I am used to my birthday being part of a lovely time of year - the wind-down of summer, the cooler mornings, the lower humidity. A time when the promise of a new school year provided hopes & excitement of new challenges & opportunities when a new schedule circumscribed my life & relieved the boredom of the summer. The morning after my birthday, however, has been marred by the niggling fear I get - wondering what might happen on 9/11. In 2003, I flew on that day overseas and was mightily relieved to step off the plane safely and 6 weeks pregnant. I have a cold right now so I took a nap after waving goodbye to Lil at the bus stop. When I awoke & checked the news, I was glad to see it was just a beautiful day in suburban DC, a place I grew up (I think my brothers might have inculcated this fear) knowing was a target for the Soviets.
Show a little patience today, give an extra hug to loved ones, take a minute to reach out. Don't complain about something. Last night, there was an event clogging up the parking lot at the Howard County Center for the Arts (where Lil takes ballet) called No Boundaries. The program is a weekly musical theatre class for special needs/intellectually disabled people in their 20s/30s. As I tried to rush in to drop off Lil's dinner, frustrated by the parking & worried about the fact I didn't have my checkbook to pay for ballet, I realized I had to chill out. In some cases, attendees were on crutches, some didn't obey the social courtesies of holding the door open or letting the first person to reach the door to go in first. One parent gently scolded her daughter "Addy, wait! Don't push ahead!" (name changed). Addy didn't acknowledge, look back or change her behavior. Addy's mother was still barely in the building as Addy pushed her way into the theatre. Another parent said, "I guess she's just so excited for this class." While the mother still seemed chagrined & slightly annoyed, I found comfort in that positive note.
As a hasty, critical, judgmental person, I'm going to smile if & when I see Addy throughout the fall rushing into the theatre.
hocoblogs@@@
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Signs - Part Duh
As school begins momentarily, I have a request - Parents, please be an example for your children. Teach them about looking at the world around them. Teach them about signs.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, it's appalling how drivers disregard signs. (Yes, I do speed.) Stopping when there aren't any stop signs, going through stop signs that are there, etc.
Drivers need to obey signs. However, non-drivers, i.e. walkers & cyclists need to obey them as well.
A young person was injured by my house this month while biking across the street on a Don't Walk signal.
I used to ride my bike across the railroad tracks in Gaithersburg during rush hour. My best friend & I didn't tell our parents (well, I told my mom a few weeks ago). The reason why we didn't is that she & I knew we were in the wrong. That we were doing something dangerous. We took risks, but we tried to time the light & obviously we heard the train signals. If we had been injured, both of us would have taken the punishment of our parents & admitted our guilt & culpability in our injury. We knew we were being daredevils. I'd have whined a little, but we knew.
This week, I have seen 3 instances of poor decisions on Columbia roadways that scare the crap out of me. Two people, who looked older than me, jaywalked on Harper's Farm by the Athletic Club. The car next to me stopped, despite having the green light. I honked, not a surprise, and these people gave me the finger. I was not the one violating the traffic laws.
Coming down Columbia Rd. by 7-11 is a very scary thing. People constantly cross there - despite there being a pedestrian bridge! There's a hill & a curve. Why do people do this?
hocoblogs@@@
As I mentioned in an earlier post, it's appalling how drivers disregard signs. (Yes, I do speed.) Stopping when there aren't any stop signs, going through stop signs that are there, etc.
Drivers need to obey signs. However, non-drivers, i.e. walkers & cyclists need to obey them as well.
A young person was injured by my house this month while biking across the street on a Don't Walk signal.
I used to ride my bike across the railroad tracks in Gaithersburg during rush hour. My best friend & I didn't tell our parents (well, I told my mom a few weeks ago). The reason why we didn't is that she & I knew we were in the wrong. That we were doing something dangerous. We took risks, but we tried to time the light & obviously we heard the train signals. If we had been injured, both of us would have taken the punishment of our parents & admitted our guilt & culpability in our injury. We knew we were being daredevils. I'd have whined a little, but we knew.
