tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89979705240986744362024-03-05T03:30:17.281-05:00Hiking OutMiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-91226829531834376382018-07-22T10:04:00.000-05:002018-08-04T08:23:27.585-05:00From 21 to 30: QED<span style="font-family: inherit;">During a conversation with my newly employed, recently minted college graduate, she shared an office observation. “The 30-year olds seem impossibly mature and together. How will I ever get there?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This was precisely the same thought my husband and I had the day she was born. I lay against the pillow in my hospital gown; my husband sat gingerly cuddling our newborn daughter in his arms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Into the room ran my 3-year old niece, a cracker in each hand excited squealing, “I hold the baby!”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our eyes darted to this capable 3-year old who could walk and talk and eat crackers. Then we gazed at our swaddled infant and thought, “how will our daughter ever get there?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So when our younger daughter turned 21 and could walk, talk and eat crackers as well as drive a car, use a debit card and even mow the lawn, we said to one another, “well done on the parenting!” with the emphasis on done, our children were now capable, self-sufficient adults.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was in college I took a number of complex math courses. The classes always seemed to be late in the afternoon, and as the low sun angled in the windows, a room full of 20-year olds frantically attempted to follow the instructor as he scribbled out a proof on the blackboard. Invariably he would run out of room on the chalkboard or run out of time in class or both, and so would quickly scrawl, QED. To the lecturer this meant the rest is obvious, I have demonstrated the hard part.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And now, 30 years later, the roles were reversed. It was as if I were the lecturer, and the time in my classroom had drawn to a close as my youngest child turned 21. From there to 30? QED, or so it seemed to me.</span><br />
<br />
I could see my daughter turning over in her head the concept of 21 to 30 being obvious. Like me and my fellow classmates gathering our notebooks in math class so long ago, QED only meant one thing to her, how in the hell do you get there from here?Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-61484396060954880852017-11-01T11:35:00.003-05:002017-11-01T11:35:51.071-05:00Turning to the School Yard to Solve a Peruvian Driving Conundrum<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>The Problem</b>:<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Peru seemed to be dominated by roadways that were developed before vehicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, it turns out they were. From the old section of Cusco, to the rural countryside, we frequently observed two-way roads that were only barely wide enough for one-way traffic. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaco8JKGgAYgMNFyvjXT1zyDIp3fw2uoRjOQi1wJQTIMYYC2zi95cFL9VdldyQllNMJ4lAj9eAkOf2i_4dfz6NHGNBxvgNrzB1EPk7YXJPbw5UAA65FZnfmLuNootKyNfc6TQ9qyAg6Gw/s1600/8.+someone+needs+to+backup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="2 cars approach one-another from opposite directions on a narrow street" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaco8JKGgAYgMNFyvjXT1zyDIp3fw2uoRjOQi1wJQTIMYYC2zi95cFL9VdldyQllNMJ4lAj9eAkOf2i_4dfz6NHGNBxvgNrzB1EPk7YXJPbw5UAA65FZnfmLuNootKyNfc6TQ9qyAg6Gw/s200/8.+someone+needs+to+backup.jpg" title="2 cars in Cusco" width="150" /></a>We walked along a sidewalk wedged between the storefronts and the street. The sidewalk was so minimal that not only were two pedestrians unable to pass without one stepping into the road, even a single pedestrian needed to carry parcels in her street-side hand, or more commonly on her back, to keep them from rubbing against shop windows. Seemingly as an afterthought, squeezed between the facing sidewalks was a cobblestone street nearly too narrow for one small car to negotiate. Yet the streets were all considered two-way. Consequently, when two cars met traveling in opposite directions, one needed to reverse to the preceding intersection to get out of the way. But not always. We watched as two cars crept past one another, each with two tires on the sidewalk, side mirrors nearly scraping as they passed.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><br><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b>The Solution</b>:<o:p></o:p></div>While some municipalities might solve this problem by widening roads or designating some streets as one-way, Cusco leadership seems to have thought out of the box for a resolution: driving classes during elementary school recess. Yup, as we wandered up the narrow streets, we spotted a large school yard with several dozen kids at play. A few were enjoying a game of soccer while the vast majority were eagerly pedaling Fred Flintstone-style cars around roadways painted on the playground asphalt. This wasn’t simply an oval track. This road system included traffic lights, stop signs, crossing guards, pedestrian crossings, left turn lanes and lots of pint-size cars all driven by 8-year olds. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JzD1vjCtP6F8_XfB7zrXx3zStMROWg57qhDqRdS2N_D2ak5knaFWB0iBCmuRUTYGv3DgQUQgNc0QiBiAvPc6Br4qX9HxSl6pRjFeb6YM4Xlc8nI-afMD0_37rjU5Hd0Tgz3Oubu3MMOD/s1600/32.+students+learning+rules+of+the+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="on a sunny day, tiny cars are pedaled around a playground by small children" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JzD1vjCtP6F8_XfB7zrXx3zStMROWg57qhDqRdS2N_D2ak5knaFWB0iBCmuRUTYGv3DgQUQgNc0QiBiAvPc6Br4qX9HxSl6pRjFeb6YM4Xlc8nI-afMD0_37rjU5Hd0Tgz3Oubu3MMOD/s320/32.+students+learning+rules+of+the+road.jpg" title="Cusco school yard" width="320" /></a></div>This novel approach to too-narrow streets seems to be working. As we wandered the old section of Cusco, which was snarled with traffic, we didn’t see one fender bender or even a driver who appeared agitated at backing up two blocks up a cobblestone street. Quite to the contrary, road rage was nowhere in evidence; schoolyard exercises seemed to be paying off in the streets of Cusco.<o:p></o:p></div>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-59914664086075185462017-10-19T14:59:00.000-05:002017-10-19T14:59:49.864-05:00You Got This Mom!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sor3XvLwDA2Z3_Smsm3dELvGGEWMjsBohCm9rJnwvRiedoeMtirIbOhT-J_S3PoFM5xRJXIIcAwSF9ns6eVZb0sVX9zuKS2YX2VcLNLhC8rB_sj9pL71kJsc9ufO4E-gR9_ma8rvgx-F/s1600/IMG_4482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="123" data-original-width="398" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sor3XvLwDA2Z3_Smsm3dELvGGEWMjsBohCm9rJnwvRiedoeMtirIbOhT-J_S3PoFM5xRJXIIcAwSF9ns6eVZb0sVX9zuKS2YX2VcLNLhC8rB_sj9pL71kJsc9ufO4E-gR9_ma8rvgx-F/s400/IMG_4482.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
“Vamos!”<br />
<br />
While offered with a cheery inflection, “vamos!” none-the-less conveyed a command to resume planting one foot in front another as we climbed to the 15,200-foot pass. My footfalls were slow and consistent. With each step I repeated to myself one word of a four-word phrase: Step, “you”, step, “got”, step, “this”, step, “mom.” However, as I continued up the incline inching closer to our goal, my pace slowed dramatically. I adjusted my mantra to: right foot, “you… you,” left foot, “got.. got”, right foot, “this… this,” left foot, “mom… mom.” <br />
<br />
I looked ahead hoping to spy horses coming down the trail. Turns out that the best course of action when meeting a horse train while trekking near Salkantay in Peru is to stop, move to the side of the trail and let the horses pass, which offered easily a minute’s rest. Unfortunately, no horses were in sight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nBehQ8i0PHOB5sTfYIBEBo4x4iUpiVom_MfqTjF-s6P4hmzPjo8jbtZPzZZ-AEnzjXVm3cOlFFMVlTXb5m1bjEEndDmR6BIjQCUYutrUNXy8DWVL9QpM5mwy7KVS9DzPaxbpcyrXrx8Y/s1600/IMG_4461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nBehQ8i0PHOB5sTfYIBEBo4x4iUpiVom_MfqTjF-s6P4hmzPjo8jbtZPzZZ-AEnzjXVm3cOlFFMVlTXb5m1bjEEndDmR6BIjQCUYutrUNXy8DWVL9QpM5mwy7KVS9DzPaxbpcyrXrx8Y/s320/IMG_4461.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
An alternative hope: perhaps our guide Dalmiro would spot a flower or snake or point out a butterfly to us. Any educational stop offered more than sufficient time to regain steady breathing and simultaneously gain insight into the flora and fauna of Peru. For instance, one morning Dalmiro actively poked a snake with his hiking poles as he informed us it was indeed poisonous.<br />
<br />
“Why are you poking it then?” I questioned.<br />
<br />
“To catch it so everyone can see it!” Dalmiro responded enthusiastically.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the snake escaped into the undergrowth neither poisoning someone in the group, nor having its head chopped off.<br />
<br />
During our downhill walks, our group’s conversation would be filled with laughter and plenty of games of broken telephone.<br />
<br />
Just yesterday as we returned to our lodge, I found myself defining prophylactic for our Peruvian guide, who offered an animated analysis of why sexual drive is much stronger among jungle inhabitants than up in the mountains. His analysis—it all comes down to the amount of skin showing.<br />
<br />
However, as we slowly progressed uphill, no voices broke the still air. The only sound was heavy breathing and, wait? What was that? An avalanche?<br />
<br />
I looked toward Salkantay Peak and pointed with my hiking pole. My husband stopped and looked in the direction I was pointing.<br />
<br />
“What do you see?” he asked.<br />
<br />
