crstn85

Moving Day

2012-01-20T17:52:00.000-05:00

After a semester of use I've decided that I like blogging. More than that, I want to share my blog with my department and make it a little more than just for me. However, I've been using this blog since college and the title/url is the username I've had since I was 10. I'd like my school blog to be independent of all of that. So, I moved to DrawingOnMath.blogspot.com I like the name well enough but I was much more excited about playing with layouts than coming up with a name so I may regret rushing that later. It has multiple levels of interpretation though and since I teach almost all geometry currently it seems quite appropriate.

To those of you in a reader: I'm really sorry that you'll have to click out of your reader, go to the new site and re-subscribe. I totally understand if you "keep unread" and save that arduous task for later. Since next week is midterms for us I do plan to do quite a bit of writing though, so subscribing sooner rather than later is advisable ;)

Thanks for reading!

My Student Self

2012-01-18T21:07:00.000-05:00

Last week I started an online course in Geometry and Measurement run by the EDC (love them!) for my district and a neighboring one. Being a student in a different environment has me reflecting on how I would react to being a student in my own class.

We started the course with a face-to-face meeting. I'm not going to lie, I was a little resentful that I needed to attend since I was looking forward to taking the course from my couch at home on my own schedule. The resentment only grew as I was instructed on how to sign in (which we'd been asked to do ahead of time), use a forum (something I've been doing for years) and use GeoGebra (I teach my students to use it).

When I'm teaching I need to make sure not to rehash ideas that students already know. I hope that when we discuss homework students view it as an opportunity to check their answers, not just the class re-doing the work they already did. I try not to go over every little step but I need to make sure that when the class gets it, we get on to the challenging problems. Also, I need to explicitly ask students to be resources for each other when we study a topic some of them are familiar with. I would have been happy to share what I knew about GeoGebra- but being asked to draw a triangle was just boring.

Each session of the course starts on Wednesday. Last week I'd finished all the readings by Thursday night. This week? I finished all the readings and activities by 8 pm, Wednesday. I'm a nerd and am happy to own that label. But I'm also really efficient; I'd rather just take a couple hours to go through all the material with complete focus and no distractions than drag it out over a week. This is one of the reasons I signed up for an online course- it's very self-paced and allows me to be independent.

While there is opportunity for students to do their homework whenever they like within the 2-4 day gap between classes (block scheduling), there is very little room for self-pacing in the classes I teach. Each problem set I assign in class is low-threshold/high-ceiling, but there is no room to move on to the next unit until the whole class is ready. At this point it would be logistically a nightmare to allow students in geometry to move forward since we do so much experimentation and compiling of data to form conclusions. My basic algebra class does spent part of their time on fact practice and that portion of the course is entirely self-paced. I'd be interested to see if there was anything similar in geometry to allow students more control over at least part of the curriculum.

Finally, we are required to post in the discussion forums throughout the week. That's the one piece I haven't done yet, and may no do until Friday. I own my nerd status, but that doesn't mean I'm not hesitant to look like an overachiever. This is especially true since I don't know half of the people in the course (they're from another district). I will be an overachiever in the end (last week I posted more than twice as many comments as were required) but I won't totally stick my neck out there... yet.

It's really important that students feel comfortable in the classroom. By this point in the year I forget that this means not just trusting the teacher (me) but also their peers. I am shocked when a student is helping to return papers and doesn't know a classmate's name. All of them have a few people they are okay working with (I've shuffled pairs until everyone has a few partners they gravitate to) but participating and asking questions in front of the whole class means they need to know that the entire class will be respectful and supportive of them. And that includes not getting called a brown-noser (I really hate that term, it's just so gross).

I'm excited for the rest of this course as I continue to analyze my learning style, as well as the materials presented. So far we've looked at essential knowledge for students to arrive to geometry with and methods for examining student work. The technology components are coming up soon. They include: an iPad to use for the semester (to be grouped into a set teachers can reserve next year), a new desktop to use at school and my new smart board! I'd love to hear your suggestions for iPad apps and the smart board (applets, features, uses, anything- I've never used one before!).

Triangle Quilt

2011-12-08T19:38:00.001-05:00

Last year I realized that even though most students claimed familiarity with the types of triangles from middle school, they still didn't really know them (especially isosceles and scalene). Plus, many were not adept at accurately constructing examples. As a week before winter break activity I had all of my geometry classes fill a square piece of paper with examples of all the triangle vocabulary we had studied, then I took all those squares and filled a section of the hallway, making a 'quilt.' This year I assigned the activity again, but instead of a review I used it as an introduction. It was a great way to make sure up front that everyone had a solid experience with the vocabulary, not to mention I always enjoy the down time of a coloring activity (especially with my CP class who did this after they finished a test).

The assignment:

Triangle Quilt
The finished product:

The first round of submissions.

Final Result (Progress reports were due today
so nearly everyone has theirs in now)

Marginally related:

I love putting student artwork up in my classroom. Whenever I see a student doodling something cool or showing off a drawing I ask them to contribute to my art gallery. It all started last year with a centroid sailboat and has grown to take over a corner of my classroom. I enjoy pretty things on the wall to look at, and it makes the kids feel appreciated when their work is on display. I didn't remember to take a photo of it yet, but I do have some photos of the pieces my homeroom created after a discussion on bullying. (These are in a separate corner.)

Aren't the birds beautiful?

The top left one says "Don't be an angry bird!"
Lots of birds because it was just before Thanksgiving and I suggested drawing hand turkeys.

Know Your Limits

2011-12-04T18:38:00.001-05:00

By the time Friday rolled around I was lagging, I guess it's a post-Thanksgiving phenomenon but it seemed like an endless week. I'm not proud to admit that I yelled at one class on Friday when they were floundering. I tried to do some open ended experimentation (which I will share once I've tried again with my other class tomorrow) and they weren't having it. Whether I should have given more structure, support or time is yet to be determined, but getting mad is never the answer. At least I recognized that I was getting grumpy and spent my prep block coloring bubble letters and hanging more squares in our triangle quilt (I'll share that once it's done as well). I also forewarned my last class that the well of patience had run dry and we spent the beginning of class brainstorming what an A student looks like so they could be sure to be on their best behavior (which enabled me to be on mine).

As soon as the last student left after school (he stayed an hour on Friday, and he was one of the ones I was mad at earlier - can't stay mad at dedication like that!) I called my friend who I knew would still be in his classroom and announced it was time to leave the building. Several hours at a coffee shop with a good friend, mint hot chocolate, crepes and parcheesi (that's a game, not a food) and I was on my way to recovery.

The rest of the weekend I did nothing. I don't just mean no school work, but all day yesterday and today I did absolutely nothing productive. I lounged, played games, napped and read. I might break out a bit of grading this evening, but no guarantees. I'm not worried, I know all the work will get done. And I'd much rather have an hour of productive work tomorrow than 3 hours of not getting much done but feeling like I should be today.

Why am I telling you about my failures Friday and totally boring weekend? Because I worry that everyone is running themselves into the ground. We're not yet halfway through the year and we shouldn't be sprinting toward June with the knowledge that we can recover in the summer. Cold and flu season is coming, for many the holiday season means extra stresses and December break is always too busy and too short. Stop, take a break and give yourself some time off. I always declare Saturday my school sabbath, but this weekend that needed to extend into a longer break. You know you could teach all of your classes without any prep on any given day- sure it wouldn't be a great lesson, but your students would learn something. So, cut yourself a break, do whatever it is that you find rejuvenating and know your limits.

Taboo Review

2011-11-21T17:44:00.001-05:00

At the end of each chapter we spend a day making a study guide and then playing some sort of review game. In the past this games have included BINGO (fill in laminated cards with answers, then if you solve the problem you get to cross out the square), "the points game" (jar full of cards that say +5, +10, -5, -10 and x2, correct answer means you get to pull a card to determine your points) and a simple game of solving problems in teams to see which team can solve the most before the end of class. This year I have played these, and added in a few more thanks to the wealth of ideas on twitter. Last week we played basketball in my fundamentals class (solve some problems on a half sheet, if they're correct crumple and take a shot at the recycling bin, bonus point if you make it in! However- if you get one wrong you have to shoot from the far line, so there's an incentive to check your work).

Today, we finally played Taboo. I'd been hearing about the great reasons to play Taboo from lots of people, but hadn't wanted to make the cards. Last night I sat down to do it and it wasn't actually as hard as I'd expected. In fact, the worst part was fighting with Word to get the table to stay the way I wanted. I started with this set (google docs link) and then added my own to get this:

Taboo Ch 1-3
It's roughly in order of how I teach them so it should be easy to add more pages as the year goes on and play again. And I definitely will play again! This kids were really engaged, they said they learned from it and the most telling moment was when a couple kids were hesitant to take the talking role since they knew they didn't know the words well enough. Those two will definitely be doing some studying! (And they did eventually take turns in the role of describer.)

These are the rules we played by:

Taboo Rules
I assume I'm not the only high school teacher whose students have selective hearing, so you do need to go around and 'buzz' kids until they start monitoring each other. One group was just reading the words on the card! I was impressed that they knew all the vocabulary words, but it wasn't very challenging for the describer. They had a good laugh once they learned they were doing the exact opposite of the rules.

We didn't do a great job of forming teams but rather just grouped into clusters. That actually worked out fine since everyone was playing an active role (describing, checking or guessing), but I think next time if we want to have opposing teams they should sit A, B, A, B, A, B in a circle so there's no need to have kids switching seats between rounds. Finally, I didn't have enough timers for each group to have their own, so I just yelled out "Start" then when the time on my phone went off announced "Stop! Tally up your score and switch." And repeated until there was just enough time left in class to fix the desks. Overall I think it was a great activity to get students talking about math, using vocabulary and stretching themselves to do something other than recite a definition they memorized. I would highly recommend playing Taboo with your class. Especially if you want to make cards for the next few chapters in Geometry! Kidding, although I'd love to hear feedback on the taboo words I chose and other words to add to our deck.

I don't share well

2011-11-14T17:51:00.001-05:00

A post on how I fail at co-teaching.

My school does an awesome job of supporting students with learning disabilities by offering courses co-taught by a content teacher and a special education teacher. This year I have 2 co-taught Geometry courses and I have the same co-teacher for both of those. I also have an "Algebra 1" (in quotes because we're not exactly at that level) course for students with moderate to severe learning disabilities. That course has 2 special education teachers so we've split it into 2 groups with 1 teacher (plus several paraprofessionals) in each class and me jumping between them.

The title of this post is actually true in a far more general sense than just co-teaching. I like to do things my way, I'm quite stubborn when I get my mind set on something and most of the time I'm rather independent. I do enjoy collaborating and I love the support of having another teacher in the room, but I'm still stuck in the mindset of considering my co-teachers support as opposed to equal level players.

I'd love to hear some ideas on how people have found a good balance in a shared classroom.

Some issues that have come up recently:

Grades were due last week so my Geometry co-teacher offered to do some of the grading. Problem was, I like grading those classes better than my others since they go fast (smaller class size and my other class is working on proofs- so glad I'm not an English teacher!) so I'd already graded almost everything. She later shared that she'd really like to do some of the grading since she wants to have a better sense of how everyone is doing. This struck me as totally obvious yet I'd never realized it - I'd been hoarding the grading since I want to see how the kids are doing, but she should get to share those insights! So now we're going to split it so that one of us does tests and the other does test corrections, then we both get to see. (I know, poor me, I have to give away some of my grading.)

I talked to one teacher for "Algebra 1" and shared what I thought the kids were ready to do next. She said that she was happy to put together a worksheet since I would be working with the other group the following class. When I talked to some people who had been in that class later she had gone and done something totally different than what we discussed. I was really frustrated that she didn't follow the plan that we had made, but I realized that most of the time I leave her in the dark and just show up with something to do that day. In my head I have an arc that I'm following and it all flows, but this probably isn't clear to her (especially since math isn't her area of expertise). I'm going to really try to work on communicating my goals and hope that she will offer me the courtesy of doing the same so when changes need to be made they aren't a surprise to either of us.

A success:

I've been using dropbox with the other teacher for "Algebra 1" so she gets real time updates as I create worksheets, write to-do lists and formulate plans. She did her practicum in middle school math and studied computer science, so she can see the underlying structures I'm putting in place when random files pop up on her computer. (I'm also using dropbox with some of the teachers in the math department to share everything I'm doing in my current courses and some projects I've used in the past that may apply to the courses we don't have in common. I do at least share resources well!)

I know that part of the problem I'm having is a lack of time to sit down and discuss everything with my co-teachers. We need to make that a priority in the future. Otherwise, I'm having a hard time not making all the decisions and monopolizing the small amount of teacher-centered time there is in my our classroom. Advice? Personal anecdotes? Articles I can share to get the conversation rolling?

A Variety of Variables

2011-11-10T16:53:00.000-05:00

This year I am teaching a course for students with moderate to severe learning disabilities. We are supposed to be studying Algebra and so we are working on the concept of a variable. I've found that many students have a really hard time understanding variables and their purpose.

"Just a darn minute! Yesterday you said x equals two!"

I can think of three different ways to interpret variables so far, and so I'm trying to provide situations that promote comprehension of variables in each context.

1. A variable can be used to generalize, in this case it is a representation of any and all numbers. For this situation we did number tricks:

Pick a number. Add 6. Multiply by two. Subtract 4. Divide by two. Subtract your original number.

Students quickly realize that they keep getting 4, but in order to know it always works, they need something to hold the place of their original number. I talk about using a variable instead of spending the rest of your life checking numbers since you can put any number in the place of the variable and it will still work.

(Side note: this is a great way to introduce proof in Geometry since they actually see why they would want to prove something- it seems clear but they don't know why it works.)

2. A variable can be a number that changes. It could be something that varies over time, or that is different for different people. I came across this example rather circuitously. I found a worksheet translating verbal expressions into algebraic ones, but I also wanted students to substitute and evaluate the expressions. Problem was, the original author did a really awesome job of choosing different letters, so much so I didn't feel like writing in values for every variable. Then it dawned on me, there's an easy way to assign a number to each letter- a cipher! My non-math major friends in college all took cryptology which meant that I got to learn along with them and I've been surprised how often I've used ideas from that class in new situations. Using a cipher to decide the numbers to substitute did a few things- first it was a cool mini history lesson on codes, second it allowed me to easily change the values and show that we could make the same expression simplify to different things depending on the "key of the day."

**Edit- read the awesome comments below, I'm leaving #3 in its original form so you know what the comments are in reference to, but I'm no longer counting this as a valid category.

3. A variable can represent a specific number that we don't know. This is the case for most equations that we have students solve. We know the value of the variable, their goal is to find it. To introduce this concept we started by solving really simple word problems (Chris has 5 apples, Josh has 3, how many do they have together?) by writing an expression equal to a variable (5+3=A). The word problems have increased in difficulty but the idea is the same, that letter represents some specific value we are trying to determine.

I have no idea if this is a standard way of dividing up the roles variables can play, it's definitely something I'm still trying to figure out. But my goal is for students to see many different ways to approach solving problems using variables. And then, somehow, we need to merge all of these ideas into one concept of symbol represents number(s).

Finally, I'm hoping they will understand that all of these methods apply in any situation. Just because you have a number to substitute for your variable doesn't mean that substituting is the best first step. Frequently simplifying and solving before substituting can show structure (just like delayed evaluation when you only have numbers). Conversely, even if a variable is representing a particular number you need to find, guessing random numbers isn't a bad way to start out. For students who have no idea how to approach a problem having them try their favorite number will usually give some insight on the steps to solve a problem (which they can eventually generalize to an equation using a variable).

What misconceptions do you see when students are using variables? What other situations can I introduce that use variables in a different way?

How to Study for Math

2011-11-07T20:46:00.000-05:00

Last week I gave a test on proofs. It went poorly. As I graded them I felt badly for rushing the test to get it in before the end of the quarter. When I returned them, I apologized for giving the test before everyone was ready but made sure to say that I was sharing the blame, they needed to take responsibility too and tell me when they didn't understand what we were doing. I've had a better sense of what everyone knows from regular quizzes this year, but I try to make those 3 short questions while the test has multi-step and cumulative problems, which is where everyone got stuck.

All this was fine, until I started reading their test corrections. The first question on the page asks "How did you study for the test?" Page after page had answers such as "I didn't" or "I read my notes" or "I flipped through notes right before the test." Now I know that most high schoolers don't know how to study for math, so from the beginning of the year I talk about how to organize notes into two columns with vocab on one side and definitions on the other so they can easily skim and quiz themselves. We make a study guide together the class before the test (which gives them 2 nights to study thanks to block scheduling). I make them write out the study guide even if they have nice notes because I know (and share) that the act of writing helps implant information in the brain. I talk to them about active vs. passive methods of studying. I specifically assign the practice test in the book. But, after all of this I get "I looked over my notes" as the sole method of studying. I no longer felt guilty for rushing the test, but frustrated with my students for not taking responsibility by preparing for the test.

So, I decided I must not be enough of an expert- I'd need something more official or more flashy to convince them. So today I provided just that. First I took this article (direct link to pdf: How to Study Math by Paul Dawkins) and broke it into 4 sections. We did a jigsaw where each kid was assigned a page to read and annotate (underline things you currently do, circle things you could do for the next test) and compared notes with people who read the same page. Then, they got into groups of four and shared out. This activity made me want to be an English teacher - they read, made notes and talked to each other! All of English must be so easy! Then I came back to my senses, I don't envy English teachers at all, but it was fun to read and discuss something.

How to Study Math
After students shared a few of the most interesting parts of their page with the whole class I showed them this diagram:

I hope that the quote and the percentages really hit home. Maybe now they'll start practicing vocabulary words as soon as they get them? And do actual practice problems since the best way to learn is by doing? Maybe?

At the very least it was a productive 30 minutes of students reflecting on how they study and being exposed to some other options from sources other than me (who they have to listen to every day). I'll let you know how the next test goes!

Illogical Logic Units

2011-10-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

Last year when I introduced the unit on logic I quickly realized that students were experiencing a ton of vocabulary with no context, and there was no way they would be able to "mind their p's and q's" just working with the textbook definitions. I tried to backpedal but we'd already reached the "we're never going to need to know this" and "this isn't math" frustration level so it was only marginally successful.

This year I did things differently. As students walked in I asked them to write a couple true sentences that fit the form "If ______, then _______." Then we got started with this worksheet:

Conditional
It went much better than last year's introduction, but I need to rewrite the questions on the second page since I ended up doing most of those with the class (there were too many questions to answer individually). Even so, they realized that a) and d) were always true, which translates to "if a conditional statement is true, so is the contrapositive." And most quickly saw the repeated structure once I explained exactly what I was talking about. Best of all, only one student asked why we were studying sentences in math; she asked it genuinely and was happy with the answer I gave about precise definitions and careful explanations. When reading the journal entries about this class period there were students who said this was fun! Such a difference from last year!

After we went over the general form for a) through d) I gave them the names (conditional, converse, inverse, contrapositive). Vocabulary goes over so much better when they already have a context to apply it to. The next class we talked about biconditional statements and I used some of the examples that students had made up, which is always more fun than creating my own.

On a slightly less successful note, we're still struggling with counterexamples. At the beginning of the year we did an activity I call "True, False, Fix" (a simplification of Prove or Disprove and Salvage if Possible from PROMYS) where students read a statement, decide if it's true or false and fix the false ones. They keep wanting to fix when I ask for a counterexample. We've quizzed on it twice and I hand it back with "counterexample?" and re-explain, but they still keep fixing and explaining without providing examples. I hate to mark off for accurate statements, but they aren't answering the question I asked.

So, advice on re-wording the 2nd page of the activity? And/or how to convince my students that counterexamples are actually examples that prove the statement is false? Thanks!

Organization System

2011-10-16T19:43:00.000-04:00

It's Sunday evening and I don't feel like grading, so instead I'll tell you about how all of my piles of work are neatly organized. Since it's systemized, when I do get some motivation I can get right to work without spending time figuring out where everything is. That means I have extra procrastination time, great right?

In my classroom I have a magazine holder (cheap plastic thing from target that google can't find a photo of) with a bunch of folders. It lives on a table filled with other supplies kids might need (extra paper, pencils, stapler, hole punch and sharpener) and the goal is to have students become self sufficient. Not only do I expect them to think (and use logic! what??), but I want them to get their own supplies rather than ask me "Can I borrow ___?" or "Do you have any more ___?" every day.

First folders: Extra Copies. I have two levels of geometry and each one has a labeled manila folder filled with extra copies of anything I hand out. If kids were absent or lose a paper, they are learning to head to the folder to get one. When students come in and ask what they missed, I send them to the folder. If they lost the homework, I send them to the folder. If they totally destroyed something, I send them to the folder. I don't like to waste paper so I don't make many extra copies, but I know my Fundamentals class has plenty of kids who can't hold on to a single piece of paper for an entire chapter (I photocopy the review page and they do a section each night for homework- books stay in school).

Next folders: Papers to Hand In. This is a set of manila folders with the letter of the block (A Block is first period at my school) written on the tab. Anything kids want to hand in must go into this folder. I won't accept papers handed to me, but merely point at the folder. For a class when I know I'm collecting something I will pick out the correct folder and lay it on the table ahead of time. To reduce chaos of everyone up and crowding at the table at once we pass papers down and the kids sitting near the table put them into the folder. If a student is handing in something late, or a correction, they find the correct folder and place the work inside.

Last folders: Papers to Hand Back. These are color coded pocket folders (one thing I kept from last year) with red for both fundamentals classes (matte for A and gloss for H) and blue/purple for CP classes. Eventually I'd like to take this responsibility off of myself as well, but for now when there are papers to hand back I grab that folder and distribute them or ask for volunteers. I like handing back papers while kids are working because it makes sure that I am moving all over the room in a rather random pattern, so I really do see what everyone is working on. I also use it like Sarcasymptote's Ukelele Time- I tell everyone I won't answer questions about what I'm returning or the work they're doing until I'm done, so they'll have to ask their partner or look up the answer. It's not much time, but it's a start of forcing them to talk to each other rather than come running to me. Maybe next quarter I'll at least assign someone to look in the folders and remind me if they're full of stuff to return.

On my desk I have boxes of things everyone needs- journals, test corrections, quiz corrections and quarter sheets of scrap paper for quizzes (and every random thing I want to remind myself of).

Last year I had everything on my desk, which meant kids were in that area all the time. When students wanted to hand work in I had them put it on my chair because I didn't trust that it would land in the right spot otherwise. It was definitely chaotic and messy. Now when I feel motivated to grade I just grab the manila folder of the class coming up (or really, the one filled with something easy to grade), grade and transfer to the corresponding color pocket folder. Then I reset and I'm ready to go! Now if only I could get started...

