Well that was a lot of thinking...

I spent this morning in Bellingham, taking Washington state content tests in order to get a teaching license.

And in other news, I'll probably be working at Starbucks for a good long while...

No, well, maybe, but those tests were tough. I took the history test and the general social studies test, so that I can get certifications in each and ostensibly be more marketable as an educator. But I'm really not confident that I passed either test. Each was 110 multiple choice questions; the social studies one actually had repeat questions from the history exam - so I either got a whole bunch right twice, or a whole bunch wrong twice. Some of the questions seemed legitimate, but too many of them were poorly worded, or had such vague answer choices that arguments could be made for almost any of the answers.

But the bigger question is, what do the tests really tell the state of Washington about my potential in a classroom? No one can argue that we don't want our teachers to have some content knowledge in the subject they're teaching - I mean, duh, you need to know something about what you're teaching in order to create appropriate lessons, activities, and assessments for students. But the tests I took today don't measure any of those skills. Whether or not I can rattle off the main causes of the Russian Revolution has little correlation to whether I can adequately describe those causes in language appropriate to a 15 year old. Or help that 15 year compare the causes of Russian Revolution with the causes of the French Revolution. Or (even more tricky) persuade a 15 year old that the Russian Revolution is a) something he needs to learn or b) something that has any importance, relevance, or usefulness nearly 100 years after the fact.

Perhaps I'm just bitter at the possibility that my college degree in history and four years of teaching history, may count for nothing compared to 220 random social studies questions administered on a random February morning.

Read more...

Navy Briefing of the Week - Let's Hear it for the Girls!

As March is National Women's History month, I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate one of this month's Navy briefings to the contributions that women have made to the U.S. Navy, along with some trivia about the role of women in the Navy.

* Women have been supporting military troops since the Revolutionary War; many acted as nurses, cooks, laundresses - even saboteurs! (Every gal since Eve has been dupin' the fellas...). They continued to serve in these unofficial roles until the 20th century.

* With WWII, the Navy recognized a need for more volunteers and looked to women; they began accepting recruits into the Navy Women's Reserve, more commonly known as Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). These women worked in communications, intelligence, supply, medicine and administration, and other non-combat areas. WAVES was directed by Mildred H. McAfee, the first woman to be a commissioned officer in the Navy.

* Up until 1967, the U.S. had limits restricting the number of women serving in the military at 2% of the total military population.

* 1973 was a banner year for women who wanted to take to the skies - it was the first year a group of Navy women earned military pilot wings. Despite that glass ceiling being shattered, it would take another two years before the Navy policy concerning pregnant women would change. Until 1975, women serving in the military who got pregnant or adopted children were immediately discharged.

* During the 70s and 80s, women trained to become pilots, but were not allowed to participate in combat missions, be part of a combat squadron, or serve on combat ships. In 1993, Congress repealed those restrictions.

In the last decade, women have broken most of the remaining barriers; females have served as astronauts, brigadier generals, comabt squadron commanders, and in other high ranking positions that they never would have been allowed to hold just twenty years ago. However, the Navy still restricts women in a few ways. There are two major areas of the Navy that women are banned from - Navy SEALS and submarines.

According to NavyGuy (and from what internet research I did), women are banned from the Navy's elite special forces because of physical limitations. The submarine ban is a bit more complex. Some Navy submarines are designed to stay under the water or "go silent" (meaning no communications, no surfacing, no activity that would allow another ship to detect them) for up to a year. The Navy's concern is that a woman could deploy on a submarine not knowing that she is pregnant, and then an unacceptable scenario might occur where a woman has a baby on a submarine; depending on the situation, the woman and child could be at great risk, there's all kinds of legal issues, and the sub may not be able to communicate or surface for several more months. It seems like kind of a long shot, but the Navy has never backed down on this policy.

While chatting with NavyGuy about this, he remarked that essentially, women are a non-issue for the current generation of the Navy; in his aviation training class for example, there are two females and the guys don't really take any notice, or think it's a big deal that there are girls in their squadron. Females do still have different physical requirements when it comes to physical fitness tests; most notably, they are not required to run as fast, or do as many push-ups. However, they still have all of the same academic and performance requirements otherwise.

Read more...

Book Review: Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen
c2006, Algonquin Books, 350 pages.

The Least You Need to Know... fiction, set during Great Depression; story of a young man who joins a traveling circus train; told through flashbacks by the man when he's 93.

Reminds Me Of... The Devil in the White City, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

Pros... the writing, characters, and story quickly suck you in; fascinating details about circus life during the 1930s; satisfying ending.

Cons... lots of the book is set on a train, and the descriptions of the physical layout of the train cars is confusing; a few gratuitous sex scenes that could have accomplished the same purpose with more innuendo and less in-your-face.

You'll Love It If... you're a history geek; you enjoy somewhat intellectual fiction (more depth than Sophie Kinsella, not as "thinky" as Ian McEwan); you have a burning desire to run away and join the circus.

You'll Hate It If... you'd rather not spend your free time reliving the Great Depression; elephants or clowns creep you out.

