Dash #742 Continuing Education

          I remember my mom and I taking a class together on storybook literature.  Sadly, I don’t recall the name of the instructor but he was of German descent and had had exposure to cruel fairytales versus what he called “watered down” versions that seem traditional in America. I think there had been only  four classes as we met only once a week for only for four weeks – at least that is what I remember.  I don’t know if I recorded anything about it though Corey may have my mom’s version of what took place.

          I remember our instructor showed us several frames taken from a graphic story.  I don’t recall there being words, but if there were, he would translate the German captions into English.  The story was on obedience and minding your elders.  Peter had been warned by several adults including mom, dad, and at least one grandparent.  They had told him not to go outside for it was too cold and he would be able to dress warm enough, but Peter went outside anyway.  He walked further and further away from his home and ignored all the signs of birds that were too frozen over they could no longer fly, or other animals.

          I believe that Peter ends up falling through the ice.  Some of the adults go out to look for him and find him frozen. They take him back to the house to thaw him out.  In the last frame the illustration shows three canisters.  I forget what was in the ones on either side – perhaps vinegar and cooking oil.  The container in the middle was labled Peter – implying that Peter had thawed into liquid and that was the only means they had for preserving what was left of him.

          He had also showed us a book about Mr. Thumbsucker who would cut off the thumbs of children who continued sucking their thumbs.  The idea was to motivate children to stop sucking their thumb but the pictures seemed quite gruesome. It wasn't just the stories themselves but also the illustrations that made the German versions seem much more dark than the American hand-me-down  versions - which I am grateful for.

          I remember enjoying fairytales as a child. Then again, I think my mom was a lot more selective.  I appreciate her introducing me to fairytales as I know she didn’t like them when she was a child.  Nor do I think she enjoyed them much as an adult. I don’t think the fairytales she grew up with were as violent as our instructor’s had been.  Also, my mom didn’t seem to have a great imagination and wouldn’t believe that bears could talk or pigs could build houses. 

          In our final class we were introduced to an orange and were supposed to form a relationship with it.  Our instructor said it was often a tender moment for many of his students and when they were separated from their orange, or saw another rip it apart, some would actually cry.  Mom and I exchanged glances that we surely wouldn't be making that kind of attachment or would be able to relate to that analogy. I made a comment about two other students I could see it happen with. And it did.  They cried.  We didn’t roll our eyes, but we didn’t feel the same attachment toward our oranges as they apparently did.

          It was an interesting class.  I think mom and I both enjoyed it overall – though I seem to be sharing the bizarre parts about it.  It had been a good experience for my mom and I to have this class in common and to share our experiences.

More Homographs

Same Spelling, Different Pronunciation

The bow of a ship is the front part.  A bow is also when I put my arm in front of me and lean over it.  People take bows after they perform.  A ship's bow and an stage bow are pronounced the same.  (b-ou)
A bow that I wear in my hair is pronounced differently than the two above it.   A bow can be used as a weapon to shoot arrows.  A bow can also be used to play an instrument such as violin. (b-O)

A minute (min-it) is a measurement of time.  There are 60 minutes in one hour.  Minute (my - nUte) is something small and obscure.  The grain of sand seems minute compared to pebbles. 

You may say a person from Poland is of Polish descent.  You polish surfaces to make them shine.  Polish (pO-lish) and polish (paul -ish) are not pronounced the same.

A sow is a female pig.  To sow is to plant seeds.  Sow rhymes with bow.  Two different pronunciations. 

Homophones

Different Spelling, Same Pronunciation

When I bawl, it means I cry hard.  That bawl is a homonym and is spelled differently from all others. 

The ball of my foot is just below where toes start to spread. 

Attending a ball would be like going to a dance or gala.

A ball is a round object or toy sometimes associated with sports (as there are several types)

The term "Have a ball" means to "have fun"

And let us not forget my life as a ball found here.

Crazier Than Ever

          Since spring break, the skies

overall

have been grey and have

produced a huge amount

of water. 

The rivers are not

overflowing, but

                    definitely not

dry as they were in winter. 

The temperature has been

47 – 52 degrees on average. 

On Thursday it was up to 82. 

What is up with that?!? 

