Don't Worry Be Happy

A Memorable Meeting

2012-01-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

About 4 years ago, thanks to my friend Diane Katz, I became involved with an organization called Grannies a Gogo, which provides support to African grandmothers raising their Aids-orphaned grandchildren. I eventually became responsible for creating and maintaining their website. The group raises funds and makes a personal connection through letter writing.

As it turns out, the group we support is in Sabie, located within 150 km of Kruger Park. I made the decision quite some time ago that I would include a visit to Sabie to meet my letter writing partner Martina Makua.

Sabie is located in a beautiful valley where pine and eucalyptus plantations grow as far as the eye can see. It's obvious that forestry is an important part of the economy and it's what brought Susan Fenner, the founder of Grannies a Gogo, to Sabie in the first place. This view of Sabie is from the road high above as it winds down the valley.

Although Sabie is a typical small, rural, African town, with many fruit and curio stalls by the side of the road, it also has many beautiful waterfalls, canyons and vistas which bring many tourists to the region. This is one of the better known - Mac Mac Falls.

I had arranged with Joy, one of the local woman who helps with the organization, to bring Martina to meet us for lunch; I'd also suggested in a note to Martina that other family members were welcome. I was very pleased when she brought her younger sister Jane, Oupa, the grandson she'd raised and who had just passed the matric (graduation) and her daughter Carol, who was on a lunch break from her job at a Sabie furniture store. After lunch we followed Joy as she drove into Simile, the township where Martina lives. I had a chance to see the place where the gogos meet, although it was closed for the holidays. We wound our way up the hill past all the shacks, through the chickens and children on the road, almost to the top. We had no idea what her living conditions would be - I was kind of thinking that she might have no electricity or running water. But what a lovely, tidy house greeted us, with a well tended garden outside. It's obvious Martina has a green thumb as the front area was filled with a variety of plants. The interior was full of colourful flowers, plants and knickknacks. She's lived here since she was 'relocated' by the government in 1971. At that time certain areas were set aside for blacks and the area where she lived was designated a 'colored' area, not accessible to blacks. In this photo you can see her in her living room wearing her uniform for the 'golden games' that she has twice been selected for.

I think it was equally thrilling for all of us - I know that most of the Vernon Grannies won't ever have the opportunity to meet their letter writing partners and it's only through a variety of coincidences that I was able to. My son Scott, met and married Sam, from Johannesburg which is how this journey began. Below, l to r: Ross, Martina, Jane, Oupa (grandson), Sam, me, Joy in front of Martina's house.

Baboons, Elephants, Impala, Leopards and MORE

2012-01-06T11:47:00.000-08:00

I think it was probably more than 30 years ago that I first envisioned going on a safari and I was definitely looking forward to this part of our trip. So I was trying really hard not to have my expectations too high. Fortunately, our trip into Kruger Park didn't disappoint. This park is amazing; within a few kilometers of the Numbi Gate we happened upon this elephant just meandering by the side of the road.

Of course, by our 4th day in the park we became quite blase towards the elephants - herds of elephants crossing the roads, lone ones bathing in a watering hole, and mother elephants protecting their babies like the one below. Sam was driving and became a bit nervous when the baby ran out in front of our car and the mother hurried to protect it. She made a move towards us, but then focused more on her baby to our relief.

This baby baboon has a sensible way of travelling! Now I know where the African mothers get the idea of carrying their babies on their backs.

After we arrived at the Lower Sabie camp we took a night drive. We'd heard about an impala kill further up the road but first we encountered a small group of hyenas.

A few meters up the road we spotted the impala in the tree. Once a leopard has killed its prey, it drags it into the tree to prevent scavengers, such as hyenas, from getting at it. The leopard will come back later to eat it.

And, as if on cue, the leopard appeared in the bush to our right.

Amazingly we saw the following animals on our first day (as well as the ones above): kudu, waterbuck, rhinoceros, gysbok, warthog, lion, impala, giraffe, zebra, hippopotamus, terrapin, pin-tailed whydah bird, crowned hornbill, vervet monkey, baboon, vulture, genet, civet, African wild cat, mongoose, puff adder, duiker, steenbok and probably a few more that I've forgotten! As we moved farther north in the park we actually saw fewer animals so we were glad we started where we did. Keep in mind that most of the animals were within a few meters of the road we were driving on and it gives you a sense of the number of animals in the park.

J'burg Lion Park

2011-12-29T05:23:00.000-08:00

The Lion Park allows for driving through various areas to see the animals roaming freely, as well as a place to pet the lion cubs.

Giraffes have VERY long, agile tongues, don't they.
I love the zebras - very photogenic:
One of the white lions, apparently a teenager.
Ross easily wrestled a lion cub into submission:
Does he look hungry? He was about to pounce so Sammy stepped on the gas. It turns out he was just looking for another tree to lie down under. Scott says that lions sleep 20 hours/day.What a fabulous day and I think this is just a taste of what we're going to see in Kruger Park.

Visiting Soweto

2011-12-27T06:40:00.001-08:00

To me travelling to other places means learning about the history and culture of that place and in South Africa much of that is embodied in the township of Soweto. Today we arranged a walking tour with Ntombi, a tour guide who lives there. She met us at the Orlando Police Station and as we walked through the streets she explained how the township grew and developed.
We walked past many, many small and barely liveable shacks, many roadside businesses such as barbers or hair salons and spazas - little 'stores' that sell mostly stuff like pop and chips. It seemed curious but apparently during apartheid, they weren't allowed to have businesses in this area so, despite so many thousands (millions?) of people living there, there are no real 'shops' unless you go to the main roads.

One of the many roadside barbers:

On the way, groups of children suspended their road soccer game to come running afer us, posing for photos and holding our hands. Some of the children had marks on their foreheads which Ntombi explained was still a custom in some tribes - cutting the skin ensures that the child will grow.

Ntombi invited us to enter one of the houses, which turned out to be hers. She recently purchased it and shares it with 2 others. It had a small living area, 2 bedrooms, and a bathroom - probably less than 40 sq. meters - and she served us refreshments (coke, biscuits) around her small table.

After walking past Desmond Tutu and Mandela's houses we visited the Hector Pieterson museum. Hector was the 12 year old boy shot by police during the 1976 student uprising. Following the lively and vibrant community of the township, the museum was quite stark and sobering. The reason the students were protesting was because the government was requiring that all their schooling be in Afrikaans, which none of them spoke, including the teachers. This amounted to the same thing as giving them no education at all. Several hundred students were shot by police that day, some as young as 7.

A ride on a mini bus took us back to the police station and the end of the tour. Mini buses in South Africa are an interesting form of transportation - more about them later! We did arrive safely in case you were worried.

Riverside Christmas

2011-12-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

This year we had to postpone our traditional Christmas Eve fondue in favour of Sam's sister Kate's wonderful dinner, eaten outdoors beside the pool. After dinner Kate and Nic sent a paper lantern aloft.

Present opening took place Christmas Eve (apparently their tradition but to our dismay!) Scott got the most presents for the first time in his life - apparently Mike generally gets more. The stack of presents quickly outgrew the space under the tiny tree so we moved it all into the middle of the room. Sammy was in charge of distribution.

When Sam said we were going to spend Christmas day at her uncle's 'weekend home' by the river I hadn't pictured this beautiful mansion.
There were about 25 of us eating an out door feast with ham, lamb and even turkey.
We later had a sunset boat ride down the river to cap off one of our more unusual Christmases. As you can see by this photo some people actually do get into the spirit of things.

Getting in the Christmas spirit

2011-12-23T03:28:00.002-08:00

Not the only decoration I've seen but this is pretty typical of the extent of the decorations I've seen around South Africa. "Why don't we throw a piece of tinsel over this vase of bullrushes?" This was in the train lounge in Cape Town.

Premier classe

2011-12-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

Hopped on the train from Cape Town to Johannesburg - a 26 hour train ride through the Karoo desert which wasn't all that scenic as you can imagine. The food was well prepared and since it's the only train in South Africa with a spa, Sam and I managed to fit in a massage. It was all pretty classy except for one minor problem - they lost electricity about 6 hours into the trip which meant no ice for the drinks and no air con. The lights started to flicker on and off while we were inside the longest tunnel in South Africa. Fortunately the electricity was repaired just before we headed off to bed. I can't say sleeping on a train is my favourite thing but definitely better than the plane.

The train ride out of Cape Town also highlighted the great contrasts that are South Africa - shacks on one side of the train, golf course on the other.

