When I was Young...

 While driving in to work today, I caught most of a song I have not heard in many years..."When I was Young," by Eric Burdon and the Animals.  Burdon's haunting voice accentuates the message of how life changes as we age and not always for the better.  We become jaded, sometimes enjoying what we call the "little things" less and less.  Even though I caught most of the song while it was being played, I was moved enough to pull it up on YouTube Music once I got to work.  Burdon's voice boomed throughout my dimly lit, empty classroom via a Bluetooth speaker.  It was soothing in a melancholy way, bits and pieces, tiny vignettes of memories flitted about in my mind's eye.  So much so, I paused setting up my classroom for the day and replayed the song sitting quietly at my desk.  As the song ended and the memories once again faded into the recesses of my past I realized something I often forget, one must never lose sight of those "little things" in life and take time to smile at what we once did as children.

Songs such as this are why I love listening to Little Steven's Underground Garage on SiriusXM.

Random Thought: Plummers’ Tape

 Plummers’ Tape is strong enough to cut through your skin.  I found this out whilst attempting to cut a piece off by wrapping around one of my fingers.  It can be rather painful, so please do not try this yourself, use a proper cutting utensil.

Podcasting Update

 So...a while ago, actually February 6, 2021, I posted about wanting to begin podcasting on a regular basis again.  I am glad to say that I have partially met my goal.  Out of my two podcasts I do publish weekly to my Podbean site, which is set up for my classroom use.  It is mainly a weekly review for my students, it has potential to be helpful with the current educational situation of students either getting sick and being out of school or having to quarantine.  

My other site at Anchor.fm was for my personal use and random thoughts not related to my classroom.  That site has been sporadically used, "life gets in the way of life," as I like to say.  It is not an excuse, it just is a fact, if you are out doing activities, it is often difficult to find time to sit and podcast or blog well and consistently.  The last two terms can be flipped and melded together as in "consistently well," I do not want to do this just to do it.  I want to do it well, which of course is subjective.

I have become a co-host on a third Vlog/Livestream/Podcast, the PAECT Pod, our endeavor that uses Streamyard to push out a livestream to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.  The show is then recorded downloaded, edited, then uploaded as an audio file to Anchor.fm.  This show is a once a month effort, with smaller shows to preview upcoming events posted in between shows.  

For now I will consider this a win in the podcasting column.

Podcasting...Again?????

I am once again attempting to revive my podcasting habit, this time not just for my classes...but also general topics about the state of existence...but probably not as deep as it may sound.  My educational podcasts will still be hosted on Podbean, while my non-educational podcast will be hosted on Anchor.fm

The interest in podcasting has been there for many years, it has just been practiced in sporadic fashion, after several starts and stops, it is being attempted once again.  As with any effort that is hoped to catch on, a pattern must be practiced until it becomes a habit and part of a routine.  That is what I am hoping for...the journey will be updated both here and on my educational blog Mrsal.edublogs.org.

You can catch my Season 2: Episode 2 of Mr. Sal's Podcast n'nhat here.

Uncle Fester’s Hot Pepper Fruit Spread

Have you ever tried something a bit off the wall...unique...outside of your comfort zone?  Have you ever been pleasantly surprised?  World-endingly devastated?  Rocked beyond your wildest expectations?  I have been in several of these situations in my many years, under a variety of circumstances...from a food standpoint, palate-wise I was intrigued by this tasty concoction...Uncle Fester's Favorites: Hot Pepper Fruit Spread.

I tasted this stuff two years ago at the Ellwood City Arts and Crafts Show in Ewing Park.  I made the mistake of not buying any, I was not about to make the same mistake twice.  The jelly has a tinge of hotness, but is not overwhelming to your palate.

It tastes great on pretzels or corn chips as a dip.  Recently I have begun spreading this on toasted whole grain bread as an addition to my egg and cheese sandwiches.  A bit of heat in the AM rocks!

You can check out more about Uncle Fester's Favorites on Facebook by clicking here.

You can find out more about the Ellwod City Arts and Crafts Festival here.

Holiday Clean Up

This post was originally published at http://mrsal.edublogs.org/2017/12/22/holiday-clean-up/ but its message resonates here also...

