Have you heard about this thing called digital copy? Well if you haven't, digital copy is this thing you can use to take DVDs that you have bought recently to get a "copy" of the movie for you iPod/mp3 players. Tomorrow we do not have school (yeah! Casmir Pulaski Day) and I am going with my mom to Chicago so I decided it would be nice to watch a movie on the way up, so I tried the digital copy thing. I go through the first questions like "what country?" and "would you like to subscribe to this?". Then I click the button to get the actual copy and it says please wait. I did. After that it says if iTunes doesn't pop-up, click it on your desktop so I do and GUESS WHAT... the iTunes computer site comes up but it wants me to download iTunes which, duh I already have. I try again and the same thing happens. So this time I click on the support tab of the iTunes window. It is absolutely useless, so I go back and click on the other tabs trying to get help. There is nothing on their website that will help. Maybe this is why I find Computers annoying; they don't do what I want them to do.

Hailey Bushue

Man without a jaw finds his voice

If you're like me, you may be at once repulsed by and drawn to the photograph here.

It's Roger Ebert, half of the famed film critic duo, Siskel & Ebert.

Eight years ago, he underwent surgery for thyroid cancer. A year later, his salivary glands were partially removed. In 2006, the cancer came back in his jaw and he had a section of his lower jaw removed. After he had recuperated and was in his hospital room packing up to leave, his carotid artery burst. He would have bled to death had it happened anywhere else, but doctors worked frantically to patch him up. He underwent a tracheotomy and was left with much of his lower face hanging slack.

So, for more than three years, he has lived with a hole in his throat, unable to eat, drink or speak. Pretty bleak, you would think, for one with so much to say. This is a guy, after all, who along with the late Gene Siskel brought movie reviews -- with their signature "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" ratings -- into our living rooms with humor, insight and passion.

Think again.

In one of the most inspiring profiles I've ever read -- "The Last Words of Roger Ebert" in the March issue of Esquire -- Ebert says (er, writes) that no one should feel sorry for him. Communicating through handwritten notes on blue Post-its and his laptop computer, Ebert, at age 67, has become even more prolific as a writer and blogger. And that's saying something for someone who won the Pulitzer Prize way back in 1975, becoming the first film critic to win journalism's most conveted honor, and has written several books and thousands upon thousands of reviews for the Chicago Sun-Times.

His blog, rogerebert.com, has had 92 million visits and a quick stroll through the site reveals why. He's got more than a dozen categories, ranging from reviews and commentary to the Oscars, festivals and his personal journal, Roger Ebert's Journal. He answers readers questions directly and often responds to the thousands of comments left on his blog.

In a recent entry, he acknowledges that the Esquire profile was both intimate and personal and says it was "inexplicable instinct" that led him to agree to the interview with writer Chris Jones.

"When I turned to it in the magazine, I got a jolt from the full-page photograph of my jaw drooping," Ebert writes. "Not a lovely sight. But then I am not a lovely sight, and in a moment I thought, well, what the hell. It's just as well it's out there. That's how I look, after all."

It's that kind of clear-eyed acknowledgment of the truth, coupled with remarkable wisdom packed throughout, that makes the piece so memorable. Jones writes:

"We have a habit of turning sentimental about celebrities who are struck down -- Muhammad Ali, Christopher Reeve -- transforming them into mystics; still, it's almost impossible to sit beside Roger Ebert, lifting blue Post-it notes from his silk fingertips, and not feel as though he's becoming something more than he was. He has those hands. And his wide and expressive eyes, despite everything, are almost always smiling.

"There is no need to pity me, he writes on a scrap of paper one afternoon after someone parting looks at him a little sadly. Look how happy I am.' "

Later in the piece, there is this:

"I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problem, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out."

I'm tempted to call Roger Ebert a hero. But I know we often and too quickly delude ourselves into thinking we know celebrities, or at least those who are in the public eye. Still, I think a good profile reveals something of a person's essential character. Along with a wonderful piece that Tom Junod wrote years ago on Fred Rogers (he of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood"), Chris Jones' profile of Roger Ebert ranks up there as the best I've read.

Photo: Ethan Hill

phones in school

I think that we should be able to have our phones turned on in school because: what if there is an emergency and we need to call 911 because someone is in the school and is trying to kill us or hold us in the school. We would be able to call the police and get help on the situation; if we didn't have our phones turned on we might try to turn them on to call the police and get caught by whoever is trying to harm us. Or, what would happen if someone fell the in the hallway? We could call 911 and get them help. So, all in all, I think it is a good idea to be able to have our phones turned on.

Cole Heuerman

----Mrs. Cross' Long-Winded Response----

Thanks to Cole for bringing up this hot-button issue. I, of course, disagree with having cell phones on during school hours. At St. Anthony, at any rate, cell phones should be turned off and in your locker or book bag (not on your pocket).

It is often easy to rationalize the things that we want. People can rationalize bad or inappropriate behavior, they can rationalize breaking the rules, they can rationalize their desires. "Well, in my case ____ is okay because..."

Having your cell phone turned on during school hours is unnecessary for several reasons. As for the first argument--emergency situations--everyone is in close proximity to a land line phone. In my hallway alone, five phones are within easy access. Students or teachers should not contact 911 until they have informed the office. That is as simple as shouting or running for a teacher. If an accident occurs in the hallway: get a teacher--who will then call the office, send someone to the front office (if people are standing nearby). The office will handle the rest of the situation.

The school has procedures in place for hostage situations. The job of school administration and faculty is to safeguard our students. Let us handle the situation. The police do not recommend everyone with a cell phone making an emergency call. It ties up the line of communication and can actually make the situation more dangerous. When students make other calls out during an emergency situation, people panic and show up at the school. This makes the situation more dangerous for family members, but also more difficult for the emergency services personnel who are trying to diffuse the situation and maintain calm outside the school building. Also, FYI, some incendiary devices (explosives) can be detonated via cell phones. So, making a call during a situation where these devices may have a role in the danger only intensifies the potential for an explosion. In a hostage situation (if you are in the room with the person holding the school hostage), the worst thing you could do is not follow his or her "rules" -- you make them mad and they are more likely to open fire.

Outside emergencies: Parents and others should call the office prior to making a call to the student. If a child needs to be taken out of school, the office needs to know anyway. If another situation occurs--such as a death in the family--then a face-to-face explanation is much more reasonable than a phone call. The school's faculty will be glad to pass on messages to the students. It's part of our job, after all.

So, let's get to the real reason. We all know that very few people only use their cell phones for "emergency situations." Cell phone usage has become an addiction of sorts. People cannot seem to break away from the constant need for communication. Why? I wish I could explain it. I keep my cell phone turned off during school hours. It is off before I enter the building in the morning and not turned on again until I leave at the end of the day. The only people I need to communicate with during school hours are my students and members of the faculty and staff. Why shouldn't the students be expected to follow suit?

Last week a student left his cell phone turned on and it rang during class. Now, first, I have to wonder who would be calling a teenager during the normal school day... if it's another student, can't you just wait until lunch or when you see each other in the hallway or during class? I know that last year I called my nephew on his cell phone. I was living in Florida and in a different time zone. I forgot and just called him. His phone, luckily, was turned off. The point is: the ringing cell phone was a disruption. It also got the student in trouble.

How many of you would, if you were allowed to have them on you and turned on, could resist the temptation to text during class? Many students do so anyway. I'm sorry, but the temptation is too great. Even worse: teachers using their cell phones in class. Ugh! This always makes me so mad. How can we expect students to follow the rules if we set a bad example. Back to rationalization...

Many employers are saying "No!" to cell phone use during working hours; some state governments have restricted the use of cell phones while driving. The bottom line: why do we feel the need to be in constant contact? Why can't we wait until we get home or are in private to make phone calls? Why do people make calls from a bathroom stall? Why, why, why? The only thing I can think of is that we, as humans, have become so self-absorbed and selfish that we cannot look beyond our own desires. Yes, that's it.

Cycling Gumbo

The podium at this year's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad is a good one. The crafty veteran winner in Flecha...the anointed single-day superstar in Haussler...and the goofy Labrador sprinter in Farrar.

(Photo:CyclingNews)

Saturday Finds

Found these two tins and the little coffee pot this morning (I need another tin like I need a hole in the head).



Also got these three drawer pulls with the loveliest of flowers.

The dreaded layoffs

It was pure coincidence that I wore black on Wednesday. So, too, did a couple of co-workers.

That's the day we all hoped would never come finally arrived -- the day that 37 employees were laid off from The Oregonian, including 27 people from the newsroom.

Even three days after the layoffs occurred (sorry, I can't bring myself to say things like "when the ax fell"), it's still hard to find the words to describe the mood and the effect on those of us who remain -- the so-called "survivors."

You can read the basics here, in this short post: "The Oregonian announces layoffs of 37 employees."

What you won't read -- and what's hard to convey -- is the mix of emotions that we felt on Wednesday. Everything ranging from shock ("They laid her off?") to concern ("Will these cuts be the only ones?") to relief ("There but for the grace of God go I.").

-- Your brain tells you that the cuts are part of a cost-cutting strategy to bring expenditures into line with revenues that have been greatly reduced by the recession and the migration of advertising dollars to the Internet. If the company can't make a profit, it can't sustain itself. That's obvious.

-- Your heart tells you what you already know, that each one of these layoffs comes with a human cost. Aside from the loss of salary and benefits comes the realization that, no matter what criteria were used, your name wound up on the list of people to be let go. That's got to be disconcerting, to say the least. If the layoff came as a surprise, if your pay made up the bulk of your household's income, if you had sustained a loss of some other kind (say, a parent who passed away), the pain and shock are multiple times greater.

-- Your gut tells you that you're damn lucky to have a job. A different calculation, a different set of people making the decisions ... and it might have been you signing the separation papers and picking up your last paycheck.

At the news meeting Thursday morning, it was a somber group of editors who gathered in a conference room to press forward with the next cycle of news gathering and planning for Friday's editions. It fell to our editor, Peter Bhatia, to express what was on everyone's mind.

Yesterday, he said, was about the worst day he's had in 30-plus years of being a journalist. We all knew it was coming, no one wanted it to come and now we're all glad that it's done. The list of people being laid off changed constantly over the past few weeks as skill sets and areas of duplication were assessed against current and future needs. And, now, with a slimmer staff we can get on with the task of reorganizing the newsroom.

When you say goodbye to co-workers in these circumstances, you're saying goodbye to family, for these are the people that you've worked with every day for years. Despite everything, Peter said, those who were losing were amazingly gracious. Though some reacted with shock or anger, the vast majority thanked him for the opportunity to work there and a few even asked how he was holding up. They understand the need to cut costs and even after all of this, hope The Oregonian will recover and once again thrive.

I was profoundly sad this week for my peers and for our industry. And without sounding overly selfish, I'm extremely grateful knowing I'm among those still there at the newspaper and continuing in my job as Sunday Opinion editor.

A final note: I can't end this post without acknowledging the emails that came from a handful of industry friends -- each of them a generation younger than me -- expressing sadness about the layoffs and asking if I'd been spared. That showed a lot of class.

Photo: www.mediabistro.com

Taken

So this weekend with my bum knee and everything i sat down and watched the movie Taken which stars Liam Neeson. Taken is a very action packed movie that keeps your attention the whole time. Neeson plays the character of Bryan Mills. Bryan Mills is an ex-CIA or FBI agent or something like that (I'm not real sure). Well anyways, he's retired now and he's trying to spend more time with his daughter. She wants to go to Paris but Mills is reluctant to let his daughter, Kim, go. He finally gives in and when she gets to Paris is when the real adventure begins. I won't reveal the ending but if I were you I'd definitely take time to sit down and watch this thriller.

Wow, what a week! It's been fun, but I'll be glad to get back to normal next week. The peer-teaching project in English II has been amazing. I had no idea so many of my students are such talented teachers, as well. I've also seen some great worksheets and Power Point presentations.

The Speech projects were, overall, pretty darn great... I enjoyed learning about the past 80 years (give or take a few). Students presented projects ranging from the 1930s to the 2000s -- complete with pictures, information, music, and even costumes. Kudos to Alexis Niebrugge. for maintaining constant eye contact (and for never even using her notes) and for attempting the Madonna-look. Another round of applause goes out to Josh Hanner-Bananer for his informative and well-presented project about the 1940s and Operation Valkyrie--very interesting! James Strong deserves accolades, as well--his video about the 90s entertained us all; in the same section, Austin Speer delivered a nearly-professional speech. John Schultz delivered a fun and informative speech--about Boy Bands in the 90s. I had to cover my ears through New Kids on the Block and N-Sync... but it was fun to hear Boys2Men. That took me back to high school dances! I also think that Lexi Kingery should give me some hints about PowerPoint--her slides were incredibly beautiful. Now, I'm only mentioning a few of the highlights...there are way too many to mention (you all complain that I'm too long winded in these articles).

My AP students have been reading a selection of novels: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde), Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe), and Frankenstein (Mary Shelley). Dorian Gray was, by far, the favorite... with Things Fall Apart receiving low marks from students. They're starting a new selection of novels this weekend. Enjoy!

Okay, that's my update for this week. I hope everyone enjoys the 3-day weekend. Don't forget to study your Beowulf!

Random Fun Facts!

Random Fun Facts

1. Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite


2. All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill


3. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear


4. A dragonfly's life span is 24 hours


5. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes


6. Almonds are a part of the peach family


7. Left handed people live slightly shorter lives than right handed people


8. People spend two weeks of their life at a stop light


9. Turtles can breath through their butts


10. One ragweed plant can produce as many as one billion grains of pollen

Sta vs. T-town

This Friday, our Varsity basketball team is going to face T-town in the regional championship game in Shelbyville. This will be the third time we've played them this year after losing one very close game at the NTC tournament and another here at home that went into three overtimes. Hopefully we'll be able to pull out a victory Friday night at Shelbyville. We've been close to beating them twice now and I think this is the time we will beat them. It is hard to beat a team three times and that is what T-town would have to do in order to win regionals. We also in a sense have history on our side since in former teams both teams have won at least one game. You can almost be sure that this will be a close and very exciting game--no matter who comes out with the win.

Washed Away A Dream Of You

"A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind."

(Henry David Thoreau)

I've Seen Better Looking Bowling Trophies

Michael Rogers wins the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol. If he can stay healthy, Mongo expects "Mick" to be a player at the TDF this year. He's got great all around game.

(Photo:Bettini/CyclingNews)

Born The Son Of A Lawless Man

It's been a very long time since Mongo has finished a ride, stripped off my gear, and dropped exhausted into my quickly moistening bed. Today, I got to relive exactly what it feels like to be on the verge of a complete body shutdown.

Mongo decided this morning to take my new Sub-19 out for a run on the 23/2300 Hammerfest loop. During the last couple of months Mongo has hammerfested solely on LPE, so I was excited to see how my training would translate to the Sub-19. Mongo was in full racing trim along with a full array of computer data retention. It would have been a great ride except for the fact that it was thirty eight degrees and windy as f**k!...I'm talking about a constant headwind of at least twenty miles per hour...seriously!

I rode well. The climbs were brutal and the descents were slow. I had wind in my face all day and my speed suffered, but the overall workout was extremely intense. It was what I needed to take my "Cat 5 Domination" training to the next level.

Winding down the week

Looking to the weekend for some R&R and family time. And my trusty sidekick agrees.

Fresh And Clean: Mongo's New Rubber

For my friend, "Kid Wiz".

Spinning

When I first heard about spinning class, I thought it was a pottery class. No lie. So when my friend said she was going spinning, I thought it sounded like a good idea. Boy, was I in for a surprise. She told me we would be riding bikes for an hour straight. I was a little worried, but reluctantly went anyway. For those of you who don't know, you "spin" in an all dark room to pumped up music. The music goes with whatever type of exercise you're doing on the bike. The instructor is very encouraging and keeps you going your hardest. I left the hour feeling healthier and my legs felt like jello. It sure feels good to get a good workout.

Fame

So this weekend, I saw Fame (the movie with all of the dancing and singing). Definitely not what I expected. For those of you who don't know, it's a remake of the 1980 version of the film. Anyways, I wouldn't recommend this film unless you like movies that drag. There's no point to it, probably because the director kind of forgot about the plot. Now my intent is not to totally bash this movie - the dancing is amazing. But other than that, I wasted 1 hour and 40 minutes of my life.

-Caroline

P.S. I have heard that the original is much, much better (it has a plot).

Trial Teachers & Teacher's Trials

This week is an interesting and exciting one for me. It's a tough one, too.

In English II, the students are transforming into teachers--for a class period. Students are working in groups of 2-5 (depending on the class section and subject matter) and are teaching a literary element or two to their peers. Two groups in each class period have completed their duty assignment; I've enjoyed the experience immensely. Each group has a team leader--just like a real English department. The team leader helps coordinate assignments and oversees the whole shebang. Each team is required to develop a lesson plan, create a presentation (using Power Point or SmartBoard technology), and design worksheets. Between the two class periods, "trial-teachers" have taught hyperbole & understatement, allusion (literary, Biblical, mythological, and historical), symbolism, and oxymoron & paradox. Upcoming lessons include: types of imagery, verbal & dramatic irony, allegory, epigrams, metonymy, and alliteration / assonance / consonance. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming lessons--as I've enjoyed the completed teaching experiences so much.

The Speech projects, on the other hand, are more difficult. Students are "Presenting the Past" this week. Each presentation must be between 7-10 minutes long and focus on a specific decade. So far I've seen presentations on the 30s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. The projects are really interesting and fun, but the difficulty for me, as a teacher, is in the grading. It is so hard to grade my students on their speeches. I know, I know... I'm a Speech teacher. But, I love my students--and it's difficult to be objective. They get nervous up there. Even if I know a student is capable of a great speech, they might be having an "off-day" or get extra nervous because the stakes are so high (100 pts). I have to grade each student on their performance, so it can be really tough.

Oh yeah... and AP Literature is working on an uber-difficult mock AP multiple choice exam. I love taking the practice tests--but I've found this one a little exhausting (and I've taken it before). I wouldn't be surprised if the ACTUAL AP test were easier than this practice exam.

So, it's a busy week--for me and for my students. I hope everyone is enjoying the English II and Speech projects. And, AP... when you look back on this practice test (this summer, in 10 years, whenever) I hope that you know I'm not trying to torture you. I'm just trying to do what is best for you and what will prepare you for the "big day".

Is anyone else ready for the weekend yet?

Gracious Graham

The subject line flashed across my computer screen yesterday afternoon: Graham Hovey 1916-2010‏.

In an instant, I knew that the distinguished white-haired gentleman who had played a pivotal role in my career development had died. A week ago, he broke a hip in a fall and was hospitalized. Five days later, on Saturday, he died in his sleep. He was 94.

By the time I met him, Graham Hovey (rhymes with lovey-dovey) was a retired foreign correspondent and editorial writer for The New York Times and director of the Michigan Journalism Fellowships program (now known as the Knight-Wallace Fellowships). It was he who interviewed me in a Seattle hotel lobby and who later phoned me with the news that I had been selected, at age 31, to be one of a dozen U.S. journalists to spend an academic year at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. It was and remains a year that was pivotal in my personal and professional growth and, as a side benefit, also helped propel Lori into her career as a personal trainer.

The program offered us fellows a chance to pursue a yearlong study plan of our own design -- free of tuition, grades or exams of any sort -- while taking advantage of everything the world-class university had to offer, including season tickets for the football season. (There's nothing more exciting than being part of a crowd of 106,000 fans cheering the Wolverines to victory over arch-rival Ohio State on a crisp Saturday in November.)


Unlike more single-minded peers, I took a broad approach in my studies, focusing on 20th century U.S. history and literature in an attempt to fill in the gaps in my undergraduate education. I took courses in African American and Mexican American literature, the Vietnam War and much more. I also joined in the twice-weekly seminars, featuring boxed wine, that Graham arranged for us with outstanding faculty and visiting scholars and professionals, including Norman Mailer and Leonard Bernstein. Lori, meanwhile, took classes in kinesiology and performed on stage with an African dance troupe -- the only young mom among the students, I'm sure.

The program ended with a chaperoned two-week excursion to Japan and, on the way back to the States, a stopover in San Francisco to meet one-on-one with author Richard Rodriguez, whose autobiography, "Hunger of Memory," I'd read in one of my UM classes and whose experiences as a Mexican-American "scholarship boy" amplified my own.

All of this, you can imagine, was pretty heady for the only son and middle child of parents whose circumstances prevented them from even attending high school. I'd grown up and lived my whole life on the West Coast, so moving to Michigan for nine months was the beginning of my education about the Midwest and its crucial role in the economic and social history of the United States. Along the way, we endured our first tornado scare (huddled in the middle of the night in the basement of our rental home), the most frigid weather we'd ever lived in (frost formed on the inside of our windows) and separation from family, friends and co-workers.

Graham's role in all of this? Along with his wife Mary Jean, he made us feel truly welcome, as if Lori and I and our two little ones (Nathan was 3 years old, Simone only 6 months old) were the only people in the program who mattered. True, we came farther and arrived sooner than anyone, but Graham was so gracious in inviting us to their townhouse, in always inquiring about our kids (he dubbed Nathan "Chief Sock-in-the-Wash") and, afterward, writing a meticulously crafted and perfectly typed letter at Christmas that kept us up to date.

Graham loved the opera and a fine glass of red wine. He had a soldier's posture, an expansive vocabulary and an amazing ability to recall names, dates, places, people and other details when discussing history or current events. He practiced good manners and frowned at profanity. I will always picture him in a navy blue blazer, with gray slacks, a white shirt and perfectly knotted tie. He was kind and sophisticated, always interested in knowing how you were doing and, true to the stereotype, something of an absent-minded professor.

I'm sorry that I don't have a photo of Graham to share. What I can do is link to his obituary in the Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) Times Leader and affirm that he epitomized the qualities of gracious, as defined by Webster's New World Dictionary: "having or showing kindress, courtesy, charm, etc." and "characterized by the taste, luxury, and social ease associated with prosperity, education, etc."

Photos: Knight-Wallace Fellows program

Getting ready to turn the page . . .

Am beginning to feel antsy about turning 50 this September. I could give a darn about the number itself. I is what I is.

What has me feeling anxious is what the number MEANS to me. It's Chapter 2 (the final chapter) of my life. And I feel this overwhelming desire to make it way better than Chapter 1 was. I'll hold onto the good memories from the first fifty. And know that all the bad stuff has helped to make Dawn Chapter 2 a better and wiser person.

I will name Chapter 2: Passionate about life, wiser about living, and still always wearing white socks.

Let's dissect this . . .

Passionate about life — Chapter 1 was all about practicality. School. Preparing for life's responsibilities. Being a single mom. Working hard to provide for the two of us. Raising a child. I want to now bring more passion to my daily existence. With Harleigh heading off to college this fall, I want to pursue more of the things that I love. MAYBE start dating; not so sure about this one. I like the plan I've had all along to trust that God will put a man in my life who belongs there, exactly where he is supposed to land. So maybe the idea is to be more open to dating (not that I've turned men away; none have come along); but I sometimes think that I give off a subconscious vibe of "not available, not thinking about it at all." Where will my work life take me? What new hobbies will lure me in? Will I wind up living somewhere different? When I think of all that happened to me years 0-49, it amazes me to think of all the life twists and turns I'll experience in the next 50. Crazy.

Wiser about living — Man, did I make some doozy mistakes and poor decisions in Chapter 1. Embarrassingly so. But I've learned a lot, wiser for the wear, and moving forward with a confidence and humbleness to make better decisions, keeping the life mistakes to a minimum. Perfection in Chapter 2? Not. But a wiser approach to life is bound to reap rewards.

And still always wearing white socks — This is a nod to my quirkiness, my comfort with being who I am. Yes, I wear white socks every day. Only white. Can't walk around barefoot in the house; always wear my white socks, even with slippers. My pants are always a little on the short side, and so my white socks are showcased for the world to see. If this makes me a "character," then I introduce you to Dawn Chapter 2, passionate, wise and quite content in her white socks.

Winter Olympics

Hey bloggers!



I guess I'm back to making fun of random things so I figured I'll make some fun of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver!



Vancouver....that's exciting, eh? Nothing says a riproarin' time like Canada. Let's see they have........ummm.....Niagra Falls. That's pretty sweet I guess. At least they kicked the games off pretty nicely, I hear. I wasn't fortunate enough to spend my precious time watching the opening ceremony.



A death did occur, as I'm sure everyone is aware of. A Georgian (country not state) lugeist, luger, lugian, something suffered a catastrophic high speed wreck. RIP Nodar Kumaritashvili. I'd like to know when the fun-filled family activity of sledding turned into a ninety mile per hour free-for-all! Picture yourself going ninety on the interstate in a convertible; now take the top down; now take the wheels and body off and put steel skates on the bottom of your seat, and recline back and enjoy the ride.....and the change of underwear you'll be having afterwards. I cannot even imagine what that's like.



The best sport in the world, curling, is currently underway. Scientific research should be done on viewers of this sport. Curiosity strikes the first time viewer. Is it shuffle board? Is it ice skating? Is it magic? ARE THOSE BROOMS? In fact, it's some combination of all these. It looks like a game you and your siblings make up when mom makes you all go outside for a couple hours. Rocks, check. Brooms, check. Dangerously slick ice, check! After the curiosity comes fascination. How could these men possibly slide the rock oh-so-delicately and then brush the ice in a flash of movement and vigor and allow the rock to come sliding o so gently into the center circle? I don't know. No one does. One highly accredited scientist says its magic after a study I, I mean he, performed five minutes ago.



So that's my take on the two craziest and invigorating sports in the Olympic Games!

PIFF!

After missing last year's program, it was a treat to take in a couple of days of the 33rd annual Portland International Film Festival.

First up, a five-star recommendation for "John Rabe," a compelling drama based on the true story of a German businessman who saved more than 200,000 Chinese during the Nanjing massacre in 1937-38. The lead actor, Ulrich Tukor, starred in "The Lives of Others" -- one of best films I've ever seen --and he was stellar in this one.

German director Florian Gallenberg is masterful in presenting the story of an ad hoc coalition of international residents -- led by Rabe but also including an American doctor and a French school headmistress -- who join forces to create a safety zone to protect civilians during the Japanese occupation of Nanjing. The film won four German Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Actor.

For Americans accustomed to the usual European/German/Nazi focus on World War II history, this is a rare but needed excursion into the complicated politics and history involving Japan, China and Germany. During the so-called Rape of Nanking, the Japanese Imperial Army slaughtered 300,000 people and raped an estimated 20,000 to 80,000 women.

