What To Do When The World Feels Heavy

The world feels heavy right now. 

• The horrors of Uvalde & Robb Elementary School and the loss of 21 precious people
• 213 other mass shootings and 10 other mass murders in the US in 2022 alone (as of this writing)
• + years of Covid & pandemic with cases still going the wrong way
• Rising gas prices, inflation, the economy, & employment
• The invasion and War in Ukraine 
• The battle between autocracy and democracy
• Continued investigations of the January 6th Insurrection
• Partisanship at every turn, threatening rights of many
• Social, racial, gender-based injustice, bias, hate, and control
• Mental health and suicide rates at record highs
• The global climate crisis
• The perils of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news on social media

I could go on, but this certainly is getting depressing really quickly, which we can also add to the list as well.

It leaves many of us wondering "Why?" And "What can I do?" The first question often doesn't have an answer (or it has a complicated one). The latter question often leads initially to feelings of overwhelm or lack of power...but then with energy and anger it can lead us to take action, vote, and make a difference. 

But sometimes it takes a bit to get there.

It's no surprise that binge watching shows and finding escapes from reality inside our television are "a thing." I think that's why people have gravitated (especially during quarantine and beyond) to shows like "Schitt's Creek," "Ted Lasso," "Big Bang Theory,""This Is Us"... or maybe that's just me. But shows with heart, emotion, comedy, connection all tug at our heartstrings. They become treasured friends, and it's heartbreaking when "our" show comes to an end. We come to love the characters, and we learn a little bit about ourselves along the way.

Watching the final 2 episodes of the series "This Is Us" recently, I found myself becoming philosophical. (No spoilers, I promise.) Of course that's the intention of this show with its many timelines, seeing the characters at multiple stages of their lives. Our memories are the lifelines that hold our own timelines together. It makes us reflect a little on our own lives. It weaves in the threads of compassion and gratitude. "Ted Lasso" and his quirky optimism did the same. Valuable life lessons can be gleaned from his locker room pep talks and way of living. In fact, entire articles have been written about it.

In reflecting over the hard things listed above, I certainly feel the sadness and anger that have us living in a world facing these crises. Yet, here on Memorial Day weekend, I am struck by the gift of time this three day weekend--and the fact that time is not ever guaranteed. We see that in the list above. But, it also reminded me of hope. As I was scrolling back in GTG to find my February 9th post on hope, I also passed a few others that give me hope and are listed here:

• Encouragement for the Overwhelmed
• Amanda Gorman's "Earthrise"
• A Trio of Messengers of Hope

For hope is verb, and with it, we can all use the gifts we are given to take action and make a difference. To make sure the losses listed above are not in vain. To not let the power of evil override all the good. And there is good out there, my friends. There is. I hope you find some of it for you this Memorial Day weekend... and I hope you feel the power that comes in hope!

Images from https://www.facebook.com/TheHappinessInstitute/photos/a.351516046204/10157057130131205/?type=3 and https://m.facebook.com/channelmum/photos/5211325855572773/ and https://www.facebook.com/BrainyQuote/photos/a.336016016410584/1070067773005401/?type=3

In Schoolhouse Rock Style: "I'm A Vaccine"

As a product of the '70's, I grew up as a Schoolhouse Rock kind of girl. I knew them all and could sing along: "Conjunction Junction," "Interplanet Janet," "Figure 8," "Lolly Lolly Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here," "Elbow Room".... I could go on and on. 

Perhaps that's why the folks at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health decided to consult their inner Schoolhouse Rockstar element when creating their new "I'm a Vaccine" in the style of "I'm Just a Bill." (This was an all-time classic Schoolhouse rock favorite, on the tip of everyone tongue who grew up in the 1970's and sat glued to Saturday morning TV. Given that, this is an incredibly smart move on the part of the creative geniuses over at JHU!)

"I'm a Vaccine" is a cartoon created by Johns Hopkins to explain the steps through the Phase 3 clinical trials. Just like "I'm Just a Bill" goes through the hypothetical process of how a bill becomes a law, "I'm a Vaccine" does the same thing, showcasing the innovation it takes to get through he processes of creating a vaccine for a virus we're all on a first name basis with. 

As with anything new, potentially scary, and somewhat controversial, it takes education. Additionally, it's necessary to make that information accessible to all in an easy to take dose. We've all seen in the last year how many vantage points there are on both Covid & the speedy creation of this necessary vaccine. Speaking the common, familiar, comfort language of Schoolhouse Rock is a good place to start.

To learn more about Covid, the vaccine, and more, check out the Covid page at JHU's Bloomberg School of Public Health portal.

To trek further down memory lane to other favorites in the Schoolhouse Rock genre, check out their Disney Wiki Page.

