Morbid Romantic

bringing you quality randomness since 1981

After considering my price range and what I was looking for, I decided to buy the Nikon Coolpix with my birthday collection fund. I took time out to read reviews of the cameras I looked at, the ones on the consideration list, on DigitalCameraReview.com. The Nikon Coolpix that I bought had a general 9/10 to 10/10 rating from users, in addition to being affordable and easy to use. That was what most of the comments praised the camera for.

Just what I need!

I wanted the blue, but all they had was the plum. Since that was my second choice, it didn’t hurt my feelings to buy that one instead.

Mind you, I’ve not had the chance to go out and shoot some good pictures aside from a few practice shots, but I do love what the camera offers so far. The focus and face centering box is pretty awesome. Auto light seems to pick up a good range of light; my test pictures have yet to come out too dark or too white. Next, I need to take the camera outside during the night and the day to test out the auto light function more since all I’ve done are inside practice pictures. As for now, as far as inside pictures go requiring flash, it’s great. On one picture I did, I noticed that the left side was a bit blurry. I need to take some more pictures to see if this is due to the camera or due to my moving at the wrong moment.

All in all, so far, I love it. I’m glad with the camera I chose. I’m not trying to be a photographer, I just want something to capture the things I want to remember and maintain.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Alfee and I went to Colonial Williamsburg earlier this month. We have year passes, so we can come and go as we please. On one of our trips, I decided to bring a small disposable camera along. I don’t have my digital camera yet (hoping to get it this weekend), so they’re simple Kodak single use camera shots.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Today, as I was coming down the stairs, I stepped wrong on my left foot and I severely twisted my ankle. It’s not swollen or red, but it’s really tender to touch and hurts to use. It can’t handle too much weight and it pains when I walk or press on it. I have minimal experience with injury; I’ve never even sprained anything in my life. Lordy. I don’t know WHAT to do to make it stop hurting. Maybe some pain killers?

Anyone with kids have some advice? Maybe you play sports and twist ankles and such all of the time? What do you do to make the pain go away and still be able to get around? I need to pack, so I need to walk, climb and sit on my ankle from time to time when I am on my knees getting to the bottom of places.

A family member told me that I need to put it up, but I can’t. I can’t afford another day sitting on my butt. I already lost two days this week thanks to a stomach virus I got from a family member. Oh, woe is me.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Who here is familiar with Harden’s Tragedy of the Commons?

If I can summarize the entire Tragedy of the Commons in a very succinct but clear way, it’s a piece about resource use and damage to the environment. Hardin proposes that people abuse the environment because a lot of it, the air and the water and the green space, is a commons that belongs to everyone and no one. Since everyone feels a sense of ownership over the commons, they feel that they can do what they want with it even if it means damaging it. This would not be so bad if only one person did it, but since everyone owns the commons, most people abuse it in some way and the collective result effects us all. The key solution, according to Hardin, is “mutual coercion mutually agreed upon.” People must agree to allow the government or some other such entity to protect the commons from them– it’s coercion that everyone agrees to endure. This ensures some level of sustainability that will protect the commons so that it can be used for future generations.

So what does this have to do with my day? What was my major Tragedy in This Commons moment?

Walking outside of the hospital today, behind me I heard some guy let out an absolutely disgusting nasally snort sound seconds before he spit this huge ball of mucus out.

I understand that the ground is as much his as it is mine. From another perspective, as far as the law is concerned, my rights end where his begin, blah, blah, blah. I have no right to tell this man, this stranger, that he can’t spit mucus out disgustingly upon the sidewalk. If that’s what he wishes to do with the commons, he can. It is as much his as it is mine. But another way to look at it is though he is spitting on his ground, he is also spitting on mine. Not only that, but he subjects other people to his horrid display of bodily function.