The film certainly depicts viciousness and callousness but it also inspires with its portrayal of humanity, courage and caring. Rabe and others repeatedly demonstrate resourcefulness, guile and sheer will as they manage to save thousands of lives in the face of utter brutality. It's available through Netflix. Rent it.

Secondly, we saw "Short Cuts IV: International Ties," seven shorties ranging from 4 to 23 minutes and featuring entries from Ireland, New Zealand, Hungary and more. The beauty of this format, obviously, is the variety and the compact presentation. It's like a buffet, with animation and film, humor and drama, and storytelling from children's and adults' points of view.

The best ones?

-- "This Is Her," (New Zealand). “This is me. This is my husband. And this is the bitch who will one day steal him and ruin my life.” 12 minutes.

-- "This Way Up,"(Great Britain). Laying the dead to rest has never been so much trouble. 9 minutes.

-- "Short Term 12," (United States). Denim, the supervisor for a residential facility housing 15 kids affected by child abuse, begins to realize that, in a lot of ways, he is no different from the children he tries to help. 22 minutes.

With 75 films showing over 17 days, we had a wealth of choices. Wish we had time to take in more than two shows. Next year, we'll try to do more.

I Need To Skate More Haiku

I thought I was good

History gives me no cause

Seven ply maple

Mountain Biking Viking: Cougar Edition

Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja...More than a mouthful.

(Photo:CyclingNews)

Two Peat

The "Bandito" loses the final TT to "LL Cool Chez" but manages to retain his overall lead and win the Volta ao Algarve for the second year in a row. Levi finishes fourth and AK47 finishes eighth.

What is most shocking about this race is the quality of the podium girls. If you compare this year to last year, the difference is overwhelming. "What's up, Portugal...are all your hot girls on location in the San Fernando Valley?"

(Photo:Velonews)

WYSE: A Tale of Domination by St. Anthony High School

Many of you have heard about the amazing feats accomplished by the St. Anthony WYSE Team a few weeks ago. Some may be wondering "What in the world is WYSE?" WYSE stands for Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering. Students from many different schools get together to compete at regional, sectional, and state competitions. St. Anthony has pretty much dominated the regional and sectional competitions the past few years so while it's really cool how well we did, it's not something new.

What happens at WYSE competitions one may ask? Well first, everybody gets off the bus and goes into the college/university. Next, we all get our picture taken. After that we all sit down and get ready to use up some major brain power. Everyone at the WYSE competition takes two separate tests out of seven different areas: Math, Physics, Chemistry, English, Biology, Engineering Graphics, and Computer Science.

At St. A, we mainly stick with the first 5 areas. In fact, I don't think we have ever taken the other two tests. Anywho, the students take one test at a time. Each tests last 40 minutes and has between 30 and 100 questions. For example, math and chemistry both have 40 questions. English is the big one, in case you were wondering. So then, after the students have taken both of their tests, there might be a drawing for some door prizes and then we're off to lunch. Once we get back from lunch, they announce the winners. They do both individual and team winners. For the team winners they somehow standardize the scores in a way which is too complicated for me to explain on this blog. St. A has pretty much dominated for some time. State is always the goal.

My past three years of high school has seen St. Anthony rise to a power at the state competition. We've gotten 2nd, 3rd, and 4th the past three years. Hopefully, this year we'll get the one we've been missing. It seems like a very good possibility with Uni High, who has won the past two years, slacking off this year in their scores. It doesn't hurt that our team pretty much rocks at life either. If you want to check out the WYSE website for results, info, etc, the address is http://www.engr.uiuc.edu/wyse/AC/index.html.

Sectionals are March 11. It should be a great time!
Drew

Under Nineteen: My Bike And My Women: The Sunday Ride

It is only appropriate that as Mongo sheds pounds, trains hard, and prepares for the upcoming "Cat 5 Domination" season, my bike should also get in on the act. With the addition of my American Classic "Hurricanes", and some new "Open Corsa" tires, my road bike has dipped below nineteen pounds...with pedals. Not bad for an XL aluminum frame with a triple crankset.

The foundation of my training this Winter has been on my mountain bike, Li'l Pony Express. Hill training, speed training, distance, sprints...all have been done on a twenty four pound bike with one inch, 100 psi slicks, compact gearing, and a power sucking suspension fork. I'm here to tell you definitively..."The shit worked!"

Mongo has spent the last two days and about seventy five miles on the road bike, and boy, I am freakin' fast!...er and stronger than I was last year. All of my hard work is showing some significant benefits, and it's quite satisfying. My leaner body is a lot more comfortable in the drops, which in turn allows me to maintain a higher speed for longer using the aero benefits of my position. I've also noticed that my heart rate isn't spiking during climbs. The increase in HR is more gradual and steady.

Let's get to today's smackdown! It was as sweet as the nectar from Mrs. Butterworth's hoo-ha.(In a figurative, squeeze-bottle kind of way)...Two Cervelo P3's adorned with the appropriate and expected Tri-douches, and a Specialized Tarmac with a friendly guy who was out of his league.

When Mongo rides alone and has no outside stimuli to motivate me, I often get lost in my music and pay no attention to how fast I'm going. I'm like the stoned driver on the expressway. I don't notice anything's wrong until somebody passes me, and when I look at the speedometer...I'm doing thirty five. When I'm on the bike, it's more like seventeen. At this speed, there are always people ready to jump you...and that's what happened.

