Kelly in Kansas

I'm actually ahead of schedule on this particular topic. I made a resolution on December 2 to start scheduling more personal time to keep me from being tempted to work throughout all the "blank" spaces in my schedule. Last year I began by scheduling a vacation in mid- to late-May -- whenever our semester finishes and before summer workshops start. Now I've added seeing either family or friends right after Christmas - will probably alternate so I don't overwhelm members of either group.

The rest of the trip was great. Getting to know my cousin's husband a bit better was one of the highlights - he was a history major before becoming a Navy pilot. They were the ones who lived in Pensacola after :-( I moved from there. Their three young children are growing by leaps and bounds. The snow waited to melt until last night so I felt like there has been some winter in my life this year. It was 65 degrees when I arrived back in this part of the Midwest but should cool off just in time to leave for Seattle - and it should be cold there, too. :-)

My HP package arrived here before I did but I will have to wait until tomorrow when the neighbors who picked up my mail are home. It should definitely help me get better organized this year. Was also able to go to the grocery store (wasn't sure what time they would close tonight) so I don't have to deal with that in the morning and I have fresh milk for my Ovaltine.

Other New Year's Resolutions:

Read more history
Knit more
Quilt more
Spend more time with friends
Exercise more
Take more time for me
Publish (not perish)

We'll be celebrating my five year old cousin's birthday here.
Should be fun.

I'll switch relatives' houses this evening when there is a big family dinner that also includes aunts and uncles. As they've all passed 70, it's definitely time to celebrate that they are all still here and relatively healthy.

There's still a great snow outside although much of it will probably melt later today.

Did some shopping with cousin Rob yesterday and bought one of these - quite a difference in this one and the one that is 3 years old. The storefronts were all out of them so I ordered with no shipping direct from HP. I did get to handle a display one, however, and the screen is fantastic.

ScrappleFace: New Microsoft Patch Blocks Firefox Downloads: "New Microsoft Patch Blocks Firefox Downloads
by Scott Ott

(2004-12-19) -- Microsoft Corp. today released a new security patch for its Internet Explorer (IE) web browser which prevents users from accidentally or intentionally downloading the new free, open-source Firefox browser from The Mozilla Foundation.
'Firefox is a dangerous and contagious browser that could seriously jeopardize marketshare,' said an unnamed Microsoft spokesman. 'Unless consumers take action to block Firefox, it could speed up web surfing and return control of user computers to the users themselves.'
The source added that Internet Explorer is a superior product because it allows computer experts, called 'hackers', to control your computer."

I've made it this far and the plane is headed this way after being de-iced. I'm on the free wireless internet available in the open business lounge at the Springfield/Branson Airport (not just the Springfield airport anymore). I was able to get quite a bit of housecleaning and end-of-year tax paperwork along with course prep done yesterday.

When I called in yesterday, they booked me on the 5:30 flight and then I called last night when I saw that the 10:39am flight had reappeared on delta.com and Mark - the extremely helpful gate agent - booked me on the earlier one and also left me on the 5:30 flight just in case. I called at 6:15 am (before I left home) to make sure there was still a possibility I could fly out.

I was interviewed about how the delays affected me but also had the chance to tell the airport public relations director how well the gate agent at Delta Connection took care of passengers and did all he could do that was within his power to do.

It will be great to see my godmother/aunt and assorted cousins - both first and second (if my cousins' children are my 2nd cousins, that is) and get recharged for the new year. I will be home a few days and then head off to the AHA and a few days after I return from that the new academic year will begin - full speed ahead.

ABC News: Computer Crash Forces Comair Cancellations

HEBRON, Ky. Dec 25, 2004 — Comair canceled all its 1,100 flights on Saturday because computer problems knocked out its system that manages flight assignments, a spokesman said.

Nick Miller, a spokesman for the Delta subsidiary based at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Regional Airport, said the cancellations affected 30,000 travelers in 118 cities.

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Count me among the 30,000. But thank goodness I was with family for Christmas and today's trip was to see some cousins in Cincinnati. I wasn't able to get through on the Delta number to rebook (imagine that . .. .) but was able to talk to the Springfield gate agent again and he rebooked me on tomorrow evenings flight. I just checked again and that is the first flight schedule. With only 3 flights a day between Springfield MO and Cincinnati, I imagine it's low priority versus the hundreds of flights other places. It has messed with my rental car reservation and although Travelocity did all it could, my rate went up $50. Next time I'll try to get the same rate through the rental car company. Laura at National Car Rental tried to help but their agreement with Travelocity didn't allow me to make the changes that resulted from changes beyond my control. That's part of why Travelocity is cheaper. Part of that problem was that the change was less than 24 hours before departure time which meant there was a cancellation fee that negated starting all over. And, with the weather and computer confusion in Cincinnati, I didn't want to be stuck without a vehicle.

That will allow me to get some more housecleaning done and possibly even get my taxes done for the accountant as well as some more coursework preparation - that way I can relax even more once I head out tomorrow. And, if I was driving as originally planned, I'm only arriving a few hours behind schedule anyway and would still have the 11-13 hour drive on the other end, too.

Merry Christmas!

We went to see National Treasure last night. The movie was great and did remind us of an Indiana Jones movie. The web site even has what appears to be a good teacher's guide. The action was fast-paced and included an interesting cast of characters with lots of comic relief interspersed in the movie.

I've been working on my handout for the paper I'm doing on blogging at the AHA in a few weeks. Until I started trying to put them in categories, I didn't realize how many academic-related blogs I read. The anonymity question is something I'll discuss. I know some that are anonymous and want to remain that way are trying to plan an informal get-together at AHA. I'm also afraid I'll forget someone and/or a blog I want to mention - just like the concern that there's a source you missed for your dissertation. I need some space from the previous semester to really cogitate on this topic. I am only one of three presenters discussing our connections with our various audiences and so I will also need to see the focus the others are taking. More importantly, the audience and its familiarity with blogs (including trying to see how many academic bloggers are in the audience) will be a prime determinant of the direction of our discussion since I intend it to be a discussion and not a traditional paper presentation. I can't tell you how glad I am that both the AHA and the OAH are steering away from only allowing the traditional formats. Tradition definitely has its place (as every historian would agree) but at such a seminal stage, the evolution of ideas is even more important than a literature review. I couldn't believe when I was reviewing my own blog in order to get geared up for this paper . . . . oops, presentation . . . . that I had been keeping it for two years now. Time flies!

11D: Publishing: "Having numbers and reactions in hand can be just the thing to cinch a deal. When editors pitch ideas in a meeting, they can show those numbers to hostile directors. In these times, numbers are everything. Publishers can't take risks, and bloggers have an edge over untried authors.

I would love to see some more bloggers make the transition to publishing. If you're interested, I could have Suze as a guest blogger one day and she can tell you how to do it."

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New connections between blogging and publishing??? The traditional academic mindset is that "if it's been somewhere before, we can't publish it . . . ." - is this possibly changing?

Despite the wonders of the internet, it hasn't decreased the number of books I buy. In fact, it's only widened my interests. Maybe publishers understand that, too. It's also opening the publishing world to the masses and beyond just the editors who think they know what people want to read. Often they're right, but there's a great deal they miss. Will be interesting to see what develops.

Am also thinking about how this applies to developing student activities to learn history and their eventual "official publication" status - primarily outside the print medium since interactive exercises don't fit there anyway.

The Morning Sun: New anchor got his start in Pittsburg 12/20/04: "New anchor got his start in Pittsburg
By JESSICA TIMS
Morning Sun Staff Writer

Brian Williams now sits behind the 'NBC Nightly News' anchor desk, but it wasn't long ago that he was a reporter and weekend sportscaster and weatherman at KOAM-TV south of Pittsburg."

Why am I posting info on this show to my blog that is supposed to be about teaching??? Well, the teachers in our grant are studying historical cognition next semester and a part of that study is looking at popular culture. What better example to use than analyzing a popular new tv show and then have them do some work with their students about their favorite shows and what they tell us about the youth culture of today?

Along the way, I found another great quiz from Quizzilla:


Congratulations! You are Susan Mayer, the divorcee
and single mom who will go to extraordinary
lengths for love.