Video from https://youtu.be/ITIF-i40dto, Schoolhouse Rock image from https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Schoolhouse_Rock_Songs

Show Up. Vote.

I've been watching a lot of The West Wing lately. For whatever reason at the time, I never did watch it first go around (now 2 decades later). It certainly seems better than watching the news most days. I've always remembered the abrasive cacophony of political clamor in the weeks prior to election, but the last few presidential elections have seen noisier (and more divisive) than ever before. The one silver lining is that at least it seems to have raised everyone's interest in civic involvement.

Given that, this seemed like the best post I could post one week prior to Election Day. If you haven't taken part in early voting or mail-in voting (we did the latter, dropping our ballots off at the Board of Elections) or making a game plan to go in person, do so. Vote. Take advantage of making your voice heard. Take part in your civic duty. Make a plan. Vote.

Don't take it from me, take it from the folks at The West Wing. Both here below and in their HBO Max "A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote." This remake (done in play-style with a lion share of the same actors, here 17 years later) of Season 3: Episode 15 "Hartsfield Landing" was part of a special to bring more voters to the booths. Special cameos include former First Lady Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton,  & Lin-Manuel Miranda. It did not disappoint!

Video from https://youtu.be/ICCLdjQch9s; Quote from https://ew.com/tv/tv-reunions/west-wing-cast-reunion/ and created in Canva.com

Nature Deficit Disorder

From the official trailer of the film NaturePlay, there's a statement that blinks across the screen:

"The most endangered species in the wild today: Our Children."

Those are startling words. Especially for those of us who remember BigWheels, bike riding until dusk (with no helmet), stream walking, traipsing through the woods, creating back yard forts, running in the sprinkler, living in our oversized-tire sandbox and more. It was summer, and it was outdoors, with the occasional AC break, a glass of lemonade, and a freezer stocked with popsicle as our main way to stay cool. We were outdoors all day.

Not so much these days. Case and point: On the back of Thomas Kersting's book "Disconnected: How to Reconnect Our Digitally Distracted Teens," the latest book I've been reading, there's this stat...which parallels the endangered species quote above:

"According to the latest research, the average 13 year old spends 8 hours per day, seven days a week, glued to a screen."

Yikes.

This summer our professional read book for school is not one but 4, on a variety of subjects related to our PS-12 grade levels. One of the chosen books is Richard Louv's "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder." I was already planning on rereading it before knowing that, and it's a book I've written about and referenced several times before. It's now officially 10 years old, and it's message is only louder, stronger, and more necessary than before. We need to be getting our kids outdoors. And it's hard. It's summer, and somedays I'm literally kicking kids off screens and out the door. It shouldn't be this difficult. But it's important, so we keep doing it, as we owe it to our children to do so!

Exposure to nature via virtual reality and video games just isn't enough. It's not a 5-senses experience! Additionally, you come to want to protect something that you know. Watch this NaturePlay Teaser, with Richard Louv & his sentiments as the narration to see how nature speaks to us on so many levels. It might even serve as some inspiration to get out there and do something outdoors.



To learn more about the NaturePlay film and how to get a copy for screening, go to their website.

To feel more, go outside.


Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2rp4Leikpk, images from http://www.businessinsider.com/11-reasons-you-should-go-outside-2014-4 and https://malaysianpsychology.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/gesprekvandedag_kinderenmeerbewegen470.jpg

Un-Plugging...With Mother Nature's Help!

Going old school with pen & paper! That's what happens when you get an unexpected 3-day weekend due to a "wind day" off school from the great nor'easter that blew this way. 

It's especially what happens when it knocks out your power around 10:30 am on a Friday (day off) morning. Based on the whipping winds, it's no major surprise as it was only a matter of time until we lost it.  But a power outage definitely reminds you of what you take for granted.



My kids, in particular, felt the tech-blast.. loud, strong, hard--and greater than the gusty wind. Watching the slow death of device batteries (along with no wifi aside from 4G phones), it was like awaiting pending doom.

The power-outage-induced-unplugging led me to finish a good old fashioned paperback novel. A novel idea, indeed. Add in, I tackled a few dump piles of purging and sorting that had previously been falling to the bottom of every list. I will admit, that tackle did feel good! My son got caught up on sleep, taking a mega-afternoon nap that I probably haven't seen him embrace for 7 or so years. My daughter went through her culinary options: Popcorn? No microwave. Pasta? No stove. After battling the quandaries, she down-graded to land on a sandwich and chips & dip.

Both kids learned this very important lesson: there's nothing you can do to speed an outage up and turn the power back on. The "powers that be" have all the power indeed, and probably won't get to it until the wicked winds stop blowing! Waiting it out is all you can really do at that point!

