don’t “just know” automatically to work together. AND teachers need to supervise and adjust as needed. Some of the cruelest behavior in school happens in non-monitored groups.
OK enough
Aren't you sorry you asked? Oh wait, you didn't
Hey jo...furline updated her blog last week (just like you suggested she should). Haven't you read it?
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