Ahhhh...holiday break has started and I have so much to do, Christmas shop, well at least finish it, I started it yesterday after work.  In my defense, I have been looking for the presents I wanted to get people, but they are no where to be found..."Thank you Nintendo."  This holiday season I need to do some digital housecleaning, dumping emails, publishing or deleting blog drafts, and generally organizing some digital clutter on my desktop.  I am an early riser, so 20-30 minutes a day with my coffee before everyone else wakes up may not complete the task; but it should get me close to my goal and set me up for my New Year's Resolution.

Vinyl on HBO

HBO has a new series that focuses on the music industries of the 1970's; Vinyl. The show is graphic, loaded with great actors, visually stunning, nuanced with flashbacks and side clips that tease undercurrents and tensions between characters, interlaced with accurate historical facts from the era, and for someone with my ecclectic musical taste the soundtrack is unparalleled.

The first episode I was actually able to catch was episode two, and only a few minutes of it at that.  Those few minutes hooked me into the vivid tapestry of the show.  

I have since watched the pilot on in demand; a warning for all...do not try and watch Vinyl and try to multitask.  You risk missing integral, yet fleeting, pieces of the story.

If you enjoy music, history, and do not mind the graphic nature check out Vinyl.

Things you can do on a rainy day

My daughter Arianna was having a fundraiser for Alex's Lemonade Stand today to coincide with the neighborhood yard and garage sales.  Well...the rain cancelled the yard and garage sales, But Arianna and her friend Maddie braved the weather and held the lemonade stand.  We would line to thank everyone who donated to the stand.  I do not have the total yet, but it is okay considering the weather.

While it was storming during the stand I sent the girls inside and monitored the stand from the front porch.  I came up with a list if things I could do while this was going on:

Watch the lemonade stand.

Watch it rain.

Watch the grass grow from all of the continous rain.

Listen to music.

Drink coffee.

Watch people drive past the lemonade stand.

Daydream.

Answer my daugter's question via walkie-talkie, "Yes, it is still raining."

Read my neglected Facebook feed.

Watch the weather radar on my phone.

-----Become depressed because the rain stretches back through two states.

Catch up on Twitter.

Weed the flower beds in my yard when the rain slows to drizzle.

Get soaked when rain suddenly increases and I am weeding.

Decide to post to one of my blogs.

Grade summer school Moodle work until rain begins driving onto porch.

Do an ancient Pagan Sun Dance...I must have done it incorrectly, the rain came down harder.

See all of the #ISTE2015 posts on FB and Twitter.

Drink more coffee.

Answer my daugter's question via walkie-talkie, "Yes, it is still raining."

Read the Pittsburgh, PA conservative newspaper and try and count all of the hateful comments about the recent Supreme Court rulings.

-----I lost count.

Feel bad that we have so many hateful people around.

Learn to knit.

Drink more coffee.

Count more raindrops.

Twiddle my thumbs until they cramp.

Knit a comforter.

Learn Russian.

Recharge my phone battery.

Read War and Peace.

Answer my daugter's question via walkie-talkie, "Yes, it is still raining."

Listen to more music on my phone.

Translate War and Peace back into Russian.

Learn to put Einstein's Theory of Relativity to everyday use.

Count backwards from 365...in Klingon.

Make sure our life jackets are accessible.

Check my translation of War and Peace vs. an early Russian Version...I am spot on!

Think of more things to do while watching it rain.

Drink way too much coffee.

Begin to to post to my blog.

Prove that you CAN divide by zero.

Promise myself to never watch "Singing in the Rain," again.

Watch the lemonade stand.

Answer my daugter's question via walkie-talkie, "Yes, it is still raining."

Dose off into a nap.

Finish my blog.

Begin to build a life raft...just in case.

Summer Musings

The sun is settling behind the trees, my reading of Hunter S. Thompson's personal collection of letters has motivated me to begin writing again.  However, before I can start a bevy of black carpenter ants march across my deck.  The do not live here,, we pay an exterminator do drive them to the neighbor's.  They just use our yard as a pathway between their main home in one neighbor's tree and our other neighbor's fence.

Distracted by their presence, I fail to begin my authoring endeavors.  I smack one ant with a flip flop and the rest scatter. I disdainfully wipe the crushed bug from the bottom of my flip flop as I track the remaining interlopers.  

