Month: March 2009

Three sentence movie reviews–Revolutionary Road.

Sometimes, it makes all the difference who you watch the movie with. With me in the theater were two women who found a lot of this movie funny and laughed accordingly. I wouldn’t have noticed if I was watching it by myself, but the things they were laughing at were funny, even in this grim, depressing, well-acted movie.

Bechdel rating: Two women. Yep. Who talk to each other. Yep. About something besides a man. Not really.

A message from Future Patricia

Hello,

Future Patricia here. And let me tell you, April 26 looks a lot different than March 16. The weather is a bit warmer, for one. And the clover is over a foot tall, rather than just two or three inches. But enough about that. I’ve traveled here from the future, because I am dedicated to keeping my blog posts in order. And I realize I’m terribly behind. But that doesn’t mean there are not posts coming. They will be posted, eventually. In the meantime, I want to tell you about a discussion group I am starting that Current Patricia hadn’t thought up on March 16. It is a discussion group for the book Your Money or Your Life. And it is online, so you, Out & About fan, could join us, even if you don’t live anywhere near Portland. Are you interested? Read on. I’ll copy and paste the information that Future Patricia sent out to people.

In the meantime, keep in mind the weather is improving. And the blog posts will be posted, eventually.

Love,
Future Patricia

Hello blogging friends,

I’ve recently picked up the book Your Money or Your Life again. I read and followed its practices in the early part of this decade and lately, I’ve been feeling the pull to return to its lessons. I thought it would be fun (and more motivating) to invite others along so I’m starting a study group.

Apologies to those of you who previously received an email about this topic. Due to the pace of modern life/work schedules/pregnancy/”the economy” etc. it turns out that meeting in person for a discussion group doesn’t work very well. So I have re-jiggered the discussion group to be online. So perhaps you couldn’t participate before in person, but now you can virtually.

As a member of the study group you will read a chapter of the book per week, post to the newly created Y$YL blog (http://PDXYMYL.blogspot.com) and do your best to “do” one of the nine steps as best you can. Some of them are more involved than others.

You can see a discussion course outline by going to http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dj9fzf2_54fdr8zqvw

(That link is iffy, let me know if you need me to send the outline to you.) Our first discussion is May 15, so that gives you time to get the book and post an introduction.

More about the book:

Read the customer reviews of Your Money or Your Life at Amazon.com and the common theme you will hear is–“it changed my life!” Lots of authors aim to change people’s lives with their books. How many pull it off? Your Money or Your Life pulled it off because it revealed the connection between solving money problems and solving work problems. Looking back, one is tempted to say that the insight should long have been obvious to all. The reality is, it wasn’t. Your Money or Your Life has been a global bestseller for 13 years because it got to the root of the money management project and said something about it that had never been said before–the best reason to save is not to escape work but to free yourself to do a different kind of work.

(http://www.passionsaving.com/your–money–or–your–life.html)

If you are interested, or have questions, please email me to RSVP. stenaros [at] gmail.com

If you aren’t interested, but know someone who might be, feel free to forward this.

Patricia

UPDATE!

The math test went well. I was pleased with the amount of studying I did. I’m not sure how they will score the three constructed response questions that are worth 33%. I worry that I should have been more wordy in my answers. But I knew how do all of them, with the exception of one part of one question. This has not been the case in the practice sessions.

I finished all of the 40 multiple choice questions. If a question was confusing to me, I skipped it to go back later and do it. I was not sure I would finish every question and I wanted to do the easier ones I had more chances of getting right first. When I got to the end, there were only eight that I didn’t do the first time around. Of those eight, seven I fiddled with and came up with an answer that seemed like a good guess. The remaining one, I had no idea and I went with “C”.

I thought I developed a particularly good time management strategy. I spent 5 minutes reading over the test at the beginning. That calmed my fears a lot as everything looked familiar. Then I spent 10 minutes on the first constructed response and 15 minutes on multiple choice. I alternated those until I had finished the constructed response. When there were 30 minutes remaining, I took a look at where I was and strategized. I think this back and forth effort helped me not only finish everything, but also not worry that I was going to run out of time before I had even attempted large sections of the test.

The other thing that was nice was that almost every time when I came up with an answer it was one of the choices on the multiple choice. When I was studying I would often puzzle my way through a problem only to find that my answer wasn’t there. It was a bit defeating. This time, even if I figured wrong, I was at least validated by the answer being present.

So overall, I think I did well. I’m not sure it is enough to pass, but even if it isn’t I have now taken the test and know what to expect if I take it again next time.

I came home, and alternately napped and read Dennis Lehane’s new book which is very, very good.

I am caught up!

One plus of being extra busy with normal life is that it is so routine that there is not much to blog about. That, plus the fact I’ve been avoiding studying for the test in the mornings, means that I am caught up on this blog for the first time since June 2008! That’s right. If you are reading this on Friday, March 13, that would be the same day in which I typed this! So exciting.

I’m aware that this blog is in its “In & Inactive” state again. That is partially because I forgot to bring my camera when I went to Sunriver last weekend with the staff of my school. There would have been pictures from that, but alas. Hopefully with the coming of spring (and spring break!) there will be more pictures.

