“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:Looking forward towards the wardroom (center) and the officers' pub, the Gear and Hea…AestheticsAm I a Bad Father Because I Let My Daughter Eat M&Ms in Her Mashed Potatoes?[poll id=”2″] AestheticsThe daughter was…

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:Yes, I do feel rather awesome right now.Lost brand-new earbuds. Reached in pocke…PersonalIt's been nice knowing you, iPad3 It’s been nice knowing you, iPad3, but…TweetsDesert Bus: The Worst Video Game Ever CreatedPenn…

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:How hate and misinformation go viral: A case study of a Trump retweetOn Sunday night, President Donald Trump …AcademiaHabits for happiness: tips for looking on the bright side of lifeHabits…

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:Pipe Trouble’s government woes highlight gaming illiteracyInteresting discussion of a political ho…CultureTweaking yesterday's #steampunk workstations. Now with darker wood (better contrast with c…AestheticsI Don’t Know…

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:Parallel structure in writing: Use it!These comic panels cover the issue well….HumanitiesI'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsTweet: For an anatomy project, my #geekling made a Vulcan…For an anatomy…

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:Bias Check! Consult different sources for a fuller picture.BusinessThe Maquis, Part 1 (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 2, Episode 20) Dukat pressures Sisko to… Rewatching ST:DS9 A man in a gold Sta…AmusingToday's students aren't growing up reading "man" for "mankind" — and they notice when the… I’m about 1/4 through teachi…AcademiaToday's 10sq cm of #steampunk control…

‘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:A Better Way to Say Sorry I’m sorry for… This is wrong beca…Culture‘It’s mindblowing’: US meteorologists face death threats as hurricane conspiracies surge“Murdering meteorologists won’t stop hur…Current_EventsWhen…

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:Parallel structure in writing: Use it!These comic panels cover the issue well….HumanitiesJuror's CreedWhile researching my obligations for #ju…CultureClassroom collaboration marketplaceWhile I am uncomfortable with the whole …BusinessHabits for happiness: tips…

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:The Best Way to Start an Academic PaperBoth…

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:Tweet: Came around the corner and saw my kids huddled on…Came around the corner and saw my kids h…TweetsIn Defense Of Metaphors In Science WritingWe live in an elegant universe. The c…CultureProto iPads and…

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

Grammar test for 11-year-olds. telegraph.co.uk/education/educ… Similar:Overheard at Quora: "Why after all these years is Moodle still so ugly?"Moodle is a free course-management tool …AcademiaJury Duty UpdateI’m a happy, responsible, and no-longer-…GovernmentMy Minecraft-obsessed tween made this blocky foam pig at art camp. Next up: Stage Right summer musical th…AestheticsCarolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn…