Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Back again, after all these years...
Trying to help a friend with her blog today, I realized how long it has been since I visited my own blogs. Reorienting myself required recreating passwords and figuring out which email address went with which blog. This all took more time than I like, loads of bumbling around to relearn the template, which has chnged. My avatar disappeared, so now to figure out a replacement graphic. Sigh. Tech support people earn every penny!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Making lemonade and filling shelves....
At the start of the 2009-2010 school year, the district opened a new high school with a beautiful new library and many empty shelves--ok, almost all of them were empty-- and no budget (thanks, California budget-meisters). However, with determination, hard work, and luck, almost anything can happen. I set a goal of 5,000 books. Not five-thousand dollars, but five-thousand books. $5,000 will not purchase even 1,000 new high school books, even if they are all paperbacks.
My boss was dubious-- this was my only goal for the year, and he saw it as a bit suicidal to my career. It did look suicidal, and honestly, there were a few moments when I wondered about my sanity. However, I felt it could be done and outlined for him how it could be achieved...5,000 high school books, no budget. Memo to self-- don't put this kind of brash over-confidence in an email. He forwarded it to the superintendent, who forwarded it to the Board of Education.
There was no going back now. So, for starters, I contacted a reporter I've known for years, who wrote a positive story when we opened our first high school-- yikes-- twenty years ago. He remembered clearly that empty library, with room for 30,000 volumes and 4,000 books sitting forlornly on the shelves. And yes, that library now has around 33,000 books for student use, in addition to databases and periodicals.
That reporter wrote a story about this new high school library that was published in the local newspaper, and the phone started ringing.
Long story short, we did it. Not me-- there was no "I" in this achievement, it was the "we" of several communities of caring parents, administrators, teachers, library staff, district office employees, library book sales reps, the public library Friends group, the Parent/Teacher associations, and students. Even the bad economy helped, oddly enough. By the end of the school year, there were over 6,000 books on the new, shiny library shelves.
Now, the kicker-- we opened TWO new school libraries that year, this high school library and a middle school library. I set the same 5,000 book goal for this middle school library. This is now a total of 10,000 books, no budget, if you're following the math on this story. However, the middle school library had approximately 2,400 books already purchased, because this school had been in place on another campus for a year. Same goal, though-- 5,000 books on the shelves. Only 2,600 to go. Still no budget.
And we did it.
Is this the solution in a world with slashed budgets and high needs? Absolutely not. I cannot emphasize that enough. These library collections are short on current print reference materials, non-fiction and contemporary fiction. This is not an on-going solution to providing library resources, either-- it does not allow the selection and purchase of materials to meet specific curricular needs.
Further, this zero book budget does not reflect the budget for digital research databases for student use, resources that are essential for students in the twenty-first century. The district recognizes this need and allocated scarce dollars for this purpose. People will donate good books, but they won't donate databases.
By the start of the 2010-11 school year, the new high school library had over 10,000 books, and the middle school has almost 5,700.
My boss was dubious-- this was my only goal for the year, and he saw it as a bit suicidal to my career. It did look suicidal, and honestly, there were a few moments when I wondered about my sanity. However, I felt it could be done and outlined for him how it could be achieved...5,000 high school books, no budget. Memo to self-- don't put this kind of brash over-confidence in an email. He forwarded it to the superintendent, who forwarded it to the Board of Education.
There was no going back now. So, for starters, I contacted a reporter I've known for years, who wrote a positive story when we opened our first high school-- yikes-- twenty years ago. He remembered clearly that empty library, with room for 30,000 volumes and 4,000 books sitting forlornly on the shelves. And yes, that library now has around 33,000 books for student use, in addition to databases and periodicals.
That reporter wrote a story about this new high school library that was published in the local newspaper, and the phone started ringing.
Long story short, we did it. Not me-- there was no "I" in this achievement, it was the "we" of several communities of caring parents, administrators, teachers, library staff, district office employees, library book sales reps, the public library Friends group, the Parent/Teacher associations, and students. Even the bad economy helped, oddly enough. By the end of the school year, there were over 6,000 books on the new, shiny library shelves.
Now, the kicker-- we opened TWO new school libraries that year, this high school library and a middle school library. I set the same 5,000 book goal for this middle school library. This is now a total of 10,000 books, no budget, if you're following the math on this story. However, the middle school library had approximately 2,400 books already purchased, because this school had been in place on another campus for a year. Same goal, though-- 5,000 books on the shelves. Only 2,600 to go. Still no budget.
And we did it.
Is this the solution in a world with slashed budgets and high needs? Absolutely not. I cannot emphasize that enough. These library collections are short on current print reference materials, non-fiction and contemporary fiction. This is not an on-going solution to providing library resources, either-- it does not allow the selection and purchase of materials to meet specific curricular needs.
