These are some silly-sounding foods I've seen (but not tasted) in recent days...
Organic American Cheese
Non-fat Half-and-half.
I think there were others along these lines too, but I can't remember them now.
And so, my question is...
why???
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Open to Correction
Many thanks to Amy Welborn for writing a great blog post about an important topic - defensiveness regarding critique and criticism. This defensiveness she writes about makes it really hard for me as a reviewer because often even the littlest points or even clarifications can be taken for serious criticism or even condemnation - which makes me second guess whether I should mention this little thing, whether it will be taken too seriously, etc. I should mention that it's not just authors who can be sensitive, but readers don't necessarily make a big distinction between, say, some ideas for improving future editions of a particular book and grave reservations regarding the overall point of view of the author.
Ideally, a book review should be open and honest about various sorts of criticism. I know that I very much appreciate positive reviews that aren't afraid to give the potentially negative side of things as well (another fine line here, though - you certainly can get too nit-picky). When I read this sort of review it helps me in a number of ways.
1) The willingness to critique - as long as it's fair and reasonable - often gives the reviewer more credibility in my mind - because the review tends to be (or at least seems to be) more well-thought-out, balanced and objective. Somehow it gives more weight to the positive points made when the reviewer is willing to explore the negatives too - I get a stronger sense that they really mean what they say.
2) I have a better idea of the details of the resource I'm looking into - after all, I could just go to a book catalog to find the general, glowing details.
3) Finally, I think that a reasonable willingness to correct is more charitable to the author and even to the book itself than either ignoring the material or simply giving up on the details and condemning it. If someone is willing to take the time and bother to sort through the ins and outs, recognizing what is good and correcting the errors simply makes more of these books more usable, more worthwhile. And it doesn't tend to hurt the reviewer (sames goes for the reader, later on) to go through the process of making such distinctions.
I suppose the medium of the Internet makes this harder since, without the tone of voice, it's hard to get the sense of "Well, there's just this little thing I think I should mention..."
On the other hand, it takes a certain amount of gumption to stand up to the ideas in a book and not just write catalog overviews when there are other issues to be addressed. I have to admit that I'm not always up to the task myself.
Anyway, here's Amy's blogpost that I was referring to...
By the way this post isn't meant to be a rant about reviewing books, more a thinking through of some aspects and the challenge of keeping things in balance. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
Ideally, a book review should be open and honest about various sorts of criticism. I know that I very much appreciate positive reviews that aren't afraid to give the potentially negative side of things as well (another fine line here, though - you certainly can get too nit-picky). When I read this sort of review it helps me in a number of ways.
1) The willingness to critique - as long as it's fair and reasonable - often gives the reviewer more credibility in my mind - because the review tends to be (or at least seems to be) more well-thought-out, balanced and objective. Somehow it gives more weight to the positive points made when the reviewer is willing to explore the negatives too - I get a stronger sense that they really mean what they say.
2) I have a better idea of the details of the resource I'm looking into - after all, I could just go to a book catalog to find the general, glowing details.
3) Finally, I think that a reasonable willingness to correct is more charitable to the author and even to the book itself than either ignoring the material or simply giving up on the details and condemning it. If someone is willing to take the time and bother to sort through the ins and outs, recognizing what is good and correcting the errors simply makes more of these books more usable, more worthwhile. And it doesn't tend to hurt the reviewer (sames goes for the reader, later on) to go through the process of making such distinctions.
I suppose the medium of the Internet makes this harder since, without the tone of voice, it's hard to get the sense of "Well, there's just this little thing I think I should mention..."
On the other hand, it takes a certain amount of gumption to stand up to the ideas in a book and not just write catalog overviews when there are other issues to be addressed. I have to admit that I'm not always up to the task myself.
Anyway, here's Amy's blogpost that I was referring to...
One of the most irritating thing about discourse, something that gets exaggerated, it seems, on the Internet (like anything else) is hyper-defensiveness. That is to say that to critique any aspect of any phenomenon amounts to a full-scale attack on that phenomenon.Read the rest here
For some, it seems, it is all or nothing.
Or perhaps there is just a fear that if one aspect of a phenomenon can be critiqued, that means that the whole enterprise is called into question.