As his question wasn’t of the yes or no variety I was unable to answer, having absolutely no spare breath to form words.<br />
<br />
He seemed to catch on and followed up with, “An avalanche?”<br />
<br />
To this I was able to actively respond with a nod of my head.<br />
<br />
By the time we had paused a minute looking for the telltale puff of snow on the peak, I had regained my ability to speak and even pulled out my water bottle for a few gulps.<br />
<br />
Looking ahead, I could actually see our destination—we were nearly at the pass—and with a final bit of focus and a couple dozen repetitions of my mantra, I indeed did have this and soon was happily basking in the sunshine at the top of the pass.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-36602816707259547692015-08-19T15:19:00.001-05:002015-08-19T15:26:52.213-05:00Improving My Photography: Wait For the Moment<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Tip #1: Wait For the Moment</span></div><div><br></div><div>I have heard this advice repeatedly yet it's been difficult for me to put into practice. One of my biggest obstacles, beyond my impatience, is that I don't make photography my priority. Rather. I take my camera on my walk, or take my camera on my vacation, or take my camera to record the moment; a moment I <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">don't even wait for!</span></div><div><br></div><div>So out I headed with my iPhone and photography as my priority. The following illustrates my best example of the snapshot versus waiting. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTW_yczUENSsPjQU2Bo38-bomlW9xuUNiRMWAznR3-h8iRCNxPKktHDTc1WPoFX4P6foKN_cfk8-AlmRggkiXbfCI9F8_MLOXEmZQ-oFnAiaIbjw-An0vSQBsSwyqmFCZuADghy9TBLsFA/s640/blogger-image-630384743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTW_yczUENSsPjQU2Bo38-bomlW9xuUNiRMWAznR3-h8iRCNxPKktHDTc1WPoFX4P6foKN_cfk8-AlmRggkiXbfCI9F8_MLOXEmZQ-oFnAiaIbjw-An0vSQBsSwyqmFCZuADghy9TBLsFA/s640/blogger-image-630384743.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Two kids sit looking at books. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfiR0sufCbK07jzoHyskq4A-FC_jHdQ9uq2sHok7bHBGVqKf2_gsNeigWogOY0NzHutewj88lD_VuRb9x5LfEaGEweHNYfmmjsPpdU0e7uNYtkVPvc2RTkuzmoqREq8MZhDRdJvLwtUE3/s640/blogger-image-1258291954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFfiR0sufCbK07jzoHyskq4A-FC_jHdQ9uq2sHok7bHBGVqKf2_gsNeigWogOY0NzHutewj88lD_VuRb9x5LfEaGEweHNYfmmjsPpdU0e7uNYtkVPvc2RTkuzmoqREq8MZhDRdJvLwtUE3/s640/blogger-image-1258291954.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The moment when his sister puts a book in a bin outside the door causing the small boy to glance up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The first is a nice photo without a compelling story. In the second a story is waiting to be told. </div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-73660573611767432632015-02-01T11:14:00.000-05:002015-02-01T11:14:40.861-05:009 places to factor into your post-blizzard walking route<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqGU7ZkBnaYfbC2QICBBcAmzrhBD80md2b78xKY7IxzvxnhE76EwV8B2McaBRTzF1as-sdmyBHYDE4H1QLNwerkEnX8blGFFci7ePXiwW1zc9wLDr-AT_VFpVfcIynb08yJWpr6SvwQ48/s1600/sidewalk+in+snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqGU7ZkBnaYfbC2QICBBcAmzrhBD80md2b78xKY7IxzvxnhE76EwV8B2McaBRTzF1as-sdmyBHYDE4H1QLNwerkEnX8blGFFci7ePXiwW1zc9wLDr-AT_VFpVfcIynb08yJWpr6SvwQ48/s1600/sidewalk+in+snow.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">I have a new request for Google— map a walk for me that optimizes the availability of shoveled sidewalks. With the number of people in the path of winter storms this year, I think there may be many of us who would use this feature. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Good news, I have conducted a very unscientific survey (while walking, of course) and can provide the inputs for an algorithm to identify the best-shoveled sidewalk route. </span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; min-height: 13px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For starters there are sidewalks that should definitely be avoided as they are the least likely to be cleared after a storm. For instance:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PBNrAjJfdTAl2YAE9XS-gwMAvvhYfOwHmQPQKkeHDHcxIF3pHrrM8dkZ_UGUxCFod1U1CIBWkPVjh_XzfzQai0kyxFZAexf3fiN0XK6Ql3oSSZO7zRHxS90P_uuifbQAFOhgCfGcpAN7/s1600/cross+walk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PBNrAjJfdTAl2YAE9XS-gwMAvvhYfOwHmQPQKkeHDHcxIF3pHrrM8dkZ_UGUxCFod1U1CIBWkPVjh_XzfzQai0kyxFZAexf3fiN0XK6Ql3oSSZO7zRHxS90P_uuifbQAFOhgCfGcpAN7/s1600/cross+walk.JPG" height="200" width="199" /></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Cross-walk access.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Yes, definitely the most unlikely of snow-blocked routes, yet time after time while the sidewalk was clear and the street was clear, crossing the street would lead the walker straight into a significant snow-encounter. </span></span></li>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span></ol>
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<div>
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<ol start="2">
<li>Post-offices— clearly the postal service has enough to do to reduce costs without focusing on clearly sidewalks.</li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6xog1tCpclG6oSqKysDj2rw2LyDWkuSbxH07OGnpD-Yoonc91-Y0cVVlK6eiwUOitnTGUN6ApEY-7c01OLd3UNL4ZuXNHI7fXxPxgbUU39ulnPTzTbmIqCakPF9YWm5DYzuZIGoLh0gS/s1600/gas+station+snow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6xog1tCpclG6oSqKysDj2rw2LyDWkuSbxH07OGnpD-Yoonc91-Y0cVVlK6eiwUOitnTGUN6ApEY-7c01OLd3UNL4ZuXNHI7fXxPxgbUU39ulnPTzTbmIqCakPF9YWm5DYzuZIGoLh0gS/s1600/gas+station+snow.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<br />
<ol start="3">
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Gas stations— pretty obvious one here as their only goal is to get cars in and out so the easiest place to pile up the snow is one the sidewalk.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Honestly, why would anyone want to walk by a gas station?</span></span></li>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> </span></ol>
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<ol start="4">
<li><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">Strip malls— serious uncleared sidewalk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0Gk9qY3yOVPwonvWpJPUBA3fJVE9FLgejgLEcpmrM4csmhPAFIQZlXY1udlVpZoL3AClKLu1d_4GsctyBtvZ7e9mgBsEDJQFeeSbYIQq1y3QutK9AlUcJ59mT_ouS8jxSZIPRC8PrItf/s1600/IMG_5295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0Gk9qY3yOVPwonvWpJPUBA3fJVE9FLgejgLEcpmrM4csmhPAFIQZlXY1udlVpZoL3AClKLu1d_4GsctyBtvZ7e9mgBsEDJQFeeSbYIQq1y3QutK9AlUcJ59mT_ouS8jxSZIPRC8PrItf/s1600/IMG_5295.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
offenders with an economic incentive. All of the strip malls I passed had well cleared passage </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;">into </i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"> their mall. Draw the walkers in and maybe they’ll stay to shop. </span></span></li>
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<div>
<dl><dd>Seriously, in the photo at left, the sidewalk goes to the right of the shrubbery along the street. The cleared walkway in the left part of the photo goes along the strip mall and soon turns left, away from the sidewalk.</dd></dl>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> While those are spots to definitely be avoided, I need Google to find sidewalks that run in front of the following establishments:</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<ol start="5">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Places of worship— possibly due to their charitable nature or possibly to help new followers find the path to follow, literally, their sidewalks are among the first cleared post-storm.</span></span></li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxGeShOnEOhubKPT-_EHrV_oZ0ZCI30xUZmjF_MnXkL-uGfIUz9491zFcWMDuAuDq_WWE9yMFMbw1eVlPb6dPYeV3qDcLecPUfHv-ZUN-7Ih7FGKwaqTwMiUfZQmQkqzA57FruFAjcNgJ/s1600/IMG_5312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 3em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxGeShOnEOhubKPT-_EHrV_oZ0ZCI30xUZmjF_MnXkL-uGfIUz9491zFcWMDuAuDq_WWE9yMFMbw1eVlPb6dPYeV3qDcLecPUfHv-ZUN-7Ih7FGKwaqTwMiUfZQmQkqzA57FruFAjcNgJ/s1600/IMG_5312.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<ol start="6">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Train platforms— actually train tracks were far and away the most tempting route for my walk other than the high likelihood of meeting a train traveling at far greater speeds and with far greater mass than I, but that’s a physics problem for XKCD. So, Google, no need to include any well-cleared railroad tracks for my route. However, the platforms along train tracks are definitely fair game— well-cleared and wide enough for walking side-by-side with a friend.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<ol start="7">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Libraries offer another wide-path alternative— wide enough for a double stroller to easily make it past. Perhaps there’s a high correlation between book borrowers and winter stroller walkers.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="8">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pizza parlors were a surprising find in the clear-sidewalk category. The sidewalks around the local pizza house were not only well cleared to the door, they were down to pavement all the way around. Shoveling might be a good way to cool off after standing in front of a hot pizza oven.</span></span></li>
</ol>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMuSFxTJbT6TcN_E1-ajub2BfxTd5Xw-q6eMWK8nBXuZ0EIqryVXK22zg8AC4dCXNcdmy5kM8W5RYi0IK6ZpA-8u3ZmG96WBx_yEHenAQTAPZoxlLYNHdmWUVjsJfZcSJt6HfM9st6qKB/s1600/sidewalk+in+snow-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 3em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMuSFxTJbT6TcN_E1-ajub2BfxTd5Xw-q6eMWK8nBXuZ0EIqryVXK22zg8AC4dCXNcdmy5kM8W5RYi0IK6ZpA-8u3ZmG96WBx_yEHenAQTAPZoxlLYNHdmWUVjsJfZcSJt6HfM9st6qKB/s1600/sidewalk+in+snow-001.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<ol start="9">