This week, I have seen 3 instances of poor decisions on Columbia roadways that scare the crap out of me. Two people, who looked older than me, jaywalked on Harper's Farm by the Athletic Club. The car next to me stopped, despite having the green light. I honked, not a surprise, and these people gave me the finger. I was not the one violating the traffic laws.
Coming down Columbia Rd. by 7-11 is a very scary thing. People constantly cross there - despite there being a pedestrian bridge! There's a hill & a curve. Why do people do this?
hocoblogs@@@
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Information *under*sharing
As I picked up my daughter from Drama Camp on Friday, the counselor gave me a sheet and said this sheet replaces everything that went out in the parents' meeting and the follow-up email.
Oh, really?
Let's step back a few months...
During the early spring, parents (moms, mostly) try to figure out how to occupy their young'uns during the long "When does school start again?" hot summer. We plan with poster size calendars for the 3 months on our hands and knees, armed with colored pencils, large erasers and camp catalogs spread out on the floor. Well, maybe not poster size calendars, but I do find the scheduling sheet in the Columbia Association catalog VERY helpful. Some people choose full summer-long camps to make it easier and provide consistency and stability for themselves and their children. That's not how Lil & I roll - we see tons of opportunities and choices and like to experiment.
After we figure out the calendar, I begin registration...deposits, forms, blood donations, etc. I read & re-read information packets so I have an idea of what to expect. I am like a Bounty paper towel when it comes to sponging up this kinda junk. In college, when the course schedule/catalog would be released at Maryland, I'd find a quiet spot in Cole Field House to absorb the possibilities.
Details, I WANT details, which I was already late to because despite having paid & registered months ago...I had gotten nothing. I began to have a feeling that something was wrong. And yes, they had lost the registration (although NOT my money surprisingly). They said they'd had an IT problem...and it had happened to at least one other child. They were about an hour away from Luke opening up a can of *** on them. But my can seemed to work and I was ensured everything was fine & I got the camp packet! Hurray!
So when this camp had a parents' meeting on the 2nd day, I sat there hoping for loads of really useful information! Well, no...
Some moms had sent their moms. That's fine. But then they should educate themselves and not ask questions that have already been addressed, i.e. times for the show. It's like showing up late for a meeting & expecting it to be restarted. Not acceptable.
But I didn't learn much at the parent meeting besides "Your kid needs a white shirt to tie-dye" because that'll be the costume. So I looked at Macy's, no luck there unless I wanted to buy 3 boys' undershirts. I figured I'd check Target later in the week. Good thing I waited...
Because in addition to the tie-dyeable shirt, the list NOW includes ANOTHER white shirt, black pants/capris AND bright pants/capris. Do you know how hard it is to find plain white shirts? So, they have sparkles on them and that'll just have to work.
But my point is - they've DONE THIS BEFORE. This ain't the first summer they've held camp. Could they not have told us white t-shirts & black pants are often needed? Back in March, when I registered? And also, to let people know that not only are they paying the $$$ for camp, additional supplies/materials will be necessary?
Do I need to pay someone to listen in on their phone calls and check their emails so I can get a few days' notice before slogging through summer clearance at Target? Paging Edward Snowden...
hocoblog@@@
Oh, really?
Let's step back a few months...
During the early spring, parents (moms, mostly) try to figure out how to occupy their young'uns during the long "When does school start again?" hot summer. We plan with poster size calendars for the 3 months on our hands and knees, armed with colored pencils, large erasers and camp catalogs spread out on the floor. Well, maybe not poster size calendars, but I do find the scheduling sheet in the Columbia Association catalog VERY helpful. Some people choose full summer-long camps to make it easier and provide consistency and stability for themselves and their children. That's not how Lil & I roll - we see tons of opportunities and choices and like to experiment.
After we figure out the calendar, I begin registration...deposits, forms, blood donations, etc. I read & re-read information packets so I have an idea of what to expect. I am like a Bounty paper towel when it comes to sponging up this kinda junk. In college, when the course schedule/catalog would be released at Maryland, I'd find a quiet spot in Cole Field House to absorb the possibilities.