By the way this post isn't meant to be a rant about reviewing books, more a thinking through of some aspects and the challenge of keeping things in balance. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Break the Conventions, Keep the Commandments (Love2learn Moments #39)
I find that in balancing my obligations as a homeschool mother, I need to make distinctions between what I can be flexible and open about and what is non-negotiable.
Not only do such distinctions relieve stress when things don't go as planned (and in a family this is a common occurrence!), but they also free me to give my children the chance to make some choices in their day and in their education - which can be a good thing for both of us!
G. K. Chesterton offers a helpful and humorous perspective:
Not only do such distinctions relieve stress when things don't go as planned (and in a family this is a common occurrence!), but they also free me to give my children the chance to make some choices in their day and in their education - which can be a good thing for both of us!
G. K. Chesterton offers a helpful and humorous perspective:
A man's minor actions and arrangements ought to be free, flexible, creative; the things that should be unchangeable are his principles, his ideals. But with us, the reverse is true; our views change constantly, but our lunch does not change. Now, I should like men to have strong and rooted conceptions, but as for their lunch, let them have it sometimes in the garden, sometimes in bed, sometimes on the roof, sometimes in the top of a tree. Let them argue from the same first principles, but let them do it in a bed, or a boat or a balloon.Cross-posted from Love2learn Moments
Helping Your Children Love Learning (Love2learn Moments #38)
There's nothing quite like the interest and involvement of parents to help motivate children to WANT to learn. Here are a few ideas to try out with your own families.
Go outside and look at the stars together. Learn the names of a few of the constellations.
Children love "real" things. Let them help you with real jobs and house projects.
Take them to the beach, forest, pond or desert and have everyone draw pictures of what they find.
Spend time with other families who love learning.
Pop a batch of popcorn and sit down to a family read-aloud.
Plan ahead for an art museum trip by introducing each child to a beautiful painting they can search for once you arrive.
Go on an adventure walk in your own neighborhood. Bring water bottles and magnifying glasses!
Choose a country and find recipes native to that place. Invite several friends to do the same, and get together for a day of ethnic cooking.
Most importantly, let your children see that you love learning too.
cross-posted from Love2learn Moments
Go outside and look at the stars together. Learn the names of a few of the constellations.
Children love "real" things. Let them help you with real jobs and house projects.
Take them to the beach, forest, pond or desert and have everyone draw pictures of what they find.
Spend time with other families who love learning.
Pop a batch of popcorn and sit down to a family read-aloud.
Plan ahead for an art museum trip by introducing each child to a beautiful painting they can search for once you arrive.
Go on an adventure walk in your own neighborhood. Bring water bottles and magnifying glasses!
Choose a country and find recipes native to that place. Invite several friends to do the same, and get together for a day of ethnic cooking.
Most importantly, let your children see that you love learning too.
cross-posted from Love2learn Moments
Thursday, February 21, 2008
More Irish Fun
This is the first Irish song I ever learned. Fun to share it with my little ones now (and the animal photos don't hurt).
More Frank
(He's on a roll lately).
Frank has a funny way of getting distracted from bad moods by the strangest and most interesting things. I think this might be what Montessori refers to as "normalizing", but I'm not quite sure as I haven't read a lot about that.
Here are a few examples...
All of my kids are interested in computers and I generally try to restrain them from sapping all their time up with it. One morning when I had to be particularly firm, Frank was having an absolutely fit over it. For some reason, I thought he might like helping me with the dishes (standing on a chair at the sink and really digging in). He was enchanted almost instantly.
A few days ago, Frank got sent to the corner for hurting Kate. He asked for me to set a timer and then asked how long I had set it for. I braced myself for wailing (the general response), but calmly responded "four minutes". He casually remarked, "Oh. That's two and two minutes," and waited quite patiently for the timer to go off. It was as if, now that his mind was occupied with an idea, everything else was okay.
A recent car-ride elicited a similar result, with another one of his favorite things to think about - colors. I can't remember what he was fussing about on the way home, but he was very unhappy and there wasn't anything (reasonable) I could do about it. After about five minutes of this, like a lightswitch, he stopped crying and started talking about color combinations (they don't make any sense to us - but perhaps there is an order in his head). I think the combination went something like this: "Do you know what makes white? No-color and pink." I think he's been watching Ria at her artwork lately. In any case, he was fast asleep in a blissful nap within about two more minutes.