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, considerate home owners. Identifying who might actually take the time to shovel using only the data available from a Google map is a little tricky. </span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></ol>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At first I thought I saw a correlation between homes with porches and shoveled walks, but alas that quickly faded farther from the town center. Perhaps home-owners with driveways would be more likely to shovel their walk as they were already out clearing a driveway. That too proved a dead-end, perhaps they were too tired from shoveling the driveway. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then I saw it— homes with a front door painted in a contrasting color to the rest of the house are far more likely to have a clear sidewalk out front than other houses. I didn’t come up with a reasonably hypothesis on why this would be, but with Google street view, front door paint color can often be discerned. If the color contrasts with the siding, trim and shutters then voilà! Add that house to my walking route.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So Google, just maximize walking past homes with contrasting front doors, pizza parlors, libraries, train platforms and houses of worship, while minimizing strip malls, gas stations, post offices and major intersections that need to be crossed. How hard could that be?<br />
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">
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Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-34836304820284369002014-09-18T09:57:00.000-05:002014-09-18T09:57:05.818-05:00Downy Woodpecker tummy-to-tummy with Red-bellied Woodpecker<br />
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While many people easily confuse the Downy and Hairy Woodpecker when not seen side-by-side, I doubt if there’s much confusion over the Downy (on the left) and Red-bellied (on the right, with no red belly). Regardless, their bird feeder stand-off allows an easy tummy-to-tummy, as it were, comparison.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EScdNqPGb4xkEiWzNIaCon-wMYJSGY9Y66pe7m7MMIeUqivszx_w0XsMZfzyjhJ2ZTbWW6HhcHb9int-L7r_wWLwAhnz21YSSy1HNVm3EFiiNuUiu4_BuKO12W5bbkkWHZ-tt6Wot5j-/s1600/woodpeckers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9EScdNqPGb4xkEiWzNIaCon-wMYJSGY9Y66pe7m7MMIeUqivszx_w0XsMZfzyjhJ2ZTbWW6HhcHb9int-L7r_wWLwAhnz21YSSy1HNVm3EFiiNuUiu4_BuKO12W5bbkkWHZ-tt6Wot5j-/s1600/woodpeckers.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-72422268973494486592014-09-14T16:46:00.000-05:002014-09-14T16:46:46.400-05:00Night Skys<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
Picnic, check. Beach blanket, check. Forecast for clear skies and northern lights, check, check! Having read about the fickleness of clear skies and northern lights even when they are predicted, we headed to the beach early to enjoy the rippled sand and sunset. Any northern light sighting would be considered a bonus.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJxf3PhiAAti_TuvbeR5yj2mVd0UrtLHUxTAo41Q-F4zGB2VhdCUkNXK9olGBzVDZpDc6diyGlnCeCQAqHmwpXRIhMghtN84qTJ_HUxxhvYDjCDIA2nEEaFo2bGIMYxYHuYjY3ybpyTqP/s1600/DSC_0086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtJxf3PhiAAti_TuvbeR5yj2mVd0UrtLHUxTAo41Q-F4zGB2VhdCUkNXK9olGBzVDZpDc6diyGlnCeCQAqHmwpXRIhMghtN84qTJ_HUxxhvYDjCDIA2nEEaFo2bGIMYxYHuYjY3ybpyTqP/s1600/DSC_0086.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div> The textures of the dune grass, sand flats and mottled western sky all beckoned to me and my camera saying, “hey, no need to wait for some elusive northern lights, look at our show."<br />
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What a show indeed. The deep oranges of the setting sun reflected off every surface and reminded me of one of the pleasures of summer camp— lake sunsets that never grow old.<br />
<br />
Every evening campers and counselors drift to the water’s edge in ones or twos or threes to watch the sun’s departing show. While artificial lights creep across our cities and suburbs, camp life celebrates natural darkness where only the occasional flashlight interrupts the moonlight dancing across the lake. Looking up into a star-studded sky and seeing a satellite slowing arcing past or spotting a shooting star or recognizing a constellation by name are gifts campers receive each summer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEKJVx0fZXAIHkImYSHIW-5wTe3CE-xmEUFxrJiBtgI5EHPKFNzUrBK_JKF_W631VMXKgGtVn74OVPbZQG9CpM0keEYz7d47XsLoam6xQG6GKdsHTo_Ol7VEdCwP9ArIEgtWkqraD-jbw/s1600/DSC_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEKJVx0fZXAIHkImYSHIW-5wTe3CE-xmEUFxrJiBtgI5EHPKFNzUrBK_JKF_W631VMXKgGtVn74OVPbZQG9CpM0keEYz7d47XsLoam6xQG6GKdsHTo_Ol7VEdCwP9ArIEgtWkqraD-jbw/s320/DSC_0176.JPG" /></a></div><br />
These were the memories that flitted through my mind as I sat on the beach gazing north over the dark ocean, waiting expectantly for the northern lights. Was there a green glow above the horizon? Possibly. Was it the aurora borealis? Possibly, or possibly my imagination.<br />
<br />
We looked up at the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia, enjoying the darkness and quiet. We may or may not have seen an the northern lights, but like a summer night at camp, we thoroughly enjoyed the delights of the night sky.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-6614553380199542382014-04-17T15:42:00.002-05:002014-04-17T15:42:36.969-05:00Passover in the Digital Age<div class="p1">
Many years ago I hosted <a href="http://hikingout.blogspot.com/2007/04/its-feeling-not-food.html">my first Passover Seder</a> and placed steaming hot dishes of food on the table as we sat down and opened the Haggadah. First question, “why on this night did mom put dinner on the table and not let us eat?” The food was far from hot when we finally answered all four questions and completed our retelling of the Passover story.</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1">Although I will never be mistaken for a quintessential Jewish mom, I have learned a lot about hosting a Seder in the intervening years. Perhaps my most important learning has been “make it relevant.” To that end, we retell the Passover story as a group with one person starting the narrative and others chiming in with additional details or the occasional correction:</span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1">“Miriam hid in the bushes and then a Princess, -"</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1"></span><span class="s1">“Actually the Pharaoh’s daughter.” </span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="s1"></span><span class="s1">“Right, the Pharaoh’s daughter, came down to the river and saw the baby in the rushes.”</span></blockquote>
<div class="p5">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">2014 marked the year that we made technology relevant to the Seder. Our household observes strict no-technology-at-the-dining-table rules. However, this year we embraced technology to bring together family across borders and share in our Seder via Google+ Hangouts. We set up a laptop at one end of the table, right beside Elijah’s cup actually, and those of us physically at the table crowded to the other end so we could all be on camera simultaneously.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">The slight audio time-lag made the story retelling somewhat disjointed, but the pleasure of all sharing the Seder together more than compensated. </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">My daughter is now mulling over designs to transport food digitally so we can all share in the same food. However, even though we didn’t all serve ourselves from the same dishes, we certainly all shared a meal together. </span></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-69839889000468312542014-02-19T13:00:00.000-05:002014-02-26T16:14:17.223-05:00Photo Tips for Nonprofits to Share<div id="fb-root"></div><div class="p1"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48fgBIMCLJJH75i5U7_XsiKs8Ax6UEV9Qht-QhoTygwrVQ16oD8ydgLN6Q29zqi9bndiqS6hIk4uvUGkCgQP3yBpvrZBqdV2K2MXrIK280LPIfLSWXrWrMcnuiFn5dZFbfyfKex2uRZd6/s1600/rule+of+thirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48fgBIMCLJJH75i5U7_XsiKs8Ax6UEV9Qht-QhoTygwrVQ16oD8ydgLN6Q29zqi9bndiqS6hIk4uvUGkCgQP3yBpvrZBqdV2K2MXrIK280LPIfLSWXrWrMcnuiFn5dZFbfyfKex2uRZd6/s1600/rule+of+thirds.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div><span class="s1"><b>Photo FAQs for Non-Profit Photos</b></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span> <br />
<div class="p1"><span class="s1">Selfie of the pope? Not too interesting. Photo of the Pope taking a selfie? That’s a story!</span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">Most non-profits are always looking for new photos for a newsletter, a website, a Facebook page, slideshows, or possibly even to send to a local paper. In general, photos are needed whenever someone says, “Do you have a photo for this?”</span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p3"><span class="s1">It's likely that many of your volunteers have a Smartphone or a camera on hand. So here are some tips to share with your volunteers and hopefully you'll receive higher quality photos in return.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br />
</div><div class="p3"><b>Do you need me to take photos?</b></div><div class="p3">Yes! Non-profit photos, like most good photographs, need to tell a story. So take photos for us and help us share the story of our organization. </div><div class="p3"><br />