The train station in J'burg was a complete zoo - plus there was some kind of blockade going on in the nearby streets but we managed to make our way to Sam's mom and dad's place and enjoyed a nice cold one by the pool.

Scott took this picture just before we boarded - you'll see Sam and him in the reflection.

The top of the bottom of the world

2011-12-18T06:20:00.000-08:00

Weather here has become stunning - mid 20s with a slight breeze. So we took advantage and went to Cape Point yesterday - it's quite a ways up so Scott and I climbed while Ross took the funicular (little train thing). Wildlife alert - we saw some zebras, elands and dassies (little furry creatures related to elephants) but the dangerous wild baboons were nowhere to be seen. A bit further around the bay was the penguin colony, thousands of penguins from one breeding pair in 1982!

Today we finally did Table Mountain with unbelievable views of the cape. Scott and Sam did the hike up (about 2 hours) and Ross and I took the cable car. When we saw the state most people were in when they reached the top we were extremely grateful for the cable car! In the background, to the right of my ear is the soccer stadium built for the World Cup - Sam and Scott live just a few blocks away. To the left you can get a glimpse of Robben Island.

So many wines So little time

2011-12-16T23:13:00.000-08:00

South Africa has 100s of wineries, most of them are clustered in the Cape Winelands just an hour or so out of Cape Town. We spent a few days there, in a sleepy little town called Franschoek that was settled and cultivated by the French several 100 years ago. Unfortunately we were only able to do wine tastings at 6 different wineries due to the leisurely, though informative, pace of each tasting. Unlike the Okanagan, where you crowd around a bar for a sip of wine, the tastings here are quite a performance, with the server giving the history of the vineyard, the wine and each varietal that goes into the wine, all the while seated in comfy couches or elegant surroundings, perhaps with a platter of cheeses and crackers.

The final outcome was 13 bottles of wine purchased (not including the one consumed that night) plus a bottle of port for Ross. I thought the Mini was already quite full with the four of us and our luggage but Sam's impeccable packing made way for all the wine in the bottom of the boot.

Fortunately the rainy weather we had on our way up to Franschoek is behind us and we're planning a trip up Table Mountain today, now that the 'tablecloth' has lifted.

Robben Island

2011-12-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

I recently re-read Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom so visiting Robben Island was high on my list. After a 45 minute boat ride we toured the island by bus then went into the maximum security prison where our tour guide was a former inmate. This is the jail cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in prison. Apparently there are penguins on the island but we didn't see any!

Parking in Cape Town - there are no parking meters in downtown Cape Town. Instead, on each corner, there are parking attendants who give you your ticket and take your money. I guess this is good for employment.

Santa flash mob

2011-12-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

[Unfortunately I've had some issues uploading photos with my iPad, combined with Internet problems so my blogging has not been up to par. I'll figure it out somehow but in the meantime here's a bit of info.]

With an 8 hour layover in London, we hopped on the express train from Heathrow and were in Paddington Station in 15 mins. After a short tube ride to Picadilly Circus we came above ground in the middle of a Santa Claus flash mob. There had to be about 300 of them - having a jolly time and leaving in their wake a trail of empty beer cans and litter.

After Scott picked us up at the airport in Cape Town we settled into our apartment then went out for 'sundowners' - watching the sun set while having a cold one. This is a beach not too far from where had our sundowner.

On Monday we ventured down to the waterfront and did a bit of browsing through shops and enjoying some time looking around.

Unfortunately the weather isn't being too nice to us but we head to wine country tomorrow!

My Email to Harper Collins a few weeks ago

2011-12-07T22:21:00.000-08:00

I still haven't received a reply.

Subject: Before I Go to Sleep
I recently wanted to purchase the Kindle version of this book so I found it on Amazon.com. To my surprise the price was about $17.00 which was HIGHER than the paperback copy of the book which was around $10.00. This is absurd. How can you justify the cost of the digital copy being more than 70% more than the physical copy? On Amazon.com it clearly said something to the effect like "this price was set by the publisher".

Instead of purchasing the book, I found a friend that had it and borrowed it from her instead. Had the price been reasonable for the digital copy (reasonable means in relationship to the actual cost of producing a digital copy) I definitely would have bought it as I had heard that it was an excellent book (and it was!). As it was, you
lost a sale and I'm most likely not the only person making that decision.

Publishers such as you have learned nothing from the piracy that has surrounded the music industry for about 10 years. If you're truly serious about making your product available to consumers it must be at a fair price. If I don't think it's fair, it's possible I'll find other means of getting book, such as borrowing. Your policy also encourages a viable market for piracy. Of course, it's also possible that you want to curtail the growth of the e-book market by setting the price unreasonably high. Apparently your profits aren't as high on e-books as physical books so it's to your advantage to encourage people to buy the physical book. Although I'm not sure what your motive is by setting the price so high, I can assure you that it is leaving consumers such as me very disappointed in the publishing industry and it's ability to embrace digital technology.

CHECK - still a week to go!

2011-12-01T19:08:00.000-08:00

International Driver's Licence - CHECK
Dukoral Vaccine - CHECK
Suitcase partially packed - CHECK
Ride to the airport (thanks Garry) - CHECK
New carry-on bag for my camera - CHECK
Electric plug for 8 hour layover in London - CHECK
Remembering how to post to my blog - CHECK
Excitement mounting - CHECK

Just wondering ....

2011-11-24T08:36:00.001-08:00

1. If "1 book" is singular and "2 books" is plural, why is "0 books" plural?
2. What am I supposed to do with all those buttons that come with new clothes? I've never lost a button on a garment yet.
3. Can you really expect the unexpected?
4. Poker? On the sports channel? Really?
5. Bottled water. 'Nuf said.

Online PE - what a joke!

2011-11-21T12:34:00.001-08:00

At least that's what I used to think. How could anyone get credit for an online PE course - the idea seemed a bit absurd. However, I'd have to say I've done a 180 degree turn on that. It appears that online PE can be more effective, more meaningful and more engaging for students.

Let's compare 2 situations - a PE student in a F2F class, and a student in an online course. In a F2F class the student might attend 3-4 PE classes in a week. For the most part the teacher will prepare the lesson and the student will participate. The level of student participation will vary greatly depending on the activity and the student. A typical 60 minute class will involve a certain amount of management time, instructional time, wait time, transition time and off-task activities. It will generally include the time taken to get into and out of their gym clothing. Actual time spent being active can be quite low.

For an online PE class students must plan and be responsible for carrying out their PE activities. They are able to select from a wide range of possibilities that suit their interests, fitness level, and location. They must log and have certified their hours of participation. The log would not include the time spent getting to the activity (unless it also involved activity such as biking).

In a F2F PE class, student commitment to participation can vary greatly. Some students become extremely active and participate fully. At the other end of the scale are the students who quickly become disillusioned with team sports; their inability to excel leads them to opt out rather than make a fool of themselves. There are a lot of students that feign sickness rather than go to PE. And many students drop PE as soon as they can.

Some students taking online PE are taking responsibility for their physical activity for the first time in their lives and that doesn't make it easy. Some students aren't even aware of what the possibilities are. Biking, swimming, skiing, hip-hop dance, trampoline - the list is only limited by their imagination AND their interests. We had one very anti-PE student become an excellent juggler. This requires incredible hand-eye coordination and a huge commitment of time. Another student discovered dance. Some students plan a workout routine.

Both F2F and online PE have issues; neither are perfect. Students aren't always motivated and don't participate in skill building activities. But when students are encouraged and expected to plan their own activities the chance for student engagement definitely goes up. And the skills are easily transferred into lifelong habits.

Adventures at Bantry Bay 2011

2011-08-30T06:48:00.000-07:00

Blogger's note: I'm making this post because I'm afraid I might forget some of these things. I intend to reread this post on a cold winter's night in Vernon.

Picnic under the apple tree, beach walk on Saturday night with a marine biologist, 2x golf at the beautiful Algonquin, cooking with Mike (stuffed grape leaves, thin crust pizza with tomato sauce that took 5 hours to reduce, pesto galore), concerts at the Sunbury Shores art gallery (Jen Chapin, Harry's daughter was great), pancake breakfast at Apple Point, hurricane Irene (80 mm rain, lots of wind, no damage), motorhome woes (water tank, getting stuck during the rain storm), amazing dining experience at Savour the Restaurant (8+ courses, 24 kt gold dust on our dessert!), fun with Finnigan (he's learned how to walk!), anniversary dinner at the Rossmount, becoming vegetarian (easy to do with all these delicious veggies literally ripe for the picking), stars, stars, stars, bagging veggies for CSA pickup, setting up at the farmer's market with Mike (and the wonderful fruit crepes), Dark and Stormy Night (Pickaroon's!) . . .