Two more are crushed with quick certainty and my cat-like reflexes.  They distract me long enough for one of their compatriots to get beyond my direct reach.  Unbeknownst to them, I could have qualified for the Olympics if flip flop tossing were on their list of accepted competitions.  With a casual, almost nonchalant toss of my flip flop the running charlatan is smothered by cheap imported plastic/rubber footwear.

The carnage makes the survivors scurry in chaotic circles.  I chamber my remaining piece of casual summer footwear in my right hand and begin dispatching the remaining trespassers.  As the remaining ant dives between the decking boards and  away from my capacity to strike, I grow impatient as I am in a hurry to move on to my creative endeavor of blogging.  

"You have to surface sometime!" I find myself calling aloud, almost upbraiding the surviving transgressor as Ahab once screamed at the white whale. 

As if on queue, the last of the transgressors raises to the surface of the decking, making on last gallant attempt at escape.  I pause, not sadistically mind you, but quizzically, pondering if I have some hidden skill or ability to communicate or command insects.  My mind clears of such foolish thoughts and I dispatch the last of the pack.  

I gaze about the field of battle, satisfied there are no more enemies to slay; I pick up my iPhone and begin to blog.

Pool Day

Today at the pool we signed up for our summer pool pass.  It was a great day for being in the water.  It was sunny, hot, and humid countered by a non-heated pool.  I am hoping that eventually the pool will warm up; if not it may be money wasted.  We did not get the pass last year due to the weather being cold and not pool-like.  

Arianna swam into one of her Girl Scout Troop mates and they enjoyed a couple of hours together.  Hopefully these sort of days become the norm.

Reflections on Letters

I just started reading Hunter S. Thompson's book, The Proud Highway.  I have not gotten deep into the collection of personal letters, which make up the book.  However, I admire the strength necessary to publish private letters one has written.  

A certainty is that I could never do such a thing.  I once tackled an old friend in my new front yard as he read a note he found while helping me move into a new residence.  Great first impressions for the neighbors, two adullt males wrestling over a piece of paper on a frozen tundra of grass in December, but he was reading aloud a ten year old letter that was long thought to have been destroyed. Fortunately I won the match and disposed of the letter.     

I recall that episode often in my classes when discussing Netiquette; once something is written anywhere it is no longer private.  People do not realize that in this era of connectivity.  Social media in its current form was called "Science Fiction" back then, much to my good fortune. I cannot fathom turning my teenage and early 20's correspondence into public discourse; not that they were that interesting to begin with...

I have been perusing through the book of letters, not voyeuristically, but with an interest to see how his writing evolved over time and how he strove to improve on his style.  

It has motivated me to blog more, keeping me on task with my goal.

Facing the fear of failure

I was kicking around the idea of taking a lifeguarding class so I can help out with my daughter's Girl Scout Troop when they are at camp.  As the day drew nearer to start, I began to grew apprehensive about my ability to be successful with the course.  The CPR part would be a refresher since I am already certified.  Any book work would be cake, I am great at studying now that I am older and wiser.  I am a solid swimmer, not fast, not pretty to watch, but I can get through the water and strong currents.  Stamina is a bit of an issue, but that will return with practice.  

My concern was that I cannot dive, which makes reaching the bottom of the deep end problematic.  Eight feet deep is a non-issue, it is ten feet and deeper that caused me consternation.  I began to second guess my decision to take the class, I was not sure I could pass that portion of the course, which would make my efforts all for naught.  

As the day drew nearer for me to start the class, I grew more apprehensive.  I almost backed out of the course, "why waste the money?  Why waste the time?  You are 48, why emabarass yourself?  You didn't even try to do this when you were younger and in better shape..." My brain was giving me many reasons to not go.  I discussed my concerns with the instructor, his idea was to try the course and see what happens.  I ran my thoughts past my wife, she said pretty much the same thing.  Both did not have too much concern about my ability to pass the course.

Well, I took their advice and went to the class.  As expected the CPR is pretty much what I already know, just more breathing since water is involved.  We practiced some rescues, I still need work on some of them, but that will come with practice.  Then, the moment that I was almost dreading arrived, the pull a weight from the bottom of the pool test.  I went last out of the group of students, bouncing ideas on how to succeed at the task off of my fellow classmates.  They were encouraging and helpful with ideas.  

