Postscripts to the previous post
Jul. 27th, 2008 11:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fruzicleFor Roger:
Please make sure you checknibot_lab for a discussion about focusing a beam of light or laser light.
Re: My students' comments about fertilizing chicken eggs.
It strikes me at this point that part of their confusion about fertilization arises because they are thinking in terms of the way plants are fertilized by farmers, ie, in powder or spray form from above. I'll have to keep that in mind in the future.
Re: Eric's status in his academy class.
I must make it clear that the points earned in class were a lot like the Olympics; class standing was frequently determined by the difference of hundredths of points. I did not put in Eric's actual score. It came down to something like 92.78 (the decimal places being unknown to me) but those decimal places were the all important deciding factor.
NEW NEWS
Yesterday we indulged in two activities which classify us as taking a "staycation;" that is, having fun while not really going anywhere.
First off we went to Lake Mission Viejo, which is a medium sized man-made lake. It is kept pristine by many regulations limiting swimming and fuel use. We avoid it to some extent because it seems more appropriate to the enjoyment by toddlers. However, it does offer kayaking for $3 per hour, a price which is undeniably basically free. So for the second time in as many weeks, we paddled around the lake.
Somehow the breeze at the lake is always fresh. The water is, as I said, pristine. And there are big leafy sycamore trees providing perfect shade over lush green lawns, neither of which we have at home. Before kayaking we swam in the lake. Four year old Marcus found the 90 degree water to be ideal for his swimming skills, what with ample shallow areas just right for his walking around chest deep and lots of adults to swim to. He really is a very proficient swimmer. I love hearing his mom Stacie say, "Marcus, use your arms. Use your legs. And don't forget to rotate." That's how a highly trained competitive swimmer coaches their four-year-old! I also swam and probably cared more about the warm water than Marcus did, having matured into a regular cold-water wimp.
To cap off our day of frivolity, we went down to San Clemente Pier for a 10 pm swim. This was in preparation for a planned September relay swim from Catalina to Palos Verdes (on the Mainland, a swim of about 21 miles.) O has been the spearhead leader of this latest boondoggle. It is recommended to be swum at night because the afternoon winds across the Catalina channel can whip up intimidating seas. (For a reminder, see my previous post about the day the ferry was canceled.) Nighttime seas are regularly far calmer.
In spite of the long anticipated night swim, it was apparent from the snippy responses from certain unnamed participants that a certain amount of anxiety was present. However, O and I seem to be friends this morning. Stacie came along as well; she will be part of the relay team. It was she who thought pinning on five different colors of glow stick made for a more festive occasion. Indeed it did.
I saw them off from the sand. They were clearly visible several hundred yards offshore. You could just make out a bright spot of neon pink and green glowing as it progressed through the glassy blackness of the ocean. Though there was no moon, the swimmers were easily able to keep the lamps of the pier in sight. I hustled up to the pier and hurriedly followed along the length towards the end.
Surprisingly (or perhaps not), the vitriol of the observers on the pier was impressive. I heard many different synonyms for Idiot and Retard. And more repetitions of the F word than I have heard in a while. I actually kept my status as a member on the support crew under wraps--literally. I was wearing a glow stick on a cord around my neck and kept it hidden under a towel. Some supporter I turned out to be! I must also mention, however, that two different groups of women were impressed and wished them luck.
It was a good training run. The pier was surprisingly well populated in spite of the hour and extremely well lit. Even so, the experience of paddling through inky black, shiny water was enough to give the spooks to the participants as well as their pier side observers (not me, however.) However, they quickly got over their heeby jeebies after about 7 minutes and finished the swim with elation. It only took them twenty minutes and, when finished, were on the verge of giving it another go. The relay itself will require a swim of one hour, so next time they should try to duplicate that condition. After the successful adventure, we scooted back to the house for celebratory tea and chocolate pie.
!
Please make sure you check
nibot_lab for a discussion about focusing a beam of light or laser light. Re: My students' comments about fertilizing chicken eggs.
It strikes me at this point that part of their confusion about fertilization arises because they are thinking in terms of the way plants are fertilized by farmers, ie, in powder or spray form from above. I'll have to keep that in mind in the future.
Re: Eric's status in his academy class.
I must make it clear that the points earned in class were a lot like the Olympics; class standing was frequently determined by the difference of hundredths of points. I did not put in Eric's actual score. It came down to something like 92.78 (the decimal places being unknown to me) but those decimal places were the all important deciding factor.
NEW NEWS
Yesterday we indulged in two activities which classify us as taking a "staycation;" that is, having fun while not really going anywhere.
First off we went to Lake Mission Viejo, which is a medium sized man-made lake. It is kept pristine by many regulations limiting swimming and fuel use. We avoid it to some extent because it seems more appropriate to the enjoyment by toddlers. However, it does offer kayaking for $3 per hour, a price which is undeniably basically free. So for the second time in as many weeks, we paddled around the lake.
Somehow the breeze at the lake is always fresh. The water is, as I said, pristine. And there are big leafy sycamore trees providing perfect shade over lush green lawns, neither of which we have at home. Before kayaking we swam in the lake. Four year old Marcus found the 90 degree water to be ideal for his swimming skills, what with ample shallow areas just right for his walking around chest deep and lots of adults to swim to. He really is a very proficient swimmer. I love hearing his mom Stacie say, "Marcus, use your arms. Use your legs. And don't forget to rotate." That's how a highly trained competitive swimmer coaches their four-year-old! I also swam and probably cared more about the warm water than Marcus did, having matured into a regular cold-water wimp.
To cap off our day of frivolity, we went down to San Clemente Pier for a 10 pm swim. This was in preparation for a planned September relay swim from Catalina to Palos Verdes (on the Mainland, a swim of about 21 miles.) O has been the spearhead leader of this latest boondoggle. It is recommended to be swum at night because the afternoon winds across the Catalina channel can whip up intimidating seas. (For a reminder, see my previous post about the day the ferry was canceled.) Nighttime seas are regularly far calmer.
In spite of the long anticipated night swim, it was apparent from the snippy responses from certain unnamed participants that a certain amount of anxiety was present. However, O and I seem to be friends this morning. Stacie came along as well; she will be part of the relay team. It was she who thought pinning on five different colors of glow stick made for a more festive occasion. Indeed it did.
I saw them off from the sand. They were clearly visible several hundred yards offshore. You could just make out a bright spot of neon pink and green glowing as it progressed through the glassy blackness of the ocean. Though there was no moon, the swimmers were easily able to keep the lamps of the pier in sight. I hustled up to the pier and hurriedly followed along the length towards the end.
Surprisingly (or perhaps not), the vitriol of the observers on the pier was impressive. I heard many different synonyms for Idiot and Retard. And more repetitions of the F word than I have heard in a while. I actually kept my status as a member on the support crew under wraps--literally. I was wearing a glow stick on a cord around my neck and kept it hidden under a towel. Some supporter I turned out to be! I must also mention, however, that two different groups of women were impressed and wished them luck.
It was a good training run. The pier was surprisingly well populated in spite of the hour and extremely well lit. Even so, the experience of paddling through inky black, shiny water was enough to give the spooks to the participants as well as their pier side observers (not me, however.) However, they quickly got over their heeby jeebies after about 7 minutes and finished the swim with elation. It only took them twenty minutes and, when finished, were on the verge of giving it another go. The relay itself will require a swim of one hour, so next time they should try to duplicate that condition. After the successful adventure, we scooted back to the house for celebratory tea and chocolate pie.
!
