Halloween around the corner >:-0

It' s around the corner... boooooo!
I love the Fall with the many colors of trees embelishing our neighborhood. From dark green, all shades of red and brown, to translucent yellow. Some trees look like big torches giving their light under the gloomy sky. But the evenings are so different now with the many spooky decorations. Pumpkins, ghosts, witches, and Vampiers...

I am like a ghosts myself my nights are longer and longer... Last night I went to bed at 3AM. What a weekend... I am supposed to be happy for the weekend and I start dreading it, knowing I have so much to catch up and never get it all done... then something always is postponed to the next week.

My students start slowly to post their literature review on their blogs. Even though I told them please do not e-mail me that you made a post, I can see it through Bloglines...
It's interesting that they think if it is online I am 24/7 online also and give them feedback in the moment they post it.... if I don't then they send me an e-mail.
I am a lot online in the weekends and check my bloglines at least four times every day and give them feedback. Today I spend more then 5 hours just giving them feedback and checking the Blackboard postings also. I promissed myself that I won't give so detailed feedback, it is so much time spent on that... but I see they struggle. The interesting is that they think and perceive this as my responsibility, even though in other classes they turn in the final projects and are graded on the final product never ever receiving feedback throughout the process.

I am almost half way through my situated cognition project with 4th and 5th graders. Must revise an article, write one more, read a lot because I am behind my readings, finish all my C++ assignments in time, and next week I will have a C++ lab exam.

My house is a mess... (I think it is only in my eyes; might be other people would not see it that way, but I hate all papers all over in the house). I neglect Taylor, we take shorter walks, and her training is neglected also, poor Taylor. It's getting so cold around here and I hate cold! Next week the high will be in the mid 50sF. Brrrr....
I miss the warm Fall in Tucson. I wish I live on a ranch in Texas, or New Mexico, or Arizona, or California... OK, I would choose California :-)
...but till then I'll get back to my chores!

Happy spooky Halloween!
Make sure you get some garlic in your pockets :-0

Fall snow

No, these are not pictures from last winter! My friends in Buffalo , NY have sent me these pictures after the big snow fall on October 13th, 2006. They were left without power for three days, in dark and cold winter. Their power is back, heated houses again...

I was wondering which is worse? The big snow fall in October or our tornado in July?
The same lack of power, complete darkness in the nights... Summer with spoiled food (in the winter at least the cold keeps the food fresh). What is worse: 38F in the house or 88F?
To put all the clothes on to keep warm or take all them off to cool down :-)

Neither is better. We only realize how important is to have the normal conditions when we loose them... And we realize how comfortable is our normal only when we loose it.
I was telling a firend here that I grew up with no shower and toilet in the home. We used to have a portable bath tub that we could bring in the middle of the room, filled with warm bubbly water, and the toilet house was outside (so we made sure we use it evenings before going to bed, especially in the winter). I was in 5th grade when we moved in our new home with real bathroom and a toilet in the bathroom. Since we have a private weel, in draught we have to be very careful with how we use the water, so showers are army style, quick and short on water consumption.

It's so easy to get used to all commodities of a warm, lighted, heated or air conditioned house :-)

The snow as the rain and wind can do similar damages. I am glad my friends are all safe and sound, no house damages, but many trees were lost under the heavy snow.

JRT Fun Day

Taylor and her friends Morgan, and Max had lots of fun Sunday at the Purina Farms.
They had fun digging in the tunnel for the little rat (Max seems more interested in that activity). And also they enjoyed running for the lure (here Morgan was the big surprise, he really loved chasing that squirrel tail). Max and Taylor got each a sting from the wild bees. Taylor was the rest of the day very grouchy (having from Friday aproximative 10 Hershey chocolate bites from Sandy's house - were left on the coffee table).

I don't know when will be again Taylor's big laughing day since I am so very busy with school and research work that all my weekends are working weekends.
I am more and more tired every week adding to the load, trying to catch up, and cutting from the sleeping time (hey, now is just 12:45AM, pretty early taking into consideration that lately 1AM and 2AM is my go-to-bed time).

I started my research and try to work on all three of my studies in the same time.
My students from EPFR515 think they have plenty of time to start their Final Projects (some did start, most of them did not), but there are only 6 more weeks to go till the end of this semester.