</div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Do I need to get permission?</b></span></div><div class="p6">Generally permission is not needed for photos taken in public places, however, non-profits should have specific guidelines on whose likeness can be used in different media whether online or in print. Find those guidelines and share them with your volunteers.</div><div class="p4"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="p4"><b>What are the key considerations to getting a good photo that we can use?</b></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"> Two elements that turn good photos into great photos are<b> composition </b>and<b> lighting. </b></span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1">Compose your photo to tell the story. For non-profit photos, what is the story you are trying to tell? Do you want to show a student studying, a group raising a wall into place, a ranger giving a talk on a native species? Are these just smiling faces or are these smiling faces building a house?Is this person walking in the snow, or is this person walking in the snow on a college tour? Are these children laughing together or are they laughing as they use the new backpacks your group just donated? </span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1">However, don’t get so far away that the you lose the personality of the subjects. If you’re unsure of the best composition, take 2 photos—one close up and one farther away with the subject off center and the background identifying the story we are sharing. </span>Take the time to move yourself, your subject or stuff to avoid extraneous items in the background.</div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Lighting is also critical, most especially for any photos that will be shared in print, such as in a physical newsletter. Take the time to position yourself and your camera so you'll have the best light for the subject. Generally the light should be on the face for people shots, but you don’t want your subject squinting into the sun. A shady location on a bright sunny day works well. Sunlight reflecting off of water or snow onto a face works well.</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>How can I get great indoor photos at a concert or sporting event?</b></span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1">Indoor action shots are hard. You are welcome to try to capture photos of the basketball game your group sponsored or the solo in the orchestra for which your group donated instruments, but often between the lack of bright lighting, the movement and the distance you aren’t going to get a photo we can use in a wide variety of settings unless you don’t need to be reading this FAQ. </span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1">However, take the photos and send them knowing we may not be able to use them. </span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">So ALSO take a pre or post-game/performance still shot. Get a couple of the performers or teammates together with a prop such as an instrument, an actual stage prop or sports equipment. Have them be silly or at a minimum create a composition other than a line-up: two players each holding on to a basketball, violinist pretending to play: show the story.<br />
</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Should I take action photos or staged photos?</b></span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1">Action and candid shots are great to get when possible. When you take a candid shot the subject is candid—the photographer can be prepared! Think about where you are standing, where the subject will be, what the lighting will be like, what’s in the background etc. </span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Make staged photos interesting, read the answer to the preceding question.</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Will my iPhone take good enough photos to use in publications or on website?</b></span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1">Your iPhone will take great photos! Just make sure when you share the photos you share it at “Actual Size”.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p6"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNR55EA7MxnqIYCcSj1zPxAOuinlr2QPOTrRfSm_4mmmNdLYGeLnYTul_IBexTOZZREMIjKGTYcdM91TP2yIhQDNnaMgdbzvJPrgnc871gw7RhaCF0Ay_lkx7JYn5v3Pwx-CHyRthvhUv/s1600/rule+of+thirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGNR55EA7MxnqIYCcSj1zPxAOuinlr2QPOTrRfSm_4mmmNdLYGeLnYTul_IBexTOZZREMIjKGTYcdM91TP2yIhQDNnaMgdbzvJPrgnc871gw7RhaCF0Ay_lkx7JYn5v3Pwx-CHyRthvhUv/s1600/rule+of+thirds.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span class="s1">Your iPhone will take even better photos if you treat it like a camera. Turn on the grid and use the rule of thirds to compose an interesting photo </span><span style="color: #020002; font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">putting the subject or an interesting area of focus somewhere other than smack in the center.</span><br />
<br />
Set HDR On (on the top of your screen when you compose a photo) especially outdoors with a blue sky and a subject that may be shadowed.</div><div class="p6"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Should I use a flash?</b></span></div><span class="s1">That depends… I’m not going to go into a whole photography class here, but if a subject is in a shadow use a flash. Better yet, take the photo so that the subject’s face has natural light and isn’t in the shadows.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><b><br />
</b></span> <span class="s1"><b>I just took a photo on my phone, what should I do with it?</b></span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Email it right away! When you email a photo </span><span class="s2">it is very important</span><span class="s1"> to send the highest resolution photo possible. On an iPhone select “Actual Size” when emailing a photo. Don’t edit the photo; send what you have, we may want to crop or edit it for different uses.</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>I have photos on my camera, what should I do with them?</b></span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1">Upload your photos to your computer. Once on your computer you can email them to the photo master (person responsible for collecting photos). As an organization you should have someone responsible. If the organization has regular photographers then create a Dropbox or other shared folder to share lots of photos easily. Always email a photo at <b>full resolution and as attachments</b> (rather than inline). This may mean that you can only send one or a few photos at a time. Thumbnail photos will be of little use to showcase an organization's works.</span></div><div class="p6"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p5"><span class="s1"><b>Should I keep copies of all the photos I send to you?</b></span></div>You are welcome to keep your photos, but for our purposes, once the photo master has acknowledged that receiving your photo and it’s sufficiently high resolution you may do whatever you want with your copy. <br />
<br />
<div class="p3"><span class="s1"> <br />
</span></div>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-45014202273397214802014-02-13T17:18:00.001-05:002014-02-13T17:18:18.384-05:00North and South: Alternative Approaches to Snow-covered Roads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqJSW9HzExGSFn_m104R8vKdaUxkKzOXEou-51diWKtvI9T3VXVP1ZjMaFHEQaRmGCk_JM9sFs5G2bbIhcdr_5B7eb-oTM3CFG_Oum3i1xwqv-wQ-jQmIaHUztf1OZQC_xzkHNlvx1bdR/s1600/n+and+s+snowy+roads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqJSW9HzExGSFn_m104R8vKdaUxkKzOXEou-51diWKtvI9T3VXVP1ZjMaFHEQaRmGCk_JM9sFs5G2bbIhcdr_5B7eb-oTM3CFG_Oum3i1xwqv-wQ-jQmIaHUztf1OZQC_xzkHNlvx1bdR/s1600/n+and+s+snowy+roads.jpg" height="318" width="533" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-44849994007442751012014-02-12T08:27:00.002-05:002014-02-12T08:27:59.654-05:00Neil Gaiman Writes for Homebound Winter Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifU6DTsIfo7Ou9RaAQDIhhhQOS0X9HYt9H7wWnw2YpuEP9CrKyrWgZjRS5aPGUt91bEN48OWqcW7YNFhvI8sY3i5frECQGqtPBv5Mq-AI7AappUlVKyR6rWXrd9Zk2g8Qg2Z-bV5Gfp3zl/s1600/ocean+at+the+end+of+the+lane-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifU6DTsIfo7Ou9RaAQDIhhhQOS0X9HYt9H7wWnw2YpuEP9CrKyrWgZjRS5aPGUt91bEN48OWqcW7YNFhvI8sY3i5frECQGqtPBv5Mq-AI7AappUlVKyR6rWXrd9Zk2g8Qg2Z-bV5Gfp3zl/s1600/ocean+at+the+end+of+the+lane-002.JPG" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<b>Book</b>: The Ocean at the End of the Lane<br />
<b>Author</b>: Neil Gaiman<br />
<br />
This is a book to own and to wrap your hands around and to feel how the letters are embossed on the book jacket after you have read the last page and need to hold on to the characters and their tale. This story transcends genre; it is the definition of story. <br />
<br />
A story that brings out the child in all of us, or at least our memory of childhood. <br />
<br />
Make no mistake, it's not lighthearted. It is the stuff of nightmares. As Maurice Sendak is quoted in the epigraph, "I remember my childhood vividly... I knew terrible things. But I knew I mustn't let adults know I knew. It would scare them." Neil Gaiman deftly transported me into my own childhood memories.<br />
<br />
Some of the images (no spoilers) of childhood thoughts that rang so true...<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The main character, a young boy, discovers a hole in his foot, "I do not know why I didn't ask an adult about it. I do not remember asking adults about anything, except as a last resort." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In the recounting of his tale that is the stuff of dreams and nightmares, the narrator says, "Why do I find the hardest thing for me to believe, looking back, is that a girl of 5 and a boy of 7 had a gas fire in their bedroom?" </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Describing a black and white TV, "The vertical hold was unreliable, and the fuzzy black-and-white picture had a tendency to stream, in a slow ribbon: people's heads vanished off the bottom of the screen as their feet descended, in a stately fashion, from the top." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Peas baffled me. I could not understand why grown-ups would take things that tasted so good when they were freshly-picked and raw, and put them in tin cans, and make them revolting." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Adults should not weep, I knew. They did not have mothers who would comfort them."</blockquote>
