Boo!
October 31, 2005
October 28, 2005
On Joy and Sorrow
Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."
And he answered:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.
--Kahlil Gibran, from The Prophet.
And he answered:
Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.
--Kahlil Gibran, from The Prophet.
October 26, 2005
Tonight's date night
It's getting cold a bit too early, but Frankie and I are still off for our weekly dinner date to Wendy's. But, Big Park (Whetstone) - we'll see? May have to go to the library instead. Tonight's first poetry reading during dinner will be from Shel, one of Frankie's first and favorite poets.
"Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too"
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Went for a ride in a flying shoe,
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle was captain, Pickle was crew,
And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
knows what's
happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
--Shel Silverstein
"Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too"
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Went for a ride in a flying shoe,
"Hooray!"
"What fun!"
"It's time we flew!"
Said Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle was captain, Pickle was crew,
And Tickle served coffee and mulligan stew
As higher
And higher
And higher they flew,
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too,
Over the sun and beyond the blue.
"Hold on!"
"Stay in!"
"I hope we do!"
Cried Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too
Never returned to the world they knew,
And nobody
knows what's
happened to
Dear Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me too.
--Shel Silverstein
October 21, 2005
But it goes to eleven
... or Columbus Public Schools - part II.
Some time ago, I inquired about substitute teaching. The daily rate for Columbus Public Schools (CPS) is $91/day if you have a B.S. and $93/day if you have a M.S. I asked how much if you have a Ph.D.? They said $91 because I did not have a M.S.
?? (me paused in confusion)
I asked the question a second time and even called another day to confirm what I thought I heard. It was true. Because I had no M.S., I would be paid the B.S. salary. It was only $2 but it was indicative of a pedantic and inflexible system.
Tidbits like this is I've accumulated over the past few years are why I think Gene Harris, superintendent, is either a visionary or delusional for the proposal of several new schools and programs in the face of a $50M budget cut by the 2006-2007 academic year. Should be interesting to see how this plays out. I'd love to believe programs like an all day pre-K could exist in our public school system, I just don't think the money's there.
Some time ago, I inquired about substitute teaching. The daily rate for Columbus Public Schools (CPS) is $91/day if you have a B.S. and $93/day if you have a M.S. I asked how much if you have a Ph.D.? They said $91 because I did not have a M.S.
?? (me paused in confusion)
I asked the question a second time and even called another day to confirm what I thought I heard. It was true. Because I had no M.S., I would be paid the B.S. salary. It was only $2 but it was indicative of a pedantic and inflexible system.
Tidbits like this is I've accumulated over the past few years are why I think Gene Harris, superintendent, is either a visionary or delusional for the proposal of several new schools and programs in the face of a $50M budget cut by the 2006-2007 academic year. Should be interesting to see how this plays out. I'd love to believe programs like an all day pre-K could exist in our public school system, I just don't think the money's there.
October 19, 2005
Columbus Public
-1,000 staff members need to be cut by the 2006-2007 school year
-Vouchers are kicking in soon (exodus continues)
-Record numbers of kids are going to charter and private schools
-Bunch of school closings to be announced in mid November
All this does not bode well for our public school system. The Dispatch is paid content but you can read the (k12) eduction-related news for free on the Columbus Public Schools site.
Lower property taxes and private school or suburbs and public? It's becoming a choice we may be forced to make.
-Vouchers are kicking in soon (exodus continues)
-Record numbers of kids are going to charter and private schools
-Bunch of school closings to be announced in mid November
All this does not bode well for our public school system. The Dispatch is paid content but you can read the (k12) eduction-related news for free on the Columbus Public Schools site.
Lower property taxes and private school or suburbs and public? It's becoming a choice we may be forced to make.
October 13, 2005
I AM a good parent after all
At least compared to this guy.
Last night, we're at Big Park (Whetstone) and Frankie's making the rounds on the equipment. Finally, she jumps on the structure that looks like the frame of a jeep and a brutish little 5 yr old who dragged his Big Wheel up on it is telling Frankie she shouldn't be climbing up on the bars.
Wrong.
Frankie goes where she wants and doesn't take flak from anyone. Well, the Big Wheel is kind of blocking every activity possible on this piece of equipment and another, quieter, gentler 5 yr old boy, recognizing the Big Wheel is hindering the action, begins to nudge the Big Wheel off the structure. Eventually, he just pushes it off. The entire time he was doing this, Frankie just watched and the brutish kid's father kept warning the other little guy to stop. When the Big Wheel flew off, the father put his phone aside, and started yelling at the 5 yr old boy to put it back. He even said "I know you know English, you can hear me." The kid was apparently not bothered and simply walked away while the brutish kid's father kept yelling at him. Way to go, I cheered silently.
Frankie kept playing; themoron father, defeated, went back to his phonecall and the kids went on playing. So he sets up an argument with a little kid, loses, continues to ignore his own child and goes back to his corner. Frankie just kept climbing around and ignored the little brutish kid (he actually wasn't so bad). I'm afraid he and his father are in for some tough times.
This was odd, Whetstone is usually filled with great parents and great kids.
I didn't like what I saw, but parenting a toddler can bring out every insecurity you have and seeing an example like this at least validates my feeling that I'm doing a pretty good job with the Frankster.
Last night, we're at Big Park (Whetstone) and Frankie's making the rounds on the equipment. Finally, she jumps on the structure that looks like the frame of a jeep and a brutish little 5 yr old who dragged his Big Wheel up on it is telling Frankie she shouldn't be climbing up on the bars.
