WEDNESDAY, SEpTEMBER 1ST, 2021

Wednesday, September 1st

It is September!  For Texans that means we can go outside again, we might have a smaller air conditioning bill, and get a “life” instead of being homebound.  

Today I’m writing about travel.  My (new) computer has been sent in for repair, my old computer works - except for the I, O, and P keys!  So little research and more memories written on my phone.  

Aside, I was teaching an MBA course on technology, and one of my students was a huge iPhone user.  I asked him to write a paper about getting an MBA without a computer and only using a phone.  Basically, his analysis was “yes, you could do almost all things for an MBA on-a phone.  The research would take longer, financial calculations would be harder but not impossible, and you would probably get permanent neck strain!! I think he was right!!)

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Travel

I generally like travel, although it has been almost two years since I made a significant trip.  

In my academic years, I had the great privilege of paid travel. Some years I got as many as six paid travel experiences.  I traveled to the ISECON conference (except in 2005 - when hurricane Katrina took the conference out of New Orleans - and my daughter got married on ISECON weekend). I traveled to ISETL, to AIMSIS, to CONMIS (but that year it was a train ride into the NYC area).  Then a trip for an accreditation evaluation, and a summer trip to an ICCP meeting. Plus family travel - flights over Christmas break to Texas or Nebraska (out of our funds).  For two years I got to travel to Ireland to teach.  

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But with retirement, I haven’t gone to conferences and presented papers, haven’t been to planning sessions.  

But, today when you read this, I’ll be in my car driving to Wisconsin.  

I was told by a friend “When you’re working, such travel is a vacation, but when you are retired it is a ‘trip’”

So I’m not taking time off work, so this is a trip.  And, since it isn’t a business trip, I can decide the route and the timing.  

Before my computer went bad, it popped up random images when I logged on.  (And asks is I like the image or not).  One image that came up by random was Mount Magazine in Arkansas.  It was said to be “the highest peak” between the Appalachians and the Rockies.  (My South Dakota knowledge corrects that as Black Elk Mountain in the Black Hills is taller.  Aside I climbed this peak when it was known as Harney peak.

My brain latched on to driving to Mount Magazine on this trip.  Today (Wednesday), my plan is to get there, do some sightseeing, and get a little farther down the road.  

Yes, I could take Interstate highways with faster speeds but not this trip.  

At the other end, I want to drive along the Mississippi River- and see the amazing bluffs and take some of the back roads that I drove when I lived and taught in that area.  

I’m also thinking I can get to Charles Mound - the highest point in Illinois.  

There are 50 states and 50 highest points.  I’ve been to four of them- so why not add two more!!! (The others are Rhode Island, Connecticut, Iowa, and South Dakota).  

Oh well, the plans of men!! 

Yes, it will be fantastic to see my former students from 50 years ago -and to share old stories (I have an off the wall story to share - I don’t want to overwhelm these friends with it though) 

Tomorrow I’ll be driving through Missouri- hopefully to Keokuk Iowa (where I taught five years), and Friday get to Prairie du Chien Wisconsin.  

May God (he/she/it/the Infinite all-powerful and all-loving force), protect me (and Sparky - my new car), on this trip!! 

Love wins!!  

Look for pictures eventually!!

Karen 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31ST, 2021 Reunions

 Reunions

I’m going to talk about two types of reunions today.  Family and school.  

As a child, my family went to two family reunions every summer.  The big one was the Quaas reunion held in the Cedar Rapids area.  My great-great-grandparents came from Germany in 1849.   They had several children and some of those children also had big families.  My mother was the first great-grandchild of Gottfried and Mary Quaas.  In 1917 the family started a reunion to keep up on the expanding family.  I think my mother might have been the youngest one there.  

By the time I was born, I was a part of that event.  There was an awesome meal (it seemed as if the cooks were competing in a culinary cooking contest).  After the dinner, the adults had a business meeting and the kids played outside.  (I remember the swings with the hard seats and getting to know my cousins).  

The other memory was ice cream.  My parents had to pick up ice cream bars from Sanitary Dairy in Cedar Rapids!! 

As I grew to an adult frequently I was too far away to return!  My parents were Presidents of the Quaas family reunion as was my Uncle George.   

The group met for the last time in 2017.  100 years of a family reunion.  I missed that reunion as it was my surgery year.

