Cranky Jennie ;-p

It’s unavoidable. I have to talk politics again.  When the President of the United States has to resort to threats in order to get legislation moving, you know you’re in trouble as a nation!

Most Americans, according to current polls, are unhappy with the current administration.  Americans believe that politicians are corrupt and Washington is in shambles.  I am personally appalled at how things are done.

So, here’s my flippant, unresearched and  idealistic plan for America:

1. Accept that the president is nothing more than a project manager.  That said, we should elect people who have a proven work record in this area.  Project managers, coaches, teachers, CEOs, etc. have proven leadership skills.  We need a leader who does more than speak of hope, we need one who can actually inspire it through their actions AND words.

2. Abolish political parties.  Then the politician’s loyalties are not to some old school group, but rather to the people.  I don’t want you to tell me what I want to hear, I want you to show me what you believe through your actions and the bills/groups/ideas you have proven to support.

3.  Elect people who have common sense.  I want people who know they need to put money away for a rainy day, who know what it means to work hard, who appreciate the life they lead and reflect that in the work they do.   These people accept that they are servants of the country and its people, not power-hungry narcissists.

4.  Appoint people who have work experience and a proven record.  You want ideas, no financially-backed promises.

5.  Set up non-partisan (see above), public debates on each and every issue.  Listen to both sides without bias and make an educated, common sense decision.  Instead of what is best for YOU, think of what is best for the country.

6.  Congress is taxed like the rest of us. Why do they live high on the hog when they’re supposed to represent us?  How can they represent us when they can’t even relate to us?

7.  Remember what our country is about.  Everyone has the freedom to succeed.  Stop making it about “us” and “them”.  We’re just as divided as we’ve ever been.   With enough drive and ambition, anyone can succeed.

8. And finally, STOP SPENDING MONEY!!!!!!  This is what got us into trouble in the first place.  From Joe Smith in Little Town, U.S.A. to the federal government, no one has stopped spending money.  Joe Smith took out and ultimately defaulted on loans.  The federal government just keeps spending money.  STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Tighten your belt.  Find your footing again.  We can’t continue building a house of cards with the belief that it will continue to stand.  It WILL COME TUMBLING DOWN!  Fund the necessary things:  Education, public safety, national security, social security…Cut everywhere and anywhere you can everywhere else.

Oh, and a final word to President Obama: stop apologizing to the rest of the world.  Take a stand and have the fortitude and conviction to stand by it.  We’re not out to please everyone else.  Charity begins at home.  You have a lot of ground to make up with the American people and I suggest you start listening!

God Bless America

I admit it.  When I was a kid, I didn’t aspire to do exceptionally well in school.  What I did do was enough to make my parents happy.   They set expectations and I met them.  As far as I was concerned, my brother was the smart one and I was the athletic one.  And that was o.k. for me.

Part of my lack of ambition for school stemmed from a mistaken belief that everyone learned at or above my level.  When I realized, in graduate school, that I was definitely above  average, I really flourished.  I exceeded my own expectations.  Doing well gave me confidence.

My daughter is an underachiever and IT.DRIVES.ME.CRAZY.  She just doesn’t care.  She always has something she would rather do.  When she does her homework, she tends to rush through it, getting big chunks wrong, but thrilled that she’s “done”.   Of course I make her do it again.  This has become a major bone of contention.

How do you inspire someone to care about something when they just don’t?

This is not a stupid kid.  It’s not an inability to do the work.  She tested into school a year early.  I think the problem is two-fold: she’s spoiled and hasn’t had to work for anything, ever AND she’s very immature.

My mom likes to call it “fourth grade -itis”.  Fourth graders are ornery, like to challenge the rules and to test the waters.  Well, this river (a.k.a. mom) has HAD IT!

It just seems like such a waste of talent.  I wouldn’t get so upset if she put 100% into what she was doing.  The problem is she rarely shows 100% in anything.

So, that leaves the question, how do I fix this?

I have done the “disappointment” angle and the “angry” thing.  Neither works.  So, I’m trying the “threat” angle.  Gone are the XBox and the DS.  On the chopping block are playdates/sleepovers with friends.  Something has to work!

