Post #500
There is a part of me that thinks that a post as auspicious and milestone marking as #500 deserves to be a little more interesting than what you are about to read – but, I feel happy just to be posting anything at all. It has been one crazy week. I substitute taught the past 3 days in a row, and yesterday about did me in. If there ever was a time where I thought I wanted to be a full time teacher, I am now fully convinced that I am not up to the task. Kudos to teachers who are still smiling at the end of each and every day and who are willing to get up and do it again and again!
I subbed for the art teacher and while I had some really great classes, I also had some nerve wracking – drive me to drink ones too that are forever etched in my mind. 2nd grade girl yelling and dishing huge attitude at me (and I’m considered to be a “fun” sub) – group of girls painting on the bathroom walls, instead of washing their hands. Their homeroom teacher and the principal were not happy! But, I think the worst thing is that the poor art teacher only has 45 minutes to spend with each class once a week – so it’s a whirlwind of setting up/making/cleaning and I had a hard time catching my breath. There were other minor incidents – mostly ones involved trying to motivate kids to make the projects, follow directions etc. Maybe I’ll post some of their apology letters that their teachers had them write to me – they’re pretty funny.
Porcelain cups for my students
Despite wanting to envelope myself in a cocoon every night, I forced myself into the studio to finish making cups for the students enrolled in my after school clay class. You might remember that these are my little apologies for over-firing their work a couple of weeks ago. I procrastinated, so now I’m under pressure to finish them by Tuesday afternoon – our last class of the session. I decided to forgo trimming a foot in favor of using a “wiggle” wire in the interest of my time constraint sort of like the Lapella’s post describes here.
The cool thing about throwing this past week is that even though I had to force myself into the studio after work, just having my hands in clay and watching the wheel spin around in circles had a meditative effect and wiped the stress of the day away.
Ubuntu successfully installed on my daughter's laptop
Meanwhile, my daughter’s old Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop has Ubuntu running and I also have wireless internet access working on it too. I had to buy a new wireless adapter card (a D-Link WNA-2330 RangeBooster) that was more compatible with Linux based operating systems to make it work, but for $29.99 + tax, she now has a really fast computer. Considering we were thinking about buying a new one for her for middle school, I think my time, effort & $29.99 investment will be worth it in the long run. Instead of seeing the usual Windows logo at boot up, the photo above is what pops up first thing after turning on the computer.
And, being a kid who has literally grown up with a computer, she has already figured out how to customize her space, install programs etc. – she’s off and running – unlike myself. I have a stack of books on my coffee table for reference as I use the system. Kids seem to be able to use computers intuitively – not sure why I’m a little slower.
So, there you have it, post #500. More next week – no subbing in the near future and I’ve decided to take myself off of the availablitity list for my own sanity.
Have a great weekend,
Cynthia
I have the hiccups
As with so many things in my life, when I find a new interest (obsession), many other things fall by the way side until I get a grip on whatever it is I’m into. In this case, I havent’ posted in my blog for 5 days because I’ve been wrestling with ubuntu – a linux based OS. I have an earlier release fully installed on my daughter’s old Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop – but don’t have working wireless (a common challenge I’ve learned – there’s a whole thread dedicated to wireless networking on the ubuntu forums). She does have an internet connection via an ethernet cable though, and truth is I don’t think she’ll be taking her laptop to Starbucks looking for wifi anytime soon. 
I have a few years before that happens, don’t I? Compared to Windows XP – her computer is really fast now after completely erasing the system from her computer. Boots up in less than a minute.
I’ve also installed a dual boot system on my laptop (a 2005 Dell Latitude D810 running Window XP Pro) while I figure out the ins and outs of ubuntu and linux. My goal is to avoid buying a new computer when I return to school this fall. Originally, I thought I’d treat myself to a Mac Book, but after learning about linux, I’m wondering if it’s really necessary. I will be using a lot of software like Auto Cad, Photoshop and other memory sucking applications in school – I’m curious about the crossover or readability of various free open source programs and proprietary ones like the ones I just mentioned.
Speaking of school, it’s now official – I’ve received letters from CU that I have been re-admitted to the graduate in landscape architecture program at CU Denver. Now I’d better do all my recreational reading through summer ’cause there won’t be a whole lot of time for that sort of thing come fall.
I’m not sure where pottery fits in at the moment, but I’m pretty sure that my production levels (if you can call it that) will decrease even more. The Colorado Potters Guild Spring show is just around the corner – opening night is April 30th – eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkk! That’s less than 2 months from now – I had better start cranking some work out.
My daughter also received some school news this weekend – she has been accepted into Denver Center for International Studies for middle school for Japanese - Woohoo! It’s a Denver Public School magnet program and my first choice for her (her second choice). We’re still waiting to hear back from Denver School of the Arts and whether she’s tested “highly gifted” vs. just “gifted” which would guarantee her a spot at a different school. Decisions, decisions…. I did promise to learn whatever language she is going to be learning – Japanese will be challenging.
I hope to catch up with everyone now that I have ubuntu and running,
~Cynthia