Bottom Line... I really enjoyed the book. Included with each chapter is a historical photo of circus life that helps bring the words to life. Gruen more than did her homework researching the era - the book is ripe with great details (ex. people living in hobo jungles would tie their shoes around their ankles while they slept to avoid having them stolen...). How long will it take for the movie trailer to show up...?

Recommended by... Mom's bookshelf (yes, I'll bring it back when I come home in May).

Read more...

First Week on the Job

The reports are coming out already that President Obama is running a more "casual" White House than his predecessor. The New York Times has this article detailing many changes in the customs, schedules, routines, and day to day events of the Obama White House. Here are some of the highlights:

~ President Bush had a strict "coat and tie" rule for everyone in the Oval Office, but President Obama was photographed on his first full day of work sans jacket, indicating that the rules have changed. David Axelrod, a senior advisor, explained the change as a result of Obama kicking up the thermostat in the Oval Office (apparently, he likes it warm enough to grow orchids).

~ Obama likes to wander. He tends to show up at advisors' offices in the West Wing unannounced, like the time he surprised press secretary Robert Gibbs with his feet up on his desk.

~ The President has continued the tradition of weekly lunches with the Vice-President. What's typically on the menu for him? Chicken, fish, or a cheeseburger.

~ So far President Obama has been reveling in the fact that he "lives above the store." He takes time to eat breakfast and dinner with his girls, and also helps pack them up for school each morning.

The full article has some other fun information about what his first week has been like. And check out this video from this morning where Obama comments on the snow day issue... (for the record, he and I agree on this controversial issue 100%).

Read more...

What a Day!

So what began as an exciting day, what with my "live" blogging of the Inauguration Festivities, got even more exhilarating around 11am when my phone rang... and I agreed to substitute for a sixth grade class... in 30 minutes!

Thank goodness I had broken away from Brian Williams and Al Roker joking about fedoras to shower before the phone rang. I quickly changed from my lazy day jeans and sweatshirt into some teacher clothes, grabbed a granola bar and a Diet Mountain Dew, checked the map to the school, and took off.

I arrived at the school and readied myself for elementary students. After checking in at the office and getting my schnazzy Substitute name badge (to blare loud and clear that I can be walked all over), I went to the classroom and found the teacher still there. I had managed to get there a little early, so I was able to look over the plans with the teacher and see the kids in action. Ended up being a dream job - when the teacher left at noon the kids went to lunch. Then I had them for twenty minutes before they went to gym, then another 45 minutes, recess, and then science class with another teacher! Easy peasy! (I should have brought my book).

Highlights and thoughts on my first official substitute job:

~ Sixth graders are short. I've never had a class where I'm the tallest person in the room; I tried not to let the power go to my head.

~ Sixth graders like to tell you things. Anything. That tomorrow is their birthday. That they have basketball practice afterschool. That someone else took their pencil. That they can cross their eyes (which they then proceed to prove to you). You forget just how much energy they bring to the table.

~ Many of the boys in class were wearing shorts. It's January. This is wrong.

~ I got to answer many a history question! The students were working on research papers and had to spend time writing a rough draft of their introduction. You'd think I would have gotten tired of answering the same question over and over again, yet it was refreshing.

Overall, it was a great first subbing experience, and I officially love subbing. I got to spend the time the kids weren't in my room doing whatever I wanted, I took nothing home with me to grade or plan for tomorrow, and I got to do the most fun part of being a teacher - working with the kids!

Read more...

Inauguration Central Baby!

Are you ready?

It's here.

Monday, January 19

7:47pm - The first official comment on the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America!! I plan to "live blog" throughout the events tomorrow with all my thoughts and commentary, so check in as often as you can to get the important details (aka - what will Michelle wear?!?!). If you want to play along at home, you'll need to follow NBC's coverage, as I'm a loyal peacock girl (I love you Tom Brokaw!). Blogging will start promptly at 7:00am with the Today show - can't wait!!!

Tuesday, January 20

6:49 - I'm awake. That is a sea of humanity on the National Mall. Whoa.

And they've arrived at the White House to have Krispy Kreme donuts with the Bushes. Love the fact that the new Presidential limo is called "the beast."

Haven't had a good enough look at Michelle's outfit, but oooo, they're getting out of the car. Dang, Jill Biden - work those knee high boots!

Faux paux - no one greeted the Bidens when they got to the White House... they had to just walk into the place...

Michelle brought Laura a gift!!! Ooooo, damn, you're so classy. Okay, interesting outfit choice, it's a little sparkly, but my initial thought is I'm liking it.

6:56 - Getting ready to switch over to NBC Today Show. I'm on CNN at the moment, and Wolf Blitzer is irritating me already.

Thank goodness they got a decent weather day in D.C.

6:59 - Previous record for the largest crowd at an Inauguration (which I'm hereby abbreviating to "Inaug" was Lyndon Johnson with a million people.

7:00 - Yes, Tom Brokaw is there!! Ooooh, Peggy Noonan's voice is annoying. Oh, Tom, you're so wise. You're like Dumbledore and Gandalf rolled into one.

7:02 - Where are the Obama girls?

Oh my, Michelle's wearing a dress by a Cuban designer... Ann Coulter is going to have a field day.

7:08 - First update from Chuck Todd, the poor man's Tim Russert!

