Buddha said, "What you have become is the result of what you have thought."

What goes around comes around. What the Buddha was talking about 2600 years ago has once again turned into a subject matter under scrutiny at cocktail parties. The Law of Attraction is the new age hot topic being bandied about under the title of "The Secret". Books are on the market and a movie is on the big screen.

According to Oprah's website, "The Secret is defined as the Law of Attraction, which states that like attracts like. The concept says that the energy you put into the world—both good and bad—is exactly what comes back to you. This means you create the circumstances of your life with the choices you make every day."

Sounds somewhat reasonable but let's look at the science of it all. According to Wikipedia, proponents of the modern Law of Attraction assert that it has roots in Quantum Physics; (but it's very sketchy how). They also maintain that thoughts have an energy that attracts like energy. Critics say it's just a lot of hooey with no basis in science.

I'm skeptical of any quick-fix solutions and have no patience with psycho-babel. The thing I'm wonderin' about is how much of the buffoonery that plays out in our day to day existence actually is created by us. I think I've hit on the "real" secret.

You see the thing is that while we spend a big chunk of the day (emotionally) balancing the good with the bad, the happy with the sad, and the pleasure with the pain, should we also be turning on a filter to tune out/turn down some of the external craziness that seeps into our lives like pervading dampness that slowly permeates our existence and chills us to the very bone? I mean, it makes sense, doesn't it? The more craziness we allow into our lives, the more there will be. It won't just disappear on its own. We've got to take action.

The only way to rid our lives of the toxins (people/jobs/behaviors/carbohydrates-lol) is to eliminate them from our reality. Think about it. Some of us waste a lot of time trying to fix people/jobs/behaviors! We try to help! We try to understand! We offer support!

For instance, if you have a job and the people at your workplace are dysfunctional as all get out and don't have high standards, don't try to fit in. Don't try to help them. Don't try to understand them. Don't offer support. Don't give them more than 1 opportunity to do the right thing. Don't try to change them. Don't give them your time and energy because they don't want to be changed and you run the risk of them latching on to you like leaches and sucking the life out of you slowly. Drop by drop. You can try to assist them all you want, but you ain't gonna get no where 'cause these folks don't want to change! They are fine with being sneaky, sleeze-balls.

Remember, there's a delete button on your computer so you can get rid of all the garbage that is clogging up your memory and slowing down your connection. You have a "delete" button in your life too.

Use it . . .

Yin and Yang . . .

I've been thinking . . .

Life is a balancing act. Like tightrope walkers, we spend the greater part of our lives trying to get it right. Finding the right proportion between working and playing, laughing and crying, hoping and praying. Profit and loss are on our minds a lot too. When we are young we flit away way too much money (cute outfits are very hard to resist). Then we reach an age where retirement is just around the corner (or nearly so) and the rush is on to build some kind of a last minute nest-egg.

We try to keep the scales from tipping (literally), searching for the perfect ratio of exercise to carbs (the chocolate cake is winning in my case). As students of the universe, we strive to be both caring and empathetic. We attempt to ease the distress of others. We try to offer optimism and gladness. When these attitudes are characterized as "weakness" by some, we fight back.

Just when we think we have it all figured out, life changes again.

We need to remember that each of us is teetering on the high-wire. Every day is another balancing act and we're a banana peel away from disaster. . .

Black hole . . .

There is a black hole in my computer.

I have some files (primarily music files) that are definitely in my computer because I can access them via Windows Media Player but I can't SEE them. What I mean to say is that I wanted to copy a music file from my computer to a PhotoStory I was making a few months ago. I know the music file is in the computer because when I open Windows Media Player I can play the song - it is listed in my library. However, I recall seeing a file entitled "My Music" in the past and I can no longer access this folder. I have spent literally hours looking for this folder to no avail.