Details, I WANT details, which I was already late to because despite having paid & registered months ago...I had gotten nothing. I began to have a feeling that something was wrong. And yes, they had lost the registration (although NOT my money surprisingly). They said they'd had an IT problem...and it had happened to at least one other child. They were about an hour away from Luke opening up a can of *** on them. But my can seemed to work and I was ensured everything was fine & I got the camp packet! Hurray!
So when this camp had a parents' meeting on the 2nd day, I sat there hoping for loads of really useful information! Well, no...
Some moms had sent their moms. That's fine. But then they should educate themselves and not ask questions that have already been addressed, i.e. times for the show. It's like showing up late for a meeting & expecting it to be restarted. Not acceptable.
But I didn't learn much at the parent meeting besides "Your kid needs a white shirt to tie-dye" because that'll be the costume. So I looked at Macy's, no luck there unless I wanted to buy 3 boys' undershirts. I figured I'd check Target later in the week. Good thing I waited...
Because in addition to the tie-dyeable shirt, the list NOW includes ANOTHER white shirt, black pants/capris AND bright pants/capris. Do you know how hard it is to find plain white shirts? So, they have sparkles on them and that'll just have to work.
But my point is - they've DONE THIS BEFORE. This ain't the first summer they've held camp. Could they not have told us white t-shirts & black pants are often needed? Back in March, when I registered? And also, to let people know that not only are they paying the $$$ for camp, additional supplies/materials will be necessary?
Do I need to pay someone to listen in on their phone calls and check their emails so I can get a few days' notice before slogging through summer clearance at Target? Paging Edward Snowden...
hocoblog@@@
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
I found Mickey!
Small pleasures...
Maybe it's because we've lived in Columbia long enough that we appreciate the nuance, the seemingly hidden, the aha discovery...
We walked into the Grand Floridian from the Monorail tonight & paused at the elaborate crest on the floor. As we were returning to our home resort, we had a few moments to enjoy. We found Daisy, Donald, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy & of course, Mickey.
I feel that way about the chair in our room where I'm writing right now. It's off to the side, but I love it as it's comfy & inviting (and pretty).
Grand Floridian is a lovely spot if you're looking for a hotel stay at Disney. Tomorrow, we start an actual Disney Vacation Club stay at the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs. I'm excited but I will miss my boat horns...
@@@hocoblogs
Maybe it's because we've lived in Columbia long enough that we appreciate the nuance, the seemingly hidden, the aha discovery...
We walked into the Grand Floridian from the Monorail tonight & paused at the elaborate crest on the floor. As we were returning to our home resort, we had a few moments to enjoy. We found Daisy, Donald, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy & of course, Mickey.
I feel that way about the chair in our room where I'm writing right now. It's off to the side, but I love it as it's comfy & inviting (and pretty).
Grand Floridian is a lovely spot if you're looking for a hotel stay at Disney. Tomorrow, we start an actual Disney Vacation Club stay at the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs. I'm excited but I will miss my boat horns...
@@@hocoblogs
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Bored with Board elections?
Last night, I was able to join in celebrating the fantastic fundraising of Tom Coale of HoCoRising for the homeless of Howard County. Second Chance Saloon hosted the party after the original location in Old Ellicott City was affected by the CSX train derailment.
Howard County boasts some very intelligent people engaged in the political process and inevitably, some of them were there to celebrate. I had the chance to ask Ellen Flynn Giles a few questions about her candidacy for Howard County's Board of Education.
She's an incumbent, and I initially went into the primary election with the thought that after the past few years of dealing with Allen Dyer & the very quick turnaround of the superintendent search, the incumbents in this cycle should be voted out. Before the vote, though, I had a discussion with a friend who advised that Ms. Giles was the one incumbent worth keeping.