Long story short...Mongo and the Cervelos drop the Tarmac after about two miles. Mongo then drops the Cervelos on the only semi-climb after they employ team tactics by attacking me with back to back sprints on the flats. Just for shits and giggles, a few miles later I let one of them catch up to me after I let off the gas...and I dropped him again. There is no mercy in "Cat 5 Domination".

Softball Season

Finally the snow is beginning to melt and we can all go outside with a winter coat and gloves. Tomorrow marks the 3 month until senior graduation (but who's counting?). With the beginning of spring, softball is also beginning. Last week, we had a meeting to determine practice times and who is all going to be on the team this year. Due to the loss of several seniors, we are down in numbers, but definitely not in talent. We have 7 returning starters along with some talented freshmen. Coach Tipton and Coach Gray are back for their second year together and are expecting a great season, as they should. We start conditioning tomorrow, or Monday, and our first official practice will begin on March 1st! We have less than 3 weeks to prepare for our first game. My only complaint is that no one is allowed in the gym for basketball sectionals. So we have no place to practice. I'm hoping it warms up by then and we can go outside on the parking lot or something.

Members of the team include:
Seniors:
Mary Jo Bushur
Kelly Jansen
Allie Kabbes
Lieren Schuette
Juniors:
Ann Bushur
Yibba Jansen
Kelly McHugh
Briana Schuette
Sophomores:
Avery Gardewine
Naomi Gray
Freshmen:
D.J. Brummer
Brianna Siemer
Meghan Wohltman
Erica Runde

What a great group of talented girls. So come cheer us on this spring. We would love your support!

Allie K

Vintage Powder Music Box

Ali gave me this music box and stick pin as a thank you for her shower. The music box is a powder and puff container, and its color echos the pewter and aluminum we'll be using for her wedding. The stick pin is a family heirloom and will be cherished and worn with love. Thanks, little A.

What is the iPad?

Apple's new tablet, called the iPad, was expected to be a big new product and was going to revolutionize the industry. The iPad is a "tablet computer" which means that it is a computer that is only a touch screen. It has a 10 inch touch screen, wifi, bluetooth, speakers, a microphone, and an iPod connector. It also can connect to the Internet through a data package with a cell phone carrier. It is not being sold yet but there are a few iPads that have been put on display for people to use temporarily. There have been a couple of tablets that have come out recently but this one has had the most publicity because it is from Apple.

Happy Birthday, Harleigh!

I plan on smiling a lot today . . . I have Harleigh in my life.




Happy Birthday, dear Harleigh.
18
years
old!

WYSE Regionals

First off, congrats to everyone on the WYSE team! We took first at regionals, and we totally dominated with a perfect score of 500 :) Quite a few of our members placed:

Myles Baker - 1st in physics, 2nd in math

Andrew Grunloh - 1st in physics

Marty Jansen - 2nd in physics

Kathleen Kay - 2nd in chemistry

Caroline Robb - 1st in biology

Drew Willenborg - 1st in chemistry, 1st in math

Ready for sectionals?

-Caroline

Until The Sun Broke Through

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Hump Day At The Volta

The "Frito Bandito" does what he always does...go up mountains really fast! Contador wins Stage 3 and takes the overall lead. Levi is hanging tough in third, and AK47 is riding well in ninth.

(Photo:Bettini/CyclingNews)

Shiv Found In Gen-Pop: Removed Immediately

Apparently there are too many "shenanigans" going on with the head tube/down tube interface for the UCI's liking.

(Photo:JamesHuang/CyclingNews)

Avatar

On December 18, 2009 James Cameron released his movie Avatar. Many people are saying that this new way of 3D will change the way we see movies forever.

This movie was set in 2154 and was about a boy who was paralyzed from the waste down joining the Avatar Program. In the Avatar Program the boy, Jake, went into the Pandora jungle where he met other Avatars. (The Pandora Jungle is one of the three giant gasses four light years away from the Earth.) The Avatars are genetically bred and are about ten feet tall and have sparkling blue skin and tails. Trouble starts when Jake ends up falling in love with one of the Avatars.

I strongly suggest watching this movie, it was very unique and I enjoyed it!

F. Hook

Chateau Gahan holds me in her sweet embrace

In the morning as the sun starts warming up the window panes, it is super hard to say goodbye to home and head into work. So much good stuff to be done at my dear Chateau Gahan. Is it wrong to be such a homebody?

How to get a job

With the feedback of our last "How to" being positive. We have decided to continue with another. We were told the last article seemed fairly tongue in cheek although, that was not our intention. We were entirely serious about our advice. Today we will explore how to get a job.

The first step is do your best to be remembered. The interviewer will see many people for a particularly good job, do your best to overcome monotony by doing something memorable; for example, show up in your undergarments. How could anyone forget that a person showed up to the interview pantless? Or alternatively, come in dressed as a clown or your particularly favorite character from Star Wars. He or she won't be forgetting that any time soon.

Step two is that you must be extremely rude, everyone else will be on their best behaviour and being rude is the best way to break that mold and show your future boss that "I'm no pushover." They'll see your burping in their face as a sign of character.

Step 3 is make sure you know your interviewer, or facts about them. You should, weeks in advanced, start following the person who will interview you, write down everything significant that they do. When you're interviewed bring up some of the things that you saw. For example, bring up that you know he or she is a Cubs fan or that you noticed he or she brushes their teeth every night before laying in bed and watching reruns of M*A*S*H*. They'll realize you are a very dedicated worker.

