Yesterday, Isaiah was studying the Chinese horoscope he received at school, when he read off the attributes to those born in the year of the horse. He told me it says I should be smart, and that yes, he believes me to be very smart. Then he said, "...and popular. Have you been popular, Momma?" I said, yes, absolutely. So he asked the natural question,
"When?"
*sigh* Kids are great for the ego.
Here's an interesting explanation I've just read on language, while I'm researching for a presentation for school. Just wanted to share, because it's pretty profound stuff.
Language is the combination of semantics (vocabulary), syntax (form or structure of the language—tenses, word order, plurality, etc.), and pragmatics (how language is used to meet communication needs). Language has meaningful patterns. Language is arbitrary, its symbols agreed upon by its users. Language is symbolic. Users encode their life experiences into words or signs, then recipients decode the messages to understand the experience. Language is social and modified by experience. Language has grammar. These rules define relationships between words or signs and sentences. Language has meanings that go beyond dictionary meanings. Language is variable among individuals. Language evolves and changes over time. People communicate language through different forms and modalities. Speech, writing and signing are examples of different modalities. Language does not need to have a written form.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
I've Got Something To Say!
I said I wasn't coming back till I had something to say, right?
Lats Friday, I got on a plane, and I flew to New Mexico to surprise my sister.
How's THAT for new and interesting?!
And yes, I said surprise. Through careful planning with her husband, she didn't know. I spent 2 and a half days with her and her amazing family. After all these years, nothing awkward, nothing missing. In fact, it was like having a piece of my heart restored. We talked non stop, morning until night. And her kids! They're great, funny, smart. It was hard for me to leave, and if I hadn't been rushing to my plane at the last minute, I'd have started to cry. Now that I'm home, it's hard to believe I was really there.
Lats Friday, I got on a plane, and I flew to New Mexico to surprise my sister.
How's THAT for new and interesting?!
And yes, I said surprise. Through careful planning with her husband, she didn't know. I spent 2 and a half days with her and her amazing family. After all these years, nothing awkward, nothing missing. In fact, it was like having a piece of my heart restored. We talked non stop, morning until night. And her kids! They're great, funny, smart. It was hard for me to leave, and if I hadn't been rushing to my plane at the last minute, I'd have started to cry. Now that I'm home, it's hard to believe I was really there.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Who Is ...
Piers Morgan, and why the hell should I care? Why is his name all over CNN? does he run a counrty? No. Now go away, man with the stupid name.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Could It BE Any More Random?
Last night I had a dream. My husband left me for an ex girlfriend. I went to a party, he was there. I started flirting with Matt LeBlanc to make him jealous. Someone mentioed that the kids had been left with a questionable baby sitter, that turned out to be Bill Murray.
I've got to stop eating before bed.
I've got to stop eating before bed.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
And We're Back!
Isaiah was typing up a report on sharks yesterday. When I went in to check on his progress, this is what he had written:
"sharks are more feersom in your imagination than in real life. they can way up to 5,000 pounds I read aoubt it. they can have up to 20,000 teeth. ok we'll be right back ............................ 773, 202 doo dooo doo dooo loona! OK were back............ this is sparta! kick ..................."
I'm sure his teacher will love it. For non-Chicagoans, the 773-202-LUNA is, and will always be, his favorite local commercial. For Chicagoans, I know it's running through your head right now. So I don't know if he was hoping to get a corporate sponsor for his shark report, but he's courting LUNA pretty hard!
The 7th and 8th grades are "adopting" a refugee family from Iraq, working through our local Catholic Charities. D is excited about being a part of the plan, as each kid (and therefore, family) is helping to contribute to a welcome kit to help with their transition. It includes basics like cleaning supplies, rice, flour, cooking oil, tea and the like. We're also pitching in for things like pots and pans, bedding and dishes. While the family is settling here in Chicago, our students will learn about the history of Iraq, what's happening now, and what the experience may be like for families like this one, who have left and are starting over somewhere new. This is exactly the kind of project they need to be more connected to what's going on outside their own little worlds. Once the family is settled in, the kids will get a chance to meet them. I swear, this kind of thing makes me almost teary eyed.