Wow, apparently, I should have been up at 3:00am to get all the coverage. Sorry folks, I'm cursed with the time zone from hell.

7:18 - A triumvirate of newsmen - Brian Williams, Lester Holt, and the one and only Tommy B.

Okay, low-key on the action for the moment, because everyone's just filling time while the key players are in the White House taking a bathroom break having coffee and chatting.

Hm, Obama actually takes the oath at 11:56 so that he's officially sworn in by noon.

Magic Johnson! Boy, anyone who's anyone managed to snag tickets to this show.

Ha! Just read an article about how the D.C. police put up signs near the inaug sites stating "Prostitution Free Zone." Are they a security threat? :)

Sandra Day O'Connor in the house! (Former Supreme Court Justice folks, c'mon.)

7:24 - No aides at the coffee clutch, so not likely to find out what they're chatting about. (Side note - John Cusack! John Cusack!)

7:25 - Can they make the expectations for his speech even higher? (P.S. Totally forgot that Obama is a Grammy winner for his reading of his book!)

Oh no, Ann Curry is with the crowd and has a microphone... god help us. Good time for a bathroom break.

Ooooo, Hillary's coat is super cute. Nice color too. Well done, Hil, well done.

At the luncheon following the swearing in, the guests will be dining on china that replicates what Lincoln had!

7:33 - Last commercial break until after the swearing in - get your snacks now!! (Have Cheerios, will blog.)

7:37 - Brian Williams was awoken at 2 am by people outside his hotel setting up tables to sell Barack Obama tapestries :)

Want to get some unique Obama merchandise? Check out this gallery of items put together by NBC news found here.

Big motorcade movement... who's there?

Jill Biden and Lynn Cheney exiting the White House. Seriously must learn more about this Jill Biden - she seems like she could stir up some trouble...

7:44 - Lord almighty Barbara Bush looks old. Oh no! Michelle not green gloves!! Get that woman some cream colored gloves!!!

7:45 - Split screen! An empty doorway at the WH and what?!? Why is Cheney in a wheelchair? Good lord, he strained his back lifting boxes yesterday. How ridiculous. Don't tell me he was actually packing his own shiznit... who's that poor girl that has to push Cheney's lazy arse around all day? Lord have mercy.

7:46 - 4 to 5 inches of steel plating on the new pres limos... John McCain! And, here they come, walking out the door. Bush, you're so short. Damn. That limo is a beast. What are they talking about in the limo? 10 bucks says Obama's checking his Blackberry :)

7:49 - Limo traffic jam! Hehe... maybe there's a mini bar in the pres limo... Bush won't imbibe, but I can totally see Obama doing a quick vodka shot before his speech.

I want to see Sasha and Malia! (Weird how their names always roll off the tongue in that order, yet Malia is the elder.) Apparently, Malia's a fashion maven in her own right - read about it here.

7:59 - Agh! My TiVo flipped to something it thinks it needs to record!!!! I'm missing limos sitting in a line!!!!

Laura Bush's outfit is unremarkable. Completely non-memorable. Gosh, I'm so torn about Michelle's. Obama's arrived! They're at the capital... still haven't managed to get Cheney out of the limo... Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans, hope he doesn't get a few moments alone with Bush... nice tidbit about how JFK almost killed the hat industry in 1960 by appearing without one at his inaug... ouch, the Supremes don't get to wear coats over their robes! Hope they have some long undies on beneath...

8:05 - New members of the administration are taking their seats... few recognizable faces right now, but we'll know them soon enough... flipped to CNN for a moment, nothing different over there... Al Gore makes his entrance with Tipper... Brian, we need some gossip!

8:09 - yes, Chuck Todd. He'll have some gossip. Ah, he's at the White House... apparently, they were doing some spackling at the WH this morning... Bush daughters must have tacked up some posters in their room or something :) Allegedly, the Bush's are all packed and moved out, no need for moving vans today, all they have left in the WH is their personal luggage that they'll carry onto the helicopter with them.

8:13 - Bush 41 has a cane and a limp. Still planning to jump out of another "perfectly good airplane" to celebrate his next birthday. The Carters are next, they look pretty young and vigorous... Rosalynn has a plain white turtleneck on? Rosie, at least jazz it up with a fancy scarf good grief - have you learned nothing from your disastrous fashion choices when your hubby was in the WH?

8:15 - Hil and Bill on the move.

8:19 - I've been corrected by my good source TWP - Obama is not a drinker. Why is Barbara leaving old George behind? Could she help him a little bit... good grief.

8:22 - Bush twins are looking tasteful. Henry Hager (Jenna's hubby) looks a little shellshocked.

I can't stop looking at Barbara Bush's giant purple scarf... why are she and 41 matching?!?

First daughters!!! Oh my god, how freaking cute are they!?!?!?!

8:24 - Love the outfits - love love love!! And Grandma is following behind, she's going to live in the WH with everyone and keep the girls in line. My lord those are two photogenic little girls.

Laura Bush and Lynn Cheney look as plastic as ever. Smile. Do something! Quite the cheers for the girls... awww... their parents must be so proud of them... oops, they're like, oh, okay, not time to sit down yet... ah! Stop showing Sasha through the funhouse bullet proof glass - her face looks crazy!

