Well, I feel just the teensiest little bit of excitement building. After an abysmal start, the Houston Astros are now over the five hundred mark.
Before I started driving a taxicab back in '89, I had only a vague interest in the Astros, and that only because they were the hometown team. It's not that I dislike baseball. Quite the contrary. In fact, I still have my bat! (Used to have my ball and mitt, too, but they have long since disappeared.)
No, the reason that I didn't pay much attention to the 'Stros was that I wanted to play, not listen to or watch someone else play!
But when you're in the car a lot, -- and, as a cab driver, I was in the car a lot! --more often than not, I would guess, the radio is on.
I channel-surfed quite a bit at first, but then found myself returning more and more to the station that broadcast the Houston Astros' games. They had a 'color' man, Larry Dierker, who really caught my attention. He had such interesting stories to tell! It was obvious that he loved the game. I found his enthusiasm infectious, and then one day I realized that I was well on the way to becoming a pretty hefty-sized fan.
At that time, the team was still playing in the Astrodome, and taxicabs did not have to pay a parking fee to enter -- the assumption being, of course, that they weren't staying, simply picking up or dropping off a customer.
"Well," I thought to myself one evening after I'd dropped a customer off at the Medical Center, which is about five minutes away from the Dome, "why not stop by at that hotel right next to the stadium? You see the words 'sports bar' advertised all the time. Check it out, and see what's going on. Then, maybe you can swing by the Dome after the game and see if you can snag a customer."
So I started dropping in there, at first from time to time, but then more and more often. I became one of the 'regulars'. Well, this one night I got there a little bit late, and the game wasn't on. I exclaimed, "Whaaat!" I was told that it was 'blacked out' locally.
I immediately exited the bar, got in the cab, drove around the corner to the Dome, and was waved in through the gates. As I got closer to the stadium, I noticed a vehicle or two exiting and thought, "Hmm, I wonder if there's a parking spot available up near the front?" There was, in the second row ... how sweet is that??
The next potential problem was that of entry. I could see that they were still taking tickets (!!) ... why would that be, it was like the 6th or 7th inning, for crying out loud. I wasn't about to pay for a ticket only to see two or three innings' worth of a ballgame! Then, I noticed that there was someone standing just outside one of the service doors smoking a cigarette. As I continued to watch, he put out his cigarette and went back inside.
I thought to myself, "Self, I wonder if you can get in the same way he did?" Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? So, I tried it. Empty hallway -- no guard -- leading directly to the mezzanine level. I was IN! Exhilarating!!
Thus began a pattern of behavior that became more and more frequent as the years progressed. By the time 1994 rolled around, I was a full-fledged member of Baseball Maniacs Anonymous. I couldn't sleep the night before 'opening day'. My AM radio station was automatically programmed to include every sports station within broadcast distance, and I practically lived and breathed baseball.
When I would arrive at the taxicab staging area each day, I would be greeted with either a smile or a groan, depending on how the Astros were doing ... sometimes a laugh, if the Astros had done poorly and the other person's team had done well. That's about all I was interested in talking about, baseball.
1994 ... the infamous year of the strike. I was at the game when Bagwell hit multiple home runs. I was at the game that went over twenty innings. I was at the game where the fans were chanting, "Don't strike. Don't strike."
It didn't seem to make any difference to the players what the fans thought. Then, Bagwell was hit by a pitch that broke his wrist. He was finished for the season. The players struck, the World Series was played out on computers, and I was madder than ... (well, never mind what I was madder than).
1995 ... I attended no games. I listened to no games. I watched no games.
1996 ... I thought to myself, "Self, what you did last year wasn't enough. You need to actively protest." So, I did. I actually bought a ticket (gasp) for a home game, got there early, booed the Astros in batting practice, booed the starting lineup as it was announced, and cheered for the opposing team (have NO idea who it might have been, but that didn't matter -- it was the principle of the thing!).
It's a really good thing that I didn't take my bat with me. I probably would have been tempted to try and run out on the field and actually assault one of the players. Then, I'd have been arrested and put in jail, my bat confiscated, who knows what other nasty things.
