S.O.L.......how appropiate

Wow, it's been awhile. Being a full-time student again is a little rough. Anyway, I'm in Chemistry lab on Monday, and at the end of the lab, the professor.......now, the first time I was in college, 10 years ago, all my labs were taught by grad students. Now that I'm taking Chem 111 at the community college, my lab is taught by a molecular biologist who has a degree in chemistry and two doctorates. She did work on cloning amylase for Christ's sake, and now she's my lab instructor.........where was I? Oh, so she assigns the questions she wants us to answer: #1, 2, 3, 8, and 9. Simple, right? Apparently not, because a girl in the back of the room raises her hand and asks "Sooooo, does that mean we don't have to #4, 5, 6, 7, and 10?" I think I would have been justified in smacking her in the face. The real problem is, she wasn't cute either, so doesn't at least have that going for her. This is what I think standardized testing, especially the SOL, is doing to kids now.

Last night was the first PTA meeting of the new school year, and all of my kids teachers said the same thing: they were teaching the kids test-taking skills so that more kids would pass the test and the school could remain accredited. My oldest son's Language Arts teacher even went so far as to say they had been successful in getting children with very low comprehension to pass the test, even the ones who couldn't read very well, by teaching them how to eliminate answers that made no sense. How is this helping these kids? They're develping a skill that they will rarely, if ever, use once they are done with school, and in the meantime they aren't learning how to think analytically at all. I used the girl in my lab as an example, but my kids do the same thing. They frequently ask me questions to which the answer is obvious and requires very little thinking. That's okay when you're 2, but my boys are in the 3rd and 4th grades. What's happens when the question requires some problem-solving skills? That's what they're lacking the most. They are being taught how to get the answer without understanding the application.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope I'm just overthinking things a bit. Who knows, maybe my kids are just dumb, but given their genetics, I doubt it. I do know the kids spend way too much time preparing for the SOL and not enough time doing any thinking.

"I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps"

On June 14, 2007, I posted this on a message board:

The Sox are in the midst of getting destroyed at home by the Colorado Rockies for a second night in a row. Unless they can pull off a great comeback, their lead over the Yankees in the A.L. East will shrink to 7.5 games with 97 to go. Now Red Sox fans and people who hate the Yankees will come on here with all sorts of bravado, stating how they aren't worried, and the Yankees are only a game closer than they were a month ago. Face it; this isn't the same Yankee team as a month ago. Despite all of your posturing, Red Sox fans, I know the doubt is starting to creep in. It's in the player's eyes, too. You're looking in your rear view mirror and seeing the Ghost of Division Race Past. Your golden boy Beckett is getting blown up again. The Yanks rake Matsuzaka and Schilling everytime out. It's natural to be worried, even if you won't admit it. The Sox finish behind the division-winning Yankees every year. This year will be no different. Read it here first: Yankees 96-66, red Sox 95-67

I posted this on August 11, 2007, in response to a comment following another Yankee win and very solid showings from phenoms Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain:

It was just one day, but it was a nice win. At least for one day, all those people who said the Yankees are only winning because they aren't playing anybody can shut up. We all know that's just a front to mask their fear anyway. Not just in Boston, either. They're wondering in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Detroit, and Seattle what's going to happen if someone doesn't slow down the Yankees. Two months ago, it was almost guaranteed that Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, and Los Angeles would make the playoffs. At least one of those teams isn't going. A few weeks ago, Boston fans felt confident that the Sox would easily win the division, but begrudgingly admitted that Yankees would win the wildcard. Now? The Yankees keep winning. They're only 5 games back. Boston is 16-12 (.571) since the break, while the Yankees are 21-8 (.724). They have 8 games coming up against Detroit that will take away all hope the Tigers had of making the playoffs. The 3-game series at Fenway Sept. 14-16 will be the final nail in the Red Sox' coffin, relegating them to no better than second place for a tenth year in a row.

On July 25 the Red Sox were 61-40, and the Yankees were 54-46. I said that day, for at least the third time, the Yankees would finish 96-66 and the Sox 95-67. That would have meant a 34-27 (.557) finish for the Sox and a 45-20 (.692) finish for the Yankees. I was scoffed at. Since then: Boston 8-6 (.571), New York 9-4 (.692).



I just wanted people to know how smart I am.