8:27 - Laura Bush said "Hey everybody" as she entered...

Malia's sassy! And she's totally taking pics with her digital camera :) I'll get back to the Malia sassiness in a minute...

Jill and Michelle enter... Jill has a Ph.D and wants to teach at a community college in D.C. Apparently, they're running 16 minutes late already...

8:31 - W enters... Dr. Strangelove Cheney rolls in a separate entrance...

Who are all these clowns surrounding Bush? Better look at the neckline of Michelle's dress - nice detailing...

What's the holdup? Does Michelle not have a seat or something? Move your coats people, you don't need to save seats anymore... debate over what Michelle's holding in her hand... a red clutch or the Lincoln Bible that Obama'll use...?

8:35 - Sasha peeks around Mom's waist to check out the procession... last "Hail to the Chief" for Dubya... checked Wikipedia... Mrs. Carter does not look 81 years old...

Obama's approaching the door... wow.

8:39 - Okay, taking a quick break to a) soak up the moment Obama enters... the crowd is going to lose it, and b) gotta refill my water glass.

8:42 - Oh my gosh it's so exciting!!!!!

How does he stay so calm!??! Alright, first we have to hear from the Chair of the Inaug festivities... ooo, Obama and Biden get fancy leather chairs instead of the metal folding chairs everyone else is freezing their butts on...

8:46 - early CNN estimates are 2 million people.

Bush is totally not listening to this woman speak. Obama looked like he was going to vomit for a sec there... nope, okay, he's alright.

Invocation time - Rick Warren, founder of the evangelical "Saddleback Church" - yes, that's really the name. He also wrote all those Purpose Driven Life books... so far pretty basic... oooo, invoking Dr. King in heaven... shoot, I stopped listening to google something, and now I have no clue what he's talking about.

8:54 - Aretha baby, I have all the respect in the world for you, but take off that horrendous hat! It makes you look like a Christmas present. Not good.

Random thought - where's Oprah? How come we haven't seen her yet? You know she ain't sitting in Chicago missing out on this...

Yup, they're definitely behind schedule.

8:58 - Biden's middle name is Robinette? That's embarassing. The VP oath of office is not set out in the Constitution; there have been several variations, but it's the same one now that Senators take when they're sworn in.

Of course - John Williams arranged the Itzhak Pearlman/YoYo Ma piece (seriously - I don't think Speilberg movies or the Olympics are going to have any music at all once Williams dies). YoYo is such a cutie! He's all smiles and having a great time.

9:02 - This just in from Historygirlie: "Oprah is in Washington....her show is being broadcast from Washington yesterday and today. She's not ON STAGE, per se, but she's in the super close up section facing the stage." Thanks to TWP and Historygirlie for being my unofficial researchers and reporters!

9:04 - Here we go! The big show starts now!

Adorable! They brought in a little footstool for the girls to stand on so they can see. Oh my god he flubbed the oath!!!!!! Breathe Barack, you can do this!!!

Whew okay, he got through it. Look at Sasha wave! And the crowd goes wild!

9:07 - Speech time... first applause break is for Bush's service to the country... whoa! "greed and irresponsibility on the part of some"... way to slam Wall Street... (who's the dude moving down the steps behind him? get out of the shot doofus!)... big applause for the "we will meet the challenges" line...

Nice... I like the tone of the speech so far. Tough. Honest. Lots of talk about the fact that we're going to have to make hard choices and that big plans shouldn't be doubted - we have to be willing to try.

Big slam at Bush's foreign policy and how his administration treated the rest of the world. Hints at the fact that we can protect our physical security and our ideals at the same time.

9:23 - Alas, I have to take a break. My computer is about to go on strike, and blogspot is starting to flake out from the flurries of posting (and probably the fact that a few other people in the world might be trying to use the internet right now). I'll try to resume my ramblings once Obama's speech is over and the commentators start sharing tidbits. Go listen to the words and celebrate the day!

9:30 - I'm back. My blood's boiling a little bit from reading comments on other blogs, where people are so disgusted with Obama/Democrats they're all like "oh, the only thing I'm watching today is last night's episode of The Bachelor." Yes, because that's just what our country needs more of. Instead of people paying attention to politics and what's going on in the world, stick your head in the sand ostrich style for four years and pretend like it isn't happening. I cringed for eight years every time President Bush opened his mouth, but that didn't stop me from watching his inauguration and speeches and following the events of the country and world. You can dislike Obama, his policies, his actions, whatever - that's your right. But at least have the intelligence to realize that if you want to argue against what he believes, you're going to have to be aware of what's going on... Whew - off my soap box.

9:34 - I missed the poem while I was fuming at small-mindedness. Was it good?

I think the pastor who's speaking now needs to borrow the girls' stepstool.

9:38 - National Anthem, and then we're out! I believe they're off to lunch next, so there won't be much for the networks to cover except for recapping what's happened. (Aside - love that the Obamas are singing along.) Official ceremony, over.