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My maternal grandfather’s family also had an annual reunion.  The Youtzy family generally met in Dubuque or northern Illinois- where many lived. 

This family was not as close and there were fewer children.  But it was interesting to me that families got together!!

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School Reunions.

I went to one high school class reunion - five years after graduation.  I didn’t like it and didn’t stay long.  I was only close with a handful of people and those people didn’t come.  I did not go back for any more high school reunions. My close high school and college friend (Gary), begged me to attend the 50th and I didn’t go.  

I went to my 50th college reunion two years ago.  The university had identified about 20 leaders from the class of 1969.  Most of the people I barely knew.  We got a “diploma” for Mastery of Life Skills.  

I had debated going (and afterward wished I would not have gone).  I was in the early stages of transitioning and opted to go as the old person.  I was moving to a new life and a new identity- and to be my old self was mentally depressing.  The week after returning was when I spent four days in a mental hospital and this reunion was one of the reasons.  

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So, now.  I am going to a reunion this coming weekend in Prairie du Chien Wisconsin.  

HUH? 

After graduating I spent two years teaching at West Grant High School.  The class is 1971 is having their 50th reunion and invited me.  

So, why am I going?  I’m now a woman and definitely not the teacher (and baseball and basketball coach) they knew!  

I remember quite a few of the students - and I had all of them in class!  (I was the one and only high school math teacher).  

I am driving - taking the scenic route- and I am SO EXCITED!!  (Sometimes I wish I understood my own mind!!) 

Obviously next week I will write about some of my experiences!!  

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Overall, some family reunions can be good, and I’m not big on other reunions.  

(Shhh - sometimes I am a real introvert).

Nonetheless, I do believe that Love Wins!! 

Blessings!!

Karen 

MONDAY AUGUST 30, 2021

 MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2021

 

This week will be a mixture of materials.

 

My “excuse” is that the letters I, O, and P function about 5% of the time, so I’m writing my blogs on my phone!!  (Plus it is my old laptop and it is slow!!)

 

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COFFEE 

 

I like coffee.  I started drink coffee in my freshman year at college.  These days many colleges have “coffee bars”- maybe even with Starbucks coffee, but then the coffee urn was free with a meal ticket.  After dinner a group would hang out in the cafeteria and just talk.  It seemed reasonable to have a cup of coffee in my hands or on the table while we talked.  

 

It wasn’t until I started teaching on the college level that I would drink more than one cup.  (Aside. - at West Grant in 1969, I went to the faculty lounge for a break only once.  It was a smoke-filled room.  But, I could take my cup and get coffee and get out of the faculty lounge.)

 

In Keokuk, my classes were on the third floor and the faculty lounge was on the first floor- there just wasn’t time in between classes to run and get a cup.  

 

But college faculty rarely had back-to-back classes so I could get a cup in between classes.  At Quinnipiac, for many years my office was directly across from the coffee/copier room.  I’m not quite sure if I liked coffee THAT much, but it was a reason to get out of my office/stretch (and ... eventually use the restroom). 

 

At UT there was a very nice faculty coffee/meeting lounge.  Al, the coffee guy, came in about 7:00 / started four kinds of coffee (one was decaf).  There was hot water, tea bags, and a refrigerator with an ice maker.  (Some afternoons I would make fresh iced tea).  

 

In retirement, I think my coffee drinking has slowed a bit.  I’ve been making a pot in the morning, having a cup then, and putting the rest in my thermos.  Depending on the day, the excess lasts a day or two and gets heated in the microwave.  I bought (what used to be the three-pound) can which last a while. 

 

Well, three months ago, I bought the “3 pound - which is really only 39 ounces” can of dark roast.  YUCK.  I thought my tastebuds were shot.  I’ve read that some Covid people lose their sense of smell and taste- maybe I had Covid.  But, frugal as I am (cheap), I kept drinking my cup of coffee in the morning.  I finally ran out of the dark roast and opened a medium roast can!  WOW - coffee tastes good again!!  Was it just a bad batch? Do I no longer like a dark roast?  I don’t know, but for a while, the medium roast will be just fine!!