Reflection and Self Assessment

2011-10-02T06:00:00.000-04:00

This year's school-wide focus is writing. Many math teachers groan or cringe or opt out of the reading/writing initiatives, but I've always had kids do a minimum of daily journaling; sometimes up to entire stories or paragraphs explaining projects. Last year's school-wide focus was rubrics. It was our NEASC evaluation and so we were supposed to all use the same rubrics so kids had continuity. I would argue that students are more intelligent than we give them credit for and don't need that much continuity, but the idea behind the rubrics was okay and I was able to reformat them into something I find kid-friendly. The result of these two foci is an ellipse (math joke!), okay, actually it's a double sided weekly reflection sheet.

Journal and CW Rubric

We operate on a block schedule, so if I collect these every Friday that's 5 days (barring schedule changes, which happen approximately daily, okay not really, but I do plan to count how many of the two week periods I get all 5 days filled in). I used to carry around a clipboard all class and mark down any time a student was off task. This, combined with attendance/tardies made up their classwork grade. I'm still making occasional notes on my clipboard, and of course still taking attendance, but most kids are pretty honest when they fill in the rubric. The original plan was to have them out on desks all class so every time a student was off task or doing a good job at one of the sections I (or my co-teacher) would mark that down on the rubric. This turned out to be totally unrealistic. If a kid is off task I don't want them to find their rubric for me to write on, I want them to get to work! And several of them relate to behaviors when I am standing at the board. Instead, I'm trying to use the language on the rubric when I reprimand or congratulate students on the behavior, and making a few notes so if my memory completely fails me for some reason they won't get an unreasonable grade.

The journal side looks boring now, but that's because the questions will be on the board. Every day they will be asked "How did you meet the objective(s)?" and if they didn't to explain why. There's also a second question that varies. Some examples: to make a connection, to predict, to reflect (what are your goals for 2nd quarter? how should you study for the test?). I expect a minimum of two sentences and they don't get credit otherwise. The first week of past years I'd get quite a few "writing in math class?!?" exclamations, but this year there weren't so many. It's a quiet way to close class and students will remind me that it's journal time if I get too caught up with a lesson. The goal is to get students thinking about what they did in the hope that more of it will stick until next class (2-4 days away thanks to block scheduling). The first question has changed year to year, sometimes asking what math they learned and other times about the objective. I'm hoping that they will be more precise if they have to justify how they met the objective, although I'll miss the occasional comment about how someone did some really cool math in science class.

Test Corrections

2011-09-29T20:37:00.000-04:00

In an effort to encourage students to learn from their mistakes, I allow students to correct their tests (and quizzes) to earn back half credit. I started doing this instead of retakes since many kids just want to immediately retake the test without going back and learning what they didn't understand the first time around. I like some of what I've seen where teachers require proof of remediation in Standards Based Grading, but this works for me for now.

Originally the process was: student shows up after school, we sit down with lined paper and their test and go through the whole test, I give them some extra points. This was fine, but not many kids were taking advantage, and it was really time consuming for me. Then at a department meeting our head teacher shared an article about tests as part of the learning process (as opposed to coming after the learning), we shared our methods of doing re-takes/correcting tests and then came up with a template for correcting tests. We don't all use the exact same one, but I really like this one:

Test Corrections
Reflection in actual sentences is really important in my class (students journal daily) so I have students start filling out the questions on the first page while I'm handing back the tests. At the beginning of the year we spend quite a bit of class time correcting tests together. I hear some good conversations between students trying to figure out the differences between their answers and I am able to circulate and check in with the students who had more striking deficiencies. As the year goes on we won't spend quite so much class time working on corrections, but I do try to give them as much time as possible because chances are kids need some help and if we do it in class they will be more likely to analyze their answer than just take a guess and hand it back in.

Guessing won't actually get you anywhere on a correction page. It's fine to guess on the test (I'd always rather they write something than leave a question blank) but I am quite serious about the "No explanation = No credit" statement. They need to fill in all 3 columns- what they are correcting, why they got it wrong the first time and why their new solution is correct. I'm not looking for an essay, since I teach mostly Geometry they can get away with a nice drawing most of the time to explain their point, but there has to be something.

So far, so good this year. It's nice to see most of the kids trying to learn from their mistakes. Plus, the reflection questions give me some good early insights. They tell me who is working really hard and still struggling (I studied for hours, thought I was totally ready and then bombed!) vs. who isn't very invested (actual quote from today "I don't study") vs. who has low expectations (I'm happy that I didn't fail). This information influences how I approach students, plus I think they like the opportunity to share their experience.

I'm also doing this with quizzes this year (I have a half sheet version) but I may only allow them to correct the following class and after that they have to retake? Not sure yet, still in the "How do you not know all the routines and norms yet?? Oh yeah, you're all new, I forget it's only September." mode and until we have settled in I'm not sure how that new addition will play out. To end, a cute drawing a student made who got a 100% on her quiz:

Grading with Stamps

2011-09-25T18:13:00.000-04:00

Alternate Title: Gold Star or the Dreaded Clock?

So you may be wondering what on earth either title means, give me a minute to explain. If you've heard of formative assessment you have probably heard of comment only grading. And if you heard it from someone convincing, they probably gave the statistic (which I can't find at the moment) that shows if there is a grade on the page, most students don't even bother reading all the comments and corrections you took hours to write. So you think, "Great! I won't give grades!" But then you remember that you still work in a school that runs on grades. My PD leader suggested that we give grades on resubmitted work, but not on first drafts. Sounds doable, right? But I worried about that disorganized kid who loses their work that they actually did pretty well on the first time around. I want to encourage organization and independence, but I also want to give grades that reflect knowledge, not the state of someone's backpack. So, I finally decided to record the grades in my gradebook, but not on the students paper.

Three years later and this is still working out well, with a few tweaks. The general procedure is: Students complete an investigation (mini project), hand it in, get comments (plus a secret grade) and resubmit for more credit (plus a shared grade). On the day of the first investigation I tell students that this is just like English Class, we do a rough draft, hand it in next class no matter what state it's in, I comment, then they edit and submit a final draft. The reference to rough draft has been helpful since in the past I had students who were unwilling to hand something in until it was 'done' (while I really wanted to grade them all in one sitting and provide feedback sooner rather than later).

The only issue is the kids on the two ends of the spectrum. First you have the students who always get good grades; they are super worried about that one tiny thing they did wrong and want you to discuss the entire worksheet with them immediately. These also tend to be the kids who would correct their papers even if they got a 98% to try for the 100%. So now, students who earned an A get a gold star stamped onto the page. Still no grade, so it could be anywhere from a 90-100%. This rewards the students who worked hard the first time around and calms the worriers. At the other end you have the child who sees a couple check marks (which mean an answer is correct) and a bunch of comments, but decide that it's good enough. These students need some extra motivation to make sure that they resubmit their papers. So, I found a cute little alarm clock stamp saying "Take Your Time" which I stamp on papers earning a D or F. If I manufactured stamps it would say "Take More Time" but I don't, so I'm happy to have found something cute, action oriented and hopefully motivating. Hence the alternate title "Gold Star or the Dreaded Clock?"

I just finished grading one class's first resubmitted projects. Everyone who resubmitted improved to at least a C (2/3 to an A!). Only 4 didn't resubmit, and this was our very first investigation. I gave more class time to edit than I will later in the year, but I'm thrilled with the initial results. Plus, stamps are fun :).

Ambiance, Atmosphere, Aura?

2011-09-15T21:53:00.003-04:00

The only rules in my classroom (other than the school mandated ones) are: be safe and be respectful. With each class I have a discussion of their interpretations of my rules and we establish some norms together. It amazes me how much my classes vary in their 'personality.' (What's the word for a group's personality?)

My first class (A Block, Fundamentals of Geometry) may quickly turn into my favorite group. As we were discussing what to do if you need to leave the room, someone asked what to do if they get mad. I offered the option to ask for a pass to take a walk, but then someone suggested a "happy corner" and the idea took off. Students were excited about the concept- deciding where it should be and asking when we could start decorating it. The next class students were still asking when we could decorate, and I promised if we finished early we could start, but by the end of class we'd forgotten and got caught up in a game instead. Today they still remembered, and I had the perfect activity- we were learning to use the compass and the book had instructions for making a 6 pointed flower. We practiced arcs and circles, pulled out the markers, and quickly had a nicely decorated corner. There's a chair in that corner facing a wall full of brightly colored flowers and it's well isolated from the rest of the room by my desk and a table. I have no idea if anyone will use it when mad or upset or if I will think to use it as a time out space, but I'm thrilled that we're all having fun.

This class also came up with:

instead of making fun of someone, help them to understand
if everyone does their homework for a month, candy for all!
if someone isn't respectful, call them on it

My next class (B Block, Geometry CP) is a good group, but their personalities aren't as vibrant (yet?). They came up with some reasonable norms, but nothing particularly insightful and certainly no one is excited about their rules. This is my biggest group, the numbers are still fluctuating but they hover around 27. My classroom isn't very big so they just fit, with no extra space, which means I have to be more diligent about keeping the noise level down as well as somewhat restrict movement in the room. I want them to be comfortable, to talk to each other and to go get their own paper when they need it, but when the room is packed all of those things become just a bit more difficult. Hopefully we'll find a way to work together in the space and find a good balance without being stifling or distracting.

Their not so inspiring rules:

Don't talk when others are talking (if someone is, say "be quiet please")
No goofing around
Be careful with tools
Respect each other (if someone isn't say "be respectful!")
Don't shout (wait to the end of class or walk over)
Get a pass before leaving

Sadly I don't have the rules from C or G Blocks to compare. C Block is the Learning Skills class and they discussed rules with my co-teacher (who they spend most of the rest of their time with). We're still figuring each other out in that class, but today went much better and I'm feeling less overwhelmed and more "I could possibly have a chance of success with this class." During G Block one of the students offered to type and email me the rules, so I didn't bother to copy them down and I have yet to remember to remind him to send them. They were pretty much just like B, also a Geometry CP class but not quite so big a group.

The final class (H Block, Fundamentals of Geometry) is already high tension. There's a group of three girls that were a major issue for the entire year last year, which I learned as soon as I mentioned the name of the loudest one to her Algebra teacher. Other students were already frustrated by the end of the first class and my co-teacher and I discuss them after class each day. We're making progress which I hope continues because I really can't spend the entire year like this. The rules in this class reflect that - none of the other classes discussed consequences, but they brought up consequences almost immediately (we decided on warning, name on board, after school-time dependent on number or severity of rule(s) broken). However, they did also set up a reward if everyone in the class earned all 3's or 4's on the classwork rubric. I should remind them of that next week, I'm not at all above bribery!

I wonder how this happens. When you gather a group of 20-30 kids in a room, how do you end up with such different results? It's even the same co-teacher in both of my Fundamentals courses, so it's not about the adults. Time of day has some effect, but not nearly enough to explain these differences. Is it just those few strong personalities? In A Block there are a couple sweet, genuine kids that speak up and sit right in the front. While in H Block there's that group of 3 who are intent on loudly discussing anything other than schoolwork. Two or three students seems to be all it takes to set the mood for a group 10 times that size. How do we encourage those leaders to be positive influences? To carry the class further, to grow closer, to move everyone toward success? One of the many challenges of teaching mathematics that has little to do with math...

Call for help

2011-09-11T11:10:00.001-04:00

I just wrote the email below and then realized that I could ask all of you for ideas too!

Hello,

This year I am teaching a new course called Learning Skills for students with significant learning disabilities. They're mostly on the autism spectrum but some have other diagnoses. In the past this course has been taught by a special education teacher alone, and they only did very basic math, pretty much just practicing addition. The goal, though, is for these students to pass MCAS (but probably not until they are juniors or seniors). I tried to google some basic math pre-tests to get a sense of what they know. The first problem asked students to add the numbers 12, 6, 3, 8, 5, 14, 15 and 7, thinking about a way to make adding them easier. Some were overwhelmed and skipped it, others turned to a calculator, still others added incorrectly and those who did add correctly didn't notice the pairs that add to 10 or 20. The second problem gave data to make a bar graph from and they did that successfully. I had anticipated using resources from when I taught pre-algebra, but I don't think we'll be able to use many of those until second semester at the earliest. Which means I'm a bit lost.

My intuition is to focus on problem solving skills (habits of mind) and find interesting ways to drill basic computation. For example, I remember a cool problem from one of my grad school classes that involved multiplying pairs of numbers on a number line and seeking patterns as you changed the pairs systematically.

I would love to hear any book or resource recommendations you can offer.

Thanks so much!

Tina

Here we go!

2011-09-07T17:41:00.000-04:00

The first day with students was today, it went great all considering! We have a block schedule so today was 'Red Day' with blocks A-D, I teach A-C so it's my long day. Normally we have 90 minute periods, but we had 2 hours of freshman orientation plus 30 minutes of homeroom (easy-peasy since I have Juniors), so I only saw each class for 45 minutes.

I had enough time to get through all the activities (find seat by matching multiplication and division flash cards, questionnaire, index card game, expanding sea creature) in both of my Geometry classes. Those went largely as expected, the kids seem nice and were generally willing to play along with my antics. I always spend the first week(s) overwhelmed by names, I'm not good at remembering names in the first place, so when I have over 100 to learn at once it takes some work. Anthony and Antonio ended up next to each other in one class, in another Sara and Sarah are only 2 desks apart (randomly assigned seats). I'll figure it out soon enough.

Learning Skills was a bit more complicated though. That class is made up of students who aren't capable of the traditional curriculum for a variety of reasons. They are above the life skills class, but still quite low. One group (of 5) has Autism and the other group (of 15) is either on the spectrum or has some other type of disability (a couple have traumatic brain injuries, the rest I haven't seen the IEP's for). The problem is, none of us know exactly what level each student is working at. The Autistic group is all new to the high school and the rest were taught by a teacher who has now retired. Then, the teacher who was hired to work with the Autistic kids just didn't show up to school yesterday or today. Needless to say, things were a bit chaotic. Math class turned out okay, there were 8 adults (between teachers and paras) so we got through my questionnaire and index card activity, but it turned out to be more than they were really ready for. I had planned to work on logic problems next class, but I'm going to have to cut some of the wordier ones. Since there are so many adults it's not critical that everyone can read the problems independently, but I don't know that their processing level is high enough. A variety of pre-tests will be in order. Turns out I didn't really know what I was getting into when I signed up for this class. I'll figure it out, but the confusion of merging classes, a teacher not showing up and discovering that these students have trouble answering the question "What are your hobbies/interests?" left me a bit flummoxed.

At the end of the day I read through the questionnaires and found a pleasant surprise. In response to the question "What class are you looking forward to most?" one student answered "Geometry, I heard you're a good teacher." This year is going to be just fine.

First Days

2011-08-31T17:37:00.003-04:00

Today was the first day back for teachers. We came, we talked, we felt like we'd never really left. There are lots of new teachers, it's hard to believe that I was there just a year ago (and there weren't nearly so many of us last year!). But, you don't really care about the meetings or how I organized blocks this morning, what this post is actually about is the first days for students. I've done these activities in some combination or other for the past several years and I think they all set the tone I want in my classroom.

Start of year questionnaire: It's a fairly basic one with the focus being getting to know them a bit and having them set down some goals. While they're filling it out, I fill one out on the projector, the message being: I'll share with you if you'll share with me. The last question asks "Is there anything else you think I should know about you?" I tell them that I can only hear out of my left ear (so it's a much better idea to wave than call out to get my attention) but I get a really wide variety of responses, maybe I'll share some of my favorites next week.

Index card game: As students finish I distribute index cards and instruct them NOT to put their name on it, but to write down one thing from their questionnaire and one thing they did over the summer (both that they don't mind sharing). When everyone is done I collect and shuffle the cards, then redistribute and have them make some predictions on how many people they will need to ask to find out whose card they have. Then, I make every single one of them get up and out of their seat! It's a crazy thing to do on the first day, but the truth is we move around, talk to each other (teachers and students) and make a bit of noise all the time in my class. Finally, we compare numbers and do a bit of data analysis. If there's time I have them introduce whoever they have the card for, and they introduce whoever they have etc. Then we get to analyze the number and size of loops too.

Turtle: I have accumulated quite the variety of expanding sponge sea creatures along with packaging that makes various claims about how much it will expand. Each class will get one to measure, interpret the claims and then predict and track its growth. Splashing in water is fun, plus I get to see who knows how to use a ruler. You think I'm kidding but it's really an issue.

Syllabus: On to the second class, we read the syllabus together. Every year I try to be even more up front and clear about my expectations. The only rules I have are be safe and be respectful, so we get to work together to interpret them.

From there in Geometry we'll head into patterns and conjectures and in Learning Skills we'll start working on some logic problems (we have no idea what level these kids are, so I'm trying to assess their thinking skills without overwhelming anyone with mathematical notation).

Technology for Teachers

2011-08-24T15:53:00.000-04:00

In my Goals post I mentioned some technology that I would like my students to use, but the more frequent use of technology in my classroom is the programs/websites that I use. As I set up for the new year I thought I'd share some of my favorites.

Dropbox: I almost forgot to include dropbox since it's more a way of life for me than a tool I use. No, seriously, I'm 3 referrals away from maxing out my referral bonus. If you don't have it yet, make sure to get an invite from someone because it means extra space for both of you! Okay, so what is this life altering item? It's a folder. Really, that's all it is on the surface. Underneath though, it has hidden magic powers so that everything you put into the folder is automatically backed up online. Then, when you open that same folder on another computer the new version is already sitting there waiting for you, no jump drive required. But it's way better than google docs or similar sites, because it's a folder, on your computer. You can get to it when you're offline, you can work in your favorite program and you can save all different types of files in the same place. Plus there's the sharing and the web access and... oh just go watch the video. Point being, it's awesome if you use more than one computer (home and school anyone?) or want to collaborate on anything.
*Free, remember more space for free if you get an invite!

PlanbookEdu: I started out with a paper planbook, then used google docs, then a word doc in dropbox and last year a co-worker told me about PlanbookEdu. For the first time (I'm about to start my 5th year of teaching) I'm going to use the same method 2 years in a row! The website is very simple, which is exactly what I want. There are boxes in a weekly grid like a traditional paper book but you can customize the number and orientation, and they change size to fit the text. You can create a template, set things up to repeat, bump lessons when you have a snow day and much more. They are awesome about hearing feedback and accommodating requests, they're currently in process of adding tons of standards, and you can customize your own. When I emailed to ask how to copy only some of my classes from last year to this year they responded "just let us know what you need and we'll take care of it!" If you need to submit lesson plans there's a button to push and they're sent. You can also share your planbook with other teachers, which is a great way to see what your co-workers are working on when you don't have much time to meet.
*Free to use, $25 for Pro version which I happily pay

Engrade: At my first school we used PowerSchool. I loved that kids and parents could log in to see a complete progress report at any time. When I switched schools I wanted that same access, so I did a bit of googling and ended up with Engrade. Similar to PlanbookEdu, they're constantly adding new features (and respond quickly to emails) but the basic format remains simple. It works with weighted categories and all that good customizability. I'm not sure if we're going to be required to use iPass this year (that's what we use for report cards but last year they started giving 9th grade parents access) so I haven't started setting up Engrade yet.
*Free

LaTeX: When sorting through a large pile of papers last week I came upon some handwritten tests. I forgot we didn't have computers my first couple months of teaching (we'd just moved into a new school). I use Microsoft Word for most things, but when I taught Algebra 2 I realized how much easier it is to type in TeX (a math programming language, there's a bit of a learning curve if you've never used it but the internet is awesome and can tell you how to do anything you'd ever want and more!). It also works much better for image placement in geometry, so now I use it for all of my tests and some other assignments. I made the mistake of announcing that I had typeset the common midterms I was giving (the versions I got were a mess!) and then got assigned the duty of fixing the others. At least it will make them easier to re-write this year. Downside: you can only share documents in .pdf so they aren't editable to non-TeX-users (meaning any re-writes will be done on my computer). At least if I'm useful I'll get to keep my job?
*Free, I use MacTeX, not sure what's the best distribution for PC

Powerpoint: I know, you all use it all the time. But, in addition to making things nice and big so that even the kid in the back who forgot his glasses can see the assignment, it has really nice image manipulation. It's a quick and easy way to draw a diagram and then export it as a .jpg to use in your worksheet.
*It's already on your computer (unless you're cheap like me and only have Keynote, same deal though)

Lunarpages/iWeb: I have a course webpage: (mylastname)math.com (feel free to check it out if you know my last name, I just don't really want kids googling the course page to end up here, not that anything bad is here, but, ya know, it's mine for now at least). I pay $0 for the domain, I paid $0 to get the domain. That's right, a free domain of your choosing and all you have to do is mail in some school letterhead! Any public school teacher, administrator, PTA head etc. can get a website to use for pretty much whatever you like. Once I got the domain I thought back to the html class I took in high school, and then clicked on iWeb, no html required! I have a page for each course that I update daily with homework and extra copies of assignments, plus a calendar (from google calendar) and some silly math comics. Not a lot of students use it, but it's so easy to maintain that it's worth it.
*Free domains for teachers (sorry, public schools only), either you already have iWeb or you have to find some PC equivalent

What are your favorite programs and websites to make teaching just a bit easier (or at least more organized)?

If you want more information on any of these let me know. I love them all and would be happy to expand and expound.

Goals (Post PCMI)

2011-08-22T20:25:00.000-04:00

I found some time to go back through my notes from PCMI and write up my goals today. Over the 3 weeks of the program I took notes from the sessions and also wrote down ideas from conversations in Notebook (a program for Mac from Circus Ponies, it's awesome and they didn't ask me to say so). As I went I highlighted any ideas that I wanted to specifically apply in the upcoming school year. One of the awesome features of Notebook is that it compiles all of the highlighted text onto a single page, so by the end of the program my goals list was pretty much already complete. I took some time to decide what was doable and came up with the following:

Assessment:

Look up standards based grading (SBG)

I'd never heard of standards based grading before. I listened to a lot of conversations, read quite a bit and decided I'm not ready for a full implementation (nor am I sure I ever will be). However, one of my goals for 2nd semester last year was to quiz more, and I intend to continue doing that this year. We have block scheduling so I'm aiming for a couple questions each block, but I won't be upset if it doesn't happen. I do like the aspect of SBG that students refer to skills they struggle with rather than the generic "I don't get it" so I will name my quizzes by topic rather than section.

Comments only on projects

I've done this sporadically, but now I have a system! Last year one of my students told me that "even high schoolers like stickers." I didn't get stickers, but instead found a star shaped stamp and a gold inkpad. From that point forward every A was accompanied with a gold star (which that same student loved doing, I sorted and she stamped). This summer I found a "take your time" stamp, so papers that need revision will get one of those (not sure if that will be everything below an A or just below a C). I still record grades in my gradebook in case students don't resubmit and because it makes the averages much more accurate.

