In honor of National Chocolate Day, I'm making Ghirardelli Brownies.
(Meritt, we can find something else for you.)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Mad Men
Tonight, in class, I gave a short lecture/introduction on Corporate Culture. I related this back to organizational culture.
I've never found a great way to have the students apply the terminology to the topic - until this summer. I was at my mom's house hanging out with her after I put the girls to bed. She was watching something on "On Demand." It turns out it was the first episode of "Mad Men," a show on AMC. It was perfect. A 1960's Madison Avenue Advertising agency. Talk about a great corporate culture. Everything was shown - some of it in ways that don't exist in today's corporate environment.
Originally, I was going to turn the show off early and let us talk about it tonight, but I knew there were really good things to come that would make the discussion better.
Unfortunately, I'm a class period behind and we are watching this on Thurs and we don't meet again until Tuesday.
The best part is that one of the students asked me about when the show is on regularly.
It looks like my lesson plan for next week will have to shift some as I need to find a good way to use the assignment they turned in to me and they need HELP.
Tomorrow, we have to go back in to have Sydney's arm reset. The bones shifted and we can't leave them the way they are. I feel so bad for the kid. I also need to finish sewing Sarah's Halloween costume and get ready for the scrap-booking overnight. I may finish part of the skirt tonight, and the rest tomorrow afternoon. I'm just so very tired. I may just go home, go to bed, and get up early tomorrow.
I've never found a great way to have the students apply the terminology to the topic - until this summer. I was at my mom's house hanging out with her after I put the girls to bed. She was watching something on "On Demand." It turns out it was the first episode of "Mad Men," a show on AMC. It was perfect. A 1960's Madison Avenue Advertising agency. Talk about a great corporate culture. Everything was shown - some of it in ways that don't exist in today's corporate environment.
Originally, I was going to turn the show off early and let us talk about it tonight, but I knew there were really good things to come that would make the discussion better.
Unfortunately, I'm a class period behind and we are watching this on Thurs and we don't meet again until Tuesday.
The best part is that one of the students asked me about when the show is on regularly.
It looks like my lesson plan for next week will have to shift some as I need to find a good way to use the assignment they turned in to me and they need HELP.
Tomorrow, we have to go back in to have Sydney's arm reset. The bones shifted and we can't leave them the way they are. I feel so bad for the kid. I also need to finish sewing Sarah's Halloween costume and get ready for the scrap-booking overnight. I may finish part of the skirt tonight, and the rest tomorrow afternoon. I'm just so very tired. I may just go home, go to bed, and get up early tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Weekend projects
Sarah and I have been working on sewing her Halloween costume. This is what we have accomplished so far. Originally we planned to enter it in the fair, but I'm thinking she might do better perfecting her ability to sew before we enter something. This also took some of the pressure off of us because I did sew in the zipper (something I'd never done before). Sarah was ready to stop for the night after the zipper, but I talked her into 4 more seams - which allowed her to sew the shoulders and arms. She reluctantly agreed, but was so thrilled when she was able to try on the costume! We just need to finish the neckline, arms, and bottom hem.
I realized that I had a high school letter in my basement. The colors work nicely. I'd rather had borrowed one of my sister JV letters as they are a little smaller and would have looked better, but it will still work. She really likes the idea.
I still need to sew the skirt before I leave Friday (I'm going to a scrap booking overnight), but she gave me permission to just sew the skirt without her. She did sew a lot of the trim herself!
When I finally finished sewing for the day, it was on to project number two. Sydney's teacher gave her a piece of paper, some orange paint, a black marker, and a paint brush so she could work on the project she would miss on Friday when she was having her second cast put on.
She made her pumpkin all by herself. She included the 'bump' at the bottom (the little dip) all by herself. She also proudly painted her drawn pumpkin 'kindergarten style - keeping in the lines.' After it dried, she painted on the face.
I'm so proud of both the girls!
I realized that I had a high school letter in my basement. The colors work nicely. I'd rather had borrowed one of my sister JV letters as they are a little smaller and would have looked better, but it will still work. She really likes the idea.
I still need to sew the skirt before I leave Friday (I'm going to a scrap booking overnight), but she gave me permission to just sew the skirt without her. She did sew a lot of the trim herself!
When I finally finished sewing for the day, it was on to project number two. Sydney's teacher gave her a piece of paper, some orange paint, a black marker, and a paint brush so she could work on the project she would miss on Friday when she was having her second cast put on.
She made her pumpkin all by herself. She included the 'bump' at the bottom (the little dip) all by herself. She also proudly painted her drawn pumpkin 'kindergarten style - keeping in the lines.' After it dried, she painted on the face.