I still love the C++ (one more reason why my nights are so short).

Fall is here and cold freezing temps also (tonight might be the first frost). Leaves of all colors are all over, the grass does not grow as fast as before, it does not rain (that is quite bad, it's like Arizona dry). I wanted to take a picture of my little tree in the back yard, was like a yellow flame... today all leaves fell.

It is so cold 34F! I miss Tucson (their low of 62F in the night is higher than here the predicted high of tomorrow, 61F). I really dread winter.

Time or stress management?

I thought I am the only one thinking that this semester is faster, more loaded, and more stressful than usual. No matter with who I talk everyone has the same complaint. Too much, too stressful, can't keep up with all....

I know there are 20 days since I did not give you any news... School is loaded, I work with a team of other three faculty on a project on Student stressors and reactions to those stressors. I continue my little research with elementary kids, teach three graduate courses, and take my C++ as serious as I can!
Oh, by the way last week I had exam in the main lecture and tomorrow in the lab (will measure how much I learned the C++).

I sleep less and less; 4-5 hours/night maximum. I did not have real weekends, all my weekends are work and effort to catch up and keep going. I feel tired, and stressed ( no wonder I study stressors and reactions to them).

I try to set realistic goals, and keep good track of my time management... it seems to not be enough. Might be I have too much on my plate?
I open my e-mail to respond just the urgent e-mails and after two hours I find myself stuck in front of the monitor giving directions to my graduate students on how to start their final projects, and how to conduct a lit review, and how to find articles via the Library web. Just because they seem to not be able to follow the many handouts and directions step-by-step to do their assignments. I feel like a Customer Service rep... Then I get upset on this. Teaching should not be mainly about teaching students how to use the library search, they are graduate students, they should know by now how to do a literature review.... Anyhow. My time is going by, many hours I could spend on my research, doing my readings, writing articles and publishing them.

In two weeks I have to keep a workshop for students in the dorms about Time management, learning styles, and test taking skills. I will teach them how to set goals, how to select the Important ones from the Urgent ones, and how to allocate the time in their calendar for these goals.

DO THE IMPORTANT BEFORE THE URGENT!

Think you have to live one more year: What would be those goals you would not want to miss?
Think where you want to be in five years from now? What would be very important to do NOW that would help you to get there?

Indecision. Procrastination. Inefficiency. Interruptions that are not important and unexpected. Unrealistic time estimates. Errors. Crisis management. Poor organization. Ineffective meetings. Lack of priorities.

+ being sucked in to the tube! (be it computer or TV)

... hmmm.... in theory I am pretty good, the practice is killing me :-)

Enjoy the challenge

I really enjoy learning C++
It is not the easiest thing I ever learned but it really makes so much sense to me.
I LOVE it!

It gives me such a feeling of accomplishment when I write my short program assignments and I test and use them. This is so cool.

I think it uses so well my knowledge as an engineer and psychologist. All is so logical, technical, but in the same time needs to be esthetic and smart :-)

It is my private time, my relaxation, and new hobby.

School otherwise is very crazy. Lots of classes to teach, I could not start yet my research since elementary school teachers in Alton just started school and are in strike. So, I do not know what will be. I am sure the things will get settled and I can start full power to do research with young kids. That should be fun also :-)

It seems I am very packed but I have lots of fun with what I do!

Learn to be humble

I had my first lesson in learning to be humble: my very first C++ lab. I was kind of lost, not knowing what I am doing, trying to figure it out, and not paying enough attention to the instruction that mention time limit to upload my work... uploading the unfinished file on top of the finished correct one (that means I lost the good one).
Anyhow, it was a good first lesson that taught me to be humble. Here I am like any other undergraduate, realizing that in my class I have colleagues who know programing, know what they are doing.

I am confident I do the good thing by being a student again. So now I understand my own EPFR515 students' struggle when I ask them to use the Blackboard discussion board and design their own first blog. Some did not hear ever before this "blog" word and have no clue what is all about. More than that some have a generic e-mail account (1-2 not even an e-mail account) that they don't use too often. When I tell them that setting up a blog account is like setting up an e-mail account, and posting is like writing e-mail.... but if they do not use the e-mail...
Now I can feel and understand their frustration.

