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Hold me closer Tony Danza…
I remember liking the 80’s song “Africa” by Toto. I always thought that the lyric was “I bless the rains down in Africa.” This morning, though, my song reality was momentarily shaken when I learned I might have been singing the wrong lyrics to “Africa” all this time during my solo drive time concerts. I was half-watching a report on Today about a couple who works to preserve the lion population in Africa and the title of the segment was “Bless the manes down in Africa. Hmm…was that really the lyric? “Manes” in Africa were blessed, not “rains?” The song itself was not played on the segment, but even Greg did not…
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Friday reflections
October 19, 2018 My mom turns 74 today. A few weeks ago, my dad turned 76. Both of my parents are Libras. My brother and I are Geminis. I think my parents had a mating season-eww. Last night I got distracted on Youtube while looking for other information. I got trapped in a “Youtube vortex” and watched a video on Youtube of Vin Scully’s call of Kirk Gibson’s 1988 World Series home run for the Dodgers. The combination of Scully’s voice, Gibson pumping his fists in the air as…
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Friday Reflections-October 5, 2018
A few things I pondered on my way to work this morning: I have been under heavier surveillance since I was diagnosed with MS in 1995. Since then, someone always seems to know (or thinks they have to know) where I am, which makes sneaking around practically impossible-if I wanted to sneak around, that is. I can’t even sneak up on my own kid! Since Alex is now 16, it would be nice to be able to be less conspicuous when I need to find out what he’s doing. A point of contention for me: Even if someone, anyone, says he is listening to you, I think it’s rude for…
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How Public Schools Are Failing Our Kids
I recently read this article about the problems public schools face, and while I agree with the majority of the points the author outlines, I took issue with one point: http://EzineArticles.com/?Life-Skills—How-Public-Schools-Are-Failing-Our-Kids&id=9765525 As a result of the problems public schools face, the responsibility for teaching life skills has shifted to parents. ************************************************************** I recently read this article about the problems public schools face, and while I agree with the majority of the points the author outlines, I took issue with one point: As a result of the problems public schools face, the responsibility for teaching life skills has shifted to parents. about the problems public schools face, and while I agree…
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Misophonia and me
Growing up, I spent several summers in the backseat of my parents’ car trying not to kill my little brother as my parents ventured to various historical sites. Most of these places were not interesting to us, so we were essentially captives on these historical journeys throughout this country. My father would sometimes chew gum on these road trips, and if he did, I did everything I could to block out the sound. He chewed the gum with fierce intensity, as if the piece of gum held every bit of tension that filled his body. Perhaps that wad of Big Red chewing gum represented opposing counsel in his latest…
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Mama, don’t let your baby grow up to be a snowflake…
I do not want to raise a kid that can’t do anything for himself. I want Alex to be able to function on his own when he goes to college in a few years, to do his own laundry-especially to get dirt stains out of baseball pants-and to manage his time so that he can study and also have fun. So far, Alex is learning most of the skills he needs, so now I am tackling the biggie-money management. One of the best lessons I did as a parent was during the summer when Alex was about 12 years old and he wanted to buy fast food all the time…
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This Cathedral for Boys, This Cathedral of Dreams
in the summertime,within the ivy-covered walls,upon the sun-drenched grass, the green, green grasswhere full grown boys lived out my dreams,in nine inning shares of timelessness,to hear the thunder of Ted Williams’ bat,to watch the smooth, smooth stride of Willie Mays,to sit in awe of lads once like me,but who grew up somewhere to become so much more,these mythic figures of a mythic game,a game once began on sandy backlots,now continued on fields in majestic ballparks,they are all grown up these once little boys,grown-up beyond the reach of mortals who wear tailored grey suits as they go to work,they live in realms of near perfection,they walk in air beyond our own,they…
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The Baseball ⚾️
A Children’s Story by Nancy Quinn “Matt!” called out mom. “It’s time for dinner.” Mom’s voice floated from the edge of the town park to the group playing baseball. Always quick to obey his parents, Matt quickly hit the baseball to the edge of the park and grinned. Yes, that tiny round pebble that the boys found this morning was the perfect baseball. With satisfaction, he swung the stick he had carved out for a bat over his shoulder and stepped away from home plate. Thankfully the bases and home plate didn’t blow away today like the last time they played baseball. Using oak leaves as the bases don’t always…
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It Was Lights Out At The Old Ballgame
by James L. Snyder June 24, 2006 | Someone yelling, “Let’s play ball,” officially announces spring. Springtime and baseball seem to go together, as if God created springtime just for the national pastime. Something about that first baseball game seems to shake away all the gloomy aspects of the past winter. As soon as Old Man Winter strikes out for the last time, good old springtime steps up to the plate and a new game is afoot. Of course, baseball is for the young. One downside of growing older is the fact that you grow out of certain things. For example, as you grow older you grow out…
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Why I teach math through knitting
Sara Jensen, Carthage College One snowy January day, I asked a classroom of college students to tell me the first word that came to mind when they thought about mathematics. The top two words were “calculation” and “equation.” When I asked a room of professional mathematicians the same question, neither of those words were mentioned; instead, they offered phrases like “critical thinking” and “problem-solving.” This is unfortunately common. What professional mathematicians think of as mathematics is entirely different from what the general population thinks of as mathematics. When so many describe mathematics as synonymous with calculation, it’s no wonder we hear “I hate math” so often. So I set out…