Traveling with an iPad

2011-08-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

I've had my iPad for about 4 months now but this is the first major trip I've taken with it (New Brunswick). Since I have been travelling with my MacBook laptop I was curious about how I would make out with just the iPad. As for weight and size, there's no comparison. I'm able to take a much smaller carry-on backpack. The battery lasts about 2 or 3 times as long which is great for those long flights - I was able to make it across Canada with about 50% battery life left. On long flights I always like to have about 4 different things to do to pass the time -read a book, do crosswords (cryptic), watch some videos, read a magazine. The iPad provides MOST of this. I brought several ebooks and didn't pack one paper book; I had downloaded for off line viewing several TED videos; and I had an online copy of WIRED magazine. The only thing I can't seem to get on my iPad is some good, cheap (free) cryptic crosswords. I'm getting used to reading on the iPad, even in bed, but I can't say I prefer it. It's a bit heavy, and awkward to hold at times but the convenience is definitely worth it. I just finished the 3rd installment of The Hunger Games series and I have a few books I've downloaded from the library.

It's also great for sharing photos - I bought the little gizmo that let's you transfer photos from an SD card to the iPad.

The biggest drawback has to be inputting text. This post will have taken me about twice as long to type as normal. The auto-correct can be annoying. Not all web pages render the same way on the iPad-sometimes there are missing features. Even when writing this post I was unable to type in the 'compose' text-box and had to use the 'html' view. The inability to have tabs on a web browser makes actual work (marking assignments, etc.) painful. I need at least three tabs to mark a math assignment!

I'd say that for actual traveling the iPad wins hands down. I'd more than likely prefer the laptop when I'm here however. Presumably I won't actually have to work much when I'm traveling.

Oh this took more than twice as long to type.

Are You Game?

2010-07-16T21:31:00.000-07:00

And it's named after my blog: "Don't Worry Be Happy! Game"

More: Tone Matrix, iNudge

Turks and Caicos

2010-03-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

We were fortunate enough to be able to stay at a friend's house on Providenciales for 8 days. My suitcase took a couple of extra days to make it home so I just got my camera back. The pictures tell it all.

More Photos

Best Olympics EVER!

2010-02-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

The intensity of Canadian patriotism takes us all by surprise. Time to adjust our view of ourselves! Never seen so many maple leaves (leafs?) or seen so much pride in our athletes. We've had no problems riding any of the rapid transit lines, everything has been running smoothly and quickly. Love the tram line from Olympic Village to Granville island. Ran into a random monster parade on Granville island yesterday.

My Turn

2010-01-30T15:10:00.000-08:00

So I'm Excited

2009-12-18T14:55:00.000-08:00

I must admit to being a bit more than a little excited when my torchbearer uniform arrived today. Last week I found out that I would be running in Kelowna and, while disappointing not to be in Vernon, is still better than say, Revelstoke!

There are lots of reasons not to get excited about the Olympics - all the $$ that could be going for education/health care, etc. But it is unique, in that it brings people together from all over the world into one focused event. The torch also is a symbol for all the people of Canada that have a chance to experience it as it passes by. People need connections to other people and as an 'ordinary Canadian' connecting to thousands of other Canadians I am grateful for the connections I will be able to make.

Practicing the 'pose'.

Why aren't we?

2009-12-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

A critical question for educators

Playing with Pythagoras

2009-10-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

Geogebra is an amazing (free) tool for creating interactive math applets. I downloaded it yesterday, spent a few hours going through some tutorials and managed to create this applet related to the Pythagorean Theorem. Which I was pretty excited about. I would have liked to include sliders to change the size of the angles but I couldn't figure out how to link the slider to the angle. Anyone know how?

Not only that but it's super easy to add this to a Moodle web page. Which I've done.

There's a Large Empty Spot

2009-10-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

There's a large empty spot in my living room (and a smaller one in my heart) where my piano once stood. I sold it to a colleague whose 7-yr old daughter is just learning to play.

My first piano was purchased by my paternal grandmother when I was about 7. I just remember that it had a lot of chipped keys. When I was 12 we moved and the piano didn't move with us. In Port Moody my parents purchased another piano - a reconditioned one that I've had ever since. I played it all the way through to Royal Conservatory Gr. 10. When I got married I asked that my parents give it to me as a wedding present. Our first apartment (at UBC) was way too small for the piano but when we moved to 12th and Granville the piano came up the stairs thanks to a bunch of strong friends (and pizza/beer). When we moved to Vernon, it had to make its way (sideways) up the elevator into our apartment, then a few months later into the lower floor of our first home. Ten years later it came with us to our present house and has occupied the same spot for 20 years.

It's been a wonderful companion but lately has been showing its age. It has become more difficult to keep it in tune, although the technician that came over last Sunday to look it over, did a fabulous job of tuning it and fixing up a few things. I'm playing it less and less and when I do play it's usually when Ross is watching some sporting event on TV which probably irritates him. An electric keyboard with headphones will solve that.

So now I'm shopping for a keyboard. [I do have a small Casio hooked up to my computer so I'm not totally keyboard-less.]

I hope, Isla, that you get as much enjoyment from it as I have for 40+ years. I've obtained, not just enjoyment, but a pathway to a career, a lifetime pastime/hobby and my musical skills have led to many friendships. Getting that piano when I was 7 changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. I hope it does the same for you! Mastering it will not be easy - but it could be one of the most important things you do.

Short rant

2009-09-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

2 things I'd like to eliminate.
1. double-you, double-you, double-you: If you're giving someone the name of a website don't bother with that part. Please. Most browsers/people can figure it out.
2. honking every time you lock your car. Not necessary. Try locking without honking.
There. I feel better.

♥ Bobby McFerrin

2009-08-26T18:50:00.001-07:00

In fact that's who this blog is named after - I love his improvisatory ability.

Gridlock in County Cork

2009-08-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

If you happen to be driving from Blarney Castle to Bantry on Aug. 15 about 4:00 in the afternoon, you might want to take a different route. Here we were, driving along a deserted, narrow country road when we came upon the worst traffic jam we've ever been in. Apparently Aug. 15 is a church holiday (Assumption?) and there is a shrine in this remote graveyard and about 200-300 people showed up for the special mass. The road is very narrow (imagine a very narrow road in Canada, then go for about half that with no shoulders) and of course cars were parked on both sides leaving barely enough room for one car to get through.

It didn't take long for a whole mess of cars to gridlock. We got there just as the mass was ending and it took almost 30 minutes for the people parked at the front to leave and let the rest of us out. At first Ross started to steam a bit until I started seeing the humour in the situation.

Early on this large truck made it through to our surprise. The passenger had to get out and fold in the mirrors of the cars on the side of the road so he could fit.The garda (police) couldn't really do much in this situation.It happens every year on this day. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Bantry House

2009-08-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

They call it a 'house' but we might call it a castle. It was an amazing place with vast, beautiful gardens and furnishings that were a feast for the eyes. We walked up the hundred steps and had this view of the 'house' and Bantry Bay.

Egerton lived in the house as a boy, inherited the estate in 1978 and is a descendant of the original Earl of Bantry. He didn't inherit the title as it had been passed on to a sister or daughter and titles couldn't pass to females. He's a sweet man and I felt kind of guilty when he carried my bag up the stairs to our room.
There was a music festival happening in Bantry with a concert in the library of the house that evening. We heard "Masters of Tradition" on pipes, fiddle, guitar, tin whistle, singing with stories accompanying each piece of music.

In the morning, after a fabulous breakfast served by Egerton, we toured the house which was full of items from the 18th and 19th centuries. This is the dining room. No flash photography was allowed so I was experimenting with settings on my camera so they might not be that clear.Something's an antique in Canada if it's about 100 years old but they have a different perspective on 'antique'. This tapestry in one of the rooms had been made for Marie Antoinette. The view from our room of one of the gardens.

National Pastimes in Ireland

2009-08-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

When we got up yesterday morning we were greeted by groups of sports fans singing outside our apartment making their way on the tram to the stadium in the north of town (Croke). Most of the people in town were decked out in the jerseys of their favourite team as the national finals for the two most popular sports in Ireland were taking place. Gaelic Football is similar to rugby and hurling is a game like grass hockey only with a lot more action and the players are allowed to toss the ball in the air and hit it like a baseball. It was quite amazing to see so many people wearing the team jerseys and I think the atmosphere in the stadium was much like we might expect a soccer match to be with lots of drinking and singing.