 

Speaking of coffee, my friend and I agree - no to Starbucks. It is overpriced and not all that good. I actually like McDonald’s coffee!!  (So, my tastebuds must surely be off!!). And, I drink black coffee - no cream, not a latte, not gingerbread flavored, just black coffee.  

 

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Enough f trying t tye without three letters (although I notice, the I s wrong a little!!!

LVE WNS!!!

Karen 

SUNDAY FUNDAY - AUGUST 29, 2021

 SUNDAY FUNDAY - AUGUST 29, 2021

Let’s try a Sunday Funday post starting on my phone!  I’m maybe a little faster on my phone than trying to insert my missing letters (I, O, and P) on my laptop!!

We are still fighting a pandemic.  It does seem that the vaccines work.  I’ve heard of some people who got the vaccine but still got a light case of Covid (Texas Governor for one).  

This is the last Sunday of August. Most of the year central Texas is a great place to live - but August is generally very hot and very dry.  This year has been an exception.  I’m in Georgetown and I’m not sure if we had a 100-degree day yet.  (99 yes).  

September starts warm - but will be more temperate soon.   I like to open my windows and get fresh air, but when it is still the upper 90s that isn’t feasible!  And ... maybe, just maybe, I can turn my air conditioning off!!

But, I like to think I am a summer person.  I like sunshine when I get up and sunshine into the evening hours.  

I tolerate air conditioning, but most days, I like driving with my windows partially down.  

But the last full week of August was awesome for me.  Yes, I had a birthday- and I’m not quite 3/4th of a century-old yet.  I ate with friends seven times last week.  For a senior lady leaving alone, that was a lot of fun!!  

I get a lot of birthday greetings on Facebook.  And, I reply to each and every greeting.  It might be a memory with that friend, something we have in common.  I am a human and I am to love all people- so saying “thank you”, “I appreciate you”, “I love you”, are part of who I am!! 

DAILY HAPPINESS

The happiness of life is made up of the little charities of a kiss or smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment.

 

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.

 

If you want to be happy, practice compassion

 

 Dalai Lama

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Perfect happiness is a beautiful sunset, the giggle of a grandchild, the first snowfall.

It's the little things that make happy moments, not the grand events. Joy comes in sips, not gulps. 

 

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Have you ever listened to someone for a minute and thought, "Their cornbread isn't done in the middle."

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Aliens probably fly by earth and lock their doors.

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"You will hit every cone on the highway before I let you merge in front of me because you saw that sign 2 miles ago like I did."

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I’m at that age where my mind still thinks I’m 29, my humor suggests I’m 12, while my body mostly keeps asking if I’m sure I’m not dead yet.  

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NATIONAL DAYS

AUGUST 29 - NATIONAL LEMON JUICE DAY!!

When the sun is blazing high in the sky, National Lemon Juice Day comes along just in time to bring a refreshing squeeze to just about anything. On August 29th, celebrate with a tart drop of lemon juice in your cooking, beverages, or freshen up the world around you.

I don't generally like lemonade - but on occasions, I like a drop of lemon juice.  I’ve been making coleslaw and my recipe calls for a 1⁄2 teaspoon of lemon juice (and a 1⁄2 teaspoon of white vinegar).  My friend really likes my coleslaw and she gave me a small food processor.  The first time I used it,  I pulverized the cabbage to molecule size.  (And, then I balance the tartness with sugar!!!) 

AUGUST 30 - NATIONAL TOASTED MARSHMALLOW 

Get your friends together and gather up some firewood. Grab a few long sticks and a bag of marshmallows. Then, make plans for a great night! Toasted marshmallows are a special part of summer evenings around a bonfire. Also, what better way to kick off a long weekend than to enjoy a delicious, warm, gooey, toasted marshmallow? Add a pair of graham crackers and a chocolate bar – and ask for s’more!

I think I like to toast the marshmallow more than eating it!!!

AUGUST 31 - NATIONAL TRAIL MIX DAY

Filled with nuts, dried fruit, and grains, trail mix packs a boost of carbohydrates when the body needs it most. The nuts supply good fats as well as sustained energy, too. Since it’s lightweight, trail mix travels easily, as well. On long trails or while camping, trail mix keeps without spoiling since most of the ingredients are dried. 

I have made my own trail mix - salted cocktail peanuts, raisins, butterscotch chips, and white chips. 

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So, onward to September!!! Blessings!!! 