Step Four; you probably noticed everyone will tell you to come in early, follow this by coming in 2 days in advanced, leaving for absolutely nothing. And the final step is actually getting an interview, the best way to do this is to have a memorable application. Don't fill it out with pen or pencil, fill it out with invisible ink, cut out newspaper letters, or old paint peeling off the side of your garage. Thank you for reading this article, we hope it helped you in these harsh times.

Crate Love

For Ali's shower I moved Gideon's crate to the garage (it lives in the kitchen in the doorway to the study). It was so nice to have that passway open again. To get that eyesore out of my kitchen. But someone was missing it big time . . .

Gideon was a crate-trained puppy. By far, in my opinion, the best way to train a dog. He was housebroken within weeks of us bringing him home. He responded within weeks of training to "Get in your crate" — an obedience much appreciated when I needed to mop the floor, was entertaining a non-dog-lover houseguest, or had a contractor doing repairs and didn't need a puppy at his feet.

When Giddy earned full run of the house, he still would choose to sleep in his crate, curling up in a ball in its cramped space. It is his safe haven, his home. And so when I relegated it to the garage, he felt homeless, lost. I put a blanket in the spot where the crate had been, thinking he might sleep there, but he missed the walls, the roof over his head. So now it is back. Gideon is happy, and I have a big cage in my kitchen that attracts dust bunnies at its base and makes maneuvering around my tiny kitchen even more of a challenge.

Bubble Shooter: The Most Counterproductive Game

Walk into any computer lab at SAHS, or the library, or even the college resource room and I guarantee that you will see at least one person playing a computer game called Bubble Shooter. I don't know who the first person to play it at St. Anthony was, but I do know they were not the last. Bubble Shooter took St. A by storm. Everyone has at least tried to play it. I even know people who have gotten their parents addicted to it. Unfortunately, many of the students themselves are addicted. I know I am. Every time I get on the Internet, I open up three windows: Facebook, Bubble Shooter, and whatever I am actually on the computer for. Bubble Shooter can be extremely counterproductive. I used to be able to type a three or four page essay in about an hour. It now takes me three. Although I do beat the game almost every time I play, I still cannot stop. It's bad. So whatever you do, DO NOT PLAY BUBBLE SHOOTER! If you already have, I'm sorry. It is very hard to stop.
Drew

Dinner with the Obamas

Obamas' Valentine's getaway

It was date night for President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama on Saturday at they dined out at the exclusive Chicago restaurant Table Fifty-Two, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. The eatery's executive chef is Art Smith, formerly Oprah Winfrey's personal chef. Table Fifty-Two offers Southern-style food, including grits, jambalaya and maple sugar short ribs.

The tidbit you just read was part of a gossipy roundup of how politicians spent their Valentine's Day. It caught my attention for two reasons:

1. When Lori and I were in Chicago in August 2008 for a journalism convention that morphed into a long weekend/mini-vacation, we ate at this very restaurant. And I think we would agree that of four very nice restaurants we tried that week, Table Fifty-Two topped the list in terms of quality of the food and overall dining experience.

2. Turns out the Obamas weren't there this past weekend. The schlep that put together the Names & Faces roundup for The Washington Post (a lowly news aide) pulled the information from the Internet and got the date wrong. The Obamas dined there on Valentine's Day in 2009. Ouch. The Post's ombudsman called attention to the error on his blog.

This year, the Obamas spent Valentine's Day at Camp David with Sasha and Malia. Lori and George, meanwhile, had a wonderful seafood paella dinner at Petisco on Northeast Broadway.

We'll have to check our 2011 calendar. Might be nice to meet up with Barack and Michelle next year.

Photo: Table 52

Interview Tips

Next week Friday I will be interviewing at Missouri State University for a full-ride scholarship. I personally had no clue what to expect until my dad gave me a little heads up. He told me to be able to answer the following questions/statements along with more:

• Tell me about yourself
• Why should you be chosen for this scholarship?
• Why shouldn't you be chosen for this scholarship?
  
• What are your goals in life?
  
• What do you plan to pursue after college?
• Why do you want to major in ___?
  
• What are some of your struggles?
• What type of activity during high school served as the most beneficial to your success as a person?
• Why did you choose this university?
  
• What do you do on your free time?
  
• Explain certain aspects of your essay
• How do you plan to make a difference in the world?
  

Some of these questions may seem redundant, but an honest and well-phrased answer may be the key to your success. Always be prepared and have your answers for any and all questions that you may be asked. Whenever you answer the questions, do not simply respond "yes" or "no" but also do not ramble on. Know what you mean to say and say it. Preparation is the key.

Along with preparation, my dad encouraged me to be presentable. He said to wear professional dress and smile. When you walk into the interview, walk with confidence. Shake your interviewer's hand firmly and look them in the eye. An interviewer's first impression almost always sticks with them.

So next time you're interviewed... remember your three P's. Preparation. Professional. Personable

Allie Kabbes

Thrift Store Art

I love finding original pieces of art. This cutie found a home in my craft room.

IMEA All-State

A couple of weeks ago, (last weekend in January) Cheslynn Litke and I had the chance to spend three days in Peoria to participate in the IMEA All-State Conference. For those of you who don't know, IMEA is an honor band festival that you have to audition for and be accepted in to in order to participate. Anyways, Cheslynn and I went up Wednesday night and auditioned the following morning. I was lucky enough to receive the first chair in the All-State band and Cheslynn did an amazing job playing as a first violin in the All-State orchestra (that's really, really, really hard music). We had an amazing time, even though the wind chill was 4 degrees and the vending machine ran out of hot chocolate.

-Caroline