Tom Brokaw's thoughts - eloquent speech, made a direct challenge to this country about global affairs - "we are ready to lead once more" - and signaled to the world that the U.S. is going to act differently

9:58 - My final notes for this coverage... the Chief Justice (who Obama did not vote in favor of), fumbled the oath because he chose to try and recite it without notes. Goofus. I'm going to be tuning into the parade and balls throughout the day, but I must leave my keyboard to face the day (remember it's only 10am here!). Happy Inauguation Day!

Read more...

History as Film

More movie reviews! I'm still trying to finish recapping all of the films NavyGuy and I saw over Christmas break. So far we've touched on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, and Slumdog Millionaire. Next up - Valkyrie.

Remember... you may encounter SPOILERS ahead.

So, let's preface this with, I hate Tom Cruise. He's odd, he's turned cute little Katie Holmes into some weird robot, his Scientology makes me want to stock canned goods, and I do not think he's aged well. Despite the fact that Cruise headlines the movie, Valkyrie exceeded my expectations. Cruise plays a German military official who joins forces with others in Germany who are anti-Hitler, and attempts to assassinate Der Fuhrer. Operation Valkyrie was a contingency plan for the country in case of a national emergency; it involved calling up the National Reserve, and Cruise's character (Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg) reworks it in order to take over the German government once Hitler is assassinated.

Anyone who knows their World War II history knows that Hitler is not assassinated. He dies a suicidal death in his bunker as the war ends. But that doesn't matter when you're watching the movie. You spend the entire film knowing that von Stauffenberg isn't going to succeed, and yet, you watch mesmerized, hoping that your history knowledge is failing you. When you realize how many assassination attempts failed by mere chance, it becomes almost painful to watch. The Valkyrie plot failed because it was too hot that day - Hitler's meeting was moved from an indoor bunker to a venue with many windows. Because of the windows, the bomb placed in a briefcase underneath the table in the venue didn't have the immense impact it would have had in a sealed bunker. If the meeting had happened in the sealed bunker, Hitler, and his inner circle, would likely have been killed. Ah, the what ifs.

I digress. The film is just the right length to tell the story (unlike the epic Benjamin Button), and is never dull. Cruise convincingly portrays a German military officer, weighing the risks of following his conscience with the risks of ignoring it. (I will agree with my amateur movie critic friend Miss Kewi that a German accent would have significantly enhanced his performance.) There is enough action and narrative to interest even the history-hater, and the history-lover will leave the theater anxious to go home and Wikipedia the real events to learn more. If this one isn't still in the theaters near you, throw it into your Netflix queue - a reminder of the "what ifs" of history is always good.

Read more...

If You Can't Be in Washington on Tuesday...

For you poor saps that have to spend Tuesday actually working, have no fear - I'll watch the Presidential Inauguration coverage on television for you all day (I'm contemplating a drinking game based on the number of times the talking heads use the words "historic" or "Martin Luther King Jr.", but I worry I'll be completely snookered by ten a.m.).

I do want to share a great resource I found online - a guide to the television coverage of the inauguration. Just pick your network or cable channel, and go from there.

Read more...

Noun/Verb Agreement Are Tough

Slate has a great article today celebrating the best "Bushisms" of the past eight years. You can check out the full article here, but I've included my five favorites below to whet your appetite:

1. "Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream."—LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000

2. "Well, I think if you say you're going to do something and don't do it, that's trustworthiness."—CNN online chat, Aug. 30, 2000

3. "There's an old saying in Tennessee—I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee—that says, fool me once, shame on—shame on you. Fool me—you can't get fooled again."—Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

4. "I'm the decider, and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."—Washington, D.C., April 18, 2006

5. "One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures."—U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 3, 2000

Oh George, your verbal dexterity (but not so much you), will be missed.

Read more...

If only we could watch TV like normal people

~ Watched John Adams again last night. (Part 3 focuses on Adams' time in France and Holland, during the Revolutionary War, trying to convince both countries to aid the United States.)

~ Debated with NavyGuy over which French king was in charge during the Revolutionary War. Called it a tie as neither of us remembered the correct King Louis number (it was 16, we both guessed 15).

~ Debated with NavyGuy over which French king designed the palace at Versailles. One point for Mugs, correctly identifying King Louis 14, the Sun King. NavyGuy argued for bonus points having Wikipedia'd Versailles and adding that it was originally a hunting lodge. Bonus points denied.

~ Debated with NavyGuy over whether or not Versailles is pretty. Another draw. Our third participant (Marine #2) agreed with me that the grounds/gardens are sweet, but took NavyGuy's side when it came to the Hall of Mirrors ("too narrow and ostentacious" plus some other crude remarks about the French).

~ Debated with NavyGuy over when John Quincy Adams becomes president. Negative points for NavyGuy (suggested J.Q. Adams was #4) and Marine #2 (suggested J. Adams was #3). More points for Mugs who correctly listed the first four presidents (Washington, J. Adams, Jefferson, Madison). Additional points for Mugs for answers a) John Quincy was 1824, and b) Lincoln was #16. However, when I incorrectly placed Polk in the 1820s, my reputation suffered, and all further historical questions were directed to Wikipedia.

So, all in all? Our impromptu history trivia bowl showed that three college degrees, two history majors, and one computer with internet access can make for a pretty interesting John Adams viewing... oh, and I won. (A rematch is inevitable, and I will be studying ahead of time so as to continue my dominance.)