I took a journey with these characters and was left wanting more, but knowing that more could easily spoil the gift I had been given by an incredibly talented author.<br />
<br />
As the snow builds up outside, curl up with a book and find your childhood.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-85840257510390804662014-02-11T18:23:00.005-05:002014-02-11T18:37:43.596-05:00In a word: Relationships<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XP_9yVJZmZR1YBkIlmHJbUF39nGC5EyAV_TtsXT0fAt7RUGXExDh2-PntfxvhV73WCNCKK1_i1RZ7tNkHjJKj2rfiuLcb0u6pJ41lnwnNRaihgyZ7XNLleO8AVQJgoL5GiW2F2bzWs4c/s1600/camp+word+bubble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XP_9yVJZmZR1YBkIlmHJbUF39nGC5EyAV_TtsXT0fAt7RUGXExDh2-PntfxvhV73WCNCKK1_i1RZ7tNkHjJKj2rfiuLcb0u6pJ41lnwnNRaihgyZ7XNLleO8AVQJgoL5GiW2F2bzWs4c/s1600/camp+word+bubble.jpg" height="320" width="262" /></a></h3><div><div class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;">A word cloud formed from blogs on the value of overnight camp for campers and counselors conveys the essence of camp, and perhaps, of life : relationships.<br />
<span class="s1"><br />
</span> <span class="s1">Relationships with friends and campers and counselors, and yes with parents too. </span></div><div class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;"><span class="s1">Relationships with counselors who live in the moment and serve as valuable role models for children. </span></div><div class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;"><span class="s1">Relationships among campers who learn and grow to meet their potential, who arrive with trepidation and leave camp with memories and lives changed through the relationships they form each summer.</span></div><div class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;"><span class="s1"><br />
</span></div><div class="p1" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.454545021057129px; line-height: 19.09090805053711px;"><span class="s1">Relationships between children and parents who give the gift of summer camp knowing a child can gain more self-confidence and responsibility in a few weeks of summer fun than nearly anywhere else in life.</span><br />
<span class="s1"><br />
</span> <span class="s1">Look into an overnight summer camp experience for your child this year.</span><br />
<ul style="line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;"><li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://www.acacamps.org/blog/counselors/10-reasons-why-businesses-should-hire-former-camp-counselors" target='_blank' style="color: #002a77; text-decoration: none;">10 Reasons Why Businesses Should Hire Former Camp Counselors</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.acacamps.org/blog/parents-place/five-life-lessons-learned-sleep-away-camp" target='_blank' style="color: #002a77; text-decoration: none;">5 Life Lessons Learned from Sleep-Away Camp</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/todd-kestin/whats-needed-to-prepare-your-child-for-the-future_b_3777547.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false" target='_blank' style="color: #002a77; text-decoration: none;">What's Needed to Prepare Your Child for the Future? The Answer May Surprise You...</a></li>
<li style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/2012/08/campers-arent-only-ones-benefitting.html" target='_blank' style="color: #002a77; text-decoration: none;">Counselors Benefit from Camp Too!</a></li>
</ul><div>For more blogs on camp visit: <a href="http://tocamp.blogspot.com/" target='_blank'> Summer Camp </a> </div></div></div>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-88839300111321532962013-10-27T14:30:00.001-05:002014-03-25T08:25:16.652-05:00Readers Discussion Guide for The Buddha in the Attic<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZiaKRrcMweJUBIbLuApFzGyzWYVrMQQTZ7f8cB9oHYBDkwYuQW8cL-S-3sisM4lIKDQFBkagrZIAqmXw1zQIKm1gx3AIiokYwKOWq2Da-QELsC5KZVto7YXhc_xmhFbETQgX-l9czX01/s1600/the+buddha+in+the+attic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZiaKRrcMweJUBIbLuApFzGyzWYVrMQQTZ7f8cB9oHYBDkwYuQW8cL-S-3sisM4lIKDQFBkagrZIAqmXw1zQIKm1gx3AIiokYwKOWq2Da-QELsC5KZVto7YXhc_xmhFbETQgX-l9czX01/s320/the+buddha+in+the+attic.JPG" height="320" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Buddha in the Attic</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Discussion Guide for The Buddha in the Attic</b><br />
By Julie Otsuka<br />
<br />
I enjoy leading book groups. When I lead, I write up a discussion guide to use. Feel free to ask your own questions or discuss your own observations or reactions in the comments section.<br />
<br />
I have moved this discussion guide to my new blog, <a href="http://www.groupreads.blogspot.com/">Group Reads</a> which is a collection of discussion guides. You can find a guide for this book at <a href="http://www.groupreads.blogspot.com/2014/01/book-discussion-guide-for-buddha-in.html" target="_blank">Group Reads: The Buddha in the Attic</a> .<br />
<br />
Stop by and see what other guides might interest you!Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-54565049216421117882013-08-10T14:26:00.000-05:002013-08-10T14:26:07.100-05:00Hummingbird Impatience<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf91WmwUw0X9jhmdft8WmoaViEIOUf1vph4_wCqJjOapcqSa4MBk6pDaaFHSvBgYJDht3iu6fkP2evcGMm7F422mBraAh-AHsbgtpUiO6t4cek2Gtc6-_q7bUe0t8gRxY7xBwgWt8eoOfu/s1600/dragonfly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf91WmwUw0X9jhmdft8WmoaViEIOUf1vph4_wCqJjOapcqSa4MBk6pDaaFHSvBgYJDht3iu6fkP2evcGMm7F422mBraAh-AHsbgtpUiO6t4cek2Gtc6-_q7bUe0t8gRxY7xBwgWt8eoOfu/s1600/dragonfly.JPG" height="304" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A much more obliging photographer's model</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I pressed more tightly against the side of the house hoping to appear invisible to incoming hummingbirds. Wearing a green sweatshirt and shorts as my camouflage— perhaps I would look like a tree, albeit a tree with glasses holding a camera—I was nestled into a small patch of shade. I held my camera steady, not quite at eye level and heard the unmistakable sound of tiny motor droning overhead. I caught the shadow of the hummingbird on the deck in front of me and just as I lifted my camera, the shadow darted away. This was going to be more difficult than I anticipated.<br />
<br />
We had become enamored with hummingbirds since observing them enjoying sugar water from a friend’s hummingbird feeder. So enamored in fact, that the next day I ordered one myself and as soon as it arrived suctioned it to the window, filled it homemade nectar and sat down to await the arrival of flocks of hummingbirds.<br />
<br />
I waited. Nothing. My husband and I waited together. Nothing.<br />
<br />
“Maybe they will feed in the morning,” my husband offered hopefully.<br />
<br />
That night he read late into the night, googling all he could find on the Internet about hummingbirds. The red of the feeder would attract them. They migrated from New England to points south anywhere from July to September. They needed to put on weight before starting their long flight and our feeder wouldn’t delay beginning their journey.<br />
When I awoke, the first words I heard were, “maybe they have already migrated.”<br />
All that day we watched out the window, hoping one straggler would still venture by our feeder. Just when our vigilance was beginning to wane we heard a loud buzzing overhead and watched in awe as a hummingbird first hovered above, then set down upon our feeder and dipped in his beak for a long drink of homemade nectar.<br />
<br />
I was hooked and instantly sought to catch the hummingbird in a photograph. The first few shots through the window were easy to take, but sadly, the dirt encrusted on my windowpane was far more visible than the tiny bird hovering through the glass. I tried different times of day with the sun at different angles, but none captured the whimsy of the hummingbird.<br />
<br />
Thus I began sitting outside, near the feeder, as even with a zoom lens the tiny stature of the bird required me to be quite close if I had any chance of it filling my camera frame. Not surprisingly the hummingbirds were keenly aware of my presence every time I so much as twitched.<br />
<br />
I watched as the sunlight slowly started sliding towards my shady territory. Soon my foot was bathed in sun and the light and warmth continued to spread up my leg and my torso, until I wished I had chosen something other than a heavy sweatshirt as camouflage. I felt large beads of sweat form on my back, yet still I waited quietly for the return of my petite funny friend. Whenever I heard the loud drone above, I froze in place, hardly breathing. The hummingbird would alight on the feeder and just as I raised my camera, would zoom away as quickly as it had arrived.<br />
<br />
I tried holding my camera in place, but between its heft and the heat of the sun I soon grew impatient and set it down in my lap. As if the hummingbird knew I was no longer at the ready, he darted in for a quick sip and darted away in the time it took me to lift my camera to eye level. After what felt like an hour sweating in the sun, but was likely no more than 15 minutes, I decided to create a photo memory. The next time the hummingbird came by, I didn’t move a muscle, just studied his feathers and beak and his red collar and created my own mental image of my tiny, feathered friend.