I had to install on my PC the program that will allow me to complete my C++ assignments. I had no clue what .iso files are and how should one burn a CD from .iso files. Thank Google I found the instructions, and managed myself to have all done (OK, in two days!). Friday the internet at my house was down because my provider had some system problems for 24 hours. I did not know I am so dependent on the internet, without it I am "dead." I cannot imagine life without internet... isn't that interesting? In Romania I did not have e-mail, I did not even see too many computers, and was using one for the first time when I was in college in mid '90s.

I enjoy learning C++. I also know that having a Ph. D. does not make me any different from my undergraduate colleagues in CS 140! Some of those guys can be my teachers.
This is a lesson to learn being humble.

Fall semester 2006

From Summer school into Fall semester with a 24 hour vacation :-)

Sarah my friend from New York, she is a faculty at Hunter college, arrived last Friday and I drove her up to Springfield to visit her Mom (Sarah grew up in Springfield). Saturday morning we visited Lincoln Museum, the old State Capitol, and the historic street with Lincoln's house.

Monday August 21st, 2006 Fall semester started with full power.
This semester I teach Cognition to graduate students. I modified the syllabus and it seems pretty dense, but is more flexible and dynamic. Group discussions, article critique, blackboard postings, workshops, flyer, and final project. In all tasks my students can choose the topic. So, there is no more assigned topic, is all choice based. Technology is still a big part and I still use the blog posting as a mean of final project presentation. If nothing else they will have one more skill to use (or forget about!). I know I scared them, but if they work hard they will do good.

I am myself a student taking CS140- Computing I, and I will learn C++. It seems much harder than my EPFR515 class. I'll see how I manage and complete all my assignments: 3 courses to teach, 1 course to take, 3 current projects to work at, and service in AAUW, member in Program Evaluation, added department and core meetings, along with publishing.
Hey I have a full life, 24/7!

I know I can do it! I even take care of my sanity and take Taylor to agility classes and myself one hour per week to riding classes :-)
Life is full.
Life is good!

No more procrastination

One more week till Fall semester starts on August 21st, 2006.
I will teach three evening courses: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (this is off campus- in Belleville, IL).
I did not have vacation this summer. Teaching all summer long was not a good idea at all. Not worth it....



I am behind projects: academic, research, and personal.
I posted for myself timelines, deadlines, tasks, projects, and all schedules. I still hope I am realistic. And if I can manage them all and keep my sanity that means I am cured of procrastination. There is not time in my calendar for procrastination. I will have a VERY heavy loaded schedule this Fall semester. I just want to survive it till December, till Christmas break. I might crash at that point but hey, who cares if I ace all my targets! :-)

Now it comes the time when I apply all that I learned in my Psychology courses and from many books I read on procrastination, time management, goal setting, coping with stress, and positive thinking.

God help me!

the fear behind the story...

I am revising an article and usually I like to have background noise, so I just clicked on the TV remote till something not too noisy came on "Pretty woman" with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

Mostly listening fragments of the movie I remembered this picture on that web page I presented earlier this year Lost puppy liar. It is a guy in Canada designing these interesting pictures. Now, I don't like as much the picture as the message, and I think the guy intended to send a message, as the movie's message behind the scenes, in the real world.

Why do I remember this particular picture listening in the background to the movie? I think when I first saw "Pretty woman" I was looking too intense to the actors and what they are doing, what is happening, and I was mesmerized by the Happy End - I did not think about the real story behind... Today I try hard to fix this article, going over and over again and changing, fixing, and remodeling words; I feel frustration, pain, and fear that I will miss something essential. So, this time around I somehow could hear (from the fragments I paid attention to) what is the message behind the actors' words. She is a prostitute, even if we are mesmerized by Julia Robers, she does play a prostitute... and we all know the reality is far from being such a happy ending as is in this movie.

I think it is much pain, frustration, and fear (yes, fear - this is why I remembered this picture).
Those girls are sex objects, they are not loved, not one of the men cares about how those girls feel, what they like, what they dream about. They are looked at like objects whith what one can play with and then trash, they are only the puppets... I believe in reality those girls carry lots of fear.

