Red Sky at Morning, Blizzard Warning

I woke this morning to the sound of high winds whistling past the eaves.
Clouds were moving fast across the clerestory window to the west, and the Aspen branches were rotating and gyrating, silver gray against the dark clouds.

To the east, the dawn was eerie, deep yellow and red. Red dawn, a tumbling sky, bringing heavy weather.




We got up quickly, dressed and got the dogs on their leashes. We walked them up the new road quickly, a blizzard wind driving snow out of the west, into our faces.

They found sheltered places among the trees, in the lee of the ridge, to take care of their business. Going back, the wind was at our backs, blowing snow into canine fur.

The driveway looked dangerous, and we made our way down hill through the woods, and across by the dog run to the porch.

The snow continued, and winds gusted to 60 mph, a veering flaw, from west to north to south, the snow making dust-devils in the drive.

Then New Mexico-like, it tapered to flurries and stopped by noon. We thought we'd get into town to enjoy an early winter holiday dinner at the Chem Geek Princess's new home.

But the road out to Old Route 66 was perilous; it is winding and narrow, and some of the north downhills were sheer ice. We might have gotten down safely. And then again, maybe not. But we'd certainly not have made it up again. And there are the animals to consider. We turned around just before the first steep, curved grade, and came home.

The Boychick is deeply disappointed. The Chem Geek Princess is leaving for London on Thursday, a dream trip. Oxford at Christmastide, with the candles and red academic robes for the Christian holy day. She'll be gone until his birthday at the very tale-end of the year. And he was expecting presents tonight.

So we'll eat the slow roast I was making for this week.

We'll try again on Tuesday.

But the second storm is supposed to come through tomorrow. Bigger. Badder. With heavier snow lasting until Tuesday afternoon.

We might be having the postponed early holiday celebration very late. On the 28th. The last night of Hannukah. The Boychick's birthday.

Have We No Pride?

The news stories coming out of Washington this week bespeak a terrible arrogance on the part of those that have been elected to represent us.

There has been a great deal of talk about the Big Three automakers and the failure of their business plans. Like they have for many of the business failures lately, those inside the beltway are eager to lay the blame for the failure soley at the feet of capitalism, as if the automobile industry had been operating in the free-market. Their response is that government must "do something" and right away, too, in order to save Detroit.
Sorry, pols, but I think Detroit is already too far gone, and I think government had something to do with it. As did the union bosses, whose main interest is maintaining power, not taking care of the "little guy."
Undoubtedly, bad business decisions also contributed.
It's damn hard to make a business plan at all, let alone a good one, when your faction has lost influence in Washington, and the regulations and pull-peddling go against you.

The thread that runs through this whole sad story is one of arrogance. Arrogance, but not pride.
It was disgusting to watch the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed lording it over the auto executives in the weeks prior to Thanksgiving, as they came hat in hand for their share of the bail-out. There was plenty of arrogance to go around. It was displayed by the union bosses and the political apparatchiki there to make political hay over the shame of the auto execs.

There was plenty of arrogance, but I had to wonder about the auto execs: Where was their pride?
I was waiting for one of them to stride into the hearings like a reincarnation of Howard Hughes to tell the Pols exactly where to shove it.
I was sorely disappointed.
No one with an ounce of pride in their company and its product would have gone begging to Washington for a handout, willing to sell out to a Car Czar for the privilege of surviving to ask for another handout a few months hence.
Better to stand up and take it like a man, while filing bankruptcy proceedings in order to get out from under the insane job-destroying union-contracts and contradictory government regulations, the better to start again under Chapter 11 reorganization.

Have they no pride?
I imagine that they sold that to the pull-peddlers long ago.

Instead they humbly kowtowed to the most ridiculous grandstanding by the Clowns from Congress . . .er, excuse me, the Honorable So-And-So's.
This might be understandable, though still disgusting, if such a bail-out had a snow-ball's- chance-in-hell of saving the companies.

But we saw this week exactly why it won't. It can't.
It's the unions, stupid! (Apologies to Bill Clinton).
Or more accurately, it's the union bosses.
We saw them doing the same thing to the Senate that they have done to the automakers.
These guys don't bargain in good faith. They don't bargain at all.
They demand.

Some of our senators do have some pride.
When the UAW refused to consider any concessions, the Senate said: No deal.
And this is the right response, because it will not matter how much money the Federal government takes out of our pockets to prop up these companies, if the companies cannot make cars that will sell at the prices people are prepared to pay. The companies will continue to sink into the red.
We will be sending good money after bad.

But now the President of the United States has said that he will subvert the decision of the Senate. In doing so, he is subverting the United States Constitution and Rule of Law.
He is perjuring himself as well, because he has taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.
This is the same offense that caused Bill Clinton to be hauled before the Senate for an impeachment trial.

Many Americans were calling for the impeachment of the president when he began the unconstitutional war in Iraq. And many more were doing so because of the unconstitutional provisions in the Patriot Act.

I have just one question: Where are those voices now?
Have we no pride?

On A Snowy Evening

NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

On Tuesday, December 9, we had a snowstorm, and a snow day . . .

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Over 500 Posts and Butterfly Fun!

Wow! I just noticed that my post on Sky Magic was my 500th post on this blog.

I started blogging on Sunday, December 3, 2006, and my first post was Why I Homeschool: A Response to Dr. Phil. When I re-read my first post, I was both amused and amazed. I have certainly learned a lot about formatting, posting, and blogging since that day just a little over two years ago when I started this blog.

I am also amazed by what has happened in our personal lives since that day, and what changes have come to us and the world since then. I am also impressed by the amount of learning that I have done, thanks to my fellow bloggers! Long life to you all!

I am now sold on the power of journaling!

And now for some fun!

Frankie, over at Kitchen Table Learners has given me a Butterfly Award. I know I have received some other awards during this very busy fall, but I kept delaying my response until I forgot altogether. So I am not going to make the same mistake with this one.

The rules are to link to the person who gave you the award, post the graphic, and name ten blogs for the award in turn.

Ten is hard for me, but Frankie named a few that I had already named.

Here are my ten:

Boy Story . . . And Beyond!

Homeschooling the Doctorate!

The Thinking Mother

Corn and Oil

Junkfood Science

Mom in Madison

Deliberate Wanderer

Magpie Ima

Rational Jen

NeuroLogica

Some of these are mothers, one is a dad, some are homeschooling, and some of these are about science. Among them, there is quite a diversity of ideas: religious, non-religious, scientific, and political. I like something about each one, and none of them reflect my ideas and opinions completely. That is why I have learned so much!

One more thing: each of these blogs links to a whole world of blogs. Following links can bring you to more blogs that I'd like to put here, but then I'd go over the limit.

Enjoy!

Klezmer from Chicago!

This year, one gift the Engineering Geek and I gave to each other is a pair of donor tickets to the Eight Nights of Joy CD release party here in Albuquerque.

We were looking forward to seeing The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band from Chicago, with whom Rabbi Joe Black made this CD. Although we thought the concert was too much of "the Joe Show," and the first set was extremely pediatric, we were very excited to see such a famous Klezmer band up close and personal right here in Albuquerque. Our donor tickets afforded us a reception (complete with latkes) with the band prior to the show, and reserved seats for the show, as well as the satisfaction of making a donation to the synagogue general fund.

Klezmer music is Jewish "Soul," brought over by the European Jewish immigrants in the early part of the last century. The word "Klezmer" comes from the Hebrew: K'lei zamir -- literally, 'instruments of song.' The music is an incredible testament to the musical talents of European Jews, of which the Fiddler on the Roof music is just an appetizer.

Here is Chicago Does Klezmer!, a short montage of some of The Maxwell Street Klezmer's work.