But wait, the mystery continues. Last week I was working on a website that I was creating for a friend. I know the web file is in my computer because I can access it when I open the Microsoft Front Page program that created the file BUT I cannot SEE the file otherwise. All of these missing files are on my C drive, yet when I search my C drive they are not listed.

Gotta say that I can function well in a world that I don't "understand". I don't need to know how a combustion engine works to drive a car. I don't need to know how a microwave oven works to make popcorn (in about 3 minutes ;-). I don't need to know how the www operates to send an email. I don't need to know how to speak Portuguese to live in Portugal (LOL). BUT this is driving me bonkers.

Where will it stop? I spend a lot of time sitting in front of my computer screen with my cat and my keyboard on my lap. Is it only a matter of time until we also get sucked into the black hole?

In the meantime if anyone in cyberspace has seen my files (or knows where they might be), could they please send them back to me. . .

Slam poetry? Slam dunk!

According to Wikipedia, "Slam poetry is performance poetry, a form of spoken word performed at a competitive poetry event, called a "slam", at which poets perform their own poems (or, in rare cases, those of others) that are "judged" on a numeric scale by randomly picked members of the audience." (For more info on slam poetry and slam poets click here.)

Slam poetry encompasses a very broad range of voices, styles, cultural traditions and approaches to writing and performance.

Taylor Mali is a slam poet. For more information about this former teacher check out his website: http://www.taylormali.com

Taylor Mali tells it like it is! He makes a difference! What about you?

Imagine . . .

"Imagine a school with children that can read or write, but with teachers who cannot, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live."
Peter Cochrane

It's all about YOU. . .

Whatever happened to "polite" conversation. You remember that, don't you? It happened in the long ago and the far away. For those of you too young to recall, I can assure you it's not just another urban myth, there was a time when people were actually interested in the lives of others.

In times gone by when taking a promenade on a Sunday afternoon, gentlemen would tip their hats at passing acquaintances. The ladies would nod or wave. Although this may seem a bit too Victorian, until very recently people did seem more interested in others.

If, for social motives, you met with others for an occasion (cocktails, lunch, dinner, etc.), one did, indeed, indulge in the art of CONVERSATION. Others were actually happy to see you and they asked you about what was going on in your life. People exchanged information and actually took turns talking. They acknowledged what was being said and responded to it. The participants gave "equal" time to the topics discussed for fear of seeming too egocentric.

Fast forward to the the ME Era. The "let's get together" so I can tell you all about ME society. The "I'm so cool or clever or interesting" generation that I don't really give a damn about what's going on in your dismal existence but I'll grace your world with my superior experiences and offer you a reason to live. The "I don't have to follow any social courtesies" club because what I have to say is far more interesting (to ME) than anything you have to say.

I call it the "Age of the Monologue." Suddenly, everyone has the oratory aspirations of Fidel Castro (lol). People no longer desire to communicate with others of their species for social or educational purposes - they now require an audience.

Gone are the days when folks sat around shootin' the bull. Many in the ME Era believe that they have been blessed with the gift of gab and that each time they speak the masses are spellbound. They spend so much time pacifying every id impulse that they don't even feign interest in the rest of us. They are too self-absorbed to realize that there are still some people on Planet Earth (hello??!!) that are mindful of making others uncomfortable so don't call these bores on their quest to sate their own demand for attention.

So the next time you are thinking of "holding court" remember that there is a tool (and open source at that) in the Age of the Monologue that accommodates circumstances such as these - it is called "You Tube." You can upload your soliloquy for all of cyberspace to tune into, while I can gently, politely turn you off.

Ouch . . .

Near the end of last term (Term 2) one of the little boys kicked one of the little girls and made her cry. Not fake crocodile tears that kids can turn on and off at will, but the big teardrops that stream down the face of the recently kicked (literally or metaphorically speaking). I sent him, accompanied by the classroom assistant, directly to the Principal's office (do not pass go, do not collect $100). We have to draw the line somewhere! Before leaving the room he began to justify his behavior but I wasn't having any of it. There's absolutely NO kicking allowed. I don't know what the principal did or didn't say to the little boy (who, by the way, I really like). I didn't ask and I don't really care. The principal brought the boy back to class, the boy made his apologies (reluctantly) and life goes on.