Frank has a funny way of getting distracted from bad moods by the strangest and most interesting things. I think this might be what Montessori refers to as "normalizing", but I'm not quite sure as I haven't read a lot about that.
Here are a few examples...
All of my kids are interested in computers and I generally try to restrain them from sapping all their time up with it. One morning when I had to be particularly firm, Frank was having an absolutely fit over it. For some reason, I thought he might like helping me with the dishes (standing on a chair at the sink and really digging in). He was enchanted almost instantly.
A few days ago, Frank got sent to the corner for hurting Kate. He asked for me to set a timer and then asked how long I had set it for. I braced myself for wailing (the general response), but calmly responded "four minutes". He casually remarked, "Oh. That's two and two minutes," and waited quite patiently for the timer to go off. It was as if, now that his mind was occupied with an idea, everything else was okay.
A recent car-ride elicited a similar result, with another one of his favorite things to think about - colors. I can't remember what he was fussing about on the way home, but he was very unhappy and there wasn't anything (reasonable) I could do about it. After about five minutes of this, like a lightswitch, he stopped crying and started talking about color combinations (they don't make any sense to us - but perhaps there is an order in his head). I think the combination went something like this: "Do you know what makes white? No-color and pink." I think he's been watching Ria at her artwork lately. In any case, he was fast asleep in a blissful nap within about two more minutes.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
A Little Irish Music
This got the kids moving this morning (I have no idea what Grendel and Grendel's mother are doing in the background).
A Funny Little Kid Lesson
Today Kate and Frank were playing with our "Cascade Tower" purchased from Hearth Song many Christmasses ago.
It's missing the last rung and the cars aren't currently anywhere to be found, but Kate discovered that dice slide their way through the rungs in a very satisfying way. Soon, she and Frank were squabbling over a large pile of dice and who had how many and who took whose dice out of a container. Argh. In a burst of frustration, I had them each pick out one die and promptly confiscated the rest.
For the next five or ten minutes straight, the world was suddenly in the right place - Kate and Frank happily took turns and squealed and giggled with delight through the entire process - without even missing the extra dice at all (and as if they had been happy with each other all along).
Ah, simplicity, a lesson I need to remember more often. ;)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Stations of the Cross
Ria was involved with a beautiful Stations of the Cross that a large group of teens from our homeschool group put on on Friday. Here's a photo to give you an idea.It was very beautifully and powerfully performed with freeze-frame "images" for each station accompanied by music and a little bit of commentary.
Ria painted Veronica's Veil (pictured here).
Got Weather?
The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for today, forecasting freezing rain and sleet this morning with ice accumulation of one-tenth of an inch, along with 2 to 5 inches of snow.
Mitchell International Airport spokeswoman Pat Rowe said ground crews at the airport, like many Wisconsin residents, have grown weary of the constant barrage of severe weather.
"It seems like as soon as it stops it starts right up again," Rowe said. "It's not like we get large quantities of snow all at once and it's over for three weeks. Instead, it just snows and snows and snows."
One-tenth of an inch of ice is enough for pedestrians and motorists to slip and slide on, said weather service meteorologist Bill Borghoff.
"The ground temperatures are well below freezing, and untreated surfaces will especially be prone to ice by Sunday morning," Borghoff said.
By late morning, the freezing rain is expected to turn to rain. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for today that covers Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha and Walworth counties.
It's the rain that has me most concerned as all of our gutters are clogged with ice. Sigh. Oh right, and many communities around here have literally run out of road salt. Good thing we went to Mass last night - we're not brave enough to venture out today.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
My Funny Valentine('s Day)
It was a most unusual Valentine's Day here - of course it's been a rather unusual February and an unusual winter for that matter! Lent started about three weeks too early, we've had about 50 more inches of snow than we had by this point last winter (seriously!) and we've had a bug going around the family for the last three or four weeks (I have to admit that we're loving being home this much and as for not having to drive on the super-mucky roads - that's just fine with me).