Too hot! Gone fishing :-)

Agility trial

We went to cheer for Trevor at the Agility summer trial at Gateway Agility Club.
It was a big AKC event.
Trevor did very good, he won a couple of ribons and won a gift for Taylor, a toy :-)
The main reason I went it was to learn from watching. Taylor will go back to school August 2nd, for refresher obedience three weeks, then starting agility :-)

I was watching the four arenas of competition and the skills of so many dogs of different breeds and their handlers. It is amazing how the dogs can learn to read the handler's body language, and learn also what they are supposed to do: jump over little fences, through tire, go in the tunnel and shute, walk a titer, and dog walk, and do the weave poles (that is the most difficult). All that with enthusiasm and happiness. They don't realize when they miss an obstacle or do a wrong one, but for sure they do realize the changes in voice, body language, and tensions in the handler. I admired especially the ones who missed the obstacle from the first two jumps (in some categories of competition that meant the team was completely out of the game!), but they continued till the end - and sometimes with no other fault!- to show that the team is good, that the dog knows the course.
Of, course I admired the national competition teams who did excellent performance in excellent time. What a wonderful performance!

But also I watched the ones like us, on the benches, cheering, praying, keeping our breath till our favorite team - dog and handler - finish their course. We were chatting and crticizing when we just were watching, when the team was not of our interest, but we were glued to the arena when our team was performing. We were hands up when the team finished and did no mistakes, or sorry that they missed the opportunity in case of a mistake... wish it would be perfect!

I think that is how God watches our actions in this life. Cheering for us, praying, keeping his breath to see if we do well, or being sorry for us when we screw it up.

Congratulations Trevor!
Trevor proudly smiling :-)

Taylor's mint treats

I decided to make Taylor some treats. I choose to do so because I have no clue what they put in the doggie biscuits even if they look good. Once I found in a bag of so called "natural doggie treats" in more than half of the biscuits some kind of animal hair. I suspect they chopped entire rabits in the treats.
I made her real natural ones with whole weat flour, oats, butter, eggs, cheese, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, and mint. They taste very good. Any person could eat them, all is natural, clean, and nutritious.
She has a half jar of mint cookies and she loves them!











After eating some she takes a nap in front of the TV with the remote between her paws:-)

Tornado in Midwest

We survived a tornado coming from the unusual path (from East to Southwest - usually tornadoes come from West to East).
Wednesday, as ususal, I teach the summer course 5-9:30PM. By 7:00PM the fire alarm started to blast in our ears. I thought first that it is just a drill since at 5Pm when we got in our class, in the basement of Founders Hall, it was 100F outside and rain was predicted only to Friday night a 10% chance of possible rain...

It seems the tornado did not watch the same TV channel...
We were in the right place, in the basement, so we even could not go out to see what is going on. I could look on the door and it was very dark, very windy, and loud.

The alarm stopped by 8:30PM and classes continued ... my students convinced me to continue next class.

By the time I got home to see what is going on I was really concerned that I might not have a house. We lost power, luckily I had flash lights. In my back yard I had only a couple of big branches from the cottonwood tree I have in the backyard. The swing, chair, Taylor's toys, all crumbled in the fence along with branches. A big pile of mess that I cleaned pretty easily.

Thursday was really hot and humid. Daytime up to 101F. In the evening when I came out of classes, and exit the building my glasses got foggy, like in the winter when one enters the house, or when entering a bathroom. It was haze, so humid I could see the steam. We did not have power till this morning at 6AM. We tried out the basement of our house as bedroom. In the house last evening 10PM were 84F. So, I made a bed for us downstairs. Taylor did not want first to stay there, she run out and run in the bed, but realized it is very hot, and dark, and I do not go up. Finally she just cuddled in my arms and we slept till 5:30AM this morning.

When I looked outside I thought it is fog... it was haze. Very humid, very warm.
Another strom passed by around 11AM, but not dangerous, just a little wind and two drops of rain. One more rain very short around 7PM. Now is calm. It is supposed to cool down over the weekend.

My neighbor's property was covered with branches from the trees. His trees were badly damaged. In the neighborhood yesterday and today people were cleaning up after the tornado. Many trees were damaged, broken like tooth picks.

The news presents 472,000 people without power. We are lucky to have a basement to our house. Now we have electricity. Midwest besides being so hot and humid in summer, it is also pretty scary.
We are safe and sound, and do not have damage. Thank God!

