Leaving a mark

Went to the cemetery with my mother to fix an arrangement on my Dad's grave.  Close by was a lady putting flowers on the grave of a son who died many years ago, but far too young.  It would have been his birthday.   She was accompanied and assisted by a granddaughter.  This granddaughter was a little embarrassed by her just-washed hair and lack of makeup because she was once one of my students.

We visited a while, and she told me I was her favorite teacher. Not only was that incredibly sweet of her to say, but it really makes me think.  How many small things do we do that leave impressions--good and bad--on others?  She was in my class at least 25 years ago, and in my memory she was a gentle, obedient, good-natured girl.  What did I do to deserve that place in her memory?

It reminds me to be conscious of the daily, seemingly small interactions we have with others.  How are those remembered?  I'm sure sometimes we fade into vague recollections, and I often speak without enough thinking.  That kind young woman reminded me that if I leave a mark as I pass by, I'd like it to be a good grade.

I'm with you, Dennis!

So grateful to be getting older!

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic today so I'm taking a detour from my usual posts--few as there have been recently.

Thirty years ago yesterday, I was in congestive heart failure, more ill than I was willing to admit even to myself.  My mitral valve was so stenotic that the left atrium of my heart was enlarged and there was extreme pressure in the pulmonary veins coming from my lungs.  I could not walk a flight of stairs without stopping to rest and even though I had been teaching until a couple of days earlier, I had found myself resting against the walls as I worked with my students.  It wasn't until I looked back that I realized how close I had been to death.

I am so grateful I live in the time I do, because a talented team of people led by a gifted surgeon gave me another chance.  This is like my second birthday and I can't help but celebrate.  Thirty years ago my husband could have been left alone with a 5-year-old and a 14-year-old.  Now they are grown up, successful, and have given me six fabulous grandchildren.  Oh, what I would have missed!

In August there will be another celebration because I needed that surgeon and his team again ten years later.  That time, I knew the kind of trouble I was in.  But that is a story for another day.  Today I am remembering the gift from 30 years ago and feeling grateful for each and every day.

Reminds me of....me.

This comic reminded me of....me. It's nice to know the author of the comic strip has thought some of the same things I do.

Interesting language differences

Just got back from a trip to Australia and New Zealand. Had a lovely time and noticed some fun language differences.

There was a sign on the cruise ship's Promenade Deck asking people to walk or jog in an anti-clockwise direction, rather than counter-clockwise.

You don't call someone on the phone, you ring them up.

If you are a bit chilly, you need to put on your jumper (sweater).

You don't have to yield to traffic, but you may need to give way.

I did have a terrible time adapting to seeing vehicles driving on the "wrong" side of the road.  The idea that a left turn is easier than a right turn seems so odd to me.  I suppose that comes from more than 48 years of driving the American way.  I wondered which other countries do it the way New Zealand and Australia do:  the UK I suppose? Germany? Austria?  I know that some European countries drive the way we do, like Italy.  I think it would be pretty challenging to change back and forth.  Thank goodness I didn't have to do any driving.

Our crazy language

It's funny how language works.  Enough people say something that is grammatically incorrect, and eventually it becomes widely used and accepted.  Take, for instance, the past tense of sneak.  It should be sneaked (I sneaked an extra piece of cake), but people said snuck so much that it is in the dictionary now as an informal past tense.

I wonder why the past tense of peak (or peek) didn't become puck, or speak didn't turn into spuck.  Even sneeze could have been, "Yesterday I snuzz several times."

See, it doesn't really make sense why some words get changed and others don't,

While I'm writing about words, there are some expressions that have become so common that they are beginning to annoy me.  There is nothing really grammatically wrong, but they are used so much that it seems no one is willing to stretch verbal skills far enough to think of another way to say what they want to say.  Listen to how many times you hear (particularly on television) someone avoid answering a question because "it's complicated."  How often do designers of decor or fashion like the way a color or accessory makes something "pop."  Everyone seems to want to take relationships, experiences, or activities "to the next level."  If I notice others, I'll come back and add them.

Meanwhile, since I snuck an extra candy I'll try to take my exercise to the next level.  Afterwards I'll wear my red scarf so my outfit will have that pop of color.  I'd explain more, but it's complicated.