Anyway, I woke up to a very funny musical Valentine card at my computer. I didn't buy a card for John. He claims that he appreciates having a "free" ticket to forget a card for me sometime. :)
But, MY Valentine got to stay home from work today; after driving his clunker of a car just a little way on the freeway and realizing that that clunking that started after hitting a pothole last night was starting to turn into a definite lurch, he brought it right back to the local mechanic and walked home. Apparently the already beat-up struts got filled with water and then froze (ouch!). He'll probably be able to go into work tomorrow for just a little while, after both struts are replaced (fun!).
And so, he worked from home this morning and he and I put our heads together this afternoon and did our taxes (how romantic!!!).
In the midst of this we were treated to a lovely Narnia play. Terri, Bernie, Gus and Frank acted out in lip-sync the beginning scene of the dramatized audio of the Silver Chair - it was terrific! This is where we are introduced to Jill Pole and our previous acquaintance from the previous story, Eustace Scrub, who are chased by school bullies into Narnia and have a rather complicated quarrel.
Random acts of artistic Valentine creations from the kids were scattered throughout our day.
Ria spent most of her day painting "Veronica's Veil" and a rocky tomb entrance for tomorrow's Stations of the Cross that will be put on by a number of teens in our homeschool group.
After e-filing our taxes (I LOVE TurboTax), John and I decided to go right out and spend some of the tax-return-to-be on a new snow blower of all things. Our old snow-blower is almost dead and we're expected to get quite a bit more snow this winter (and John travels enough to make him feel guilty about those of us at home dealing with lots of snow clearing).
Frank, who simply would not be parted with us even for a short jaunt into town, came along and promptly fell asleep. Nevertheless, he enjoyed our little stops at several local stores (where we discovered that everyone was completely sold out of snow blowers- and it was suggested that we try again in late summer). We'll make do, though. Our very kind neighbors often bail us out when the snow gets really deep as they have a very large and powerful snowblower. And I'm sure we could give them a call, particularly if we really needed help.
Our day ended with a stop at a coffee shop with Frank being very animated and funny (the nap helped, I guess!) which all added to the sense of quirky fun.
Anyway, I woke up to a very funny musical Valentine card at my computer. I didn't buy a card for John. He claims that he appreciates having a "free" ticket to forget a card for me sometime. :)
But, MY Valentine got to stay home from work today; after driving his clunker of a car just a little way on the freeway and realizing that that clunking that started after hitting a pothole last night was starting to turn into a definite lurch, he brought it right back to the local mechanic and walked home. Apparently the already beat-up struts got filled with water and then froze (ouch!). He'll probably be able to go into work tomorrow for just a little while, after both struts are replaced (fun!).
And so, he worked from home this morning and he and I put our heads together this afternoon and did our taxes (how romantic!!!).
In the midst of this we were treated to a lovely Narnia play. Terri, Bernie, Gus and Frank acted out in lip-sync the beginning scene of the dramatized audio of the Silver Chair - it was terrific! This is where we are introduced to Jill Pole and our previous acquaintance from the previous story, Eustace Scrub, who are chased by school bullies into Narnia and have a rather complicated quarrel.
Random acts of artistic Valentine creations from the kids were scattered throughout our day.
Ria spent most of her day painting "Veronica's Veil" and a rocky tomb entrance for tomorrow's Stations of the Cross that will be put on by a number of teens in our homeschool group.
After e-filing our taxes (I LOVE TurboTax), John and I decided to go right out and spend some of the tax-return-to-be on a new snow blower of all things. Our old snow-blower is almost dead and we're expected to get quite a bit more snow this winter (and John travels enough to make him feel guilty about those of us at home dealing with lots of snow clearing).
Frank, who simply would not be parted with us even for a short jaunt into town, came along and promptly fell asleep. Nevertheless, he enjoyed our little stops at several local stores (where we discovered that everyone was completely sold out of snow blowers- and it was suggested that we try again in late summer). We'll make do, though. Our very kind neighbors often bail us out when the snow gets really deep as they have a very large and powerful snowblower. And I'm sure we could give them a call, particularly if we really needed help.
Our day ended with a stop at a coffee shop with Frank being very animated and funny (the nap helped, I guess!) which all added to the sense of quirky fun.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Why I Love My Kids (Reason #98689749)
I brought Kate to the dentist today to get an infected tooth pulled. Not fun, but she was a real trooper (of course the TV glasses with the Disney channel playing didn't hurt a bit!). The most agonizing part, apparently, was choosing a little toy from the toy drawer afterwards. She hemmed and hawed for a good five minutes (while carefully holding a papertowel to her mouth to not drip saliva into the drawer). The selection was amazing - there was a little alien parachuter, bracelets and toy rings and lots of cute girly stuff like mini-stamper pens.
So I had to laugh when she finally and very confidentally reached down and picked up a little toy snake!
When we got home (she doesn't tend to talk at the dentist office - it's often hard to even identify the nod of the head indicating a yes) she explained that next time she would get a dinosaur for her little brother Frank (Frank's favorite dinosaur was just demolished by the dog yesterday). Apparently she chose the snake so she and Frank could play with it together in the bathtub. :)
So I had to laugh when she finally and very confidentally reached down and picked up a little toy snake!
When we got home (she doesn't tend to talk at the dentist office - it's often hard to even identify the nod of the head indicating a yes) she explained that next time she would get a dinosaur for her little brother Frank (Frank's favorite dinosaur was just demolished by the dog yesterday). Apparently she chose the snake so she and Frank could play with it together in the bathtub. :)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
How Appropriate...
That the strep going around prevented us from getting to Mass today for the 150th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady to St. Bernadette in Lourdes - because today is also the World Day of the Sick. We'll stay home and remember those less fortunate than us. We've been watching (with a brief interlude for Pink Panther cartoons) the beautiful and timeless Song of Bernadette.
Speaking of Lourdes, I loved reading my sister's reflections on her years that she lived in Lourdes...
Speaking of Lourdes, I loved reading my sister's reflections on her years that she lived in Lourdes...
I admit that selfishly I loved Lourdes best in the winter when there were few pilgrims. I would touch the damp grotto walls and watch the candles flickering in the rough wind. Then we few would attend Mass standing in the curve of the rock, wrapped up against the cold.Read the rest here.
Frank and St. Anthony
And speaking of Frank cuteness, he just asked if he could play the computer game that he played tomorrow.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Tolkien on Beowulf with a little help from Lewis Carroll
This is way too much fun not to share (from Tolkien's essay "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics")...
It is not surprising that it should now be felt that a view, a decision, a conviction are imperatively needed. But it is plainly only in the consideration of Beowulf as a poem, with an inherent poetic significance, that any view or conviction can be reached or steadily held. For it is of their nature that the jabberwocks of historical and antiquarian research burble in the tulgy wood of conjecture, flitting from one tum-tum tree to another. Noble animals, whose burbling is on occasion good to hear; but though their eyes of flame may sometimes prove searchlights, their range is short.
Beowulf and Strep
That's pretty much what we've been up to this weekend.
Two parents and three kids on antibiotics, but I was well enough today to take Gus to our lit discussion (on Beowulf this afternoon). Ria and John listened in via Skype. (Made for a very interesting discussion! They listened in and typed their responses which were read aloud by two girls who were taking care of the lap top. It was often hard to tell whose opinions were whose - which was quite funny!)
One of the nice things about being sick (and it's way too cold to go out and do much anyway) is that we had the leisure to spend a LOT of yesterday reading aloud various translations of Beowulf, watching some pertinent parts of a literature series we own from the Teaching Company and the Story of English series from the library.
Ria and Gus had listened to the Seamus Heany translation on audio (we picked this up at a rummage sale somewhere along the way). Then, yesterday, I read aloud the Bethlehem Books edition. AFTER that, I realized that I hadn't read anywhere near the whole thing and didn't have anything else in the house. Fortunately, I discovered a very decent translation online, which was quite enjoyable as a read-aloud.
We delved a bit into the connection between Tolkien and Beowulf and dug up some rather interesting-looking links (not a lot of time to read through them yet, though).
Overall, I think it was a great start and I hope that many of the students will be inclined to read the story again. Certainly the connection with Tolkien helped a lot. Next on my list to read is Tolkien's essay "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" which we unsuccessfully looked for on the web last night. It does turn out that one of my students had a Beowulf book (the Heany translation as a matter of fact - which we only own on audio) that has this intriguing essay in the back. She lent it to me and I can't wait to dive in.
