“Bach is not for the weak of mind.”

“Bach is not for the weak of mind.” — Miss Renee, my kids’ piano teacher. “I’m in trouble.” — Peter, my son. Similar:Chess tournament in Monroeville.PersonalMy son, volunteering at the local food bank.PersonalSpring office cleaning thoughts: 1) I used to print a lot. 2) I have enough tote bags. I used to print a lot.…

Classroom collaboration marketplace

While I am uncomfortable with the whole “classroom as marketplace” metaphor, since it’s pretty much gamifying without the fun, I am nonetheless interested in this strategy for encouraging students to collaborate by having them attach a value to the artifacts they present to the class for sharing.. We shop for everything from apps to ideas.…

Study: Singing together synchronizes your heartbeat

The researchers found that each singer’s heartbeat was linked to the song’s melody – i.e. the speed and structure of the music. They also found that when the choir sang together, their heart rates tended to increase and decrease at similar times. “As soon as the singing begins, (the hearts) start following each other,” Vickhoff…

In Defense Of Metaphors In Science Writing

We live in an elegant universe. The cosmos is like a string symphony. Genes are selfish. There is an endless battle between thermodynamics and gravity. Do you love these statements, or hate them? The reading world gets pretty divided over whether or not it’s okay to apply metaphors and similes to descriptive science writing. It…

The Reading Project

Literature majors and students otherwise drawn to literature courses can be an introverted bunch. Students overall can at times resist course projects that fall outside the expected parameters of a given discipline. Yet my class proved my assumptions wrong. Many of the students were nervous, to be sure, but overall they seemed to enjoy the…

Tweet: Feeling productive. Hammered out eight scripts fo…

Feeling productive. Hammered out eight scripts for training vids (3-5min each). It helps that I had an outline & know the content well. Similar:Parallel Structure vs. Faulty ParallelismI just touched up a handout on Parallel …HumanitiesDesert Bus: The Worst Video Game Ever CreatedPenn and Teller are involved with this s…BooksLoved seeing A Comedy of Errors…

Tweet: So, the correct quote from “Miri” is actually “No…

So, the correct quote from “Miri” is actually “No ‘blah blah blah’” not “No more ‘blah blah blah.’” Classic Trek trivia I did not know. Similar:Former student: "I remember sometimes being annoyed with all of our blogging assignments, …A third alum in the last few weeks has c…AcademiaHabits for happiness: tips for looking on the bright side…

The Library Adjacent to My Ethership Control Room Needed Books

For me, summer vacation means spending hours modeling shelves full of antique books in Blender-3D, so that the library adjacent to the bridge in my steampunk ship-of-the-line looks more lived-in. Similar:More modular low-poly background buildings. I’ll do some more facades then move to the nex…More modular low-poly background buildin…AestheticsDelightful interview with a former Setonian editor-in-chief…

Tweet: Came around the corner and saw my kids huddled on…

Came around the corner and saw my kids huddled on the couch, reading an Iron Man comic. http://t.co/S3xPQoZh1o Similar:What kids do when Dad won't hand over the iPod So I’m not being selfish… this is …EducationHello, there, mini.Hello, there, mini. Let’s restore you fr…TweetsCarolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against…

The Humanities: What Went Right?

The search for what went right might take a hard look at the job market for our graduates. One recent survey, by the Web site payscale.com, paints a somewhat depressing picture of salaries, with humanities majors typically earning from $5,000 to $15,000 less than those with undergraduate professional degrees. Fifteen years after graduation, however, the…

Handshakes Really Do Matter

Monday night handshake/eye contact practice. [W]hen was the last time you analyzed your handshake? Consider these questions: If you are a male and you meet a female, who should extend their hand first? If you are a male and you are meeting another male, who should extend his hand first? If you are a female…

My daughter found where all the missing pens and pencils end up

Similar:Visiting Ft Ligonier #sevenyearswar #history #localhistoryPersonalThe Toulmin model for analyzing arguments came up at a faculty pedagogy workshop today. I … AcademiaApparently Facebook Doesn't Know Me Very WellI’m actually rather happy at the thought…AmusingIt's probably safe to throw these out.PersonalMan Infected with Ebola Misinformation Through Casual Contact With Cable NewsOn the other end of the…

‘LOL, JK’: Texas teen faces 8 years in prison for making ‘terroristic threat’ online

An Austin, Texas, teenager faces eight years in prison for making a “terroristic threat” after he made a sarcastic comment online about shooting up a school. —Washington Times. Similar:Paper too short? Here are actual tips for serious students, not dumb tricks your prof will…Is your academic essay a bit short? F…AcademiaText Games in a New…

Tweet: RT @EKSwitaj: Higher Ed drinking game: every time…

RT @EKSwitaj: Higher Ed drinking game: every time someone says MOOC, buy 1000 bottles of liquor, drink three shots, and say you drank all 1… Similar:RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from the Civil…RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from …TweetsJudge: Apple conspired to fix eBook prices.Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook pric…BooksParallel Structure vs.…

Shy Preschooler Won’t Say Her Lines in “Peter Pan” Rehearsal (Stage Right! Greensburg)

Little Maggie isn’t so sure she wants to say her line, but during a rehearsal, director/choreographer Renata Marino and the cast of home-schooled children do their best to encourage her. On the night of the show, Maggie steps forward for her big moment. What will happen? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wNFw1gslwU Similar:I just bought Diamond City.GamesYes, Duolingo is free…

Tweet: For an anatomy project, my #geekling made a Vulcan…

For an anatomy project, my #geekling made a Vulcan instead of a human. (Note heart where liver should be.) #startrek http://t.co/9ct0O20gRA Similar:Desert Bus: The Worst Video Game Ever CreatedPenn and Teller are involved with this s…BooksHow hate and misinformation go viral: A case study of a Trump retweetOn Sunday night, President Donald Trump …AcademiaJudge: Apple…

Tweet: Grammar test for 11-year-olds. http://t.co/tVph471…

Grammar test for 11-year-olds. telegraph.co.uk/education/educ… Similar:Maybe I'll just delete these QUARTER OF A MILLION spam comments.Not kidding — 254,460 spam comments in …CybercultureWhat kids do when Dad won't hand over the iPod So I’m not being selfish… this is …EducationCarolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Ref…Fascinating use of…