WeatherGirl’s Station

Phi and I will send the following letter to the editor of the University Register in the next few days.

At the election on Tuesday, 7th November you will have the opportunity to vote for members of the Morris Area School Board. We would encourage you to cast your vote for Eric Buchanan and Lory Lemke.

Both Eric and Lory have experience as professional educators; Eric has taught high school mathematics and Lory has taught philosophy here at UMM. With this experience they know what it is to be at the sharp end of the educational process and can bring that understanding to the Board. Both men also volunteer time within the Morris Area School District, providing enrichment opportunities for children at both elementary and secondary levels.

The Buchanan and Lemke families both have children in the Morris public schools. Any decisions they make as school board members will affect their families directly and not just be about “other people’s children”.

The entire UMM community has a vested interest in the outcome of this election, as the quality of the local schools has a powerful impact on our ability to recruit and retain excellent faculty and staff. We believe that both Eric and Lory will make excellent board members, with a strong emphasis on educational excellence and extra curricular enrichment.

Please vote Tuesday, 7th November 2006.

Current temperature 50F/10C

So I’m a google kinda gal and almost never use any other search engine but given their capitulation to the Chinese authorities, breaking their own motto of ‘do no evil’, I’m less inclined to be monogamous. So I had this question, which I typed into google

how to lace a pair of shoes

I got a lot of entries from people wanting to sell me shoes but no one answering my question. There was one link that talked about lacing athletic shoes but that was no help. So I went to ask.com. I got a whole page of people telling me how to lace my shoes. I went to Lace Your Shoes for Walking Comfort and found some really great diagrams that showed me exactly what I needed to do.

I clearly need to play the field more. That makes me sad.

Current temperature 37F/3C

So I took this picture Sunday morning. I was hanging out in the kitchen in my sleepwear and the light/warmth coming through the window tempted me to go out and snap some shots. The sky was so bright and blue. Grass was sprouting in the dug up lawn by the house where we’d had some construction work done. My bare legs didn’t feel cold at all.

Yesterday we had multiple white outs!!!!

Not much snow fell, more like a dusting but once that wind gets going you can’t see a thing. Talk about cold. I seriously contemplated wintercoatdom but couldn’t do it. Who wears their winter coat in October? Sheesh.

Check out that temperature below!

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Emotional. Amazing, an Oliver Stone movie that’s quite sane and did not drive me mad with frustration. Even though we know our two heroes make it out alive I found the whole experience incredible tense. Listening to the structure creak and moan above them was terrifying and I was seriously afraid for the rescuers trying to free these two men. The insight into the family life was moving and for once the women were fully drawn characters and not cyphers.

A number of characters talked about these events as meaning the US was at war which struck me as an off note. What I remmber from 11th Sept 2001 was the horror and the lack of humanity of a small number of people. How could they? It did not strike me that this meant the West had to launch an offensive to kill untold thousands of human beings.

Current temperature 57F/14C

Must see. But not great. This is a movie where the important thing is that YOU GET THE MESSAGE. Global climate change is happening and if we don’t pull our fingers out the human race is in big trouble. (The planet doesn’t care ‘cos it’ll go on its merry way and evolution will continue to throw up new and interesting species.)

The informational side of this movie was quite shocking and seeing those diagrams/charts/images really brought it home how perilous things are. The homespun personal reflection side made me slightly nauseous though I do understand how this will appeal to certain segments of the audience who need to be reached. I just don’t need to like it!

Current temperature 57F/14C

Retro hit. What a blast this movie is. They really didn’t need the opening 20 minute set up sequence. We knew this was pure hokum and by the end of the set up we felt like shouting, ’show us the m@#$%@ f@#$%@# snakes!!!!!!’. There’s much gratuitousness, silliness and strained credulity but who cares. This was one hell of a ride and brought back fond memories of all those 1970’s disaster movies.

I had to close my eyes for the scary snake attacks, my pointy tool phobia kicked in big time. You have been warned.

Current temperature 57F/14C

First in this season’s performing arts series, The National Players came to town and performed William Shakespeare’s Othello. The National Players are a troupe of young actors who are touring the US with two plays (the other being The Importance of Being Earnest) for the next nine months.

The skill of the actors in handling the text varied markedly but I’m glad I saw the performance as there was much to enjoy about it. Shakespeare can be hard to handle not only for young actors but the audience who really need the actors’ help in understanding what is going on. I think Adriano Gatto as Iago had a good handle on the text and brought this pivotal character to life.

The question and answer session afterwards was most enlightening and great fun.

The set design and staging was very clean and simple and very cleverly done.

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A new UMM school year is well on its way and we are once again broadcasting our version of a college radio show under the Unhindered By Talent banner on KUMM. Please note that we are on two hours later than in past years. We switched because the 2pm-4pm slot sort of hamstringed us for getting stuff done. Hopefully the later start will help us get a few more things done.

Current temperature 57F/14C

Last night the three of us went to see a possible 2008 US Senate candidate from the state of Minnesota. Al Franken spoke at the Stevens County DFL fundraiser. He was impressive enough that I’d consider putting up a sign for him on our lawn if he decided to run. (The only person we’ve ever had a sign for was Paul Wellstone.)

Enjoyed Al’s speach, he touched on a number of issues that I consider very important and appeared to be talking a lot of sense. Let’s hope the handlers don’t get their hands on him and soften his edges. The edges are important. The Christian Right are cutting a swathe through the US and need to be opposed with steely determination.

A big yay to those who organised the food. Usually when we attend local events with food (welcome picnics, customer appreciation events etc.) there’s nothing I can eat which doesn’t make me feel welcome or appreciated. The DFL had a vegan burger and vegetarian beans on offer for those of us who couldn’t partake in pig.

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