Luckily we had family 10 minutes away and could spend our Friday evening with them (and their electricity)... and their TV... and heated food! Packing up to head over there must have been like the modern-day-equivalent to preparing for the Zombie Apocolypes: grab the phones, the iPads, theDS gaming system, the charging station, the USB cords and the plugs! That was the first bag packed so that we could load up our device batteries straight from our relatives' outlets! All so we could power up and ration our devices for another day.

I think the forced tech-free zone of a unplugged day did us all some good... and probably brought a bit of an awareness as to exactly how connected to our devices we all really are. There certainly was a simplicity in this bonus day off--you can't do laundry with no power! Given that, might as well embrace the gift of the day! I also found it humorous how much I defaulted to trying to flip the light switch on! I mean, I knew I had no tech, but I tried to hit that bathroom or kitchen light switch more time than I could count!

 I will say the part I hated most of all was hearing the grinding generator of a nearby store center, overly-loud, inside our home--although it really was around the corner and across a few backyards!

We ended up without power for only 24 hours (almost right on the nose). Not terrible, especially when you consider what it could have been after seeing all the trees down. (Or when you consider that we knew some folks who were out of power for up to 5 day due to this storm! Not to mention how long the folks in Puerto Rico were without power after Hurricane Maria!)

In the end, I think it did us all some good, and we certainly lived to tell the tale... kids included!

Notebook pic from my camera, School Closed pic created by me over at Buncee.com https://app.edu.buncee.com/buncee/0e1429b406d740a29018f0eac3fe5e56; Someecard from http://nyehumor.com/tag/outage; no electricity pic from https://valorfireplaces.com/products/l2.php

Empathy Makes the World Go Round

In the last few weeks before school started, I was reading the book UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World by Michele Borba, Ed.D. It certainly is an eye-opening book: as a parent, a teacher, and as a citizen in 2017. Especially when it seems a lot of the news these days politically seems to scream of a lack of empathy on one side or the other.

As I was reading this book (which I finished in approximately two days given how engaging and readable it was), I thought often of my own two, personal driving forces, the foundation of Green Team Gazette: environmentalism and technology.

I also thought a lot about my own children... as well as my own parenting style.

In multiple places in the book, the "selfie" side brought about by social media (and the narcissistic tendencies that have been on the rise over the past several decades), the solution points to unplugging. Getting outside. Getting dirty. Building emotional intelligence through actual interaction with others (not texting). Connecting.

My daughter showed me a spoofy YouTube not long ago comparing life in 2017 versus either 1997 or 1987. It really doesn't matter much for the parts that stuck in my head: the cell phones, the texting versus the hours I spent talking on the phone as a kid, the time running around outdoors not tied to a computer, meeting people in the world versus online dating. Yes, as they say: the times, they have changed.

Building our empathy skills--that is the key. The secret to flipping our selfie society.

The 9 factors that help build empathy are here:



Between our "plugged in" culture (kids spend approximately 7 hours and 38 minutes plugged in these days!?! Yikes!) and the "hurry, scurry, aren't we over-busy" mentality--not to mention the social media selfies, we are indeed in need of un-selfie-ing! The opposite: building empathy. Borba's UnSelfie does a great job of giving you both a lot of strategies both for yourself and your kids. It also gives you a lot of food for thought. It's leaving me pondering all of the above for days...thinking of the ways I can unplug myself, my kids, and help build all of our empathy skills!

"The Thoughts in My Head: Empathy" picture was created by me at Buncee.com; https://app.edu.buncee.com/buncee/81d0ad91d78b43229258424e43cccdba; "7 Ways to Cultivate Children's Empathy" poster created by me at Buncee.com https://app.edu.buncee.com/buncee/a09d80e8202d47dbb8eb1372037e987a; "UnSelfie" book image from https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010MH9V64/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1; Brene Brown quote photo from https://inspiraelevation.com/2015/10/24/the-key-to-empathy-is-connection/

Post-Election Conversation: A Play in 3 Acts

It's Wednesday, November 9th.

It's been a long 16-18 months, and we are finally on the flip side. Some of us are happy, some of us: not so much. So controversial. That's us, here in America. We're in that "fresh after the election" trying to settle in with the outcome. The extended noise-power of candidates has been going on and on and on....encompassing divisions, vitriol, animosity, positivity-negativity-and-tweets: oh my! Whether you've been #WithHer or hoping to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain, this election has taken away some of your lifeblood.


We.
Are.
Exhausted!

It certainly has it all:
The good. The bad. The ugly.

And it definitely feels worse here in the post-Daylight Saving Time darkness!

Truthfully: it's a dramatic presentation in three scenes. Bigger question: is it a classic comedy or a tried-and-true tragedy?


