Like food, for instance. Up in Pennsylvania, especially in and around Philadelphia, there is a real treat, called the Philly Cheese Steak, a sandwich.
We first tasted this delicacy (does one have to be a gourmet to use that term?) when we went to visit Donna there in the late 1970's. Loved 'em then, and never forgot. Most importantly, never had their equal, anywhere. Here in Florida in recent years, one finds the sandwich offered a lot, but NEVER is it equal...UNTIL...a place called LaSpada's only a mile or two away from our front door!
Naturally, the family that runs the place is originally from Philly, and got its start up there, and knows how to make the things correctly. (Son-in-law Gary and I have experimented with other places in order to compare, and there is always something missing, something incorrect about all of them.) Tomorrow, I'll follow up with a blizzard.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
"Mrs." and I are back on same page!
Mrs to me
show details 8:49 AM (2 hours ago)
Reply
Mrs has left a new comment on your post "Comment by Mrs.": Hey GJ, I didn't take your message as a slight against homeschoolers AT ALL. I was in total agreement with you!Sometimes with email, it's hard to read because you don't hear voice inflections. My heart goes out to my teacher friends and all teachers. In fact, if anyone would like to help a teacher directly, ask them what's on their "wish list" for next year, then help them buy it!
Hi, Mrs...
All my fault, and when I goof, I can really goof. I thought your "I do" meant that you disagreed, when I could have solved it by re-reading my own post! I'm glad you are in our corner. I have been meaning to seek just those teachers. Thanks to your reminder, I shall go at it with added determination.
When Jean taught kindergarten, I told her principal that a part-time volunteer who would help put the galoshes, mittens, and coats on 30 little kids could save Jean. Instead, that was too much for the administration to ask, so Jean "burned out" of that age and went to another district. Those children LOVED Mrs. Van! She was a natural (after raising two of her own) and even I was captivated by her specialty, the "finger play."
show details 8:49 AM (2 hours ago)
Reply
Mrs has left a new comment on your post "Comment by Mrs.": Hey GJ, I didn't take your message as a slight against homeschoolers AT ALL. I was in total agreement with you!Sometimes with email, it's hard to read because you don't hear voice inflections. My heart goes out to my teacher friends and all teachers. In fact, if anyone would like to help a teacher directly, ask them what's on their "wish list" for next year, then help them buy it!
Hi, Mrs...
All my fault, and when I goof, I can really goof. I thought your "I do" meant that you disagreed, when I could have solved it by re-reading my own post! I'm glad you are in our corner. I have been meaning to seek just those teachers. Thanks to your reminder, I shall go at it with added determination.
When Jean taught kindergarten, I told her principal that a part-time volunteer who would help put the galoshes, mittens, and coats on 30 little kids could save Jean. Instead, that was too much for the administration to ask, so Jean "burned out" of that age and went to another district. Those children LOVED Mrs. Van! She was a natural (after raising two of her own) and even I was captivated by her specialty, the "finger play."
Time Out!
Stand by, dear Mrs. I'm having trouble "publishing" your comment. A soon as I can consult my in-house consultant on PC matters, I'll do it correctly, with luck, that is.
"Lights! Camera! Action!" I'm outta here.
I can't believe how long it has been since we went to a movie theater. (Something tells me it was "Ice Age," but I doubt it.)
First, the "dumbing down" of the rating system has removed a huge percentage of what we care to see. PG is more like PG-13 was last month. PG-13 is more like R was two months ago, and R is beginning to resemble X. (Can G be far behind?) Taking Jean to a movie is like taking one of our daughters 50 years ago. She doesn't need the garbage that comes at her in digital color and deafening noise. I will not subject her to it, no matter who is in it, or how much they spend to get me there. And I rarely know anybody who is in them!
I am ready, I think, to turn to Netflix again. I'll save a bundle, too!
First, the "dumbing down" of the rating system has removed a huge percentage of what we care to see. PG is more like PG-13 was last month. PG-13 is more like R was two months ago, and R is beginning to resemble X. (Can G be far behind?) Taking Jean to a movie is like taking one of our daughters 50 years ago. She doesn't need the garbage that comes at her in digital color and deafening noise. I will not subject her to it, no matter who is in it, or how much they spend to get me there. And I rarely know anybody who is in them!
I am ready, I think, to turn to Netflix again. I'll save a bundle, too!
Comment by Mrs.