Make classwork grade more transparent

Students get a daily classwork grade based on preparation/effort/focus but it's something I've just quietly marked on my clipboard in the past. Sometimes I make a show of walking around to check progress, but usually that grade is a mystery to kids. I tell them what's involved, and we read the school rubrics (new push) that they're based on at the beginning of each semester, but they quickly forget. I'd like to use participation quizzes and also have kids self-assess on the rubrics so they get a better sense of what's needed to get full credit. (I use classwork grades because I rarely collect any work done in class, it gets checked off as I circulate.)

Technology

Use geometers sketchpad

We have geometer's sketchpad in all of our classrooms and in the computer labs, but it's not used much. After using it this summer I definitely have a better sense of when it would be useful. We do a lot of compass and straight edge constructions, so I might use it to show how the construction works after they've each tried an example. This way everyone gets to see all of the varieties, not just hear about them from classmates. Some ideas (like trigonometry) require more precision than we were able to get using paper and pencil, those will be worth reserving the computer lab for. I will also look into projects to do and use the idea of lab reports. This idea actually came from a professor whose son took Geometry last year, we got to talking over breakfast and he shared this great idea. I'd love to get the report format from the science department and modify it slightly to fit our needs.

Use Snap

I discovered Snap/BYOB (3rd or 4th generation Logo) in the spring and was able to use it for my project at PCMI. My Merrill textbook is so old that it still has Logo activities in it, so I want to adapt those for Snap. I'll also implement the lesson I wrote this summer on similarity.

Google docs

We used Google Docs a lot this summer, and I do love all things Google. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to get into the computer lab, so they may not be as useful as I'd like. They were great for recording and compiling ideas during group work, maybe I'll be able to share a laptop cart with another teacher? I am also asking on the first day how many students have internet access where they do homework, perhaps I'll be able to assign something in the form of a Google form occasionally. They integrate into my course webpage so nicely it would be a shame not to use them!

Other Quick Ideas:

Be silent! - to get students to use each other as instructional resources (last year I participated in the Day of Silence and it was great to see how well kids worked together once they got past the frustration of being largely on their own)
Ask "how did you know that you were done?" or "how confident are you with your answer?"
Present a "good bad answer" to promote discussion (authentic student work)
Use "I observe ______ and I wonder _______" slips after investigations
Journal: instead of math learned, "how did you meet the objective(s)?"

Take Aways:

(the whole post...)

Quiz regularly

Comments only on projects

Make classwork grade more transparent

Use GSP, Snap, Google Docs

End of Year Reflections: Algebra II

2011-08-17T06:00:00.005-04:00

Continuing analysis of student's reflections... (see first post for a full description)

I'm not sure I want to share this publicly. To be honest, I didn't include some quotes because they were too depressing. This class was by far my most frustrating. A lot of that was me: it was my first year in a new school and I didn't understand what was covered in Algebra I, I'd never taught Algebra II before, I got irritated when students didn't remember how to do things that they really, really should know how to do by junior year. Some of it was the kids: most didn't start coming for extra help until the last quarter, they didn't work as a cohesive class, they didn't have high expectations of themselves. Plenty of the blame can go elsewhere: some went to 3 weeks of summer school over a year ago and that meant they 'got Algebra I', many weren't ready for Algebra I so they didn't retain as much, lots didn't want to take more math beyond Algebra II and society says that's fine, society also says math is hard and it's okay to say you're bad at it. I learned a lot from this class, but I learned it all the hard way. It helped that the other Algebra II teacher shared my frustrations, but I wish that we'd had time to work together. Instead, after each chapter or two we made plans for adjustments next time we teach it, which neither of us will be able to enact this year since I'm not teaching Algebra II and she's taking a year off. However, this post isn't about all that, it's about what the kids wrote in their reflections.

Most investigations in this class were of the "graph a lot of equations to find out what the different coefficients and constants do" variety. Shockingly, those didn't make it onto the list of favorite activities. We also acted out some of those when we studied parabolas (turning the squares on the floor into a giant coordinate grid), that activity didn't make it onto the list either. Other investigations included lots of numerical examples, followed by a generalization. Still not on the list! So, which ones did make the list? Just two:

The rolling markers lab, and the interest rates activity.

The rolling markers lab was pretty cool. We set up 'ramps' of different heights (folders propped on books), rolled markers down and measured the distance traveled. It was a nice review of scatter plots, best fit lines and the different equations used to describe lines. We had some fun building crazy ramps and trying to find markers which would roll in a straight line. It was from the first quarter and they remembered it at the end so clearly it made an impression. I'll probably try this activity with my Learning Skills class this year (math for students with disabilities who can't access the traditional high school curriculum yet).

The interest rates project was bad. A couple other teachers wrote an outline while I was in a geometry meeting. I missed the discussion, I didn't make it precise before distributing it, and none of us were really thinking about exactly how low interest rates have fallen! Students went to the bank (or internet) to get rates on savings accounts and CD's. Pairs were given a certain amount of money to invest and then compare the outcomes of different scenarios. The scenarios were too vague and the final products reflected that. The idea was cool, the kids appreciated the value of it, but it was poorly executed on my part.

The specific topics they enjoyed or found challenging weren't particularly noteworthy, as in the other classes some students listed a topic as a favorite, while others listed it as hard. The one surprise came from a student who listed the same topic (factoring) as both hard and his favorite. That kid gets brownie points in my book.

After reading this you may be surprised to hear that the kids learned anything. They did, the class wasn't awful every day, but my lasting impression was of a group of rather uninspired kids. I didn't get them excited about math. When I asked them what they needed, all they could offer was a change of scenery might help. They did get more work done when we hung out in the library, but it was a very unsatisfying class in my mind. Still, they learned, and they can tell you about it in their own words:

If I try my hardest I could get a good grade
My intelligence is not enough, I need to work and study hard too
I found out that I can do it
I learn best by doing the work by myself
I need to study more and make practice problems
Study best with flashcards
Staying after can help you make up a lot of points and help you understand
When I really want something I can achieve it
I learn best by doing projects
I can learn to solve any problem with practice
There are at least 2 ways to do anything in math

That was the last of the End of Year Reflections (until next year!). Maybe by now I have some more posts written, but this daily posting thing will definitely be a rarity, so I hope you didn't get used to it ;).

Take aways:

Thank goodness you're not teaching Algebra II again!! (jk, but not really)

Do rolling markers in Learning Skills

Emphasize importance of making up work early and often.

End of Year Reflections: Fundamentals of Geometry

2011-08-16T06:00:00.003-04:00

Continuing analysis of student's reflections... (see first post for a full description)

In addition to two college prep geometry courses, I also taught two fundamentals of geometry courses. Our levels are fundamentals (SPED and struggling students), college prep (aka CP, the 'regular' class) and honors. The fundamentals courses were co-taught and I got to use an amazing book: Merrill, from the 80's with only blue and black ink, filled with discoveries students should do before theorems were presented. I used many of the ideas in this book in my CP class, and I followed the ordering of each book in most cases so the two levels were taught in a slightly different order. Another thing to consider when planning for this year.

Most of the responses in the class that I had do the end of year reflection (I'm kicking myself now for forgetting in the other class) were similar to the ones in CP. The investigations were the same across the courses, but there are a few things to note.

Students in this class mentioned struggles with: algebra, formulas, measuring and square roots. Oftentimes placement is based on Algebra 1 scores, so those topics are more likely to be an issue in the fundamentals classes. Next year I might want to do some more explicit review of Algebra.

There was also one student who listed "working with others" as the hardest thing to learn to do. We discuss classroom norms a few times during the year, and I try to start the year with an activity emphasizing the importance of team work, but it's good to be reminded that it's still a struggle for many students. In truth, it's still a struggle for me! Some people I immediately click with and we're ready to share and learn together, but with others I find myself shutting down. I would like to have a better way of assessing how students are working together. The participation quiz (Sam wrote about it here) that I saw at PCMI might be a good way to do this, and I'd also like to see students discussing with each other.

In one class I gave students a daily checklist based off of our school's Habits of Mind rubric. It included points for being on time and prepared, working with others, asking questions and participating. Of course, this is the same class that I neglected to give the end of year reflection to. Maybe I can modify it from a daily list to a every 5 classes list and collect it when I collect journals... One of the best features turned out to be the "Is there anything else you'd like to share?" section where students vented frustrations, owned up to misbehavior and were generally their honest and insightful selves.

And, just because they're corny yet sincere, here's the quotes from the "What I learned about myself" section

If I push myself I can accomplish many things
I can do better work when I put my mind to it
I can achieve anything if I work hard for it
I can do things, all I need is a push
If I pay attention, I can learn more
I'm too smart for geometry
Homework is important
Geometry is easier than algebra
I am a lot better with geometry than algebra
I am good at math
I do well when I study
Studying is really important
If I try, I can get good grades
I need to be organized

Take aways:

More Algebra practice in Fundamentals

Compare the order of the levels to see if there are compelling reasons to switch either

Ways for teacher and students to report group dynamics? (rubric?)

End of Year Reflections: Geometry Investigations

2011-08-15T06:00:00.004-04:00

Continuing analysis of student's reflections... (see first post for a full description)

Even as early as student teaching I quickly realized that working from the book day in and day out was boring. For me even more so than for the students. When life is running smoothly I do what I call investigations weekly. Block scheduling messed up my weekly routine, so last year they happened sometimes, but not at regular intervals. In geometry it's easy to do a quick investigation of "everyone draw a triangle, measure the angles, tell me a hypothesis." But those aren't the activities that kids remembered at the end of the year; they remembered the applications, the field trips to the parking lot and the ones that involved coloring. Honestly, those are my favorites as well. I get to interact with students in a different way when we're identifying trees (how do MA residents not know what a white birch looks like??) or rolling circles down the 100 foot track.

Here's what the Geometry CP students named as their favorite activities:

Expanding turtle

Measuring height with mirrors

Measuring height with shadows

Pi day (4)

Sierpinski's triangle

Comic dilation (7)

Tree activity (7)

Tesselations

BINGO

Diameter (pi day or tree?)

Outdoor activities

I'm impressed someone remembered the expanding turtle, since we did that on the very first day of school! I presented them with a turtle, they measured whatever they wanted, predicted growth based on the package's claims and stuck it into a bucket of water. Over the following weeks students would occasionally remember the turtle was growing and poke, measure and smell it (smells like cheerios for some strange reasons). It's a nice way to get them thinking the first day, but no big deal if a kid switches in 2nd day and didn't get to see the turtle before it entered the water. Co-teachers and friends have started picking up expanding animals for me so I now have a whole crew of creatures to experiment with.

The pi day tradition started in my last school, and I've carried it with me. We gather as many circular objects as we can (wheels, jars, balls, baskets...) then students measure diameter and circumference to calculate pi. For increased accuracy on circumference (and a lot more fun!) we count the number of times it can roll down a 100 foot track. Anyone who accurately calculates pi, gets a slice of pie. I even got the grocery store to donate $25 worth of pies and the principal found funds to cover the rest!

I was happiest with the 'tree activity.' It was nearing the end of the year and I was feeling fine about where we were in the curriculum. It was hot in my classroom (no windows!) so I was looking for something to get us outside. We were studying circles and I happened upon a chart relating the circumference of a tree to its age. Each type of tree in the chart had a growth factor, so all we had to do was identify some trees and measure their circumference. In my first vision of this project we would all go out with those tree ID guides that work like choose your adventure books (if it has needles jump to page 45), but I didn't know how to find those in time. So, I gave them the identifying features of 4 common trees (dogwood, white birch, red oak and red maple) to go out and find. But, to prove to me they had the correct tree they had to draw or describe why both the leaves and bark fit the description.

I anticipated that this would be a fun, but simple activity. Oh was I wrong! Kids started by running up to any plant, plucking a leaf and presenting it to me to identify. Dear children: don't harm the tree, read the description, look at the picture, think for yourselves! They got better, but even the ones following all my advice were missing something I assumed all would have- a basic idea of what these trees looked like. One group was looking at a tree- its leaves had jagged edges like a birch and the bark was light, but it wasn't until I pointed at the tree 5 feet away for comparison that they realized a white birch is really white! It still boggles my mind that kids can live in a city filled with parks and not know the first thing about the trees that fill them. I can't blame video games or TV, those existed when I was a kid too. Is no one interested in nature? I'm ashamed of how few plants I can identify, maybe this is something that we'll all work on together next year. In fact, this just may be one of the early activities on proof that I need.

Take aways:
Prove you correctly identified tree to intro proofs.

End of Year Reflections: Geometry Favorite vs. Hard

2011-08-14T06:00:00.002-04:00

Continuing analysis of student's reflections... (see first post for a full description)

Geometry CP students' Favorite Topics:

Ch 1

Ch 5

Ch 10

Ch 12

Triangles

quads

Solving Triangles

Similar triangles

Ratio/proportion

Proportion

Area

Area/Volume

Trig (interesting)

Pythagorean thm

Translation

Polygons

SAS etc. Theorems

Geometry CP students' Hard Topics:

Nothing

Nothing (if I paid attention)

I don't know

I don't remember

A lot

Everything

Triangles

Finding lengths and angles

Ratios/proportions

Trig

Proofs

Circles

Area formulas

What's the most striking thing? The million Trigs!

That pattern isn't surprising to me at all. I haven't figured out yet what I will do next year (suggestions??), but Trigonometry was the only section where I had students asking "When will I ever need to know this?" We studied plenty of topics that were difficult (at best) for students to see the applications of, but they never stopped to ask that question because they were interested, involved, curious and they understood enough to be able to work toward the problem. In trig, that didn't happen. I saw confusion, frustration and kids giving up. It may have started when the first investigation we did gave data that was too far off to see real patterns (perhaps technology would be better than measuring by hand for this?) or perhaps when we started synthesizing too many ideas at once. When 'solving a right triangle' (finding all the side and angle measures given a few) we applied angle sum rule, pythagorean theorem, trig ratios and a lot of algebraic manipulation. Next year I'd like to do more problems throughout the year that synthesize topics so hopefully that won't be so overwhelming. Last, but certainly not least, trig was the first topic we did after MCAS (the state exam, required for graduation) and students feel like they should be done when they've finished that test (even though it happens mid-May and we didn't finish until June 29 this year). Overall, trigonometry got a bad deal last year. I'll try to do it more justice in the future.

Proofs are another challenge, and I believe that a lot of that is related to how they are presented. Student in my classes are accustomed to "defending their answers" and usually can do so well. However, when it comes to writing a proof they get caught up in format, and formal language. Precision is key and I certainly want my students to be able to write concise and carefully worded explanations, but I wish that they were more willing to just write something to start with. Does anyone have a method of draft proofs or easy entry formats?

Otherwise, I appreciate the overlap of favorite topics and hard topics. Different students had different preferences, and geometry has plenty of variety so most students get to experience a balance of topics they enjoy and others that they struggle with.

Take aways:

Do multi-step, synthesizing problems (before Trig)

Make proofs more 'low threshold'

End of Year Reflections: In Geometry I learned...

2011-08-13T06:00:00.005-04:00

For the past few years, I've had students write reflections on the course and their year after they complete the final exam. The prompt is as follows:

This year I learned…

About myself
About mathematics
About studying/school/how I learn

In this class…

My favorite chapter
The most interesting activity
The hardest thing to learn

At the end of the year I'm spent, so I put these away until a day I'm ready to reflect. Today was that day. I'm getting geared up to prep for the arrival of students, take what I learned at PCMI and put it all together into a great new year. I pulled out the pile of reflections and they sparked fond memories of: my students, how much they grew over the year, and how willing they were to give meaningful feedback even after taking their final exam.

I compiled their responses for analysis of the year past, but also to remind myself on those tough days that even though it isn't obvious, they are learning and the ideas are sinking in. I'll divide this analysis into lots of posts so they don't get too long!

In Geometry College Prep I learned...

I'm actually kind of good at math

I'm good at geometry

I'm not very good at geometry

I'm not good at geometry, I'm a number person

You can be very good at algebra but really suck at geometry or it can happen the other way around

I am horrible at geometry, but if I just push extra hard I can do it

I'm better at math than I thought

I'm worse at math than I thought

If you miss one class you can be lost forever!

I need an explanation for everything

I learn well from examples/book

To work hard

Studying is hard for math

Studying really helps you become successful

I don't do well in math unless I study

If I study, I will do well

Study sheets and flashcards help

Doing the same problem over helps me understand

You have to work to understand math

I liked the experience

I hated having to redo everything but it made me more conscious I should study hard before the first time

I can figure out a lot of problems myself

I am capable of doing all the work, I just have to focus

I do my work well if I am alone

I work better: not under pressure, by myself, when mad

I learned who the real me really is

I learned too much to put on paper

I can achieve anything I want if I put my mind into it

If I try I can do anything

I never knew that we could learn so much about math in one year

It may have been the phrasing of the question, but I love that no one said 'I can't do math' or 'geometry is too hard' or 'I don't care about it.' And nearly every kid who said that they struggled then went on to say they should have worked harder, studied more or focused better. The fact that people learn by effort, not genetics or intrinsic understanding was a recurring topic this summer. I'm glad to see that most students internalized that message last year.

One comment that makes me really thrilled is:

I hated having to redo everything but it made me more conscious

I should study hard before the first time

I worried that allowing students to correct their work would make them blow off studying the first time and just settle for whatever grade they could get with corrections. But, if going back over their assignments and having to re-work problems makes them wish they'd studied the first time around then I'm looking forward to continuing that option.

I shared these with a few friends before posting, and the one that jumps out at others is:

I work better: not under pressure, by myself, when mad

I won't pretend to understand exactly what this student meant. I can say that she was quite the talker, so the 'by myself' part makes sense. I wonder if the 'when mad' comment relates to the idea of 'struggle' that we all try to find a way to discuss. In the summer camp I taught at we talked about writing problems that would make students 'frustrated' or 'challenged.' We don't want angry kids, but the point is, that if a problem is too easy no one learns. We need to give assignments that make students think and that they have to work to understand. I have no idea if that's what this student was trying to say, but it's interesting to think that students are having these same thoughts and are aware that they learn and grow through challenges.

Tina starts blogging again...

2011-08-12T14:13:00.000-04:00

This summer I attended PCMI and had my eyes opened on a lot of levels. One of those levels was the existence of this awesome community of math teachers online. I mean, I knew that any group you could even think of has a presence on the internet (I even managed to find a new family for my degu in a matter of days this spring thanks to google), but it never occurred to me that so many rich conversations were happening both on twitter and on an overwhelming number of blogs.

So, I decided to join in with the fun on twitter, which led me to all of the blogs on my sidebar (I have a feeling I will be sad I've subscribed to so many once the posting picks up during the school year!). Then the other day I was reading my students' end of year reflections and realized that I could share how adorable and insightful my kids are if I restarted this blog. (If you look back into the archives you'll find this was once an environmentalist's blog, I'm still living that life, but don't really feel the need to write about it. Using this blog rather than starting a new one seemed easiest, especially since its address is the same as my twitter handle- can you tell I've been using the same username since the internet was invented? Okay fine, since I was introduced to the internet.)

So, I'll start off with an analysis of end of year reflections, it's good for me to do and gives you some sense of how things were in my class last year. Before we start that I suppose there are a few things you should know about me:

I will be starting my 5th year of teaching this fall.
I taught for 3 years in one school, then last year switched (and it was a really good move)
I worked within a 90 minute alternating day schedule last year, the previous 3 years were 47 min daily classes (although I taught some double periods so 90 minutes wasn't new to me).
I end every class with journaling (math learned, another question about key ideas) so the idea of writing in math for an end of year reflection was nothing new for my kids
I've taught everything from pre-algebra to AP calc. I miss my calc kids but geometry is way fun
I've done PCMI, PROMYS at BU and undergrad with licensure at MHC (omg abbreviations!)

This blog is really all for me to get my ideas sorted, but hopefully you can get something out of it too. I'm going to try to end posts with 'take aways' so that I can go back and remember what I want to do when the going gets tough, feel free to jump to the end and then go back and really read if the take aways appeal to you!

Math Blog?

2011-08-08T13:55:00.003-04:00

I'm playing with the idea of turning this into a math teacher blog (because I really need one more thing to do during the school year!) but I'm not sure if it's too open to spam. Hence the test post...

If I'm still in your google reader from ages ago, hi! I'm still doing everything I used to write about, and I actually talk about environmentalism regularly on my craft blog (TintedGreenCrafts.wordpress.com) which is on summer hiatus. You're also welcome to continue to follow along and learn something about teaching and math!

Pantry Challenge

2010-06-25T22:52:00.002-04:00

So, apparently I haven't blogged for a while. Twitter is easier, life was crazy (3 grad classes and teaching full time last semester) and I didn't have a lot to say that wasn't being said. Tonight I watched Julie & Julia (I know, I'm way behind the times, I also signed up for the netflix free trial today, haven't decided yet if I'll keep it, it might make me catch up with the world of movies) and simultaneously realized that I'm moving in 1.5 months. In an effort to pack less, I am going to attempt to eat meals inspired by my pantry daily until I move.

There are two reasons my pantry is full- first, I tend to eat in phases. I'll be really excited about rice dishes for a long time, then get sidetracked by stir fry, and then move on to couscous. Of course I buy everything in the big bag/box because I'm so excited about it, or trying to reduce packaging, or the "harina precocida" only comes in a huge bag. The second reason is that I often know only one or two recipes to make with that particular noodle/flour/rice. Especially in cases where I wasn't particularly excited about the results of the first attempt to use something, it lingers, getting pushed further and further back on that endlessly deep shelf, until I have more bags of flour than I care to admit (or am brave enough to open!).

So, tomorrow I will take stock of everything that is in my pantry and head to the cookbooks/internet to learn exactly what I can eat to use up all of the assorted items that have accumulated. I'm starting with dry goods, though I have also built up quite the stockpile of sauces, vinegars, spices, etc. but those seem easier to move so they will get tackled later (or more likely used as I add flavor to everything on the other shelves of the pantry).

I will try to post recipes and progress here, if only because it will keep me focused. Feel free to share any ideas or suggestions!

Hello World, I live sustainably!

2009-10-15T20:12:00.005-04:00

Kellie, from Greenhab is hosting this month's APLS carnival, and she asks this:

So, I'm wondering when, where, how, and how much you proselytize living green? When do you just let it go? When is it not worth it to start something? Or do you always speak up? How loud? Are you a tell-it-like-it-is person? Or do you try to take a gentle approach? And, although I use "proselytize" in the loosest way, does living a sustainable lifestyle feel almost like a religion to you?

I find that I run the gamut from silent to all points bulletins regarding my environmentalism. It depends on the situation, the people I'm with, the issue at hand and the mood I'm in. Sometimes I have the energy to get into a deep discussion, and think it would be profitable; at other times I just mind my own business and wish to myself that things were different.

