Educational Gaps

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Oh, dear. When Johnny Cash was mentioned on TV this afternoon, Ysabela asked who he was. I was in shock. Obviously, there are some gaps in her musical education! I checked the guide channel, and lo, and behold, there was paid programming about old country music. She got to see a young Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette. We sat there for half an hour listening to the music, laughing at some of the costumes and singing along with songs I recognized. I was ready to switch channels, but Ysabela was having none of that! We sat through another half an hour of old rock and roll. She was thrilled to see Elvis and hear Ritchie Valens, Fats Domino and Little Richard. The next thirty minutes were filled with the golden oldies from the fifties…..I reminded her that some of those songs were used in Grease and Dirty Dancin’. The blank look on her face convinced me that we need to see those two movies. Soon.

I have abandoned my seat at the desk in front of the TV because I am not into folk music at all. John Denver turns my stomach, and Peter, Paul and Mary make me want to vomit. Ysabela has firm control of the remote. I have to find a way to take control of the television again! Enough is enough! Now to find those movies….

Bela guarding the remote!

Bela guarding the remote!

The Chicken Chick

Manipulation

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Don’t you love the way television manipulates us? I mean, think about it. There’s Honey Boo Boo (God help us!), Jersey Shore and now Big Smo. I don’t know any of the characters personally, but I do know they wouldn’t have been a blip on my radar before I saw them on television. I think the producers search for the most ridiculous people possible to use in a show. After they have all the publicity (good or bad), the unsuspecting public is duped into watching to see what stupid things will happen next. In the process, the ratings go through the roof and the characters become stars. The people on these “reality” shows aren’t really as stupid as they are portrayed—I hope. These people surely laugh all the way to the bank. The joke’s on the television audience.

Once in a while, someone will be a real “find.” Maybe once in a blue moon, a talented person will get a real break and become famous. Look at the rest, though.

Junk to Treasure

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Ysabela and I were channel surfing last night and stumbled upon Junk Gypsies. Apparently, business is good for those girls. Turning trash into treasure can be a rewarding experience for those with vision, talent and creativity. In my case, time and tools for crafting would play a pivotal role! These Junk Gypsy girls have a workshop that any redneck Santa would envy. Their parents are also on standby to help with projects. I really enjoyed watching old things become upcycled treasures. I guess our favorite project from the show was the pinball machine table top. The girls found a pinball machine top, covered it with plexiglass and added legs for a super sewing table!

Ysabela is now thinking of projects we can do. To defend myself, I started following Amie and Jolie on Pinterest. You never know what picture will spark a creative fire at our place. We have several ideas for projects, but we have to gather supplies and hoard some time to create. 🙂 She has already made a shelf and a set of clothes line poles in shop class. I can’t wait to hang my wash on the line!

We found a chandelier at a yard sale for $1. It can be upcycled into a terrarium. I also bought some shelves and tables for $1 each at another yard sale. Those can be refinished if we feel like it. This year, Bela and I will be on the look out for pallets. I plan to revisit my own 4H Pinterest board to remind myself what I wanted to get done! It’s shaping up to be a busy summer.

http://gypsyville.com/

Tired!

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Do you ever get to the point where you are tired of everything? I am there now. I’m thinking of possible solutions as I go. I am tired of eating the same food. I’ve got my eye on a couple of new recipes we might try soon. That will add some variety.

I’m tired of working all the time. That one is a bit trickier to fix. I love my jobs, though. The main problem is I’m tired of being tired when I go to work. To fix that, I need to put myself on a strict schedule. I know I’ll have to force myself to go to bed early enough! I’m not up all night, but it’s so easy to get distracted and stay up later than planned.

OK, done with whining…maybe I’ll take a nap!?

GRRRRR!

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A Facebook friend posted something about not running over turtles in the road. It’s a sad commentary about society that posts like that are actually needed. I always try to avoid hitting anything when driving, and I can’t believe anyone would willingly hurt another creature. I shouldn’t be surprised, though. I watch the news, and I have been involved in animal rescue, so I have seen some ugly things. Those things make me sick.

Scientific studies have shown that animal cruelty is linked to violence against people. If someone abuses a defenseless animal, odds are good that a helpless human could be next, especially if the perpetrator gets away with it the first time.