I'm so proud of both the girls!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Sydney update - edited
Sydney is getting along ok. We are working on figuring out the eating thing, the bathroom thing, and the sleeping thing.
I've bought some clothes that zip up the front so we can easily get them on her. I just need to work on cutting the sleeves off so we can get them on her.
I'm going to call the OT on Monday to see if I can figure out some adaptive silverware that we can use for meals. If anyone has suggestions - I'm open to them.
Thanks for all the thoughts. I'm still feeling a bit guilty that I didn't say "maybe we should x-ray both" originally. I thought it several times but never said anything.
She's occasionally going through the "I hate my casts" thing, but generally pretty well natured.
ETA: Sydney is pictured with her new Tinkerbell slippers. I told her the night before her second arm was cast that I was going to get her new slippers. She was going to have her IV in her foot and I didn't think she'd want shoes. I asked if she remembered the once she saw at the store. She told me they were blue, fuzzy, had no back, and Tinkerbell on them.
I looked at Walmart first and found slippers just as she described except with this bunny character on them and in adult sizes. So, I went to try the other store in town. I spent the drive praying that the slippers were there and more importantly that the store was still open as I couldn't remember if it was open until 9:00 or 10:00. I almost broke into tears when I found the slippers that were almost perfect at the store (that was still open) and I bought them. She admitted they weren't exactly what she saw, but loved them anyway.
By goodness if she was going through this twice, she was going to have something to make herself feel good.
I've bought some clothes that zip up the front so we can easily get them on her. I just need to work on cutting the sleeves off so we can get them on her.
I'm going to call the OT on Monday to see if I can figure out some adaptive silverware that we can use for meals. If anyone has suggestions - I'm open to them.
Thanks for all the thoughts. I'm still feeling a bit guilty that I didn't say "maybe we should x-ray both" originally. I thought it several times but never said anything.
She's occasionally going through the "I hate my casts" thing, but generally pretty well natured.
ETA: Sydney is pictured with her new Tinkerbell slippers. I told her the night before her second arm was cast that I was going to get her new slippers. She was going to have her IV in her foot and I didn't think she'd want shoes. I asked if she remembered the once she saw at the store. She told me they were blue, fuzzy, had no back, and Tinkerbell on them.
I looked at Walmart first and found slippers just as she described except with this bunny character on them and in adult sizes. So, I went to try the other store in town. I spent the drive praying that the slippers were there and more importantly that the store was still open as I couldn't remember if it was open until 9:00 or 10:00. I almost broke into tears when I found the slippers that were almost perfect at the store (that was still open) and I bought them. She admitted they weren't exactly what she saw, but loved them anyway.
By goodness if she was going through this twice, she was going to have something to make herself feel good.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
next verse same as the first
Today we took Sydney in for her one week followup after her broken arm last Thurs. Last night, it became VERY obvious that she needed her right arm xrayed as well as checking her left to see how it was healing.
OK, Doc comes back in after the xray, comments about how with it being broken it should have REALLY hurt, not just hurt a little. Merit, I thought of your kids with this one. In fact, in the back of my mind I was thinking - humm, Merit said that if her kids are complaining that it still hurts after a week it's probably broke.
Tomorrow we go back to the hospital to set and cast the right arm.
He's hoping that he will be able to put a fiberglass (note pink) cast from the elbow down rather than the full arm immobilized one on the left arm.
I think he felt bad that he missed it last week (he glanced at the arm but it didn't appear broken.
DH walked up to me tonight and told me that he would tell me that I wasn't a bad mom for not noticing this if I would tell him that he wasn't a bad dad. He also told me that when I mentioned last night that I thought it was broken (Sydney fell on it last night), that he suspected then it was broken but didn't see any reason to take her into the ER last night when we were seeing the ortho today.
He did splint it so it wouldn't further displace before tomorrow's surgery.
I am so not looking forward to trying to find a way to manage a child with two casts. Dr. Danielle - any advice from your end of the hospital?
I also told DH (and he agreed) that I will re-arrange my work hours so Sydney and I are home in the morning and she will only go in for kindergarten, not daycare. This way she won't exhaust herself at school. She is going to be super bored without her friends.
I'm off to walmart to buy some button down shirts and leggins and some new slippers (her others are getting small) for the hospital tomorrow. The doc already was looking at her foot to put the IV in tomorrow morning. I'm going to bet she's like slippers better than shoes tomorrow. I wonder if I can find jammies that will also work with two casts.