Further, this zero book budget does not reflect the budget for digital research databases for student use, resources that are essential for students in the twenty-first century. The district recognizes this need and allocated scarce dollars for this purpose. People will donate good books, but they won't donate databases.
By the start of the 2010-11 school year, the new high school library had over 10,000 books, and the middle school has almost 5,700.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Demise of the p-car
In an earlier post, I mentioned my cars, and my ongoing love affair with them. Each one has been a family member, named and loved during its time with us.
One of those cars was a 1974 914 Porsche, an unintended vehicle. I inherited my son's 914 Porsche, after he did very bad things to the engine during a street race and missed shift, and later creative engine work with random parts. In short, it did not run. A quick perusal of a parts catalog and online prices for engines determined that this would be a $50,000 car if I did everything right that needed doing.
On to Plan B, which was to purchase a 'parts car' that would donate all the needed parts. Great idea, only when I located the parts car ($2,000), I drove it home-- and fell in love with it. That's how it happens, you know. The parts car, which was that aforementioned 1974 914, needed loads of TLC. Knobs and handles were missing or broken, there were dents and a crumpled fender, missing carpet, and the windshield wipers did not work. The vacuum lines worked only by God's grace-- there was no other explanation.
Remember the potential price for fixing up Car A? Well, Car B could easily be as expensive using new parts and professional help. I did research, and discovered Don and Glenn's 914 Swap Meet in Riverside. At that swap meet, I found many of the needed parts, at affordable prices. Two books on how to put those parts in were very helpful. I learned about Bondo and bodywork, hammers and dollies, and now have the hugest respect for people who do this professionally. They are artists.
As the picture shows, the car came out pretty good looking. I took it to a number of Porsche events, never as a show car, but I still wanted to show it off.
When we moved, the Porsche had to sit outside for a while, as we cleaned out the garage. I was a bit nervous, but nothing happened. After the garage was clean, the Porsche went back in-- only to be stolen. Whoever it was knew we were no longer living there, that the Porsche was in the garage, and they drilled out the ignition, started it, and took it.
I am heartbroken, after all the time and love and energy invested in that little car. But it is truly gone forever.
One of those cars was a 1974 914 Porsche, an unintended vehicle. I inherited my son's 914 Porsche, after he did very bad things to the engine during a street race and missed shift, and later creative engine work with random parts. In short, it did not run. A quick perusal of a parts catalog and online prices for engines determined that this would be a $50,000 car if I did everything right that needed doing.
On to Plan B, which was to purchase a 'parts car' that would donate all the needed parts. Great idea, only when I located the parts car ($2,000), I drove it home-- and fell in love with it. That's how it happens, you know. The parts car, which was that aforementioned 1974 914, needed loads of TLC. Knobs and handles were missing or broken, there were dents and a crumpled fender, missing carpet, and the windshield wipers did not work. The vacuum lines worked only by God's grace-- there was no other explanation.
Remember the potential price for fixing up Car A? Well, Car B could easily be as expensive using new parts and professional help. I did research, and discovered Don and Glenn's 914 Swap Meet in Riverside. At that swap meet, I found many of the needed parts, at affordable prices. Two books on how to put those parts in were very helpful. I learned about Bondo and bodywork, hammers and dollies, and now have the hugest respect for people who do this professionally. They are artists.
As the picture shows, the car came out pretty good looking. I took it to a number of Porsche events, never as a show car, but I still wanted to show it off.
When we moved, the Porsche had to sit outside for a while, as we cleaned out the garage. I was a bit nervous, but nothing happened. After the garage was clean, the Porsche went back in-- only to be stolen. Whoever it was knew we were no longer living there, that the Porsche was in the garage, and they drilled out the ignition, started it, and took it.
I am heartbroken, after all the time and love and energy invested in that little car. But it is truly gone forever.
And the next step...retirement!
After completing the doctorate, the economy took a dive, impacting all aspects of life, including education. To reduce the cost of employees, many school districts-- including mine-- offered a retirement incentive. For the first time, I was in a position to take advantage of this opportunity, and quite honestly, a bit burned out after 21 years of doing essentially the same thing, only more of it.
Right after my doctorate was completed, we moved to Fallbrook, CA, because the traffic situation (think teenage boys, high speed trucks, twice a day) was getting to my husband. This time, the economy was a plus, because we were able to purchase a very nice house for not much more than our old house was worth. We rented out the old house, and the income from that will pay taxes.
Scary, the idea of retirement. The security blanket of a steady job and the job security of tenure will be gone. On the other hand, the retirement income will be the minimum amount I'll be able to earn, not the maximum. Lots of options.