LOVE WINS

Karen

SATURDAY AUGUST 28, 2021 - SATURDAY STORY

 SATURDAY AUGUST 28, 2021 - SATURDAY STORY

CONTINUING FROM LAST WEEK

From last week:  Nita graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2008. She (with some help from her faculty advisor Pam Johnson) got a job with Berkshire-Hathaway, the investment company headed by Warren Buffet in Omaha Nebraska.  After several months she was selected for a special job researching artificial intelligence and possible investments.  

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Nta tackled the artificial intelligence in agriculture project like she did with most assignments - with gusto!!!  

Art VanDeWater, her old boss, became her new boss.  Lance Bannon, on loan from ConAgra, was on the team, as was Judy Thomas, Rachel Lahanta, Deandrea Jackson, John Stone, and five research assistants.  

The team had high energy and each sparked the others to work longer and harder!!  

Nita was a real spark plug.  She came in early and worked late.  There was so much to do.  They were learning three artificial intelligence platforms.  They studied where artificial intelligence could make a difference in agriculture.   Nita, in particular, was helpful there from her growing up on a farm.  

She kept in touch with Dr. Pam Johnson at the University of Nebraska and they had written two academic papers.  Dr. Johnson was eligible for a sabbatical next semester and was going to be on the team if it was approved. and that plan was being supported by Warren Buffet and Berkshire-Hathaway.   

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But, Nita was not taking care of herself.  Two negative forces were working on her - little sleep, and a poor diet.  Fast food and energy drinks eventually caught up to her.  

One day, as she was talking to Rachel in the hallway about ten in the morning, she just fainted.  Fortunately, John Stone was there and he had been an EMT in college and helped her recover by raising her head and fanning her.  The group gathered around her, and Art, as the boss said she needed to get checked out at a hospital  

Nebraska Medical Center was the nearest, and Art took Nita to get checked out.    John went along as the former EMT.  Nita passed out in the car.  When they arrived at the Nebraska Medical Center, Art ran to get a wheelchair while John revived her enough to get out of the car and into the Emergency room waiting room.  Midday times aren't as busy as nights and weekends and a physician assistant saw her in about two minutes.  

A scan of her vitals showed she had a blood pressure of 85 over 45 - extremely low.  Further checks showed her to be dehydrated.  She just hadn’t been taking care of herself!!! 

Nita stayed in the hospital overnight with an IV drip bringing her some nutrition. Art knew that Nita and Emma were girlfriends and found Emma’s phone number.  Emma had graduated from the University of Nebraska and was at the University of Nebraska Medical School in Omaha. As a premed student, Emma would want to know what was going on.  Emma came quickly and sat with Nita for several hours.  Part of the time, Nita was awake and alert and part of the time, she slept. 

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Nita stayed home for two days (although she did text and emailed the others several times. When word reached Warren Buffet, he talked with medical professionals about care for Nita.  The answer was that Nita needed to relax, and not take the job seriously, and to find a balance in her life.  

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Nita returned to work the next Monday - but with restrictions - no arriving before 8:00 - and she had to have a healthy breakfast before coming; she had to leave no later than 5:30. A healthy lunch meal was delivered to her (compliments of Warren Buffet).  No energy drinks, but lots of water, unsweet iced tea, water, and one cup of regular coffee a day.  John, as the former EMT, took Nta’s blood pressure over lunch, and any irregularities were noted.  

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I Am stopping - It Is hard to write when you have to cut and paste three letters!!!

But, take care of yourself - watch your diet, don't eat too much junk food!!!.

LOVE WINS 

Karen

FRIDAY AUGUST 27, 2021 LOVE WINS

 FRIDAY AUGUST 27, 2021 LOVE WINS

On Fridays, I do a LOVE WINS theme - frequently from a Judeo-Christian perspective.

Today - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not treat prophecies with contempt  but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.”

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About ten weeks ago, my laptop “lost the I O and  P keys”.  (Okay, user error.    I was eating and something went under those keys (note to self - don’t eat and use the computer). I took the computer to a well-known store (BB) and the service person said “Nope - it is finished - buy a new one!!!”  So, I did!!!