Poor thing just cried when I told her that she was going to need not only one cast but two. She was already tired of the first one.
OK, Doc comes back in after the xray, comments about how with it being broken it should have REALLY hurt, not just hurt a little. Merit, I thought of your kids with this one. In fact, in the back of my mind I was thinking - humm, Merit said that if her kids are complaining that it still hurts after a week it's probably broke.
Tomorrow we go back to the hospital to set and cast the right arm.
He's hoping that he will be able to put a fiberglass (note pink) cast from the elbow down rather than the full arm immobilized one on the left arm.
I think he felt bad that he missed it last week (he glanced at the arm but it didn't appear broken.
DH walked up to me tonight and told me that he would tell me that I wasn't a bad mom for not noticing this if I would tell him that he wasn't a bad dad. He also told me that when I mentioned last night that I thought it was broken (Sydney fell on it last night), that he suspected then it was broken but didn't see any reason to take her into the ER last night when we were seeing the ortho today.
He did splint it so it wouldn't further displace before tomorrow's surgery.
I am so not looking forward to trying to find a way to manage a child with two casts. Dr. Danielle - any advice from your end of the hospital?
I also told DH (and he agreed) that I will re-arrange my work hours so Sydney and I are home in the morning and she will only go in for kindergarten, not daycare. This way she won't exhaust herself at school. She is going to be super bored without her friends.
I'm off to walmart to buy some button down shirts and leggins and some new slippers (her others are getting small) for the hospital tomorrow. The doc already was looking at her foot to put the IV in tomorrow morning. I'm going to bet she's like slippers better than shoes tomorrow. I wonder if I can find jammies that will also work with two casts.
Poor thing just cried when I told her that she was going to need not only one cast but two. She was already tired of the first one.
Friday, October 10, 2008
UGH. Sydney fell off the monkey bars yesterday and broke her arm. She broke both of the bones in her left wrist. She fell at around noon. It took me about an hour to get to pick her up but I had to turn over something I was working on, go find DH who was at lunch to tell him what was going on, and run home to get some books to read to Sydney and her puppy. Her tolerance for pain is incredibly high, I discovered. She didn't really hurt, but her body was obviously in pain as pale as she was.
You know there is no question about a break when the ER doc walks in, picks up the ice pack, looks at her arm, and walks out. They took her for x-rays and then the surgeon came in. We had to wait until 6:00 to cast it because they were putting her under to set it and had to wait until 6 hours after lunch.
She's been a real trooper. She's in a full arm plaster cast.
Poor little thing!
You know there is no question about a break when the ER doc walks in, picks up the ice pack, looks at her arm, and walks out. They took her for x-rays and then the surgeon came in. We had to wait until 6:00 to cast it because they were putting her under to set it and had to wait until 6 hours after lunch.
She's been a real trooper. She's in a full arm plaster cast.
Poor little thing!
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Last night, while I was struggling grading papers for students who didn't follow directions, I had two 10 week old kitties sleeping on my lap. It did make grading more pleasant.
On a more fun note, I stopped by the career fair at school yesterday. I knew that Harley Davidson had a booth at the fair. My first semester, I managed to connect with a person who agreed to do a phone interview with my students. We read the book More than a Motorcycle, about the leadership change at Harley. So, I walked over to the Harley booth and chatted for a minute with the first person I saw. She didn't know anything about the book but suggested I wait and talk to Kevin. When Kevin was done, I walked over to introduce myself. I told him my name and that I taught a freshman class where we discuss the book about Harley. Before I could continue he said "I know." I was shocked. I turns out his daughter started here this fall and his wife noticed that I discussed the book. It turns out he had recently read the book as part of an executive program.
While my first choice was to have someone who was at Harley during the change, I think this guy will do wonders. He has worked at Cummings, GM, and Harley. At Harley he worked at both the Kansas City plant and the Milwaukee plant. They have very different corporate cultures. I think we can have a great conversation comparing the cultures of different organizations. I'm so thrilled.
I need to get back to working on the budget for our proposal.
On a more fun note, I stopped by the career fair at school yesterday. I knew that Harley Davidson had a booth at the fair. My first semester, I managed to connect with a person who agreed to do a phone interview with my students. We read the book More than a Motorcycle, about the leadership change at Harley. So, I walked over to the Harley booth and chatted for a minute with the first person I saw. She didn't know anything about the book but suggested I wait and talk to Kevin. When Kevin was done, I walked over to introduce myself. I told him my name and that I taught a freshman class where we discuss the book about Harley. Before I could continue he said "I know." I was shocked. I turns out his daughter started here this fall and his wife noticed that I discussed the book. It turns out he had recently read the book as part of an executive program.
