#Kindergarten is Key...

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited.”

~ Plutarch

I have a superhero hiding in my neighborhood. Shhhh... Don't tell anyone, but she lives right next door to me; she is a Kindergarten TEACHER! You may not notice when you first meet her, or when you see her doing everyday neighborly things (walking her dog, mowing the lawn), BUT the moment she steps into her classroom she is a caped crusader bringing structure, learning and love to the world of her five-year-old students.

I had the pleasure of visiting my neighbor's classroom today; it was an adventure -- observing and interacting with a room full of 5-year-olds all functioning at different levels is fascinating! A little tiring too, but extremely rewarding; I can't wait to go back...

Robert Fulghum was right, everything you NEED to know you DO learn in Kindergarten (socially-speaking): be nice, share, take turns, raise your hand, pay attention, put things back where you found them, etc. Academically, there is a little more to learn beyond Kindergarten, but how to READ and WRITE, basic addition/subtraction and telling time coupled with calendaring will actually take you pretty far!

I was one of those obnoxious zealous children that couldn't wait to go to school every day to learn something new; I would actually wake my mother up in the morning! I am grateful to all of my teachers for putting up with tirelessly channeling my enthusiasm in a constructive manner, helping to shape me into the life-long learner I am today.

THANK YOU

#Learning #Teacher #Read #Write #Kindergarten #Add #Subtract #Student #Education
 

#NationalVoterRegistrationDay...

"Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting." ~Franklin Delano Roosevelt



www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org

Today is National Voter Registration Day! Astonishingly, in 2008, 6 million Americans didn’t vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn’t know how to register. Election Day is fast approaching and every vote counts. Your right to vote is one of the most basic rights you have as an American. BE INFORMED. Many states’ rules have changed this year; make sure you know what is now required in your state. Absolutely everything you need to know to be ready to vote November 6th is available on this excellent and user-friendly website:  www.vote411.org

• Check Registration Status
• See if Early Voting is offered
• Register to Vote (deadlines!)
• Locate your Polling Place and check its Hours of Operation
• See a personalized Ballot preview for your State/County
• Determine if you need ID to vote November 6th and see what types are permissible

 
 

Your Vote Is Your Voice

Don't miss your chance to be heard!

 

#925NVRD #Register #Vote #NationalVoterRegistrationDay #Election2012 #GOTV

 

#Remember911...

"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey."

~Kenji Miyazawa

An excerpt from President Obama's remarks at the Pentagon today speaking on the eleventh Anniversary of September 11th:

"And even though we may never be able to fully lift the burden carried by those left behind, we know that somewhere, a son is growing up with his father’s eyes, and a daughter has her mother’s laugh -- living reminders that those who died are with us still. 

 

So as painful as this day is and always will be, it leaves us with a lesson that no single event can ever destroy who we are. No act of terrorism can ever change what we stand for. Instead, we recommit ourselves to the values that we believe in, holding firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess. 

That’s the commitment that we reaffirm today. And that’s why, when the history books are written, the true legacy of 9/11 will not be one of fear or hate or division. It will be a safer world; a stronger nation; and a people more united than ever before. 

God bless the memories of those we lost. And God bless these United States of America."

Pentagon Memorial 

Flight 93 Memorial 

World Trade Center Memorial

 

 

#Honor911 #NeverForget #WTC #Pentagon #Flight93 #WorldTradeCenter #PatriotDay #DayofService #DayofRemembrance

International #Literacy Day... [UPDATED]

"Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers."

~Harry S. Truman

For over 40 years UNESCO  has been celebrating International Literacy Day by reminding the international community that literacy is a human right and the foundation of all learning. "Shockingly, more than 796 million adults (nearly two-thirds of whom are women) and 130 million youth in the world cannot read and write. #Illiteracy is costing the world economy over USD $1 trillion dollars each year. Lifting the education level of the adult population by one year, could result in a 6% increase in per capita income; the global community is literally throwing money away." -World Literacy Foundation (April 2012); The Economic and Social Costs of Illiteracy.

According to a study performed by researchers Hart and Risley in the US, "children of professional families hear an average of 2,153 words per hour, in working class families 1,251 words per hour, and in welfare families only 616 words per hour." The sad truth/consequence of this is that illiterate people are typically trapped in a cycle of poverty with limited opportunities for employment or income generation; they also have significantly higher chances of poor health and often turn to crime and/or dependence on social welfare or charity to survive.

I was fortunate to be raised in a household with parents who were both avid readers. As a result, I developed a voracious appetite for reading very early on -- books, magazines, billboards, street signs (seriously, I used to annoy the hell out of my parents while we were driving down the road) -- absolutely ANYthing in print. Finances were tight growing up, so purchasing books was not common for my family; frequent trips to the library were required to keep us all 'in books'. In fact, once my father retired he would often read one book per day! I lost my appreciation for the public library when I was older and gainfully employed, usually choosing to pick up a book in a store when I was running errands rather than make a separate trip to the library. Now, as an unemployed person, I am once again making regular trips to the local public library, and I am grateful for the selection of FREE books available to me anytime.