Oh commercials!

Commercial hyperbole is bugging me again.

 If you get a new pair of glasses from VisionWorks (used to be America's Best),  you not only get the glasses but a better you.  That's pretty impressive.  I've known a person or two who could really use a new pair of glasses from there.  Hey, if I get some glasses there, can I get rid of 20 pounds?  That would make me better.

Even more interesting is the United States Postal Service's commercial that states that there is nothing worse than going to the Post Office and standing in line.  Goodness, if that is the most terrible thing that can happen, have we all been making too big a fuss over serious illnesses, accidents, and deaths?  Are all our realities seriously whacked?  I've actually done that standing in line thing many times; it's a wonder I've survived.

I'll add others as they bug me.  Of course I realize that the commercials are not meant to be taken literally, but the exaggerated language annoys me.  That's why I love my DVRs.

I've also seen some cute license plates lately so maybe I'll have to post about those again.  There are some clever folks out there.

How much is a trillion?

I'm afraid we are becoming numb to the enormous size of the numbers our government uses.  When President Clinton was in office, we talked in millions.  President Bush in billions.  President Obama throws around trillions.

As a teacher, I used to try to help students understand really big numbers, because the words aren't particularly scary.  It's pretty hard to get your head around.

A trillion is a thousand thousand thousand thousand.  Not so bad?  That's 10 to the 12th power.  How about a thousand billions, or a million millions?

Still okay?  Current estimates put the number of stars in our Milky Way (the only ones we can actually see) at between 300 and 400 billion--but a fraction of a trillion.

If we had been able to spend a million dollars a day, starting with the birth of Jesus (on which our calendar is based), we would not yet have reached one trillion dollars.

It takes nearly 32,000 years to get to a trillion seconds.  Sixteen trillion is sixteen times as long (more than 500,000 years).  Are you worried yet?  I sure am.

Corn and People

As we have been working on enjoying and preserving the bounty from my father-in-law's enormous garden, I found myself thinking about an odd comparison.

Cobs of corn are sort of like people.  Some of them find their paths early and head toward maturity with purpose and nary a misstep.

Others take detours growing up.  Often finding their way after getting sidetracked by choices, chances, or challenges.

Some are just so darn unique that they defy the "normal" and mature in their own unusual way.

I expect we all know people of each kind.  And, like we do the corn, we appreciate what they bring to us.

I heard another good redundancy today.  A television news anchor was talking about a free concert series and mentioned that liquid beverages would not be permitted.  Here I thought all beverages were liquid.  So could someone take in a Coke popsicle?

I've also heard some new words: suicidality (the likelihood of someone committing suicide?); and how about a skin care product that will redensify your skin?

Then there is the continuing verbing of nouns (like I just did).  Stories are trending, we text, Google, fuel our cars, video events, and bookmark our favorites.  There are more, but I'll end with this appropriate comic.

Solar Eclipse from my front yard!

Just as the moon began to move across the sun.

I held my special viewing glasses in front of my little camera to take a picture.  It wasn't easy.

Getting closer.

Almost.

There, the Annular Eclipse; also known as the Ring of Fire.

It was so nice to have it right outside my front door.  The next solar eclipse to cross Utah won't be until 2023.  The way time passes, it will be here very soon.  I'd better hang on to my special glasses.

Just a quick post.

Just a quick note with another excellent example of redundancy.

Even comics characters dislike some commercials.

Entitlement Creep

I think a huge problem today is entitlement creep. Parents experience the beginnings of it with the best of intentions. They bring a child a small treat from a shopping trip, just because they were thinking of him. If the parent gets a fun reaction, chances are they'll do it again. In very few trips, the child is soon asking, "What did you bring me?"

If a teacher rewards students' behavior or accomplishments with tangible rewards, before long students ask, "What will I get if I....?"

Pay your children for cleaning their rooms or doing normal chores and it won't take long before they want payment for everything they do.

Unfortunately, many adults have come to expect things for little or no effort too. Somewhere along the way they lost the idea of personal responsibility or working to earn what they want.