Read more...

Do I Have to Tell People I Live Here?

And just when I was starting to be a grown-up and accept my new home state...

Court Okays Sex Between Teachers, 18 Year Olds

Next they'll probably argue that this is in lieu of a pay raise.

Read more...

Presents, Presents Everywhere...

My Uggs arrived today!!! NavyGuy got a pair for me for Christmas, but I needed a different size (which, of course, the store would not be getting until after we'd returned to the coast). So, the store shipped my new pair way out here!

I have the short brown version, modeled here by the lovely Ms. Aniston :) I am still working on the whole tucking-my-jeans-into-them scenario. On the one hand, I feel like a 14 year old doing it. On the other hand, having my jeans over the boots makes my feet look clunky and hobbit-esque. On a third hand, the jean tucking route seems to be a vain attempt to make sure people see you're wearing "real Uggs." But, on the fourth practical hand, jean tucking keeps the bottom of your pant legs from getting wet, an especially aggravating and blood boiling common aspect of life here in the flooded Northwest. However, most of my jeans are bootleg, and just don't seem to tuck into the boots correctly... am I doing something wrong? Is this like the tight-roll fad of the late 80s that I could never properly execute? Help me dear readers - jean tucking has become my latest (frivolous) worry.

*Editor's Note: I have chosen to ignore the controversy that surrounds Uggs (as well as Crocs) and rise above the fray. Normally I'm all for making fun of pointless fashion trends, but in this case, I'm just going to say - judge me all you want, those damn boots are comfy and soft, and I will clod around in them with pride.

In other news, fiiiiiiiiiinally started John Adams HBO miniseries - greatness! Several reliable sources had been raving about it for a while, and all of them are free to say "I told you so." I'm only through the first hour (of seven), but already I'm hooked. Excellent performances, costumes, music, casting, and historical accuracy (I was a history teacher in my previous life so my word here is good). The unexpected bit though is that it makes me miss teaching; I catch myself watching segments and deciding which clips I could show the AP U.S. History kids, or what discussion questions I'd use with a class. The full impact of historical events can sometimes be best expressed on the screen - for those of you who've seen it, I'm thinking in particular of the tarring and feathering that happens in the first hour. Off to watch part 2!

Read more...

Playing Catch-Up

Before I fall too far behind in my blogging, I thought I would catch up on what's been happening around here the last few days.

Last night, I had a babysitting job for a 14 month old while her parents were going to be gone to an election night event. When I arrived at their house, the baby was already asleep, so I basically just had to make sure the house didn't burn down around her. Which was fine, because I really wanted to camp out on the couch and watch election returns, but of course, I managed to stick my foot in my mouth before the parents had even left. The dad and I were chatting in the livingroom while mom finished getting ready, and I was trying to make small talk, so I asked him what he did. He modestly explained that he had a position with an energy company, and also served in the Washington State House of Representatives. Ooops. Guess I should have read the names on that ballot a little more closely.... (turns out I did vote for him, and he won overwhelmingly, but he probably thought I was the most obtuse, unaware person around.)

Additionally, he kept telling me about how they did "baby sign" with their daughter, which I assumed to be regular sign language, but for babies. I didn't want to ask if the baby was deaf, because it felt rude, but I was thinking: "Crap. The kid's asleep. How will I know if she's actually deaf or if I just misheard him? Maybe I could go in her room and make some clucking noises and see if she stirs. Oh jeez, how do I get myself into these ridiculous situations." Luckily, I was talking with my mom later while they were gone and happened to mention this dilemma. To her credit, she did not laugh for more than a minute at my unawareness; apparently, "baby sign" is a new communication trend that parents are using with their babies. Before they actually learn to talk, the babies are taught a few basic signs (more, milk, etc.), so that they can communicate better. Having no children myself, I'll refrain from venturing too far into this hot button child-rearing issue; here is the official website - feel free to develop your own opinion. Anyway, long story short, it was a good babysitting job except for the tiny social gaffes. :)

Today was spent interviewing for another babysitting job. If it pans out, it'll be more of a 3-days a week nanny position for two young girls. The only weirdness afoot is that their youngest daughter has the exact same name as me (even spelled the same!). So, the parents would prefer to call me by my middle name to avoid confusion, therefore I would become "Annie the Nannie." For the hourly rate they offered though, I'd let the kids call me dirt. I should hear back from them tomorrow or Friday - cross your fingers! I might have some income again :)

The remainder of the day was spent running errands in Mt. Vernon. NavyGuy needed some unmentionables (underpants... tee hee hee... why don't they make Superman tighty-whiteys in adult sizes?), and so that's how I ended up in the men's department of Macy's with an 85 year old man perusing the boxer briefs. (Ew.) I also saw an old woman pushing a dog... in a stroller... with the dog actually strapped into said stroller. People who go to the mall on a Wednesday afternoon are odd.

Where were you when you heard the election results? What were you doing? I was sitting in the basement of a local Washington politician's home, wondering if his daughter would hear me if I screamed.

Read more...