So I take the big Praxis test tomorrow. 10:45. Wish me luck. I’m hoping to not have to take it again.

Math teacher report 3/13

I’m warning you right now, this will be a “didn’t really do it” sort of post. I’m really tired and my mental energy is going toward the test on Saturday and my final project for my class. Both of those are things that are essential for me becoming a math teacher, so it isn’t like I’m not doing anything.

Finish that message thing
Not done yet. I think I need to find three or so teachers to give me advice and then send them some version to see what they like best.

Look at three potential volunteer tutor jobs
I didn’t even remember that I made this goal.

Contact five people about informational interviewing
Hah!

Write two blog posts.
I wrote one. I have another one burbling in my brain. I have some ideas for a series.

I’ll revisit the math teacher goals during/after spring break. The start of the quarter is a good time for me to integrate new things in my life.

Weekly report: becoming a math teacher

Here is my 2/26/09 weekly report of how I’m doing with my job search.

message crafted?
I made some notes about what I wanted in my message. They are the following.

  • teach math/explore math/learn math. This is for what I want to teach. “Teach math” is the most succinct, but I’m wondering if it would be better to say something like “I want to help students learn/understand math…” Explore? Maybe not. It might be a little too touchy-feely.
  • struggling mathematicians. This is what I was/am and who I want specifically to work with students who have trouble making math connections. I believe that my past history with math will help me find more ways to help students understand concepts.
  • organization/goal setting. Something I rock at is organization, anyone who has worked with me will tell you that. I believe that being organized isn’t something you are born with, but something you learn. All my students will master steps to become organized learners. I would like to incorporate goal setting into my curriculum. By setting and monitoring weekly and monthly goals, students will not only have a greater understanding of what reasonable goals are and the steps to meet them, they will also use their goals to master math concepts.
  • different ways to solve problems
  • cross curriculum
  • students will learn: math, organization, goal setting.

…Picking up on 3/7. And I ran out of time and had to go to work. So I didn’t set goals for this last week. It was a busy week and not a lot happened in the realm of future math teacher Patricia. So I will finish reporting what happened and then make new goals.

student teaching started?
This was much easier than I thought. I asked my boss if she would mind if I observed math class, and taught a unit or two. She thought that was a fine idea. Then I just had to ask the 4/5 teachers. I caught both of them in the kitchen on a short break. Here’s how the conversation went:
Me: “For my math thing, I don’t technically have to student teach…”
Julie: “Yes”
Jo: “I get her.”
(They argue)
Me: “I haven’t even finished what I was going to say!”
So I am currently observing Julie’s Math class two days per week and will teach a unit sometime in the near future. So far I’ve observed I need to work on my mental math skills.

informational interviews begun?
Um, yeah, contacting 10 people was a bit much, especially given how much I don’t like to do informational interviews. I contacted no people and stewed about the issue and finally decided to order What Color is Your Parachute from the library. I did that and read the chapter on informational interviewing and now that I have done that, I guess I have to move in that direction. Sigh.

blog posts kicked up?
I did three blog posts that first week and have done none since.

Goals for 3/12:

  • finish that message thing
  • look at three potential volunteer tutor jobs
  • contact five people about informational interviewing
  • write two blog posts.

Two short rants.

Hey big-calfed, expensive biked man,

I can see that you spend a lot of time on your bike. You clearly have the physique and have sunk a lot of money into that bike you are riding. And if I cared about speed I would be so impressed with how fast you are. But you know what? One of the reasons I love riding a bike is that mostly people who ride bikes are nice people, friendly, polite. Not you apparently. When you pass someone on the right—because you are so fast and can’t stand to slow down—especially when someone else is passing that person on the left, it would be rather nice if you said something like, “Coming up on your right.” We aren’t trapped in cars, unable to communicate. I don’t listen to an i-pod while biking and can hear quite clearly. Use your words. A, “good morning” would be nice too. And I know that you can’t have fenders on your bike because they add precious weight to your superfast machine. But when you ride without fenders in the autumn/winter/spring in Portland all that road grit goes everywhere. Including on me as you abruptly pass me on the right. Nice. Thanks a lot.

Hello parents at the school in which I work,

Yep, I stand every day at the door at the beginning and end of school and greet you and your children. Some of you even return my greeting, which is nice. You know what isn’t nice? You saying, “You look exhausted!” You know why? Most days I’m not exhausted, just someone with large bags under her eyes getting through a part of her day she doesn’t really enjoy that much. So when I’m doing the part of my job that I have settled into tolerating, and someone comments on how tired I look and I’m not actually tired at all—or, as happened yesterday, feeling the most well-rested I’ve felt in months—it doesn’t feel very good. If you are tired yourself and just projecting, don’t. If you are actually concerned about my physical state, there are better ways to ask. Just don’t assume I am tired.

Thanks.

Why you should stop what you are doing and subscribe to your local paper.

I mean it. Right now. You can even do it while sitting in front of your computer. I can wait.

You want reasons? Okay here are a few.