Updates:
AZ - shooting people = bad. Hey Sarah Palin, with your shit about, "Don't retreat, reload" and other assholes showing propaganda using crosshairs - stop it. If record companies and video game developers can be held accountable for violent images, so should you.
Rahm for Mayor - Politics is like a sport in Chicago. Last week, President Clinton was here to stump for Rahm, yesterday he was stricken from the ballot by the appellate court, today it looks as if he's been restored by the IL Supreme Court. As long as no one's shooting any opponents, let's keep with the fun.
School lunches - I read a bit on CNN about a brilliant blog called Fed Up With Lunch, a teacher who ate and analyzed her school's lunches for a year. Bravo, I say. Our school periodically offers organic, feel-good food, but A) it's too damn expensive and B) I know my kids won't touch their organic rice pilaf with a 10 foot pole.
School - I've been trying (unsuccessfully, obviously) for a week to place myself at a local school for some observation, as mandated by the syllabus for my Educational Differences class. We were told by our professor to be prepared for our calls to go unanswered. Excuse me? I'm sensing I'm going to be the squeaky wheel soon.
"sharks are more feersom in your imagination than in real life. they can way up to 5,000 pounds I read aoubt it. they can have up to 20,000 teeth. ok we'll be right back ............................ 773, 202 doo dooo doo dooo loona! OK were back............ this is sparta! kick ..................."
I'm sure his teacher will love it. For non-Chicagoans, the 773-202-LUNA is, and will always be, his favorite local commercial. For Chicagoans, I know it's running through your head right now. So I don't know if he was hoping to get a corporate sponsor for his shark report, but he's courting LUNA pretty hard!
The 7th and 8th grades are "adopting" a refugee family from Iraq, working through our local Catholic Charities. D is excited about being a part of the plan, as each kid (and therefore, family) is helping to contribute to a welcome kit to help with their transition. It includes basics like cleaning supplies, rice, flour, cooking oil, tea and the like. We're also pitching in for things like pots and pans, bedding and dishes. While the family is settling here in Chicago, our students will learn about the history of Iraq, what's happening now, and what the experience may be like for families like this one, who have left and are starting over somewhere new. This is exactly the kind of project they need to be more connected to what's going on outside their own little worlds. Once the family is settled in, the kids will get a chance to meet them. I swear, this kind of thing makes me almost teary eyed.
Updates:
AZ - shooting people = bad. Hey Sarah Palin, with your shit about, "Don't retreat, reload" and other assholes showing propaganda using crosshairs - stop it. If record companies and video game developers can be held accountable for violent images, so should you.
Rahm for Mayor - Politics is like a sport in Chicago. Last week, President Clinton was here to stump for Rahm, yesterday he was stricken from the ballot by the appellate court, today it looks as if he's been restored by the IL Supreme Court. As long as no one's shooting any opponents, let's keep with the fun.
School lunches - I read a bit on CNN about a brilliant blog called Fed Up With Lunch, a teacher who ate and analyzed her school's lunches for a year. Bravo, I say. Our school periodically offers organic, feel-good food, but A) it's too damn expensive and B) I know my kids won't touch their organic rice pilaf with a 10 foot pole.
School - I've been trying (unsuccessfully, obviously) for a week to place myself at a local school for some observation, as mandated by the syllabus for my Educational Differences class. We were told by our professor to be prepared for our calls to go unanswered. Excuse me? I'm sensing I'm going to be the squeaky wheel soon.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Still Whining, Louis!
Time can pass quickly for mortals when they're happy. With us, it was the same.
Not that I'm implying that we're not mortal or anything, but I do love that line from Interview With the Vampire, and it goes a ways in explaining why I haven't been blogging much.
Think I'm going to take a short hiatus, and come back with a bang. Or a promotion. Or something.
Not that I'm implying that we're not mortal or anything, but I do love that line from Interview With the Vampire, and it goes a ways in explaining why I haven't been blogging much.
Think I'm going to take a short hiatus, and come back with a bang. Or a promotion. Or something.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
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