OK. So that was it, my 'protest game'. I was terribly unpopular in the stadium, as you might imagine, but I didn't give a hoot what anyone else thought. After the game was over, I realized that my anger was gone, like it had evaporated. What was left in its place was almost a complete and total lack of interest, just a touch below the level of what it was before I started driving a taxi.
And there it remained until, maybe a year or two later, the announcement was made that Larry Dierker was to be the new manager. That piqued my interest, and I started paying attention again.
[There'll be another post on the Astros down the road, I promise. So much has been left out of this story. I'll probably be publishing a post or two on football as well as at least one on basketball. Maybe one on hockey. Soccer is so far out of my realm of personal experience that I'll probably never address that one!]
Well, as I said at the start of this post, there's some excitement building. To be continued.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
What's currently going on in my life
Well, #1 is that I was supposed to be attending a "job fair" today in the Galleria area. So, in preparation for that, I spent a good part of yesterday and even early this morning updating resumes, making copies of same, etc.
Then, I reread what was 'required' to attend. Altho the job fair was free and no pre-registration was required, resumes (countless numbers, no doubt!) were to be readily available and 'business attire' was to be worn.
The last dealiepop, that of business attire, threw me for a loop!
Well, needless to say, guess who is still at home?? However, her resumes have been updated and she's ready to face another day!
I'll latch onto something neat (or they'll latch onto me, one or the other) in the very near future, I really DO feel sure. I'm READY!!
#2. I took the time to watch PBS' two-part series on George Herbert Walker Bush.
I have a great deal of regard for the Bush family, I really do, but I fear that "W" may not have been up to the task of being President of the United States of America.
I am CERTAIN that, if GHWB had been re-elected, this country would be in a much better position at home (economically), and -- most definitely -- world-wide! I blame that little pipsqueak, Ross Perot, for Clinton's getting into office initially.
For eight long years, I hung my head and was embarrassed to say that I was an American, and that's the truth.
I really dislike political blogs, and am somewhat apologetic for putting this one out there.
Then, I reread what was 'required' to attend. Altho the job fair was free and no pre-registration was required, resumes (countless numbers, no doubt!) were to be readily available and 'business attire' was to be worn.
The last dealiepop, that of business attire, threw me for a loop!
Well, needless to say, guess who is still at home?? However, her resumes have been updated and she's ready to face another day!
I'll latch onto something neat (or they'll latch onto me, one or the other) in the very near future, I really DO feel sure. I'm READY!!
#2. I took the time to watch PBS' two-part series on George Herbert Walker Bush.
I have a great deal of regard for the Bush family, I really do, but I fear that "W" may not have been up to the task of being President of the United States of America.
I am CERTAIN that, if GHWB had been re-elected, this country would be in a much better position at home (economically), and -- most definitely -- world-wide! I blame that little pipsqueak, Ross Perot, for Clinton's getting into office initially.
For eight long years, I hung my head and was embarrassed to say that I was an American, and that's the truth.
I really dislike political blogs, and am somewhat apologetic for putting this one out there.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Another rant
Two days in a row? What's going on here, anyway?!?
Well, I had the car radio on, that's what happened. Why was I in the car? Well, I took another set of customers to the airport, that's why.
All might have been OK if it hadn't been for the fact that all of the sports stations were discussing basketball, which is WAY down the totem pole on my list of interests. So, I started channel surfing and happened to catch the Laura Ingraham show.
A guest host, and what he had to say wasn't too obnoxious, so I thought, "What the hey! This might be semi-interesting, and perhaps not so mind-numbing that I would be tempted to take a nap while driving back to the house." I stayed tuned.
The main topic of conversation was, of course, the primaries being held today in North Carolina and Indiana. Some interviews were conducted, opinions expressed, etc., and then a commercial came on. (You know how the volume always seems to be louder during commercials? It not only 'seems to be', it IS!! Supposedly illegal, but everyone [and his/her proverbial aunt and uncle] does it.)
So what's got my dander up today?
The darned commercial, that's what!! (In retrospect, I guess I should have just listened to some good music -- I've got a bunch of my "Favorites" programmed in -- , but I didn't, and here we are.)
The commercial was about the school board elections coming up in Katy (a pretty good-sized city just west of Houston) this Saturday. "... ... if you vote for these three candidates, the Katy ISD will have a Republican majority for the first time in twenty years ... ... good old conservative values, against big government, lowering taxes ... ..."