Happily, my boss isn't quite ready to send me on my way, and wants me working part time next year. This has been true for many of the professional women I know... they won't be replaced (see: economy) so other people are assuming their duties, and this doesn't happen instantly.
The down side is that he needs me to do the parts of the job I like the least :-( . However, those things need to be done, and someone needs to be mentored to take them over.
So, a new adventure awaits. So far, three retirement options appeal: sleeping in, in the morning; reading more; and taking Cujo the Wonder Dog for many walks (Cujo is getting chubby).
Right after my doctorate was completed, we moved to Fallbrook, CA, because the traffic situation (think teenage boys, high speed trucks, twice a day) was getting to my husband. This time, the economy was a plus, because we were able to purchase a very nice house for not much more than our old house was worth. We rented out the old house, and the income from that will pay taxes.
Scary, the idea of retirement. The security blanket of a steady job and the job security of tenure will be gone. On the other hand, the retirement income will be the minimum amount I'll be able to earn, not the maximum. Lots of options.
Happily, my boss isn't quite ready to send me on my way, and wants me working part time next year. This has been true for many of the professional women I know... they won't be replaced (see: economy) so other people are assuming their duties, and this doesn't happen instantly.
The down side is that he needs me to do the parts of the job I like the least :-( . However, those things need to be done, and someone needs to be mentored to take them over.
So, a new adventure awaits. So far, three retirement options appeal: sleeping in, in the morning; reading more; and taking Cujo the Wonder Dog for many walks (Cujo is getting chubby).
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Major changes
This past year has been a whirl! So much happened, and as a result, the blog got neglected. The entire year was devoted to writing and re-writing and editing and re-editing the dissertation. Formatting was a huge problem, with Microsoft Word formatting at odds with what the universities required. Every time I thought it was completed, my dissertation chair suggested changes that would strengthen the presentation of the evidence.
This was a mixed methods research study, part statistical analysis using extant data, part interviews. In addition, my study considered cultural theory, information and communication theory, learning styles, immigration theory, and information literacy strategies. Many nights were spent writing and revising and double checking sources, finding additional evidence to support-- or refute-- conclusions.
Finally we set a date for the defense, and in preparing for this, I realized that some parts of the dissertation still didn't flow as smoothly as they should, so there was some additional rewriting.
The defense went well, thankfully, with minor rewrites suggested by the committee.
One of the members of the previous cohort told me that it is AFTER the defense that you really work hard, and that proved to be true. The universities require exact formatting and have someone who reviews every page, twice, before it can be submitted digitally. With three universities, two accepted digital versions, one requires two bound print copies, so getting bound copies is the next step, on quality paper, of course.
And then graduation ceremonies! With a committee that represents two colleges, participating in both graduation ceremonies is expected, and considering the support given during the process, the least I could do :-)
And that is just one of the changes....more to come.
This was a mixed methods research study, part statistical analysis using extant data, part interviews. In addition, my study considered cultural theory, information and communication theory, learning styles, immigration theory, and information literacy strategies. Many nights were spent writing and revising and double checking sources, finding additional evidence to support-- or refute-- conclusions.
Finally we set a date for the defense, and in preparing for this, I realized that some parts of the dissertation still didn't flow as smoothly as they should, so there was some additional rewriting.
The defense went well, thankfully, with minor rewrites suggested by the committee.
One of the members of the previous cohort told me that it is AFTER the defense that you really work hard, and that proved to be true. The universities require exact formatting and have someone who reviews every page, twice, before it can be submitted digitally. With three universities, two accepted digital versions, one requires two bound print copies, so getting bound copies is the next step, on quality paper, of course.
And then graduation ceremonies! With a committee that represents two colleges, participating in both graduation ceremonies is expected, and considering the support given during the process, the least I could do :-)
And that is just one of the changes....more to come.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Two-thirds of the way there......
The blog, and everything else, has been neglected. This past two years has been a time when all energy focussed on the doctoral program, where I'm working harder than I've ever worked in my life. Two-thirds of the way there now, the next hurdle is defending the proposal. I feel so passionately about my project that even if they reject it, I'll go ahead and complete it on my own.
Almost every evening, every weekend, is devoted to reading, writing, re-writing, reorganizing, reading...oh, I said that already. But it is true. And yet, there is a plus side, as I'm learning to evaluate written materials rapidly, search for what is pertinent and skip that which is meaningless. I've found that my instincts are being honed and that what I've determined to have validity is recognized by other, more experienced scholars than myself as having value.
But there are still moments. The p-car was delighted to go for a run not too long ago when the need for a sanity break overwhelmed me. There is nothing like a roadster run, no matter how short, to soothe the soul. The roadster smell which is unlike any that of any other car model, I know not why, sets the tone for the drive. Settling down into seats that are so close to the pavement just feels right, and then the always prayerful turning of the key. Most of the time, it leaps to life and there is the engine roar that seems so close-- because it is--and off we go. However, it is now back under its car cover, waiting patiently for this doc-stuff to be over so we can go back to tinkering and petting and driving.