While my first choice was to have someone who was at Harley during the change, I think this guy will do wonders. He has worked at Cummings, GM, and Harley. At Harley he worked at both the Kansas City plant and the Milwaukee plant. They have very different corporate cultures. I think we can have a great conversation comparing the cultures of different organizations. I'm so thrilled.
I need to get back to working on the budget for our proposal.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Not politically correct
I realize this isn't politically correct, and I do end up hanging around with many political conservatives, but this really was how I saw the VP debates. So, if you are so inclined, enjoy. If not, keep moving, nothing to see here!
Here is the link in case it's hard to read the picture:
Palin Debate Flowchart
Here is the link in case it's hard to read the picture:
Palin Debate Flowchart
Sunday, October 05, 2008
The kitties
We got two kitties yesterday. They are sisters. Sarah named hers 'Spots' and Sydney hers 'Princess Sparkles.' But, based on how quickly her kitty runs, she's thinking of renaming her 'Princess Speedy.'
We are having a tough time reigning the kids in so they let their kitties have some space. Sydney's kitty (the little grey one) is the runt of the litter and at one point the rescue organization wasn't sure she was going to live. She is one fast kitty!
They spent a bit of time hiding in and under furniture yesterday, but by last night they were really starting to get comfortable with the house.
In fact, last night they found their way into the bookcase with the legos.
They are so very curious and alot of fun.
We are having a tough time reigning the kids in so they let their kitties have some space. Sydney's kitty (the little grey one) is the runt of the litter and at one point the rescue organization wasn't sure she was going to live. She is one fast kitty!
They spent a bit of time hiding in and under furniture yesterday, but by last night they were really starting to get comfortable with the house.
In fact, last night they found their way into the bookcase with the legos.
They are so very curious and alot of fun.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Lots to say. . .
I'll have to write more later because I need to tell you all about our new kitties.
BUT,
First.
I have to tell you
that on the last game of the season,
that after playing soccer for 5 years,
Sarah scored her first goal ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I even managed a picture of it (yes Melanie, I'll send it to you after it is developed.)
Then, her coach, know hard she has worked for this, had the team carry her off the field. I missed that picture.
I'm so, so very proud of her.
BUT,
First.
I have to tell you
that on the last game of the season,
that after playing soccer for 5 years,
Sarah scored her first goal ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I even managed a picture of it (yes Melanie, I'll send it to you after it is developed.)
Then, her coach, know hard she has worked for this, had the team carry her off the field. I missed that picture.
I'm so, so very proud of her.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Class discussion
Tonight in class, we were discussing the movie "An American President."
One of the questions we debated was if the President of the United States has a expectation that his or her private life are not the business of the American people.
In the movie, the approval rating of the president was dropping as he started dating a woman who he had a sexual relationship but wasn't married to.
Should we have to know everything about a president? Is there an expectation that all aspects of a president's life would affect his or her ability to run the country. Does the president have a responsibility to disclose all aspects of their life to the American public?
What do you think?
I'm sorry, does anyone really believe that governmental reforms are coming?
Can anyone tell me what the conflict is in Afghanistan? I really don't understand what the goal is. In Iraq I know that the 'war' (and I put that in quotes because our military action hasn't been acted on by congress except for them to give away the checks and balances outlined in the constitution) will end when the Iraqi government can rule by themselves. But what is the goal in Afghanistan? Why are we there?
One of the questions we debated was if the President of the United States has a expectation that his or her private life are not the business of the American people.
In the movie, the approval rating of the president was dropping as he started dating a woman who he had a sexual relationship but wasn't married to.
Should we have to know everything about a president? Is there an expectation that all aspects of a president's life would affect his or her ability to run the country. Does the president have a responsibility to disclose all aspects of their life to the American public?
What do you think?
I'm sorry, does anyone really believe that governmental reforms are coming?
Can anyone tell me what the conflict is in Afghanistan? I really don't understand what the goal is. In Iraq I know that the 'war' (and I put that in quotes because our military action hasn't been acted on by congress except for them to give away the checks and balances outlined in the constitution) will end when the Iraqi government can rule by themselves. But what is the goal in Afghanistan? Why are we there?
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Color me shocked!
My chili came in second place at the office chili cookoff. I decided to make a pot of chili last night. Threw in ingredients, modified the flavors today, and got second place.
No prize, no recognition - but personal pride that I held my own.
No prize, no recognition - but personal pride that I held my own.
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