I'm moving to Arizona

A hot day once in awhile is okay; I can deal with it. This week, however, has been a bit ridiculous. In fact, I firmly believe I died a little on Thursday. Those of you who live here in Hampton Roads know that it's not just the heat that gets you, but the oppressive humidity. I left work at 11:30 Wednesday night, and when I walked outside after spending 7 hours in an air-conditioned building, it was hard to breathe. You know it's hot when you can see it. So far the lovely week has gone like this:

Monday: Relatively cool at 102. I think the humidity was 1042%
Tuesday: A little warmer: 103
Wednesday: Still climbing to 105; humidity 67487569%
Thursday: 107, and I'm not even sure you could still call it humidity, since really it was like walking throught pure water. The sky started to cry at one point.
Friday: Relief! In a way, at least. It's a brisk 101 today, but as I type this, severe thunderstorms carrying 70+ mph winds are pummeling the area. It's dark as night at 3:30 in the afternoon. I don't what's going to be worse, having to repair the roof after tonight, or having to mow the damn lawn again already.


Speaking of weather, it's been a pretty crazy first half of 2007. Not much has been going on here in Va Beach, or further south, although forecasters are predicting an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. The rest of the world, however, has gone nuts. As if tornados in Brooklyn and flooded subways weren't enough, the World Meteorological Organization said global land surface temperatures in January and April were likely the warmest since records began in 1880, at about 3 degrees Fahrenheit higher than average for those months. Three degrees doesn't sound significant, but it took 5 consecutive days over 100 degrees (after 2 months in the nineties) to raise the temperature of 10000 gallons of water in my backyard three degrees.

Southern Asia is experiencing the worst flooding on record, and the Arabian sea had it's first-ever documented cyclone. Meanwhile, England had the wettest May-July since they began keeping track in 1766, while Germany experienced the driest summer on record. In June, South Africa received it's first significant snowfall in more than 25 years, while it snowed in Buenos Aires in July for the first time since 1918. January and April were southern Europe's hottest months in recorded history. Too many different countries are experiencing their worst, most, hottest, wettest weather events in recorded history at the same time.

I saw The Day After Tomorrow. I know what's going on here. I'm going to buy some batteries. ;)

I'd rather be doing calculus

Waiting tables again is great. You get to see many different kinds of people, and it really makes you wonder. For instance, is it really that important to sit outside on the patio? You're about to drop 80 bucks ($96 with tip!!) for you and your girl to have a nice dinner and some cheesecake, so it makes perfect sense to share it with flies. In addition, our patio is right on the street at the Town Center in Virginia Beach. Central Park Avenue happens to be the only street people use at the Town Center. I'm sure Chicken Madeira tastes great mixed with exhaust fumes.

Oh, and then you have the glorious combination of sun and wind. Around 10 or so in the morning, the sun starts to creep up above the roughly 26-story Armada Hoffler building and shines right down on the patio, which has a glass "roof". I feel like an ant under a magnifying glass. During a tornado. The wind is insane. Most of the buildings are at least 5 stories, creating this nice windtunnel, so a light breeze in Virginia Beach translates to gale force wind on Central Park Avenue. Particularly windy days blow rolled silverware and salt-and-pepper shakers off the tables and onto the street.

People just love to sit outside, and I just love working outside. It seems that people who know they're bad tippers like to sit outside. It's cool though, that's why we have a patio, I guess. Just don't ask for any grated cheese on your pasta, because it's all going into your lap when the wind picks up.

You think cell phones are dangerous.

Now, I'm not going to say I'm the world's most attentive driver. I often drive when I'm much too tired to do so, but generally speaking, I know what's going on around me. I don't follow too closely (anymore) and I make sure I always have a way out when possible by not driving directly next to someone. I check my mirrors and I look at the cars around me. You see people some intersting things. People talking on the phone, putting on make-up, the usual. Some people even eat or send text-messages while driving. Today I saw a woman reading while driving. She was not glancing at some notes or a newspaper at lights. She had paperback novel open on the steering wheel, and she did not put it down while she was driving. This bitch was reading and glancing at the road while she was driving. It wouldn't have surprised me to find out there was a child in the back. I don't understand people.

Well, I've clearly received overwhelmingly support for my new reading list. The suggestions I did get were good ones, though. The first came from Kristin (thank you), and it was a book I was thinking about anyway, so the first book on my list will be The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I expect it to be a good, educational read. I'll let you know.

Yes, I can read

I'm compiling a reading list. I read a ton, but I read a lot of the same sort of stuff. I'm trying to branch out and try different things; broaden my horizons if you will. I could use some suggestions. Leave me a comment with some suggestions: your personal favorites, must-reads, etc. I'll read anything; fiction of any kind, non-fiction, literature new and old; it doesn't matter. I'm doing a little research to start my list, but anything you suggest is greatly appreciated. I read about a book a week, even when I'm in school, so the list can't get too big. Thanks!

Oh, and the cough went away. I didn't kill myself.

If this cough doesn't go away

I'm going to fucking kill myself.