And speaking of pets, Cujo is always there. In this recent spate of rainy weather (which he hates!) he has wandered outdoors of necessity, and returned at a gallop, leaping into the warmth and safety of the bed, where he has layered the pillows with mud. It turns out that in sloppy mud, his chest serves like the prow of a ship, and coursing through it, he gets covered in mud.
Cujo, by the way, is my grand-dog. He was owned and named by my son, who envisioned a fierce protector in this minature daschshund. And Cujo can be fierce, but only if he has to be. He recognizes that most of the creatures in the world are larger and faster than he is, and that fierce is a poor choice under those circumstances. With the addition of children to my son's house-- all soon larger and faster than Cujo-- we decided that he needed to relocate, and so he lives here with me.
Almost every evening, every weekend, is devoted to reading, writing, re-writing, reorganizing, reading...oh, I said that already. But it is true. And yet, there is a plus side, as I'm learning to evaluate written materials rapidly, search for what is pertinent and skip that which is meaningless. I've found that my instincts are being honed and that what I've determined to have validity is recognized by other, more experienced scholars than myself as having value.
But there are still moments. The p-car was delighted to go for a run not too long ago when the need for a sanity break overwhelmed me. There is nothing like a roadster run, no matter how short, to soothe the soul. The roadster smell which is unlike any that of any other car model, I know not why, sets the tone for the drive. Settling down into seats that are so close to the pavement just feels right, and then the always prayerful turning of the key. Most of the time, it leaps to life and there is the engine roar that seems so close-- because it is--and off we go. However, it is now back under its car cover, waiting patiently for this doc-stuff to be over so we can go back to tinkering and petting and driving.
And speaking of pets, Cujo is always there. In this recent spate of rainy weather (which he hates!) he has wandered outdoors of necessity, and returned at a gallop, leaping into the warmth and safety of the bed, where he has layered the pillows with mud. It turns out that in sloppy mud, his chest serves like the prow of a ship, and coursing through it, he gets covered in mud.
Cujo, by the way, is my grand-dog. He was owned and named by my son, who envisioned a fierce protector in this minature daschshund. And Cujo can be fierce, but only if he has to be. He recognizes that most of the creatures in the world are larger and faster than he is, and that fierce is a poor choice under those circumstances. With the addition of children to my son's house-- all soon larger and faster than Cujo-- we decided that he needed to relocate, and so he lives here with me.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Naming the pups...
My sister lives in Anchorage, where her husband is an Iditarod dog sled racer. This means lots of dogs, often 50 or so, and a regular supply of new puppies. I'd never though much about naming puppies-- in my world, a puppy comes along perhaps once every ten years, and sort of names itself.
When you have lots of puppies on a steady basis, however, names become a problem. My sister and her husband have approached this thematically. For example, there was the spice litter, of which Curry, Spicy and Mustard are examples. There was also the cheese litter (Muenster), and the duck litter (Daffy, Daisy, Donald, Aflac)-- you get the idea.
So when my sister reported on the most recent batch of pups, she noted there were seven of them, and asked for suggestions. Seven? There were the Seven Wonders of the World, but somehow Acropolis or Great Wall don't seem to work. Then there are the Seven Seas, but there is some disagreement on exactly which ones they are, and Mediterranean or South Pacific are poor names for a puppy.
Eureka! how about the Seven Deadly Sins? Gluttony, Greed, Envy, Anger, Pride, Lust, and Sloth? I suggested those, and my sister was taken with the idea. No idea what her husband will think, since he is the one who actually has to call out those names when mushing on the trail, and introduce the dogs to the press. Stay tuned....
When you have lots of puppies on a steady basis, however, names become a problem. My sister and her husband have approached this thematically. For example, there was the spice litter, of which Curry, Spicy and Mustard are examples. There was also the cheese litter (Muenster), and the duck litter (Daffy, Daisy, Donald, Aflac)-- you get the idea.
So when my sister reported on the most recent batch of pups, she noted there were seven of them, and asked for suggestions. Seven? There were the Seven Wonders of the World, but somehow Acropolis or Great Wall don't seem to work. Then there are the Seven Seas, but there is some disagreement on exactly which ones they are, and Mediterranean or South Pacific are poor names for a puppy.
Eureka! how about the Seven Deadly Sins? Gluttony, Greed, Envy, Anger, Pride, Lust, and Sloth? I suggested those, and my sister was taken with the idea. No idea what her husband will think, since he is the one who actually has to call out those names when mushing on the trail, and introduce the dogs to the press. Stay tuned....
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