Dog friendly

Many would say that people who have dogs are friendlier than the rest. But then those who have cats are friendly with cat people, and those who have birds, and the "fish tankers" also are friendly with other fish owners. So, I would be biased against all kind of pet owners if I would say that different categories or only certain type of pet owners are friendly. Farmers when they meet farmers are friendly too, and teachers when meeting other teachers are friendly also.

Yes, you got it, it is all about commonalities. What are the common things we can connect from the first moment that gives us the feeling of being "friends".

I am happy to hear someone is from Europe, and very excited to hear Hungarian, Romanian, or French speaking people :-) they are "my kind" because I understand them and have something in common before knowing anything else about them. Did you ever travel abroad? Did you ever get excited when let's say you were in Rome, or Paris and you heard someone speaking English, American English...? How happy were you? Didn't you feel that that person, you never met before, is your best friend! :-)

Taylor opened for me doors to many people's hearts. Here my best friends are dog people.

Here Taylor with her boyfriend :-) Trevor. They were in obedience and agility classes together. She loves Trevor, even if she does not meet him too often these days, Trevor is already in advanced competition class, Taylor still repeating the beginning agility. It's not the dog, is the handler - we do not have the obstacles yet, so we practice with Trevor's agility course (and Terri) from time to time. Trevor will compete in two weeks in agility. We will go to cheer for him!

I dream of a time when we can take our dogs everywhere! Till then we dog people connect from the first words. We recognize each other by our dogs' names. As my mail man... We met in front of Petsmart, but he did not recognize me, but he did recognize Taylor - who barks ferociously when he "takes something out of our mail box!" Then we laughed that he did not see me but only Taylor! And kids on my street know my name "Taylor's mom" - they forget my real name but they don't forget Taylor's name.

We, dog friendly people :-)

P.S.
The weather is not dog friendly at all.
Daytime 99F heat, 83% humidity, and 112F heat index; night goes down to 78F.
Wednesday prognosis 100F and Thursday 101F!

First steps

My first horse riding class :-)
My horse is Blueberry, a white, 7 years old very calm, and long bearing mare. I brushed her and put the saddle on, then I got to climb on :-) Poor Blueberry ... I am three times as heavy as any little kid from the summer camp at Triangle H Farm. I have to learn how to not dump myself on the horse's back, I'll break her back. Cindy my instructor is a retired jokey after 15 years in the racing. She is very patient (as Blueberry).

I had mixed feelings: excitement and anxiety. I do have a helmet, don't worry, and Blueberry knows new ones like me who saw a horse only from the ground.

I love it!!! I really do, I would go every day not one hour/week only.
For sure when I retire I will live on a ranch with horses around and JRTs.
I will have that red barn and stables with horses.
Hey, remember, that's my dream since I was six!

One year anniversary

July 14th, 2005-2006.
It is one year today since I moved here in this hot and humid beautiful place :-)
I remember last year how small and remote Edwardsville looked after coming from Tucson.
Today driving home from doing my groceries I smiled thinking that I got used to drive the 12ML between the corn fields, watching the black cows, and now waiting patiently for the water in the lake to raise again to normal level. Not too much rain here, feels like Tucson (but much humid, like in monsoon time).

Taylor loves the green grass and to swim in the lake. We don't love the humidity! Today is a very hot 96F with 63% humidity, makes 107 heat index (must be like in Hell), feels much worse than 110 F in Tucson. I stopped to buy peaches from a farmer, he will have corn, tomatoes, and peppers soon. I love my house, I love to live here out in the corn fields... In this past year I made friends with my neighbors (dog walking ladies). Kids on my block know Taylor, and they say "Hi Taylor's Mom" :-)
My across door neighbors just moved to Kansas City, someone else moved in this past Monday, but I did not see them home. A new beautiful house was built on my street. Of course the big dent in front of my house was not repaired yet, and I found another handy man to fix my electric problem, and I put myself the reinforcers in my closets. I did not find yet a handyman to fix the gutters... Since it does not rain I really don't need gutters.

It's hard to think I am in my house for one full year, but it is true. This is the dream accomplished. I cannot complain. Slowly I got used to SIUE and my disappointments were alleviated (partially). I am very busy, couple of deadlines, and 52 take home exams to grade.
Tonight we go with Jo Ann (Molly's mom) to State Fair ( a musical at SIUE), then Sunday we go on the lake with Sandy and Jerry's boat, then all have dinner. God has blessed me with good neighbors.