Of course another pastime is Irish dancing which we got a little taste of (in addition to a pint) at the Guinness brewery yesterday. Tonight we're heading to the Gaiety theatre for a performance of Riverdance.

It's kind of odd here but all the signs are in two languages - English and what we would call Gaelic, although it would be called Irish here. All students study it in school. We also went to see the ancient Book of Kells, an incredibly beautiful and intricate manuscript over 1000 years old.

The weather has been kind of gray with the occasional drop of rain and ray of sunshine. Not enough rain to worry about and warm enough to enjoy. We're hoping it stays dry for our golf game tomorrow at Clontarf Golf Course.

Taking the Tour

2009-08-09T02:46:00.001-07:00

We seem to finally be adjusting to the time difference - it took a few days and both Ross and I were on different schedules - I'd sleep and he'd wake up, he'd sleep and I'd be awake.

Yesterday we managed 2 tours - one at the old Kilmainham Gaol (jail) and of course the Guinness Brewery. The 'modern' jail was built over 200 years ago and was the site of many hangings and executions. The public hangings were very popular as entertainment and the most recent executions were of political rebels in the 1920s. This photo shows the newer section of the prison built in the 1800s where just a few guards could keep an eye on all the prisoners.Everywhere you look in this town there is evidence of the role Guinness plays. This was on the ceiling of one of the many pubs we've visited.The pubs actually provide some interesting architecture among all the red and gray brick buildings.Today we're heading off for a tour of Malahide Castle and the north coast.

Guinness and Leprechauns

2009-08-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

If we have enough of the former we may see the latter. On our way to the Emerald Island this morning. I'll try to keep you updated with photos of the green-ness.

sunflowers

2009-05-10T19:10:00.001-07:00

sunflowers
Originally uploaded by lhadfield

They may not actually be sunflowers but the name is still apropos. Just tried to catch a few with my new Nikon D90 camera.

Virtual Learning

2009-04-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

Just returned from my 5th online learning conference. I blogged about the first one and lamented about the use of powerpoint. Four years later the presentations have actually improved significantly. For some reason, presenters have realized their audiences can actually read what's on the screen as well as they can.

Besides powerpoint the biggest change (maybe for me as well as others) is the continued move towards quality and engaging environments for students. "How is what we are doing helping students learn?" and "What can we do to help facilitate the learning?"

A focus for me in the coming year will be assessment for learning, giving students feedback that they can then apply to future work. In other words, feedback that helps them learn. In online learning we don't often have the luxury of seeing the process of learning. The focus is mostly on the product: do the lesson, do the assignment, next lesson. With the focus on assessment for learning students aren't 'graded' until they have had plenty of time to practice what they're supposed to learn. Assignments aren't necessarily for marks but for learning. Tests are for marks. The analogy is from sports: the practices don't count, the games do.

My Shelfari Bookshelf

2009-03-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

Just added this widget, below and to the left.

Response to Comments from Last Post

2009-02-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

Once my response to the comment below got longer than most posts I decided a new post was in order.

I guess the difference is between communicating one-to-one or one-to-many (typical class) so the form of communication takes on various slants.

One-to-many
Keeping the focus in an online class - this is a learned skill (learned by me that is) similar to in a classroom. How do you keep the students engaged? Using Elluminate I incorporate the following:
-frequent opportunities for the students to respond (e.g. type your answer in the chat box to this question OR click the green check if you agree with the previous student's response - these are built into the online classroom environment). Don't go longer than a minute or so without having the students respond in some way.
-opportunities for the students to interact - I'll put them in breakout rooms to answer a question as a group)
-good visuals - no one wants to stare at a blank screen or a 'talking head' video.
-using the whiteboard effectively - last week each of my students wrote a math question on the whiteboard and another student answered it
-keep my own talking to a minimum
-some form of wrap up accountability (e.g. at the end of this class, before you log off, you'll be expected to . . .)

One-to-one
Focus isn't such an issue when I'm meeting on Elluminate to explain a topic or concept to a student. The other communication techniques (email, IM'ing) I was mostly thinking about one-to-one communication.

Video Chat vs F2F
Due to bandwidth issues I don't use straight video very often but it's interesting that you note the difference. In a F2F environment everyone is much more spontaneous. Even without lag time, on a video chat you tend to let the person finish before you speak, there is little overlap because the audio doesn't respond as well, people are less inclined to have 'offhand' or 'aside' remarks. I also think there is less body language and less intonation used. In a formal setting this probably leads to greater efficiency but less 'humanity' (not sure if that's the right descriptor).

How many ways can I communicate?

2009-02-24T18:57:00.000-08:00

As a classroom teacher I rarely gave any thought to the forms of communication I'd use with my students. Lots of thought to WHAT I was communicating but little about HOW.

As an online teacher, communicating with students is really job one. Not much actually counts or makes much sense if you can't communicate effectively. Fortunately there are many more ways to communicate as an online teacher than there are in the classroom where I used only one (F2F). Here are the different ways I communicate starting with the MOST effective.

F2F - You just can't improve on face to face communication. Body language, facial expression, and intonation are what we're wired for.

Elluminate - the online classroom: text, audio, visuals, video, etc. Elluminate is how I conduct my online classes as well as meet students for a variety of reasons.

Phone - Highly effective; rarely used as a 'regular' teacher.

Email - Great for one way communication; well it could be 2-way but it really acts like one way.

Moodle Messaging - Sending a student a message on Moodle while they're online is quick, easy and to the point. Not intended for in depth communication.

Gmail Chat/MSN - Also quick and easy as long as they have an account. Useful for the "I'm stuck on question 2" types of queries I've had.

I know some online teachers also use Skype but so far I haven't with students. And this list isn't exhaustive - I also communicate through assignment comments, report cards, etc. but that's not dialogue.

There's NOTHING in the online world that can come close to F2F communication but by using a variety of tools we can do things differently and in some cases be even more effective. The student who seldom raises their hand in class may be less reluctant to text a question or comment. And because communication is so important the quality of the communication we do have may increase. But it take effort and persistence.

More photos for Liz

2009-02-22T16:41:00.000-08:00

Here's more photos you can browse through. (Preferable at report card time as a task-avoidance technique)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lhadfield

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

2008-12-28T06:33:00.000-08:00

Colonia was designated a World Heritage Site in 1995 and is an amazing blend of Spanish and Portugese influences. After a couple of weeks in the big city of Buenos Aires is was nice to see a different side of South America.

The ferry across the Rio de la Plata to Uruguay took about 1.5 hrs and Colonia is very much a tourist destination although it didn't feel too 'touristy'. It's kind of like visiting Barkerville although it's not so much a display as it is a real place where people live. Most of the vehicles in town are very old and we were able to rent a golf cart to get around which was a really good idea except for the time Ross drove it into an area we couldn't get out of except by driving over a curb with a crowd watching and no doubt shaking their heads at the crazy driver. I pretended I didn't know him.

Just as a side note - our dinner (nothing too fancy) cost $1107.00. Mind you that's Uruguayan pesos which are 1:7 to Argentinian pesos and about 1:20 to Canadian which makes it about $50 for the 4 of us with wine and beer included.

We climbed the lighthouse tower (about 100 narrow, winding steps) and kept our cameras busy with the beautiful blend of old, stone buildings, cobblestone streets and lush vegetation.
More photos

Holiday Graffiti

2008-12-25T06:41:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve in South America

2008-12-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

It's now 1:00 am and the city is starting to come alive again. It was very strange but at about 11:30 the streets got very quiet, no couples strolling down them or cars roaring up them. Then about 11:40 the fireworks began. By midnight there were fireworks going off all across the city. An hour later and I can still hear the occasional loud bang right outside our apartment.

Apparently, Christmas Eve is a huge celebration here with Christmas Day being just a minor holiday and a chance to recover from the night before. Although the main streets were quite busy until 6 or 7 pm the smaller stores were all closed up by about 4 or 5.

We had our Hadfield traditional fondue (cheese followed by chocolate, not the usual meat) and managed to make do with the few things we had. The only thing missing was Mike! But we thought Sam made a worthwhile substitute :)

Our Apartment

2008-12-23T14:18:00.000-08:00

We're really enjoying having an apartment in Buenos Aires and having the time to explore the city. The apartment itself is quite small but has everything we need (except for the fondue pot we need for our Christmas Eve dinner). I don't think our first apartment in Vancouver was much bigger.

Ross enjoying a cool one on the tiny deck. It's on the first floor which of course is the 2nd floor.