Yes We Can

Watch history here:



Celebrate here:



Is it too obvious I'm not only excited about the results, but also excited that I figured out how to insert videos?

Read more...

Wheeee!!!

Seriously, that's all I've been saying all day. I am psyched about election night! The only hiccup in my perfect plan to snuggle up in front of a fire with my computer and my NBC news team came in the form of a last minute babysitting job offer. Luckily, the little one goes to bed around 7pm, so I should be able to keep the TV volume low and still watch (yes, I honestly considered turning down the job, but then I seemed to remember hearing something on the news about a bad economy... and how people are desperate for work...)

Hope you all are enjoying the excitement!!!! (yes, I know I'm a dork.)

Read more...

Election Day Funny

Read more...

Civic Duty? Check.

So, because the state of Washington vows to make it easier for people to vote (and thereby take away all the fun of actually going to your polling place, actually standing in the voting booth, and actually getting the "I Voted!" sticker), most everyone here votes by mail. Yes, I understand the advantages of doing it this way, but that doesn't mean I was happy about it.

[Doesn't NavyGuy look thrilled to have participated in a 200 year old democratic tradition?]

Hence, when NavyGuy and I sat down at the dining room table last night to fill out our ballots (completely obscuring any sense of secrecy), I was ready. Earlier in the day, through a little computer/scrapbooking magic, I had made our own "I Voted" stickers! We went through our ballots, choosing completely opposite candidates in most cases, and even took the time to check the handy dandy "Skagit County Voter's Guide" that arrived with our ballots, whenever we reached a race that didn't clearly label the Democratic candidate or Republican candidate. I had fun reading from the voters guide and trying to convince NavyGuy to vote for a candidate based on solid reasoning such as, "his mustache is wicked!" or "no way - no candidate who's married to a woman named Merva, that's just wrong", and he had fun, well... I guess he had fun when we were done and I could stop threatening to steal his ballot and fill in a straight Green Party ticket :)

[Yes. I actually made a voting sticker. And yes, I did wear the sticker for the rest of the evening.]

Now that the actual work is over, all I have to do is wait for tomorrow to arrive, and stock up for my NBC news election night marathon. Politics, pundits, high drama, Brian Williams, Tom Brokaw - what more could a girl ask for in one night? (Well, if wishing made it so, Tim Russert would be there, but I know he'll be watching from a better place, trusty white board in hand.) How excited are you to go vote? Are you planning on watching any of the coverage of the returns or are you boycotting? Who's going to admit they're mostly just excited for the campaign advertising to be over in about 36 hours?

Read more...

One State, Two State, Red State, Blue State

As part of today's New York Times endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President, they have created an interactive timeline of their previous presidential endorsements, going all the way back to President Lincoln. Even for those of you who don't get high on history, it's an interesting look back at how the paper has gotten it right - and wrong - in the past. A few of the more interesting misfires by the NYTimes:

~ in 1904, they endorsed Alton B. Parker a Democrat. Who? Oh - the man running against incumbent Theodore Roosevelt. Had Parker won, who knows if we'd have had the Food and Drug Act (spurred by Roosevelt's outrage at descriptions of meatpacking plants in Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle), the expansion of the Navy, or President Lincoln's likeness on the penny! (Roosevelt commemorated Lincoln's 100th birthday in 1909 with the new coin.)

~ the paper got it completely wrong throughout the 1920s. Each election (1920, '24, and '28), they endorsed the Democratic candidate; each time the Republican, business minded, candidate prevailed.

~ apparently, the paper wasn't fond of another Roosevelt either. On the eve of war in Europe, the NYTimes editorial board believed a lawyer named Wendell Wilkie -- who had never held elected office -- was better suited than two-term President Franklin D. Roosevelt to continue to lead the country out of the lingering Depression and protect the nation's security from the fascist threat across the pond. My interpretation? The NYTimes was not willing to break the two-term tradition set by President Washington, and support Roosevelt's unprecedented quest for a third term. (Remember - it wasn't until the 22nd Amendment was enacted in 1951 that Presidents were Constitutionally limited to two four-year terms.)

The track record for the New York Times' endorsements has not improved in the second half of the century; slightly more than 50% of the elections since 1948 have gone to the candidate who didn't receive the endorsement. So will their support of Obama make any difference this year? Not likely, considering that the paper's readers skew towards the left side of the spectrum to begin with. But you never know - this could be the year where they turn their sketchy record around.

Rock the Vote!

Read more...

Book Review: Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea; One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time
Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
c2006 Penguin Books, 338pg.

For the past year, I have picked up this book each time I entered Barnes and Noble, and for some reason it always ended up back on the shelf and not in my bag. Fate intervened when I arrived in Berkeley though, as Sister had the book in her personal library - score!

Greg Mortenson began his experience in Pakistan attempting to summit K2, the second highest mountain on Earth. He failed to reach the top, but in his torturous journey down, found a secluded village (and when I say secluded, I don't just mean they don't get cable) that changed his life. He devoted his life to building schools in this impoverished region of Pakistan and Afghanistan, believing in the power of education. The book begins in 1993 and covers his mountain climbing adventure, the struggles to raise money for the schools, and the subsequent successes and failures he has spreading education and humanitarian efforts in the region of the world that spawned the Taliban. Post 9/11, his journey expands to include efforts to educate Americans on the reality of life in this part of the world, as well as dispute common fallacies about Muslim/Arab cultures and people.