NOwhere in this commercial did I hear anything about the candidates' qualifications other than their affiliation with a political party. Disgraceful, in my opinion!! I couldn't wait to get home to get started on this post.
Some 22-23 years ago, I was asked to run for the Alief (That's where I live. It's a MUCH smaller community just southwest of Houston.) ISD school board. I declined. I knew that I was fully-qualified, but I had so many other things going on in my life at that time that I didn't think I could handle one more.
I don't know if I would have had to declare a political affiliation to run. If that had been the case -- and, if I could not have stated 'Independent' on my application -- I would have declined simply out of principle.
It is my firm belief that politics -- as in 'Republican', 'Democrat', whatever -- should have absolutely NO role whatsoever in education!! I'll stand by that statement until I am unable to utter another word.
I cannot even begin to tell you how distressed I was by that commercial. It made me want to go out and run an ad! (And certainly, if I were a Katy voter, I would look at all of the candidates very carefully. The ad even makes me wonder if ANY of them are 'qualified'?!?)
Well, I had the car radio on, that's what happened. Why was I in the car? Well, I took another set of customers to the airport, that's why.
All might have been OK if it hadn't been for the fact that all of the sports stations were discussing basketball, which is WAY down the totem pole on my list of interests. So, I started channel surfing and happened to catch the Laura Ingraham show.
A guest host, and what he had to say wasn't too obnoxious, so I thought, "What the hey! This might be semi-interesting, and perhaps not so mind-numbing that I would be tempted to take a nap while driving back to the house." I stayed tuned.
The main topic of conversation was, of course, the primaries being held today in North Carolina and Indiana. Some interviews were conducted, opinions expressed, etc., and then a commercial came on. (You know how the volume always seems to be louder during commercials? It not only 'seems to be', it IS!! Supposedly illegal, but everyone [and his/her proverbial aunt and uncle] does it.)
So what's got my dander up today?
The darned commercial, that's what!! (In retrospect, I guess I should have just listened to some good music -- I've got a bunch of my "Favorites" programmed in -- , but I didn't, and here we are.)
The commercial was about the school board elections coming up in Katy (a pretty good-sized city just west of Houston) this Saturday. "... ... if you vote for these three candidates, the Katy ISD will have a Republican majority for the first time in twenty years ... ... good old conservative values, against big government, lowering taxes ... ..."
NOwhere in this commercial did I hear anything about the candidates' qualifications other than their affiliation with a political party. Disgraceful, in my opinion!! I couldn't wait to get home to get started on this post.
Some 22-23 years ago, I was asked to run for the Alief (That's where I live. It's a MUCH smaller community just southwest of Houston.) ISD school board. I declined. I knew that I was fully-qualified, but I had so many other things going on in my life at that time that I didn't think I could handle one more.
I don't know if I would have had to declare a political affiliation to run. If that had been the case -- and, if I could not have stated 'Independent' on my application -- I would have declined simply out of principle.
It is my firm belief that politics -- as in 'Republican', 'Democrat', whatever -- should have absolutely NO role whatsoever in education!! I'll stand by that statement until I am unable to utter another word.
I cannot even begin to tell you how distressed I was by that commercial. It made me want to go out and run an ad! (And certainly, if I were a Katy voter, I would look at all of the candidates very carefully. The ad even makes me wonder if ANY of them are 'qualified'?!?)
Monday, May 5, 2008
Teaching to a test ...
... is, in my opinion, absolutely the WORST kind of 'teaching'. You're not teaching, you're taking the lazy man's way out!
My latest rant is based on a talk radio show that was airing as I was returning home from taking two of my personal customers to Intercontinental Airport this morning.
The host was referring to the TAKS, the ACT, the BS (I made up the last one, OK?), and -- at least the inferences I was getting -- he seemed to think, "How else can we measure students' progress or teacher competency/efficiency?"
Don't get me wrong here. There are instances when one must 'teach to a test' ... spelling competitions/bees, for example ... important dates in history, etc. Those things must be memorized.
There was a wonderful movie made some years ago -- based on a true story, I believe -- starring James Edward (?) Olmos, who portrayed a math teacher in (I think!) the Los Angeles area.
