04 August 2011

Riddle me this...

As we drove home from the airport Saturday, my daughter was sipping tamarind soda from a plastic cup. She exclaimed a couple times that she got a tiny little shock on her lip when the soda touched it. This led to passing the cup around the car and everyone having the same phenomenon. We wondered how soda from a plastic bottle could be poured into a plastic cup and generate a static charge. Any science type folks wanna do some 'splaining?

21 July 2011

I had an idea like that once...

Go here




Laugh a lot.  Check out the previous 4 similar posts.  :)

14 July 2011

Frazzled?

Summer is crazy. By the end of the school year, I'm just as excited as the kids about break. This summer has seemed like more work than the school year, with less to show for it. Here's to gathering my wits and having a more productive second half. :)

17 June 2011

technology

Setting up as many ways as possible to post here, in hopes that I might actually do it!

03 March 2011

Correcting essay tests in flight draws some good attention. Glad to be representing those who work even harder than I do so kids can learn!
I'm really thinking this will be my next writing assignment. But for now, to in-flight grading...
Objective: Students will express an idea completely, effectively, and intelligently in 140 (160?) characters, without resorting to abbreviations or netspeak...
Headed to Vegas for EF regional mtg. Good time to catch up on blogging. Character limit is an interesting writing exercize. I feel a lesson plan perking...
I hope I never become blase about the wonder of the view from 37k feet. Grain elevator/bin complexes and drainage systems are easily ID'd up here. Yay farmers!
the limitation of posting via text is the restiction of 140 characters. I could not decide on a book to bring, so I am reduced to amusing myself with my palm.
Although it won't send until I have wireless access, I write from 37000 feet enroute from FSD to Dallas. To my dear reader, Cliff, I waved as we passed over!

29 January 2011

Insert your favorite cliche about the swift passage of time here.

Holy cow.  Almost February.  We have several milestones here.  The first semester of the 2010-11 school year is over, here in the frozen tundra where the legie says we can't start until after Labor Day.  In that time we crammed in a long weekend in the Black Hills, a ski trip in Mankato for the teens while Mom and Dad went to meetings, and the normal Thanksmas and Christmas mayhem.  That means my eldest is half done with her senior year.  The first semester spreads over 5 moths with the various holidays and breaks, but the last is crammed into four, and will fly by.  I have to plan a graduation party.  Memorial Weekend, Saturday.  Bring a salad and stop by :)
It's also time for our first half-year exchange student to return home, which no-one is happy about.  We liked her so much we took on another half-year, a He-wi to replace our She-wi, currently staying with a welcome family until she departs.  Silly state department, not letting us have more than two in the house (we have a full year German with us as well.)  Shameless plug:  we've been hosting for nearly 10 years, we love it.  You should try it.  Go to effoundation.org to check it out!
The first of the foot dragging daughters finally got her driver's license, and had her first accident (minor) within eight days.  Nothing hurt but pride, and a dented door.  And a side-effect of a mother wistful for the days of toddling and tricycles.
So, we gather up to launch into the new month, new semester, and new family dynamic.  I'll send a postcard now and then.

08 January 2011

Placeholder

Whoa, I really need to sweep out the cobwebs around here.  Got some really good intentions about writing more.  I keep waiting for the time to sit down and crank out a massive post, but I need to let that go and just get some words out of me.  For now, though, I need to go tend to my poor neglected house and children.