  • Newspapers are having trouble making the digital transition. For the most part, reading things on the internet is free, but the ad revenue generated from internet ad sales does not begin to meet traditional sources of ad revenue. While most newspapers are available in online form they aren’t the presence they have traditionally been in their paper form.
  • The ad revenue in print sources pays for the reporters who have the time to do the investigations about issues that are important to your life. Issues that you didn’t know you cared about until they are reported on. Coming this Sunday, the Oregonian will publish a report about placing foster children with relatives in other countries. The reporters’ work led directly to a moratorium placed on this practice.
  • Newspapers are an essential part of creating community. Do you want to know what is going on in your town, city or state in the government, entertainment or sports? The newspaper has the answer.
  • Reading newspapers makes you sound smart. Can I talk intelligently about the proposal to bring Major League Soccer to Portland? Yes. Why is that? Because I’ve read every article about the issue that was published in the Oregonian, Willamette Week and Portland Mercury.
  • Reading the newspaper introduces you to so many cool things. I can’t tell you how often someone has said to me, “How did you even hear about that?” and the answer is always that it was something I read in the newspaper.

Excuses I don’t want to hear:

  • I don’t agree with the political opinions of my newspaper. Okay stop. I grew up wildly liberal and reading the Idaho Statesman, which does not fit anywhere close to the definition of liberal print media. I disagreed with most of the editorials, their coverage of education and half to three-quarters of the letters to the editor. I still found out incredible amounts about what was going on in my community, as well as following the lives of the Patterson Family in For Better or for Worse.
  • I don’t have time to read my newspaper. I didn’t say you have to read the newspaper, just subscribe to it. You know those micro-loans that are so successful in third world countries? Think of your subscription as that. Ad revenue is based on the number of subscribers, not on the number of subscribers who read the paper. And really, you don’t have time to read even one section? Even the fluffy section? Please.
  • Newspapers waste too many resources. All that paper is expensive and needs to be recycled and I don’t want to do it. This is true. It may waste much fewer resources to read things online. But, quite frankly, online newspapers aren’t very good. Oregonlive.com, the Oregonian’s website recently had an upgrade. It is now simply bad instead of maddeningly frustrating. Like I said above, newspapers are having a tough time making the digital transition. Once they have and are okay, you can discontinue your paper subscription and cease the odious task recycling mounds of paper. Until then, buck up and buy some carbon offsets or something. Also, if you are that person above who doesn’t read the paper, recycling becomes much easier.
  • I can’t afford it. Yes, yes, times are tough. But as a former colleague once remarked, “I can’t believe you can get all that stuff in one paper and it only costs fifty cents.” It is a marvel. My monthly subscription is $13.95, which is about the same price as a movie and popcorn. For that I get untold hours of reading enjoyment and grumbling, not to mention the side bonus of being well-informed.
  • I don’t really care. You should. For all the reasons pointed out above and in the This Modern World Cartoon from 03/03/09. Remember that trained journalist make a difference.

So don’t delay. Subscribe today. Now. I’m not kidding. Do it.

Countdown.

I’m at that point where I am just waiting for three events to be over. Not that I am sitting passively by, all of them require much work on my part, alas. But I am looking forward to these things being done so I can catch up with my “normal life”.

The first will be done by 3:00 pm today, that is the Youth Service. It doesn’t require a lot of work, but the mental energy commitment is a bit large and every year when it is over, portions of my brain that have been thinking about it, are free to go back to their idle musings.

On March 14, I take the Praxis Middle School Math test. The test itself is 2 hours of my life, but I have spend 43 hours studying in regular half hour chunks since early September. I took a practice test last night and now can complete the problems in the time allotted with the bonus that now I understand how to tackle 95% of them, a fact that was not true when I began this process. So all my studying has benefited me, I just don’t know if I will have enough right answers to pass. Time will tell, but I’m most excited that it takes 4 weeks to get your results. So I will have four weeks of not studying.

Following soon on the test’s heels is my final paper and project for my math class. This is a tough one, because it requires me to have an actual product–the other ones will happen whether I’m prepared or not, but this requires me to not only produce a paper of some length, but also have a presentation. I can’t really fake my way through either of those. So the other back of my mind is working on that problem and I have to carve more time out of my schedule to actually put pen to paper, or rather letters on screen.

While I work on those things, so many other things are dropping by the wayside. Less vegetables are being consumed. My desk has geologic layers on it, marking the passage of time. Someone’s birthday present is underneath everything, and I hope I can mail it today. Laundry isn’t folded, blog posts aren’t finished, bank balances haven’t been updated. Goals aren’t being made.

I don’t mind rising to the occasion and “doing” all of these things, but I really hate the aftermath: I’m tired and then have to catch up all the things that have fallen by the wayside. Mostly I don’t mind making the amount of money I make (though I’m always open to more, of course) but it’s during these times that I recognize the power of money for easing your life. “It would be nice if I could hire someone to cook and clean up for me.” I think to myself. But alas, I can’t, so I hobble on. Thank god spring break is coming up. I can’t imagine trying to do the catch up without it.