The vast majority of the time I am quietly announcing my viewpoint by doing little things such as carrying reusable bags, using my reusable water bottle or sticking to a vegetarian diet. I don't usually think of these things as announcing anything, until someone else comments. As I was exiting the farm store a few weeks a go a couple walked past me in the parking lot, saw my bags, and said to each other "oh yea! we have bags in the car, let's go get them." I was secretly thrilled that they were inspired by my action to their own action, of course it was small, but it was still exciting. A similar thing happened when someone at a conference was explaining the excessive waste of plastic water bottles and used me (with my metal bottle) as an example. He was the one making the bigger impact, by actually speaking out, but I was proud to provide an easy reference point.

Sometimes the quiet announcements lead to conversations and education opportunities. I bring a vegetarian lunch to school each day, and one day another teacher asked why I had decided to become vegetarian. I took the opportunity to discuss the sustainability issues with meat production. Then, just a few weeks later she informed me that she'd decided to become a vegetarian, and to drag her whole family along with her. She asked a few more questions and I was able to be a further resource for how to transition meat out of her diet. And all I did was eat lunch in the presence of others.

People I know better (students and friends) are exposed to a slightly louder rumble of my eco-friendly behaviors. My classroom has paper and bottle recycling bins, and I vocally correct any student who uses the wrong bin. I usually don't have to do all the educating though, peers are great enforcers and yell at kids for "killing the trees!" if they ignore my reminders.

For those friends who pass the cut and make it into my apartment, things are much more obvious and I am more vocal. If you ask to use the bathroom you get told how to flush the toilet with grey water (but you have to ask to find out what the little pieces of cloth by the toilet are for). It's obvious that everything is on power strips, and that lighting is limited to just the area we are occupying. I don't hesitate to remind people to turn off the kitchen light as they leave the room or squirm at the idea of turning on the TV if we're otherwise occupied.

Some things, though, are just so exciting I have to shout it to the world. Getting my new (to me) keyboard was like that. I went on craigslist and found an amazing deal for a 72 key (that's huge in the keyboard world) instrument with amazing sound in excellent condition. It was so wonderful and I was so thrilled with this huge success of buying used that Twitter, my parents and my friends heard all about it. I still tell everyone who walks into the room how cheap I got it and how great the reviews are and just ramble on and on about it forever! Buying less is best, but buying used and getting something that you really love, just amazing.

So, while my blog banner says I "live life lightly and announcing it brightly" there are clearly many shades of brightness that occur on a day to day basis. And I think this is good; for me, and for those who have to spend time with me.

Does Size Matter? APLS Carnival

2009-09-16T20:13:00.002-04:00

This month I hosted the APLS blog carnival and had a great round of contribution regarding all matters of size.

For Robbie becoming a mom was what got her serious about her environmental efforts, so the increase in family size played a big role in how she thought about being green.

Lisa and I thought about how having just a few people in our households affects things like meal planning. We also compared ourselves to the green moms who seem to dominate the blogosphere.

For others, family size was not the deciding factor, rather something else trumped it. For Steph family size is less important than time and energy available to dedicate to green efforts. And Kellie said, "I find the bigger contention lies not in how many people are in our family, but what those family members are willing to do."

Linda looked into product size, and discovered that the way to reduce packaging was by buying more.

Finally, a couple people looked at how the size of their house affected their ability to be environmentally friendly. At one end of the spectrum is Heather who finds that since her house is smaller than she might like it is hard to store food and have equipment for different green projects. At the other end is Abbie who feels some eco-guilt for having built such a large house for just the two of them (soon to be three!), but I have no doubt she will make good use of the space for a lifetime.

Thanks to everyone who contributed! It was great to read all the viewpoints of the APLS members who come to the sustainability movement from varying perspectives. Look for the next carnival at the APLS blog, Kellie will be announcing her fall themed topic soon.

Party of One

2009-09-10T18:44:00.003-04:00

As I pondered what to make for dinner tonight I recalled the milk sitting in the fridge that needs to get used up and thought "Curry dishes are milky, I bet I could make that." So I set out on epicurious.com to read a bunch of recipes, largely ignored all of them, boiled noodles, cooked veggies in milk + coconut oil (turns out curries use coconut milk), threw a bunch of spices at it and ended up with an interesting result. As I was eating, I thought to myself "It's sure a good thing I don't cook for anyone else!" What I ended up with was very edible and didn't taste bad, but it was too sweet, weirdly thick and the spices were off in their proportions. It was yet another moment when I realized that I live my life differently based on the size of my household; when there's just one of me it's easy to take risks in the kitchen since I'm the only one who has to stomach the results. There's also no one around to point out the gross factor in using my 'hair gel' as an ingredient in my dinner (coconut oil does wonders for taming frizz). On the other hand, if there were other people living with me there might not have been the desperation to use up the milk because someone might be around to just drink it (I can't stomach milk plain due to a childhood allergy).

There are plenty of other areas of my life that are more or less flexible based on the fact that I'm the sole member of my household. Crunchy Chicken is gearing up for this year's cloth wipe challenge and there have been quite a few comments about how people can't participate because of the other people who use their bathroom. I just tuck my bag of used wipes behind something when guests arrive, and otherwise no one is around to notice (let alone be offended by) a pile of folded cloths on the counter or in the bag or drying on a rack in the laundry room. Speaking of my laundry room (which is really just a closet) it's a simple task to line dry my laundry since I only produce one load a week and a rope zig-zagging through the shelves in that closet can hold a full load. I once told some co-workers about line drying when explaining how my electric bill is so low and got the response "You can tell she doesn't have kids if she has time to do that." Since no one is demanding my attention I also choose to take the 2 hour commute via public transportation to grad school classes, rather than the 40 minute drive. I can also set the thermostat wherever I want, and choose to let my apartment get a bit stuffy to conserve warmth (to the chagrin of my friend who visited last weekend). This is not to say that I wouldn't do these things with kids or a partner, it's just easy to do now because I don't have to worry about missing time that could be spent with others or negotiate with anyone else's preferences.

There are also items that are harder to manage on my own. You may have read some of the saga that was my multiple failed attempts to compost. As one person who tries to minimize food waste without a yard, I have yet to find a way to compost. I also have to buy things in smaller packages, which means more waste. I was shopping with a friend and he tried to convince me to buy the double sized can of baked beans (cheaper and less packaging than buying 2 cans), but I really only want to eat half a can and then am good for several weeks, so the double size would either result in me being exceedingly sick of baked beans or an entire can being sent down the disposal, neither of which are good choices. I want to buy in bulk, but I have limited space and limited usage of most things so getting a membership at someplace like Costco just isn't feasible (I was heartened to see my twitter friend @ashleymarie6 facing that conundrum as well). Same thing with getting a CSA share, I couldn't possibly use a family size one. My friend did offer to give me her leftovers if she gets a share next summer, but we'll see how many leftovers there actually are!

Overall, I'm enjoying these years in my 20's to 'go wild' (with environmentalism, not much of a party-er), figure out which changes are workable and develop habits that will later become so ingrained I no longer think of them as extra effort. But, I look forward to a time when I'll have my own house to make bigger changes (a real garden with rain barrels!), to being able to share the burdens and joys of eco-living with other people, and to having enough food waste to finally sustain a population of worms.

(This post is my contribution to September's APLS Carnival, which I am hosting. Email me a link to your post by Sept. 15 to be included!)

Staycations

2009-08-27T22:21:00.003-04:00

The past couple weeks I've been on vacation. After 6 weeks of an intense graduate school program I was very ready for the time off, but only 3 days into being home with no plans I was itching for a task, a project, someone else to entertain me, anything. Turns out I really don't enjoy doing nothing, so I got to work preparing for the school year and helping my friend remodel her house. Thus occupied with places to focus my energy I made it through the next 3 days. At this point I was invited to a friend's lake house in Maine. While there I discovered that a friend and a body of water were really all the entertainment I required. Another 3 days whizzed by with a bit of sailing, some swimming, and a lot of hours just hanging out by the water. Next I traveled to my parents' house in CT.

A couple years ago they built their new 'summer home' and I love spending time there. The 'summer home' isn't actually a home at all, it is simply a remodeled porch. It is a nice room with a table for eating at and some comfortable chairs for lounging in. The 'commute' from home to the summer place involves opening a door in the kitchen and crossing a threshold into the new space. The thing is, it actually feels like you've traveled to a distant location- this area isn't air conditioned so it's filled with fresh air, the sounds of nature penetrate the screens and the temperature changes to reflect what's happening outside, plus it's decorated so it feels rather Tuscan. It's amazing what a slight change of atmosphere can do; coming out to play cards in the evening feels like an exciting event, but we still have all the comforts of home and never have to pack!

On the occasions when we've felt the need to venture out of our summer place, we've been going on day trips. We went out to lunch at a new restaurant right in town (10 minutes away) but it was still exciting since none of us had been before (by the way, they made guacamole with fruit in it, delicious!). One evening we went to a minor league baseball game (40 minutes away) for just $12 a seat and an awesome view of a fun game I couldn't differentiate from the professionals. Another day we went to the beach (1.5 hours away) and enjoyed a wonderful day of sitting in the sand, dipping our feet in the water (no way I was getting into the frigid ocean) and eating the lunch we'd brought with us. Today we traveled to some wineries (1 hour away), did a few wine tastings and had a delicious lunch at an amazing Italian restaurant.

So, in these weeks of vacation I've learned some very important things:
Sitting at home by myself gets boring fast, but it's really easy to solve that problem. Traveling less than 2 hours at a time I can get myself to a lake, friends, family, great food, sports, ocean, local wine and so much more. Nothing that I've done has been expensive; I haven't gone anywhere new, flown, or paid for a hotel, let alone a resort. Even though I spent 18 years living at my parent's house there are still many new and interesting things to do in the area. When I go home this weekend I will have no need for a vacation to recover from my vacation since everything I've done has been relaxing, simple and low key. There have been plenty of opportunities to be excited, and I've had new experiences, but there is always time to unwind and I'm not packing my days so tightly that I'll need to recoup when I get home. In conclusion, staycations are awesome as long as you do a bit of research and planning (but still way less than would be required for a vacation to somewhere new).

The Environment and The Economy

2009-08-15T14:47:00.002-04:00

First, wow, I can't believe I haven't posted here since May. I mean, I can, since I've been using twitter (@crstn85) to broadcast my thoughts, and since I haven't had a day off since Memorial day, but still, I used to use this blog regularly. Sorry blogger.

The August topic for APLS is Green on the Cheap: Has the economy impacted how you live green? Do you buy fewer green products to save money? Or have you redoubled your efforts to live sustainably? What have you learned about living environmentally friendly on a budget?

Helping the environment and surviving the economy are not opposing forces. You can succeed in each failing system via the same methods. If you lack resources (monetary or planetary) you have to learn to use less and to use what you do have effectively. Using less stuff means spending less money, just as buying less means getting less stuff. Of course cutting back can only go so far and so this argument doesn't hold well for anyone who has lost income and can no longer afford the basics. Assuming you can afford the basics though, it's a good time to look for alternate ways to get the things you want and need.

Recently I got a bigger TV, not because I particularly wanted one but because it was free and my friend couldn't think of anyone else who would want an old TV without a remote. This made me realize I must be in a special class of people - what most people think of as junk I considered an upgrade. This fact was made especially clear to me this summer as I began looking around the trash area of my apartment complex. So far I've scored a fun card game and a DVD rack. Some people are actually good about leaving quality items off to the side so it's like we have our own freecycle in the apartment complex. These are things we should be doing all the time though, not just when money is tight and we recognize that someone else might want what we no longer do. It should be second nature to check in with neighbors to see if they could use something you're getting rid of, and if not, it should be donated rather than left by the curb where hopefully someone will take it before the trash pick up date.

I've never been one to buy a lot of green products; I do fairly well as far as cleaning supplies with water, microfiber cloths, Dr. Bonners soap and hydrogen peroxide for emergencies (wine on the carpet). I use cloth rather than paper products and I've never been into gadgets, eco or otherwise. I suppose that just leaves food, where I do try to buy organic and local. But, the extra expense is far outweighed by the absence of meat, and the money I'm saving not buying all those other things I just mentioned. My low electric bill makes the additional cost of 'green power' hardly noticeable, and the cool, cloudy summer has certainly helped to keep that one extra low.

Since I've been trying to live sustainably for a while now, all of these shifts - toward conserving and saving money and generally consuming less - fit in with what I'm already doing. I hope that, if nothing else, people come out of this experience realizing that there is a lot to be said for sustainability, in all of its interpretations.

allergy season

2009-05-29T19:02:00.003-04:00

Right now I'm in the worst part of allergy season. I'm on so much medication to remain semi-functional that I can no longer tell which symptoms are side-effects and which are regular old symptoms. Being environmentally friendly isn't exactly my number 1 priority at the moment. To give you some perspective, getting the clean dishes out of the dishwasher and the pile of dirty dishes into the newly emptied machine was a huge accomplishment, over due by several days. I decided to tackle the task simply because I was stuck in the kitchen for the 1 minute it took my dinner to heat in the microwave. Yes, I did buy macaroni and cheese that I could heat up in 1 minute so that I wouldn't have to actually cook. But, I bought the kind that is made locally, by the people who run the farm store down the street. Not only is it far, far superior in taste (I can't stomach the stuff from a box, even if it is organic, just, ew) it's also supporting my local economy, and it only traveled a mile from where it was made to where it was consumed. Plus, they try to source ingredients locally as well. It's not organic or homemade by me, but it is far better than trying to get away with a few bites of hummus and chips for dinner, since that's the only thing that can go directly from fridge to plate.

It's also great when other things are such ingrained habits that I can complete them even as I stumble off to bed, my brain already shifted into the lowest gear that still allows me to walk. I turn off lights, unplug cords and flush with grey water with as much thought as it takes to put one foot in front of the other. Often I climb into bed and try to remember if I'd done something, simply because it had become so automatic that my brain didn't find the memory worth recording.

There are plenty of things that aren't so eco-friendly about allergy season- medications are bad in many ways, lots of tissues, lots more time spent in front of a screen rather than out enjoying the world and short cuts taken when I might have taken the time and energy to do something 'right' on another day. But, we do the best we can, and I rest easier knowing that my dinner was delicious and came in a reusable container, and that many of my habits remain intact simply because they have become habit.

Compost Conundrum

2009-05-25T19:42:00.002-04:00

So, like any good eco-nut, I can't bear to think of throwing away food scraps that could return to the Earth and feed my vegetables rather than being trapped in a land fill. I did some research, decided that a worm bin would be great, and set everything up. First I collected food for a while, then I got the worms and continued to add what I hope were the proper proportions of carbon and nitrogen and water. As time passed, my worm population dwindled, until I couldn't find any worms left. See, the problem is, I don't have much food waste. This is great for me and my budget, but it didn't work out so well for the worms.

That system failed, I moved my compost bin out to the balcony and continued to add whatever food waste I had. Since it was winter, and the bin was totally dried out, nothing broke down. It is now spring and I have an overflowing bin of food scraps (predominantly egg shells actually) which is all in nearly the same state as when I put it in, with the occasional addition of mold/fungus.

Clearly the system needs some help to break down any time soon. Enter the possibility of miraculous 4 week decomposition with the help of Bokashi! Maybe. This stuff is filled with micro-organisms that pickle your food waste in a couple weeks, then if you mix it in with some soil you get rapidly decomposed organic matter. It seems too good to be true, and I can't decide if its worthwhile.

I also found a local farm that might take my materials and convert them into compost for me. There is a certain satisfaction in creating my own, but if its going to be more effective to have someone else do it, I'm willing to make that sacrifice.

So, what do I do? Make my own pickled stuff or have someone else make regular compost?

growth!

2009-05-07T21:37:00.003-04:00

I went to clear off my camera today before we start a photo project at school, and discovered the only photos I've taken are of plants. Not that surprising since it's both planting season and plants dominate my apartment, but still makes me feel like maybe I should bring my camera out with me more. As long as I have the photos, I may as well share.

My african violet is really happy:

I bought a kit for hanging strawberries. Look at the growth in just 3 days of semi-cloudy weather. Nice work Yankee Candle Company!

Internet Dependency

2009-05-06T21:56:00.002-04:00

When I got home from work last Friday afternoon I turned on the computer and plugged in my modem - standard procedure whenever I get home. However, something not so standard occurred - my computer didn't connect to the internet. My first reaction was mild panic, but I figured it must be a minor glitch and so I fiddled with a few settings, turned things off and back on, and waited a while. When it was clear something was wrong, I decided to contact my internet provider; here arrived stumbling block number one: everything I do, I do online. Normal procedure would be to check a website for tips, then to email or talk to someone online, and only as a last resort actually pick up the phone. But only that last resort was available, so I was forced to dig out an old bill (from before they went paperless) to find a phone number and call.

The representative (once I finally got through to him) informed me that my modem looked fine from his end, but it was really old- so old they stopped making the model in 2005 (which is eons ago for electronics). The solution was to go trade in my modem the next day. This, however, did nothing to solve the problem, and another call left me with the information that they didn't know what was wrong and couldn't help me since I use Linux. Many hours of troubleshooting and a lot of phone calls later, it's Tuesday and I'm dying without an internet connection. I'm worried that my computer is truly broken and decide to wipe the operating system and reinstall. Thankfully this solves my problem, and in the mean time I've learned a lot.

-Just because electronics are really old, that doesn't mean they're useless
My old modem turned on faster than the new one
My computer is 6 years old and still going strong

-Most people aren't willing to put in the effort to fix things
The first reaction was to go replace the old thing- it must be broken
I was kind of tempted to use this as an excuse to buy a shiny new computer
Reinstalling was actually really easy, and it only took 1 evening to get back up and running just like I was previously

-I'm totally and completely dependent on technology
I had to call friends many times this weekend to look up phone numbers
I didn't know what to wear on Saturday without weather.com
I rushed needlessly to the train since I had no idea how long it would take to get somewhere without mbta.com
My computer is the essence of my entertainment- music, games, blogs...
I had limited to no contact with most people I know while I was offline

While I appreciated the reminder that I should be less dependent on technology, mostly I am just very thankful to have my internet back and that I didn't have to buy anything new (hopefully they'll recycle the modem I traded in).

not the point

2009-04-29T18:12:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I joined this Facebook group/application/whatever called Hot Dish. I think they are associated with Grist.org. Their tagline is 'serving up the hottest climate news' so ever so boldly I assumed they would be a 'green' organization. In the 4 months since I joined I have won: a t-shirt, a license plate frame and a bookmark. Why is a group whose sole purpose is reporting on the environment distributing stuff all over the country? (or maybe even world?) I tried to explain this concern to customer service when I got an email today reminding me I still hadn't given them my t-shirt size or mailing address. I suggested that instead of sending me more 'stuff' they could just donate the money they would have spent to an organization dedicated to combatting climate change.

The response:
"Thanks for your thoughtful question. Unfortunately, the t-shirts, license frames, and bookmarks were preordered in bulk, so we can't recoup the cost. However, I will try to find another user who's interested in them! Thanks for being committed to reducing your stuff."

At least she appreciated my efforts, but that wasn't really the point.

short and sweet

2009-04-12T20:52:00.002-04:00

I've gotten lazy. Blame the pollen that my immune system feels compelled to wage war against. Instead of blog posts I've been twittering lately. Maybe someday soon I'll have something big to say, but until then I'm sticking to 140 characters here.

cleaning supplies, garden plan!

2009-03-22T17:49:00.004-04:00

Last week I got a coupon book in the mail from Target. I flipped through it out of curiosity- and discovered that there wasn't a single item in there that I buy. Some of it was paper products (I use cloth everything), other things were processed foods (which I don't eat) and still others were cleaning products. I was most surprised by my non-use of cleaning products. It's not that I don't clean, I do. In fact I spent yesterday afternoon giving the apartment a thorough cleaning. But, in the process of cleaning I only used water and microfiber cloths on the bathroom mirrors and counters, Dr. Bronner's for the toilet and a broom for the floor. In the kitchen I use a sponge or cloth (or more recently my new biodegradable sponge cloth) with the minimum amount of soap and a broom. The rest of the apartment gets vacuumed (with my bagless vacuum) and dusted with another microfiber cloth. My surfaces all look clean and shiny. There's no mold growing or weird sticky spots. There must not be tons of hazardous bacteria lingering since I get sick far, far less than I ever have (which I acknowledge is due to my living alone, not my superior cleaning skills). So why do people have kitchen and bathroom cabinets stocked with toxic chemicals?

Perhaps some of the bottles are for occasional use, rather than every day, but even for hard to remove rust or hard water I just found out about "Bar Keepers Friend" which is an all purpose cleanser/polish. It was recommended for stains on my pots/pans (which it worked wonders on) and the website says it works for "stainless steel, porcelain, ceramic tile, plastic, copper, china, fiberglass, imitation marble, tile, grout, chrome, and composition sinks." It's derived from rhubarb and biodegradable. Some people even use it in their laundry as bleach. Especially now, when people are looking for ways to trim their budgets, it makes so much more sense to buy one thing that can serve multiple purposes than finding a separate tool for each and every mutation of the same basic problem (in this case- something needs to be cleaned).

On another note- it's spring! Instead of grading and planning this afternoon, I plotted out my balcony garden. The biggest difficulty at this point is figuring out if I really have space to leave the hammock set up all the time. I drew it to nearly to scale, but I haven't measured the hammock, so I'm not sure if I'll have room to tend to everything with it up.

(The yucca is a decorative palm, and since it's been with me for 4 years and is nearly as tall as I am it is definitely not available for eating!)

I have full sun all day since my apartment is South facing. I tried to grow all of these things last year to varying amounts of success, except the strawberries, which are new. A school fundraiser was selling hanging strawberry kits, so I decided to try them out. Last year that spot was used for swedish ivy (another decorative) which will survive just fine in its indoor location. Now I just have to retrieve the soil from school (we're running an experiment growing peas in various conditions) and start the seeds. Except the carrots. I realize now that repotting carrots is highly unintelligent, so they will wait, and hopefully will be much less twisted this year.

another electric development

2009-03-04T19:52:00.003-05:00

So, this winter has been a rough one in terms of my electricity usage. There were some unexpected spikes that could not be explained, except perhaps by the cold weather making the hot water heater work extra hard. Today though, I got my electric bill, and recorded my lowest usage yet!

