As soon as Kevin left for work I got on my computer to finish my homework assignment for my EDU221 class: Teaching Methodologies for English Language Learners. This course is required for ALL Arizona teachers, whether they are highly-qualified contracted teachers or beginners like me.
I had to find an English-language article of medium difficulty so I found one on the Wall Street Journal on-line edition. It was a fairly long article about David Letterman Show that had Senator John McCain on the second time on 16 October. The wordage was, as expected, not easy.
Finishing the assignment took me two hours. Longer than I thought. From there I checked my email and read the local newspaper for anything exciting. The only exciting thing right now is the Coronado National Forest opening up a reform as a public meeting on 17 November. I will attend that meeting. With the current administration pushing for more profitable management of our National Forests and Parks, I am concerned that more land will be opened up to land development, mining, timber harvesting and more cattle grazing.
My AEPA results arrived today in the mail. Although I passed both exams, the graph enclosed shows that I do have a weakness in Instructional Planning and Management. That is nothing new; BMS showed me that!
I also got my Canon Rebel xTi replacement battery charger and batteries from Diamondback Batteries and Electronics out of Las Cruces, NM. Diamondback is a start-up company from a year ago. The products arrived just two days after ordering the items. I am very pleased with the service from that company. I was a nerd enough to write the company back with a few kudos. I'll probably be on their website as a satisfied customer.
By noon I went out into the garden to sow a garden bed of Bloomsdale spinach, Detroit Red Beets and White Globe turnips. Nancy next door was in her backyard and showed me her new pitbull puppy she bought last weekend from a local breeder. (The puppy is a cute brown little guy)
Nancy, bless her heart, is a talker. I was watering the garden beds and left the hose run as we chatted. Nancy is home this week, sick with a bronchial problem. I hope it's nothing serious; she is a smoker like Kevin.
I had to find an English-language article of medium difficulty so I found one on the Wall Street Journal on-line edition. It was a fairly long article about David Letterman Show that had Senator John McCain on the second time on 16 October. The wordage was, as expected, not easy.
Finishing the assignment took me two hours. Longer than I thought. From there I checked my email and read the local newspaper for anything exciting. The only exciting thing right now is the Coronado National Forest opening up a reform as a public meeting on 17 November. I will attend that meeting. With the current administration pushing for more profitable management of our National Forests and Parks, I am concerned that more land will be opened up to land development, mining, timber harvesting and more cattle grazing.
My AEPA results arrived today in the mail. Although I passed both exams, the graph enclosed shows that I do have a weakness in Instructional Planning and Management. That is nothing new; BMS showed me that!
I also got my Canon Rebel xTi replacement battery charger and batteries from Diamondback Batteries and Electronics out of Las Cruces, NM. Diamondback is a start-up company from a year ago. The products arrived just two days after ordering the items. I am very pleased with the service from that company. I was a nerd enough to write the company back with a few kudos. I'll probably be on their website as a satisfied customer.
By noon I went out into the garden to sow a garden bed of Bloomsdale spinach, Detroit Red Beets and White Globe turnips. Nancy next door was in her backyard and showed me her new pitbull puppy she bought last weekend from a local breeder. (The puppy is a cute brown little guy)
Nancy, bless her heart, is a talker. I was watering the garden beds and left the hose run as we chatted. Nancy is home this week, sick with a bronchial problem. I hope it's nothing serious; she is a smoker like Kevin.
At 1pm, back inside and on-line, NBC TV which plays in the background of my office (and which I listen to more than I watch), interrupted the start of Law and Order to announce with an ominous BREAKING NEWS that stocks closed in New York with more negative points. Whew, at first I thought someone important like the president or either presidential candidate had died. Stocks tumbling is only bad news to the seller.
After the garden was done, which was my big plan for today, I realized I had time to take the dogs up Ash Canyon for a run before my college class. We arrived at the National Forest trailhead at 2:38pm. The dogs were let out and ran behind me the entire time as I slowly drove uphill to the last available camp site.
A USBP van drove downhill. I stopped to ask if it was safe up the canyon.
"There's one other guy up there, most likely hiking." the agent told me. I was safe.
Sadie ran right behind the truck, clocking at times 9mph. The other dogs were further behind. Sammy, then Sara joined up with Sadie and me and I let them rest five minutes before we drove to the two campsites Kevin and I were at this past Sunday: 1.3 and 1.6 miles away.
There was more brass shellings on the ground. I collected as much as I could while the dogs splashed around the creek. Weather was beautiful.
A USBP van drove downhill. I stopped to ask if it was safe up the canyon.
"There's one other guy up there, most likely hiking." the agent told me. I was safe.
Sadie ran right behind the truck, clocking at times 9mph. The other dogs were further behind. Sammy, then Sara joined up with Sadie and me and I let them rest five minutes before we drove to the two campsites Kevin and I were at this past Sunday: 1.3 and 1.6 miles away.
There was more brass shellings on the ground. I collected as much as I could while the dogs splashed around the creek. Weather was beautiful.
Sadie is a fast runner. She runs as fast as she has to to stay right behind the vehicle. Sometimes she runs in front of me and stops right in front of the car. What does she think she's doing? She is not SuperDog who can stop a speeding car with a single bound. Her antics sometimes frighten me. I don't ever want to know I ran over her by accident. The other two dogs keep a respectful distance from the car and know to stay away when the engine is running. Sadie hasn't learned that yet.
The dogs were panting at the finish line. Both Sammy and Sadie were drooling in the front seat. Some of the drool dripped on me, but most of it drooled on my cloth seats.
We were back home by 3pm. Dr Phil was a minute away from starting. Today's topic? "Are men responsible for unwanted pregnancies?" And I had to think of Erin and her upcoming pregnancy.
She chose to keep her baby, and I support her, but what if someday down the road she needs financial support from the father, who as far as I know, is not involved in her life right now? Is he obligated to pay child support? Would he one day want to be part of the baby's life? Could she manage on her own, or will she depend on her father for financial support for the baby? (I am curious how this will unfold, years down the road.) An ideal family is still a two-parent household, and no, I don't believe the parents HAVE to be a man and a woman. The love a parent gives its child is more important than the gender of the parent.
Hungry, I opened up an ice cream carton and started eating the treat. "Moose Tracks" is today's flavor, vanilla ice cream with chocolate-covered peanuts and fudge swirls.
It was a busy day. I wonder how people can just sit around and watch TV all day.
Soon I have to get ready for my EDU class tonight. At least I know the dogs were exercised.
___
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2008.
NEW YORK – Wall Street tumbled again Wednesday as investors worried that the global economy is poised to weaken even as parts of the credit market slowly show signs of recovery. The major indexes fell more than 4 percent, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which finished off its lows with a loss of 514 points.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index was the worst performer among the major indexes with a 6.1 percent slide that left it at its lowest level since April 2003.
Corporate profit forecasts, a jump in the dollar and falling commodity prices signaled investors are fearful that an economic slowdown will sweep the globe even if lending begins to approach more normal levels as credit markets ease.
The dollar hit multiyear highs against several other major currencies, weighing on commodity prices. That hurt materials and energy companies, while the fall in oil gave a boost to airlines. Technology shares fared better than the broader market following quarterly reports from Apple Inc. and Yahoo Inc.
While reduced strains in global credit markets have eased some investors' nervousness about the economy, market anxiety remains as hundreds of companies this week report third-quarter results and issue somewhat murky forecasts that are stirring unease about the economic bumps that may lay ahead. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081022/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/wall_street
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