Today we did a bunch of grocery shopping for the aforementioned fondue as well as Christmas dinner. Ross is going to cook up one of his specialties - Chicken Parmigina - for the 25th. I think Christmas Eve is more important than Christmas and someone told us the shops will close by mid afternoon tomorrow so we thought we'd get it done today.

We also found incredibly cheap wine - about $3.00 (about $1 CDN) but we bought the better $10 bottle! We're doing a taste test against the more expensive $30.00 peso bottles (about $10).

Buenos Aires has a huge metal flower sculpture that opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. We walked the few blocks from our place last night but alas, we were too late - it had already closed. We may have to try again another evening. Buenos Noches.

[Not a great photo - taken from the bus - but it looks really cool.]

There's only one word to describe Iguazu Falls:

2008-12-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

Wow! Neither pictures nor words can do it justice. If you've been to Niagara you've seen an enormous, majestic waterfall. Iguazu is quite different. Each section of Iguazu is probably not as impressive as Niagara but there are about 10 times as many sections. There are actually hundreds of waterfalls and the scenery, being sub-tropical, adds to the beauty.

Scott and Sam flew up with us and we spent 2 nights there. This video is from Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat), probably the most impressive part. The viewpoints are incredibly close to the water.

I've also decided to actually make use of the Flickr account I've had for years so here are some more photos of Iguazu.

Mothers of the Disappeared

2008-12-19T07:56:00.000-08:00

It may look like a party with balloons but it's actually a protest march. Every Thursday the 'Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo' march to protest the disappearance of their children in the 'dirty war' in the 1970s and 80s.

Eating out here is very inexpensive. Last night we shared a dinner for 4 from a takeout pizza place a few doors down from our apartment. Med. sized cheese pizza, 4 empanadas, 4 slices of faina (fried bread? It tasted ok with salsa) all for 30 pesos (about $10). Ross bought a big beer (1 litre) for 8 pesos and he though he got ripped off since he'd paid 3.80 pesos (about $1.30) at the store.

Our city tour took us to the Caminito district which is very colourful to say the least. Ross got a little taste of tango.There aren't many signs of Christmas here - no Santas in the mall for example. Every once in a while you'll see a store or cafe with a little tree with a few decorations on it and some of the shops have desperate looking strings of garland around the windows but that's about it.

Our city tour yesterday gave us an idea about the depth and breadth of this city and how much we still have to explore. There are many monuments and statues and plazas and museums and interesting neighbourhoods that we'll have to get back to explore.

More Walking

2008-12-18T06:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we wandered over to the largest street in the world, Avenida de Nueve de Julio. It actually took us 2 or 3 lights to get across the whole way. It was designed after the Champs Elysees and is home to various landmarks such as the obelisk. A short walk away was the Casa Rosada which I believe is now a museum but I'm not sure it's open to the public right now. It's the one where Evita stood on the balcony and addressed the masses.

You know the rule about 'pedestrians have the right of way' well apparently that doesn't apply in BA. In fact the cars (mostly taxis) will actually race you to the interesection to see who can get there first. If you don't make an effort to get across you may be waiting all day (where there's no light in particular or where the taxis are turning). They certainly aren't going to stop or wait for you.
First thing this morning we went to the Brazilian embassy to get a VISA for our trip to Iguazu. We filled out the forms, had our passport sized pictures taken, printed off a recent bank statement, stood in line then discovered we couldn't get the VISA until Monday at the earliest. Since we're leaving Saturday it was actually all for naught. So we're just going to take our chances. Later today we'll take a city tour although the tour is an hour later than posted due to the heat.

Cats and Evita

2008-12-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

Walking down the street in Buenos Aires you have to be careful. Besides the uneven sidewalks with holes in them and pieces missing, there are lots of kiosks (selling magazines, panchos [hotdogs], flowers, etc.), women with babies, begging (although we saw the same baby with 2 different women), all kinds of people that haven't heard of the word excuse me or whatever it is in Spanish, cars and taxis that seem to have one hand on the wheel and one on the horn, lots of construction, and moisture dripping from the air conditioners in the apartments up above.

Our first full day here and we slept a bit to counteract the jet lag then headed off to the Cemetery to see where Eva Peron is buried. The cemetery is huge and each gravesite is the size of our first apartment. There were also a bunch of cats that apparently look over the dead. This is one of the "streets" in the cemetery with a few kitties in the foreground.

Still Looking for Gifts to Give

2008-12-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

How about a gift of education? Find out more at One Laptop Per Child

Preparing for those Nasty Bugs

2008-11-16T14:43:00.001-08:00

Although it's not required for Argentina, Ross and I both headed in for some advice on travel medicine as well as a few immunizations and pills. Hopefully, we're going to be heading off on various travels in the next few years so we're also getting prepared for that.

We started with the HepA/B Twinrix, moved on to the Yellow Fever innoculation, then I ended with a tetanus (Ross had his courtesy of his little incident in Yellowstone a few years back).

Orally, we're taking Typhoid pills (4 over 8 days) and then will take the Cholera/Diarrhea liquid (2 doses) which I think is for salmonella or e-coli or something. To take with us we have Malaria pills (for our side trip to Iguazu Falls) and some Ciprofloxicin which is for severe diarrhea. The other big advice was to wash all our fruits and vegetables in bleach.

We'll be leaving for Buenos Aires in a month and have rented an apartment for 18 days. This map shows his apartment in relation to ours.

We're excited about going but sad that Mike won't be with us at Christmas for the first time. The plane trip from Bantry Bay just proved more than Mike could handle! Most likely my next blog will be from downtown Buenos Aires - right after our first tango lesson.

At the Farm

2008-08-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Finally arrived at the farm on day 15 of our trip after making our way through (in reverse) Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio Indiana, Illinois(not counting the ones in the blog below).

We took a few side trips to Niagara Falls and Cooperstown as well as Amish country apparently. One night while camping the Amish kept us awake all night partying next to our motorhome but that's another story.

Market day was last Thursday so Mike loaded up all the produce onto his bike trailer and headed the 3 or 4 miles into town. There were beets, cabbages, carrots, lettuce, squash, zucchini and whatever else you see in the picture below. Oh, the chanterelle mushrooms for $1/ounce which one of their friends had picked in the nearby forest. By about 11:00 only a few items remained and by 12:30 everything was gone. I made the mistake of wandering through the market and ridding myself of about $35. Although it's called a farmer's market there are many more baked goods, food stalls and craft booths.

Ross has been working hard in the fields and I did a bit of yellow bean harvesting but we're enjoying the restfulness and peace of country living. It poured rain one night and is always a bit wet with dew and foggy in the morning but otherwise the weather is great. The sunsets by the beach are a nice way to end the day. This view just a short walk from Mike's front door.

Chicago

2008-07-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

Another night with good internet so a couple more pics. Chicago is full of amazing architecture and wonderful sculptures. Apparently "The Bean" was off limits for photos for a while (which I found out later).About 5 minutes after commenting how great our weather had been the big black cloud behind me opened up and we did the rest of our Hop-on-Hop-off tour with big plastic ponchos over our heads.You know how when you see a shooting star out of the corner of your eye and then you wonder if you really saw anything? Last night, camped a bit south of Chicago in a heavily wooded area, I looked around and started seeing little flashes of light in the air, just as it was getting darker. After about 4 or 5 I realized I must be seeing my very first fireflies. It was really cool - just looked like wayward embers from a fire, drifting up then quickly extinguished. The air was full of them. Even though we were out in the middle of nowhere, some birds or insects (cicadas?) up in the trees made an incredibly loud noise all night until just before dawn. Between that and the humidity - not much sleep!

3 provinces, 3 states and counting

2008-07-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

(BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa)
Landed tonight in Iowa in search of ancestors. Apparently Ross's great grandmother on his father's mother's side and his great grandparents on his father's father's side. The first one is easy to find - right in a cemetery in a small town south of the Twin Cities. The cemetery even had a chart so we knew where to look.

To find the second cemetery we went down several miles of dirt road with intersections precisely 1 mile apart and this warning sign among the cornfield:Eventually our GPS indicated we had 'reached our destination' but no sign showed us that we were in Brownville, Iowa. There are about 3 farmhouses there. We eventually found the cemetery tucked way behind some trees with no signage. You probably can't tell but from the road we could just barely see the tops of a few memorials poking up. It's a miracle we ever saw it. I got some pics of the headstones for our family archivist John.

Mostly this is the view we've had since we left the Rockies:
Needless to say I'm making my way through a series of books.

Mind you we did pass the geographical centre of North America a few days back:Does anyone have any idea how you'd actually determine something like that! Okay I just googled it myself. One more note - Ross refused to stop at the 16,000 sq ft SPAM museum in Austin, Minn.