I watched a television news spot where a woman was shouting questions to a presidential candidate. She was asking about his views on women's health issues and her last shouted question was did he support free birth control. The "free" part surprised the candidate, and me. Where did this woman get the idea that something like that could be free? It must be produced, packaged, shipped, stored, and distributed. Costs are incurred all along the way and must be paid if we want additional product.

A depressingly large number of people seem to believe that the "government" gives money, services, and products away. Not true. They use money taken from other people. It is so wrong that we can work for many years, save all we can, invest carefully when we're able, and live always within our means only to have our own government demand a fat percentage of what we have so it can be given to someone who choses not to do those things. As if a circumstance (self-inflicted or not) entitles one to someone else's earnings.

Sunshine is free, but not much else is.

Painted with a broad brush

I'll admit that I get a little irked over some things others don't even notice. My sister mentioned she had that tendency too and was amazed by those who weren't bothered. Lately I've found myself resenting being painted with a broad brush. Advertisers, sponsors, public service spots seem to try to make us all the same and it bugs me.

There are items for sale that I "can't live without." Wanna bet?

There is a show "everybody is talking about." Who is everybody? As if we all have nothing to do but talk about about a television show--pure fiction.

I've "heard (this company) has the best customer service." I have? Who told me?

"Everybody loves a meatball sub." Who took that survey? I've never even eaten one.

"Most people prefer Almond Milk in their cereal to regular milk." Did someone ask everyone but me? Talk about hyperbole.

This is "the episode [I've] been waiting for." Wow, I don't usually get too excited about upcoming programming, but if they say so.....

None of these really involve or pertain to me. No one asked me, I answered no questions, I was not polled. But I guess lots of folks know all about what I eat, watch, talk about, and think. Where's my foil hat?

Signs for the obvious.

This is the longest I've gone without a new post, but I guess I've needed inspiration. Hubby was talking about a comedian whose routine was about how many stupid signs we routinely run into. Lately, I've noticed that he is right.

In the airport you'll see signs telling you that the moving sidewalks end. Good to know; one might not notice and expect the floor to carry us onward.

In Maui we came across a sign informing us that the sidewalk was ending. Within three feet, the concrete stopped and there was a sturdy fence across the end. The sign was obviously needed to keep us from walking into the fence.

After driving on a twisty, turning road for quite a while, we kept noticing signs that said "curves ahead." No kidding, this road is famous for its curves, that's why we were on it. I even bought a tee shirt that said I survived it.

How about the signs that tell you the road has no shoulder. That's something we would not know without a sign?

I know there are lots more. I'll post again when I remember what they are. In the meantime I'll ponder why we need these signs. Are people really that dumb or is it just a result of the "sue somebody" mentality that seems to be out there?

Say what?

It must be difficult for advertising agencies to come up with new ideas that will get people to pay attention to the products or companies they are working for. But from my own, admittedly critical, view, some of them are just too.....annoying. I've heard it said that hating a commercial is as good as liking it. Just as long as you pay attention. I don't think that is true for contrary folk like me. I've been known to boycott businesses whose commercials I hated. Here are some recent commercials you've probably heard:

"Do you dream in chocolate?" What does that mean? Everything is sepia-toned? It doesn't even make sense. Come to think about it, I don't ever remember any food in any of my dreams. So I suppose I don't dream in chocolate, about chocolate, with chocolate or looking at chocolate.

Makeup "feels invisible." Isn't the definition of invisible that something can't be seen? I've blogged, or Facebooked, before about feeling like I was invisible when people ignored me. (Oh no, I've just verbed another noun. It's getting to me.) Anyway, I'm not sure how makeup can feel invisible. If it is invisible, why would anyone wear it? If it has terrific qualities why not sell those points. Am I the only one who doesn't feel makeup once it's on? Do others go through their days conscious of the stuff on their faces? Maybe it's me.

A store has "more fashion, less price." This is so grammatically screwed up it doesn't even make sense. One has to assume that a person can own more fashion. Is that like more shoes? Less price is senseless (pun intended).

How about a credit card that gives you "50% more cash?" Just having the card gives one more cash? Cool, I didn't know one got cash by getting a credit card. Using my cards eventually costs me, but maybe I don't have the right one. If it's 50% more, would Oprah get multiple times what I would get because she already has way more money than I do?