Here's the run down of the insanity:
From when I moved in August '07 through October '08 my numbers ranged from 60-100 kWh, tending toward the low 60's at the end.
November: 137 kWh (double the previous several months!)
December: 301 (double Nov. which is 4 times 'normal'!)
January: 192 (better, but still very high)
February: 59 kWh (my lowest number ever)

Without November-January in there, the low number in Feb. wouldn't have been terribly surprising since I was away on vacation for a week in Feb. but that is a huge drop in a month that was still very cold. All I can say is this was an interesting adventure, and I'm glad to be back to the realm of normal. I hope we stay here, it's nice. Also, thank goodness for renewable sources of electricity- I never actually passed the 10% line during all this, so at least I wasn't suffering major carbon guilt along with the confusion and outrage.

it's easy being green

2009-02-28T20:31:00.005-05:00

While I was in NM I saw a really cool spice rack- the spices were all held in metal containers and magnetically attached to a metal sheet that hung on the wall. It's a perfect solution to limited counter/cabinet space, which is definitely the situation I'm in. Of course, I saw no need to buy a pre-made set, especially not one that would need to be shipped across the country. As I began considering how to do this myself, I thought of using the fridge as my magnetic surface, but was reasonably confident that opening the door enough times would eventually result in spices flying all over the kitchen. After doing a bit of online research I saw that someone had thought to use the side of the refrigerator, and I realized that this would work in my kitchen too. Step one - find a surface - was complete with no purchases or new materials. Step two - magnets - easily accomplished this afternoon at the craft store. I was a little disappointed with Home Depot for not having anything appropriate, since I'm used to them having everything I need and more, but Michaels pulled through with the super strong Neo Magnets. Step three - containers - we went to several different stores (all on the same street so no wild goose chase of driving, but still more time than I should have spent) looking for matching glass or similar containers to put the spices in. My original instinct was simply to use whatever containers I currently had, but I sort of wanted the sleek look of matching containers, plus I didn't want to glue my magnets onto the containers and then need to eventually detach them. After our fruitless search I decided to just start by using the glass spice jars I already had, and then I would replace with glass as I went along, refilling the magnetized ones and perhaps relabeling as necessary. But then, I opened my drawer and saw duct tape- the perfect solution for any problem. Amazingly, a small piece of duct tape can attach the magnet securely enough to all of my spice bottles and even through the tapes the magnet still adheres to the fridge solidly enough not to slip at all (except the basil, which required 2 magnets). So now I have my spices within easy reach, my pantry has more space and I have a flexible, decent looking display. See?

Yesterday I got a T-shirt from a friend that says "It's easy being green" and features Kermit (it's made of organic cotton and non-toxic dyes, Disney is doing some good stuff). Today I wore it and also felt like I lived out the statement. While it would have been really easy to buy a pre-made set to solve my spice issues (or better yet, buy all pre-made food so I wouldn't even need spices), but I decided to do it myself using nearly all materials that I had on hand, and it was still easy! The only thing I purchased was magnets. This is definitely a sustainable system, as I add spices to my stock, I just buy more magnets and fill in the space. This also makes me want to cook- thinking about spices all day made me hungry and anxious to try out the system!

meandering and musing

2009-02-22T19:20:00.004-05:00

Today is the final day of my vacation. February vacation has always been a favorite of mine, it's the first time off that doesn't include a holiday which means it can be really relaxing. I should also admit I like it because it includes my birthday and getting a week off of school is always an excellent present.

This week I really packed things in and created more of a carbon output than I would care to think about. I started the week with a trip to CT to visit my parents. For my birthday they gave me one winter gift: a gorgeous soft and funky scarf that my mom knit herself and one summer gift: a hammock! Now I can really feel tropical in the warm weather, crowding all my plants and the hammock onto my balcony will really give me the feeling of being out in the wild. I set up the hammock when I got home yesterday just for fun, and was able to swing and read for a little while wrapped up in my scarf and a blanket.

Saturday night we got to go to a symphony concert. The CT opera recently had to close mid-season due to finances and so the director gave a brief speech at the beginning outlining the plans of the symphony and promising that they would not close mid-season so please buy season tickets. It made me realize that I would like to support the arts more. I go to all the student performances at school, but I should really look into what professional events I could attend. This is where I wish that I was better about going to things by myself.

Sunday I departed for New Mexico. I was worried about being bored traveling by myself so I over packed my carry on- grading, books, crosswords, mp3 player full of podcasts and a deck of cards. Needless to say I only got to the grading and the book but it was nice to have the mp3 player for background music to block out the chatterbox sitting next to me on the second flight. As a listener rather than a talker I am amazed by how some people can just talk and talk and talk; as long as the guy across the aisle wanted to listen, I didn't mind, I just don't have that much to say and it was surprising to me how much he did.

When I arrived in Albuquerque my friends picked me up and we headed up to Santa Fe. We were supposed to quickly stop by their new place and pick up the dog before heading back to their soon to be old home (they moved while I was visiting). It wasn't quite as quick as we expected though, since they had locked the keys in the house! After quite a few different failed methods, we did manage to get in and save the dog. It was certainly an exciting start to my visit.

The next day saw a delicious brunch which included my introduction to green chilies (a staple of NM) and a trip up to Diablo Canyon. Santa Fe is already about 7,000 feet above sea level, and we headed even further into the Rockies and then down into a canyon. This part of the state is desert, which was a new landscape for me. Even though it was only 40 degrees out, the sun was strong enough that I could leave behind my coat. The paths we walked were sand, and there were boulders, cacti, other unique flora and huge cliffs surrounding us. A few people were rock climbing but otherwise we had a vast landscape (including those huge skies I recognized from trips to Colorado) to ourselves.

That evening was filled mostly with relaxing at home, but we managed to fit in a brief visit to a unique art exhibit. A group of artists rent a space together and invite others to help them transform it each month. On the first day everyone gathers and chooses a location in the room and then that area is theirs to do what they want with. The final product, which is what I saw, is an interesting blend of different styles and interests, tucked into corners, under tables as well as atop them, painted directly on to the floor, and hanging from the ceiling. A few things carry throughout the space (ghosts hung around the room to commemorate the opening of that show on Friday the 13th) but mostly every way you turn is unique and requires individual attention. Nothing they do there is for sale, and everything will be removed at the end of the month long exhibit. It was a really interesting introduction to the art scene in Santa Fe (art is huge in the city and is the reason my friends moved there).

In the following days we explored Taos and Santa Fe, visiting galleries and parks, relaxing at home and meeting friends. I purchased a few keepsakes, including a vase made by natives that captures some of the colors and textures of New Mexico. Mostly though, we looked and were careful not to touch as the art we enjoyed was far out of our price range. I left the state satisfied with having seen the unique aspects of the area - the landscape and the art - while still having found plenty of time to relax and enjoy just being with my friends.

The return to CT brought more visits with family, a night out in New Haven and a visit with a college friend. Then, I finally returned to the apartment. Since my return yesterday I've been attempting to maintain that relaxed yet accomplished sensation while scurrying around to get life back into order. Tomorrow I return to school and I hope that everyone (including myself) will be ready to get back into the habits and structure that we have escaped from for what seems a very long time.

the nature of nature

2009-02-13T19:05:00.002-05:00

This month's APLS carnival asks:

What is "nature" in the first place? What makes nature so powerful or meaningful? How has your experience with the natural world shaped your own environmentalism?

Last weekend I traveled across the state into my old stomping ground, Western Mass. I was headed to visit my best friend from college. When I arrived Friday night we grabbed dinner and spent some time exploring the natural food stores. We found some really interesting bits of nature there, including emu eggs! They are huge and green and amazing. While our first interaction with nature occurred in the warmth and safety of a store, it transported us to thoughts of a distant environment. Seeing eggs isn't normally an exciting experience (although I do get a certain warm glow from buying my local and organic 6 packs) but seeing such an exotic variety prompts thoughts of why on earth eggs should be green and sparkle. Was Dr. Seuss familiar with emu eggs when he wrote his story Green Eggs and Ham?

Saturday brought a more typical experience with nature: a hike. Getting to take trek through the snow, where the tracks of animals who had passed that way were prevalent and visible, and seeing the different ways the vegetation was coping with the weather was a great experience. The view from the peak was awe inspiring; seeing the towns surrounding us, mixed in with all the trees and meadows had a wonderfully calming and peaceful effect. Getting some fresh air, exercising and spending time with great people added to the overall effect. Plus, since the trail was covered in packed down snow, it had created what we visualized to be a luge track. My friend and I had worn snow pants and so when we headed back down the mountain, we just sat down on all the slanted portions and let gravity do its thing. That was way more fun than it should have been. Sliding down a trail in the middle of the woods brings out the pure glee I associate with five year olds. The quiet of a snowy forest, combined with the giggles and shrieks of adults acting like kids: now that is an excellent way to experience nature.

On Sunday we went sledding, and actually used sleds. It was a lot of fun, but we were on a hill on campus, facing a parking lot and a building. It definitely didn't have the same feel as being in the middle of the woods, or of being able to slide without needing plastic. We tried to slide down the hill without the sleds to recreate the experience from the previous day, but couldn't because the snow was too wet by then. Even so, it wouldn't have been the same, without the canopy of trees over the narrow trail, packed down only by other hikers seeking the same peaceful journey and rewarding view we had accomplished.

My efforts to conserve are definitely motivated by my experiences with nature. Whether it be a distant creature I've never encountered or the forests that surround my neighborhood, I want nature to continue running its course uninterrupted. I want to buy materials harvested sustainably, so that those farms or forests will continue to be prosperous and the land won't lay barren. But also, I want to make sure that no one has to infringe on what land is left near me. I'm selfish, and I want my forests to stay forests, so I try to do what I can to keep everyone else from needing them for lumber, farming or building.

bagged lettuce?

2009-01-24T18:45:00.003-05:00

If anyone needs an interesting research project- studying the bagged lettuce phenomenon might be worthwhile. I say this because I've been checking out my Google Analytics. My blog's second most visited page (first is the front page) is my entry about "Lettuce in a Bag". Of 17 google searches that led people to my site in the past month, 11 of them had to do with lettuce. I wrote this post in August, about my evolving relationship with bagged lettuce. Since then 45 people have stopped in because they wanted to know about lettuce (out of 69 searches total). First of all, I had no idea there were so many people curious enough about bagged lettuce to make it to #15 on their google search. Second of all, how am I still #15 after 6 months?

a little too easy

2009-01-21T19:42:00.002-05:00

This evening I got an email from this cellist I really like (Zoe Keating) and she mentioned that she was recording a new album. This made me realize that she must already have an album and I don't just have to wait for her to show up on my Pandora radio station! So, I headed on over to amazon.com, searched and was immediately given the choice between singles, an ep and the album. I chose the album, and before I even previewed the songs I saw this button which called out to me saying "Buy MP3 album with 1-click". Since it was there, and beckoning, I clicked. Immediately the songs began downloading and in moments I had a full CD on my computer. As I started listening, I wondered who those other artists were that other people had bought, and I found another cellist I liked, and there was the 1-click button again, and I had another CD! It's so easy! Click and listen to whatever you want! Now!

In my case, things worked out fine. I bought 2 full CD's for under $15, they were artists I like and listen to regularly (I already had podcasts they did on the radio show Radio Lab from WNYC) and I didn't have to bother with anything plastic. However, I'm sure you can see how dangerous this is for impulse shoppers. Save your credit card with amazon once and forever more you can buy things with one click. Not much thinking gets done with one click. I liked having to get up, find my wallet and really know I was buying something. There are so many times when I wonder at peoples' lack of self control - I mean really, how could they build up so much credit card debt and yet keep buying non-essentials? But then, you see how far removed shopping can be from reality. I give a website a number, and they give me some stuff. The connection to my money that I worked hard to earn is getting stretched further and further away. No one reminds you how much you have or owe when you get to the checkout. Personal responsibility is essential, but the market is full of people trying to figure out how to make you forget responsibilities, and this worries me.

making choices

2009-01-15T19:30:00.002-05:00

APLS Carnival This Month: "What mental tricks do you use on yourself to help you make the right choices, even when they make life a little harder? Or, conversely, does your mind play games that trick you into making the wrong decisions?"

In some cases, the biggest trigger in my brain when I'm making a choice is what will people think. Now, many people would be surprised to hear this coming from me, I'm not a 'go with the crowd' type of person. However, I'm thinking of very specific people's opinions when I consider this. My friend who had to give up her worms when she moved and convinced me to get some so she could live vicariously- she would be very disappointed if I gave up composting because of one little ant infestation. Or, would I be willing to admit that I turned the heat up a few degrees to my friend who I am constantly badgering to lower her thermostat?

Other times, it's intrigue with the science behind things. Flushing my toilet with grey water is still fascinating to me, the brilliant pressure system, how much water is necessary, actually noticing the effects when someone else uses the pipes I share with my neighbors. Or, the mathematics- every month is a push to see if I can get closer to the 90% reduction. What exactly contributed to that increase or decrease in gas/electricity/water. Recently my electricity usage skyrocketed, and I felt a distinct loss of control. I truly enjoying knowing where each number comes from and that I chose to use that much.

Most of all, I don't offer my mind the option to want something I don't need. I can't remember the last time I went to the mall. I check out prices online before shopping, and then I only need to go to one store and can head directly to the aisle I know my item is in. I don't watch tv and therefore don't see the ads there. When I am out, I'm often out with other vegetarians, people who know me as an eco-nut and friends who would be more surprised if I didn't chose the sustainable option.

However, there are plenty of things that I don't do. I wanted to bike more this summer, but it really didn't happen. I rationalized that I was in grad school and away 12 hours a day so it was okay. That wasn't a perfect reason, but I can live with my imperfections and the occasional drive down the road to get groceries in my semi-gas-guzzling vehicle.

vote!

2009-01-10T13:08:00.002-05:00

There are a number of websites available to inform our upcoming president what we think the most urgent issues are. Check out http://www.change.org/ideas to make sure the top 10 ideas represent your interests. You can also vote on questions others have asked Obama to address at http://change.gov/openforquestions

Even though the presidential election is over, there is still a lot of voting to do!

P.S. After a lot of efforts and checking, the only thing that might be causing the electricity increase is my water heater. Apparently the closet it is contained in had the heat set very low, nearly off, and since it's a room off of the balcony the water heater must have been working very hard to keep hot. When my next bill arrives (in 17 days) I'm supposed to report back if this actually helped. Or maybe I'll just go check my meter in a few days and see how we're doing.

Help! Electric usage skyrocketing for no (known) reason!

2009-01-05T19:44:00.004-05:00

Okay, I am majorly concerned, and no longer just from the environmentalist perspective. I've been consistently under 100 kWh per month for nine months, last January offered a brief spike to 112 kWh and then back down. And before those is getting back into the months when I was using my dryer and all those other things. Highest ever was the first month I moved in, 157 kWh. So now we have some background. Mid-October to Mid-November showed a doubling from previous months up to 137 kWh. This threw me for a loop and had me quite concerned since I could not think of any change in habits that would produce such numbers. Then, Mid-November to Mid-December resulted in 301 kWh. The doubled number was more than doubled. Exponential growth. Totally unexplained. Big Problem!

I immediately contacted the electric company, and while they see good reason for my concern, they don't think anything is wrong on their end. They are taking actual readings and think the meter is working fine. The representative suggested it may be due to a dehumidifier or space heater (neither of which I have) or faulty equipment (which has me worried). I contacted the management of my apartment complex to come check out the fridge, heating system and anything else they can think of (this makes me appreciate being a renter). I still think I would know if my fridge was running overtime, and I know the heat doesn't turn on very often. My brain cannot comprehend these numbers. I seriously hope that someone offers me an answer soon! (Can you, dear reader?)

On a happier note I shrink wrapped my windows (supposed to work as insulation like double paned glass would). I'm not yet sure how much it's helping (hard to tell when the temperatures fluctuate so much) but I was impressed that when I had a few friends over the other night the temperature rose to 76 without us cooking anything. The heat is set at 65 (pet survival temp).

I'm also looking forward to taking yoga classes. After some searching I decided to go to a small local studio so that I'm not driving far, my money is going to a local organization and they're small enough to actually do things like respond to my email with a personalized recommendation within 24 hours! Plus, they have a recycling program, how cool is that?

I'm trying to focus on these things. But I'm worried that whatever crazy thing is using 200 kWh of electricity in a month is going to catch on fire! Anyone had anything like this happen? Ideas/solutions?

137 kWh!

2008-12-24T16:21:00.003-05:00

I'm very concerned. While I know most people would be thrilled to get a monthly usage of 137 kWh, (especially because it's from renewable sources making it 4% of the national average) I'm appalled. My last two months have both been 68 kWh, meaning I somehow doubled my electricity consumption from mid-October to mid-November. I cannot for the life of me figure out what happened and I'm really hoping they read the wrong meter (I live in an apartment building with lots of separate meters). Otherwise I'm going to have to run around my apartment searching for the mysterious object sucking away all my power. This is the highest value I've gotten since the first month I moved in over a year ago! I know I've been using my computer a lot, but I don't think its that much more than usual. Heat and stove are gas, so I'm at a total loss. All I know is this chart makes me really sad.

life according to Randy Pausch, and also Tina

2008-12-23T21:22:00.004-05:00

Today I read "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. I spent most of the time with both tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. It was uplifting, sad, funny, and overall- right on. The take away message in four words is- work hard, play hard. He speaks of 'brick walls' as opportunities to prove you really want and deserve something, getting tenure early because he was in his office at 10 pm on Friday nights and making sure to always ask (sometimes persistently) for the things you want. But also, he had a large collection of huge stuffed animals won at amusement parks, always took the optimistic Tigger view of life (as contrasted by Eeyore) and truly enjoyed all aspects of living. While doing this, he valued experiences over material objects, something he very much attributed to good parenting. One of the big purchases his parents made during his childhood was a full set of encyclopedias, and this very directly reflected the priorities in his household.

"Growing up, I thought there were two types of families:
1) Those who need a dictionary to get through dinner.
2) Those who don't
We were No. 1."

Times have changed a bit, but my dad's iPhone comes out regularly during family conversations because we need a definition or information.

In other news, weather is crazy so we have had basically no school: 4 day weekend due to ice storm, 3 days of school (one day I was an hour late due to snow), half day due to arriving blizzard, and 2 days cancelled due to blizzard (city streets offer insufficient space to pile snow while still allowing cars and pedestrians to travel). So, we've used 4 of our 5 snow days, and the first day of winter was only two days ago.

In all that time off I have had many accomplishments. I made lots of Christmas gifts and wrapped them without using anything new except a couple sheets of tissue paper. Every year we save bows, bags, ribbons, boxes and name tags. The name tags are especially wonderful since today I was able to affix tags with my five year old handwriting to gifts that I made at age twenty-three. That one small piece of paper which only serves the simple purpose of labeling to many people, now brings with it a deep history of past Christmases, and as we return them to the bag (with my 10 year old handwriting) it brings a promise of Christmases yet to come. I also made it to the library for the first time in months, helped dig someone out of her driveway, drove to CT and made up a new game (after my brother and I tired of playing with the usual rules).

snow

2008-12-12T08:46:00.005-05:00

Today there is no school. It's not a snow day though, but rather an ice day. Freezing rain overnight caused power outages and dangerous driving conditions. I hope this isn't an indication that we're headed toward this sad situation:

Image courtesy of 1Sky's holiday e-cards.

The ice really isn't good for the trees:

But it does look pretty!

organization

2008-11-25T22:04:00.002-05:00

I think this: http://maps.google.com/transit says something huge about the United States' transportation. Namely, that it is chaotic and disconnected. The other countries listed have major transit systems- national, or large regions. Even when I was looking to take a train trip down the east coast Amtrak was divided into regions and the different parts didn't even seem well connected.

World AIDS Day

2008-11-25T17:05:00.002-05:00

World AIDS Day (12-1-2008)
Bristol-Myers Squibb donating $1 for every candle lit.

This year, because of the tremendous success of the initiative last year, Bristol-Myers Squibb agreed to fund the Light to Unite campaign again. Just visit the web site, light a candle and $1 will be donated to the National AIDS Fund. The goal is 100,000 candles lit to reach $100,000.

Please light a candle and you will be rewarded with the satisfaction of having helped, plus facts and stories about AIDS today.

www.lighttounite.org

community

2008-11-20T20:51:00.002-05:00

Today I had an unusually awful day at work, and was really not looking forward to going to my grad class. Tensions are very high at school (two fights in two days), November has been a strange month and by the end of the day I just wanted to go home. Of course, I went to class. While there I engaged in some really interesting discussions, and by the end of it, I felt great! Had I come directly home to my apartment where I live alone, I bet I would have sat at home, stewed for a good long while and eventually went to bed with the adrenaline still coursing through my body. Community serves a lot of great purposes that we often mention such as educating, organizing and accomplishing. However, it does so much more than that. Being around other people means we have sources of entertainment, distraction, engagement and support. The topic of tonight's discussion was not what helped me to settle down, it was the interaction with other people who happened not to be exhibiting signs of stress. Today, in anticipation of next week, I am thankful for happy people, and thankful to reclaim my membership in that group.

forgotten amusements

2008-11-15T20:25:00.003-05:00

Last week I got an advertisement in the mail from Comcast Digital Voice. The ad has a Madagascar theme, since the second movie just came out. Included in the mailing was a coloring page with the instructions "Let the kids run wild with this page of coloring fun!" First of all, I think this is a great idea, it encourages reuse of a mailing many would toss immediately in the trash (or hopefully at least paper recycling). Second, since I'm the only one in my household, and I don't want to waste anything, including a coloring page, I spent this evening coloring. And then, when I had finished the drawing they provided but wanted to keep coloring, I drew in a few more characters, and colored those as well. I can't remember when I last spent some time drawing, but I actually used to be rather good at it. I don't know why I don't do it more often. I have colored pencils, markers, sharpies and there's always scrap paper around. Perhaps I will make it a new goal to spend some time each week coloring. It certainly is relaxing and rejuvenating, no wonder kids love it!

best choice: Target?

2008-11-09T14:04:00.003-05:00

I've been procrastinating writing this month's APLS carnival entry, because I'm not sure how to write something honest that doesn't make me feel guilty.

The topic is:
Do you feel buying locally plays a large role in healing our environment? Are you a true locavore or do you make exceptions for certain items? What obstacles to buying locally do you face? Do you have any tips for others looking to buy locally? Or are there other factors, such as cost or limited selection that force you to buy items made in other parts of the world?

I shop very rarely, but I had Tuesday off (no school on election day around here) and needed to run some errands. My shopping list was eclectic: battery powered alarm clock, rechargeable batteries, bottle brush, bras and chapstick. One mile down the road from my apartment there is a shopping center with big name stores (Target, Borders, Home Depot, Walmart, Marshalls). Ten minutes away there is a strip with lots of stores, still all big names. Fifteen minutes away there is a mall, honestly I don't know what's in there, but I'd assume all big name stores. Ten minutes in another direction is the 'historic' part of town, which offers an antique store and a record store. They're small and local, but I don't need anything they offer. There is a Salvation Army 15 minutes away where I might have found the alarm clock, but none of the other items. So, after contemplating all of my options, I decided that the best I could do for the time being was shop as locally as I could in terms of driving distance, which landed me at Target. I was able to find everything on my list, making only one trip, which was exciting. But, I felt badly that I went to a super-store that has no investment in my area. Yes, I do know that the plastic alarm clock, in a plastic box, will probably break in a year, just like my last one did. I wish that my purchases hadn't traveled so far, and I know that me cutting down on travel to pick them up doesn't counteract that issue. But, I don't know what else to do. My area has no cute little Main St. with locally owned shops where I could get to know the owners and bring my items back for repair, rather than replacing my broken alarm clock with a brand new one. What do you do if you arrived in your area too late to support all the small businesses? There may be a few hiding out there somewhere, but even my friends who have been in the area for a long time don't know where to find a small coffee shop. Apparently all the nearby choices are Starbuck, Borders Cafe and Panera.