Mrs has left a new comment on your post "Back to square one...": I do! We homeschool, but that doesn't mean we don't care about what's happening in the public schools. We also have several friends who are teachers. They have a tough row to hoe.
No, no, no...old friend...I meant no offense to home-schoolers. (You have costs, too, AND your children do not cost the district anything.) The idea that taxes are "lost" is fallacious. It furthers the view that only parents of school-age children should pay school taxes. Free education is based on the premise that all taxpayers make it possible for all children. (Pennies per thousands of dollars in real estate.)
I served a very affluent district for 21 years and we had about five strikes. Yes, we wanted more salary, but that was only a strategy...the only one board ever understood. One superintendent actually told a reporter that our teachers only worked about "three hours a day!" Leaders like that were hired just to keep salaries down!
I once served dinner to a taxpayer who owned 500 acres of very rich farmland in central Illinois, and he left $1.50 total for feeding his family of six at a fund-raiser! Leaders there sure did a good job of keeping us "down."
Your group does a fine job of doing what public schools have failed to do. Love, Jim.
No, no, no...old friend...I meant no offense to home-schoolers. (You have costs, too, AND your children do not cost the district anything.) The idea that taxes are "lost" is fallacious. It furthers the view that only parents of school-age children should pay school taxes. Free education is based on the premise that all taxpayers make it possible for all children. (Pennies per thousands of dollars in real estate.)
I served a very affluent district for 21 years and we had about five strikes. Yes, we wanted more salary, but that was only a strategy...the only one board ever understood. One superintendent actually told a reporter that our teachers only worked about "three hours a day!" Leaders like that were hired just to keep salaries down!
I once served dinner to a taxpayer who owned 500 acres of very rich farmland in central Illinois, and he left $1.50 total for feeding his family of six at a fund-raiser! Leaders there sure did a good job of keeping us "down."
Your group does a fine job of doing what public schools have failed to do. Love, Jim.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Back to square one...
Have to admit it, I prefer posting to book-writing/arranging/proofing/etc.
This time around, I'll dwell more on "how I see things" than tales from the dim, dark past. It's clear that few people care for the latter and nobody wants to share, as a result. So...no more prodding or pleading from me.
My top concern this morning is that I can't help thinking that quite possibly, free, public education is doomed! I stepped into my first classroom 57 years ago, and the signs were there already.
Can you imagine the shock it was to me when that terrible incident at Columbine took place? In 1952, at least, school was a safe place to be. In 1952, at least, even the poorest child could afford to attend school. I can't believe the cost today, and I'm sure the estimates are conservative.
In the 52 years I refer to, where has our leadership been hiding? Teachers were underpaid then, and it has only gotten worse. Where have our "good citizens" been hiding? Even then, there was a gap. Even then, only the parents of school-age kids cared that much. Once your kids graduated, you came down with "let's vote against all tax increases, no matter how small!"
Mark my words, private schools and home-schooling will continue to expand and out-perform the public efforts. I think that local concerns have given way to the federal government to such an extent that all will only worsen.
Such movements as FCAT and NCLB cannot possibly solve the REAL problems of every little district in this nation. It must fall upon the shoulders of those who are grateful for their own education to do what needs to be done, district by district.
OK, I've said my piece for "Father's Day." I suppose everyone will agree with me?
This time around, I'll dwell more on "how I see things" than tales from the dim, dark past. It's clear that few people care for the latter and nobody wants to share, as a result. So...no more prodding or pleading from me.
My top concern this morning is that I can't help thinking that quite possibly, free, public education is doomed! I stepped into my first classroom 57 years ago, and the signs were there already.
Can you imagine the shock it was to me when that terrible incident at Columbine took place? In 1952, at least, school was a safe place to be. In 1952, at least, even the poorest child could afford to attend school. I can't believe the cost today, and I'm sure the estimates are conservative.
In the 52 years I refer to, where has our leadership been hiding? Teachers were underpaid then, and it has only gotten worse. Where have our "good citizens" been hiding? Even then, there was a gap. Even then, only the parents of school-age kids cared that much. Once your kids graduated, you came down with "let's vote against all tax increases, no matter how small!"
Mark my words, private schools and home-schooling will continue to expand and out-perform the public efforts. I think that local concerns have given way to the federal government to such an extent that all will only worsen.
Such movements as FCAT and NCLB cannot possibly solve the REAL problems of every little district in this nation. It must fall upon the shoulders of those who are grateful for their own education to do what needs to be done, district by district.
OK, I've said my piece for "Father's Day." I suppose everyone will agree with me?
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