Act 1: Pre-Election: The Long Ride to Land

On the 50-year anniversary of the Great Pumpkin, Linus perhaps said it well (way back when):

"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." ~Linus Van Pelt

Discussing those politics: it just never ends well. Just ask buddies and pals with different visions/versions on social media. But the irony is that my my notice of Linus' provocative commentary predated this election by 6 years.  When we re-watch: it's always going to be there, and it's always going to be up to Linus, his politics, and his Great Pumpkin.

Articles have also  been posted about the enormous stress, pressure and fervor about the election.  The election certainly has many "seeing red and feeling blue." Over time, all this is is debilitating! And it's been a long time.  We are more than wiped out. It's hitting people hard--especially when some start chiming in on their candidate versus the others... when lying is definitely off the table at this point with emails or just multiple general statements.


Act 2: Present: Voting Day

Nailbiting! Times 7! or 10!

There was a lot going on this Election!  There was all the music and media of  the "night before election" events. Then there was the #Pantsuit Nation (the overnight growing secret invite-only Clinton follower FB page. It more than doubled between the time I was invited in and it became viral). Add in today the pilgrimage and addition of the "I voted" stickers menagerie to Susan B. Anthony's grave. With all of that,  this election was certainly "huge."

As an aside, this projection map of voters by demographics was certainly interesting!

It was a historic vote. #PantsuitNation aside, you have the potential for the first woman president. It's a 1-2 punch follow-up to the first African American 2-Term President of 2008 and 2012. Yes!

Likewise, you have the potential with Trump as the first non-politician-person, and the first person who's not a military personnel.  Some people flock to that, while there have been others who have been die-hardedly-opposed to Trump and his demeanor.

Leaving us on Election day chiming: "CNN for hours on end. Amen." [Which feels like a church prayer I grew up on!]

I found myself praying "please please please!"


Act 3:  Post-Election: Houston, We Have A Winner.


It took a lot to get us here, but we have landed. Thank God! Houston, we have a winner: President-Elect Donald Trump, having lost the popular vote by a margin of a mere 200,000 (when you consider that 59 million people voted for each candidate).  He won, however, due to winning the electoral vote with over 270 electoral votes.

But a "win" is shortsighted. Emotions are high. For some, so is disbelief and sadness. The bigger job is going to be going farther. In the last few days prior to the election, Hillary Clinton has addressed this more than Donald Trump did, but it's where we are at. We are one country. Our new president will need to be here for all. He needs to lead us forward...and forward together.  The mystery is: can it be done?

I saw a handful of people who posted prayers on Election Day today, going into the election. A unification. That's what we needed. Our job, here on out, is to go forward.  It's part of the voting, the division, the healing, the process.

Where do we need to go for the path of unity and reunion?

We need to go here:



And here:
Shawn Stevenson (author of Sleep Smarter) and his voting experience here on 11-8-2016.

Let's go here indeed! It may be hard, but it's what we need to do.



Photos:
Donald & Hillary from http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-36202424
Susan B Anthony: from http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/08/501167896/hours-of-susan-b-anthonys-gravesite-extended-to-accommodate-election-day-visits; Prince EA video https://youtu.be/YE27SgMEXHo

Making It Real & "Harnessing Our Nerdiness" With Mayim Bialik

I think this Mayim Bialik vlog  about being "geek chic" and being different is poignant.  ("Vlog" for anyone who is unsure, is the mashup for "video blog."  Of course, if you're a bit of a geek chic, tech-head like me, you already knew that)

Amy Farra Fowler's... er, I mean... Mayim's audience is largely for teens.  However, I think anyone who watches & gets "Big Bang Theory" was probably the kind of kid who might have had different interests, or been a little bit quirky, when they were younger.

I like to say that being quirky is part of my effervescent charm!

Steve Jobs and the technology and innovation industries have indeed made it great to be a bit nerdy. Along with the tech-inspirers of the last decade, this video does a wonderful job of helping everyone who might be a little unique to feel a little more comfortable in our own skin.  It also helps inspire us (and our children) that all those STEAM subjects of science, technology, engineering, art, and math are what can drive us to our passions.  It is through those passions and innovating that we are going to make the world a better place! And that starts by embracing our inner greatness, and knowing it's okay to be different and true to ourselves.



Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzMQOan-tcc, image from http://buzz.blog.ajc.com/2016/04/14/pro-life-activists-cheer-life-affirming-episode-of-the-big-bang-theory/

CNN: Being 13

One of the most eye-opening things I've watched in awhile is the CNN Special Report:  "#Being13:  Inside the Secret World of Teens."  Anderson Cooper makes us all sit up and take notice.

The show reminds us all how of the power and seductivity of social media.  Particularly under the veil of anonymity.  A must-see for all parents in this edtech-ian word.

