This should be fun

I am not a sit on the shore, bait a hook, cast a line, and wait fisherman. My daughter wants to go fishing, so we are going to give this a try.

Now I know how to fish, I have spent time out on the open water fishing for blues, stripes, flounder, and tuna. I have even caught a small shark. I have spent hours pulling lobster pots and resetting the traps for another haul. I have even dug for clams (literally back aching work, will never complain about the price of clams again). I have tried fly fishing, very zen and you are almost mad when your rhythm is broken because you have one on the line. I will admit that I have never tried nor had interest in bass fishing, maybe it is because I don't like Budweiser or OMB.

So this adventure of sitting on the banks and tossing a line will be interesting. I am looking forward to the time with my daughter, and I am sure we will catch something (mostly bug bites- maybe a cigar will combat that), and she will of course want to dissect it (love her for that).

My oldest went through this stage, caught his first trout around 5 or 6, learned to clean it and cook it in a pan and eat it. When it was all over, he announced that fish should be bought in a store, and has shown little interest since in hooking a fish.

Maybe I will bring the camera and get a few fun photo ops and post later....or maybe not.

Always in a rut...

We try to be flexible, go with the flow, not get bogged down in our ways, and try different things and to be spontaneous. But human nature does not allow this, we are creatures of habit. We like things a certain way, we continuously return to the familiar, and fall into patterns or routines. And really, does anyone really like their routine or comfort zone messed with?

I am a prime example of this. I think that I am as adventurous as most, may be more may be less. I try and keep an open mind about anything and every thing, and stay loose with whatever life throws my way. But at the same time I always find myself in the same rut. Repeating the same positives and negatives.

Whether it is the clothes we wear, the food we buy, the places we go, it becomes humdrum in our lives. An example, at one of the places I work, we like to have an unwritten theme in our Friday nights be it; casual, Guayeberas, sport coats, tie/no tie, bow ties, hats, whatever...something to keep it fun and mostly to entertain ourselves. But even this has become mundane, we have fallen into a pattern or monotony of wearing "dress" jeans (whatever they may be), a button up shirt, and a sport coat. The funny thing is when we discuss and plan this, we also lead with, "lets change it up, how about...sport coat and jeans" always coming back to the same, even though we think we are mixing it up.

So while we are trying to be fun and trying to "mix it up", we end up with the same (SSDD). So maybe we are not as adventurous as we think we are, may be we like what we like and stay on the path, failing to stray and try new things.

So maybe a flashy pocket silk to liven things up....(baby steps I guess).

Education Done Right

I have been filling in at my daughter's STEM school, and let me say the school is doing it right. They are trying hard to follow Common Core (still have room for growth and improvement), they manage their students right with discipline, and they acknowledge those that excel.

Recently the entire school (yes, all 300 students) were required to participate in the Invention Convention program. That means 300 different inventions, and only a few chosen ones would go on to the state wide convention. 10% of the students were moved on to the state level. Did the other 270 students that did not make the state competition receive a trophy or ribbon for trying, for showing up? No, they did not. Keep in mind that these students are in kindergarten, first, second, fifth and sixth grade currently (yes, those "evil" teachers made little 5 year olds come up with an invention of their own, develop it, and present them). Were the students heart broken, shattered beyond repair, ruined for society because they did not win? Nope, they are looking forward to coming back next year and trying again with even better ideas. Who knew that kids these days can try and 'fail' and survive? I understand that a lot of teachers, parents, and public think and assume it will...

I have also spend a couple of days in the kindergarten classes, where the students are being held once again the CCSS, and guess what...they are thriving and even appear happy with what they are doing. The kids in kindergarten are enjoying the advanced math and reading classes, while still getting a lot of social interaction and play time. I had one bright student explain to me that all snowflakes are in a hexagon shape, "that is six sided" -he even clarified it for me. I am willing to bet that most adults do not know that. I am pretty sure that he is going to be more then ready to handle one of those critical thinking questions on the SBAC test in a couple of years.

So I close with what is causing this type of success, it is teachers willing to follow a mandate and taking the time and being open to what is happening in education, then implementing and following through with those ideas. Secondly, it is parents that understand what is needed and want what is best for the children, and let the educators do what is right for their kids. Lastly, it is students being taught that they have to go out get what they want, and that they must meet expectations, and it may take a few tries to achieve what they want. Once again, who knew....

Face Palm....

I see others spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and/or just poor writing, yet I miss my own. So I have to let others miscues go uncorrected, as I do not want to receive that same criticism. Frustrating as it may be, it is embarrassing to have your own faults pointed out to you. We all like to think that we know what we are doing and the purpose that it was intended for is right.

It may be that we know what we wanted to write and no matter how many times we reread it, our brains correct or add what is needed to make it work. I know that is how to works for me. Also the english language is stupid, and a majority of the rules were made up by people that had nothing better to do (IMHO) and did not have the skills to do anything else (AMHO).

So with that I will get off the soapbox before I write myself into a corner....

Uhhh...ok...damnit.

So I had a great piece about getting older, but I forgot most of what I wanted to write. At the time it was well planned out and the words were flowing, but I was not near my computer, so it was not recorded as it came. So now that I have the time and I am near the computer, I can't remember a single thing. I guess that is the perils of getting older.

The body started to feel it a couple of years ago, getting up all achy, having to get up earlier just to go to the bathroom, slower reaction times. Although other parts are showing no age, the lack of grey hair and no sign of losing any hair (I wish it would fall out, it would be so much easier-then I would not care if it turned grey, which by the way is not a care). There is a little starting to peak out in the facial hair, but we just call that blond.

It is the short term memory that has me, and it is selective. I can remember insignificant details from yesterday like what I had to eat, what I wore, even how many times I went to the bathroom (which is more and more due to my age), but I can not remember something I wanted to blog about. Why?

Why keep the mundane, but not the stuff that may be needed or that I wanted? Even as I sit here and mindlessly babble about trying to remember what it was I wanted to write, I am getting no spark of what it was. May be I need to start using those websites like Luminosity (take my money please), but I try and do some daily thinking games like a crossword and/or sudoku. I avoid watching Fox News, Honey Boo Boo, and Duck Dynasty (a number of quick ways to lower your IQ. Every once and awhile I will watch a couple episodes of 'Fast-n-Loud').

I also read, and not that mindless fluff stuff. I like to go through technical manuals, books on history, economics, and science. May be it is the sports? I do like to have the game on, or spend time scrolling through the various sports scores and highlights on-line. I also spend quality time with my kids (mostly the younger one right now) and that keeps me young (and tired), so I think I am doing it right. So why can't I remember what I wanted to blog about, why has it escaped me?

It kinda feels like the Bermuda Triangle, some things just get lost in there never to be seen or heard again...