Comet-ose

I got thinking this morning about a book I had read many years ago. It was called Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. In the book, a comet hits the earth and knocks out all technology. One reader, Alan Holyoak, described it as follows: "Imagine this...world-wide cataclysmic events wipe out the major governments on the planet -- national, state, and local governments collapse, and people are left to fend for themselves. What will they do for food, shelter, personal safety, information, etc.? It's a whole new ballgame out there!"

That doesn't even scratch the surface of what unfolds in the book, but that's the way I felt this morning when I found G-mail had gone down. I realized how dependent I have become on technology - it's my primary means of communication for the most part. Instead of making numerous phone calls to remind people of a meeting, for example, I just send out an e-mail to those who have it. There are a few people, however, I am making a point of calling. I am remembering that e-mail just isn't the same.

There is an e-mail going around that tells the recipient that all the forwards and jokes we send are a way of remembering and connecting with those people in our lives who are important, and that's true, but when was the last time you actually spoke to them? If you are like I am, probably not for a while. It may take a bit of an effort, but pick up the phone and call someone just to say "Hi." I am just starting, and it's a good thing. Try it.

There is a price for everything.

After 29 years in my home and 29 years of shoveling the snows of New Hampshire winters, I finally broke down (figuratively and literally)and bought a snow thrower. My back isn’t what it used to be, and shoveling isn’t easy any more, even with a nice aluminum grain shovel with a generous shoulder (the shovel’s), head, and cutting blade (official names for shovel parts [I looked them up]). Of course, there has been no snow for three weeks, but this morning was the morning I got to take out the blower for its maiden voyage. I filled it (her?) with gas, and she started on the first pull! It was all good… until I came up behind my car.

The short of it is there is a small learning curve with anything new. The left hand runs the auger; the right, the forward motion. That shouldn’t be too hard to do, and, for the most part, it wasn’t… until I got to my car. I was moving confidently forward, gripping the handles like holding ape hangers on a Harley (with about the same noise), but before I knew what happened, I got hung up on a small pile of ice, which slid the growling machine toward my car. Before I knew it, the auger had grabbed onto the corner of the bumper and started pulling the car into the powerful rotating jaw of the blower.

Instinctively, I tried to pull back, but it was too late. The bumper, tailgate, rear light, and trailer hitch all got pulled in chewed up, and spit out all over the yard; even as I watched in horror, the whole car was relentlessly sliding backward into the auger. I stood rooted to the spot just watching in stunned astonishment. Finally, I shook my head, coming to my senses, sprang into action, and let go of the accelerator. It took a few more seconds until the auger finished chewing and stopped. I am not sure, but I think I heard a discreet belch.

I just stood and looked, unable to move. I am not sure what the signs of shock are, but I was shocked, if not in actual shock. It wasn’t supposed to be this way – it rarely ever is. I shut off the blower and started collecting pieces thinking I could duct tape or super glue them back on, but that’s like trying to put a scrambled egg back together.

Anyhow, I learned a lesson today. There is a learning curve for new things, and there’s always a price for everything.

p.s. Most of what’s above didn’t actually happen… except for the ice pile, the machine’s sliding sideways, and the resultant small scratch on the side of my car. Yes, it could have been worse.

Brushing Away the Cobwebs

"What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now." Author Unknown

Since I (finally) signed up for a Facebook account, names and faces from my past are starting to show up, not necessarily in that order. What I find interesting is that my past students and other friends/colleagues fall into one of three categories: (1) the good, (2) the bad, and (3) the who? I tend to easily recall those students with whom I connected and respected; often they tell me of a lesson we did or a work they read that they remember that had an impact or made sense years later.

When I knew these students, most were teenagers between 14 and 18. Like the letter X (from the bottom up), our separate lives came together, connected for one or more years, and then moved apart, onward and, in most cases, upward to face whatever came next. Their stories are amazing! While I heard from one person who has been teaching for 21 years and another who spent years finding himself, I recall yet another who spent 15 - 25 years finding religion in prison.

If any of these people from my past read this, please feel free to nudge my memory a bit. I am middle-aged (if I live to 124) and need the occasional jog. Over the years, I have crossed paths with literally thousands of students, and those not in the first two categories above tend to blur a little. Physically, you change, so I may not recognize you right off - be gentle and understand. Interestingly, I usually recall with ease those from 20 or 30 years ago, but I have trouble recalling names from the past few years as the closeness we had with our students 'back in the day' has disappeared. It's like the more education "improves," the worse it gets.

Later.

Peanuts

No, I am not talking about the comic strip or the 1957 song by Rick & The Keens (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSZ7autJ4Q8&feature=related). There is another version (perhaps the original - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM1JSa8r3XM). Even The Four Seasons performed the hit, but I couldn't find a video.

