The pine cone reminds me of a Christmas craft project in first grade; the teacher brought in various pine cones she collected; each of us got to choose, paint and decorate one. There was a blue spruce in the front yard of a house near ours that I thought was pretty, so I painted mine a pale blue. Small glass bead ornaments between the "leaves" and a finial of gold ones held up with wire completed it. My mother always brought it out for Christmas, but what became of it I know not; presumably someone threw it away. I should have liked to have it, but that's water under the bridge. That first (we moved away during Easter Vacation) first-grade class is a warm memory for me, and that was my only memento of it. Oh, well.
Not that the Democratic Party officials and major candidates actually spend much time asking us for money--they don't have time as they fly over between Los Angeles and San Francisco. And they continue to see to it that our votes are gerrymandered.
Alan, as you clearly remember what your First Grade pine cone looked like, why not make a replica so that you can think of it and remember it every year in style? I think that would be really sweet. I too moved during First Grade. In my first school I was in a classroom which had first and second grade together. I must have been a smart kid because I was always more interested in what the second graders were doing than what we first graders were doing. My second school was an old school with a new wing. I was first placed in a class the old part of the school, but after awhile they had me do an IQ test and moved me to the new wing. I guess that was the more advanced class, but I was just settling in to the new place, and it really was hard on me to get moved yet again in the same year. Also, I did not like the look and feel of the new room (light gray and kind of cold feeling), preferring the architecture of the old room and it's beige-gold tones. Funny how I remember it so well. Straight A's that year nonetheless. Even so...
Not so strange to remember such details, listener; the first year of school, be it kindergarten or first grade, is a very special one. As for attempting a replica of my first-grade pinecone project, I would know it was merely a fake, and would not feel good about it, I think. The teacher had a big supply of little glass beads of all sorts which I could not replicate, either. Thanks for the suggestion, though. After tenth grade we moved again, and I attended 11th grade at a school with a seemingly very un-bright or at least un-accomplished student body; In History I was automatically placed into the slowest class; the teacher quickly realized I did not belong there, and sent me to study by myself in the library. I often wonder if the social problems I had that year are the reason I failed to understand second year Algebra, which dogged me all the way through college and university, and affect my life to this day. Then again, if I had understood, many of the things I value so highly in my life might well not have come to be.
--Alan
P.S.: On a brighter note, I had another satisfied customer today; I was called by the People in a preliminary hearing today, and the prosecutor went out of his way to repeatedly tell me in the hallway how helpful I had been. Very nice indeed. (It was a homicide from two years and a half ago, only now having its preliminary hearing--egregious, but for various reasons such things sometimes happen.)
54F with sunshine and low clouds today! I got almost all the rest of my errands done in town, while the going was easy. Colder temps sliding in by Wednesday. Maybe a touch of snow on Friday. Hope hope!
Huzzah for Howard!
ReplyDeleteThe pine cone reminds me of a Christmas craft project in first grade; the teacher brought in various pine cones she collected; each of us got to choose, paint and decorate one. There was a blue spruce in the front yard of a house near ours that I thought was pretty, so I painted mine a pale blue. Small glass bead ornaments between the "leaves" and a finial of gold ones held up with wire completed it. My mother always brought it out for Christmas, but what became of it I know not; presumably someone threw it away. I should have liked to have it, but that's water under the bridge. That first (we moved away during Easter Vacation) first-grade class is a warm memory for me, and that was my only memento of it. Oh, well.
This gives a faint idea of how the Democratic Party regularly snubs our area. [Click] This has been, and could be, a swing area for California, but all the party officials care about is our money--which they take and spend elsewhere.
--Alan
Not that the Democratic Party officials and major candidates actually spend much time asking us for money--they don't have time as they fly over between Los Angeles and San Francisco. And they continue to see to it that our votes are gerrymandered.
Delete--Alan
Alan, as you clearly remember what your First Grade pine cone looked like, why not make a replica so that you can think of it and remember it every year in style? I think that would be really sweet. I too moved during First Grade. In my first school I was in a classroom which had first and second grade together. I must have been a smart kid because I was always more interested in what the second graders were doing than what we first graders were doing. My second school was an old school with a new wing. I was first placed in a class the old part of the school, but after awhile they had me do an IQ test and moved me to the new wing. I guess that was the more advanced class, but I was just settling in to the new place, and it really was hard on me to get moved yet again in the same year. Also, I did not like the look and feel of the new room (light gray and kind of cold feeling), preferring the architecture of the old room and it's beige-gold tones. Funny how I remember it so well. Straight A's that year nonetheless. Even so...
DeleteNot so strange to remember such details, listener; the first year of school, be it kindergarten or first grade, is a very special one. As for attempting a replica of my first-grade pinecone project, I would know it was merely a fake, and would not feel good about it, I think. The teacher had a big supply of little glass beads of all sorts which I could not replicate, either. Thanks for the suggestion, though. After tenth grade we moved again, and I attended 11th grade at a school with a seemingly very un-bright or at least un-accomplished student body; In History I was automatically placed into the slowest class; the teacher quickly realized I did not belong there, and sent me to study by myself in the library. I often wonder if the social problems I had that year are the reason I failed to understand second year Algebra, which dogged me all the way through college and university, and affect my life to this day. Then again, if I had understood, many of the things I value so highly in my life might well not have come to be.
Delete--Alan
P.S.: On a brighter note, I had another satisfied customer today; I was called by the People in a preliminary hearing today, and the prosecutor went out of his way to repeatedly tell me in the hallway how helpful I had been. Very nice indeed. (It was a homicide from two years and a half ago, only now having its preliminary hearing--egregious, but for various reasons such things sometimes happen.)
Moderate and rain.
ReplyDeleteGlad about your dad's pen. Hugs!
54F with sunshine and low clouds today! I got almost all the rest of my errands done in town, while the going was easy. Colder temps sliding in by Wednesday. Maybe a touch of snow on Friday. Hope hope!
DeleteThanks, puddle.
DeleteAlan