Why my job is so hard to explain to people

2008-06-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

As a teacher in a DL school I'm constantly trying to explain to people what I do. Because it's kind of complicated sometimes, if some random person asks what I do, I've been known to avoid the answer all together and say I teach Gr. 5/6.

DL (Distributed Learning) is a combination of distance ed, correspondence, online learning and homeschooling.

Yesterday I was in an online meeting with a group of educators from around BC discussing an online student management system. The meeting ran a little late and I'd scheduled a meeting using our online classroom (Elluminate) with some students I have in New Zealand. They waited patiently while I finished up my other meeting then we met and discussed some of their curriculum. The grade 6 girl showed me her Sc. project using her web cam. Then, before that meeting was finished a Gr. 7 student IM'd me on Google Chat with some questions about dividing decimals in math. We moved over to Elluminate and did a few examples on the white board.

Another time a few weeks ago I was meeting online with my guitar student in Invermere (many miles away) demonstrating 6/8 time signature when my son Skyped me from South Africa where he was on holiday.

This is a world of difference from a 'normal' teacher's day. It's cutting edge, challenging and complex but I enjoy it. The downside is, because of the lack of consistent contact we lose the students that don't have the independence and motivation. We're putting some strategies in place to try to minimize that next year and our most important tool may be Elluminate.

A telemarketer hung up on me! Isn't is supposed to be the other way around?

2008-03-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

Me: Hello
Telemarketer: Is this Mrs. H..
M: Yes
T: I'm doing a research survey on respiratory ailments. Do you have asthma or allergies?
M: Who are you doing the research for?
T: I'm doing a research survey on respiratory ailments.
M: But who are you doing this research for? What's the name of your company?
T: Respiratory research.
M: That's the name of your company?
T: Yes. Do you have asthma or allergies?
M: What are you going to do with this information?
T: I'm doing research on respiratory ailments. Do you have asthma or allergies?
M: What are you going to do with this information?
T: CLICK.

One size doesn't fit all

2008-03-08T11:43:00.000-08:00

My 2 year old great nephew thought it was the perfect size. Don't even think about touch typing though - my fingers don't even come close to fitting.

Late News

2008-03-06T20:11:00.000-08:00

Rec'd an email today informing me my XO laptop had shipped, more than 3 weeks after it arrived. Even then apparently it took 3 weeks to get from 'delivered' to my doorstep. Is this a government organization? Strange how they can track it right to the minute give or take 3 weeks.

Tracking info:

Jan 21, 2008

Delivered

Jan 18, 2008

8:03 AM

On FedEx vehicle for delivery

KELOWNA, BC

Jan 17, 2008

11:48 PM

At local FedEx facility

KELOWNA, BC

9:50 PM

Departed FedEx location

RICHMOND, BC

7:02 PM

Arrived at FedEx location

RICHMOND, BC

Jan 14, 2008

12:38 PM

Arrived at FedEx location

MISSISSAUGA, ON

From the sublime to the ridiculous(ly small)

2008-02-11T21:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I splurged and replaced my 15" monitor with a luscious 22" Samsung. Then today my XO computers arrived. I just barely know how to turn it on.

How can you tell someone's from Vancouver?

2008-02-03T11:12:00.001-08:00

Who else would use an umbrella in the SNOW!?

Still Waiting

2008-02-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that I put in my order on Nov. 12 (the first day possible) my XO computers still have not arrived. I do appreciate the fact that they emailed me in December to tell me they wouldn't be arriving in time for Christmas and that Canadian customers would get theirs in January/February.

And I wonder what happens to the ones I donated. It would be quite a task to follow the trail of the donated computers but would be nice to have some idea of that side of it.

Piece by piece by 5000 piece

2008-02-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

Slowly the puzzle takes shape:

Any help would be appreciated, Mike.

Moodling Around

2007-10-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

It seems forever ago that we were golfing and drinking beer in the summer (see my last post). After a heavy duty September I've finally been able to start sleeping again and not waking up at all hours with a million things going on in my head.

Part of my workload in September involved creating an online guitar course. I decided I would give Moodle a try and have been very impressed. Moodle is an online course management system that is easy to use, flexible, adaptable and open source (free). Contrast to WebCT which is complicated, very inflexible and difficult to figure out, not to mention quite costly.

It's hard to compare the two; they're not really on the same level. In Moodle, in addition to all the course material, I've uploaded images, audio and video files. Uploading files is straightforward and intuitive, unlike WebCT. The grade book looks fairly easy, although I'm still learning that part.

Two great things about the US

2007-08-18T22:24:00.000-07:00

1. Cheap golf
2. Cheap beer

1: Between $80-100 for 2 with a cart.
2: $2 from the beer cart.

Also I chipped in on the 17th hole for a birdie.

Visualizing Data

2007-07-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

Teaching statistics and data analysis to students tends to be filled with thrills and excitement. NOT! The Gapminder makes global data visually interesting (although exciting is in the eye of the beholder) and would be a great tool for use in grades 6/7 math/social studies. The tool itself has a great many features (change x, y axis; zoom; speed; opacity of countries not selected, etc) but the data comparisons raise many questions. Why does the birth rate go down as income goes up? Does military budget have anything to do with population size? It wouldn't be long before students were asking their own questions and creating hypotheses.

This was developed by a Swedish organzation and bought recently by Google: "Gapminder’s Trendalyzer software unveils the beauty of statistics by converting boring numbers into enjoyable interactive animations. We believe that Google’s acquisition of Trendalyzer will speed up the achievement of this noble goal." Also see Hans Roslings TED presentations 2006 and 2007.

Summer Reading '07

2007-07-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

With recommendations from friends, best seller lists and all my library holds coming in at once I've got my work cut out for me this summer. Actually I've already finished The Secret Life of Bees (a great read), Mindless Eating (good research-based advice) and In the Name of Honor (compelling story but must have lost something in the translation from French). Next up Beach Road, Sweetness in the Belly, My Life on a Plate, The Birth House, Princess Masako, and Bridget Jones Diary if I get to the library to pick it up in time. And you thought all I did in the summer was golf!
Aren't libraries just the greatest invention ever? Anyone have other reading suggestions?

I Never Thought I'd be Cheering for the Water Buffalo

2007-07-11T14:51:00.000-07:00

Mix together a hundred water buffalo, one baby water buffalo, a pride of lions and a few crocodiles and you have yourself quite a battle. One day I hope to go on a safari.

Rockin' Out

2007-06-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

I think the salesman in the 30th Ave. Pawn Shop was a bit surprised when I informed him the guitar I was looking for was not the nylon string classical along the wall but one of those electric ones. I've been thinking about getting an electric guitar for awhile. From the way things are going at work it appears I might have a few more online guitar students in the future. Many of these students want the electric version of the course (same as the non-electric version but with electricity) so I figured it was time to get on the band wagon.

This one is sort of a hybrid - it was an old body with a new neck attached and set by a local luthier. Knowing nothing about electric guitars (and only the 2nd time I'd been in a pawn shop) I had to take Ferdinand (the salesman and, I assume, owner) at his word. It was late Sat. afternoon and it was obvious from his breath that he'd already started his weekend. He tried to sell me a $90 beginner guitar with a short neck, then went all the way up to the $700 beauties.

Somewhere in the middle ($250 INCLUDING tax, cord, and a crazy little gadget than works as an amplifier using a 9v battery) I walked away with my guitar. Drove over to WalMart and bought a $50 Silvertone Smart IIIs amp that turned out was only $30 when I went to the till. Bargains galore.

I like the warm sound, the funky, retro look (red strings!), and the ease of playing power chords on an electric as opposed to nylon string classical. Watch for me at the next rock concert!

Doing my Part

2007-05-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

This is called putting yourself out there. Making public an idea that pre-blogging would have been kept a carefully guarded secret. Well, not so secret, but definitely carefully kept. However, there's no commitment like a public commitment so here goes.

The price of gas: $1.259 or 125.9c (what's with the .9!! - do they really thing we're fooled by the .9 thing now that we're into those kind of numbers?); kilometers I put on my car driving to/from/between work: 90% of total (or pull some other number out of the air); number of days per week I might be able to do without a car at work: 2.

The idea: see if I can make it to work and back sans car at least 1 day per week. How? Get a ride with Ross or other work colleague who drives close by/walk. Why? It seems like the right thing to do. Or as Scott would say "Why not"? When? Starting soon. I think.

