August 25, 2023 a thought for today, Everything must have a beginning. French Proverb 

My first upload for yesterday was “a throwback”. This is of my granddaughter many years ago on one of her first visits to the beach, sand and sea. 

Bob finally got his first round of chemo yesterday. This one seems to be going ok for him. We have never experienced this kind of health treatment so we are playing it by ear.

I met Dorothy at the church to finish the newsletter earlier today. As usual we work well together and things got done with no hiccups or problems. So this week is coming to an end. The things that had a deadline are all out of the way for a month now. 

My second upload for yesterday was “my choice”. I am finding many shots that made me realize I forgot where I had captured a moment of beauty. 

I forgot a couple of things in the laundry yesterday so I have to do another small load today. The “senior moments” seem to come more frequently as time goes by. ☺

We are having some high temps today but it seems a little overcast even though I don’t think rain is in the forecast. 

I hope to put the plants that I won’t be keeping out by the curb tomorrow for anyone interesting in them to take. I checked the weather calendar and found that it won’t be storming. 

The first upload for today is “on the shelf”. This is my peace lily in it’s new hydroponic container. Most of my plants are in the mason jars, this one happen to be a decorative set of “vases” I found. I am enjoying watching roots formations as well as the tops. 

The word for today is criticism. Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms. George Eliot   I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses. Johannes Keeler. In criticism I will be bold, and as sternly, absolutely just with friend and foe. From this purpose nothing shall turn me. Edgar Allan Poe.  The strength of criticism lies in the weakness of the thing criticized. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Few people have the wisdom to prefer the criticism that would do them good, to the praise that deceives them. Francois de La Rochefoucauld. Sympathy is the first condition of criticism. Henri Frederic Amiel. Silence is sometimes the severest criticism. Charles Buxton.  Action and faith enslave thought, both of them in order not be troubled or inconvenienced by reflection, criticism, and doubt. Henri Frederic Amiel.  Fix the problem, not the blame, Japanese Proverbs. You do ill if you praise, but worse if you censure, when you do not rightly understand, Leonardo da Vinci.  Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense, Samuel Johnson. When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them, Plato. A wise skepticism is the first attribute of a good critic, James Russell Lowell. There is only one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing, Say nothing, and Be nothing, Aristotle.   

Today’s second upload is another of the “my choice” and another of the ones I found in my archives. 

It’s interesting to learn about how and why things that can be used to teach. I think most things can improve sensory and cognative growth if used intelligently and correctly. This article is about a professor uses the idea of graphic novels to teach math and physics. In an effort to “reengage students with technoloby” teachers are finding an “uphill battle.” Teachers have trouble holding attention spans while competing with “social media.” They seem to be finding that graphic novels (Graphic Novel" is a format, not a genre. Graphic novels can be fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy, or anything in-between. Graphic novels are similar to comic books...a novel in comic-strip format) along with text hold the attention stronger and longer. This seems to work with all levels of learning.  Graphic novels offer a “wide range of topics and audiences, graphic novels can explain tough topics without alienating student averse to STEM – science, technology, engineering and math.” An explanation for this is, “studies show that students learn better using print rather than digital formats.........integration of text with images and diagrams is especially useful.” In one case in the article the subject is more conceptual offering intuition and fundamentals before equations. Many students suffer anxiety and trauma in the study of math and physics. It is believed as stated in the article that the graphic novel method makes math more “accessible.” There is hidden geometry in relationships leading to forgetting that it is math involved. This method of teaching also improves “written communication skills, reading comprehension and critical literacy skills.” Here is something I learned from the article: “graphic novels support long-term memory for those who have diagnoses like dyslexia.” This method of learning is a starting point for a “broad range of ‘niche’ topics.” 

Dinner is easy tonight.....pizza.

Joy

there was a street fair in a village near Columbus where this capture was made