To go into greater depth than the show follow Anderson Cooper on the show's page at CNN.


video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-9LtTtkg04, pic from http://www.cnn.com/specials/us/being13

The Dichotomy of 2 Neighboring Days: Thanksgiving & Black Friday

There are memes galore showing the dichotomy of the spending craziness of Black Friday as the follow up to the themes of Thanksgiving: appreciation, family, plenty.

If you live like I do, you try to focus on one holiday season at a time. Let's face it: Corporate America doesn't! Christmas Ornaments typically compete for shelf real estate at the same time as Halloween decorations are up in department stores & novelty shops.  The rule in our house & my car (much to the chagrin of my teen) is no Christmas music or movies until after Thanksgiving.  Well here we are, on the other side of Thanksgiving, and it's all open. Black Friday marks the unofficial start to the shopping extravaganza called Christmas. According to the song, it's "the most wonderful time of the year." Or rather, the most "spending-est" time of the year.  Black Friday sales followed up by Cyber Monday...and jingle sales, jingle sales, jingle all the way.  Which leads to the next parody song:  "Just Another Manic Spending Spree."

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and all things First World, I look around, and what do I need?  I truly have enough.  Sure, the bank account could be padded more, we could go back to the days when the cleaning lady came (cut to provide for other priorities right now), maybe a massage, and a nice tropical vacation could certainly be calling my name.  But what do I need?  Black trouser socks. That's really about it.  But, that won't cut it on the Christmas list.

Then there's the kids' Christmas lists.  Ei yie yie: holy guacamole!

It's the time-old-trouble of teaching needs versus wants versus "enoughs."  Plus, there's a lot of people who love my darling duo, so they need lists too.  Next thing you know, a glazed look comes over the kids as they scour the Internet for things they feel they surely can't live without.  I swear their pupils turn into dollar signs. Or probably those are little pupil-sized gift wrapped boxes in their eyes instead.  Lots of them.  I mean, they're kids. They love Christmas. It's a magical time. I get it. They don't have a full concept of money, and the greed thing just naturally comes to play when TV MarketLand is on the move, and all the techified whirly-gigs and gizmos cost a boatload each.

But, it ultimately becomes "just more stuff."  By mid-January, the newness always wears off.  I think about the biggies that my kids wanted last year.  When was the last time they even played with that stuff?  At that point, there's just more "stuff" to manage.

This 4 minute video from Films for Action entitled "Live Rich" does a nice job of poignantly showing the depth of the "stuff" that we manage as we get more "stuff."  It does a nice job of dovetailing (inadvertently) on REI's #OptOutside campaign they had for Black Friday. #OptOutside was their movement to close all 143 of their stores to promote their passion & their mission--to get both their customers & their employees outside.


Even though the Christmas Season is officially on us, and we can now say "Black Friday be gone" as it has now passed, there's still plenty of time this holiday season ahead to focus on a few questions that deserve contemplation and answers:

• What is truly important to you?
• What is the true price of the price you are paying for your "stuff" (Christmastime and all the time)?
• What do you really need?
• Can money even buy that?  
• If not, what does?         (Typically that answer is "time and togetherness.")

Cheers to each and every one of us for an intentional Christmas Season ahead.

Images from http://memesvault.com/funny-black-thanksgiving-quotes/, http://lolzombie.com/7543/happy-kids-greedy-materialistic-consumption-addicts-day/, http://themeaparty.com/4101/snoopy-christmas-theme-party
Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__9-VgvZYWM

My Love-Hate Relationship With Technology: A Litany of Links

If you have been hanging out with me for awhile, you know that the previous two posts were the first 2/3 of my true confession trilogy of my love-hate relationship with technology, despite being a tech teacher.  You can find them here and here.

Clearly I'm not the only one out there that has spent some time and energy thinking about this one. Below are a bounty of pieces that might make you think and rethink yours and your children (and your students) attachment to technology.

Let's start with an infographic:



And here's a litany of other links on this subject:

• What Happens When You Tear 6th Graders Away From Their Gadgets for 5 Days

• Technology and Kids: Startling Statistics Every Parent Should Know About Addiction to iPhones & Screens

• The Many Downfalls of Kids’ Addiction to Tech: Why Limiting Screen Time Will Benefit Your Child

• More Reasons Why You Should Turn Off the TV and Take Your Kids Outside

• Every Teacher Can Be a Natural Teacher: 10 Ways You Can Add Vitamin “N” to the Classroom & Beyond

• Screentime Is Making Kids Moody, Crazy and Lazy

• Parenting as a Gen Xer: We’re the First Generation of Parents in the Age of iEverything

• 10 Reasons Why I Will Continue to Give My Children Handheld Devices

• Powerful Ads Show What Your Child Sees When You're Addicted To Your Phone

• Race to Nowhere

• The More You Connect, The Less You Connect

• The Importance of Slowing Down

• Mobile Screens: Do They Really Turn Your Kids' Brains to Mush?