I've got to stop paying attention to commercials, but then what would I have to blog about except my fabulous grandchildren? I'll keep thinking.

Gifted students need gifted teachers

Normally I defend teachers. I know that it is a tough job--way harder than an average outsider thinks it is. I've written opinion pieces for newspapers, debated with people (and parents) critical of teachers, and served as guest speaker in a few education courses in a local college.

It is also a career that I truly loved. I miss working with kids. There is nothing quite like watching a young person catch on to a difficult concept, or seeing the love of reading and books develop, or hearing someone say that you helped them understand something they never thought they could. Letters from former students thanking you for making a difference for them are worth more than gold for your heart.

However, it is much harder than it used to be. Teachers are constantly berated and criticized, blamed for things over which they had no control. Parents can be demanding and unreasonable. Government requirements and intrusion are squeezing out creativity and fun.

That said, all teachers are not good ones--especially for all students. It is unrealistic to expect a teacher with 30 students to individualize lessons in 30 different ways. Given. But, when a teacher has a class filled with mostly gifted students (tested and put there on purpose), I think the teacher should also be gifted. They know the frustrations.

Can anyone tell me the value of having a student write each of the spelling words in 8 different colors, if said student got 100% on the pretest?

Can anyone explain the value of having a parent of a second grade student (who reads comfortably at a 6th grade level) counting the number of words read in 20 minutes?

What does it benefit a talented student to spend time doing a math worksheet that contains problems he/she could do easily two years ago?

Some teachers, schools, and even school districts do a very real injustice to the capable students. They drown them with unnecessary busy work, require them to do nothing while reiterating material over and over for the struggling students, and ignore their needs for new and expanded learning.

No Child Left Behind has caused such concern about the students who need the most help, schools are seriously short-changing the gifted and talented.

Not a good trade.

I shouldn't reprint comics, I know. But sometimes they are just sooo good. Not many people are interested in reading my blog, so I think I can get away with it again.

I loved this one because it is so true. So many children now have grown up with electronic devices (my hubby calls these "glowing boxes") and they have missed the story-telling and talking that families used to do. I just heard about another study detailing how watching the fast-paced cartoons shows (they specifically mentioned Sponge Bob) have shortened toddlers' attention spans. I have noticed the difference.

I remember another comic where a smart-aleck student was relating asking his teacher what happened to Clark Kent's clothes when he left the phone booth as Superman. He said that before the teacher could formulate an answer, several students raised their hands to ask what a phone booth was. Oh, I'm getting old.

I have also watched the dip in vocabularies and reading levels. Kids today are learning too much too early about sexual things and not enough about patience, listening, and using their imaginations. I don't think it's a good trade off.

Right and wrong order.

I'm going back to my posts about the right and wrong way to do things having to do with marriage and sex. I just read an article with some real study results. The piece was written by a couple who speak about marriage and families, and just had their book published about how parents can avoid getting their children caught in the entitlement trap.

The article explains the research methods to study which relationships last the longest and are the happiest. The early sex, later marriage lost out to the marriage, then sex.

Of course there are exceptions; we all know some. The article went on to say that real life doesn't happen like it does in movies and TV programs. People don't generally end up in bed on a first date. But, we need to be careful making sure our children, and grandchildren, understand the reality and the pitfalls in believing the fantasy.

Perceived Intelligence

I was waiting somewhere and browsing through a Reader's Digest. There was an article about the importance of a good interview when applying for a job. It mentioned there were four common grammar errors that would raise or lower your perceived intelligence.

One was the correct use of good and well: knowing when to use an adjective or an adverb.

Another was knowing the difference between less and fewer (one of my own pet peeves): fewer gallons, less fuel.

A real tricky one for most people is the pronoun agreement: "I saw him and her," "He and I went to the game," etc.

The last one was a bit of a surprise because I can think of other errors that could have made the list (incorrect use of reflexive pronouns like myself and yourself, lay and lie, sit and set), but it was the sounding of the "t" in often. The article said that some thought pronouncing the "t" made them sound knowledgeable, but the effect was just the opposite.

I think sometimes it is just laziness or carelessness, but it does give others an impression that one might want to consider.