More on OLPC

2007-05-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

Pictures, specs and descriptions of the One Laptop Per Child initiative I blogged about recently: http://www.bloglines.com/blog/Toolman?id=144

The GUI looks very interesting - and as he describes - it took him a while to get used to the 'simplicity'. The name of the GUI is currently called Sugar.
This is a phenomenal project - I'm not sure if it will change the world but if it lives up to its potential it definitely will change the way we compute.

And then there are the videos.

Balloon Inflation - the video

2007-05-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

Up, Up and Away

2007-05-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

Hasn't everyone always wanted to go for a Hot Air Balloon ride? There's something kind of romantic about it . However, if I'd known about the "hour after sunrise" (6:3o!) that we had to start I might not have been so eager to purchase this at last year's dream auction.

Here's some pictures for you to vicariously enjoy our trip.
First out of the truck comes the wicker basket. That's supposed to hold all of us?

Balloon starts inflating with the help of a fan (and Ross).

After a gentle liftoff we get a bird's-eye view of Vernon. Google Earth was never this good.

Right over the entire length of Swan Lake.

Remember the gentle liftoff. Not quite the same for the landing. We touched down behind a locked gate in an industrial area and the balloon had to be carried over a gulley or two to a safe, convenient spot for dismantling. At one point, Ross was piloting the balloon as the operator had to get out to help guide it and it seemed a bit out of control for a moment or two. After I got out, they brought the balloon onto its side and Ross just stepped out of the basket.Champagne, strawberries, mini-muffins finished off with a ritual to the sun. A great way to start the day. I guess.

Statistics in Art

2007-05-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

Statistics can often be mundane and it's often a challenge to make teaching them interesting and exciting.

Here are some graphical images inspired by statistics that make a comment on some aspect of today's (US) society.

"Each image portrays a specific quantity of something: fifteen million sheets of office paper (five minutes of paper use); 106,000 aluminum cans (thirty seconds of can consumption) and so on."

Chris Jordan is the artist.

Make a call anywhere in the world - happy mother's day

2007-05-05T20:27:00.000-07:00

I started using Skype about a year and a half ago but it seems like so many more people are using Skype these days. Now Skype has just announced:

"This Mother's Day, call any phone, anywhere in the world for free."

How can you beat that? And you don't have to just call your mom you can call anyone!

[Although I'm sure mom would appreciate the call.]

I'm not sure why but they remind me of Scott

2007-04-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why but some of these pictures definitely make me think my son Scott. Some of them are a little freaky and most pretty outlandish.

Take a look for yourself and let me know what YOU think: Pictures of Geek Culture.

One Laptop One Child

2007-04-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

Since first hearing about it a few years ago I have been interested in the $100 laptop concept as well as one-to-one learning. This is when we will truly see changes in the way students are educated using technology. We're making baby steps toward it now but the availability of the laptop will make using it a non-issue. It will be a given.

Now you can view this Google Tech Talk which describes the OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) movement and the XO (formerly $100?) computer. The interesting thing about OLPC is its focus on education and learning not technology. I've been pushing this concept forever, but it seems that no matter what, the discussion in this district always comes back to hardware, software, standardization. Learning is often a secondary topic in educational technology. Watch the video - it's an amazing sounding device.

Five month posting drought

2007-02-22T15:54:00.000-08:00

And all I've got is other interesting stuff.

1. ASLSP - How slow is slow? Would you believe 639 years? That's how long it will take to perform John Cage's piece called As Slow As Possible. I suppose it could be slower but at 1 note change every year that's how long it will take. You can even 'sponsor' a year with a donation but do it quickly as many years are already not available. Next opening is 2017 (as of this writing). If you go to the web site you can even hear a recording of the current tone. And you thought Stairway to Heaven was long!

2. History of the Bunny Ears - you've done it, I've done it, as a teacher I've told people not to do it - but where did it come from and why do we think it's fun (funny) to do? Although it gives a bit of history at this web site, I don't remember doing it as a kid. Do you have any pictures of you or other kids doing it in the 50s or 60s?

The unturkey Thanksgiving

2006-10-29T19:29:00.000-08:00

One thing about taking time off work is the catching up you have to do when you get back. At least that's my excuse for not posting this previously.

The trip in question was to St. Andrews by the Sea, NB to visit Mike and the organic farming crew. Our delicious, vegan, organic Thanksgiving dinner consisted of wild rice, curried lentils, salad, beans, bread/potato stuffing, squash/carrot soup.We stayed at the beautiful, elegant Algonquin Hotel and golfed at the adjoining golf course with incredible ocean views on a sunny fall day.The crops were finished for the year and Mike and his helper cleared some of the plants. I think these had started life as radishes.We picked rose hips to make jelly, ate chocoate pancakes, fed the donkey, drove to Minister's Island when the tide was out, but the most exciting (apparently) was the arrival of the scythe.Go Mike! For more about the farm and the farmers visit the Bantry Bay Blog.

_blank must die

2006-10-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

It's always the little things in life.

I visit a web site frequently (for my work) where every link you click opens a new browser window. By the end of my visit there I usually have 4 or 5 windows open. Annoying? You bet, especially when you've become accustomed to the ease and simplicity of tabbed browsing in Firefox (or even Safari!). Sure I can right click > open in new tab but it should be unneccessary.

I recently discovered a Firefox extension that will force the page to open in the same window and it's made me very happy. It's a two step process - first download and install Greasemonkey, then install "_blank must die". (Both of these downloads are extremely easy.) No more needless windows opening. (It's actually not the opening of the windows that I object to but the fact that I then have to go back and close them all - one by one.)

BTW - if you still aren't using Firefox there must be a really good reason.

My Planet

2006-08-31T20:29:00.000-07:00

Frittering away time with photo manipulation. Just discovered this great site, PhotoJojo,which has lots of photo tips and projects. This one is titled How to Create Your Own Planets Using Your Panoramas.

I didn't have any panoramas so I used this skyline of Quebec City, highlighted by the Chateau Frontenac
to produce this 'planet':

I thought it was kinda cool!

Tooting my Flute

2006-07-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a small sampling from my "flute player" collection. I have about 30 all together. The one on the left is my most recent one purchased in Quebec City and the little insect (?) on the right was one of my first about 20 years ago. I have bears, angels, soldiers, Donald Duck, Porky Pig, cats and metal sculptures. They are kind of difficult to find and I really only like the ones where the flute is played on the correct side. Occasionally I'll see one that has the flute on the opposite side to those above.

Pepper!

2006-07-12T12:25:00.000-07:00

I know I should be posting some fabulous shots from our trip but I just wanted to show Mike what my green pepper plant was up to while I was away!

The basil (barely visible, just behind to the right) suffered severe dehydration, however. Not sure if there's much hope.

Bonjour mes amis!

2006-07-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

Nous sommes dans Quebec et nous avons beacoup de fun! It's sort of like that trying to converse but somehow we manage to get our point across. The shop keepers practice their English and we practice our French. We ended up with a much bigger condo than anticipated after Marj found out that the original one had mysteriously been cancelled the day before we arrived. We now have 2 bedrooms and a full kitchen. We picked up Mike from New Brunswick yesterday and today toured Ile d'Orleans. We've also enjoyed the amazing waterfalls in the area, the fromageries and the boutiques. On the Ile we bought a large basket of luscious strawberries from a roadside vendor for $7. Way too cheap! Mike doesn't understand how they can make a living at that price. Okay they're probably heavily subsidized like all other conventional farmers in Canada (quote from Mike).

We'll head into old Quebec city again tomorrow and perhaps explore some more small towns and villages. Today we drove on the oldest road in Canada and had lunch at the oldest golf course in North America. Take that BC.

Come Fly With Us

2006-06-25T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here's a file that will open in Google Earth so you can follow us on our trip to Quebec on July 1.
Our Trip to Quebec
Once it opens, click on the file, then click on the 'Play Tour' button. BTW the new version of GE is even better.

Kids Who Know Too Much

2006-06-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

Remember the good old days when you tried to teach your kids what was good for them and what to avoid? Don't eat too much junk food, drink your milk, wear sunscreen. Somehow, that's all changed. Now they seem to know what's best for us. Vegetables without pesticides, pans without teflon and coke without aspartame - the tables have turned. Maybe, just maybe, we taught them too much. . .and too well!

Finding Google

2006-06-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Found this beside the printer at one of the schools where I work. If you need to find something on Google how do you find Google? Well, you can always search for it. Then you can print off the results. This might fall under the category of incorrectly assuming students know proper search techniques. I'd bet that half the students in elementary school think that Google has a tremendous amount of information and when you ask them about their internet sources they invariably answer Google. They're quite shocked when I tell them that Google actually has no information even if they do have almost 2 billion results when you search for Google.