While grocery shopping I but local and organic whenever possible. There is one local business, an orchard just down the road from me, which I try to support. When considering what items I need to buy, first I reduce (really, I don't buy many non-consumables at all) and then I try to find the most sustainable choice (buying a bottle brush was smarter than replacing my bottles which weren't getting clean). In the end though, I'm still left buying things made someplace far away, by someone who is seeing very little of the money I'm spending.

eco-nut, the next addition to the DSM?

2008-11-03T20:23:00.004-05:00

How far is too far? I read the article below as a spoof, but do others see it as a serious issue? Does the fact that it makes me nervous to watch a friend staring into my fridge with the door wide open mean I have anxiety? To me, this is all quite amusing, but it does make me wonder about an outsider's perspective.

From the 'Sunday Telegraph':

'Curse of the carborexic'
By Elle Halliwell

November 02, 2008 12:00am

A DARK side to being carbon-conscious has been discovered, with a growing number of people becoming green to the extreme. Experts are warning the global warming panic is promoting obsessive compulsive disorders among some. Dubbed "carborexics'' or "dark greens'', these individuals will factor their carbon impact into every aspect of their life and go to extremes to avoid using energy.

According to a study conducted by Porter Novelli this month, four per cent of Americans now fit the profile of a carborexic. Participants of the study who were considered dark green included a man who relieved himself on his lawn to save water, and a woman whose family slept en masse to save on heating.

Head of the University of Sydney Anxiety Disorders Clinic Dr Mairwen Jones had seen an increase in patients suffering from climate change-related obsessive compulsive `checking' disorders. She explained that some patients had begun checking their gas and power meters constantly to monitor their usage, while others worried about their petrol consumption and their car's odometer reading. "A person who says: 'I constantly check the tap', now it's not that they're worried about a flood, but they say 'I don't want to waste water with elevated temperatures and drought, and I'm worried about my impact on the environment'''.

Founder and CEO of eco retailer Todae, Danin Kahn, said while he was obsessed with reducing his carbon footprint, it was a way to lead by example. "You've got to be really passionate about it or it becomes too difficult,'' he said. "I don't eat any meat, when I drive I drive a hybrid, I try to walk to work as often as I can
and I power my gadgets with solar.''

In September Mr Kahn, 31, went on a no-plastic diet. "I went cold turkey; I didn't purchase anything with plastic,'' he said. Founder of raw cuisine catering company Conscious Choice Julie Mitsios runs workshops on how to prepare food without cooking. She said demand for classes was unprecedented, as people realized the impact their diet had on carbon consumption.

People with signs of OCD should contact the Sydney Anxiety Disorders Clinic on 9351 9426."

Your name on TV!

2008-10-30T20:08:00.002-04:00

While you may not be able to get on your local television station teaching a math lesson (like the one I was videotaped doing yesterday), you can get your name on TV, along with an ad about climate change. All you have to do is go here: http://www.1sky.org/climate-ads. It actually costs less than $20 to get an ad on some channels, and you can also get it onto some regularly viewed channels like CNN. The challenge is, you have to figure out where you want your ad to play, and sadly there aren't too many cities available at the moment. I just thought it was a cool idea and wanted to share!

satisfaction vs. resource use

2008-10-28T19:54:00.002-04:00

Saturday I had a wonderful day of not-work, which was exactly what I needed. After a stressful week last week I told a friend that I needed a day of fun, so we headed to the city. I took the train in and we bought half price tickets for a show that afternoon. Then, we walked and enjoyed the weather. Got lunch and ate it in the park. Walked more and took the train to the Institute of Contemporary Art. Explored the museum, marveled at the interesting sculptures one woman created out of everyday objects (like a 3' cube built entirely from a whole lot of toothpicks, no glue) and enjoyed the view over the harbor. Then we went to see the show November, highly recommended, quite funny, in a pleasantly small theater in the round at a YWCA. Following the show we had dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant with a very authentic atmosphere. Finally, pleasantly exhausted, we headed home. Overall resource use- food (which would have happened at home too), train emissions (which happen whether we're riding the train or not) and the energy required to open the buildings we visited (which would have been open whether we went or not). Basically, we spent the day enjoying the public resources and making the most of everything available to us. It was a perfect day of ease, intrigue and amusement. I hope to start spending many more leisurely days in the city, making use of everything that is open for me, and allowing my apartment to remain dormant for extra eco-benefits. Not to mention the emotional benefits of spending time with other people and laughing at a brilliantly acted satire!

bursts of productivity

2008-10-19T12:07:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was an excellent day. It started off very lazily, with a morning of falling back asleep, finding patches of sun to curl up in and lacking any and all motivation. Then, around 2:00 I decided to get going, I cleaned the entire apartment thoroughly, did laundry and cooked with a vengeance. Around 7:00 a friend came over, my brain shifted into low gear and things got done, but at a much slower pace. This weekend my kitchen produced: dal with rice, cheese panini, 2 quiche, spinach balls, tomato sauce, tortillas, salsa, black beans with cheese, ice cream, pancakes and latkes. My fridge is more full than I remember it ever being, and the freezer is filled to the brim as usual. Apparently it finally feels cool enough out that I want to cook again!

I've learned that habaneros are very small, but extremely potent. I made enough dal for several dinners with just one pepper, and my entire apartment became permeated with spicy air. Crazy. Those things are super effective at what they do. I'm a little scared to try the salsa today, after it's had time to really blend overnight.

I'm really pleased that I managed to create enough food in two days to last me at least the week. Having had a weekend burst of productivity like that will help me out a lot as I have a very busy week coming up! Now I just need to get some motivation to attack the large pile of papers that need correcting, organizing and writing. Or, I could curl up in that patch of sun over there that looks really nice.

Unnecessary technology

2008-10-15T18:31:00.003-04:00

So I work at a brand new high school. It just opened last year and has all sorts of amazing technological advances. Some things, like computer labs, are absolutely necessary in our changing world. Others, however, are entirely unnecessary, and even cause problems we never before had. Today, for example, the power went out in the neighborhood. This means that only emergency lights were on, which is fine since my classroom has plenty of windows. It meant that I lost the play I was typing with my advisory students, but we could write it out on paper, no big deal. The big problem was that our bathrooms work entirely by sensors. Want to flush the toilet? Sorry, the sensor can't see that you moved so it won't flush. Want to wash your hands? Sorry, the sensor didn't notice any motion near the sink, water is staying inside the faucet. So, we went an entire day only using one particular set of bathrooms in dire emergencies. First of all, that's gross. Second, there was no reason for it! Toilets flush and faucets run perfectly when the power is off, that's the beauty of a pressure system. Not to mention, a power outage isn't the only time these sensor based systems malfunction. I've frequently had the toilet flush when I move an inch but am clearly still sitting. Sometimes that idea "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is far too appropriate.

education overload

2008-10-09T18:38:00.002-04:00

I'm drowning in education. I forgot how busy fall is, and how quickly it goes! A month ago school started, which means that I began teaching high school classes and began taking graduate courses. This weekend I'm going to a conference which will educate me on how to educate others. I spend my free time talking about my students and curriculum. If I remembered my dreams I'm sure I would tell you that I'm dreaming about school. So, education is my life.

This month's carnival isn't about math education though (what I get paid to do). The APLS carnival for October asks "How do you educate yourself about sustainable living? How do you pass that knowledge on to others? Do you educate your family members and friends? Are you a member of environmental organizations? Do you do volunteer work?" These questions are surprisingly similar to asking any of these with 'sustainable' replaced by 'math.' I think the best way to learn anything is to do it. So, when I wanted to learn how to grow veggies, I planted a whole bunch. They didn't all produce, and I had to solve lots of problems as I went along, but I learned far more than I could have by reading about gardening. When I joined Riot for Austerity I started by calculating my current usage, and then opened my eyes to where and how I was using resources with every step I take. There were plenty of times when I got an idea reading a blog or newsletter (and I do subscribe to a lot of both), but I didn't really learn how it worked until I did it.

I pass knowledge on to others in many of the same ways I do in my classroom (and often I'm passing on sustainability info this way while in the classroom). I provide motivation (why should I do anything?) before throwing out random ideas. I lead by example. I acknowledge that I most certainly don't have all of the answers, but that's the whole fun of it. I provide positive reinforcement when I notice improvement. I seek opportunities to learn new strategies from others. And I offer direct instruction only when neccessary and requested. I'm not here to force my opinions on anyone, but I believe strongly in what I do, and I want to help people realize that they want to join in. I have been surprised by some peoples' willingness to accept what I do, or others eagerness to share their accomplishments with me. These are the shining moments in a teacher's life- when their students are engaged and proud!

The majority of my education comes through personal interactions. These are frequently the most effective ways to produce changes. I am certainly seeing us reach the tipping point where eco-conscious thought is becoming mainstream and what is expected. This has happened because there are enough of those 'weird environmentalist people' in the community to make it seem normal. However, there are still major changes that need to occur, and these will require mass effort to influence major corporations and government representatives. At this point, we need to get organized and send clear messages. This is where the glory of the internet comes in. Groups like Avaaz, 350.org, 1sky, Oxfam and ONE are bringing huge numbers of people together. I belong to many email lists like these, where I can take action and contact the leaders who they think have the ability to instigate major chages. It does make a difference if I email my senator about whatever issue is on my mind. It makes an exponentially larger impression when vast numbers of people all speak up about the same issue. Organized action to educate our representatives on the concerns of the community is yet another way I'm actively involved in my concern for the future of our world.

So, it's probably fair to say that everything I do is done through the lens of an educator. My brain is incapable of snapping out of teacher mode, and I think this is a good thing. I look forward to a lifetime filled with teaching and learning on a variety of topics, which will certainly always include sustainable living.

October!

2008-10-03T19:34:00.002-04:00

So, it's a new month; time has gone by and I am spending my Friday night doing work. I might have a lot on my plate this year, oops. My balcony is littered with the remains of my garden (what exactly do you do with dead plants and old soil without a big compost pile?) and my living room is littered with textbooks and papers. I'm in transition. It is no longer summer, school started before I was ready for it all and now there is a lot going on. The days are getting shorter, which I know from experience since the sun now gets up later than I do. Each week everything that has to get done does. I'm still finding time to get out and have fun but something always has to give. The articles don't get read as thoroughly as I might like, or non-urgent things pile up until I have time to address them. It is at this point when I wonder if that slightly smelly worm bin is really worth saving. Or I don't make it to the farm store and buy veggies at the grocery store. But then, the worm bin finds balance again (and I was a little congested so I didn't notice it in the meantime). And I have peppers that I grew myself (amazing!) so I didn't really have to buy many things at the grocery store which I could have gotten locally. There's still a lot of work to be done, but I can grade tonight and attack the balcony tomorrow when it is supposed to be beautiful out. Occasionally life gets overwhelming, but so many things will figure themselves out given enough time. And the rest? We always seem to manage. Robert Frost still says it best: "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."

Bostonites: This looks like a cool workshop about home heating for renters and homeowners alike. Because I know you need one more thing to add to your to-do list.

new local group!

2008-09-23T16:56:00.002-04:00

If you live in New England and are even slightly interested in living sustainably consider joining the New England APLS. There are also regional groups in the Great Lakes, Lower Midwest, Colorado and California. Check it out and send your friends!

and the green grass grows all around all around...

2008-09-21T19:57:00.003-04:00

Except the grass isn't green, and it's not growing. My apartment complex doesn't water the grass (yay water savings!) so the open areas are covered with patches of grass, some of it brown; patches of dirt, all of it brown and patches of clover, brilliantly green. Now that I think of it, clover is green, its soft, it feeds the bunnies and it clearly is capable of living in the New England environment far more independently than grass is. There's even the added bonus that some clovers are lucky, so it provides hours of entertainment for industrious children (and maybe some adults) looking for the coveted 4-leaf variety. With all this, clover seems like the perfect ground cover. So, how did we end up with grass? It can be prickly, requires tons of water, you have to mow it and it is the exact same color as clover. I've decided that if I ever have a lawn that isn't entirely covered with edible and decorative plants, I'm putting in clover. The landscaping companies make think I'm insane (can you even buy clover?) but at the moment it seems like an entirely viable option.

Also, if you ever doubted the cleaning power of "green" laundry detergent, doubt no longer. My Arm and Hammer Essentials got out an ink stain, without me doing anything! I always hear about people applying hairspray immediately afterward and a number of other urgently applied remedies. I, on the other hand, happened to notice a slightly faded ink stain on my shirt as I put it on one day (after having washed it) and when I mentioned it to my mother I was informed that the shirt was doomed since the stain had set. Not worrying about it, I threw the shirt in with the rest of the wash and as I was hanging it up to dry, saw to my amazement that the stain had disappeared! So, no pre-treatment, no extra detergent, just two regular washes and the ink was faded and gone. I must say, I'm impressed.

it's spreading!

2008-09-15T20:20:00.003-04:00

Tonight I received a call from my friend informing me her father had asked her for my number. He called to tell me of the cool environmentally conscious action he had taken. Apparently my friend has told him some of the things I do, and as the most eco-minded person he knew, he wanted to share with me. Well, that would have made my day in and of itself, but then he told me what he did. He used water from his dehumidifier to wash his clothes! I find this totally amazing because a) I've never heard of anyone doing it and b) it takes some effort to save water and add it at the right time (he used it for wash and the first rinse). Apparently this saves about 28 gallons of water, according to the calculations of his 6th grade class. So, my actions affected my friend, who influenced her parents to change their habits, who engaged 20 something 6th graders, some of whom probably told their parents, some of whom probably told the other parents at the soccer game "You'll never guess what my son told me about his crazy teacher this year..." That's a really large web of people stemming from a few conversations I had. Whenever you fear that you're not having an impact making such small changes, realize how rapidly that impact can grow and see that in fact you are personally causing an exponential ripple effect which is slowing eroding the cultural norms (yes that was 3 metaphors in one, but I'm confident you can figure it out).

In other (now much less exciting) news, yesterday was Christmas. My parents had been wanting to get me a GPS and decided to give it to me early since I was talking about my careful, yet not always entirely succesful, navigation of the Boston roads. Purchasing this device made me realize that there are in fact environmentally friendly technology developments. Yes, I absolutely could get directions to where I'm going, but I can't account for every possible wrong turn, or need to get gas, or other necessary detour. So, having a GPS allows me to find the quickest route where I'm going at any time, thus reducing my driving. It also will work while walking or biking, which I will be more likely to do instead of driving if I know I won't be getting lost as it grows dark. Plus, my device has an excellent feature which allows me to program in a certain speed (I chose 70 mph to start) and it will beep at me every time I pass this speed. So, I'm getting where I'm going the most efficient way possible, using the mode of transport with the least impact and I'm being reminded to drive in a way that will increase my gas mileage (which, by the way, was 39 mpg last tank, which is 10 mpg more than my rather large sedan normally gets!).

Finally, I had a fantastic weekend of resource free fun. My grandmother, mother and I sat down to organize 10 years of photos. We have gone digital, but the last photo album our family has is from '98. It was great to hang out, reminisce and be proactive in organizing everything so that we will be able to do this more often (and without quite so much "when on earth did we do that?").

"fresh" air

2008-09-05T18:36:00.002-04:00

So today I was driving home behind a woman who had one of those pine tree shaped air fresheners hanging from her rear view mirror. I never understood the appeal of such odor reducers/masks. Personally I like my car to smell like air, not chemical. And, if there's a gross smell in the car, then I want to clean the car, not camouflage it with another stronger scent. But, that opinion isn't really what made me feel the need to share this sighting. The punch line of this story is, the woman was driving in a..... convertible! Seriously? We were driving past a wooded area and her car was filled with fresh air. Are we that brain washed by commercialization that we need to have a pine scent hovering by our noses, even as we drive down the road with the top down and our noses hang out in the open air? I understand that she probably bought the air freshener for when the top is up, but it makes me seriously wonder what we could be convinced of needing. Maybe I should be spraying Febreze on my balcony or washing the dirt out of my plant containers?

Also, I found out today that "it takes the same amount of energy to produce just four sheets of paper as it does to power a laptop for an hour" from my ideal bite tip of the day. That made me feel pretty good about the number of blogs I read and games I play online. They are suggesting reading books on one of those e-book readers, which I'm not sure I'm quite ready to do, but its nice to know that since my laptop already exists I am actually being more effective playing online rather than buying a book of Sudoku puzzles.

re-focus

2008-09-02T19:39:00.002-04:00

It is so easy to get caught up in the hype, and to focus on the negative. I am sure there are some great biological explanations for why we often pay attention to bad experiences more strongly than good ones (such as: it's important to not eat the berry that makes you sick, but no big deal if you do or don't eat the one that you felt fine after) but the negativity of the media is far too skewed. I want to hear the success stories, I want to read about people who work together, I want to know what hopes and dreams we have. This happens with everything- war, natural disaster and politics. Currently I'm facing the presidential election news, and all I see are stories about Palin. Yes, I needed to hear that she had been chosen, and I want to know her stance, but that is all. I still want to hear about Obama's speech, which I actually didn't get to read about until today when I made a conscious effort to search the web for it. The Republicans timed things perfectly, and we all fell for it. Now, once I make my statement on who I support, I try to redirect conversations away from the rumors about Palin's family. I want to focus on progress and facts, hear about the issues and not the twisted quotes taken out of context. I hope that isn't too much to ask for.

I want paragraphs like this, a direct quote from Obama's speech, to get the attention it deserves. Here is a candidate who recognizes our differences, but can make some very strong positive statements to unify the country. Progress.

"We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort."

context

A is for Affluence

2008-08-29T17:04:00.006-04:00

Another carnival from the APLS blog: This month's carnival is about Affluence. What do you think of the term? Does it apply to you? Do you dislike the word? Feel uncomfortable with it? Are there certain responsibilities that come with accepting that term?

The short and sweet of it is, it does apply and it makes me totally uncomfortable.

Recently, it made me uncomfortable when someone shared that her parents are millionaires and she just found out. I felt embarrassed for her for having announced that, and then felt embarrassed for myself that I had that reaction. I think I made my friend uncomfortable when I offered to pay for her train ticket to come visit me. I don't want to know how much money my parents have and I certainly don't go around announcing how much money I have (which I suppose I should admit is a lot more than the average 23 year old, especially one on a teacher's salary). Actually, not only do I not announce this fact, I hide it. I love having a reason to be frugal and sharing how little I pay for electricity and how infrequently I purchase consumer goods.

Why is money such a touchy subject? For me, its like white guilt. I don't want to be seen as someone who is privileged. I want to fit in with everyone else, and not have anyone assume that I'm a spoiled brat. Honestly, I am spoiled, not just compared to someone in a third world country, but compared to my students and the average American. My definition of spoiled doesn't mean that I can afford an iPhone (which I can, but I won't buy one), it means that I have the choice between the cheap brand and the organic one. It means that I have the flexibility to make a strong statement with where I chose to spend my money and also to make a statement with whether I spend money at all. It is one thing for someone to choose not to take a plane because they can't afford to, but it says something completely different when someone who could fly quite easily chooses to vacation nearby. I hope that people consider this responsibility when they make purchases. With each purchase or donation I try to use my money to promote change and growth in the directions I believe we should be headed in. If I want other people to begin doing the same, I think I will need to stop hiding from my affluence and start sharing that I live my life the way I do, not because I need to save money, but purely and simply because I believe it is important.

Hello, my name is Tina. I am affluent and living sustainably.

Olympic Cheer

2008-08-24T22:47:00.004-04:00

I just finished watching the Olympic closing ceremony. I feel warm and proud, of my country, the athletes, the Chinese and the world. Some reports say that 4 billion people watched some part of the 17 days of competitions/performances, so the world should be filled with this afterglow. I was at a bar in Boston for my friend's birthday the night that Phelps was racing for his 8th gold medal. Anyone outside of that bar would have been sure that the Red Sox were on, and had just completed an amazing play. At no other time is there so much energy and intent focus on the television in Boston. Yet, a large group of people were cheering at the top of their lungs, for swimming! A set of American themed songs played while we cheered and gaped and sang along, stopping occasionally to marvel that we were doing all of this for swimming. Somehow human kind needs to use this energy for progress. Beijing did amazing things to reduce pollution when athletes were about to convene there. The world stood up and spoke up about humanitarian causes and got coverage because they seemed relevant. We need to seem relevant all the time, and care about the air everyone is breathing, not just the marathon runners. How?

time vs. money

2008-08-19T15:55:00.002-04:00

Today someone tried to put a monetary value on my time. I went to get my car inspected and have some basic maintenance done. After checking in I settled into the waiting room to do some preparation work for the upcoming school year. When I'd gotten a lot done I moved on to reading my book, ate a snack, read some more and finally (after 3 hours) I went to ask how much longer it would be. Turns out that the paper work for my car had been misplaced for a while, but I was all set to go in another 40 minutes. To apologize for the mistake and the extra time, they offered to find me a coupon and gave me a $10 gas card. At that point I was hungry and stiff from sitting in a hard chair so long that I didn't care what they gave me, I just wanted to go home. As I drove back, I realized what an absurd concept that really is. My wasted time is worth $10 in gas? The two don't compare. I have been thinking a lot lately about how important my time is. I enjoy working as a teacher because of all the built in vacation time, and the fact that I get home around 4:00 (even though I have more work to do). It is very important to me that I have a short commute, because I have no interest in spending my time in the car. Having extra money is not worth wasting my time. I feel very lucky that I can say that, that I have enough money, that I can afford to live near where I work, and that even though I wish I hadn't spent so long waiting for my car today, it didn't really cost me much more than some sunshine.

Riot progress

2008-08-18T21:00:00.002-04:00

Down to 21% for water use. 4% less than last month.
Gas is the only thing I'm still unhappy with my usage of. And its only going to increase as I head to grad school classes twice a week in Boston.

Vacation Equations

2008-08-17T20:22:00.003-04:00

Six weeks of an intensive math program may have influenced my thought process slightly. As I was writing down my thoughts on the vacation I just returned from I realized I was using mathematical symbols to do so. I give you the beautiful language of symbols:

tolls = traffic = aggravation + pollution
= money to keep up the road =? limited road use

mountains = free fun

lakes = cheap fun

waterfalls = {beautiful if next to the path
{hazardous if taking over the path

rain /= time to go shopping
= time to put on waterproof gear and do everything you were going to do

bug spray = small environmental impact + great personal reward

eating out = support of a local economy + fun to do on vacation

white mountains = beautiful + not too far = excellent vacation location

Key: ?= means conjecture
= { means either, or
/= means not equal

One last equation, which I will provide a proof for:
Tina hiking = excellent ad for crocs

I happen to hate wearing socks and only do so when its cold. This means that I refuse to wear hiking boots or anything that resembles normal hiking gear, instead I wear sandals, and more recently, crocs. These are the most excellent invention for hikers like me. This fact was not entirely evident to my family, who started the week making fun of me and every time I so much as slipped a centimeter my brother pronounced "That wouldn't have happened in sneakers!" Then, we reached a stream which had decided to cross the trail. My family looked on in horror, not water! I, on the other hand, boldly crossed, found the water to be refreshing, and was able to inform them that if they could cross this one barrier, the rest of the path appeared clear. Then, and many times more (as it rained and our trails turned into rivers) everyone was jealous of my footwear. Moral of the story? Crocs are cool. Or, more generally, even if something looks weird and foreign, it may turn out to be an excellent solution to the problems you didn't anticipate.

Living Sustainably

2008-08-08T20:40:00.003-04:00

For the APLS carnival, I was going to write about living sustainably as being able to sustain yourself, with only a small community of people you actually know to depend on. I was going to tell you about growing my own vegetables, which is something I can do well, but needing someone else to hem my pants, because I simply cannot motivate myself to do it. I still believe that this small community is important. Less travel for goods and simply understanding the process that goes into the production of the items we consume is essential. But, as I write this, I am watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics. We are, and should be, part of a global community. What is happening in China matters to me. The political actions that their government takes as well as the simple beauty of the Chinese character for Harmony represented stunningly in the center of an enormous arena have an impact on my own life. Perhaps the most environmentally friendly way to engage in this global community is through the internet, such as the global handshake that Avaaz.org is passing around the world. Today I virtually shook hands with a woman in France, in solidarity, friendship and "committing to hold all our governments to a higher standard of peace, justice and respect for human dignity wherever they fall short." Living sustainably should not just be about sustaining myself, but sustaining the entire world that we share. I would say more, but I think the most important thing to do right now is appreciate the global unification of the Olympics. Watch these ceremonies, and feel how interconnected the world is. Then, in two weeks, we can decide how to capitalize on these connections for the betterment of our enormous society.

Lettuce in a Bag

2008-08-05T20:51:00.003-04:00

I am always amazed how quickly our (my) perceptions change. When I first saw lettuce being sold in plastic bags, I thought it was an absurd idea. I mean, really, who can't rip up their own lettuce? Then, time passed, and there were huge shelves of bagged lettuce, next to a smaller shelf of heads of lettuce. There was this idea that bagged lettuce stayed fresher, and it really was easier to just pour it out. Plus, that variety factor. I can't find baby spinach in my grocery store except in individual bags, and no one can use up 5 heads of lettuce fast enough to get that great bag of mixed greens. So, for a while I subscribed to the lettuce in a bag group. Then I started thinking about buying local and reducing packaging so I went back to buying "whole lettuce." Earlier this season I bought seeds for corn salad, and tried to look at the store to see if they sold it. Those bags don't even label what kinds of lettuce are in them! They just say "baby greens" but I can clearly see 3 different colors and several textures, why don't I have the right to know what I'm eating? Turns out corn salad is delicious, (mostly because it is fresh and 100% local), but, I would never have known about it shopping in the store. The real reason I was motivated to write this post though, is that last weekend my parents got me a bag of lettuce. I was disappointed at the plastic, but otherwise not terribly bothered. Guess what? It is now brown and slimy! Totally gross, the pets have been looking at me wondering if I really expect them to eat it (which I don't but I couldn't separate all the bad parts out). Heads of lettuce do not get slimy, they do not turn brown, they do not send me running to the sink to rid my hands of the goo my "stay fresh" lettuce is covered in. Heads of lettuce dry out a little, and thats okay, my pets like it that way, and I do too. In just a few years I've come a full 360 degrees. It makes me seriously consider how many other things I do, that I never would have dreamed of in the past, simply because they have become commonplace.

Its almost like what's happened with Obama. Everyone is crying out for oil, since they think it will solve their problems. Can I blame him for wondering if they are right? No, I can't, but I can blame everyone who keeps quiet even though they know that more drilling locations (when so many aren't even being used) will not solve our problems. Let your voice be heard, let your ideas become so commonplace that people will wonder how they ever thought differently. Write to Obama and tell all your friends here: http://www.environmental-action.org/enviroaction.asp?id=2637

Feel free to use the letter I wrote below, or create your own.

Sen. Obama,

I was so impressed when I heard that you were the only presidential candidate who opposed granting oil companies a tax reprieve to drop gas prices for the summer. I am sure you understand my dismay now that I hear you are willing to consider any increase in offshore oil drilling. More oil drilling will mean more oil spills, more destruction to our ocean ecosystems, and a continuation of our dependence on oil.

Please support bold new clean energy programs, and not the dirty and dangerous answers from the past. Those who are complaining now will truly thank you for it in the future, because decreasing our dependence on oil means we can have a happy and healthy one.

Simplicity

2008-08-03T22:11:00.003-04:00

The best things in life are usually the simplest ones. Friday night I relaxed and read a great book. Saturday I slept in, went for a bike ride, had fresh picked (that day!) corn for lunch and pancakes with strawberries for dinner. Today I cleaned, repotted some plants (my yucca is pushing 5' tall, and its offspring is catching up quickly), grocery shopped, napped during a thunderstorm and had a lovely phone conversation. Tonight I finish the weekend feeling accomplished and relaxed. I got everything done that I needed to, and almost everything done that I wanted to. The only thing missing- I have yet to find a spot to go swimming. The lake I biked by seems ideal, but there is only a tiny section that you're allowed to swim in and its actually just a wading area if you're more than 3 feet tall. I know there's a perfect secret lake somewhere, I just have to keep asking around until I find it.

Other things that make me disproportionately happy: I have two peppers growing now, and they are both rapidly increasing in size. There are also lots of tomatoes reaching what I expect to be full size. I keep waiting them to turn red, but watched tomatoes may be like a watched pot. Speaking of common phrases, I reinvented one this evening- "beware the path less traveled by, poison ivy may attack if you don't keep a watchful eye." A true statement regarding the park in Rockport. However, ocean water and napkins seem sufficient in poison ivy removal since I only got two tiny spots after walking through a knee-high bush of it.

One week left of classes. Then a week off in the White Mountains of NH. It really does feel like summer.

Environment P___ Agency

2008-07-30T21:54:00.004-04:00

What is it that EPA stands for again? Environmental Protection? No, must be Passive or Push-over or Pathetic or "Patently wrong". Too bad for that grasshopper...

Grist says:

The Grass Is Half Empty
EPA and Florida sucking at Everglades cleanup, says judge

Florida and the U.S. EPA have been skewered by a federal judge for their Everglades cleanup efforts (or rather, lack thereof). In 2003, Florida pushed back a deadline for reducing phosphorus pollution in the River of Grass from 2006 to 2016. By doing so, the state "violated its fundamental commitment and promise to protect the Everglades," U.S. District Judge Alan Gold ruled Tuesday. He also turned his Gavel of Shame on the EPA, saying the agency violated the Clean Water Act by not holding Florida to its deadline. The EPA turned a "blind eye" in concluding that the delay meant no change in water-quality standards, said Gold, and was "patently wrong and acted arbitrarily and capriciously." The ruling forces the EPA to review Florida's water-pollution standards for the Everglades and determine whether they pass federal muster.

More info here.

Live life lightly, and announce it brightly

2008-07-27T19:50:00.005-04:00

My brain was spinning with so many thoughts that I need to get down that I emailed myself, twice. I've occasionally done this to remind myself of something, but usually it wasn't a fact or quote, more like "Don't forget to ___ as soon as you read this." So, before I forget, this post is about stairmasters, placemats and coming out of the eco-closet. Have I piqued your curiosity?

Last week I was at a meeting with a bunch of teachers in my grad program discussing the idea of needing "real world applications" in math classes. I am a firm believer that my job is to teach problem solving; the quadratic equation is simply a context to place this habit of mind in. I have sometimes had trouble verbalizing this though. I did have a good response to the questioning of anti-derivatives and inverses: If you know how to do something (derive), hadn't you better know how to undo it (anti-derive)? But another teacher at the meeting had an excellent metaphor that applies far more generally: Do you get on the stairmaster because you need to be ready when you encounter an infinite flight of stairs? No, of course not, it is for exercise, and to develop a habit that can be applied in many situations. We're developling strong muscles, quick thinking brains.

I've realized this concept also applies to so many of the eco things I do. One woman I met recently has repeatedly reminded me that turning off my computer won't save the amount of electricity in ten years that turning off the AC for one year will. Meaning- why do you bother? When first accosted with this response, I dismissed it. Actually though, its a perfectly reasonable response. Turning off one light bulb is less than a drop in the ocean, but its a habit. Getting into the small habits makes the big ones easier. Its like the stairmaster- the point isn't the tiny amount of electricity (especially since mine comes entirely from renewable sources) the point is that in everything I do, my brain is trained to think about my impact and how to live life lightly.

Last night my family and I went to a steakhouse that my parents used to frequent when they lived in Boston. The placemats featured a drawing of a cow, with each cut outlined and labeled. The side margin featured these statistics: of a 1000 pound steer, 475 pounds are edible and 100 pounds are luxury cuts. I think this was supposed to make you feel really important about the choice piece of meat you were getting, but it just made me feel sad. I was mostly sad because of the waste but there was also the fact that they didn't have lobster and I'd spent the afternoon watching lobster traps, craving that really local meal. But back to the meat- it makes me wonder how much farm land was used to grow corn to feed to a cow that can't properly digest corn to feed a person who is only interested in 10% of the product? I've read plenty of statistics about the amount of grain required to produce one pound of meat, but I never considered the fact that more than half of the animal doesn't even get eaten. I ate salmon instead and felt bad about the suffering of that population too.

The reason I got to go out to dinner with my family last night is because they visited for the weekend. They hadn't been to visit since 2007 so a lot of eco-changes have occured since then. Before their arrival I went and hid most of my nutty environmental self in the (figurative and literal) eco-closet. I put away the grey-water collecting pot, tucked the cloth wipes in a corner and didn't ask them to bring vegetarian food. I am ashamed to admit this. Normally I am happy to announce across the internet everything I am doing and I talk to like-minded friends about changes we're making all the time. I offer little suggestions to my mother, and lament with my father when my brother can't remember to turn off the light, but I didn't want to reveal the full extent of my efforts. After the weekend is over, I fully regret that. Sure they laughed at me for hanging my laundry above my worm compost system, but really, who wouldn't? My father's response to his discovery that I am keeping my kitchen vegetarian was not to question my motivation or inquire if I'm eating healthfuly, but to ask if I wanted him to make me the vegetarian dishes he knows (he likes bringing me home made food frozen in individual servings, and I love being spoiled like that). I have realized that people can be surprisingly open and supportive of the green movement. Its okay to share things that are new and different. And honestly? Even if they had asked all the hard questions, I've read so many blogs and articles that I better know all the answers!

I think I'll make my new motto the title of this post:
Live life lightly and announce it brightly.

logic is lacking

2008-07-22T21:29:00.005-04:00

As much as I wish I could avoid politics, they are everywhere and effect everything, so I cannot rightly ignore them. The lack of logic in so many of our policies pains me, but I will be the first one to say, I don't want to wade into the mire that is our government to fix everything myself. So, I will email my representative to thank her, I will appreciate HRC for doing all the hard work to get me this information in a timely manner and I will ask you to email your representatives if you support the stance below.

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese writes:

"Eric Alva, the first American soldier wounded in Iraq, will testify before Congress tomorrow. He will speak out against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which forces people to be dishonest about their personal lives or face losing their jobs – or worse. Staff Sgt. Alva, who stepped on a landmine that resulted in the loss of his right leg, later came out as gay and is leading the fight against the law that forced him to deny his identity for so long.

With so many GLBT Americans serving courageously in Iraq and Afghanistan, momentum is rapidly building against this unfair, unsound policy. The law is exacting huge costs to the nation's best interests, even as it has dwindling public support. The military asks GLBT Americans to sacrifice for their country but won't give them fairness and dignity in exchange. Asked to defend freedom, GLBT Americans are denied their own freedom. I can't think of a policy less consistent with American values."

I recently read the book "Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers" and came upon a particularly insightful quotation which struck at the heart of this situation:

World War II WAC Sergeant Johnnie Phelps, in response to a request from General Eisenhower that she ferret out the lesbians in her battalion:

Yessir. If the General pleases I will be happy to do this investigation…. But, sir, it would be unfair of me not to tell you, my name is going to head the list…. You should also be aware that you're going to have to replace all the file clerks, the section heads, most of the commanders, and the motor pool…. I think you should also take into consideration that there have been no illegal pregnancies, no cases of venereal disease, and the General himself has been the one to award good conduct commendations and service commendations to these members of the WAC detachment.

General Eisenhower: Forget the order.
~Bunny MacCulloch interview with Johnnie Phelps, 1982

Please tell the military to do again today, as they did then, "Forget the order."

hello brain?

2008-07-20T18:36:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I worry about my brain. This weekend I have had multiple experiences to make me concerned. The first was yesterday morning- the train to Boston was running an hour late, so I decided to drive to the subway. I didn't really think this all the way through though, I just knew I was looking for a sign to Malden. It took me until I saw a sign informing I was in Worcester county for me to realize that the sign for Malden wasn't coming since I had taken the wrong highway! Had I been paying attention to the signs and if I knew the area better, I would have corrected this a very long time before. I was mildly impressed with my ability to get to another subway line from where I had gotten myself lost, but it didn't make up for the morning's stupidity. The worst part was, on the way home I looked at the map very carefully, planned out my route, and still managed to miss an exit completely without realizing it for 30 minutes. Am I really that out of the habit of driving?

Then, last night, after I finished reading my book (The Year of Living Biblically, I highly recommend it) I decided to look to see if I still had my favorite quotes marked in my bible from when I read part of it in high school. I found one, but vaguely remembered another about frogs that I couldn't find. I sat down and thought about it for a while, wondering what on earth it could have been about. Slowly, it dawned on me, that wasn't a bible verse, it was actually an Emily Dickinson poem. I'm curious what is going on in my brain that it groups Emily Dickinson and the bible into one lump of "quotes". The poem, by the way, is this one (I think!):

I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us — don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!

I suppose I should be comforted by the fact that I'm not as bad off as the people described in this article. The author claims that people can't read through a long blog post, let alone an entire book. I try to take regular breaks from the computer (all day yesterday even) and I finished an entire book this weekend, so I should be doing okay, compared to some of the world. But, I would like my brain to be, something, I don't even know what. And that bothers me.

crane again?

2008-07-18T20:29:00.003-04:00

Another crane comes crashing down. This time at an oil refinery. Seems like I was just writing about this...
On a happier note, its Friday! I have completed half of my summer program and took a midterm today. Taking that test showed that I really have learned a lot, and the stuff I've learned is fascinating. The material itself won't be particularly useful in life, but the thought process and dedication it has required certainly will be.

Tomorrow is the "World's Largest Backyard Athlete Competition" sponsored by Life is Good. It promises to be a fantastic day of outdoor fun including sunshine, music and spectatorship. Assuming they are selling clothing, I may even splurge and buy a pair of shorts. 2 of the 3 pairs I currently wear are 10 years old, I think the need is valid. Plus, money raised goes to great causes. Win, win!

Life is busy!

2008-07-16T21:35:00.003-04:00

So far this week 2 friends visited, I had 3 12 hour days of class/travel (plus a bit of fun) and no one is cleaning my apartment or taking care of my plants for me. However, there are 2 small green spheres that might turn into tomatoes soon! The test will be to see if I can wait until they are ripe, or if I get overzealous and pull them off. Somehow I don't think cherry tomatoes work well for "fried green tomatoes." I should probably just rent the movie to take care of that craving.

Also, I got some bills today. Last month I reached all time lows of 7% for Natural Gas and 25% for water. That's a 9% drop for water in just a month! Apparently flushing uses a lot and I've been filling the watering can with whatever clean waste water I have. I can't wait to see what those numbers look like in the winter when I'm only watering plants once a week (rather than almost daily for the veggies). I wish that I could send my water savings somewhere else; we've been getting tons of rain recently so its really not necessary here like it is in other climates.

spiffy title goes here

2008-07-12T12:40:00.003-04:00

I was just reading Chile's rant about blog pet peeves, including frequently listing how many devoted readers one has. She did say that she enjoys reading random search keywords though, so I decided to head over to Google Analytics to see if I'd had any good ones lately. I got: layers in gangs, linear equation lemonade, mon-esday and moneyfor fun. None of them found exactly what they were looking for and stayed a grand total of 0 seconds. However, the searcher of greenpa miami came back. People search for strange things... Also, thanks to my 5(?) loyal readers. :)

The past two weeks have been fun, but exhausting. It is totally and completely beyond my comprehension why anyone would willing live more than 15 minutes from where they work. I'm commuting into Boston to do a grad program at BU for 6 weeks. I get up at 6 (earlier than I had to for school), leave the apartment at 6:30 (or 6:35 or 6:40), drive 15 minutes, take the commuter rail for an hour, take the subway for 20 minutes, walk for 10 minutes and have 30 minutes to spare until class starts. Repeat in reverse in the evening, which gets me home around 7:15. Each part of the trip isn't bad- there's no traffic on my drive, the train is pleasant and I love the forced quiet time, I enjoy being surrounded by people in the city and the 30 minutes in the park doing the crossword is ideal. However, add it all up, multiply by two and stick 8 hours of number theory in the middle? That equals exhaustion. Plus, add in the occasional barbecue or concert and I'm left spending Saturday wondering if my brain will ever be ready for Monday. This makes me appreciate my regular year schedule very, very much. It also makes me pity those who are stuck doing this every day, or worse, those who are driving 1-2 hours to and from work every day. The village theory of town planning is sounding better and better every time I ponder it.

Today's plan- grand opening of a local farmer's market, apparently its a big party!

civilization should be like ants

2008-07-05T11:51:00.002-04:00

I have recently been inspired by ants. Between two experiences of having them take over my kitchen (still working on the proper moisture level in the compost bin) and listening to a Radio Lab episode about them, I think they are a great model for civilization.

Colonies of ants have no government or specific duties. Each day they all take random paths wandering around their neighborhoods. One day, one of them, we'll call him Fred, finds a good path. Since they have been leaving a pheromone trail everywhere they go, another ant may happen along and wonder what happens if they follow Fred's path. Two ants going along the same path means the pheromones are doubled. Eventually if enough ants decide this "good" path is worth traveling, the scent will be so strong the entire colony will be taking the same route. Out of chaos, comes order. Its not just a semblance of order either.

Last week I had a mini-outbreak in my kitchen and I got to see what the initial stage of this looks like- pure randomness. There was one ant on my computer, one at the edge of the carpet and one on the shelf. No one knew where they were going, they were just out to explore. A few hours later several of them were taking the same path along the wall and I was able to see that they had found the container that had held my plants at school, which still had some apparently delicious mushy vegetation.

I found the major outbreak when I returned home from a weekend away. There was a line of ants traveling from their home to a plant pot. They were taking the most direct path possible- along the floor, up the counter, along the edge, up a specific leaf and into the pot; repeat in reverse - none of them wavered from it. No single ant had told everyone, "Hey! Guess what? I found a whole pile of supplies, follow along and help me get it!" Each ant just happened upon it, wondering why everyone else had gone that way. They realized the dirt was useful, and took some. Hundreds of tiny creatures were completely organized and being very productive, without anyone ever telling them what to do.

All it takes is someone like you, wandering around and sharing your path. If it turns out to be a good one, others will follow, we will reach critical mass and the entire civilization will begin following the same path together. Sure, it would be great if the government would spread the message far and wide, but we can do it ourselves, just like the ants.

groceries take two

2008-06-27T20:49:00.002-04:00

Today I went to the farm store and grocery store. I went a little overboard when I saw all the fresh local produce! Apparently the very end of June is when food production begins around here. I bought strawberries, tomatoes and lettuce from Massachusetts. Asparagus came from New Jersey and an artichoke came from some unknown location (I forgot to check). That makes 5 fresh whole items, 3 of which were known local. Then I headed to the grocery store. 3 fresh whole items, 6 dry packaged items (do raisins really fit here?) and 6 wet packaged items. Two were local, three were organic.

Grand total: 8 fresh whole, 6 dry packaged, 6 wet packaged. 5 local, 3 organic.

Compared to last trip: 6 fresh whole, 2 dry packaged and 7 wet packaged. 1 local, 4 organic.

New goals: Find out what else is local, cut down on wet packaged things (especially the ones that aren't organic or local) and head to the farmers market.

I also tried to go on a bike ride, which ended up extending as far as the driveway of my apartment complex. I live on a hill. A really steep one. To get from the road to my apartment you have to traverse .5 mile of switchbacks. I got a great workout just heading down to drop off the trash. I really do want to do this bike commute thing, but lingering allergies combined with the fact that I can't easily ride up my own driveway? I'm also a little wary of leaving my bike at the train station for 12 hours. I'll drive it on Monday and see how things look, but I might need some new ideas on how to cut down transportation numbers.

Its all relative

2008-06-26T19:22:00.003-04:00

I was checking my budget today and realized I haven't paid an electricity bill in a while. In every other case I love my e-bills, but somehow National Grid and I don't always sync up. So, I found that there were two bills waiting for me, and the initial shock of the high price had me worried about usage. Then when I went to my bill the graph showed an increase for June! I hadn't increased since January- maybe the J months have it out to get me. In a panic I went and input my number in the Riot Calculator, it showed 2%, which had me further confused. My numbers have never been that low. How could I possible have used more electricity and had a smaller percent? Even my worst math students could tell you that just doesn't work. I finally figured out that in my last calculations I was still using the conventional box, even though I switched to renewable a while back. So in fact, even with my increase, I get to decrease my published number. And to think, all I set out to do was pay an overdue bill!

And now to the regularly scheduled post... (Do I ever post regularly? Hm, that might be an interesting regression. Focus!)

Now that its summer I get to do all the things that I really want to do, like drive 1.5 hours to Newton every day. Okay, so thats not exactly the best way to start out my summer of reduced fuel consumption but for a lot of reasons, its what happened for 3 days. To distract myself from my plummeting mileage as I sat in traffic I listened to radio lab podcasts. I love this show, it combines the child and the nerd in me. They ask a seemingly simple question such as "can you live without lies?" and get some fascinating answers from experts in a number of relevant fields. One study showed that lying to yourself (denial) makes people happier and more successful. I've always been a big fan of denial, and I love having science to back me up. This study made me think that the key to life is captured perfectly in the words of this prayer:

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.

In other words- let denial take over when worry is getting in the way of your life. When worry will motivate necessary action, you should be worried until you take care of the problem. The eternal optimist that I am, this resonates with me. Sometimes I feel guilty for not being depressed about the state of the world, but then I think of all the things that I am doing along with so many others. And none of us would be accomplishing anything if we were sitting around being depressed. So, go live life joyfully and when you encounter yet another problem, just fix it!