He did not try and teach to a test. Instead, he tried to instill in his students the major underlying concepts involved. The students 'got it'.
Test time came around. They scored so high that the results were thrown out, the students were accused of cheating, and another test was administered -- this one closely monitored, of course. As I recall, they scored even higher the second time! They understood and could extrapolate!!
He not only had taught them the underlying concepts, he had showed them how to think and apply same. Now, THAT is teaching!
I was reminded, on my drive back, of a M*A*S*H episode -- I love that series! -- , the one where Klinger, in his efforts to bone up on an upcoming test for a possible promotion, somehow gets hold of the answers and then proceeds to write them down on various parts of his body. Did you ever see that one?
Well, anyway, 'contortionist extraordinaire' becomes a little discombobulated in trying to locate the various answers. Not only that, but BJ has mixed up the order of the questions. Oh, no!!!
Mr. McGonigle, the principal of the school where I taught for several years, once told me, "Helen, I don't care if you have the children stand on their heads all day long! I've been observing you for some time now, have received many reports from parents, have listened to the second grade teachers' comments on the preparation their students had received (I was teaching first grade at the time), and have seen, first-hand, how much your students like to come to school and want to learn."
[Now, I must tell you the truth here. Mr. McGonigle NEVER came into my classroom to 'observe' -- at least, not that I was aware. At the same time, his office was right next door to my classroom.]
I LOVE teaching!! No two ifs/ands/buts/sixes about it ... there is, again in my own opinion now, nothing to equal it! See a couple of my earlier posts to get a little more background ... here ... and here.
There you have it, my 'rant' for the day. I'll probably have many more down the road, as teaching is my true love.
[I feel a great need to edit/add to this post, and it is this. I am not perfect, was not ever perfect, and for certain will not ever be perfect!! These are my 'imperfect' personal views, only, as of 5/5/08.]
My latest rant is based on a talk radio show that was airing as I was returning home from taking two of my personal customers to Intercontinental Airport this morning.
The host was referring to the TAKS, the ACT, the BS (I made up the last one, OK?), and -- at least the inferences I was getting -- he seemed to think, "How else can we measure students' progress or teacher competency/efficiency?"
Don't get me wrong here. There are instances when one must 'teach to a test' ... spelling competitions/bees, for example ... important dates in history, etc. Those things must be memorized.
There was a wonderful movie made some years ago -- based on a true story, I believe -- starring James Edward (?) Olmos, who portrayed a math teacher in (I think!) the Los Angeles area.
He did not try and teach to a test. Instead, he tried to instill in his students the major underlying concepts involved. The students 'got it'.
Test time came around. They scored so high that the results were thrown out, the students were accused of cheating, and another test was administered -- this one closely monitored, of course. As I recall, they scored even higher the second time! They understood and could extrapolate!!
He not only had taught them the underlying concepts, he had showed them how to think and apply same. Now, THAT is teaching!
I was reminded, on my drive back, of a M*A*S*H episode -- I love that series! -- , the one where Klinger, in his efforts to bone up on an upcoming test for a possible promotion, somehow gets hold of the answers and then proceeds to write them down on various parts of his body. Did you ever see that one?
Well, anyway, 'contortionist extraordinaire' becomes a little discombobulated in trying to locate the various answers. Not only that, but BJ has mixed up the order of the questions. Oh, no!!!
Mr. McGonigle, the principal of the school where I taught for several years, once told me, "Helen, I don't care if you have the children stand on their heads all day long! I've been observing you for some time now, have received many reports from parents, have listened to the second grade teachers' comments on the preparation their students had received (I was teaching first grade at the time), and have seen, first-hand, how much your students like to come to school and want to learn."
[Now, I must tell you the truth here. Mr. McGonigle NEVER came into my classroom to 'observe' -- at least, not that I was aware. At the same time, his office was right next door to my classroom.]
I LOVE teaching!! No two ifs/ands/buts/sixes about it ... there is, again in my own opinion now, nothing to equal it! See a couple of my earlier posts to get a little more background ... here ... and here.
There you have it, my 'rant' for the day. I'll probably have many more down the road, as teaching is my true love.