Last night, though, I was able to confirm that friend's recommendation. I asked for more information about the fact that Howard County doesn't own their own school buses (with a couple of exceptions). Another candidate, whom I am absolutely NOT supporting for several other reasons, does advocate this. Coming from Montgomery County (although not a product of the public school system), I was generally in favor of their ownership of their school buses. My other reason had been that the Howard County system closed on the first day of school last year due to a hurricane. Montgomery was able to open the majority of their schools, which one school official indicated was because they have their own bus fleet.
Ms. Giles presented her opposition to county ownership in a reasoned way - growth of personnel costs without the more competitive bid process currently in place, the real estate problem of depots & the administrative effort that would detract from the County's maintenance of effort on a per student basis (I have a basic understanding of this).
I also expressed my concerns with the superintendent search (although I think they made the correct decision). It happened very quickly. I now understand the inclusion of a candidate from Texas, a state with below average educational success. Teachers in both Howard County & Montgomery County have told me that kids coming from Texas are about a year behind their cohorts here. I hope it works out for Baltimore County, but I'm glad we got Dr. Foose.
We constantly hear about STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics - and how America is falling behind. I get that completely. However, literature & history should not be ignored - studying the liberal arts encourages critical thinking, which is crucial to STEM! I majored in Accounting & Medieval History - two completely different disciplines, but my writing skills helped me in the Accounting field in which I worked. But I remember taking Honors Chemistry my freshman year in school and consistently getting A's in the class. My classmates thought I was crazy to take it since I wasn't majoring in Science. I didn't care. I loved chemistry! My point is that math & science are important, but don't leave out the liberal arts. Yes, I got a job in Accounting, not History, but that doesn't mean my studies are wasted.
Turns out that Ms. Giles is also a medievalist! She appreciates the need for well-rounded students. Luckily, my daughter is able to participate in some of the Gifted & Talented Curriculum Extension Units at her elementary school. Last year, she came home & said I had to sign a paper for "arch-a-lol-ligy" - the CEU's name was "Let's Dig It" & it was archaeology, but it was difficult to say. She loved the class - it was science, history & critical thinking rolled into one "outside-the-box" program. I told Ms. Giles how important those classes are & how much my daughter has loved them. She seems to agree that education should encompass more than just STEM. And given that she herself enjoys both history and science makes that campaign promise believable.
Now if I could just figure out who the other two candidates I'll be voting for are - but we've got a couple months to go!
hocoblogs@@@
Howard County boasts some very intelligent people engaged in the political process and inevitably, some of them were there to celebrate. I had the chance to ask Ellen Flynn Giles a few questions about her candidacy for Howard County's Board of Education.
She's an incumbent, and I initially went into the primary election with the thought that after the past few years of dealing with Allen Dyer & the very quick turnaround of the superintendent search, the incumbents in this cycle should be voted out. Before the vote, though, I had a discussion with a friend who advised that Ms. Giles was the one incumbent worth keeping.
Last night, though, I was able to confirm that friend's recommendation. I asked for more information about the fact that Howard County doesn't own their own school buses (with a couple of exceptions). Another candidate, whom I am absolutely NOT supporting for several other reasons, does advocate this. Coming from Montgomery County (although not a product of the public school system), I was generally in favor of their ownership of their school buses. My other reason had been that the Howard County system closed on the first day of school last year due to a hurricane. Montgomery was able to open the majority of their schools, which one school official indicated was because they have their own bus fleet.
Ms. Giles presented her opposition to county ownership in a reasoned way - growth of personnel costs without the more competitive bid process currently in place, the real estate problem of depots & the administrative effort that would detract from the County's maintenance of effort on a per student basis (I have a basic understanding of this).
I also expressed my concerns with the superintendent search (although I think they made the correct decision). It happened very quickly. I now understand the inclusion of a candidate from Texas, a state with below average educational success. Teachers in both Howard County & Montgomery County have told me that kids coming from Texas are about a year behind their cohorts here. I hope it works out for Baltimore County, but I'm glad we got Dr. Foose.
