Snow days are good for all

It was 5:45 am, the phone was ringing, no one was there. It was 5:55 am, the phone was ringing, no one was there. At 6:00 am when the phone rang again I thought "so much for modern technology". I guess our call out system was malfunctioning. Rather than try to get back to sleep I thought I would use the time for something special. A nice cup of tea and three hours of Jack Bauer. I am finally caught up...with my two shows and my school work. The price I paid? My son was at his dad's house last night. He stayed there and went to the movies with the dad's girlfriend. My son should have been home with me. I should have been the one to take him to the movies. I could have studied, watched Jack in the early hours and still had time to go to the movies. Being divorced is not fun when you have kids.

What did I do with my extra time? I started investigating getting a dog. I am looking at a Labradoodle. At first it was for my son. Now I know it's for me. It would be nice to have a dog around when I am alone. Although walking a dog on a snowday is not very appealing. My son should be home any minute and I have the whole evening to spend with him and it's only just after 4:00.

LIfe is like a GPS - Recalculating Route

"Dad" weekend for my son. This means I have plenty of time to work on my studies. My plan for the evening - have an early dinner with a friend, return home to complete this week's readings and blog review assignments, then watch two hours of 24...Well life happens. First recalculation - email from his teacher and an issue that needed prompt attention. My son does not want to learn Ballroom Dancing - this is part of his fourth grade curriculum. This will be a long detour as we work together to figure out what is best.

A quiet dinner with my good friend. We talk of motherhood, working, our older kids (who were in school together), quilting. Quilting is what first brought us together. She has her own webpage and a thriving quilting business. I didn't think until now that she might want to start a blog on her website (recalculating route). Looks like we should meet for dinner again real soon.

I came home to work on my blogging assignments and it's starting to come together. The interconnectedness of blogs. I realized that I could link my postings to other websites (recalculating route). I start looking at the blogs that I am supposed to review and see how the links are set up. Back to my blog (recalculating route). I spend some time setting up links to the posts I already made. I am starting to feel connected. Maybe this is what it is all about.

And what about the GPS? Well life is like that, you start out following a path, think you know where you are going and then take a different turn - you then have to recalculate your route. Looks like no Jack Bauer for me tonight.

Still searching for the meaning behind Blogging

I have spent the past few nights reading about blogs, attending workshops about blogs, and exploring several blogs. Each blog is as individual as the owner. I have found a few that spark some interest. I have subscribed to them using RSS, I have a Google Reader account. I am blogging again this evening. I am glad I have a place to put my reflections but wouldn't a spiral bound notebook or a word document on my laptop serve the same purpose? I talked about my blog at work today - in between the discussions of LOST, 24, Desperate Housewives and other required TV shows for lunchroom discussion.

This year I am out of the loop. I feel like I have to leave the room when the discussions start. I have five hours of 24 to watch, one hour of LOST, I don't even remember the last time I watched some of the other shows. I guess to be a graduate student and single mom working full time, I have to give up a few things. TV will be the first.

I had a wonderful mom experience today. My son was a finalist in his schools Geography Bee for the National Geographic Society. He finished in third place out of ten participants. Pretty good for a kid who did not prep and wasn't even sure he wanted to participate. I was so proud of him as he stood on the stage with his number around his neck. He looked so young and a bit scared but so grown up too! My daughter started another semester of college today. She called to check up on her brother. My kids love each other and I adore them. That's what its all about. That and getting this submitted before the midnight deadline. I made it through another week.

Week One - complete

The deadline for submission was midnight tonight. It's 11:50 and I just hit the submit button. Life happens.

It's all coming together

I have been working in the Educational Technology field for several years - many years in fact. I was originally a classroom computer teacher working on the Apple 2E. I thought I had reached nirvana when I joined the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center as an Educational Consultant - but my main focus was on computer assisted instruction programs. At first I thought the programs were a bit dry, then I saw the educational value behind them and became an avid supporter.

Time passed and I knew there was so much more. I attended conferences and workshops and saw how much the technology world had to offer education. But who had the time to investigate it all? I would sign up for an account for a web tool during a conference - and then never use it. Now I have to. In my doctoral course, I am required to check out these sites, sign up for accounts and use them. I am blogging right now, because it is part of my class. Does anyone care? I don't know but it will help me on my journey.

My dreams are coming true. I am working on my doctorate and I am spending time investigating the technology I have been interested in. I look forward to spending my evenings with purposeful searching on the internet. A reading I had this week was a blog by Steve Dembro. He "twittered" in to a conference I was at in the Fall. His blog posting was about how blogs can help you change your job/career. Is this what will happen? Only time will tell, In the meantime, it is nice to start seeing all the pieces of my life falling into place.

The only downside - Jack Bauer will have to wait. 24 started last night and I am already four hours behind.

WHY BLOG?

It was the beginning of a new trimester, only four more courses and I would be ABD - All But Dissertation. I can't believe I have come this far toward achieving my life long dream. Friday night's class was great - educational applications of new technology. I see these things at work all the time but don't have time to investigate. Now as part of my classwork, I will be REQUIRED to review new sites, new programs and start to Blog.

Why would anyone want to read my blog? Well maybe no one will, but it gives me a reason to write and a place to do it. Today it snowed. Afternoon classes were canceled. Normally I would go home and hit the books. My son was at his dad's house and my home would be quiet...but no, my daughter was home from college. I miss her and would like to spend time with her but the school work calls. She is lying on the couch. At first I think it is because she was out late last night, but alas...she has a fever and is "tossing her cookies". I switch back and forth from student mode to mommy mode.

It's only the first weekend of class, can I do this? Mom/student/mom/student. My son came home. Back to mom mode. My daughter is now in bed, my son playing video games and I am blogging. He will be in bed soon and I will go back to student mode. Maybe I can do this after all....