• 3 Ways to Finally Shake Your Cell Phone Addiction

• Disconnecting from Technology (For a While)

And let's end with the "Book Book:

Infographic from http://www.sweettmakesthree.com/2013/01/kids-and-technology-addiction-infographic/ ; Videos from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOXQo7nURs0 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnr_1Aiv_Xg

A STEM-Style Snow Day, Part 2: The Great Gumdrop Challenge

As I mentioned in my last post "A STEM-Style Snow Day, Part 1:  The Precursor," I have been battling the techno-zombied-children in my own home.  Sometimes the grown-ups too, including myself.  I've been wrestling between using tech as a tool to teach (meaning I have to research such things to create dynamic EdTech lessons), and also using it as my own personal escape when I need to zone out from the barking dogs with a peek at Facebook, a text to a buddy, or continue a riveting game of "Words With Friends."

I've seen the articles stating that kids on average spend 7.5 hours per day plugged in.  I've seen how the hours per day in my own house have "upped" over the last few years (though, not quite that high).  I started my Unplug: Tech Timeout Pinterest page, and I started looking for "cures" out there. "Creativity cures" to help us all unplug this snowy day, extended weekend with 5 days of no school.

The outdoors of snow play with the dogs and even shoveling only got me so far.

Going to see The Lego Movie helped. (I was tickled to see the unique twist to the story, highlighting that creative building was essential.  Rest assured, no this isn't a spoiler or movie deal breaker!)

Another key for me was beefing up my STEM ~ STEAM Pinterest page.  (For those who might be uncertain, check out my Jan. 27th post "E-STEM = Adding the Environment to STEM Education.")  In doing so, I came up with some great classroom activities that I could actually bring into my home.  Yes, we have the Legos and such, but it seemed my dynamic duo needed a little inspiration & creativity that can only come with seeing things in new light.

Hence yesterday we had "The Great Gumdrop Challenge."  My daughter was quite curious when we were grocery shopping this morning and had to be sure to get gumdrops, marshmallows, and toothpicks. Both of my crew became interested when theses items came out in front of them on the kitchen counter in bowls.

The task they would face:  Create a structure using these 3 items.  Judging would be based on a two part scale:  height and creativity.  The dual judging element seemed doubly inspiring.

It was interesting to see them quickly determine that gumdrops were heartier than the marshmallows.  They experienced geometry, gravity, problem solving, and changing their plans mid-flight (when gravity took over). The conversation along the way was also very interesting, as was they way they each approached it quite differently.

I think my biggest take-away is that kids (in particularly mine, but I would imagine most) need a little help in getting inspired to step away from the technology.  It's the go-to easy, highly motivating obsession.  But more than that, they need the tools to try something different, or to see their existing tools in a slightly new & shiny light.  Of course, it's at this place that I chuckle....for I believe that's what actually is called "parenting."  

Likewise, it was a good reminder that sometimes quality learning comes with a little mess... and that's okay too!

Pics from my house, my kids, their inventions.

A STEM-Style Snow Day, Part 1: The Precursor

We have had some snow here the last few days.  And when I say "some snow," that means multiple inches--up to 24 inches in part of the state of Maryland!   With the snow of course came 2 snow days from school, resulting in a 5 day weekend with both Valentine's Day & Presidents' Day.  Between the shoveling and the outdoor frolicking with the dogs, and even a little bit of pink & red valentines, it still seems like the biggest gravitational pull for my kids is still the electronics.

Being an EdTech and an Eco teacher, I often find myself a bit split. There's so much you can do to grow mentally, using technology.  Yet, I see the addictive side.  Even for me--how many times have I played "Words With Friends" or checked Facebook today?  What else could I have been doing with that time?

So, if I'm split, and I have some semblance of self-control, how are kids to navigate?  You need to be the type of parents who shut them down regularly so your kids can see (and learn) the beauty of balance.

Though, I must admit, it makes me the "Tech Police" far more than I want to be.

So, what does an EdTech teacher/mom do about--Start a Pinterest Page called "Unplug:  Tech Timeout."

One of my favorite parts of my new-found "pins" was the Sherry Turkle TED Talk "Connected, But Alone." With 15 years of Internet and interconnected tech studying, Sherry's come upon a lot of the same things I've been pondering in my house...though, of course, she's taken them to a master level.  Sherry's book "Alone Together:  Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other" sounds like an interesting read.  At the very least, her TED Talk falls in my version of "Must See TV" (which ironically invites us all to step away from the TV, texting, and other technology).

Watch the Sherry Turkle "Connected, But Alone" TED Talk here:



Other great ideas were listed at the Tech TimeOut website.  It's definitely a website I want to be visiting.  You'll find great "To Do" lists, challenges, articles, and infographics to get you thinking even more about how to shape your own level of unplugging.

It's definitely helped get my mind rolling on how to better shape these snow days and holidays of ours this weekend.


Beach photo from http://techtimeout.com/
Pinterest Page pic, screenshot from http://www.pinterest.com/dabrowka/unplug-tech-timeout/
Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Xr3AsBEK4

Back to School Celebrating 20 Years of Bill Nye the Science Guy

It's back to school time (we started just this week), and it's that time of year that is symbolic with learning... and of course, back to school.  Along those lines, this fall marks the 20th anniversary of the Bill Nye The Science Guy!  In fact, we're just a few days shy of that anniversary.  According to Wikipedia, the show debuted on Sept. 10th, 1993 and ran its 100 episodes until June 20, 1998.

In recent years, Bill Nye has come out even stronger on his climate change stance, and has received some "heat" on the subject by some folks who STILL aren't quite buying it (or his scientific stance on evolution and more).  But, to be seeing this "Science Guy" saying the same things (yet stronger) here for two decades is quite telling.  More so as the "ppm" ("parts per million") of carbon dioxide continue to go up and far exceed the recommended 350 ppm for climate stability and environmental safety. (We are currently over 400 ppm of CO2--all of which can lead toward excessive and erratic weather, warming of oceans, melting of polar ice caps, and more.)

It's a problem that hasn't gone away yet...much like the fact that we all are all still fighting the "Earth Day" fight, 40+ years later.  Interestingly enough, burying our heads in the sand isn't solving it either.  Maybe it'll help as he hits the dance floor on mainstream television's show "Dancing With the Stars" this fall.

Click here to see this clip on YouTube.

Video first seen at http://www.care2.com/greenliving/bill-nye-explains-his-passion-for-science-climate-issues-video.html; Photo from the Bill Nye Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bill-Nye-The-Science-Guy/48947135361

Dueling Banjos

Here's Kermit the Frog proving, once again, although it's not easy to be green, you certainly can do it in style!

You too, Steve Martin!  Kudos for the smiles today, gents!

Steve Martin and Kermit the Frog in "Dueling Banjos" from Steve Martin

Video from http://FunnyOrDie.com/m/87w0

Turkey Treats for All This Thanksgiving!



by Lemon.ly. Browse more
 data visualization.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Here is just one of a great many fantiastic finds that I happened on from Larry Ferlazzo's growing list of The Best Sites To Learn & Teach About Thanksgiving.  There you'll find over 6 dozen Thanksgiving themed links and sites, so you can have a tasty, informative and edtech-ian Turkey Day!!  (His "Best of..." Series is an amazing bounty of resources alone--on any subject a teacher might have a hankering for!!!)

Of course, after your feast, you might want to hit the SunSentinel's Holiday Exercise Calculator!!

And, in my book, no Thanksgiving is complete without watching & chuckling over the 1978 sitcom "WKRP" Thanksgiving episode!!

Have a bountiful &
beautiful Thanksgiving,
full of family, friends,
feasting, festivities & frolic!!


Infographic from http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/10/27/the-best-sites-to-learn-teach-about-thanksgiving/

A Muppet State o'Mind ~ Now & 1980s

I'm in a Muppet's State o'Mind here after heavy contemplation of "Muppet Theory"-- especially as it relates to environmentalism. (An upcoming trip to Disney World might also have something to do with that.)

I find it interesting that I have landed on these two gems from circa 1980s.... Public Service Announcements [PSA's] from Kermie and friends and the National Wildlife Federation.

The 1980s.... Nearly 30 years ago. I was a mere wee lassie from the Midwest. Yet, here we are, they are as current as can be. As nostalgic as I find them to be, I find that 30 year mathematical statistic alarming. It leads me to wonder where exactly we will be ecologically and sustainability-wise with not only our environmental progress, but also our PSA's.


The Muppets by green-tv




The Muppets Part 2 by green-tv


http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnjvkg_the-muppets-part-2_news#
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnjvkq_the-muppets_news#

Muppet Theory

It would be the first time I have written about the Muppets, or for that matter anything in the typical "under 10 yr old commentary!" (See It's Not Easy to Be Green or MuppetGate or Perry The Platypus or 104 Days of Summer Vacation, or more or more or more!!).

But this may be the most profound GTG Muppet commentary yet.

You have got to love FaceBook Nation, for it is there that you find such unique gems!  The latest from Slate by Dahlia Lithwick:  Muppet Theory: A Unified Theory of Muppet Types.  A definite "must read," especially if you are in need of a chuckle, and you find personality traits and psychology fascinating.  In her article, she classifies us all as either "Chaos Muppet" or "Order Muppet." 
From Dahlia's article, some clarification:

"Chaos Muppets are out-of-control, emotional, volatile. They tend toward the blue and fuzzy. They make their way through life in a swirling maelstrom of food crumbs, small flaming objects, and the letter C.  Cookie Monster, Ernie, Grover, Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and—paradigmatically—Animal, are all Chaos Muppets...." 

"Order Muppets—and I’m thinking about Bert, Scooter, Sam the Eagle, Kermit the Frog, and the blue guy who is perennially harassed by Grover at restaurants (the Order Muppet Everyman)—tend to be neurotic, highly regimented, averse to surprises and may sport monstrously large eyebrows. They sometimes resent the responsibility of the world weighing on their felt shoulders, but they secretly revel in the knowledge that they keep the show running."

For anyone who's seen the 2011 Muppet Movie, it begs the musical question:  are you a "Man Or Muppet" of a man!

Its been cute talking to pals, looking in the mirror, and analyzing my family.  I have come to terms with the fact that I am an Order Muppet who wishes she was a Chaos Muppet, yet who would be drawn to tidying up Cookie Monster's wayward cookie crumbs.  In fact, while talking about it with my own two kids, my 6 year old fell off the back of the couch (where he was perched), laughing. Chaos. Definitely Chaos.

As a blogger, there is enough Chaos Muppet in me that I get glee out of writing about whatever, whenever here on my blog. Yet there's more than enough Order Muppet in me to land on the idea that I need to find an eco-connection in here somewhere.  But this I know I can do!

Perhaps there is a Muppet Theory of Environmental Activism... in good times, economically prosperous time, I think we (as a country...if not as a planet) have a very "Order Muppet" approach to climate change--or environmental issues as a whole.  The view:  "Yes, it's important, and we need to take action--we're on board."  In less prosperous economic time (aka: a recession; aka: now), folks aren't so ready to support environmental issues... in idea, philosophy, and finance. Studies have shown that, as a community, "we" tend to be more pro-environment when we have a strong economy behind us.  Aka: Order Muppets.

Yet when the money gets tight, locally, nationally, globally, we can get a little nutty.  We start running around like crazy, not believing in the realities that surround us with the global statistics of higher CO2 levels, greenhouse gases, ocean acidification, and temperatures. There are greater economic concerns to focus on--more akin to survival and basic human needs. I see it like the little kid with fingers in ears, running around, loudly proclaiming "I can't hear you, I can't hear you!" Perhaps it's an example of "Me thinks thou dost protest too much."  Chaos Theory.  Chaos Muppet. 

Yet, no matter where you fall on the Muppet Theory Spectrum, the issues--the environmental issues--are still there.  Yes... much like our fearless Slate writer Dahlia Lithwick, I too will leave you with this: Manama nah!

Images from http://snarglr.com/.  Dr. Honeydew & Beaker pic from http://www.moviefancentral.com/breathless_mahoney87/blogs/chaos-muppet-or-order-muppet, Cookie Monster Google Doodle from http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/nov/05/sesame-street-google-doodle.

Dallas, The Next Generation

In the category of strange but true, I am finding myself watching the premier of "Dallas." The opening credits alone take me back the 15+ years. Man do I feel old...yet, Dallas does what Dallas does best!  Insert smirk here!!

I must admit it. I have been to Southfork. Yes, full disclosure.... Yes, the REAL Southfork.  Even more:  I have seen more than my fair share of original episodes...many of which more than once!! Don't even get me started on the where's, how's, and why's!  How old was I then, those Friday nights, so long ago??? (Probably as old as JR's eyebrows are long now!!)   Let's see...it started in 1978, and the original series ended in 1991....I can't even ponder it!


Bobby Ewing was always my favorite...so is it any surprise that his son is now my favorite too, esp. now that he is an environmentalist. (Not to mention that he's definitely on this side of cute!! But, I digress....) 

So we have a new tale for new generations, with big oil versus alternative energy.  I get that it is the series pilot--there's more to come, so we can probably just move away from that whole nasty methane, earthquake, unstable alternative gas issue story line.  Just like 30 years ago, JR was akin to evil -vs- good.... So here we are, in a new generation, with the same "good -vs- evil" protocol.  This time now, just different details form a modified story line. If "Dallas" has taught me anything over the years it has taught me that the storyline will continue (with or without a shower/dream sequence scene), and good will typically prevail....though sometimes it takes awhile to get there!!
But all that aside...this takes me back to the days of yesteryear. Kudos to the David Jacobs team for bringing back the old favorites and bringing in the next generation of strong, engaging Ewings.


Pic from http://madefortvmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/03/dallas-premiere-air-date.html