As seen at Pharyngula: a piece by Carl Hiaasen on science education and the Florida state board of education. Coincidentally, I picked up Stormy Weather at the library the other day - reading that is definitely on my list of things to do this weekend. I'm ready for some down time and a good laugh. And I need to recharge before my Sunday afternoon task: driving a vanload of middle schoolers home from an overnight church camp. At which they are not going to shower. Another reason to be thankful for the state seatbelt law that states children under 13 should not ride in the front passenger seat. It's an hour and a half trip... think I'll survive?
Click here to continue....February 22, 2008
February 13, 2008
January Book Review
Trying to catch up here... I intended not only to keep track of the books I read this year but to make some notes and comments as I go, and already I'm behind. In January I started Carol O'Connell's Kathleen Mallory mystery series. I liked the first book: not the usual formulaic plot, and the central character has a unique story--an orphaned street kid who was adopted by a cop and his wife; she followed the adoptive father into the police force but doesn't have the usual sense of right and wrong we tend to expect from law enforcement. Intriguing, and a bit disturbing.
I was fascinated with the Charles Schulz biography. Peanuts has been part of my life for as long as I can remember; I collected the books as a kid, watched every TV special, drew endless pictures of Snoopy in crayon and marker. Growing up in the SF Bay Area, Schulz was sort of a presence; not quite a celebrity, but people knew he lived in the area and had built a public skating rink. In college I rented a summer sublet and in the apartment was a signed original of a Peanuts strip; one of the roommates knew the Schulz family. There is so much about Peanuts that resonates with happy memories of my childhood that it was disconcerting to realize just how unhappy he seems to have been for most of his life. The book was well-written and exhaustively researched, and there are comics interspersed throughout--it was fun to recognize old favorites and discover ones that were new to me.
The Book Thief was a remarkable book; not only the story but the presentation and structure of the narrative. Once I got over expecting something horrible to happen with every turn of a page, I really began to get engaged in the story. I can't really say I enjoyed it, but I'm glad I read it and consider it one of the more memorable books I've encountered in a long time.
Red Tails in Love was a fun slice of New York life: Central Park West celebrities meet wildlife in the form of a pair of hawks that nest on Mary Tyler Moore's building and devour pigeons on Woody Allen's balcony. Hawks are downright common around here, so picturing them in an urban setting was a interesting twist. Updates and photos of the hawks continue to be posted.
February 07, 2008
Travel and politics
We made it to Seattle, but I'm not sure yet we'll make it home. We heard the train wasn't running through the mountains today, and three feet of new snow is forecast between now and Saturday. The highways are closed frequently, and when they're open the driving is treacherous. There is a different urgency to getting home, since our state is holding caucuses on Saturday and given the choices the state Democratic Party has made, if you want your vote to count toward the outcome of the nominating convention, you have to participate in the caucus - they aren't using the results of the primary vote later this month.
I really don't want to miss this opportunity. I have been disappointed, frustrated, enraged, saddened, incredulous, and dismayed - sometimes all at once - by the actions of the U.S. presidency over the past 8 years. I don't want to miss the chance to be heard and have my point of view count. I want to be able to open the newspaper and read the President's words or watch the President speak on TV without cringing. I want to be able to believe in the country's leadership again, and have hope that the best things about this country will be intact when my children become adults. I'm ready for change.
UPDATE: I missed the caucus. The earliest flight I could take was Saturday night, and another co-worker was in the area with her car, so I ended up driving home with her. The long way around the Cascades - 7.5 hours of driving instead of the usual 2.5. We did get home 15 minutes ahead of the flight, though, and 7 hours before the pass opened, so it was the right choice. But I missed the caucus.
February 05, 2008
Jinx
That last post? Today, not so much. Turns out my boss can't cover that meeting after all, so I may still have to go. I'm also scheduled to go to Seattle later this week, and the passes have been closed so often due to snow/avalanche control that alternate travel plans were frantically created today. This now involves flying one way (ugh) and taking the train back (more pleasant, but inconvenient given that we're staying at the airport). Then came the news that my brother's town in Arkansas was hit by a tornado -- he and his wife are fine, as are her relatives, but it was very scary and there were fatalities nearby so everyone is pretty shaken. And, for the third week in a row, in the face of multiple conversations about honesty (and enforced consequences for lying) Son missed yet another homework assignment and lied to cover it up (or tried to, since he got caught. Again.) Can I just go back to yesterday?
Click here to continue....February 04, 2008
February
... is off to a decent start. First, we have had above-freezing temperatures for the first time in I can 't remember. Second, I have the best kind of committee duty this month -- planning a wine tasting. That meant I got to rush off from the middle school PTA meeting tonight to help select wines for an event later this month (cabernet and chocolate, of course). This (2004 cab) and this (the 2005 - looks like the web page is out of date) were my favorites. And third-- I was in danger of missing the actual wine tasting event later this month due to an out of town meeting for work, but it turns out my boss will already be in the area and can cover the obligation, so I can stay put here. Bonus: it was still light out at 5 PM today when I backed the car into the narrow driveway outside the performing arts center so Son could unload his bass for his orchestra rehearsal. Plus I actually saw a robin last weekend in the juniper bushes outside my friend's front door. I think things are looking up.
Click here to continue....
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