Anyhow, I am thinking about the Peanut Corporation of America. the actions of which absolutely explain to me why we are in the economic mess we are in. There are pages and pages of news coverage on the corporation (and the economy), but the media tends to over-analyze! Sometimes the best answers are the simplest - the rest is commentary. One small paragraph buried in a recent news story published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Even in the heat of the nationwide outbreak, (company president Stewart) Parnell seemed more worried about his company’s profits than with food safety, according to regulators and congressional investigators." I mean, doesn't that sum up most businesses' philosophy? Seriously! The people be damned, we need to make more money! It's all about GREEN GREED!

If nothing else, the economic crisis in the US (and world) may put things back in perspective (but I doubt it). IMHO, there is fair profit and there is obscene profit; let's get back to the former! There is no place in my world for corporate excesses (it should be that way in all our worlds).

As an erstwhile hockey fan born and brought up around Boston, I happen to like the Bruins. If I want to attend a game, a box seat would cost me $189.50! Yes, there are binocular seats starting at $16.50, but I get nosebleeds and I really don't care to watch ants playing. Red Sox tickets are $325 a seat (I could sit in the upper bleachers for $12 or stand for $20, but...). The New Hampshire Motor Speedway sounds like a bargain at $110 for a good seat. Good New England Patriots seats cost $169, and you get the idea. When money for most of is tight, TV works - it has to.

More perspective - that's all.

Later.

??????

Just a few questions about the near trillion dollar sellout, uh, sorry, I meant "bailout."

(1) Will this help me and the rest of the "average Americans"?
(2) How?
(3) Where exactly is the money going?
(4) Who will really benefit?
(5) How?
(6) Does anyone really know anything about what "they" are doing with the money?
(7) How will this stop such problems from happening again?
(8) Shouldn't we just let the chips fall where they may?
(9) Are "professional politicians" really the ones we want making the decisions?
(10) Is there any oversight and accountability?

Bonus: With people losing jobs, homes, savings, investments, etc., does anyone really think people are going to start spending again?

Time will tell.

As the old saying goes, "Hope for the best; expect the worst!

Just my opinion.

Later.

Pretty Petty?

No, I am not writing of father Richard and son Kyle pictured to the left (their last name is Petty for those who are not NASCAR fans [their last name is still Petty for those who are NASCAR fans]).

I am speaking of Chrysler Financial. The Ever-lovely Miss Kim (my wife) was reaching the end of her lease on her Dodge Ram truck! We do need a truck to carry more than groceries (unlike some Escalade [Cadillac SUV] owners), so I called Chrysler to see if we could "discuss" the payoff after the lease. The first person I spoke with said he was authorized to offer me $2,900 off the price (woo-hoo). I thanked him and hit the Internet. All things considered, there was nothing comparable out there for the same price. Given the problems that Chrysler is having, I thought I could do a little better, so I called back. The lady I spoke with was pretty firm (an understatement) about Chrysler not offering any discounts, so thanked her and hung up, my ear still burning.

I called the first person back who did tell me the offered price was as good as they could do. Okay, I thought; he sent the paperwork to me after telling me the price was good until February 2nd. The short of it is we did the paperwork, made arrangements through our credit union (5.49 percent!), and sat back to wait.

On February 4th, Chrysler called to tell us our latest payment was overdue. I explained the situation, was told she'd "make a note in my file," and I thought we were good.

Apparently our payoff check was posted February 4th, so it turns out that we weren't fully paid off. Seems the two extra days resulted in our still owing an additional $19.19! Technically, I am sure that's probably legitimate, but insisting on $19.19?

On February 6th, Chrysler called again to tell me our account was overdue (hello right hand). I again explained the situation and another "note" was made in my file (I do expect I'll still get another "payment overdue" call on Monday). I know it will all work out, but to hold out for $19.19...? Pretty petty, I think, but I am sure you'll tell me if I'm wrong.

By the way, Kyle Petty drove a Dodge and his dad also drove a Dodge (among others).

George Whatshisname...

I was just watching George Stephe..., uh, Stephi..., um, Stefan..., I was just watching "This Week" with George (the guy pictured to the left). The opening segment ran nearly twenty-five uninterrupted minutes and featured the CEO of FedEx, the CEO of Google, a couple of politicians, and someone else (possibly; so many of the talking heads sound alike and begin to blend or morph together [gray or navy suits, red or blue striped ties, etc.]). The discussion was all about the current financial crisis and bailout and was actually fascinating to me. I must be growing up because I voluntarily watched the show, and my eyes didn't glaze over when they began droning on.

While the palaver went on and on, I had an epiphany (no, I didn't get any on me). I learned something, something totally unintended and yet profound - it was a moment of practicing what I preached when I was a teacher. No one listened then, so I expect no one will listen now, but it confirms to me that I was right. I realized that I pretty much fully understood every word spoken by the commentator and each guest, but when the words strung together to form sentences that created ideas, my comprehension failed. Let me say that again: I pretty much fully understood every word spoken by the commentator and each guest, but when the words strung together to form sentences, my comprehension failed. All of the "common" words I heard had even more and deeper esoteric meanings than I knew. Because of that, I didn't understand any of the intent of the speakers. It is just like a student who knows every individual word in the text, but when the words work together to form larger, more complex ideas, the student is lost and doesn't get it. That's just the way I felt.