I went with my old reliable move, feet first into the water which put me almost to the bottom.  However when I flipped to reach for the weight I started to float up to the surface.  I could see the weight just out of my grasp, but achievable to reach.  For what seemed to take minutes, but surely only took seconds I kicked and flailed for the bottom of the pool.  I grasped the weight as water began to fill my swim goggles.  I was fired up at grabbing the weight, but now I realized I still had to get to the surface.  I did not get a good push off the bottom to assist my upward movement, but the ten pound weight was not an issue.  I kicked and pulled, weight in hand, eyes closed since my were goggles filled with water, until I broke the surface.  I am sure the entire spectacle was not pretty to watch or look very coordinated, but I succeeded at the one thing I feared most.  

I reached the bottom of the pool and successfully brought the weight to the surface.  It doesn't sound like much, but it was a major confidence boost to this old man.  I now believe that I can successfully complete the rest of the course, which was in doubt because of my fear of that test.  Make no mistake, I have plenty of room for improvement, but now I know I can do it.  Once you know something can be achieved, improvement is something to look forward to.  It was a lesson I need to relearn.  

Family Sharing

Watching my daughter's face as she perused my previous blog posts was priceless.  "Daddy did you write this?" brought on a sense of nervousness within me.  "Yes, " was my response, followed by, "Do you like them?"  I held my breath awaiting a response...when she stated rather matter of factly,  "Yes," a sense of pride welled up within me.

My daughter was not trying to placate my pride, she truly enjoyed some of the posts.  She shuffled through the posts picking and choosing various posts.  But the fact that she read them and found some interesting was wonderful.  Hopefully they spark her creativity and get her posting again.  I am hoping to pass on the urge to contribute and share with the world to the young girl who has so much to offer.

Spring is late, but finally here

Spring is finally here...late but here.  The flowers are all blooming at once, daffodils, tulips, and my later spring flowers.  All of this while some trees are barely showing leaves, untrusting of Mother Nature and her fickleness.  

The crowning gem of Spring...my lilacs.  Only one of the two bushes has meaningful blooms.  This evening it is filling my yard with a sweet and pungent aroma to compliment the sounds of the season.  Children playing, music wafting through the air, radios of my youth replaced by smartphone streamed over Bluetooth speakers, but that is another post for another day.

Tonight belongs to the lilac and its springtime sensory fulfillment.  May it keep us in the season for nights to come.

Father's Day 2014

Happy Father's Day, 2014.  Hawaiian Shirt Summer continues!

iPhone Art

Trying out an app called ArtStudio on my iPhone.  Attempting to get back into my very brief foray into drawing.  

My first iPhone sketch is below.

Girl Scout Badges: Let's start an adventure

Over the last two days we have made a couple of trips to the Girl Scout Store in Beaver, PA. Arianna bridged to Brownies, so we bought her the Brownie Binder. Yesterday we stopped back and bought the badge activity kits, this way we can use the summer to start earning some badges. Each badge is a five step process and some of the activities are better suited for summer, when we have more time to work on them.

As a volunteer troop leader this will give me experience to better work with the troop as a whole this upcoming year.

Today, Arianna organized her binder and we began making a template to keep organized with her badge efforts. She helped me create a Google Doc which we will share with others using my wiki.

Once the site is ready I will post the link here and in one of my other blogs.

Summer Break

As summer break is starting I am mixing online Summer School duties, family duties, vacation prepping, summer projects, and getting caught up on things that I have fallen behind on while the school year was ending.  Such a blissful time...

I did come across some cool PD ideas and a great educational chat on Twitter this evening, but those are later posts for my professional blog located at http://mrsal.edublogs.org.

Stories for the Future

A friend of mine was telling me a story about a dream he had...he was negotiating with Saddam Hussien to free American prisoners.  During negotiations Saddam tasted my family's Easter Pizza recipe and  loved it; it became part of the negotiations.

I want to work on writing up dream into a story and video...we shall see how that goes.

First drawing

Here is my most recent drawing...it is not finished...hit a block.

I need more practice, but that is okay.  I have the rest of my life to improve.