Economically Stimulating

2008-06-24T21:34:00.003-04:00

As of yesterday at 3:07 I am a veteran teacher. Yes, all it takes to get that title in my school is surviving one year and making the insane decision to return for another.

A week ago I got a water bill saying I had used 1038 gallons in 40 days. That puts me at 26% of the average American (down from 34% at last check). The drop is due to shorter showers (turning off water in the middle), plus some general awareness. I'm surprised how much it dropped! Maybe I really will reach 10% with the changes I've made recently, although the plants have been very thirsty as of late.

I finally took the plunge, wiped my computer, and installed Ubuntu. Wow. Its amazing. The 8 minute start up? Replaced by 1 minute. The slow run time from using incompatible programs? Gone. I easily installed every program I wanted and removed everything I didn't. The interface is easy, logical and simple- just like I want life to be! Plus, Linux people are often mathy, which means that a standard program is one that develops beautiful fractals. This makes me happy in a way I can't put in words.

Today as I was driving home there was a huge thunder/lightning/rain/hail storm. It was intense enough to slow even the crazy Boston drivers to a crawl. The sky was dark and the noise of the rain and hail drowned out the booming thunder, not to mention my podcast. At one point so much pea sized hail was falling that it felt like I was driving on gravel. I know rain and hail occur during the summer in New England, but it made me wonder what sorts of intense weather we'll be experience as the climate continues to shift and morph.

Last Friday I received my "Economic Stimulus Package" and decided to put it right to work. For Father's day (a week after most celebrated it) my family convened in CT to canoe down the Farmington River. I was more than happy to hand over $120 of economic stimulation to a local company that provided canoes and a van service to drop us upriver. It was an exciting (rapids) and peaceful (calm water) experience that the four of us will remember forever. Even though I think the check sending program is absurd, I look forward to being economically stimulating by donating to and supporting small organizations that emphasize experiences, not things.

wigglers

2008-06-16T19:45:00.003-04:00

My worms arrived on Saturday and seem to be settling in nicely. There was plenty of food in various states of decomposition ready and waiting for them. I know that you aren't supposed to disturb them, but I can't help but peak, frequently, to see how they're doing, make sure they aren't dying en masse and coo at them for finding their food so quickly. Yea, I know, "seriously woman, adopt some kids already so you have something normal to coo at." I'll get there some day, but for now worms, vegetation and degus are the only available recipients for my incessant nurturing.

The grey water flushing has been working like a charm. By leaving my 6 quart pot in the sink I collect nearly enough water with normal hand washing and tooth brushing type activities for a flush. Plus when I showered I plugged the drain and that got me a few more. My scooping method is not ideal (flimsy plastic flower pot liners that I was using as pots for the seedlings) but it was functional for a lazy Sunday. I also don't mind running the fresh water a little since I know its significantly less fresh water than would be used typically. The pot is almost sink shaped, so it doesn't get in the way too much, but I do have to remove it to wet my hair (on the days I don't shower).

I'm still in the data collection stage of analyzing my food. Yes, I am a math teacher, how did you guess? Today I went to the grocery store (since I forgot the farm store is closed on Mondays but I was out of food, and already in town). I bought 6 fresh, whole items (fruits, veggies and fungi); 2 dry packaged items (bread and wraps) and 7 wet packaged items. Four things were certified organic (3 wet, one dry). The only things I know are local are the wraps (the Cedar's factory is just up the road from here). One goal is to buy what I can from the farm store, since at least I'm supporting a local business. The next goal is to check out the farmer's market, which starts July 5. Beyond that, we'll see what the data shows!

One other thing-
When I turned my computer on today it showed a blue screen of death. I was secretly pleased. Then I restarted and everything worked perfectly. It almost motivated me to wipe and install Linux. But I'm scared.

Riot Progress

2008-06-13T21:11:00.005-04:00

I have a few Riot updates. Last post I didn't have a good estimate of my garbage use, so I took note what day I emptied the trash and one week later weighed in. This was highly unscientific since a) I have no scale and b) I had a friend stay with me a few days of last week. However, I managed to accumulate very little trash and used my resources to calculate its mass. Holding trash and recycling (glass, plastic and metal) in one hand, and a container of salt in the other hand, I felt like a balanced scale. The salt container says it is 1 lb 10 ounces, but it wasn't full, but I didn't include my paper recycling. Even if I round up to 2 pounds that puts me at 6% of the average consumer. The weight was primarily in the glass bottles (we splurged on ginger beer), so I'm going to go out on a limb and say my trash production is really low, and not a personal priority. I'm still waiting on my actual worms, but their compost pile is getting nicely decomposed so they'll be able to dig right in. The decrease in water use for the disposal is definitely a plus.

I received a gas bill today, my lowest yet! This certainly has everything to do with the warm weather and nothing to do with me, but it was still exciting. Seven therms puts me at 9% in the heating and cooking category.

I've been doing some research on how to cut down on water use. Constantly cutting down on shower time is goal one, but its not a very fun goal. Goal two is reusing "waste" water. I've determined that it takes two small containers of water for the shower to heat up, and I use those to water my very thirsty plants. I lost my peas to the heat wave, and the peppers are barely holding on. Outdoor container gardening requires a lot of vigilance! I have also determined that when people instruct you to use a pipe wrench, metal pliers are not a good substitute. The PVC pipes under my sink look like the degus got in there to nibble, but still refuse to release their water. Not gonna lie though, the warning about noxious gases makes me reconsider my planned method of water collection. Plus the fact that I'm renting and my only remaining option is to use that really cool saw I bought... This leaves me searching for a suitable container to collect sink and shower water. Green Bean and I have decided I could become a rich woman selling tub and sink shaped containers or scoops in drought ridden areas. I can't wait to find even some vaguely appropriate container since I discovered (via Riot emails) that I can flush merely by pouring water into the toilet bowl, using even less water than a normal flush and not leaving any grey water to fester in the tank. If you're as curious as I am, here is the explanation of the wonders of your toilet's inner workings. Now I'm off to find something to hold two gallons of water in, I'm starting to see the benefits of being a pack rat!

Update: 6 quart pot worked perfectly! This is too cool.

Riot 4 Austerity

2008-06-07T21:04:00.003-04:00

Since I have been using the riot calculator so much I decided that I may as well officially join. To mark my progress as a rioter I'm comparing baseline of when I moved in to this apartment to now. From now on I'll also post every time I calculate.

August/First Available:
R4A Calculator summary:
| Transport: 41% | Elec: 17% | H&C: 9% | Water: 45% | Goods: 49% |

17 gallons gas per month
152 kwh electricity per month (conventional)
7 therms natural gas per month
1347 gallons water per month
$400 new consumer goods per month

Most Recent:
R4A Calculator summary:
| Transport: 54% | Elec: 10% | H&C: 10% | Water: 34% | Goods: 8% |

22 gallons gasoline per month
92 kwh electricity per month (all renewable, mainly hydro)
8 therms natural gas per month
1014 gallons water per month
$65 new consumer goods per month ($45 for compost bin supplies)

Transport is the biggest thing I have to work on. It went up since I wasn't working in August. I drive 10 minutes to work, 10 minutes home, 5 days a week. My car is not terribly efficient (I've worked my way up to 26 mpg), but my driving is. I run errands on the way home so I don't have to make extra trips and I don't really drive many places anyway. Now that allergy season has ended I'll be biking more. I rode to the farm store today, cars aren't nearly as scary as I expected! But, this summer I'll be commuting to Boston every day. It will be a bike + train commute, but 80 miles of public transport a day still comes out to a lot.

I'm proud of my electricity and natural gas numbers, I don't intend to make any more changes in those areas. I just hope that summer heat won't change them (I'll require limited AC so I don't kill my pets).

Water is the area that I'm stuck on. I can't fathom where all that water is going! I shower 3 times a week (and only have the water on to get wet and rinse off), do 1 load of laundry a week, run the dishwasher maybe 2 times a week, cook, flush 2-3 times a day and water 22 pots of plants. I guess all that adds up. I use grey water for plants when I can. Next step is to figure out how hard it is to set up a collection system from the faucet(s).

I was shocked to see how low my purchases are compared to average. I was fully aware that I don't buy much, but in August I set up my entire apartment. I moved here from college, so all I had was my parent's old basement furniture to use in the living room and my grandmother's old kitchen supplies. I bought a dining room table set, bed, dresser, tv, tv stand and those million little things that you forget you need until its not there. That month I spent $400 on new stuff, which doesn't amount to half of what the average person spends! I also had a $200 gift certificate to target, even if I spent the entire thing in August (which I didn't) I would have spent 73% of what the average American buys in a month. What on earth is everyone buying??? I hope this category includes car payments or something that I'm not thinking of. Otherwise this planet is doomed.

Overall, I'm happy with my numbers. I look forward to biking a lot this summer, hopefully so much that I'll want to continue when I return to work in the fall. Any suggestions on how to help the water situation would be greatly appreciated!

Crunchy Chicken

2008-06-06T18:00:00.002-04:00

One amazing woman has had a huge impact on the carbon footprint of countless people, myself included. This woman is Crunchy Chicken. We are currently thanking her for her continued efforts and selfless initiatives, even in the face of great hardship, through donating to her organization Goods For Girls. When Crunchy made the decision to sign off of her blog for a while she said that she wouldn't be missed since there were so many other blogs like hers. I was shocked to hear that there was anyone else out there anywhere near her level, so I went on a crazed search for an appropriate substitute. I did stumble upon a few great blogs, but none could replace her. No one else offers constant challenges and inspiration that makes you feel like anything would be easy. She had me convinced that I could live without electricity for a month! Granted a lot of things got in the way of me going all the way off the grid (particularly the fact that the chosen month was May which is peak allergy season when I am not feeling up to finding creative ways around things), but I did make another significant dent in my electricity usage because I was motivated and didn't want to get left out. Crunchy is always making us think, then laugh, then feel proud of our accomplishments while knowing that we still have a long way to go. Thank goodness she is continuing to do this after her 24 hour "sign off." Thank you!!

productivity

2008-06-04T20:49:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I had a very productive day. During the day I got tons of organizing and grading done since I was proctoring MCAS for three hours (sooo long). On the way home I went grocery shopping. When I arrived at my door there was a package waiting- my compost bin! More accurately, the box contained some of the parts which would be necessary in the creation of my compost bin. I bought two "extra" levels of a worm condominium. They were made from recycled plastic so I don't feel as guilty about buying something to throw my trash in. Since I didn't get the whole set up I needed to make my own lid and base. I bought mesh, a 6 foot piece of wood and a saw. Not gonna lie, I'm really excited that I now own a saw. Using my really impressive carpentry skills I cut the wood into a frame (with a few bits left over to use as feet) and nailed it together. Add a little duct tape to attach the mesh and I have a stable lid to keep the worms happily inside their home. With an extra layer of mesh on the bottom of the lower level, a plastic sheet (unfolded bag) underneath and the feet in place I now have a worm-friendly, but escape free, compost bin with air flow. While doing all of this I also baked 12 pumpkin muffins and 2.5 loaves of pumpkin bread. Delicious breakfast for several weeks!

Today I added shredded paper and some food waste to the bins so the hungry worms due to arrive in the mail any day will have something to dig right in to. I also watered plants. I'm beginning to wonder if the plants are the reason my water usage is so high (34% of the US average according to Riot for Austerity). Cooking my own meals and washing my own dishes every day probably also contributes, but I'm willing to bet that 22 pots of thirsty plants is a significant factor in my inability to get down to the goal of 10%.

technology

2008-06-01T12:04:00.002-04:00

In order to get directions today I had to turn on my computer, wait 8 minutes, go to google maps and look them up. I could have gotten them from my friend, but she uses a gps, so she didn't know where she was going until she was already there. People used to get directions from maps, but I only have maps of my local area, not places an hour away.

This experience makes me want to be less dependent on my computer. But, I also really want a new one. It takes 8 minutes for me to do anything, then another minute to open a program, unless its excel, that will take several minutes. Waiting might be good for me, it certainly makes me hesitant to use the computer until I need it. But its also wasting tons of electricity I'm sure. And it doesn't help that I just really want a Mac. Five years doesn't seem like a long time for a piece of equipment to last, but for a laptop, it is. I wonder if I could wipe the computer and download Apple's interface. It wouldn't change the battery life (shorter than the time it takes to turn on) but it might clear out whatever causes it to take so long to turn on... I want the cool new thing and to be eco-friendly, dilemma!

Neon green straps

2008-05-28T22:09:00.004-04:00

This makes me depressed:
If you think about people in great need of free medical clinics, the tribes in Guyana may seem reasonable. That is where this man started his charity work. "But now Stan spends most of his time bringing relief to the richest country in the world." (The United States)

On a brighter note, I had a superbly productive weekend. I geared my bike with a basket (from Salvation Army, attached with the velcro that comes on my lettuce, neon green of course) and otherwise prepped for the pedaling season (post-pollen). Vegetables moved outside to the balcony, some other plants got repotted. I started teaching myself to play the guitar (after finally finding a good book at my parent's house). Tons of grading got done (beyond what I had even hoped to accomplish) and I planned out the end of the school year, which is rapidly approaching! I cleaned, organized and sorted, resulting in a large pile of items to give away. Completed the book I was reading, did pilates and still had plenty of time to catch up on sleep. Three day weekends full of sunshine are amazing!

One other thing, I went grocery shopping. Normally this is not a momentous event. But, since I have a friend living with me for the week, I could buy all the produce I wanted without worrying it would spoil before I ate it! Okay, no, I couldn't buy everything, but I did get grapes, raspberries, red and orange peppers, portabello mushrooms, an avocado, an onion, tomatoes, a couple varieties of lettuce and fresh mozzarella. Usually I buy 1-2 peppers and lettuce for the degus. Sometimes I'll replace a pepper with another veggie, that I have to scramble to finish. Shopping for two is so much cooler than trying to find variety in eating asparagus 4 nights in a row. Plus, I had someone who wanted to go get gelato at 9 pm this evening when I mentioned craving ice cream. Living alone has some perks, but I'm seeing a lot of benefits to sharing space. Now if I could only find someone who could live with me without requiring the sleeper sofa to be unfolded all the time...

affluence

2008-05-23T20:22:00.002-04:00

I found the new side bar icon on Arduous' website along with this link which informed me that I'm in the top 4.62% of the world. Plus I get a decent raise next year for sticking around, plus I have savings that don't get factored into that at all. I thought I was aware of the conditions other countries were in, but its really hard to wrap my mind around the prevalence of poverty when we stack people up based purely on income. And we think public school teachers have it rough...

Doing what for the grasshoppers?

2008-05-23T18:25:00.002-04:00

Between reading the archives of a new (to me) blog and posting yesterday that I am doing it for the grasshoppers, I've been trying to think of what exactly it is that I'm doing. I'm stealing Arduous' list and editing it to fit my own habits.

I...
participated in buy nothing (except food and gas) month and didn't notice any differences from a normal month
bring my own bags on the rare occasion I do buy something (usually groceries)
take public transportation if its convenient, try to drive like a hyper-miler when its not
hardly used any heat. (thermostat set at Degu survival temp, 65* and taking advantage of neighbors and sun heat)
have the AC set at 80* (slightly higher than Degu survival temp but the thermostat is in a different room and I won't open the shade in their space)
use cloth instead of toilet paper, paper towels, sponges and tissues
let it mellow.
love my diva cup
take navy showers (surprisingly easy, especially with Dr. Bonner's tingly and warm peppermint soap, which as a bonus is totally natural)
save bread bags to use as lunch bags, re-use Ziploc bags, save plastic containers as Tupperware.
use every possible side/corner of paper for printing, list making, writing hall passes...
buy 100% recycled paper for the limited printing and photocopying needs at school.
do not clean excessively and with very limited chemicals (microfiber cloth, pants get worn until they are noticeably stained, my laundry soap is basically baking soda in a pretty green bottle)
only use my dryer as a shelf for my drying rack, which sits under my indoor clothes line.
have a maximum of one light on in the apartment at any one time
use power strips for all appliances whose plug I can reach
buy organic/local food whenever possible, my kitchen is a vegetarian space
will have really local herbs and vegetables, a la personal balcony garden.
do all sorts of crazy little things I couldn't possible mention like using a hair dryer diffuser to spread the water over my plants, concoct a clip for my mp3 player from a rubber band and old cell phone clip, etc.

I've always:
Not drank single serving bottled drinks
Rarely eaten out/gotten take out, not eaten frozen or one-serving convenience meals.
(Otherwise known as eating homemade meals daily)
Shut down the computer when its not in use
recycled everything possible (which reminds me, I need to complain again that we can't recycle cans. As in metal! The most recyclable of all materials!)

I want to:
compost
bike places rather than driving (like the grocery store, farm store and train station since I have to commute to Boston this summer)

So, if you're still reading I'm impressed, this has turned into an exercise for myself, not that this blog has ever been anything else. I'm also not ashamed to admit that when I get my bills I plug in my water, gas and electric here to see how I'm doing. Always makes me feel cool.

Save the grasshoppers!

2008-05-22T21:56:00.003-04:00

In case you don't believe that species diversity really exists and that the everglades are worth protecting (and not mis-managing, stupid fires), check out this totally awesome photo:

Yup, that is my hand, and that thing is real, it was hanging around just a couple weeks ago. When I saw it I couldn't decide if it was a prehistoric being magically joining us today, or just a toy that I had seen in the science museum. It was quite friendly. I put my hand down on the railing for perspective and it climbed right up! Even hung on for the ride to visit the rest of my friends down the path. A little tickly with those weird sticky feet, but generally totally awesome.
I hope it made it through the blaze.

Polar bears may be cute and cuddly, but I'm doing it for the grasshopper.

Welcome to Miami

2008-05-14T21:02:00.003-04:00

This weekend was a mini-vacation. A couple friends and I went down to Miami on Saturday and returned on Monday. The travel was complicated (as always) but I fully enjoyed my time there. We spent Sunday alternately kayaking and snorkeling in the keys (I never realized how many definitions there are for the word key, this is referencing low islands and reefs). The weather was perfect, the water totally clear and nature surrounded us. In some cases it surrounded us quite closely- we kayaked through a mangrove forest where the roots and branches grow together in amazing patterns. There were small channels, little throughways and suddenly an opening into the bay. Even right by the coast there were fascinating fish, coral and sea life. One being looked like silly string sprayed across the rocks and reef, but apparently if you reach toward it the tendrils get sucked up inside! We also spent some time at the everglades and saw a great number of alligators, plus some turtles and fish. The most exciting was definitely a grasshopper which looked like this (this is a similar one at a distance, it was actually that first bright color though). It walked around on my hand allowing us to take pictures and marvel at the fact that it was real. I had seen models of them in science museums, but I thought they were toys, not so realistic! I wasn't cool enough to actually carry my own camera, but I'm hoping to nab some other people's photos soon.

Between feeling guilty for the excess of pollution this weekend caused and hating the chaos that is air travel I'm swearing off flying. My bag got lost twice, flights were delayed and missed, I didn't get any meals after breakfast Monday, etc. We really need to master teleporting, it will instantly solve so many problems! Planes are generally awful, but I like seeing my friends and escaping the pollen.

sprinting, my new hobby

2008-05-01T17:13:00.003-04:00

When I told one of my classes yesterday that I was "allergic to the outside" they were shocked and confused. They wondered how I could get home. I told them (exaggerating a bit) that I run from school to my car, then again run from the car to my apartment. One student was concerned that I wouldn't be able to go shopping, I assured her I could still run out to my car, and then run into the store. I explained that if I don't do that, my eyes get red and my face puffs up. Another student said I would look like a smoker, which wouldn't be good.

This morning I woke up with a puffy red eye, and no amount of eye drops was going to fix the problem completely. First thing someone says to me when they arrive to class: "You didn't run fast enough to your car this morning!"

Happy May Day!

travels

2008-04-27T19:06:00.003-04:00

I have been on vacation for the past week. It has brought a wide variety of experiences, having little to do with algebra, calculus, Lawrence or high school.

Friday evening I headed to Charlton (near Worcester) to visit friend 1. We had a great evening, I had a little too much fun, crashed and took it easy on Saturday.

Sunday provided the opportunity to do some shopping. I had to break my buy nothing vow to get degu and teaching supplies, but I only got the bare essentials (dust, bedding, paper and markers). My swedish ivy got a solid trimming, it was as tall as I am, so I snipped every last tendril and planted them to give away to everyone I saw over the course of the week. The baby ivies assumed a position blocking the television to commemorate "turn off the tv" week.

Marathon Monday gave me a great excuse to visit friend 2 in Boston. My timing was a little off, so I was taking the green line past Fenway at 11:00. This happened to be exactly when the game started, a prime time to travel to see the marathon and one of the many hours when a nearby station was closed for the marathon. The baby plant and I survived it without too much trouble though, and I spent the afternoon walking the course, cheering, and being in total awe of everyone. 25,000 registered runners. 25,000 people who have run 26.2 miles on some other occasion fast enough to qualify for this race. One man wore a placard proclaiming this as his 100th marathon. It was amazing to be confronted with so many examples of happy, healthy, goal oriented and persevering people. I feel rejuvenated in remembering.

Tuesday was Earth Day. I celebrated by using no electricity for almost the entire day. Since I was suffering the consequences of a day outside (allergies and, pathetically, being sore from walking far more than I usually do) I allowed one light bulb to read a book by in the evening. Over the week I went through Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan and Ellen Degeneres' The Funny Thing Is... (which was very funny). I also picked up What Night Brings because I discovered my local library has a GLBT book club and that's the book for this month. I am shocked and thrilled at this discovery.

Wednesday was quiet, I had a lovely dinner out with friend 3.

Thursday I departed for Maine to visit friend 4. We hung out with the kids she nannies for, I very much wanted to take home the adorable 2 year old, but for some reason her mother wanted her back. An evening in the city prompted a night of very good sleep.

Friday we drove to Manchester, NH so she could fly out to dog sit in New Mexico. Some people are so lucky; they don't have dog allergies! (And get all expense paid trips to cool places.) I was pleasantly surprised to discover how close Manchester is to me, but unpleasantly surprised to discover the price difference between Manchester and Boston flights. As long as I was already driving all over New England I figured I may as well head down to CT to visit with my parents and friend 5.

Saturday I bought plane tickets to Miami! Then I explored West and Central Hartford with friend 5. We browsed (but did not buy), consumed ice cream, enjoyed the disco-like 'laser car wash' and got take out from the very sketchy, but delicious, falafel market. The evening was spent playing games, and so I completed the entire week without turning on a television!

Sunday offered a Jazz Brunch as a fundraiser for the rotary. Delicious food, fabulous music. A very relaxing and pleasant way to end a wonderful week!

And so this concludes this incredibly long post about an equally long week. I seem to recall something called teaching that I used to do. I hear I'll have to do it again tomorrow. We'll see about that.