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-1561914557816235622013-07-05T11:10:00.000-05:002013-07-05T11:11:27.797-05:00Ice Cream and A Show<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqr_dJc6veODRiz57EE9Q96D0AC5DpM-e9awXV5EnOHkGsh1fr9vfa5wQq_DEbs96Z_1LRNf3A8jCZTKRQ_WykaZg0RzppWu8mnv-OdRaCLu0kMQRFy7JPAJBBCJxjjH5_oBbd7b28D4-j/s1600/full+songo+lock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqr_dJc6veODRiz57EE9Q96D0AC5DpM-e9awXV5EnOHkGsh1fr9vfa5wQq_DEbs96Z_1LRNf3A8jCZTKRQ_WykaZg0RzppWu8mnv-OdRaCLu0kMQRFy7JPAJBBCJxjjH5_oBbd7b28D4-j/s400/full+songo+lock.JPG" title="A Full Lock" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt;">Nothing like a steamy holiday to
bring out boaters by the dozens to slowly crawl up a winding river and then get
packed into a small lock to be lifted up to higher water.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt;">Most experienced boaters wisely choose
cooler or less crowded days to take an outing through the lock, but it’s the
inexperienced boaters that provide the most entertainment, which is why we
traveled by car to watch the lock traffic this sweltering Fourth of July.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">We assured our guest that people-watching
at the lock was a fun summertime treat, right up there with the homemade ice
cream stand which we visited as part of our excursion. Invariably we would see
teenage girls sunbathing in their bikinis, eyes closed and apparently ear-lids
closed too as they remained motionless and oblivious to their parents’ requests
to “fend off from that boat in front!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Or we would watch as new boat drivers tried to maneuver into the lock
without scratching along the lock door or any of the dozen boats packed in
around them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once a coast guard
enforcement officer was on hand and was quick to ticket boaters with two
children who weren’t wearing life jackets even as they were dangling their
fingers over the edge of the boat between the fiberglass hull and cement wall
of the lock. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But they were
wearing them just 5 minutes ago”, the mother retorted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We only took the life jackets off so
the kids could have their snack.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
comment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Today, however, was our most
eventful lock excursion to date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We stepped out of our car just as over a dozen boats were about to enter
the lock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We watched with interest
as each attempted with varying degrees of success to follow the lockmaster’s directions
and move into place without knocking into any other boater or cement wall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Surprisingly everyone on each
boat seemed to be helping to keep their boats from banging into one another
despite the best efforts of the drivers to play bumper boats. One boat had
a crew of three deaf men 'shouting' at one another and offering opposing
opinions on where to come to rest in the lock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lockmaster motioned to the middle of the lock and the
deaf driver deftly directed his boat between two larger vessels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">As the lock filled we enjoyed watching
two boaters trading a cookie for a beer across boats— the swappers hadn't met
each other prior, just sharing what they had in good humor. When the lock
filled and the lock door swung open we anticipated an uneventful departure of boats
through the lock gate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The boats slowly start pulling
out, most not quite slowly enough, and one was getting caught in the back
current outside the lock and slowed judiciously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately the driver just behind the slowing craft, was
moving forward at a steady clip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her male companion sat with his legs dangling over the bow ready to fend
off of the decelerating boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
the boat driver decided that the best way to avoid the boat in front would by
throwing her boat in reverse hard and fast without consideration for any one or
any boat that might be behind—and let it be noted that there were several boats
behind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our shouts of “Stop!” went
unnoticed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As any student of
physics will know, a strong force applied in reverse while a man sits on the
edge of a wet boat deck will quickly unseat the startled man. The "splash"
of her companion hitting the water only just preceded the loud 'Crunch,
Scri--i-i-itch" of her engine digging into the bow of the motorboat behind
her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The lockmaster remained serene
and calmly suggested they move on past the next bridge before stopping to
discuss the poor timing of their boats meeting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Meanwhile while we had suggested the
driver stop reversing, we had not suggested she move forward, which she did
anyhow and nearly ran over her companion. Fortunately he was able to
quickly grab on to the bow of their boat and pull himself back on deck before
he was run over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Yow za! What
excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I doubt we’ll be able
to match the excitement of a simultaneous crash and passenger ejection at the
lock any time soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-12619578416355655532013-04-02T13:49:00.000-05:002014-04-02T07:51:44.346-05:00Gone Girl Book Group Discussion Guide<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ80kfc4HjXKFlibCXriWUMX-P-efHrfbzxd-ZjMwSYL0Gr8IdYoJhRnV4IRa4K3xoclf4HvpKrfetZOXMDP6LpoOZBvdbUkgTv1vpjd6xJq1wun-q3QeIGtNRyYD25PaPq_ITIC5UqWO/s1600/gone+girl+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJ80kfc4HjXKFlibCXriWUMX-P-efHrfbzxd-ZjMwSYL0Gr8IdYoJhRnV4IRa4K3xoclf4HvpKrfetZOXMDP6LpoOZBvdbUkgTv1vpjd6xJq1wun-q3QeIGtNRyYD25PaPq_ITIC5UqWO/s200/gone+girl+cover.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a></div>
<div class="GuideTitle">
<b>Discussion Guide for Gone Girl</b></div>
<div class="author">
By Gillian Flynn</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I enjoy leading book groups. When I lead, I write up a discussion guide to use. Feel free to ask your own questions or discuss your own observations or reactions in the comments section.<br />
<br />
I have moved this discussion guide to my new blog, <a href="http://www.groupreads.blogspot.com/">Group Reads</a> which is a collection of discussion guides. You can find a guide for this book at <a href="http://groupreads.blogspot.com/2014/02/gone-girl-discussion-guide.html">Group Reads: Gone Girl</a>.<br />
<br />
Stop by and see what other guides might interest you!</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-92117485387355160062013-03-15T14:45:00.000-05:002014-02-14T10:49:55.499-05:00Flight Behavior Book Group Discussion<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div class="GuideTitle">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWfRH3UhxwyK4ANphFlf-d88cakAk3YvX_zyx_RZ20FjZ2geeSwlH0qojOUTdidHVwrRkrQOYS0bJwNjwjXQBIFTmVG6WHDKPE0d3N39YTS0HiPATmeDyeTibKh3ldMeXPmROjJLzuXsO/s1600/flight+behavior.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWfRH3UhxwyK4ANphFlf-d88cakAk3YvX_zyx_RZ20FjZ2geeSwlH0qojOUTdidHVwrRkrQOYS0bJwNjwjXQBIFTmVG6WHDKPE0d3N39YTS0HiPATmeDyeTibKh3ldMeXPmROjJLzuXsO/s200/flight+behavior.JPG" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>Discussion Guide for Flight Behavior</b></div>
<div class="author">
<i>By Barbara Kingsolver</i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I enjoy leading book groups. When I lead, I write up a discussion guide to use. <b>Warning: spoilers within! Read after you have finished the book.</b><o:p></o:p><br />
<b><br />
</b></div>
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All page numbers refer to hardcover HarperCollins First Edition, 2012<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="sectiontitle">
