Summer Break

There has been an imperceptible change in the weather the last few mornings and evenings. The unrelenting heat of the hottest July EVER is still around, but there are fleeting moments when the trees stir just a bit and you can tell that it's not really going to be hot forever.

Old School of Thumb

I heard a coach use that phrase while being interviewed about new concussion policies for football players, and although I laughed a little when he said it, I've decided I rather like it.

In fact many changes are afoot within our school system, so I think I may have ample opportunity to use it. Stay tuned.

Cost Analysis

I didn't really start gardening to save money, although I bet that was in the back of my mind. Rather, I wanted to produce at least some of my own food, and a vegetable garden seemed the natural place to start. I figured there would be an initial investment-- how-to books, tools, fertilizer, and then later seeds, plants, and of course time. That last one's easy for me to sort of gloss over when constructing my mental spreadsheet, but to be honest, even though I like it, the garden does take time we might have spent elsewhere. I also get that there's a learning curve and that gardening is dependent on many variables-- weather, critters, soil, weeds, what have you, and so I would say I am prepared to lose a little cash in the grand scheme of things.

We went to our local farmers market this morning and there were samples of a delicious green variety of heirloom tomato. Despite our own bountiful harvest, we decided to buy one. One. (Okay, it was a pretty big tomato, but not to brag, I've grown bigger.) $5.25!

Recalculating. Just a moment. Yeah. I'm breaking even this year.

First Things First

I heard a piece on the radio tonight about the importance of preschool in helping people develop the skills that are essential in today's job market: compromise, curiosity, and cooperation. It made sense. There was also a companion piece about the wildly expensive, uber-exclusive preschools in Manhattan. It seems that children younger than two are "interviewed" for places in these institutions. The reporter hastened to assure us that they are not real interviews, but more like play date observations. What comprises a successful examination? Well, they are looking for tots who show the three C's mentioned above.

The educator in me scratched my head when I heard that. If we are saying that kids need those essential skills to be successful, then does it not seem counter-intuitive that the "best" schools only accept those children who have already developed them? What's the point in that? As a writing teacher, I know how much fun it is to have kids who are good writers in class, but I don't for a minute think that's my mission. If anything, it's the kids who most need support who should have it, not at the expense of any other child, but certainly as a priority.

Swingin' Babe

That's what my dad used to say when he knew I was excited about something but he just couldn't really fathom the appeal. I'm sure other dads said things like Mm hmm, and That's interesting, or maybe even That's great, sweetheart.

I haven't thought about it in years, and I have no idea where he picked it up, but it's kind of cool, right?

Locating...

Earlier in the summer I activated the "find my iphone/ipad" option on both of our phones and the ipad as well. I thought it might be handy in the event that we lose or misplace our devices, but since then I've only used it for one thing-- to find Heidi when she is lost and then to give her directions so that she can get back.

Aaah. There she is now!

No More Explosions, Please

After a summer of blockbuster movies attended, for the most part, with teenaged boys, it was a not unwelcome change to find myself among a sedate, older crowd (we were by far the youngest patrons in the theater) at the local multiplex. The film? Midnight in Paris by Woody Allen, and friends? It did not disappoint.