Term 3 - bigger kid, bigger problems (14 years old - bigger but not the biggest, yet). This term I've been contracted (by the parents) to help a kid with behavioral problems. Without getting into a lot of particulars just suffice to say that this boy shows the telltale signs of the overly indulged. His behavior is infantile. He doesn't show the minimum courtesy that even a very young child would. Words like please, thank you, and excuse me aren't in his vocabulary. BUT in art class today (1st thing this morning I might add) while sitting at a table of 2 other female classmates (also around 14) and myself he DID blurt out an interjection that was inappropriate and disrespectful.

Before everyone that knows me starts calling me a hypocrite because I can come out with a string of 4-letter words that would put dock-workers to shame, let me speak my peace.

I don't have a problem with the vernacular, I DO however have a problem with the inappropriateness of it all. There's just some stuff that you don't say in front of your teacher, your friend's parents, your grandmother, your boss, the Queen or some old chick your parents hired to help you pass the year. You can THINK whatever you want. There isn't a "thought" police force (if you don't count the Catholic Church hahaha) and you can sit in a meeting and think that the others in the room are a bunch of fools, morons, idiots and d**k-heads. But you keep it to yourself.

So this morning we had a double period of art (yes, you didn't miss anything. I accompany this teen to each of his classes and try to help him stay on task. I might add that I'm losing the battle. LOL) and my ward used a word that was totally inappropriate. I brought this to his attention - reamed him out about it was more like it. Told him that I didn't appreciate it and that he could say whatever he wanted when he was with his buds but not at a table with two 14 year old girls and me. He apologized. About 20 minutes later he used it again. This time I got highly pissed and told him that I was going to call his mother and tell her. (Actually I tried getting in touch with her 3 times today and there was no answer - so tomorrow is D day). Sidebar: Although my Portuguese is weak, I can call you a dirty so-and-so in Portuguese ;-).

The deal here is that there are roughly 6 BILLION people all trying to make it through the day every day. In order for all of us to live together on this planet, we each have to make some concessions to accommodate the others. That means smiling sometimes when we would rather not. That means saying "yes" sometimes when we want to say "no". That means sometimes being diplomatic when we really want to do it (whatever "it" is) our way. That means sometimes zigging when you really want to zag. That means not giving in to every id impulse and sometimes going along to get along.

Like I said, we have to draw the line somewhere. If we didn't, we would be kicking and getting kicked all day long.

Shock jocks - I just don't get it . . .

While I'm a long time defender of the concept of freedom of speech (Hell no, we won't go!), I've been trying (for the last couple of weeks) to get my head 'round the idea of shock jocks.

(A shock jock is a slang term used to describe a type of radio broadcaster (sometimes a disk jockey) who attracts attention using humor that a significant portion of the listening audience may find offensive. The term is usually used pejoratively to describe evocative or irreverent broadcasters whose manners and on-air behavior is offensive to the listener.)

Although radio hosts like Howard Stern and Don Imus have been around a long time - to tell the truth, I just don't get it.

Don Imus was fired a couple a weeks ago from his controversial syndicated show. I saw part of a 60 minutes interview with Don Imus and I still don't get it. I don't understand why he has (or I stand corrected - HAD) a radio show and built a career thinking that he was smarter than the rest of us and that he was the privileged one who could put each of us in our place and tell us how it really is. He has prospered for many years amid allegations of racism, misogyny, homophobia and anti-semitism. Click here to read some of his inappropriate comments. Yeah, I just don't get it . . .