Speaking of the #library, I picked up a new book yesterday by my favorite current fiction writer and it's calling my name as I type; time to wrap this up... If you're passionate about reading like me, find Volunteer opportunities in your community at VolunteerMatch (use keyword: literacy). In addition, information on other ways to help in the US and around the world is available through the following organizations: ProLiteracy, Room To Read, International Reading Association, FirstBook, International Book Project; for readers in the Finger Lakes region, please educate yourselves about the Family Reading Partnership. Happy reading to all!

UPDATE 09/10/12 -- Check these websites out!

These sites recommend new books/authors based on #books you've enjoyed #reading:
What Should I Read Next?  Your Next Read 

This site recommends books based on a particular topic: Lazy Library

This site recommends books based on your mood: WhichBook

#NaturalWoman

"Vanity dies hard; in some obstinate cases it outlives the man."

~Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a secret to confess: I dye my hair. I started getting pesky whitish-gray hairs when I turned 18; I began dying my hair IMMEDIATELY - I was far too young to be sporting that type of mature look! Once I was a little older and gainfully employed,  I had my hair dyed by a professional; going to the salon was an (expensive) every 6-week treat to myself. I would arrive, change into a coloring gown top, take a sip from my nice cool glass of cucumber water and instantly feel the stresses of the outer world melt away. The next 2-3 hours would be spent catching up with my stylist, processing under a dryer (damn you resistant grays!), laughing with my shampoo girl and trying to make it to the register without purchasing any additional products to take home. I would emerge from the salon feeling alive, beautiful and full of renewed confidence! Who knew hair color (and a good cut) could do all that?

Well, once one starts dying, one really can't stop; at least not if you're interested in going out in public without a hat. Dying my hair is now one of my least favorite chores. Granted, dying one's own hair is considerably more cost-effective (less than $10 a box), and that matters, since my unemployed beauty budget is basically zero dollars. In my previous life I used to balk at the slightest sign of roots (color emergency!); I am much more relaxed about it now -- an inch of regrowth? -- I can wait another few days...  So, here I am nearly two decades later gloved up in my bathroom doing the deed for myself. *Sigh* I really miss the serenity of the salon and the cucumber water.

As you've probably guessed, I'm not a girly-girl by any means. Sure, I like pretty things and love a little bling here and there, but I don't wear make-up all the time and I don't wear a lot of pink. In fact, my favorite accessory to wear while running errands is a baseball cap (just plain black, no MLB allegiance for me); coloring is my one true feminine vanity vice. I hope that when I finally do decide to go 'au naturel' I look as good and happy as this beautiful woman:

Getty Images

There's no other way to end this post except with a song, enjoy...  Natural Woman

 

 

#NFL Football Frenzy...

Are you READY?!?

In fact, my friends and family are currently saying:



Today's post is proudly inspired by the:

 

Specifically,

Because I am 100% a:

And,

In case you're not familiar with the 'Steelers':

This is my motto for the rest of the Season:

If you're 'addicted' like me, the full 2012 NFL Season schedule is available here.

GO STEELERS!!!



#Alzheimers Awareness... [UPDATED]

September is World Alzheimer's Awareness Month.





My Dad (1931-2009)



In honor of my amazing father, please educate yourselves and join me in spreading information about Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Quick Facts

• Worldwide, 35 million people are affected by dementia.
• 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease.
• One in eight older Americans has Alzheimer's disease.
• Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented or cured.
• More than 15 million Americans provide unpaid care valued at $210 billion for persons with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
• Payments for care are estimated to be $200 billion in the United States in 2012.



Learn the 10 Signs here



If someone you love is experiencing ANY of these signs, please review this information with them and urge them to visit their physician without delay; it is vitally important to be PROACTIVE when dealing with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Change your Facebook, Twitter and other profile pictures to the #ENDALZ icon for the month of September:

Participate in the Alzheimer's Association's 'Go Purple' campaign.





Detailed Info here

 

TOGETHER we CAN make a difference!

 

Thank you.

 

Update 09/19/12 - Exciting News!

 

EPFL's Blue Brain Project has discovered neuroscience's Holy Grail: the 'connectome'. So, why does this matter? The connectome allows for accurate modeling of synapses in the human brain; in lay terms, how information flows in the brain. This new synaptic modeling capability will lead to improved understanding of how the brain actually functions. Understanding brain function is paramount to improving diagnoses and finding cures for diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. You may read the full article here and/or watch a short video explanation of this breakthrough discovery: