Two, two, two memes in one
Saturday, May 31, 2008 at 07:57AM
I've been tagged for two memes. The first comes from Amy Bowllen at School Library Journal. Her meme is 5 Things I Wish I Learned In School. (I am running late on answering this one!)
- I would have benefited from a year-long course in Philosophy. I've still never taken one and seem to only have picked up bits and pieces of schools of thought. Seems like it would have made a nice framework on which to hang one's observations through life. I have a copy of Sophie's World and have been meaning to get to it.
- I wish I'd had a class in simple home repairs - how to fix a toilet, how to hang a picture, how to paint a wall. I've managed to learn these things (or most of them), but the experience was never pretty.
- In college (especially grad school), we were so encouraged to develop our "leadership potential" that management skills were neglected. This one needs its own blog entry.
- I'd have like to have learned how to argue dispassionately, how to supervise others humanely and effectively, and how to give bad news without feeling guilty. All human relation skills, I suppose.
- It would have been nice to have someone sit me down and tell me that most of life is comedy, not tragedy. That the vast majority of things we worry about never happen - or if they do, they are seldom world-ending.
The second meme comes from Miguel Guhlin at Around the Corner. His is the Professional Development Meme. (link no longer working). What's on one's "Learning To-Do" list for this summer. (Miguel even lists assessments to show how he will prove he has accomplished his. Good grief. I bet he was the kid who always read all the assignments and raised the curve.) This is summer and I'm keeping my list short...
1. Figure out how to naturalize as much of the yard as possible without offending the aesthetic sensibilities of the LWW. Less mowing, greater drought tolerance, kinder wildlife habitat, better lake water quality - and a lawn that looks like weeds. This will be a challenge...
2. Scale Mt. Bookpile (as LazyGal calls it). Here's what's stacked on my dresser:
- Influencer (Patterson, et al.) Signed up for McLeod's online book club.
- Brain Rules (Medina) Watched the video preview. Does that count?
- Daemon (Zeraus) Sci-fi recommended by Wired.
- feed (Anderson) Sci-fi recommended by Jeff Utecht.
- Canoeing with the Cree (Sevareid) Classic trip of two boys' river trip through MN to Hudson Bay.
- Distant Fires (Anderson) A more recent re-creation of Sevareid's adventure.
- how (Siedman) Behavior is more important than ever in a wired world. Dang it.
- Don't Make Me Think (Krug) Web-page design.
- A Gravestone Made of Wheat (Weaver) Been reading one of this MN author's short stories each evening and really enjoying them. Title story basis of movie Sweet Land.
- Dirty White Boys (Hunter) Hunter is THE best adventure/suspense writer going. This is one of the very few of his books I've not read.
- Hunter's Moon (White) Reminisent of Travis McGee.
OK, that's nearly one book a week. Fat chance getting this accomplished!
3. Explore new ways to learn at NECC. I am deliberately going to try some new offerings at the San Antonio conference, especially those things being organized by the EdubloggerCon folks. While I am sure I will get to plenty of "sessions," I'll be seeking some less structured learning opportunities as well.
Of course work goes on as well all summer - 60+ more "smart" classroom installations, implementation of a new student information system, distribution of new computers and training for 120+ teachers, writing policies and procedures for some testing/datamining activities, etc.
I'm looking forward to fall - when I can get a little rest.
I am tagging these folks for either or both memes. I'm picking on a few people I enjoy reading and I wish would write more often...
Nancy Willard (http://csriu.wordpress.com/)
Steven Maher (http://mrmaher.wordpress.com/)
Artichoke (http://artichoke.typepad.com/artichoke/)
Tim Wilson (http://technosavvy.org/)
Jane Hyde (http://newdunstantoo.blogspot.com/)
Rob Rubis (http://edgingahead.edublogs.org/)
Reader Comments (9)
Hi Doug,
For your #1, when I read your posts, I find you quite the philospher - with terrific insights on the state of education. And now I am off to pick up a copy of Sohpie's World.
I also love #5! Isn't it true how we take this world so seriously? The only problem is, when catastrophic tragedies stop us in our 'life-tracks,' sometimes it's hard to recover and smile again.
Best to you and thank you for sharing these.
Hi Amy,
Sorry again for how long it took to get to this. It's a great thought-starter.
You are absolutely right that there are "life-stopper" events. I've found that they are happily few and far between and most are out of one's control.
I don't exactly subscribe to the "Don't worry. Be happy" theory, but I do think most of us worry far too much!
All the very best,
Doug
If you haven't read Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, I think it's right up your alley! I've been listening to it on my iPod and it's hysterical, sardonic, and clever.
Doug, I have ONE more critical duty for you this summer. Make sure we meet up at NECC 2008. I wish to worship at the feet of the Big Blue Skunk Librarian demi-god and get him to autograph something (uhh, quick, bring a copy of something you've written or a book, article anything) with you. I'll give you $.02 for it and a firm handshake.
8-)
Looking forward to meeting the guru of...hey, where are you located again? I was telling my wife I'd be meeting one of my literary idols, and realized I didn't know where you lived and worked.
Snickering,
Miguel
Ah, Carolyn, you know me well. I've been Bryson fans since reading his short stories in Iowa literary magazines and I loved _The Life and Times_. He and I are of the same generation and both from Iowa, although he was a "big city" kid and I was a farm boy.
His _A Walk in the Woods_ and _In a Suburnt Country_ are among my favorites of his.
All the best,
Doug
Miguel,
It would be my pleasure to buy you supper one evening in San Antonio. I have so few fans I ought to really be nice to the ones I DO have!
My location? Just jump on I35 and head nort'. You'll find God's Country eventually. Just stop where all the children are above average.
See ya NECC,
Doug
Doug,
Thanks for participating in the Professional Development Meme. I look forward to hearing about your successes in September.
All the best,
Clif
Tag: pdmeme
Hi Clif,
My bad for not linking back to the source. I will revise the original post. Great meme. Thanks for starting it.
Doug
Doug, great piece. Btw, the second meme link (Professional Development Meme) is not working.
Cheers,
Alex.