I always tell my students, “Anyone who hurts an animal is no friend of mine.” I mean that, and I don’t care who it is. I will not tolerate animal cruelty. I will stand up for the weak, animal or human.

http://aldf.org/resources/when-your-companion-animal-has-been-harmed/no-boundaries-for-abusers-the-link-between-cruelty-to-animals-and-violence-toward-humans/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathy-kangas/animal-cruelty-and-human-_b_2507551.html

Waiting for the Storm

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Nebraska has been experiencing some wild weather today. The weather channel had my attention for quite a while.

My friend called me before the storm hit our town. She was getting ready as we chatted. I didn’t do much in the way of preparation. I managed to fill the bathtub with a bit of water, but that was all. I couldn’t help watching the sky. I thought about going out storm chasing, but once the rain hit, I decided to stay in with my pets.

The first “wave” of thunderstorms has come and gone. We had thunder, lightning, hard rain, high winds and some hail. Tornadoes have hit in some places. There may be more severe storms tonight. I’ll be watching the skies….

Groceries

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I learned long ago never to apologize for spending money for groceries, even if I had to spend some of the bill money to do it. After all, we have to eat, don’t we? Checking prices in the store today made me feel like someone should be apologizing to shoppers! A large pack of shredded cheese was $19! Did I buy it? That would be a HECK NO! Meat prices were also outrageous.

In spite of the crazy prices, I ended up getting some supplies—it looked like more household things than human food, though. I had coupons in my pocket, but I forgot to use them. I discovered it after I got to the car and loaded my groceries. I trudged back in on aching feet to find a manager. I wondered if it was worth it. (I had worked all morning.) With my $6.50 securely clutched in my hand, I decided it had been worth the effort. That money was spent at the discount bakery a few blocks away. 🙂

The bottom line is that I will be doing more cooking. I didn’t buy much junk food either. Now if I can just start planning meals!

Rodeo Day!

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For some reason, I woke up before the 6:30 alarm went off. I spent a few minutes taking dogs out, feeding cats and reading a chapter over a cup of coffee. I had been anticipating rodeo day, so maybe that’s why I was earlier than the clock.

Since I was at the fair grounds by 7:40, I had time to observe some of the preparations. There were a lot of riders in the arenas warming up. One big space had been divided in half to be able to have two events going on at once. Goats, horses and steers were unloaded and penned for the events. I had time to roam around and snap some pictures. There were plenty of beautiful horses on the premises, that’s for sure.

Sometime after 8, someone in the crow’s nest started the country music blaring. I could almost feel a subtle change in the atmosphere as the riders (and horses) made the mental shift from warming up to competing. The power of music is amazing.

Crow's nest

Crow’s nest

I was all set to work one of the gates for goat tying. Things started close to on time at 8:30. Girls were making good time on their runs—some of them at least. If I tried to dismount while the horse was still running, I’d end up flat on my face. Kudos to these talented, determined kids!

Storm brewing!

Storm brewing!

Rain was starting to fall, but the show went on for a bit. As soon as the lightning started getting serious, the announcer told us all to take cover. I didn’t need to hear it twice; people scattered and put their horses in the trailers to wait out the storm. Many were ready for rain—yellow-clad people were all over the place! Even saddled horses had rain slickers on because, as my friend Laura said, “Nobody wants a wet bum!” After about an hour, the rodeo events started again. The goat tying event had 37 girls lined up to compete, but it went by quickly. My gate time was up before I knew it.

Rain slickers were everywhere!

Rain slickers were everywhere!

The Chicken Chick

Now What?

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I am already thinking about what I’ll do after this last grad class ends in June. The degree will certainly open more doors professionally like teaching dual credit classes, but my real question is: what will I study next?

I get bored quickly, and I’m not afraid to try new things, so I’ve been taking a mental inventory of my interests other than Spanish. Fortunately, I love to read, so that will serve me well in any endeavor. I spent some time browsing the MOOC database, and I found all kinds of options. The courses are free. The down side is that no credit is given. That really isn’t my major concern. I want to learn new things about a variety of topics, and I want to learn from experts. So far, I haven’t zeroed in on a class, but I’m sure I’ll find something to hold my interest. History? Forensics? Arabic? French?

Life after grad school can feel like a bit of a let down. The last two years have been filled with homework, reading and pressure. I imagine I will breathe a sigh of relief at the end of the course, but I’m not sure I’ll know what to do without a text book in my hands. I’m on my way to figuring it out! Life is a journey!

https://www.class-central.com/