Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
How to tell if you live in Minnesota
I was perusing the Minnesota Math Standards (light bedtime reading) and I came across this:
Now my first thought was less "I defy you to find another state with this example for angles" and more "oh my god yes! Why didn't I think of this before! This is PERFECT for my high flyers!"
.....
Which just goes to show you that the Department of Education is not as out of touch with their teachers and students as they may sometimes seem.
 |
| ...really?! |
Now my first thought was less "I defy you to find another state with this example for angles" and more "oh my god yes! Why didn't I think of this before! This is PERFECT for my high flyers!"
.....
Which just goes to show you that the Department of Education is not as out of touch with their teachers and students as they may sometimes seem.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Minnesota Sunday Night
(the more I read this, the more it seems like a series of exclusively Minnesota events)
I left the house really early for my hockey practice last night because it'd snowed 3-4 inches since I'd last driven (typical) and I wasn't sure how long it'd take to clear my car. Took hardly any time at all because there was no ice, just fluff.
I didn't feel like going back in the house though because A my car was already starting to warm up and B my gear would've started to get cold. So I just headed to the rink and got there 40 minutes before my ice time. Problem: I didn't have my phone with me because I never take it to that rink since it's so close. What to do?!
What else but stand along the end glass behind the goalie and watch whoever's on the ice before you? I judged them at peewees (11 and 12 year olds), the local organization Highland Central against something with an M (there's like a billion "something with an M" but a teammate later identified this one as Mahtomedi).
I always intend to watch local hockey and never do, and I was super pleased to take this opportunity just to be there. It was fun to watch kids at this level skate--more graceful than my team, sure, but still awkward in some of their movements, not as smooth as they'll be in just another year or two. And not getting the puck off the ice on their shots 100% of the time, to which I can relate. Fairly competitive game, though, more time spent in one end but the team on offense was losing 0-2 so it was evenly matched. There was a HUGE crowd in the stands, and a dad walked past me and was super friendly with a big smile and a "hello!"
Mostly, I stood there and felt the feeling of being connected to this amazing thing of hockey enjoyed by so many across my state. I thought about where these kids come from and where they might go. I tried to pick up moves, and figure out their strategies and recognize things me and my teammates do. I enjoyed getting out of myself a little bit, and feeling a part of my community instead of home-rink-home and not truly interacting.
And I laughed to myself like "this must be how people killed time before smart phones at their fingertips."
| Not my photo--didn't have my phone, you see! Might've missed the moment if I had. |
I left the house really early for my hockey practice last night because it'd snowed 3-4 inches since I'd last driven (typical) and I wasn't sure how long it'd take to clear my car. Took hardly any time at all because there was no ice, just fluff.
I didn't feel like going back in the house though because A my car was already starting to warm up and B my gear would've started to get cold. So I just headed to the rink and got there 40 minutes before my ice time. Problem: I didn't have my phone with me because I never take it to that rink since it's so close. What to do?!
What else but stand along the end glass behind the goalie and watch whoever's on the ice before you? I judged them at peewees (11 and 12 year olds), the local organization Highland Central against something with an M (there's like a billion "something with an M" but a teammate later identified this one as Mahtomedi).
I always intend to watch local hockey and never do, and I was super pleased to take this opportunity just to be there. It was fun to watch kids at this level skate--more graceful than my team, sure, but still awkward in some of their movements, not as smooth as they'll be in just another year or two. And not getting the puck off the ice on their shots 100% of the time, to which I can relate. Fairly competitive game, though, more time spent in one end but the team on offense was losing 0-2 so it was evenly matched. There was a HUGE crowd in the stands, and a dad walked past me and was super friendly with a big smile and a "hello!"
Mostly, I stood there and felt the feeling of being connected to this amazing thing of hockey enjoyed by so many across my state. I thought about where these kids come from and where they might go. I tried to pick up moves, and figure out their strategies and recognize things me and my teammates do. I enjoyed getting out of myself a little bit, and feeling a part of my community instead of home-rink-home and not truly interacting.
And I laughed to myself like "this must be how people killed time before smart phones at their fingertips."
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Something shocking happened this morning.
There are probably several things about my life that various incarnations of me over the years would be a little surprised by. When I was a kid, I thought my life would go the way of my parents' and I'd find my high school sweetheart and marry him right after college (HA HA HA HA HA). At one point, I HATED cats. There was a time when I hated hockey. (I *KNOW*. I was in middle school, which is all I can say about that.) Several mes would be surprised to learn I don't live in Pittsburgh.
Some things are less surprising. Me in parts of my college years was rarely surprised: I was so into life being all about flux and taking it as it comes and believed in very few to no certainties, least of all about myself. Before I hated cats, I loved them (although Puck would be an orange tabby if it were up to that Caroline). I almost always wanted to be a teacher over the years, so the only me surprised by my current job is me from the last year. Me from 2005 had a good feeling about Minnesota and would be happy to know just how good it's been here.
Obviously, there are little and big things that would've and would not have been surprising over the years if you'd told me "In five (or ten or twenty) years...".
But there is one thing that, without a doubt, ALL former Carolines before three months ago would be flabbergasted and flummoxed to learn (even college!Caroline would've taken this never happening as the one certainty in the universe): I woke up before work at 6am today to run, for no reason other than wanting to for myself--and I liked it.
Some things are less surprising. Me in parts of my college years was rarely surprised: I was so into life being all about flux and taking it as it comes and believed in very few to no certainties, least of all about myself. Before I hated cats, I loved them (although Puck would be an orange tabby if it were up to that Caroline). I almost always wanted to be a teacher over the years, so the only me surprised by my current job is me from the last year. Me from 2005 had a good feeling about Minnesota and would be happy to know just how good it's been here.
Obviously, there are little and big things that would've and would not have been surprising over the years if you'd told me "In five (or ten or twenty) years...".
But there is one thing that, without a doubt, ALL former Carolines before three months ago would be flabbergasted and flummoxed to learn (even college!Caroline would've taken this never happening as the one certainty in the universe): I woke up before work at 6am today to run, for no reason other than wanting to for myself--and I liked it.
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