BUT what I really don't get is:
*the professionals who put Imus in a position to parade his brand of hate disguised as humor,
*the cruel lot who tune into this sh*t on a daily basis and find hate amusing,
*the advertisers, politicians, and others who jumped on the Don Imus hate bandwagon as a means of self promotion or an easy way to make a buck.
And even more baffling is that portion of the audience that maintain that they don't even like these types of programs but listen anyway. What the hell kind of sense does that make?

My first instinct is always to examine myself and think that there is something lacking in me. Maybe I've been in Europe too long, maybe I'm just not cool enough or smart enough to understand pop culture, maybe I've lost my sense of humor.

On second thought, I don't think it's me at all. I think it's him and I hope you just don't get it either . . .

I'm wearing a black armband today . . .

I just received the news (via the internet) that Kurt Vonnegut has died. It's a sad day indeed.

I wasn't introduced to Kurt Vonnegut until the early 90's (I know - where in the hell had I been? Maybe shopping.) but became a true convert. I'm not a "believer" (religion/ufo's/altruism) and neither was he. It was his humanism that appealed to me most. I've read many of his novels - and loved most of them. He was extremely clever and wrote with an interesting blend of dry wit (always appreciated), dark humor (often appreciated), sarcasm (appreciated only when not directed at me :-), and social conscience.

His list of novels include: Player Piano (1951) (good year for novels and babies!), The Sirens of Titan (1959), Mother Night (1961), Cat's Cradle (1963), God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965), Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1971), Breakfast of Champions (1973), Slapstick (1976), Jailbird (1979), Deadeye Dick (1982), Galapagos (1985). Bluebeard (1987), Hocus Pocus (1990), Timequake (1997).

Some quotes attributed to Vonnegut may (or may not??) keep you amused:

*Being a Humanist means trying to behave decently without expectation of rewards or punishment after you are dead.

*I was a victim of a series of accidents, as are we all.

*Mere opinions, in fact, were as likely to govern people's actions as hard evidence, and were subject to sudden reversals as hard evidence could never be.

*Busy, busy, busy, is what we Bokononists whisper whenever we think of how complicated and unpredictable the machinery of life really is.

*"No wonder kids grow up crazy. A cat's cradle is nothing but a bunch of X's between somebody's hands, and little kids look and look and look at all those X's..."
"And?"
"No damn cat, and no damn cradle."

If I had been lucky enough to have met Kurt Vonnegut my question to him would have been this: How did you manage to make it to/through adulthood with your imagination intact? It seems to me that the adult/corporate world does not much appreciate creativity or imagination (or appreciates it only to a small, manageable degree) and I am fascinated by those who are not only able to hold onto those ideals which are so lauded in childhood but to actually eek out a living using them. (We seem to become world weary so early and give up on thinking for ourselves.)


Buy some candles on your commute home from work tonight as

Another light has just gone out. . .

Happy Easter!

A guilty conscience needs no accuser . . .

It's tax time everywhere, isn't it?

One of the nice things offered through the American Embassy/American Consulate here in Portugal is free tax assistance. Don't get me wrong, the American Embassy doesn't help you fill out your tax return but they provide space to a volunteer group that does just that. I try to take advantage of this as often as I can (work permitting).

Above is a photo of the American Embassy in Lisbon (which I obtained from the embassy's website). As you can see the complex, which houses the embassy and the consulate, sits majestically atop a small hill with beautiful gardens framing it. Washed with sunlight, it seems stately yet approachable.

Nothing could be further from the truth. As one approaches the embassy (located very near the zoo) he/she notices the armed guards immediately. The two guards dressed in black with automatic weapons slung across their chests can't be missed. It's all a little alarming - I'm just coming to have my taxes done for Christ's sake. It's impossible to enter the Embassy gate with a car (or tank for that matter) as barriers have been constructed behind the strong gates (to avoid car bombs???). There is another guard who asks your business and looks at your passport before ushering you into a small room. Once inside the "reception" room an attendant looks through your belongings (contents of bags/purses/pockets). Your things (including your coat) are put into trays and (like at the airport) are placed onto a conveyor belt which carries the items to be x-rayed. Once this is accomplished, the individual who is trying to gain access to the embassy/consulate passes through a metal detector. One is then given instructions to take the stairs and enter the first door on the left. While I was permitted to take most of my things with me (purse/mobiles phones (turned off)/contents of my purse) - they kept my tube of lipstick. (Go figure!)