It's Census Day in Canada

2006-05-15T19:07:00.000-07:00

It's held every five years and, for the first time in several hundred years, it's now possible to do it online. And people such as Scott will be happy to know that it's even available to Linux users. Hard to believe that even StatsCan now recognizes open source operating systems! Woot (as Ariane might say)!

The Rest of the Story in Pictures

2006-03-18T16:08:00.000-08:00

http://lynnfield.ca/newyork/

If you happen to get to New York I'd recommend both The Producers and Wicked - two great shows.

The City Sleeps

2006-03-15T10:54:00.000-08:00

You'd be surprised how much quieter New York streets are at 3:45 am which is when we left the hotel for the airport. Traffic was down to 10-12 cars/minute passing by, only a few people walking down the street, in fact the check-in wasn't even open when we got to the airport!

Never imagined myself sleeping on the floor of an airport at 5:30 in the morning (that's for young guys travelling in Europe, right?) but have you ever actually tried sleeping on those airport seats? With the armrests, of course, they're designed to be sat in and with my backpack as a head rest the floor wasn't actually too bad. However, I've never actually been up for more than about 15 hours at a time in my life and by the time I landed in bed at 10:00 last night I'd been up for about 37 hours. Dozed on the floor, dozed on the plane, dozed on the next plane despite the incredible vibrations, dozed after I got home. But didn't sleep till 10.

Besides me, who else has performed at Carnegie? From opening night in 1891 when Tchaikovsky conducted, the Beatles in the 60s, and Bjork last fall to Monday night when the combined chorus sang with Imant Raminsh, every performer has shaped Carnegie to be what it is today.

The requisite dill pickles at an 'authentic' NY deli: Yummy!

The Lady from our cruise boat.

The lady made from Lego in the Toys R Us at Times Square:

The Big Apple

2006-03-13T15:10:00.000-08:00

So far it's been a bit of a whirlwind but the big performance is still tonight. More pictures and posts when I get back but just to let you know the Producers is hilarious and Wicked .. is!

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today . .

2006-03-08T21:47:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be a part of, New York, New York. Sorry - just had to rub it in that I'm heading to the Big Apple on Friday morning. We don't arrive till quite late on Friday - by the time we get to the hotel it'll be close to midnight. We're staying at the Grand Hyatt, close to Grand Central Station. Rehearsals Saturday and Sunday at the hotel, dress rehearsal at Carnegie on Monday, performance Monday night. Right after the performance we board a cruise ship around the harbor, arriving back at the hotel at 1:30 am, shuttle bus leaves for the airport at 3:30 for the airport. YIKES!

We've got tickets for the Producers on Sat. night and hope to catch something on Sunday, maybe a museum or two and a bit of sightseeing. That's it.

Unless I find internet access you won't hear from me for a few days.

The Olympics on Google Earth

2006-02-09T22:22:00.000-08:00

You can view the venues for the Olympics mapped on Google Earth - you can almost follow the skiers going down the mountains. You'll need the lastest version of G.Earth.

Across the Country

2006-02-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

Well Mike has started on his new ad/venture in New Brunswick and we'll all be able to follow what's happening at Bantry Bay.

It's located just outside of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea in NB and we wish him well in his farming endeavours. I guess.

Tickets on Sale Jan. 13

2005-12-24T13:48:00.000-08:00

Just in case

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2005-12-24T13:42:00.000-08:00

The tree is decorated, the boys are on their way home, I'm preparing for our 'traditional' Christmas Eve fondue and Ross is out shopping. Have a happy, healthy and wonderful Christmas.

The Present

2005-12-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

Gift alert! If you're expecting a gift from me this year and want to be surprised stop reading now. It appears that in the gift giving department I'm quickly turning into my mother-in-law. For years now she has been issuing cheques for presents. I'm a bit guilty of this myself (especially for some recent weddings) and I've come to realize that it's not a good feeling when you resort to this but hey, nobody minds getting money!

'Gift cards' have been around for awhile (and their predecessor the certificate) and it's making the whole gift thing a lot easier. You still feel that you're putting some thought into (however minimal) and not just giving random money that could otherwise drift into the economic ether.

We've all been given gifts which we inwardly wonder what we did to deserve. We've all given gifts where the recipient tries hard to make us feel that they really appreciate the gift. Gift cards remove about 50% of all this nonsense. You still feel that you've made an effort to find a gift card that fits the person's interests yet you don't actually have to commit to making the choice. They can even choose not to spend it if they wish.

One big down side to gift cards is their lack of pizzazz re: presents under the tree. Putting it in a big box to trick Ross only works the first few times.

The Evolving Web

2005-12-17T11:29:00.000-08:00

I'll be doing a short presentation to the Alt staff in January about 'creating web pages'. The days of talking about html and uploading web pages appears to be past. What I am fast discovering is that the web is providing opportunities for the average non-Dreamweaver user to create and publish seamlessly.

A few ones I'm currently researching: Goowy, Protopage, IG (Google), NetVibes, My Yahoo , Start.com. Each one has its pros and cons and all of them tend to make one think - when will they start charging for this service? How (not when) will they start putting in ads to make it pay?

The nice thing about Protopage is the ability to make pages publically available - AltSch22.

Other things to check out: Jotspot , Writely, Rallypoint, FreeMind, DemoStudio, ThinkFree Office Online

Walkin' the Line

2005-10-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

First day on the picket line oberservations:

very boring
lots of support from public
no end in sight
no one wins in a labour dispute

For the first time in my career I feel we are totally justified in our position. The government set up a system they now declare 'unworkable' and 'broken' and then proceed to create laws to enforce their position. How could the bargaining system EVER work if this is the inevitable conclusion? No managament group would EVER bargain with employees if they knew that at any point they could just create a law to 'solve' everything. And this is what the government thinks is fair?

How do we explain to students that breaking the law is okay? In fact, how do we explain to students that sometimes laws are unjust and must be changed? Problems are solved by working out solutions, not by enforcing laws. Our government insists they have solved the problem by passing a law. I would not want to hold this up to students as an example of good problem solving.

Practice, practice, practice

2005-09-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

. . .in answer to the question in the title of the last post. Or know a world famous conductor who happens to live in Vernon and is taking a group there to perform some of his pieces. Imant Raminsh is having 2 of his pieces performed in New York and was asked to bring a choir with him. He then invited singers from other choirs to come as well and I just sort of tagged along with that group. Can you believe it - me singing at Carnegie Hall - not in my wildest dreams! At least you can say you knew me before I became famous.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

2005-09-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

Huge excitement with the news that I will be singing at Carnegie Hall in March! More later.

Fall Equinox

2005-09-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

The lease was up on the old blue van so Ross boogied down to the GM dealer on Friday and picked up this Equinox. We then drove to Penticton to scatter Great Aunt Pat's ashes in the lake. It comfortably fits 5 (although we had a total of 7 in on Saturday night but that's another story) and is easy for the parents to get in and out of. It's our first white vehicle and has AWD and ABS (Ross's requirement). It's one of the smaller SUVs around although the perspective in the picture makes it look even smaller. Should suffice for the next 4 years.

Summer Reading

2005-08-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

I enjoy summer for many reasons but one of the foremost is the opportunity to read for pleasure. Some of these were on recommendations and some were out of desperation.

Kite Runner - by Khaled Hosseini - Best novel I've read in a LONG time. Very compelling human interest with lots of depth - friendship, family, love, death, forgiveness, loyalty. The downside: I had to bring out the kleenex a couple of times.

Bel Canto - Ann Patchett - Still haven't slogged my way through this one. I'm hoping to finish it but I'm not optimistic. I'm finding it too heavy and oppressive.

Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides - Unique perspective on a unique biological situation. A bit over the top at times (eg when Cal's working at the SF porn club), it's kind of fascinating at others. Sorta like that train wreck.

Digital Fortress - Dan Brown - I think this means I've now read all his novels and enjoyed every one. This one, although it has lots of cliffhanging page turning moments, didn't seem as intricate or subtle. It did, however, help me survive the drive through Idaho and Montana (see previous posting).

Ten Big Ones - Janet Evanovich - The only one of hers I've read but I understand there's lots more. Easy/fun reading - along the lines of Grafton or Reichs - casual sounding, female protaganist. Although I don't understand the whole bounty hunting thing as the Canadian system is different I guess. I also think she should do something about her web site.

Stowaway

2005-08-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

This little guy was on the back of the motorhome when we left Vernon and travelled most of the way with us. I think we lost him in the fog on the Oregon coast somewhere.