- I braved the biting cold and took Toby to the dog park for the second time this week. I'm trying to make it a point to get him out more often. The dog park is yet another wonderful discovery in our new neighborhood.
- I did some dooce archive reading. Leta is now 2 years old and repeating the final word of her parents' sentences - just like Sam was doing a few months back. Thank god for mommy-bloggers.
- I found a bottle of the same champagne we enjoyed so much for Christmas dinner with Adam's parents. Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Dog, Dooce, and Drink
Three Good Things for the day (and today was a rough day):
I Think We Have a Winner
The last Montessori school I visited is going to be our top choice. I didn't get that, "this is the one" feeling when I observed the classroom, though - I thought the kids were flailing about too much and the environment wasn't quite as attractive as one of the other 2 options on my list. But they do indeed respect the 3 hour work cycle, as advertised. Actually, it turns out to be more like 2 1/2 hours, but that time is uninterupted.
Another thing I noticed was that the older children at this school were using the math beads, the moveable alphabet, and other reading and math tasks. I didn't see much of that at any of the other schools.
I'm a bit concerned about the ideological garbage at this school: environmentalism, multiculturalism, religion, and volunteerism. They have one elementary class, and the kids "volunteer" at a soup kitchen or something. The administrator spoke about how they try to get the kids to see that "it's not all about them - that they are just a part of a community." This disturbs me, but I can't say it's any worse at this school than it would be anywhere.
Our backup school is the one I that said felt cramped, but I ruled out the one with the more attractive environment because the tuition was quite a bit higher.
Now I have to figure out how in the world we can afford this.
Another thing I noticed was that the older children at this school were using the math beads, the moveable alphabet, and other reading and math tasks. I didn't see much of that at any of the other schools.
I'm a bit concerned about the ideological garbage at this school: environmentalism, multiculturalism, religion, and volunteerism. They have one elementary class, and the kids "volunteer" at a soup kitchen or something. The administrator spoke about how they try to get the kids to see that "it's not all about them - that they are just a part of a community." This disturbs me, but I can't say it's any worse at this school than it would be anywhere.
Our backup school is the one I that said felt cramped, but I ruled out the one with the more attractive environment because the tuition was quite a bit higher.
Now I have to figure out how in the world we can afford this.
Confessions
Forgive me, Internet, for I have sinned. It has been 44 days since my last confession.
I've grown to like Diane Rehm. She's a radio host with a speech impediment. For years that fact alone made me turn off NPR in disgust every time I heard her voice. (I'll never get over the fact that at my very first real job, I worked with a legally deaf woman who was hired to answer the phone!) Rehm is also an infuriating liberal. But she is a good interviewer and I learn a lot from her show. As long as I'm at it, I'll admit that I think Bill O'Reilly is a good interviewer too, despite his disgusting character and idiotic populist views. I haven't watched his show in years, but I always thought he asked real questions, unlike so many "journalists" who elicit nothing of substance from their subjects, except what you already know.
I've grown to like Diane Rehm. She's a radio host with a speech impediment. For years that fact alone made me turn off NPR in disgust every time I heard her voice. (I'll never get over the fact that at my very first real job, I worked with a legally deaf woman who was hired to answer the phone!) Rehm is also an infuriating liberal. But she is a good interviewer and I learn a lot from her show. As long as I'm at it, I'll admit that I think Bill O'Reilly is a good interviewer too, despite his disgusting character and idiotic populist views. I haven't watched his show in years, but I always thought he asked real questions, unlike so many "journalists" who elicit nothing of substance from their subjects, except what you already know.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Good Things
Thanks to Jean Moroney for another simple, and hopefully valuable, idea: each day, write down three good things that happened in the last 24 hours. I can always use a little help staying on the positive side, so I think I'll try it here on the blog for a while. In the last 24 hours:
- I took Sam to our local library for the first time and it turned out to be a beautiful new building with a great selection of books. I love our new neighborhood.
- I took Sam to our local (indoor) pool for the first time, and again, it was a nice, clean facility and we had a blast.
- I watched a movie that goes on my Top 50 List for sure: The Man Who Would Be King. What a grand adventure! And how can you go wrong with Sean Connery and Michael Caine?
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Fungicide
It finally happened! Somebody found my blog by searching for "how to clean moss off of a sidewalk."
Sunshine
A few years back we almost had the chance to live in Alaska for a year, and now that I've lived in 8 cities in 7 different states, I'm so glad we ended up in New Orleans instead.
When we lived in Michigan we missed the sun during winter. It was cloudy most days, and when the sun did come out, it just meant that it would be colder than usual because there were no clouds to hold in the heat. The sun had no power to warm. You couldn't feel it on your skin at all - you only knew it was there by looking. Chocolate and cozy fires a few times a week got us through until April, when we'd start to feel like winter was over.
Here in Virginia I still hate the shortened days and chilly weather, but it is 68 degrees right now! Even on cold days, when the sun is out it is powerful enough to warm up the inside of your car a bit. You have a chance to soak up that energy and to produce some vitamin D.
The weather in Florida ranged from about 60-80 degrees while we were there. It rained once, but otherwise, the sun was shining. It was HOT. It felt like summer. I had to move into the shade after a half hour of sunning because I got overheated. It was heavenly.
When we lived in Michigan we missed the sun during winter. It was cloudy most days, and when the sun did come out, it just meant that it would be colder than usual because there were no clouds to hold in the heat. The sun had no power to warm. You couldn't feel it on your skin at all - you only knew it was there by looking. Chocolate and cozy fires a few times a week got us through until April, when we'd start to feel like winter was over.
Here in Virginia I still hate the shortened days and chilly weather, but it is 68 degrees right now! Even on cold days, when the sun is out it is powerful enough to warm up the inside of your car a bit. You have a chance to soak up that energy and to produce some vitamin D.
The weather in Florida ranged from about 60-80 degrees while we were there. It rained once, but otherwise, the sun was shining. It was HOT. It felt like summer. I had to move into the shade after a half hour of sunning because I got overheated. It was heavenly.
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