Which Desperate Housewife are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Desperate Housewives - TV Series - TV Tome

Another great episode!

Just returned from NYC for a meeting about one of our grants. We visited with the folks at the Gilder Lehrman Institute to help plan out the activities for our partnership over the next two years. We also went to see one of their history high schools which was really engaging. I wish I had students that were that eager in my history courses. The teacher was conducting an interactive discussion about the Spanish American War and you could almost see their brains working.

We also took some time to sightsee and I was able to visit one more regional branch of the National Archives. The World Trade Center site was quite moving - especially the memorials still visible at St. Paul's Church. Times Square was amazing and we took the studio tour. http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif. We met Rupert of Rupert's Deli of David Letterman fame and celebrity sitings included Al Sharpton, the cast of Hannity and Colmes along with guests Bill Bennett and Ann Coulter (through the Fox Studio glass) and Daryl Hammond rehearsing a Saturday Night Live skit.

Spent time with family and friends, including some new ones, yesterday. Today I've still been catching up but did get some outside work done. The upcoming week should include a visit from the electricians, celebrating Christmas with Marcia, working on papers for the AHA, wrapping Christmas presents.

The New York Times > Technology > Google Is Adding Major Libraries to Its Database: "Google Is Adding Major Libraries to Its Database
By JOHN MARKOFF and EDWARD WYATT

Published: December 14, 2004

Google, the operator of the world's most popular Internet search service, plans to announce an agreement today with some of the nation's leading research libraries and Oxford University to begin converting their holdings into digital files that would be freely searchable over the Web.

It may be only a step on a long road toward the long-predicted global virtual library. But the collaboration of Google and research institutions that also include Harvard, the University of Michigan, Stanford and the New York Public Library is a major stride in an ambitious Internet effort by various parties. The goal is to expand the Web beyond its current valuable, if eclectic, body of material and create a digital card catalog and searchable library for the world's books, scholarly papers and special collections.

Google - newly wealthy from its stock offering last summer - has agreed to underwrite the projects being announced today while also adding its own technical abilities to the task of scanning and digitizing tens of thousands of pages a day at each library."

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Now I can spend even more time on the internet and still be working!!! :-)

The Cranky Professor links to a New York Times article that explains the Gates Foundation to education. Focusing on low-income, minority school districts, the foundation will establish schools where students complete high school while starting college. It appears that the ultimate goal is to get them to finish both levels of education - be challenged enough to stay in school while also finishing approximately half of a college degree before they complete high school - that way college doesn't look so daunting.

When I was in grad school at North Texas, they had a program for gifted math and science students that worked approximately the same way. Of course, many of those students were not really interested in history and had already switched to "why do I need this class if it's not what I'm going to do when I get a job" but there were a few that were a sheer joy and took full advantage of the opportunity. It sounds like something worth trying and the Gates definitely have the money to make it work if it can possibly do so.

I think most people underestimate how many students go through high school unchallenged - and it's not because the teachers don't want to challenge them - it's more the society pressures (read: parents) that don't believe that most kids really can live up to your expectations. I've found that they can. The only downside of teaching at my small state institution is that the students don't spend much time studying, not that they can't learn the material. But there are those few that come through that really do want to learn history and make teaching a joy. Furthermore, I've had the flexibility to explore technology more so than if I were at a big-gun institution since the humanities are still behind (in general) on that. But I''m preaching to the choir if you're reading this blog. :-)

The Cranky Professor links to a New York Times article that explains the Gates Foundation to education. Focusing on low-income, minority school districts, the foundation will establish schools where students complete high school while starting college. It appears that the ultimate goal is to get them to finish both levels of education - be challenged enough to stay in school while also finishing approximately half of a college degree before they complete high school - that way college doesn't look so daunting.

When I was in grad school at North Texas, they had a program for gifted math and science students that worked approximately the same way. Of course, many of those students were not really interested in history and had already switched to "why do I need this class if it's not what I'm going to do when I get a job" but there were a few that were a sheer joy and took full advantage of the opportunity. It sounds like something worth trying and the Gates definitely have the money to make it work if it can possibly do so.