We constantly hear about STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics - and how America is falling behind. I get that completely. However, literature & history should not be ignored - studying the liberal arts encourages critical thinking, which is crucial to STEM! I majored in Accounting & Medieval History - two completely different disciplines, but my writing skills helped me in the Accounting field in which I worked. But I remember taking Honors Chemistry my freshman year in school and consistently getting A's in the class. My classmates thought I was crazy to take it since I wasn't majoring in Science. I didn't care. I loved chemistry! My point is that math & science are important, but don't leave out the liberal arts. Yes, I got a job in Accounting, not History, but that doesn't mean my studies are wasted.
Turns out that Ms. Giles is also a medievalist! She appreciates the need for well-rounded students. Luckily, my daughter is able to participate in some of the Gifted & Talented Curriculum Extension Units at her elementary school. Last year, she came home & said I had to sign a paper for "arch-a-lol-ligy" - the CEU's name was "Let's Dig It" & it was archaeology, but it was difficult to say. She loved the class - it was science, history & critical thinking rolled into one "outside-the-box" program. I told Ms. Giles how important those classes are & how much my daughter has loved them. She seems to agree that education should encompass more than just STEM. And given that she herself enjoys both history and science makes that campaign promise believable.
Now if I could just figure out who the other two candidates I'll be voting for are - but we've got a couple months to go!
hocoblogs@@@
Monday, July 2, 2012
Choosing positivity for once
For those of you who know, know that I get annoyed...easily, often & spanning many elements of my life.
But let's be positive for a moment...even now, when lots of people are sans electricity & unsure when it'll be back.
The month of June was wonderful! (Until Friday night, but I can call that July, right? Because Sunday was July?)
We got our brick (yes, it was placed in May, but dedicated at the Columbia birthday celebration in June!) at the Lakefront right in front of Clyde's where my hubby & I had our first date. (OK, yes, we kinda got together in front of our co-workers at Arthur Andersen at the end of August at the weekly happy hour on Water St. Stop it, Calendar Police!) We're nearby another blogger who is an original Columbian. But I think 15 years is pretty good!
While the journey was 28 hours in 4 days of driving, it was a great road trip listening to audiobooks & looking at scenery. The St. Louis Zoo may not have pandas, but from our brief trip there Sunday morning, we liked it a lot. It's an easier walk than the National Zoo.
The following weekend was the kick-off of the annual Columbia Festival of the Arts at the Lakefront. We saw Cirque Carpe Diem do their trapeze act 4 times. We got schooled in sidewalk chalk art. I had no idea what was required when I registered for it. I get it now. And next year, I'll have the proper equipment.
But I'll take back something about Friday. On Friday, I went to the pool with a new old friend. We beat the heat & talked. So Friday afternoon was definitely part of the best June I've had in a while.
But let's be positive for a moment...even now, when lots of people are sans electricity & unsure when it'll be back.
The month of June was wonderful! (Until Friday night, but I can call that July, right? Because Sunday was July?)
We got our brick (yes, it was placed in May, but dedicated at the Columbia birthday celebration in June!) at the Lakefront right in front of Clyde's where my hubby & I had our first date. (OK, yes, we kinda got together in front of our co-workers at Arthur Andersen at the end of August at the weekly happy hour on Water St. Stop it, Calendar Police!) We're nearby another blogger who is an original Columbian. But I think 15 years is pretty good!
As school ended, we left on a Friday morning to head west to St. Louis for my cousin's wedding. I chose to go the scenic route through West Virginia. Up & down the mountains we went. The weather was perfect. We did see a lot of poverty though as well as some enterprising gas station owners, charging 70 cents more than what we paid in a more populated area. Hey, I get it.
My cousin got married in beautiful Graham chapel on the Washington University campus. The service was very nice & it was followed by St. Louis barbecue at the Third Degree Glass Factory. This was a very cool idea - during the cocktail hour, while the wedding party was getting pictures taken, we got to watch a glass-blowing demonstration.
But I'll take back something about Friday. On Friday, I went to the pool with a new old friend. We beat the heat & talked. So Friday afternoon was definitely part of the best June I've had in a while.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
kirstycat1209's photostream
kcoombs1209's photostream on Flickr.
Travels & cats...that's what I got...
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