I really like this way of studying lit together. With Beowulf (and Sir Gawain too), we all (three or four or five families) read the books on our own, did some research as we were able and brought our ideas and findings together for the discussion.
Two parents and three kids on antibiotics, but I was well enough today to take Gus to our lit discussion (on Beowulf this afternoon). Ria and John listened in via Skype. (Made for a very interesting discussion! They listened in and typed their responses which were read aloud by two girls who were taking care of the lap top. It was often hard to tell whose opinions were whose - which was quite funny!)
One of the nice things about being sick (and it's way too cold to go out and do much anyway) is that we had the leisure to spend a LOT of yesterday reading aloud various translations of Beowulf, watching some pertinent parts of a literature series we own from the Teaching Company and the Story of English series from the library.
Ria and Gus had listened to the Seamus Heany translation on audio (we picked this up at a rummage sale somewhere along the way). Then, yesterday, I read aloud the Bethlehem Books edition. AFTER that, I realized that I hadn't read anywhere near the whole thing and didn't have anything else in the house. Fortunately, I discovered a very decent translation online, which was quite enjoyable as a read-aloud.
We delved a bit into the connection between Tolkien and Beowulf and dug up some rather interesting-looking links (not a lot of time to read through them yet, though).
Overall, I think it was a great start and I hope that many of the students will be inclined to read the story again. Certainly the connection with Tolkien helped a lot. Next on my list to read is Tolkien's essay "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" which we unsuccessfully looked for on the web last night. It does turn out that one of my students had a Beowulf book (the Heany translation as a matter of fact - which we only own on audio) that has this intriguing essay in the back. She lent it to me and I can't wait to dive in.
I really like this way of studying lit together. With Beowulf (and Sir Gawain too), we all (three or four or five families) read the books on our own, did some research as we were able and brought our ideas and findings together for the discussion.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Good Lenten Reading
I just finished Our Sunday Visitor's new title Saints of Asia and is it ever interesting! Even with some occasionally disorganized writing, it's a quick and engaging read filled with inspiring stories of saints and martyrs and lots of interesting tidbits regarding the Church in Asia (which I knew next to nothing about).
Turns out to be a timely read too as I just watched the Xavier movie on Sunday. Actually, that's what inspired me to pick up this book which I plugged through in just a few days. We're still pretty much snow-bound and sick-bound which allows for a bit more reading time than usual.
Now perhaps this will help me dive into that Christians in China book from Ignatius Press that both intrigues and intimidates me. :)
Turns out to be a timely read too as I just watched the Xavier movie on Sunday. Actually, that's what inspired me to pick up this book which I plugged through in just a few days. We're still pretty much snow-bound and sick-bound which allows for a bit more reading time than usual.
Now perhaps this will help me dive into that Christians in China book from Ignatius Press that both intrigues and intimidates me. :)
Speaking of Bizarre Wisconsin Winter Phenomena...
I've been meaning to post about that Ice Quake thing.
When I woke up Friday morning at the Latin Convention in Madison, a newspaper was waiting outside my door, proclaiming something about an "Ice Quake" rattling downtown Madison the previous afternoon (before our arrival in the city). Wisconsin, seriously, doesn't have earthquakes, so I was immediately intrigued.
Ice Quake?
Yes, apparently a huge section of ice tilted and cracked right near the downtown shoreline of Lake Mendota. It rattled buildings and lots of people called 911 - one man's immediate thought was that a bus had hit the building.
Strange, huh?
Well, our Friday convention events all took place at UW Madison's Student Union - a beautiful old meandering building right on the shoreline. Once we were done with spirit and assembly as a group, the students disperesed to take their written tests. I instructed them to meet me on the first floor when they were done and proceeded to find a "home base" for them to meet me. What I found was an enormous cafeteria room with huge windows overlooking the lake and neat little one-person-sized wheeled couch units that could be gathered together in a clump.
I settled in with a few books and surveyed the view. It's a very pretty, very frozen lake, but right in front of me was a huge crack - the width of a small river - but surprisingly straight. How interesting!