[I feel a great need to edit/add to this post, and it is this. I am not perfect, was not ever perfect, and for certain will not ever be perfect!! These are my 'imperfect' personal views, only, as of 5/5/08.]
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Scattered thoughts & spellings/definitions
I've been wracking my brain for a day or so now, trying to figure out what I'm going to publish on my 100th post (this is my 95th). I had wanted to write something 'special' for my 50th, but that anniversary passed me by before I even realized that I had written that many!!
[Have just looked up the various definitions for "wrack" in my out-dated dictionary and on Wiktionary, and BOTH use only such terms as 'misery', 'punishment', 'ruin', and 'destruction', all of which come from the "Old English" spelling. Jiminy Christmas, I hope I'm not destroying, ruining, or punishing my brain by wracking it?
But THEN I thought, "What if it's actually spelled 'rack'?" (!!)
So, I went to dic/Wiktionary again. Lo and behold, there it was!! The definition I had originally intended, which was, "to struggle to think of something".
Ye Gods!! So, now I'm supposed to 'rack' my brain, put it on a shelf somewhere? That's what it seems like to me.
All right, I give up. I'll compromise.]
Anyway, there I was, w/racking my brain, and I've come up with a few ideas, which are (with editorial comments included) ... ...
... 1) 100 things 'about me'. (Who cares? Too long, anyway. Give me a shortcut, PLEASE!) Besides, I think I already mentioned in a much earlier post that I would probably do a '71 things' on my 71st birthday, which is coming up next month.
... 2) The story of '6s' in my family. (While interesting and as yet unpublished, I don't think that would be appropriate for the 100th post.)
... 3) Good things. (Not much of a challenge, really. There are all SORTS of good stories out there! Too bad the media -- and John Q general public -- doesn't agree.)
I think I have FInally come up with a winner. Ready? Here it is ...
... 4) A post of EXACTLY 100 words that would be -- of necessity -- concise and yet meaningful, possibly even profound.
NOW, I believe that I have thrown down the gauntlet.
Am open to any and all suggestions. Will you or will you not accept the challenge?
[Have just looked up the various definitions for "wrack" in my out-dated dictionary and on Wiktionary, and BOTH use only such terms as 'misery', 'punishment', 'ruin', and 'destruction', all of which come from the "Old English" spelling. Jiminy Christmas, I hope I'm not destroying, ruining, or punishing my brain by wracking it?
But THEN I thought, "What if it's actually spelled 'rack'?" (!!)
So, I went to dic/Wiktionary again. Lo and behold, there it was!! The definition I had originally intended, which was, "to struggle to think of something".
Ye Gods!! So, now I'm supposed to 'rack' my brain, put it on a shelf somewhere? That's what it seems like to me.
All right, I give up. I'll compromise.]
Anyway, there I was, w/racking my brain, and I've come up with a few ideas, which are (with editorial comments included) ... ...
... 1) 100 things 'about me'. (Who cares? Too long, anyway. Give me a shortcut, PLEASE!) Besides, I think I already mentioned in a much earlier post that I would probably do a '71 things' on my 71st birthday, which is coming up next month.
... 2) The story of '6s' in my family. (While interesting and as yet unpublished, I don't think that would be appropriate for the 100th post.)
... 3) Good things. (Not much of a challenge, really. There are all SORTS of good stories out there! Too bad the media -- and John Q general public -- doesn't agree.)
I think I have FInally come up with a winner. Ready? Here it is ...
... 4) A post of EXACTLY 100 words that would be -- of necessity -- concise and yet meaningful, possibly even profound.
NOW, I believe that I have thrown down the gauntlet.
Am open to any and all suggestions. Will you or will you not accept the challenge?
Saturday, May 3, 2008
I recommend ... #2 ...
... that you check out Tammy's post from earlier today ... absolutely GORgeous photographs of icebergs! Am not sure I've ever seen any quite like them.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Good news, bad news
Well, I guess I'll give you the bad news first.
It was bound to happen. So, when it did, I wasn't too surprised ... unhappy, but not surprised.
As all y'all know, I've been on this spareribs and sauerkraut 'kick' for awhile now. Last night, the binge continued. And, after gorging myself yet once again, made my way to the refrigerator with (still quite warm) very large baking dish held firmly by pot holders on one side and oven mitt on the other. I had a shelf in the refrigerator all set to receive the container.