To say this book is inspirational is an understatement. Once you get past the admittedly confusing geography, climbing descriptions, and foreign names/places, and get to the heart of the story, you cannot help but be amazed by what Mortenson accomplished. The poverty he encounters is staggering, and the lengths these villagers will go to to see that a five-room school house is built in their village put to shame meager volunteer efforts in our own communities. This book both convinces you of the power of one person and what can be accomplished with great passion, and at the same time, makes you feel incredibly lazy and unaccomplished, regardless of what you have done in your own life.

In terms of the politic aspects of the book, Mortenson initially supports the invasion of Afghanistan (to oust the Taliban and exact retribution for the 9/11 attacks), but always criticizes the United States for abandoning its promise to provide for the civilians in Afghanistan. As the military operations continue and expand to Iraq, Mortenson becomes increasingly convinced (and increasingly vocal) about the narrow-minded approach the U.S. has to solving long-term problems of terrorism in the Middle East. To paraphrase what I interpreted to be his thesis: bombs make an impact immediately and sometimes successfully; books make an impact eternally and always successfully.

It was infuriating, though not unexpected, to read about the hate mail Mortenson received after 9/11, accusing him of being a traitor for helping "terrorists." I am reminded of the quotation that my sister loves, which applies perfectly to Mortenson's mission (and the stupidity of some Americans): "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Had the authors of the hate mail taken the time to read a few articles about the situation (or simply looked at a map or two), they might have realized the intricacies of Central Asia, Islam, terrorism, Al Queda, the Taliban, and American foreign policy. Instead, they chose to irrationally attack an American citizen doing nothing but good for grateful people.

A few of the passages that stuck with me are highlighted below:

"Kim Trudell, from Marblehead, Massachusetts, had lost her husband, Frederick Rimmele, when, on his way to a medical conference in California on September 11, his flight, United Airlines 175, vaporized in a cloud of jet fuel against the south tower of the World Trade Center. Trudell asked Mortenson to carry her husband's medical books to Kabul [to be donated to the Kabul Medical Institute, the country's physician training center], beliving education was the key to resolving the crisis with militant Islam."

Answering a question from a California Republican congressman about the purpose of building schools, when security was the most vital concern for our country, Mortenson replied, "I don't do what I'm doing to fight terror. I do it because I care about kids. Fighting terror is maybe seventh or eighth on my list of priorities. But working over there, I've learned a few things. I've learned that terror doesn't happen because some group of people somewhere like Pakistan or Afghanistan simply decide to hate us. It happens because children aren't being offered a bright enough future that they have a reason to choose life over death."

Please visit threecupsoftea.com for more information on this book and Mortenson's mission.

Other articles/reviews/blogs (focused on this book) that I found interesting:

http://whathappenedwas.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/three-cups-of-tea/

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/opinion/13kristof.html

http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1758

Read more...

Time Keeps Ticking, Ticking Away...

Do you ever get the feeling that everyone else is ahead of you in some way? Either they are literally ahead of you in traffic or the checkout line, or they're smarter than you or something? That feeling of being behind, slacking, lagging, etc.? Welcome to Pacific Time.

Pacific Time, measured by subtracting eight hours from the time at the Greenwich Observatory in London, is perpetually behind the rest of the continental United States. Pacific Standard Time (PST) exists in the winter, and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) in the summer (before we "fall behind" AGAIN in the autumn clock switcheroo). Back in the good ole days, the entire country used to have just one time system... well, okay, not at all. Each local town would set time on their own, based on the sun, and that worked out just fine for many years. Until that newfangled choo choo train came running down the track and people in Jefferson City had to know what time it left the station in Louisville. In 1883, the railroad companies instituted standard time zones for practical travel reasons, and the U.S. Congress followed suit in 1918 with the Standard Time Act.

And ever since, the Pacific states have been left behind. The sun comes up first for those in the Eastern time zone, and Westerners are forced to spend the remainder of the day just trying to catch up. By the time I get up at 8:00am, my friends and family in the Central time zones are already having their morning break; when I'm eating a late lunch at 1:00pm, my mom is home from school and getting ready for Oprah; if I don't call a business based in the east by 2:00pm, I'll have to wait until the next day to try again!

What happens when your mom wants to call and tell you about Ann Curry doing something stupid on the Today show at 7:25am (CST)? Well, she wakes me up at 5:25am, at which point, the Today show hasn't started for me (nor has my day), so I don't have a clue what she's talking about. When does the NBC nightly news air? When does Grey's Anatomy start? The new episode of Project Runway aired at 6:00pm!?!?! What the heck is that about?

I'm developing a serious complex living here (and lord knows I have enough problems upstairs already). No matter what time I get up in the morning, I'm behind. I hate being behind; I like to be the first to know the gossip, first to have the story, and first to know what's going on. This is definitely going to take a lot of adaptation (and probably more bitching before I grow up and realize this isn't the end of the world). For the time being, my only solace is the fact that everyone in Hawaii and Alaska is even farther behind!

Read more...