The doors in the building are glass - but solid. They were built to last (I wonder to myself if they are bulletproof?). Another guard greets you as you enter the main room of the consulate services. He opens the door for you and asks you what your business is. I told him I was there to have my taxes done and he showed me where I could sit. This was a big room with 5 or 6 long rows of identical blue chairs. Although there were scads of empty seats, I sat where I was told to. The main room seemed to be where most of the people with consulate business were being served. There was a small room off to one side where you could renew your passport. I'm not really sure what kind of business was being conducted while I was there. I do know that although we are in the capital city and everyone is always rushing about in Lisbon, that noone (except me of course) seemed to be in a hurry. There was a "counter" where clerks (?) attended to the needs of people. A wall of glass above the "counter" separates the clerk from the person he/she is attending. There are 4 counters - each equipped with a wall phone (not even cordless) to communicate with your clerk. (Just like we see on TV when one of the Sopranos is in jail.) Looking through the room where the clerks are enclosed by glass, you can see bars on the outside windows.

Sunlight floods the room and allows the plants to flourish. As I admired the skylight, I noticed louvers. But they looked like more than normal slats. They appeared extremely thick and I decided they were designed to protect the skylight from attack (terrorists/aliens/angry taxpayers?) rather than shade the room in summer. Another thing that dawned on me was that like in church, people spoke in hushed tones. There was no laughing in this building. All business was conducted quickly and solemnly. Although everyone I encountered (guards, etc) was polite and helpful - I couldn't wait to get out of there!

The world's a dangerous place (thanks to the bad guys - who, by the way, are indistinguishable from the good guys- so maybe I should just say "all guys" lol :-) and I understand that we need to be careful and take precautions, blah, blah, blah. But what the hell kind of world have we created that you must be scrutinized by men in black carrying guns to get a little tax help?

Tales from the 4th grade . . .

I was only teaching Year 4 for 1 term - less than 3 full months, but I have stories to last a lifetime.

March 19 here in Portugal is Father's Day. It falls on whatever day of the week it falls on and is celebrated as such. This year it was a Monday. Since I was the Year 4 teacher it was my responsibility to have some craft ready for the kids to do to celebrate their fathers. We made awards to offer fathers, so we were on track.

After school I was doing I don't remember what and one of the girls was sitting coloring and she began a conversation with me. "Will you see your daddy Mrs. Dietrich?" (These kids are so young that they still refer to their parents as their mummies and daddies.) "No, Carrie," I replied. "You see my father isn't living any more. He died a number of years ago." There was a pause while she processed the information. "Well, you still have your mummy." "Will you see her tonight?" Carrie inquired. Now there was a pause on my part. "Well, Carrie," I haltingly began. "You see, my mother also died." I felt bad that I had to break this news to a little girl who hasn't yet experienced any losses of such a magnitude. But she continued, "You have children, don't you Mrs. Dietrich?" I was starting to get a little uncomfortable with giving her all this bad news. "No, Carrie I don't." "But I have a husband, and I have lots of friends here." I felt like I needed to quickly offer some of the good things going on in my personal life. I NOW had her complete attention (unlike when I was teaching the difference between an adjective and an adverb). She looked up from her coloring and got up and walked over to me and gave me a hug and said, "Mrs. Dietrich, don't worry - you have us. We'll be your kids. We love you."

I'm lucky, I've got a million stories like this one.

. . . BUT I can dance!