Here's an article on Madison's Ice Quake
Here's some information from Alaska about Ice Quakes
When I woke up Friday morning at the Latin Convention in Madison, a newspaper was waiting outside my door, proclaiming something about an "Ice Quake" rattling downtown Madison the previous afternoon (before our arrival in the city). Wisconsin, seriously, doesn't have earthquakes, so I was immediately intrigued.
Ice Quake?
Yes, apparently a huge section of ice tilted and cracked right near the downtown shoreline of Lake Mendota. It rattled buildings and lots of people called 911 - one man's immediate thought was that a bus had hit the building.
Strange, huh?
Well, our Friday convention events all took place at UW Madison's Student Union - a beautiful old meandering building right on the shoreline. Once we were done with spirit and assembly as a group, the students disperesed to take their written tests. I instructed them to meet me on the first floor when they were done and proceeded to find a "home base" for them to meet me. What I found was an enormous cafeteria room with huge windows overlooking the lake and neat little one-person-sized wheeled couch units that could be gathered together in a clump.
I settled in with a few books and surveyed the view. It's a very pretty, very frozen lake, but right in front of me was a huge crack - the width of a small river - but surprisingly straight. How interesting!
Here's an article on Madison's Ice Quake
Here's some information from Alaska about Ice Quakes
Thundersnow?
This is part of this morning's forecast for our area from weather.com
Speaking of Thundersnow, I've been meaning to write a post about icequakes! No, seriously! :)
THE SNOW WILL BE HEAVY WITH RAPID ACCUMULATIONS AND VISIBILITIES OF ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS. THUNDERSNOW AND 2 TO 3 INCH PER HOUR SNOWFALL RATES ARE POSSIBLE FROM ABOUT 4 AM TO 9 AM THIS MORNING IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE WINTER STORM.
Speaking of Thundersnow, I've been meaning to write a post about icequakes! No, seriously! :)
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Latin Convention
We had a great Latin convention that was fun and motivating for everyone. It turned out to be a great place to unify a sense of teamwork between students with a wide variety of interest in and experience with Latin. Many expressed a great interest in studying more Latin after attending the convention!
I've posted the results at the Latin Club's blog. Ria took a first place in the art competitions with her drawing (the second picture on this post at her blog) and placed on a number of tests!
I've posted the results at the Latin Club's blog. Ria took a first place in the art competitions with her drawing (the second picture on this post at her blog) and placed on a number of tests!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Football Funnies
Well, of course we're watching the football game right now (though I have that flu that's been going around the family, so I'll probably head to bed before it's over).
Anyway, after Frank's "conversion" to being a Packer's fan during that game a few weeks back that we'd rather not remember, he's peppering his Superbowl viewing with random yells of "Go Packers!"
:)
Anyway, after Frank's "conversion" to being a Packer's fan during that game a few weeks back that we'd rather not remember, he's peppering his Superbowl viewing with random yells of "Go Packers!"
:)
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Extremely Random Thoughts on Thinking and Communication
Some thoughts swirling around in my head - nothing resembling a "train of thought" here, I think! ;)
Just because someone makes a point about something we agree with doesn't mean it's a good point.
Just because "an argument can be made" doesn't mean the argument is true.
We lose an awful lot of important "battles" by losing sight of what really matters.
It's strange how discussions sometimes unravel because two people who aren't really very far off from being "on the same page" go on rants about things that drive them crazy (not aimed at each other at all) and they each think the other person is mad at them.
It's amazing how often we will fully accept, without question, a rumor as truth simply because it's something negative about someone/something we don't like or we don't approve of. When we do this, not only have we brushed aside charity and lost credibility, but we have become hypocrites.
Just because someone makes a point about something we agree with doesn't mean it's a good point.
Just because "an argument can be made" doesn't mean the argument is true.
We lose an awful lot of important "battles" by losing sight of what really matters.
It's strange how discussions sometimes unravel because two people who aren't really very far off from being "on the same page" go on rants about things that drive them crazy (not aimed at each other at all) and they each think the other person is mad at them.
It's amazing how often we will fully accept, without question, a rumor as truth simply because it's something negative about someone/something we don't like or we don't approve of. When we do this, not only have we brushed aside charity and lost credibility, but we have become hypocrites.
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