Yesterday was not

quite as warm –

maybe 10 degrees less. 

Now we are back to

rain and clouds.   

April milestones

          It’s been just a few years since I wrote this post – referring to the stages of life and changes that we hope will never come.  Yet we are tried.  We can’t control what things might happen – good or bad.  For my oldest son’s in-laws, June is a hard month.

           

          For Roland’s family it seems to be April that seasons the time line.  His mom turned 92 yesterday.  Seven years ago we’d gone to Tucson to celebrate her birthday (here).  Nine days later, Roland’s eldest sister passed.  Today we learned that another sister died this morning.  Facebook reminders of two of my boys who married their wives in April.  

      Missionary papers and homecomings in April.  Jenna was also born in April.   This is my first recorded timeline. 

Inconvenience

We had a leak in our pipes

right underneath the sink.

In order to fix it, Roland had  

to turn off the water to the

house. The water meter to

our house is not only in our

neighbor’s yard, it is in their driveway.

What’s up with that?

Agism - Where Do I Start?

Currently, I am taking a class called “Sociology of Aging”.  I know it will be a good class and look forward to these next three and a half weeks.  The course will end before I know it.

My instructor is quite animated and reminds me of my late sister-in-law except happier.  I enjoyed listening to the lecture yesterday as the happiness in her voice and arm movement (I have only had one other instructor record herself).  I know her teaching methods aren’t going to appeal to everybody, but I enjoy the bonus of hearing joy.

I tried reading the book but was becoming bored with the way it was written and turned to YouTube instead and found some informative videos on the subjects and some that came across even more boring than the reading.

I have also volunteered to test market a hotspot device through the school so they can monitor how much time I spend on research and study.  Only they won’t be getting an accurate reading.  My internet, WiFi, hotspot, whatever cuts out on me every day.  Every Day!  I spend more time going from one device to another or not being on the internet at all.  I’ll start assignments or posts (such as this one) on one device and post it on another.              Grrr . . .

          So now that I’ve finished this post, perhaps I should start on my assignment. 

Dash #5 EMES & 40 school lunch

            I don’t remember the elementary school having a particular smell.  I remember the option of two ways to walk there on foot.  Seems like it may have been faster to walk up our street and over on third east and down than the safer way which we usually went – over 240 to 260 and came in behind the school. The playgrounds were behind the school.  

a really ROUGH map of my neighborhood

            Our desks had openings in the front.  They were wide enough to hold two plastic trays.  We called them tote trays.  It is where we put all of our school supplies.  We carried the trays each time we moved for math, reading, science, etc. according to whatever our learning level was.  If someone was absent, the desk could still hold my tray as well as that of the absent student.

            Before peanut allergies was a common thing I remember peas tasting like they’d been cooked in peanut butter.  I kid you not!  To this day I believe the peas at East Midvale Elementary School cafeteria were cooked in peanut butter or maybe a heavy peanut oil that tasted like peanut butter.  Now, I love peanut butter but I HATE peas and cooking them in peanut butter did not improve the taste.  I may hate peas more as a result.

            We had a cafeteria separate from the gym.  I don’t remember if there was a folding door that separated the cafeteria from the gym.  Maybe.  It would have made for more room for assemblies and programs.  The school offered many programs for parents to come and watch their students perform.  It felt like my parents had a lot more opportunities to watch programs than do the parents who have students in schools today.

            We had an old custodian by the name of Mr. Beckstead.  He wore green coveralls.  At least that is how I remember it.  Our lunch trays had compartments, I think two or three squares and a circle, and each compartment was for a different food item. When we were through eating lunch we had to take our lunch trays up to the garbage, but if the monitor was not satisfied with our eating habits, he/she would send us back to the lunch table to finish whatever we hadn’t touched.  Many of my peers would stuff unwanted food into the milk carton because the monitors never checked the cartons.

            When we were in the  5^th and 6^th grade we could help serve food.  In sixth grade, if a student’s grades were good enough and had the desire or were picked, they could work as a safety patrol monitor.  I remember students guiding other students across the street.  300 East is far too busy for a child to fulfill that duty.  It is done by an adult.  I don’t think as many schools offer safety patrol anymore.