The music during the film montage is from "The Lark."

The second bit is from Ocho Candelikas, a Ladino (Spanish-Jewish) Hannukah song.

The third is part of a performance of the "Teichel (Handkerchief) Dance, a traditional dance in which a handkerchief must be used for a man and woman to dance together.

Fourth comes the Benny Goodman piece, And the Angels Sing, with a Klezmer surprise in the middle.

Last is a bit of Litvaker vs. Galitzianer (Lithuanian v. Poland), a great rivalry in the Ashkenazi Jewish world of pre-Shoah Europe.

Although we did not hear enough of Maxwell Street, what we heard was wonderful enough to make our evening. Imagine being in the second row for this music! Our hands were together, our toes were tapping, and there were moments where it was all we could do not to get up and begin a hora.

At the end, we were all on feet shouting "More Klezmer! More Klezmer!"

We were treated to two encores, the last of which was a "Compote" of classical, klezmer, and holiday tunes. This is traditional to klezmer as well.

At our wedding, we were fortunate to have The New Shtetl Band for both the ceremony and the celebration. They are another well-known Klezmer revival group, from right here in Albuquerque. For a sense of what our dance was like, take a look at the Wedding Workshop video from the Maxwell Street website.

Ah, but we had a good time last night! It was a welcome respite from the stresses and concerns of this season and this year of uncertainty. And the wild, joyous, humorous and plaintive Klezmer music took us out of it all, as good music is supposed to do.

Sky Magic

NEARLY WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

We've had some wonderful sky magic over the past three days here in Sandia Mountains.

The storm from California seemed to blow through in waves, and after the snow on Thanksgiving Day, it brought bands of cloud across the Sandia Mountain Front.

Dawn, Saturday November 29, 2008.







Mid-afternoon, Sunday, November 30, 2008.
Even as winter approaches, the New Mexico sky retains its stark color contrasts. Cerulean sky, white clouds, and deep blue shadows on the mountains.










Sunset, Sunday evening.
Another band of cloud catches the last light of the sun, high over the Sandias.










During the past days, the waxing moon has been visible in the western evening sky near the conjunction of Venus (above right) and Jupiter (below left). We will not see them as close as this again in our lifetime.

Taken Monday evening, December 1, 2008, my camera was on a tripod.






Before the Engineering Geek got the tripod, I snapped this picture. It was quite windy, so the moon and planets are blurred.
But You can see the horizon and the lingering pink of the December sunset.

Taken Monday evening, December 1, 2008.

School Update: AS, Academics, and Advocacy

I can't believe that the Boychick's first semester in high school is almost over!
When did December sneak up on us?

Since we are almost to the halfway point of the Boychick's freshman year at EMHS, I think it's a good time to post a school update. (I meant to do so at the quarter, but we were in the middle of the High Holy Days).

This semester has been one of adjustments, testing, social triumphs and tragedies, and learning.
It has been a good semester!

That the Boychick is an Aspie has definitely had an impact, more so now that he is in school.
Although I did a lot of teaching of strategies to compensate academically during our homeschooling days, some of the sensory and social issues were more easily dealt with at home, and some did not rear their pointy little heads.

Now that he is in school, the Boychick has had to deal with being overwhelmed by sensory stimuli and emotional drama--his own and that of others. In some cases he has shut down, and in others, he has become hyperkinetic and contributed to the overall problem in the classroom. He has a skilled special education teacher to whom he can go when he needs help coping. Just today, for example, he left his Humanities homework on his desk in his room. He had worked on it with a friend last night, as was proud that he had completed it without Mom's help or reminding. But then he forgot to put it into his backpack.
So he called, sounding wrung-out and near tears to tell me to bring it with me when I came over to the school. I teach on Tuesday afternoon there.
He told me exactly what to bring and where to find it on his desk.
Bless his pointy little Aspie head! His visual memory is very exact!