I now have a collection of discussion guides all brought together in one blog: <a href="http://www.groupreads.blogspot.com/2014/02/discussion-guide-for-flight-behavior.html" target="_blank">Group Reads: Flight Behavior</a> Stop by and see what other guides might interest you!</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-21959639156048300692013-02-25T15:26:00.000-05:002013-02-25T15:26:40.866-05:00Winter Art <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqCuUrffZkwsUOScd4FoUgxu2_C1g35jftEwFKuPP_basIx2nDQm6zTBm6qJP0l49aLK-_LucaJ5n6Vj2YRexNgpgWHGwwcOZnuuBCNuWhIXmS6SVXFw1DBk6P20qEZA0TQ7n-hR2r2k2/s1600/snow+tree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqCuUrffZkwsUOScd4FoUgxu2_C1g35jftEwFKuPP_basIx2nDQm6zTBm6qJP0l49aLK-_LucaJ5n6Vj2YRexNgpgWHGwwcOZnuuBCNuWhIXmS6SVXFw1DBk6P20qEZA0TQ7n-hR2r2k2/s320/snow+tree.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Laden Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwEZO6BLYfkF6Nxkaxp0eJiJTXhN9hQRT6IiQASXYZSmQU5u_dTkQ6VqvAMKEFxZEmmCd5NnffS1E5Srk3kxd5UEPc7lssm-wE1SqQjC-AEHTZsxPHHEcgC1h-iIivyyn-tD8wv8CXPdx/s1600/snowy+sidewalk.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwEZO6BLYfkF6Nxkaxp0eJiJTXhN9hQRT6IiQASXYZSmQU5u_dTkQ6VqvAMKEFxZEmmCd5NnffS1E5Srk3kxd5UEPc7lssm-wE1SqQjC-AEHTZsxPHHEcgC1h-iIivyyn-tD8wv8CXPdx/s320/snowy+sidewalk.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for footprints</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiujYbpsxI8Ld4RhdzpKd3R-tDwgo9XCJ5_pldLkdA6cRAUrDRDQFLaANWNcH053pEuVnEFMWYXY4TyYDC3j9ES_YZVgWXPfcrRy0XXXszqoY1OZ606j0vIB4INZIoMoIdaz3Ngxqhvq6/s1600/morning+snow+cast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSiujYbpsxI8Ld4RhdzpKd3R-tDwgo9XCJ5_pldLkdA6cRAUrDRDQFLaANWNcH053pEuVnEFMWYXY4TyYDC3j9ES_YZVgWXPfcrRy0XXXszqoY1OZ606j0vIB4INZIoMoIdaz3Ngxqhvq6/s320/morning+snow+cast.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning by the street</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CpsjEkoW9_-6cXDubEZp5mvT2PSWk3O-FDwigdSOAOWUWczGrYkYbgMtsWNET1bX18c1rL4LQjthQiErbVd_xOFi1rZbNs_aSIdgTfn7pkzH1psY6pIsXCF-7GNxpmWFtJt7D3lG1-Xi/s1600/snow+on+trees.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5CpsjEkoW9_-6cXDubEZp5mvT2PSWk3O-FDwigdSOAOWUWczGrYkYbgMtsWNET1bX18c1rL4LQjthQiErbVd_xOFi1rZbNs_aSIdgTfn7pkzH1psY6pIsXCF-7GNxpmWFtJt7D3lG1-Xi/s320/snow+on+trees.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun begins its work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Snow sculptures, icicles dripping from rooftops, branches laden with
snow—winter art’s appeal stems from its fleeting nature. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">The trees stood as a blank canvas as the snow began to quietly fall last night. Through the darkness, each snowflake fell upon the landscape, some balancing carefully on slender branches, others covering rocks and roots. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">The installation lasted no more than several hours after dawn. A brief early morning viewing until the sun's
rays dissolved the snow’s delicate grip and the showing closed, captured only
in photos and in memory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-89171671605188719432013-02-18T11:10:00.000-05:002013-02-18T11:12:29.169-05:00Pressing ReplayNot surprisingly someone at Wired Magazine had the same question I did in wondering why so many cars in Russia are driving around with dashboard cams. Equally not surprisingly, they haven’t yet investigated the origin of the Sharpies on the crippled February Carnival Cruise.<br />
<br />
Yet even in this story I was drawn to the story behind the phenomena. I realize that by offering you the link to the Wired story I might be an accessory to your wasting time watching horrific car crash videos. Why are these on-line and why did I follow the link and watch two of them?<br />
<br />
I selected two from YouTube, which polices its content to some extent, as I didn’t want to view the most horrific crashes. Yet there are sites that don’t police content. There viewers are drawn to watch supposedly much more violent videos which I presume include fatal crashes.<br />
<br />
What draws us to watch? Do we like being on the edge of our seats knowing a horrific incident is impending? Is watching an evolutionary instinct? Though for what benefit? As replaying the past is barely a blip in the timescale of human evolution it’s hard to see the role this fascination could possibly have played in human evolution. Or then again is it? Human brains clearly have the capacity to replay the past as happens tragically in those suffering from PTSD. I suppose there exists volumes of research on the Internet on the why and wherefore of the human brain replaying horrific events—maybe that’s a search for another day.
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-17026831481246241952013-02-16T13:51:00.000-05:002013-02-16T13:53:33.264-05:00Sharpies and Dashboard Cameras<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Where did the Carnival Cruise passengers get Sharpies to
write on their sheets? Does
everyone in Russia drive around with a camera on their car dashboards? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These are the questions that bubble up as I try to focus on
the news of the day. Inevitably I
completely miss the reporter announcing when and where the cruise ship will
dock as I watch the video footage of the ship with <a href="http://photos.mercurynews.com/2013/02/14/photos-rescue-of-carnival-cruise-ship-triumph/#2">large handmade signs</a> hanging
from cabin balconies. Large white
sheets I quickly realize are easy to come by as a blank canvas. But what did they write with? I doubt I could make large dark bubble
letters with the pens and pencils that fall to the depths of my travel
bag. Did Carnival hand out Sharpies
just for this purpose?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Similarly, as I watch amazed at the meteor. It was a meteor until it hit the ground
right? What an abrupt way to get a name change! In any case, as I watched the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/videogallery/74433531/Video-Amazing-video-of-meteor-in-Eastern-Russia">amazing footage of the meteor</a> glowing across the sky, I quickly wondered, who are all these people driving
around with cameras on in their cars?
Are these all police officers?
Or do citizens commonly run video cameras on their dashboards in
Russia? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So let me know—did you hand out all those Sharpies?</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-13924733775902569482013-02-08T11:51:00.000-05:002013-02-08T11:51:45.293-05:00MOOC Indulgence
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Week 11 of my MOOCs indulgence—yes it is now an indulgence,
I am addicted to education. The
other night, my family entered the darkened kitchen where I sat focused on a
talking head on the computer screen in front of me while I simultaneously typed
in trial bits of code. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Are we having dinner tonight mom?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Really? Was it
time for dinner already? But I had
just sat down after lunch to watch a quick lecture and get caught up on one
class. I felt transported back to
college days when I stayed up all night coding for the thrill of getting a
program to compile and if I were lucky to actually spit out the correct
answers, all formatted correctly before dawn broke. Had I really returned to that lifestyle? Clearly my focus on Coursera (my MOOC
of choice at the moment) had gone too far. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After throwing together dinner of some sort, I returned to
my on-line class. I went to the
home page and looked at the big green button beckoning “Go to class”. In small type, nearly hidden below it,
I read ‘Un-enroll’. I hovered my
cursor over “Go to class”, then with a sigh, moved to “Un-enroll” and clicked. A big red button filled my vision as if
shouting at me, no don’t un-enroll, you’ll lose everything! I calmly confirmed my exit, my retreat,
my departure; with a sigh I un-enrolled.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I returned to my course listing and smiled—4 big green “Go
to class” buttons remained—still plenty of learning to do, quizzes to take,
discussion forums to participate in.
My on-line learning appetite is not quite curbed, I’ll just focus on
less consuming courses. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-63979439721639740982013-02-01T15:55:00.002-05:002013-02-01T15:55:54.984-05:00MOOCs. Screen-side chat. Discussion forums.<br />
<br />
These new vocabulary words are starting to roll off my tongue almost as fluently as “gag me with a spoon”, mixer, diag and Rocky Horror Picture Show did when I attended a brick and mortar school several decades back. Somehow though, the focus on studying isn’t coming quite as quickly.<br />
<br />
Graduate degree in hand, several careers and several kids along, I have returned to college—well at least to college classes—in the new world of MOOC: Massive Open Online Courses. Returning to class in this new medium I am finding it hard to decipher between what’s different due to the medium (being on-line) and what’s just different about higher education in general from the 1980s.<br />
<br />
For one, I am stumped by the term ‘virtual’ that so many people seem to apply to MOOCs. There is very little virtual about the classes I am taking. Real professors using actual videos teach real content to me and other physical classmates. Many of the discussion threads are high caliber, adding new insight and perspectives from around the world along plenty of humor and support when the coursework gets hard. We may not all be sharing the same dining experience or trudging through the same snow drifts or city traffic to school, but we definitely are learning from one another and our professor in a shared experience.<br />
<br />
My online courses have come with unexpected perks. I immediately found the benefit of being able to speed up lectures— watching a professor speak at 2x the standard rate was so much more energetic that when I start watching again at a normal rate I feel like the prof was talking through Jell-O. Additionally, there’s no drop/add deadline. Thinking the course work wouldn’t really be all that time-consuming (Ha, was I ever wrong about that!) I signed up for far more courses than I could possibly manage without becoming a full time student again. No problem—I easily and painlessly unenrolled from several. And while the professors don’t have office hours and they kindly request that students refrain from sending them emails, one course I’m taking offers weekly screen-side chats. This week students from Mexico, Canada, China, Peru and the United States all posed questions directly to the profs who, within the constraints of band-width, more or less answered all queries thoroughly.<br />
<br />
I have a feeling that the biggest downside will be the limitless menu of class options. So far I’ve started four courses with four very disparate goals. I doubt I’ll be able to complete all four and still maintain a reasonable life balance. I look forward to seeing how my experiment works out. How are your on-line courses working for you or how well you are working in them? And if you haven’t tried one yet, there are many options. I’m taking my courses all from <a href="https://www.coursera.org/">Coursera</a> as I find it easier to get to know and work within a common interface. Scroll through the options today. The courses are a lot like potato chips—bet you can’t select just one.
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-63042867202624293832013-01-28T16:58:00.000-05:002014-07-04T12:17:56.374-05:00Wits and Wagers: It's who you know, not what you knowWits and Wagers is more than a great group game—it’s a metaphor for succeeding in life. The essence? It’s not what you know, it’s knowing who knows what.<br />
<br />
For success:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Know who knows what</li>
<li>Reach out to those who know </li>
<li>Share what you know </li>
</ul>
<br />
First, if you revel in playing games and haven’t yet discovered Wits and Wagers then <a href="http://www.amazon.com/North-Star-Games-NSG101-Wagers/dp/B000809NNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359407658&sr=8-1&keywords=wits+and+wages">check it out now on Amazon</a>.
Wits and Wagers is a quickly learned, quickly played game for all ages that rewards those who are aware of the knowledge base of their fellow players far more than rewarding those who actually possess their own wealth of trivia.<br />
<br />
In short, everyone provides a (numerical) answer for a given question—anything from a date an event occurred to the distance a field goal was kicked. Once all the answers are in, they are arranged from the lowest to the highest value and each player can bet on any answer. The players who bet on the closest answer without going over win the round.<br />
<br />
There is no reward for being person who wrote down the closest answer (aside from patting yourself on the back and feeling foolish if you didn't bet on your own answer), only for betting on the answer that is closest. Typically, the most successful players are the ones who know the most about what their competitors know. For instance, does the question involve knowing about Canadian provinces? Well, if you’re aware that one of your players lived in Canada, then odds are her answer may be the best bet. Or if the question is on the number of companies in the Dow Jones, then who follows the ups and downs of the stock market daily? How many black keys on a standard piano? Any chance there’s a bona fide musician in the group? You get the idea.<br />
<br />
Even if you’re not a game player, if you can be successful at Wits and Wagers you may well be successful in life. In 2013 there are new medical discoveries, environmental impacts, economical theories, political shifts, athletic achievements, parenting pronouncements, artistic feats daily—need I go on? The sheer quantity of knowledge, not to mention the exponentially greater quantity of data, available in the world today cannot be adequately described numerically.<br />
<br />
So what’s the shortcut to possessing that knowledge? Knowing where to find it.
Many may say— “hey, that’s the value of Google.” Well while Google certainly strives to return results that have been vetted by the fact they are the results most frequently referred to, it's not always straightforward. The searcher not only needs to know the best words to use in a query, but needs to have awareness of, you guessed it, who knows what. And if you know who knows what, you can more quickly pinpoint your query. You could even actually ask a knowledgeable person directly. I know, that eliminates the safety net of the anonymity of the internet, but you are likely to receive much more personalized responses.<br />
<br />
The simple principle of Who Knows What can be applied every day. Have a new medical condition? Why not call the friend you know who was diagnosed with the same condition four years ago. Debating what to wear to on a date? Any chance you have a fashionista friend or a local business you trust with clothing advice? Where should you send your children to camp? How can you develop a communications strategy? Where to start on financial aid forms? How to set a budget, prepare for an interview, make a presentation? Know who knows. Reach out. Share what you know.Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-36775954088667260902012-02-20T16:01:00.001-05:002012-02-20T16:01:19.377-05:00On-line Local News Demand Will Grow<style>
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I’m a news devotee—I admit it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep the news on the radio while I’m working at home and
get push notifications on my iPhone from both AP Mobile and the New York Times
to keep up with what is going on around the globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I regularly watch NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, yet I
never watch local news on television.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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However, over the past year, I have found myself fascinated
by, and at times relying upon, local on-line news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I often read Patch <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before</i>
I look at the world headlines.</div>
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What do I find so compelling? While watching a weather
reporter leaning against the wind in a blizzard in the plain states can be
entertaining, finding out when my power will be restored after a local blizzard
is invaluable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing how housing
sales are improving nationwide helps me gauge the national economy, but seeing
local house sales is far more relevant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hearing that Spiderman is drawing huge audiences despite its dramatic glitches
getting off the ground so to speak, is interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet knowing when an author will appear at the local
bookstore is pertinent to my personal entertainment schedule.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I don’t know if AOL will be successful with their business
model for Patch, but I do know that there is an important need to be filled in
providing local, relevant news to individuals on-line. Being able to post our
own community announcements is a valuable and low-cost service if there is a
critical mass of readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hard to
say if critical mass has yet been reached—it depends on your community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Six million unique Patch readers is not
an insignificant number, but it’s not the right number to consider when the
value is all local.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many
readers can Patch or any other local news source garner in an individual
community?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Regardless of who finds a compelling business model, I hope
a local news offering continues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
can use the global news to help me decide which leaders to vote for, improve my
understanding of how unrest in the Mideast will affect the economy and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>influence how I can help make the world
a better place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I will be even
more influenced by the local news to let me know when I can talk with my local
leaders, point me in the direction of the lowest gas prices in town and give me
an outlet to recruit volunteers and supporters for my local causes.</div>Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8997970524098674436.post-55199612252162345882012-01-19T16:01:00.000-05:002014-04-05T11:20:00.492-05:00State of Wonder Book Group Discussion<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvg_rkGX5wY2RospJywaKW-asKklbgZ4atg4DGKqft9gukq7V9YPtFD58YXCVS94R7i_KVuZ3z70ZD_F2foabVj_ojSAYBwunhB9rUuxnvKVDTx7oCZ0c06dTizMJVmhcHN1SxagOlJyj/s1600/state+of+wonder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcvg_rkGX5wY2RospJywaKW-asKklbgZ4atg4DGKqft9gukq7V9YPtFD58YXCVS94R7i_KVuZ3z70ZD_F2foabVj_ojSAYBwunhB9rUuxnvKVDTx7oCZ0c06dTizMJVmhcHN1SxagOlJyj/s200/state+of+wonder.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Discussion Guide for State of
Wonder</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">By Ann Patchett</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I enjoy leading book groups. When I lead, I write up a discussion guide to use. Feel free to ask your own questions or discuss your own observations or reactions in the comments section.<br />
<br />
I have moved this discussion guide to my new blog, <a href="http://www.groupreads.blogspot.com/">Group Reads</a> which is a collection of discussion guides. You can find a guide for this book at <a href="http://groupreads.blogspot.com/2014/01/discussion-guide-for-state-of-wonder.html">Group Reads: State of Wonder</a>.<br />
<br />
Stop by and see what other guides might interest you!</div>
Miahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00029676100615873666noreply@blogger.com1