I think most people underestimate how many students go through high school unchallenged - and it's not because the teachers don't want to challenge them - it's more the society pressures (read: parents) that don't believe that most kids really can live up to your expectations. I've found that they can. The only downside of teaching at my small state institution is that the students don't spend much time studying, not that they can't learn the material. But there are those few that come through that really do want to learn history and make teaching a joy. Furthermore, I've had the flexibility to explore technology more so than if I were at a big-gun institution since the humanities are still behind (in general) on that. But I''m preaching to the choir if you're reading this blog. :-)

I was already pretty excited that I am on the program at the AHA and the OAH - something I never thought would be possible with a position at a small regional state university. But, now, Lisa and I have been accepted to NECC. Yahoo!!! It will also be a great opportunity for her to see the National Archives regional branch there as well as the National Constitution Center to see if she thinks it is something teachers would think was worthwhile.

The NECC presentation is about integrating technology and primary sources. Looks like all the conference hotel rooms are long gone - apparently that opened quite a bit before presenters were notified. But next time we'll know! It will also be fun to travel with Lisa to her kind of conference.

Valdosta beat PSU 36 to 31 .. .. .:-(

Here is another blogger from within the ivory tower that agrees that Al Franken should not be viewed as the pied piper. It's nice to know I'm not alone . . . .

Last night I went down to a nearby town that still has an "old" Wal-mart. Not a supercenter, just a Wal-mart near a grocery store that is an IGA (almost a relic, too). I remember when I moved to this area 12 years ago, that my town had a new Wal-mart supercenter that everyone wanted to come over to go to whereas I often preferred going back to my small hometown and the Walmart that was still manageable and not overwhelming - esp. when you just wanted a few things and didn't have a lot of time or didn't want to spend a lot of time. Well, this Wal-mart will soon be a thing of the past when they put a new supercenter out by the new bypass intersection - which will be a bit closer but I will still miss the nostalgia of the smaller ones. My brother went to the University of Arkansas and one of his roommates was the company VP who picked the new locations for Wal-mart. It always amazed me that they were in a position to just up and leave an old location without necessarily selling it to another retailer.

Another related story recently was that the University of Missouri named an arena (or other sporting venue) after one of the Walton grandchildren who went there only to find out afterword (and several hundred thousand dollars later) that she paid someone else to do most of her coursework while she was there.

And, as much as I grew up in the world of Wal-mart, this is my favorite discount retailer and I'm even more dangerous in there than in high-end stores (as far as spending goes).

Another thoughtful piece by Peggy Noonan. Hillary is the ultimate pragmatic politician - but will that work in a presidential run? Time will tell . .. .

Via mamamusings.net . . . .

Trying to focus on worthwhile and rewarding things after finding out there was a much snafu in our degree program that affected numerous students - all because someone knew there was a "way around" a hard and fast rule issued by the state but didn't let anyone else know in another part of the college. We only discovered it when they switched a major back to an old program we didn't think was available anymore because we knew that this other campus official would not have done something like this without telling us . . . . live and learn!!!! It's also some more insight into my black/white nature/interpretation of the world and that sometimes the bureacracies that appear to be the most black/white also allow the most 'exceptions to the rule' - they just don't tell you about them . .. and then when you find out it's too late. Not a great end to the semester but I will just keep doing what one of my graduates who is now a veteran teacher does . . .and it's the only way to survive in this world . .. focus on the students (and the colleagues that you enjoy as people!)

well, apparently the DLL file I'm missing is precisely the one that makes all these other ones work. I will still keep trying but am going to give it a rest for awhile before I'm more than frustrated!

I did the command line prompt and then was able to get it to run the Add/Remove programs box so that I could take out SP2 and "maybe" start over. I'd rather try it again here than ruin my main computer with all the important documents on it. I'm just stubborn enough that I don't want this one out of commission when it's possible to learn by fixing it.

Just received a message that said "these programs might now work properly if you undo SP2" - I clicked okay - all I want is for icons to reappear

Okay - loud cussing - it says it cannot uninstall SP2 . . . I'll just have to keep trying . . . .

A few weeks ago I downloadaed Windows SP 2 at the farm but was busy multitasking and cut it off mid-stream of installation and now Windows won't boot up. But, thanks to Google, I've located some help both on and off the Microsoft web site. I just tried botting into "last known good configuration" but it gave the same error message of a missing file. So I will probably have to go to the command line prompt option for taking off SP2. Some of the help boards state that it takes 15 to 30 minutes to get your icons back on the desktop but so far that hasn't worked (and I'm not usually patient enough to wait that long - I couldn't even leave the computer alone long enough to let it load SP2 by itself.) Anyway, am going to try the command line prompt option and see how that works. For some reason, I haven't figured out how to cut and paste URLs on this Powerbook so you don't see as many URLs when I'm posting from here. Will let you know how it goes (if anyone is reading, that is :-) )

on politics can be found here.

It's amazing what a good night's sleep to do.

One of the downsides of being a teacher at any level is that we often feel overresponsible for our students and their sometimes obnoxious behavior. I'm managed to slough off that overresponsible feeling from yesterday and move on to things that a) I can control and b) are more important to me.

The funding for Teaching American History grants is almost at the finish line - and the bonus is that, at least right now, it looks like it will total $120 million. I was working with a teacher in a school district "in state" but not technically part of our 'service area' but ultimately decided that an active role is not wise because of academic turf wars that would possibly hit at the regents level. Since our best university president was fired because of being too successful in relation to other regents schools, I know better to go there and will file it under the title of "no good deed goes unpunished." It would be different if the profs at the school were willing to put teachers' interests and needs first but . . .. .

Have worked on some personal travel plans that are not centered around work. Am trying to focus more on at least scheduling personal time so it doesn't get lost in the waves of work. I'll go to the Ohio/KY area to see several sets of relatives that hve settled there. Was going to drive but a $218 airfare from Springfield made it much more advantageous to fly. (The last time I checked - when direct service first started between the two airports - it was almost $540). Depending on their schedules, I will stay with two different cousins who are brother and sister and their families and also visit my favorite aunt/godmother.

Dead week is next week and then finals so the semester will soon come to a close. Hope to be further ahead in planning this spring. I'm anxious to do the online class with the grant teachers on historical cognition. Not much work has been done on it and what has been done has been primarily in the UK. I'll also be teaching Modern America, 1912-1941 and the Teaching and Student Teaching courses.

Now, back to cleaning the house . . ... and then putting up Christmas decorations to go with the tree - esp. timely since I will be leaving the day after Christmas and won't be here that week to enjoy the tree and deocrations.

My new vehicle is here to replace the one with 83,000 miles. I'll wait to get it when they get the bugshield and mud flaps put on - probably by Tuesday.

That's the highlight of the day. I met with student teachers who were back on campus today. One who had definite issues with his cooperating teacher called him a name that Eudora "rejected" as I was reporting my "displeasure" to the teacher education director because of the particular name that was used. They tell us that the teacher candidates' dispositions is important but I'm not sure they'd follow through. This particular person thinks they already have a job and is just biding time with us. And, I'm finally getting old enough to realize that nothing I say will change anything about him, let alone his attitude. It's very clear he has numerous preconceived ideas that basically enable him to not have to do much.

It also gets to be where (midwestern colloquialisms there) the semester just needs to be over.

One of the teacher candidates going out to student teach is already coaching at a school where one of the football stars was just killed in a car accident on the interstate - all because he wasn't wearing his seatbelt. One of the other students who survived put it best - we just don't think it will happen to us. They still don't know why they crossed the median and hit a car in the oncoming two lanes head-on . . . . And, that is a good reminder that puts some definite perspective on my day.

Next week is dead week (although my students will be taking their last regular exam Monday night) and then finals the next week.

I was invited to an interesting Christmas party by one of our grant teachers. He's also in an 80s-style rock and roll band - we are both 80-something high school graduates - although that seems like decades ago (probably because it was!!).

Third Watch was really good tonight although I can't always handle all the violence. But I miss Bosco - it was interesting finding out he is from the Kansas City area and was discovered as an extra on Mr. and Mrs. Bridge with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Tomorrow will be another day!

From the Chronicle; interesting take on the ivory tower and I'm not sure they're too far off . . . .