When I arrived at school for my weekly volunteer duty (I teach a writing workshop for 6 special education students), the Boychick was in the Resource room. I was surprised to see him, since he is not in the group I teach. I said: "You are the luckiest boy in the world! You forgot your homework for the first time on a Tuesday."
He seemed better then, and took it immediately to his Humanities teacher.
Later, Ms. R., the special education teacher told me that the Humanities teacher did not believe that he had done it. This upset the Boychick, and he shut down and had to go sit in the Resource room to clear his head.

The case of his math class was more difficult. There, he was placed in a class composed of boys with a new albeit very enthusiastic teacher. In the first weeks of school, this group developed a synergy that made them one of those proverbial classes from hell. The problem for the Boychick is that he is very distractible and has great difficulty focusing on his work in a relatively quiet classroom; the drama of this class meant he was not learning.
But the Boychick is perseverative, and easily influenced by others. So he would pick up the pencil tapping or whatever and then continue it long after the others had gotten tired of it.
We have been working with the Boychick on understanding this about himself and developing strategies to cope and prevent the perseverations.

Finally, the day one of the other boys spilled iced tea all over the Boychick's homework, the Boychick had enough.
He got up. He wrung his papers out in the sink.
He put them on the corner of the teacher's desk.
And he left the room.
Permanently.
He told the Educational Assistant that he was not going back there.
Period.
The math teacher invited him for a conference, and the Boychick stuck to his decision.
But he also explained to her why he could not learn in that environment.
They switched his schedule and moved him to another group for math.
Problem solved.
The Engineering Geek and I, Ms. R., the EA, the social worker and the dean of freshman, were all overjoyed at his self-advocacy! This is a giant step towards self-understanding and independence.

There have been other social challenges: dealing with bullies, other freshman boys, upper-classmen. And girls. Oy! But he is finding his way and even met a girl at the Homecoming dance.

Academically, there have been challenges as well.
We told the Boychick that we were not concerned about grade percentages this year, as long as he is passing his courses. He needs to maintain at least a 70% in each class to pass. Otherwise . . . Dum, da dum dah! . . . it's credit recovery a.k.a summer school.
There is also homework every night, major projects and high expectations for performance.

This has been difficult for the Boychick.
This fall, he was re-evaluated for Special Education, and the testing shows why he has difficulty. Once again, no valid IQ score could be calculated.
He had the classic Asperger pattern: very high verbal comprehension (does not require language pragmatics), very high perceptual organization (requires good visual-spatial skills); very low working memory (requires auditory input), very low processing speed.
In the academic testing, he shows large discrepancies between his potential and performance in math calculation (it's the working memory and processing speed), as well as in writing organization and mechanics. He has auditory processing deficits, and considerable visual strengths.

I do expect that we can improve working memory, but only marginally, if we have passed the known critical period of development. We will need to work with him on organizational skills, as well as on compensatory strategies for his deficits.
He also needs to be challenged in his areas of considerable strength.
Like reading: I am so glad that he is a reader!
The IEP will have social and transition (to adulthood) goals as well.

Sigh. I had really thought that we might not need the IEP given the great progress the Boychick made while homeschooling. But because of his social deficits and mind-blindness, as well as his considerable difficulties with auditory processing, he needs interventions to even out his skills and succeed academically in the school setting. He also needs accommodations such as extra time on written assignments, small-group testing, written instructions, and the use of a calculator for speed work in math.

Overall, though, I appreciate that the Boychick's considerable intelligence makes it much easier to compensate for and circumvent his considerable learning disabilities.
The same is true for the social-communication disability which is at the heart of AS.
Cognitive methods can be used to teach social skills and language pragmatics because the Boychick is smart enough to use them.

The Boychick can have a good and productive life.
His considerable intellectual skills may even make it a spectacularly successful life.
But he (and we) will have to work much harder to make it so.

Fortunately, I think we up to the challenge.