Wrong.
Frankie goes where she wants and doesn't take flak from anyone. Well, the Big Wheel is kind of blocking every activity possible on this piece of equipment and another, quieter, gentler 5 yr old boy, recognizing the Big Wheel is hindering the action, begins to nudge the Big Wheel off the structure. Eventually, he just pushes it off. The entire time he was doing this, Frankie just watched and the brutish kid's father kept warning the other little guy to stop. When the Big Wheel flew off, the father put his phone aside, and started yelling at the 5 yr old boy to put it back. He even said "I know you know English, you can hear me." The kid was apparently not bothered and simply walked away while the brutish kid's father kept yelling at him. Way to go, I cheered silently.
Frankie kept playing; the
This was odd, Whetstone is usually filled with great parents and great kids.
I didn't like what I saw, but parenting a toddler can bring out every insecurity you have and seeing an example like this at least validates my feeling that I'm doing a pretty good job with the Frankster.
October 12, 2005
Tonight's date night
Usually, I take Frankie out for dinner and playing in the park on Thursdays. This week it's going to be Wednesday for the Wendy's/Big Park combo. In an attempt to keep her seated during dinner, I'm using poetry from Kenn Nesbitt's site Poetry4Kids. It's packed with fun poems that remind me a bit of Edward Lear. Here's the appetizer:
Today I Had a Rotten Day
Today I had a rotten day.
As I was coming in from play
I accidentally stubbed my toes
and tripped and fell and whacked my nose.
I chipped a tooth. I cut my lip.
I scraped my knee. I hurt my hip.
I pulled my shoulder, tweaked my ear,
and got a bruise upon on my rear.
I banged my elbow, barked my shin.
A welt is forming on my chin.
My pencil poked me in the thigh.
I got an eyelash in my eye.
I sprained my back. I wrenched my neck.
I'm feeling like a total wreck.
So that's the last time I refuse
when teacher says to tie my shoes.
--Kenn Nesbitt
Today I Had a Rotten Day
Today I had a rotten day.
As I was coming in from play
I accidentally stubbed my toes
and tripped and fell and whacked my nose.
I chipped a tooth. I cut my lip.
I scraped my knee. I hurt my hip.
I pulled my shoulder, tweaked my ear,
and got a bruise upon on my rear.
I banged my elbow, barked my shin.
A welt is forming on my chin.
My pencil poked me in the thigh.
I got an eyelash in my eye.
I sprained my back. I wrenched my neck.
I'm feeling like a total wreck.
So that's the last time I refuse
when teacher says to tie my shoes.
--Kenn Nesbitt
October 7, 2005
the birthday
Birthdays at my age aren't exactly events to celebrate. They're sometimes days to be a little afraid of. Nonetheless, thanks Wiseman, the birthday song is special. Thanks Ma, Dad and family for your birthday wishes.
And, a big, big thanks to my wife and daughter for my gift. Oodles and oodles of The Godfather. I got the box set! I'm so not worthy of this wealth.
October 3, 2005
Shopping for schools shouldn't be this complicated
When Columbus Board of Education President, Stephanie Hightower, puts her son in a private high school because the lottery wasn't good to her, things can't be good.
Frankie's 2 1/2 and we're shopping for a nonreligious education for her. Tougher than it sounds. Tomorrow night, we'll be investigating our first school, the local public, Medary Elementary. It's a "School in Improvement", or, in other words, failing, according to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Not enough kids passed the 4th grade reading and math proficiency exams. It's not high on the list, unfortunately. We're going to the open house to learn as much as we can and hoping it sounds better than we expect.
October 24th we have an appt with St. Joe's Montessori in Italian Village. If it's a winner, Frankie will actually start school there next year! We'll be hashing out what it means to opt out of a "religion" class (Catholic indoctrination we fear) that will start when she's only 6 years old. We're not terribly optimistic on this one.
In November, we'll be taking a tour of Clintonville Academy which is nonsectarian and seems, at the outset, to be the frontrunner but doesn't start until kindergarten.
Our final option is to get in a lottery when the time comes (kindergarten) and wait until just before the start of classes in suspense to see if Frankie can get into one of Columbus' alternative schools that will accept kids from districts with "Schools in Improvement". Lottery statistics don't bode well for getting the school of your choice.
Do you have to move to a suburb in this country to get a good public education? We'll find out.
Frankie's 2 1/2 and we're shopping for a nonreligious education for her. Tougher than it sounds. Tomorrow night, we'll be investigating our first school, the local public, Medary Elementary. It's a "School in Improvement", or, in other words, failing, according to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Not enough kids passed the 4th grade reading and math proficiency exams. It's not high on the list, unfortunately. We're going to the open house to learn as much as we can and hoping it sounds better than we expect.
October 24th we have an appt with St. Joe's Montessori in Italian Village. If it's a winner, Frankie will actually start school there next year! We'll be hashing out what it means to opt out of a "religion" class (Catholic indoctrination we fear) that will start when she's only 6 years old. We're not terribly optimistic on this one.
In November, we'll be taking a tour of Clintonville Academy which is nonsectarian and seems, at the outset, to be the frontrunner but doesn't start until kindergarten.
Our final option is to get in a lottery when the time comes (kindergarten) and wait until just before the start of classes in suspense to see if Frankie can get into one of Columbus' alternative schools that will accept kids from districts with "Schools in Improvement". Lottery statistics don't bode well for getting the school of your choice.
Do you have to move to a suburb in this country to get a good public education? We'll find out.