Getting a job can be hard sometimes. You start out being too young, only to find yourself years later in the situation of being too old. You are under educated so study like crazy to find that you are over educated. You switch continents mid life to find out that your degrees don't easily fit into the new system. Sometimes it seems like no matter what your qualifications are, they aren't enough. There's always someone bigger, better, smarter, prettier, faster, or can spit further! Life experience counts "here", but not "there". I was recently passed over for (yet) another job (geography teacher) because I don't have any GIS (Geographic Information Systems) experience (whatever the hell that is ;-). What's a girl to do?

First off keep pluggin' away at whatever it is you do. Work hard. (Don't get discouraged and give up.) Keep learning. (Find something that you're interested in and learn, learn, learn.) And keep yourself out there - be active and let everyone know that you are searching for opportunities.

The other thing you can do to make yourself feel balanced is to focus on your accomplishments. For every thing you can't do, think of something you CAN do. For instance: I'm not good at Maths, but I am a good student. I'm not a great cook, but I am a great employee. I've never written a novel, but I've read a lot of them. I'm not an artist, but I can build you a website. I don't have a lot of classroom experience but I have lots of experience with educational blogs. I'm not rich but I'm flexible. I can't speak Portuguese, sail, swim, read a map (hence the GIS problem), rebuild a carborator, or play the piano but I can make you laugh, give a presentation, wait my turn, write well enough to teach someone to write, speak up when the situation dictates, and make my way in a foreign land. I can't sing . . .

BUT I can dance!

I don't have time to post . . .

What's wrong with my life? I don't have time to post, I don't have time to think, I don't have time for anything! Is it just a matter of time management? I don't think so . . .





This says it all!

The only sane person in the room . . .

I recently spent the better part of the day trying desperately to pay a fine which I feel is unjust. I work freelance here in Portugal and must pay VAT (Value Added Tax - Called IVA in Portuguese)quarterly. In the 3rd quarter of 2006, I had no income so I didn't file my quarterly VAT. It seemed reasonable to me. I can NOT find on the Finance site (here in Portugal) WHERE it says that I must file even if I have NO income. When I was enrolled in this system I was not given any kind of a pamphlet explaining the rules for filing.

My complaint is this. I believe that it is fair and just and reasonable to give participants/taxpayers a "list of rules" to follow. If the government tells people what is expected of them and they don't follow the rules, then I agree that a fine is justified. When I mentioned this at the Finance Office, the workers said that the rules WERE written down and brought out a law book of about 800 pages(legal code written in Portuguese). They said that it was MY responsiblity to know the rules and regulations pertaining to the VAT payment and it was not the responsibilty of the state of Portugal to automatically provide me with this information. They said that if I had a question that I could always come into their office and ask.

The fact that I had to pay a fine of more than 100Euros for a tax period when I had no income did not seem unreasonable to them. They shrugged their shoulders. This scenario was further complicated by the fact that their computer system had not been updated and although I had recently filed a late tax form (with 0's because I had no income) they did not want to accept my check to pay the fine which I felt I didn't owe to begin with but what the heck I gotta pay it so I will. They said that I should have brought proof that I had filed late. I reminded them that their system should have been updated and got more shruggs. They said that the burden of proof was mine. I argued that I'm not trying to NOT pay the damn fine but trying TO pay the fine and why the hell would I lie about filing out the tax form if I'm there to pay. More shruggs. I began to feel like I was the only sane person in the room.

When YOU begin to feel like you are the only sane person in the room, take a deep breath, smile, and look for the exit . . .

Aquarias/Let The Sun Shine In

Reminiscent of a more gentle/hopeful day.

I want a cigarette . . .

