Rolling out the red carpet
Sep. 6th, 2017 08:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisIt's been a while since I was 6. Actually 62 years as a matter of fact. But I do remember how very badly I wanted to go to school. I had been to vacation bible school but that was my only 'school' experience. Public schools did not have kindergarten in those days at least not in Winston-Salem, NC.
I got my book bag in June and spent the summer loading it up and double checking and sharpening pencils. I thought THE day would never arrive. It should be noted that after that first day, I never ever again look forward to going to school but that first day... it was special.
Yesterday I read about an effort in one Seattle neighborhood to ensure every 6 year old had a great first day. They not only, literally, roll out the red carpet, they gather adults to high five and cheer them on along the carpets sidelines.
I love this BUT... the best part isn't even in the picture. In the call for adults to come cheer them into their first day, they specifically requested that all of those adults arrive dressed up in business attire. Suits, ties, dresses, heels. Dressed for success to show the kids what success really looks like. There are many flaws here with assumptions and stereotypes but I don't care. I love love love love this idea.
I was fortunate to grow up in a household where success was discussed and defined. We knew what to look for an how to recognize it. And why we wanted it. So fundamental. And what a wonderful way to define it for little minds on their way to find it for themselves.
I don't get all squishy over kid things very often but this one does it for me. Side note: My Mom was so enamored with the idea of having kids out from under that after me, they paid for my brother and sister to go to private kindergarten.
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The air still looks just as gross as it did yesterday. The light filtering through the ash gives everything a kind of apocalyptic feel. It's weird.
I woke up in the middle of the night with coughing and breathing issues and figured I was fucked but this morning, not so much. My swim was wonderful. There was no ash or smoke in the water and swimming in it for an hour seemed to clear away all the ugh.
According to the air quality scientists, it's not nearly as bad to breathe as my air quality app says. In Spokane and some other areas, it's bad. But here in Seattle the stuff that hurts your lungs is way above us and the stuff that looks so horrible here is actually not that bad to breathe. So whew.
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Yesterday, on Reddit someone was talking about having a vertical drivers license. There was a whole conversation about vertical vs horizontal and everyone seemed to be totally on board with what they were talking about ... except me. I'd never in my life heard of this and it took a fair amount of googling to figure it out.
Back in the stone age - 1966 - when I got my drivers license... they were just flimsy little paper cards. And we used them for ID just like now but these had no photo, no plastic. All horizontal. I think maybe Minnesota was the first state I lived in (20 years later) that had photos on licenses.
In South Carolina in the 60's, you could get a learners permit when you were 14. And a proper license when you were 15. I think the learners permit allowed you to drive ONLY with a fully licensed driver in the car. North Carolina (where I lived) had no learners permits - full license at 16. (And beer drinking at 18 and booze and voting at 21.)
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Today I have another fiber test. This time it's fingerless gloves but it's crochet instead of knitting. I really comfortable with all things knit but not so much crochet. This should be interesting. They will (hopefully) look like this.
Oh and finally, Humana is actually filling that fucking prescription. Still no contact from them, no reason why they canceled it before, no reason why they are filling it now, no reason why it has taken more than a week (when the prescription I ordered at the same time arrived here 3 days later). Grrrrrrrrrr
I got my book bag in June and spent the summer loading it up and double checking and sharpening pencils. I thought THE day would never arrive. It should be noted that after that first day, I never ever again look forward to going to school but that first day... it was special.
Yesterday I read about an effort in one Seattle neighborhood to ensure every 6 year old had a great first day. They not only, literally, roll out the red carpet, they gather adults to high five and cheer them on along the carpets sidelines.
I love this BUT... the best part isn't even in the picture. In the call for adults to come cheer them into their first day, they specifically requested that all of those adults arrive dressed up in business attire. Suits, ties, dresses, heels. Dressed for success to show the kids what success really looks like. There are many flaws here with assumptions and stereotypes but I don't care. I love love love love this idea.
I was fortunate to grow up in a household where success was discussed and defined. We knew what to look for an how to recognize it. And why we wanted it. So fundamental. And what a wonderful way to define it for little minds on their way to find it for themselves.
I don't get all squishy over kid things very often but this one does it for me. Side note: My Mom was so enamored with the idea of having kids out from under that after me, they paid for my brother and sister to go to private kindergarten.
------------------------
The air still looks just as gross as it did yesterday. The light filtering through the ash gives everything a kind of apocalyptic feel. It's weird.
I woke up in the middle of the night with coughing and breathing issues and figured I was fucked but this morning, not so much. My swim was wonderful. There was no ash or smoke in the water and swimming in it for an hour seemed to clear away all the ugh.
According to the air quality scientists, it's not nearly as bad to breathe as my air quality app says. In Spokane and some other areas, it's bad. But here in Seattle the stuff that hurts your lungs is way above us and the stuff that looks so horrible here is actually not that bad to breathe. So whew.
-------------------------
Yesterday, on Reddit someone was talking about having a vertical drivers license. There was a whole conversation about vertical vs horizontal and everyone seemed to be totally on board with what they were talking about ... except me. I'd never in my life heard of this and it took a fair amount of googling to figure it out.
Back in the stone age - 1966 - when I got my drivers license... they were just flimsy little paper cards. And we used them for ID just like now but these had no photo, no plastic. All horizontal. I think maybe Minnesota was the first state I lived in (20 years later) that had photos on licenses.
In South Carolina in the 60's, you could get a learners permit when you were 14. And a proper license when you were 15. I think the learners permit allowed you to drive ONLY with a fully licensed driver in the car. North Carolina (where I lived) had no learners permits - full license at 16. (And beer drinking at 18 and booze and voting at 21.)
------------------------
Today I have another fiber test. This time it's fingerless gloves but it's crochet instead of knitting. I really comfortable with all things knit but not so much crochet. This should be interesting. They will (hopefully) look like this.
Oh and finally, Humana is actually filling that fucking prescription. Still no contact from them, no reason why they canceled it before, no reason why they are filling it now, no reason why it has taken more than a week (when the prescription I ordered at the same time arrived here 3 days later). Grrrrrrrrrr
(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-06 05:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-06 05:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-06 06:37 pm (UTC)although then I started thinking that it could be motivating to think that you go to school so that you can gain the flexibility to choose to stay in your pajamas all day. Pajama day was always a big hit in school. ;)
(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-06 06:38 pm (UTC)The smoke has been horrible. I've seen pics my friends and family in Montana have posted, you can't even see across the street at times. I hope they get the damn fires under control soon.
The vertical license thing was new to me when I came up here. I don't know about other states but here they do vertical ones for people under 21 years old. I only know because my old boss's daughter got her license and brought it in to show everyone, I had to ask my boss why they do that. I had a learner's permit at 14 (it was allowed if you took a driver's ed class) and I got my license at 15. They used to use our social security numbers for drivers license numbers. I don't know why I just thought of that. lol
Neat pattern! I hope it turns out how you want it to.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-06 08:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-06 09:55 pm (UTC)Success to me is working at home in pajama pants with cats. I got rid of the last silk business jacket years ago...
We are a couple hours north of Spokane. The school canceled sports practice today, because the air quality is so bad.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-07 05:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-07 02:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-07 04:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-09-07 07:01 am (UTC)