Perhaps I should spend time doing research, something I’m good at, rather than writing and complaining which gets me nowhere!

What a difference a semester makes!

Last semester, I batted one for three for decent teachers.  My math teacher didn’t teach and my chemistry professor didn’t really want anyone to do well.

Lo and behold, I’m batting 1000 this semester.  I’m taking two pretty hard classes - Biology 202 and Organic Chemistry.  In biology, my professor gives you so many different ways to earn points, you’d be a fool not to capitalize on the opportunity.

My “O” chem professor actually wants us to understand what we’re learning, apply it, and do well on his exams.  He takes the time to methodically go through each new concept until we understand what is going on.  If someone needs additional help, he has made himself available on weekends, through office hours and by staying after class and lab.  Amazing!

I am well aware that not all teachers are as dedicated as this, but it is really refreshing to be taught this way.  Granted, you don’t frequently get the average or below student in an organic chemistry class, so that helps.

Speaking of average or below students, I read a comment the other day that drove me crazy!  In essence, it said that there should be no honors or gifted classes because if the teacher were truly doing his or her job, then every student would earn an “A”.  REALLY???!!!!!

This faulty line of thought goes back to my previous post about how we are not equal and how I fully disagree that we can all learn a concept if given the time and attention.

First, to the commenter, you have quite obviously NEVER been a teacher.  Meeting the needs of 30 children in your classroom is no easy task.  What exactly does this moron propose the brighter kids do while Joe Schmo is getting specialized tutoring and attention so he can keep up?

This is exactly why I believe in tracking.  Why are we holding the brighter kids back?  Why are we stifling their learning curve?

I believe there are two universal truths in K-8 education: first, teachers have to “teach to the test” because they are evaluated on how their students perform (which is inherently WRONG), and second, when there are mixed-ability classes, the teacher is forced to “teach to the middle” because that is where most of the students fall.

The beauty of a specialized class in college is that most of the students actually want to be there.  In K-8, teachers also have to deal with home life issues, discipline problems, hormones, etc.

What this means is that there really isn’t a reason to have a college professor who sucks.  It raises the question: are people born to teach or are teachers made?  I believe you either have the ability or you don’t.  Thank GOD, I have two this semester who actually have that trait!

My family is infamous (at least in our own minds) for its philosophical conversations.  Everything and anything is fair game.  For example,  on the dark side, we may ask each other, “Do you think you could stab someone to death” or if you like lighter fare, “What is the meaning of life?”.

One of the biggest debates has been about fate.  My brother is a committed fatalist.  He believes that our course is already charted and we’re going to die the way it’s been “written”.  His biggest argument for fate is 9/11.  I agree with him on that tragic, devastating event, but I do believe we have some choices in life!

Today, one of my classmates started a debate about the ability to learn.  He believes anyone can learn anything, if taught correctly.  I wholeheartedly disagreed!  I honestly don’t believe someone with a below-average IQ can understand and apply the theories of quantum physics if given the time and taught correctly.  I’m sorry, but I just can’t support the idea that we all have the capacity to learn everything and anything.  This discussion prompted this post, in case you were wondering.

Yesterday, my mother asked me two question:  Who has disappointed you most in your life and What non-family member has inspired you?  I came up with the first one quite easily, but the second one was much harder.  I partially blame myself for the first because I repeatedly subjected myself to this person in the misguide hope that s/he would change. NOT!

I’m still thinking about the second one.  I’ve had people that I have admired for one trait or another, but I’m not sure there was one person who really “inspired” me besides my parents.  Of course, I think this admission highlights who my parents are (at least in my mind).

Here’s another question:  what event or events have altered the path of your life?  Did something happen that made you change course?  I think Oprah called these “definable moments” or something like that.  I have had a few that I can name off the bat.

The fun in asking philosophical questions is you really learn what makes another person “tick”.  You find out what is important and/or of value to them.

It’s definitely a better way to spend your time than playing mindless video games or staring blankly at the television!

What makes you tick?