It’s not that I feel others have to cater to me, I just wish that people had more respect for others and for the space that we all share.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Today was one of those exhausting days where you have a million errands to run at a million different places all around the city. I got some important things out of the way like my change of address at the bank and the post office so that my statements and other miscellaneous mail will be forwarded appropriately. It was a big hassle, really, and a whole lot of gas to get around. Still, it had to be done. I need to get everything in a tidy row so that I can vanish from the state for a month and then return with things still organized and ready for me. I want to ease back into life and into my new arrangement, not struggle. It’s going to be hard enough to adapt to new surroundings, new expectations without other difficulties keeping me down.

And now for a guilty confession.

I also had to drop off some library books. Some due library books.

Some books that had been due since July 23rd…

1997.

I didn’t know I had them, honest! When I found them, I was going through my bookshelf deciding which books to keep with me here in Virginia and which books to have my mother take with her and store for me. When I pulled the books out, four in total, I instantly recognized their covers and the library numbers on the spine. I have had these books in my possession since I used them for my senior speech WAY back in high school. For all I know, the books could be well out of the libraries system. The library could have very well upgraded their system and kicked those books out of the system since they were so long gone. After a certain amount of time, do libraries just assume that some books will never be returned and mark them off?

I didn’t want the people in the check in place to see me, though. It was embarrassing. The follies of youth, I know.

I did find the humor in it, though. I told my mother that if an alarm sounded, to run like heck to our rendezvous point over at the stadium. I bet I must have one HUGE fine. But again, I don’t know how libraries are. Does there come a point where you will have to pay the price of the book instead of a massive million dollar fine, which my surely has to be by now after 11 years. I checked out the libraries policy and they said that fines have a maximum of $5. That brings me some hope, even after 11 years, that my fine will be $20. I DO want to pay it off. It seems crappy that I wouldn’t have to literally ‘pay’ the consequence of being irresponsible.

Any advice? Any libraries out there who can offer some information for me?

Popularity: 3% [?]

I’m very sensitive to the cold. When I get too cold, I become so uncomfortable that I cannot concentrate on much else but my shivering and my discomfort. From my own experience being a cold and uncomfortable college student stuck for hours studying in a mercilessly cold library, I know that it’s hard to focus on textbook material when you can barely maintain homeostasis. Getting up every 15 minutes to warm up outside distracts, too. So, college students, the Cabin Cuddler will take the edge off of the cold so that you can focus on those more important studies.

The cabin cuddler looks like a cute travel bag that you can carry discretely with you anywhere. It doesn’t take up much space. When you find yourself in a chilly situation, you simply unfold the Cabin Cuddler into a nifty blanket. The bottom contains a pocket for your feet to fit into (my feet are always the coldest part of my body and the hardest to warm up). The Cabin Cuddler is also designed in a contoured shape so that it covers all of your body. If you need a rest for your head, the tote bag itself is inflatable and turns into a pillow. With the Cabin Cuddler, you’ll always have your own personal travel blanket. No more need to stress about temperatures at the home, the office or school.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Jenn and Nurturing Beauty are holding a giveaway for a $40 Restore Care skin care package! Participating in the Nurturing Beauty giveaway is as easy as creating a blog entry that links to the giveaway and to naturallynurturingbeauty.com. For more information, see the official contest blog entry: Nurturing Beauty giveaway!

Popularity: 5% [?]

The new school semester starts here on September 2nd. While I am not currently a practicing teacher, I have taught before and I hold a current license to teach in the state of Virginia. I’ve had plenty of experience putting educational theory into practice, as well as interacting with students on a personal level. I’ve seen their needs, their deficits and how much of a negative impact they can have on students.

In the education world, we like to refer to a student’s readiness in terms of their “toolbox.” For instance, if a plumber doesn’t have his toolbox, he can’t do his job. Likewise, if a student is not prepared both mentally and physically, as in being in a learning mindset as well as having their own materials, they cannot do their job. It also hinders the ability of the teacher to be effective and slows down the pacing of the class.

I have come up with a short list of things parents can do to help their kids get ready for school and stay in a mindset that makes them eager and active learners. The job of a teacher gets frustrating when parents leave the entire process of education in the hands of the educator alone. Education is a team job. When a teacher has the support of home, the student can make so much more progress. Parents like to wash their hands. I’ve heard parents say, “Well, he’s/she’s your problem now, so you deal with it.” This makes me sad because I know their child could benefit so much more if the parent felt differently, if the parent shared responsibility with the teacher.

Five Tips For Learning Readiness

1.) Read all of your child’s syllabi. Know the expectations that your child will have to follow. At the last school I taught at, we had a thing called K-12 Planet where a parent could sign up for a password and have daily access to their child’s assignments, grades and attendance. Unfortunately, not every school has this program accessible. You can make up for where the school lacks by sitting down with your child and their syllabi to make a calendar of assignments and due dates. If you know what your child has to have done, they will have no excuse to wait until the last minute.

2.) A good teacher will never mind you coming in for conferences just to discuss their child’s progress. If you can, visit your child’s teachers every few months to make sure you are up to date on the status of your child’s learning. If you have a concern about a project or an assignment, ask the teacher to make it clear to you.

3.) Support the teacher. In 8 cases out of 10, the teacher is not out to attack your child. A good teacher wants your child to succeed. A good teacher cares about your child’s individual learning and progress. If your child finds himself/herself in trouble, don’t automatically assume that the teacher is wrong and tell your child this. What this will do is lead to the student believe he/she can disrespect the teacher without consequence. The teacher will find your child much more difficult in the long run and much harder to reach. If you have a concern about your child’s teacher, schedule a conference. Like I said, 8 times out of 10, the teacher has good intentions. This isn’t always the case. Sometimes the teacher enjoys the position of authority such that they abuse it. Don’t stand for this! But don’t mitigate what a good teacher does.

4.) Take five minutes every morning to make sure your child is going to school prepared. Do they have all of their textbooks? Their notebooks? Their planner? Do they have the appropriate writing utensils? It takes out precious time in a class when a teacher has to pass out materials. It also does not do a student a good service if they have no pencil or paper and don’t take their notes or do their assignments. As much as a teacher would like to, they don’t see everything.

5.) Respect the rules of the school. If the school has a cell phone policy that states a student may only have their cell phone in their locker during school hours but may not have it on them during school hours, that’s the rule. If a teacher confiscates a cell phone or an iPod or any other electronic device because your child had it out during school hours, don’t race to the school to curse them out for it. I know they’re expensive, but a rule is a rule. Your child is not exception to the rule just because you want them to be. By not respecting a school rule yourself, you are teaching your child that rules don’t apply to them. In the end, this will again make the job of the teacher more difficult.

I hope that this helps. Throughout the course of the school year, I will make more posts to help parents, students and teachers. I might be young, but experience speaks for itself and everyone has a different perception of an issue. If my own experience and opinions can help someone, my job is done.

Popularity: 15% [?]

I was/am bored. So, I made some friends only banners for people to use on their livejournals. I need a life. Or some motivation.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The movers will be here on September 10th and will arrive at the destination between the 20th and 22nd. It’s a six day drive, loosely, so we’ll have to leave around the 14th, maybe a bit earlier. I figure Alfee will let me stay at his house until the day we have to leave. I’ll need somewhere to sleep!

The only bad thing is that we’re going to be on the road during my birthday. I had asked my mother to arrange everything so that it happened before or after my birthday, but she seems to have forgotten that in her own planning. When I asked her, she said that she thought it would be novel for me to spend my birthday on the road. Honestly, I don’t know how she can be so dense sometimes. Four days on the road already and it’s going to be novel on my birthday. Chances are I am going to be miserably bored and uncomfortable. Just how I want to celebrate an already miserable day.

Oh well, can’t change things.

I am going to get my camera soon. My mother, grandmother and Alfee are all chipping in to make that my present. So, I will take tons of pictures of the US as I drive through it, almost halfway across it! From Virginia to Utah. The only two states after that is Nevada and California. I won’t have internet access most of that time, but I am still going to be keeping a journal of my trip to post once I do have some way to connect to the net. I hope to find a WiFi Hotspot every once in a while. With how prevalent they are now, I should be able to find one easy when I want one.

We’ll see.

I better get packing. I had to take a day off yesterday due to illness, but I am all better now and ready for action.

Popularity: 4% [?]