Spirit of Generosity

In addition to our teaching duties at St. Dominic's, teachers are expected to "cover" classes for missing teachers. Last week it was my turn! I covered 1 period for a nursery school teacher who was "out sick". It was a hoot! The children were 3 and 4 years old. Very cute. Wearing miniature Catholic school uniforms. The tables at which they worked and played looked like toys they were so small. There were only 2 native English speaking children so the other teacher (there are 2 classroom teachers in Nursery School - good idea!) was multilingual and could speak Portuguese and Spanish and she could meet any linguistic emergencies that arose. (But, honestly, it was like being in a cage full of guinea pigs - all very cute but darting this way and that. You had to be careful where you stepped because one might be underfoot.) I was sitting next to a tiny Portuguese girl and she was busy cutting bits of paper (with child friendly scissors of course) and she was giving them to me - one by one. You should have seen the expression on her face - she was so focused and proud of the job she was doing. I spoke to her in English but she didn't really understand much. But I understood!!!!!!!! With each bit of paper she gave to me, she was offering me a gift. Her spirit of generosity was amazing. She made my day. She won't remember this moment that we shared, but I will. It's moments (gifts) like this that give hope to mankind. . .

Houston, we've got contact!

I'm back online after an 11-day absence. I hope that my connection through my internet provider continues. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. . .

Units of Inquiry . . .

Tomorrow I start my new job. (Hooray!) As a 4th grade teacher (if you can believe that). It's just a temporary position (3 months - the classroom teacher is on sick leave) but it should prove very interesting.

This isn't a "normal" school with a "normal" curriculum. That would be too easy (normal). This is an international school on the outskirts of Lisbon that follows an IB (International Baccalaureate)program. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) fosters a student-centered, inquiry based learning community. The school year consists of 3 terms. During each term the students cover 2 separate "Units of Inquiry". The students don't have "proper" books but are encouraged to explore an array of books (either in the classroom or in the library) on each "unit of inquiry". The teacher functions as a facilitator as students are put in a position to be "responsible" for their own learning.

Although I only begin my post tomorrow, I was invited by the classroom teacher to spend the day with the class before Christmas break (to help prepare the class for upcoming change) and was struck by how respectful and well-behaved these kids are. They are by no means "Stepford" kids but they are respectful of each other and thoughtful. If one of them displays any antisocial behavior (eg, saying something careless), the class comes to a screeching halt. Only after the ill-gotten behavior is brought to the attention of the guilty party and apologies have been given and received does the class continue. It's the most amazing behavior. It's like it should be.

While the kids will be studying "forces and structures" as their unit of inquiry, I shall be experiencing a "Unit of Inquiry" of my own in this new environment.

Please check out our class blog: http://forcesandstructures.blogspot.com

Leave us a comment, we'd love to hear from you.

"Go with your gut (feelings)."

As you may (or may not) know, we don't have 400 cable channels to entertain us (24/7) here in Lisbon. In addition, we often get American TV programs only after they have gone into reruns. No problem! Long after the first "The Apprentice" shows appeared in the US, they were televised here. It was only by chance that I happened upon one episode - and was instantly hooked. I've never been a fan of Donald Trump (I've had no reason to be) and only noticed that he seems to marry the same woman over and over again (what's that all about?). But I became fascinated with "The Apprentice". I've seen the series (the 1st series - yes, that's right - only the first series has been shown here) at least 4 times and am excited that it will be repeating - once again - beginning sometime in January. Hooray! I've already got the popcorn!

A writer friend of mine recently wrote an article after her husband attended a lecture given by Donald Trump. She sent me a copy of the column and it was full of "Trumpisms". They seem to make sense. They seem reminiscent of all the other things we learned in the schoolyard and left behind. . . I thought that I would include some of them in my blog this year to remind you(amuse you) of what each of us needs to do to be successful in business (in life and on the playground).

Trumpism # 1 - Go with your gut (feelings).

Good advice in all situations. We spend most of our adult life ignoring this basic instinct. But the bottom line is if you think someone is scammin' you, they probably are!

Well pop my cork . . .

Welcome to my blog . . .

2007! Another year is starting and I intend to take my own advice. Stick around and see what happens.

Happy 2007 to all!