It takes time to feel home. It is good to be home!
Life is good! :-)

Busy summer

I am grading take home exams (blogs). I have two sections (28+23 students). I did not realize it takes such a huge amount of time. Even if I already read most of them (those who started earlier and improved their work upon my feedback) I have some who posted the day before the due day, that is yesterday. Procrastination is a disease :-)

I have my due days also to submit my proposals and because of this summer teaching I will find myself in the group of procrastinators.

Research first! So, what should I do when there are only 24 hours in a day? I sleep less than 5 hours/night and feel more and more tired. Still to hang on till the end of this month when class ends as well as my due dates for submissions. Everything needs to take place in the same time.

Some of the students are frustrated because they had to work more on this exam than they expected and planned for a summer class. Some asked me how does a blog improve them as teachers? Dah .... On more skill they had no clue about before coming to this class. Some did not even hear ever the word "blog" did not know what a hyperlink is and never did a library search for articles. Anyhow....

Taylor keeps busy fishing :-) in her pool. She learned by now that when she is hot she goes in the pool to cool down. Then goes back to digging and all muddy comes in the house. She is very bored and very angry at the computer. She barks at me when I am looking at the monitor not at her!

I am tired! I need to do something to get away from computer and books. Even with all deadlines ahead! I would like to learn how to ride a horse.
There is a place close where they offer riding classes called Triangle H Farm. I'll give it a try. I love horses and always wanted to ride a horse.

Happy Independence in America!

Happy Independence Day America!

Independence is very important and close to my heart, it has also a very special meaning for me.

Independence carries the hopes of my grandparents in the time of Second World War. They waited for the Americans to come and free them from Hitler and his army, but instead the communist came over like a pest.
Then they waited for the Americans to come and free us from the communists... but the communists took all their properties, kicked my father out of school, and never gave a chance to my mother to continue her studies. My grandparents longed and died waiting for Independence.

My father could never forgive and forget the communists, they took his family's belongings, his father and father-in-law both died shortly after the communists forced them to give away their property. They were just hard working middle class people, they did not have big fortune, but with what they had they could afford schooling for their children. Once the communists took it all my grandfathers died both of heart attack, they just could not bear the pain and sorrow. My father never went to college, even though he had excellent potential. The communists took it all, they took his future.

I grew up learning a history from the history books in school, and another history told by my parents and trusty elders. I grew up fearing that my Dad will end up in jail because he was often swearing at the communist party and all communists. I grew up in fear each time he was not coming home from work in time... We did not have a phone at that time, so each time when he was late Mom and I were praying that he would not be taken by the Militia for swearing and talking badly about communism.

I grew up listening to the Voice of America, and Europe Free broadcasting on the radio, and feeling the luckiest to be able to listen in both languages Hungarian and Romanian. Looking forward to hear news from America, the Land of Independence and Dreams Come True.

I grew up going to church in secret because each holiday we the young communist pioneers had to go to activities not to church. How it hurt my Dad to see the red tie around my neck, the symbol of those who killed his Father... but we had to comply, for fear...

I grew up admiring America and being completely amazed when I first saw a one dollar bill and written on it "In God we trust." That really was the land of dreams come true if they could write the name of God on their currency bills.

I grew up having a dream, since I was six, to have a ranch in Texas :-)

I grew up with the dream of being a fugitive; to run away from the country and never look back, to run away from the communists, but never dared to do it because I was the only child and was too worried to leave my parents behind to the "mercy" of communists.

I grew up having a dream of Independence!
I grew up dreaming of and admiring America!

Before I came to America I was told that I will have a cultural shock. I never had, I felt from the first day like the right fish in the right pond :-) I felt like coming home.

And here I am... my dream came true. I am in America, the land of God, the land of opportunities and real dreams, the land of Independence! I love this country in a way I never could love the place I was born in and where I grew up. This country is the dream of my grandparents, and parents, and the dream of my childhood. I would give my life for this country. America welcomed me and gave me the opportunity to realize all that I dreamed of, and even more than I dared to hope for... I accomplished the dreams of my grandparents, the dreams my Father never had the chance to accomplish, and I accomplished through hard work more than I dared to dream!
I accomplished the dream of Independence!
No matter where I will go in this world I will belong to this land of God.

Americans are so blessed, but many don't realize that. Independence is so precious, it is a dream come true. The best dream ever!

God bless America!

Midwest tempo

Right after I moved here to the Midwest I noticed that things are slower, and that people react slower than in the Southwest.
Last summer I needed to have the storm door installed to have a doggie door for Taylor. My storm door and doggie door were for a whole month in the garage till after many calls the handy man finally came to install it. Taylor was really happy!

In the fall I talked with a landscaper to come and continue the landscape from the front of my house to the side. The Winter came and went away, and then the Spring was here. Finally in late March the landscaper came (after many many phone calls).

First week of April kind of the same time when my landscaping was complete, a handy man completed the work on the air duct (from my dryer to the back side of the house - since the builder directed the air duct out into the garage!). The same handy man promised that the following week will come and complete the work on my gutters. The water from the sump-pump comes out to the side of my house, and since there is no slope on my property the stinky water makes a little pond and is also a mosquito nursery. It is July! I called since then almost every week to ask if he will come... My neighbor Frank needs to have the exact same work done, the handy man proposed to have both works done in the same time to not rent twice the digging machine. Frank and I agreed to split the rental price.

No one came and since then Frank called him and I called him taking turns.
Two weeks ago I got impatient (it was slowly end of June and three month since the work was promised to be done). I called the handy man and asked if he is still interested in doing the job. He said he will come to take measures that Saturday.
Frank promised he will call also, and the handy man said he will be at the house 9AM. Saturday came and 9Am passed. By 11AM I called Frank to ask him if he has any news from our handy man... Frank laughed and told me to be patient since people are laid back here in the Midwest. And sooner or later, perhaps more later than sooner, we will have the job done.

That Saturday the handy man got to see Frank's property and stopped by my house just to tell me he is late to little league tournaments with his kid and he will come next day.
You guessed, he never came back!

I think I just give up and start to search for a new handy man.
Frank still tells me that in the end he will come and that I have to be patient since people are not as fast as I think, it takes time, "people around here are laid back."

But it is three months since that work was supposed to be completed.
I wonder what are the limits that a person can be named "laid back" before it is named "lazy" or "bad worker"? Or is it me that I expect people be eager to do a job?
No, I think it is me being too patient and not searching for another service provider. It seems Midwest tempo is defintely not my tempo!

Having the responsibilities of owning a house is not easy task. But hey, I am learning :-)

New skills

Yesterday I cooked Indian food (chicken and rice) and invited my friends from India, Sunita and Siva. Siva, who graduated from SIUE in May from Computer Science helped me fix my official SIUE web page ( I am still working on it) using Dreamweaver.
At UA I used the FrontPage, uploading all my files using the Secure Shell. At that time it was so easy and I really enjoyed learning how to fix my course web page. Then I moved to SIUE where I could not use directly Front Page but I need to transfer it all using FTP
Siva and Sunita were explaining me the real basics, and since they did not have too much time Siva just started the mainframe of template for my web page. Then showed me how to use the link feature between the pages. Sunita learned the basics about Dreamweaver from Siva but then she became better than her master since she was the webmaster for the College of Engineering. Very smart young lady :-)

After they left I told myself is better to try just a page to make sure I got all correctly and not forget till in the morning what Siva showed me.

It's interesting that all of us when we become masters in a domain we forget how really hard was to learn that stuff, and when we teach others we kind of skip some real basic steps, that seem to us (the experts) self explanatory, but for the novice they are essential steps to know.
Also those of us who learn a skill that becomes "old" once we use it, we have a hard time in learning new stuff when the old interferes with the new (this is called proactive interference).

So, I first messed up all that Siva worked, just because I really forgot in like 30 minutes after they left. Then since I really wanted to KNOW it I Googled it and learned and tried it out till I messed up all of it and started it all from scratch!
At 2:30AM I just gave up. But continued in the morning till... Hooray! I got it, I know the basics, and I am now able to fix my official SIUE site.

Sunita was just smiling, remembering how frustrated she was in the beginning, but technology, like any drug :-) gets one hooked.
I am glad I learned another cool skill!