I had always been careful to set the baking dish down either on the top of the stove or the butcher block counter prior to opening the refrigerator door so that I could accomplish the final act safely, and last night was no exception.
However, last night the refrigerator door chose to start closing again just as I was coming up to it. Guess who did not set the dish down again? Guess who, instead, tried to 'elbow' it back open, losing her grip on the dish?
No fair, you guessed the first time! Needless to say, spareribs, sauerkraut, and large pieces of what had been -- just moments before -- a very fine baking dish went EVERYwhere. What a mess!!
It took some time to try and gather all of the broken pieces (giving my thumb a pretty good whack and leaving blood all over the floor before I realized I'd cut it!), and then even more time to try and gather up all of the ruined food. Yeah, it was a mess.
OK. That was the bad news.
Spent some time talking on the phone with DD (Darling Daughter) yesterday, telling her that I was tired of using the same old recipes (altho I was still on my spareribs and sauerkraut dealiebop), and asked her what she was cooking up lately.
Then, after cruising through some of my favorite blog sites, I remembered that one had posted a website for recipes. My last two+ hours have been enjoyably spent there.
In other good news, I sure hope that some of you have heard about this really heart-warming story ... but, if you haven't, here's the synopsis.
Baseball ... girls ... high school. (If I don't have all of the following details right, please overlook my faulty memory. I only heard the story once.)
This one gal hits a three-run homer. In her excitement in 'running' the bases, she somehow hits first base wrong and goes to the ground. She's unable to get up again, having seriously injured her knee.
(Maybe it was college? The words "Oregon State" keep coming to mind. Whatever.)
The 'rules' stipulate that you must be able to round the bases without help from your teammates. So, what happened? Do you know??
What happened was that two members of the opposing team carried her around the bases. There were no rules against that! Is that scrumpdeliocious or WHAT?!?
It was bound to happen. So, when it did, I wasn't too surprised ... unhappy, but not surprised.
As all y'all know, I've been on this spareribs and sauerkraut 'kick' for awhile now. Last night, the binge continued. And, after gorging myself yet once again, made my way to the refrigerator with (still quite warm) very large baking dish held firmly by pot holders on one side and oven mitt on the other. I had a shelf in the refrigerator all set to receive the container.
I had always been careful to set the baking dish down either on the top of the stove or the butcher block counter prior to opening the refrigerator door so that I could accomplish the final act safely, and last night was no exception.
However, last night the refrigerator door chose to start closing again just as I was coming up to it. Guess who did not set the dish down again? Guess who, instead, tried to 'elbow' it back open, losing her grip on the dish?
No fair, you guessed the first time! Needless to say, spareribs, sauerkraut, and large pieces of what had been -- just moments before -- a very fine baking dish went EVERYwhere. What a mess!!
It took some time to try and gather all of the broken pieces (giving my thumb a pretty good whack and leaving blood all over the floor before I realized I'd cut it!), and then even more time to try and gather up all of the ruined food. Yeah, it was a mess.
OK. That was the bad news.
Spent some time talking on the phone with DD (Darling Daughter) yesterday, telling her that I was tired of using the same old recipes (altho I was still on my spareribs and sauerkraut dealiebop), and asked her what she was cooking up lately.
Then, after cruising through some of my favorite blog sites, I remembered that one had posted a website for recipes. My last two+ hours have been enjoyably spent there.
In other good news, I sure hope that some of you have heard about this really heart-warming story ... but, if you haven't, here's the synopsis.
Baseball ... girls ... high school. (If I don't have all of the following details right, please overlook my faulty memory. I only heard the story once.)
This one gal hits a three-run homer. In her excitement in 'running' the bases, she somehow hits first base wrong and goes to the ground. She's unable to get up again, having seriously injured her knee.
(Maybe it was college? The words "Oregon State" keep coming to mind. Whatever.)
The 'rules' stipulate that you must be able to round the bases without help from your teammates. So, what happened? Do you know??
What happened was that two members of the opposing team carried her around the bases. There were no rules against that! Is that scrumpdeliocious or WHAT?!?
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