This year I finally got around to forcing some paperwhites. I've never tried before, but the instructions make it seem so easy. I put mine in the stones a bit later than the directions called for, so hopefully they will bloom for New Year's. Here they are last week - don't you love how the roots look like tentacles reaching for the ocean floor?
And a week later they have gotten quite tall.
And a week later they have gotten quite tall.
Friday's news of the school shooting was terrible. I felt like driving to JT's school just to give him a hug. The only encouraging thing coming out of the tragedy is (hopefully) a renewed discussion on gun control and exposure to violence. (It wouldn't hurt to have a discussion about masculine cultures in our society or the culture of fear nurtured and fostered by the media.) I read an interesting blog post by a sociologist looking at some statistics, and I have difficulty understanding why some people do not feel gun control should be a response. One relative of mine posted on FB that gun control should not be changed, but people should turn more to God. Well, the statistics show that the US has higher levels of religiosity than other developed nations. Unfortunately, greater religiosity often leads to violence, not the other way around. Now, if we were all Amish... I do think a better level of education and some understanding of statistics and science might help turn people toward greater controls on weapons and violence, but maybe some people will never get that? Perhaps I am just depressed at the end of the semester when students are still unable to explain how evolution through natural selection works or when I read a comment on the discussion board "I would like to learn more on how hominids came to be on this planet, where their true origins lie. Maybe there’s a class for that?? Would be pretty cool if there is." (Because apparently that is not exactly what we did in the class. although maybe he means a class about how we descended from aliens??)
We didn't discuss the events with the kids. We do, however, discuss evolution and religions and traditions and rituals. And the kids are pretty much regular kids.
Mr. Burli and I went to his company party at Hotel Del. It was pretty fun. The food was not as good as I expected, then again, they had to feed 250 people at once. (Note: huge belly. I can't stop eating, not even the heartburn dampens my hunger.)
The kids decorated a gingerbread house - this time I didn't make it from scratch. Mr. Burli brought home a kit from Trader Joe's. Much less clean up!
And our garden is producing lots of lettuce and broccoli!
Now I need to attend to poor sick Tiny who caught the flu or some other crud, has a fever (the first I can really remember him ever having) and insists on watching Polar Express over and over) and try to finish up the grading. See you soon!
3 comments:
How was the broccoli? Ours was terrible this summer, so I'm curious about your's and the variety you used. We're also looking forward to winter break and seeing some family...though I have to make it through my mounds of grading as well. I'm looking forward to reading your link to the sociologist's page...older brother has recently become a second amendment bandwagon member and wants to debate over break. Apparently "my liberal senators" are challenging his rights. I'm not quite sure what media he's referring too or what evidence he's channeling with his statements, but it'll be interesting.
i'm still laughing at steph's comment on the last post. and at aliens! bringing hominids to a town near you. :)
you guys look quite nice at the holiday party. and i do hope tiny's feeling better.
(Trina - good luck with the debate. a small thought: even const. rights are not absolute, e.g., time-manner-place restrictions on free speech.)
Everyone looks great! Congrats on the baby!!!
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