But, last week, the new one had a screen malfunction.  I don't like to complain.   I guess I’d rather turn my cheek if I get stuck!!!  So, I am back on the computer with the bad I O and  P keys!!  But, sometimes they work, but mostly they don't work!!!  It does make for an interesting blog writing process!!!   I find the letters someplace and copy and paste them!!!  

 Did talk to the computer company and they are sending me a box so they can ship it to them to have them fix it - but that will take a few weeks!!!

I am to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.  (And cut and paste I O and  P!!!  )

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Rejoice always - even when I get frustrated!! Even when it takes about 3 hours to write a blog!!  

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Give thanks in all circumstances.  I don't like to complain.  But, can I give thanks for a broken computer?  “YEEHAW - my computer is broken!!!  THANK YOU, GOD!!!” In all things give thanks - for the good and the bad!!!

(Aside - a little case study.  Last week, I prayed for some good cards at my social bridge group. We have about four tables in this group. If you lose, you move to another table, and if you win, you stay at that same table.   Last week,  I didn't move!!!  And, yesterday, after every four hands - except one, I moved (in other words, I lost!!)!!!  Does God really care about how to bridge?  It seems like He wants me to be happy- and I asked and he heard me!!!)

 

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So, my blogs have been shorter - with three letters hard to use!!!

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Tomorrow, a continuation of last week’s story - about Nita working for Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway!!!  

LOVE WINS!!!

KAREN

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021 EDUCATION CONTINUED

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24 2021 EDUCATION CONTINUED

Yesterday,  I looked at K-12 education starting a second-year within a pandemIc. Today I‘m looking at some data from Texas.

The report from the State of Texas Education Agency started this way:

AUSTIN, Texas – June 28, 2021 – Today, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) released spring 2021 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results. The results include exams in mathematics and reading for grades 3–8, 4th & 7th-grade writing, 5th and 8th-grade science, 8th-grade social studies, and high school end-of-course (EOC) exams in Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History. 

https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news-and-multimedia/news-releases/news-2021/tea-releases-spring-2021-staar-grades-3-8-and-end-of-course-assessment-results-outcomes-for-in-person-learners-appreciably-higher-than-for-those-who-were-remote 

Looking at Math Scores - from 2021

Subject	Grade	Approaches Grade Level (or Above)
Mathematics	3	61%
	4	58%
	5	69%
	6	66%
	7	54%
	8	60%

If you take 60% as  “passing”, grade 4 and grade 7 would be failing, and grade 8 just barely making 60%.  

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The next table gives the percentage of those meeting or exceeding grade level

STAAR/EOC Test	2019	2021
Grade 3 Mathematics	48%	30%
Grade 4 Mathematics	46%	35%
Grade 5 Mathematics	56%	43%
Grade 6 Mathematics	45%	34%
Grade 7 Mathematics	41%	25%
Grade 8 Mathematics	55%	35%

The most obvious data (to me at least) is that in EVERY GRADE LEVEL between 2019 and 2021, the percent that meets or exceeds the score expected to be at the grade level dropped.   

 Again, taking the concept of 60% as passing, in 2019 no group scored 60% BUT in 2021 no score was over 43%!!!  

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A little extra analysis.  There are about 400,000 students that take the tests every year.  But, the students are different.  In 2019 some students were third graders, but in 2021, those students were now fifth graders.

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Now the big hit: “Districts with a higher percentage of students learning virtually experienced larger learning declines in all grades and subjects. For example, districts in which 25 percent or less of students were learning virtually for most of the year saw a 9-percentage point drop in satisfactory performance in mathematics from 2019 to 2021 as compared to districts in which 75 percent or more of students were learning virtually, which saw a drop of 32 percentage points.

Let’s analyze this.  In school districts in Texas - where 75% or more students were learning online (aka - virtually) - the scores dropped 32% percentage points.  Reading between the lines - school districts with more online students scored SIGNIFICANTLY LESS on these standardized tests.    What does this imply?  That K-12 students doing learning online were NOT learning as well as students in the classroom.  

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Yesterday I wrote about “learning is intrinsic”.  “Intrinsic learners are motivated by what is inherently interesting to them and will seek extension and application of that learning beyond teacher expectations. They engage learning through curiosity and challenge — so long as they find it meaningful.”  Can we make learning math meaningful - through curiosity and appropriate challenges?   

More on that tomorrow!!!

LOVE WINS!!!

Karen