Mornin' everyone.
I have no idea, except for being totally inattentive and probably spaced-out, why I put the date as 1.14.16 for yesterday's post. But I'm also surprised that it took a while before Tammy caught it.
Sorry about the iggy stomach and missed dinner, Marj. I hope you can reschedule. Henry, renewing driver's licenses at any DMV facility is never a quick process, regardless of your age. Still, waiting 2 hours for a 30-sec. eye exam seems excessive. Good luck at knee PT.
I hope the back is better, TW.
Aamos, I would love it if there was a directory of road races with competitive walking divisions but, sadly there is none. I wouldn't have known about Sunday's race if it weren't for my niece who knows the RD. Congrats on your and DH's half on Sunday, as well as your 5K on Saturday with Dr. Janet and Vera!!
My DW and her siblings do regular Fitbit challenges, Slo, and DW can be a very tough competitor in those challenges! Have fun in yours.
Nice misty 4, Holly.
Evanflein , I also use a standing desk at work. I'm fine with standing all day, but I have to move around every once in a while or it gets tiresome. So you're right that standing in one place for a long time can wear just about anyone out. I'm glad you took it easy after Saturday's long run.
Sounds like you have some good races coming up, Tammy. I hope they won't hurt!
Awful story about the father hit by a tree, Tet. Is the running guy quitting work when he turns 60, or quitting running to work?
Stumpy, the iPhone does calculate steps, but not at the same rate as a Fitbit. DW and I have walked together and compared her Fitbit and my iPhone readouts, and the # of steps is dramatically different - more so, I think, than can be accounted for by stride-length differences. So my answer to your question is that I don't know.
RCG, it seems that you and King Leonides know each other well, and each try to keep your runs/walks together entertaining.
Great, great news about Steven, Deeze! What a relief for all of you, I'm sure. And I'm also sure you'll keep him focused on PT. I also hope that you can take some 'Deeze time' to get yourself healthy too.
Starr, I'll bet you are more of an inspiration to other runners than you will ever know. Keep up the good work!
Congrats on your 'heavenly' recovery 6er, Mariposai. Seems to me that you are on the mend, and that's very good news.
RR follow-up: I traded emails with the RD from Sunday's race, and she had already DQ'd the runner from the Walking Div, and moved me up to 3rd. She said she'll mail my medal, but she's keeping my bottle of wine (which is fine by me - she also deserves a reward for all her hard work). Tet - I had been hydrating well for at least a week leading up to the race, had my usual pre-race breakfast (toast w/ peanut butter and a cup 'a joe), sucked a Cliff Blok for almost the entire race, and took water at every water stop (5-6 of them?) along the course. It was overcast and in the low 50s, so I shouldn't have been dehydrated, but I sure was. Only minor aches remain today, so maybe I'll get out for an easy walk tomorrow.
Have a greta Toosday!
Jay
Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.
Rose Colored Glasses
0531
54F
misty once again
8 miles
1:14:03
Our phones said it wasn't raining. But I was using my windshield wipers on my way to the rec.center. Tricia, Jane, Ralph, Bill, Carol, Bob and I all started in a little drizzle. And then there was no precipitation. We ran around New Town. Everyone else went straight in, Ralph and I added 2 miles by running through Skipwith. Ralph went in to the rec. center to shower and then head down to NASA. I did not shower at the rec. this morning. With my windshield wipers necessary again, I drove home to shower and take care of the dogs. We had a nice weather window to run. Must be living right. ha ha.
On Tuesdays, I go to Matoaka Elementary and help 3rd and 4th graders with math. One week, I was helping with fractions and the 4th graders had to solve for x. I was told not to use cross multiplication.
Last week, I was helping the 3rd graders with comparing fractions. Their teacher allowed me to use cross multiplication! I told her, "Thank you!". She told me she understood why they don't teach cross multiplication but, she said that it was the simplest way to compare fractions and the kids needed to know some "tricks" in order to get the math done. (Or something like that)
Anyway. What is your opinion on using cross multplication? The argument against it involves not being able to explain WHY it works? I am unsure, really. Does it mess up math further down the line? Why does it work? Also. Why are 4th graders solving for x anyway? Isn't that algebra? I thought we saved algebra for 9th grade? (Ha ha. Not really. I know my kids had it in 7th or 8th?)
"Anytime you see the word "inflation" in the news, replace it with "record-breaking corporate profits" and you'll get what's happening."
MM #5615
I'm glad you're getting the medal you deserve, Jay. As far as the wine, though--can she, at least, send you the cork?
Cross multiplication is just the short cut of the actual proof. I don't know if 3rd graders would understand the proof or not since it does require algebra. It would take a long time to solve each problem if you had to go thru the entire sequence.
I've been having logging issues between my Garmin 310xt, Garmin Connect and the upload here from Garmin connect. I have two runs that are not showing up on Garmin connect but one run does show up here. Today's run is not showing up at either but has been downloaded from the Garmin device. No biggie but this seems to happen about every three months.
So I'm pretty sure I ran in the neighborhood (well I did run in the neighborhood) of 8.3 some miles really slow.
I'm always amazed at what math kids do in their head and then lose that skill in school (DS & GD2 are prime examples). great volunteering
congrats on 3rd Jay
disobeyed Twocat rule and went out for 3 very nasty, very wet, very windy miles - saw one other runner and we gave each other ^5 thinking what fools we be...
Slo - nice run whatever the distance
marj
Buehrle - I think it's because of what you say, when they learn the trick, they stop thinking about the actual numbers and what they represent. and other ways to manipulate them.
Jay - it was exciting to read your race report, and congrats on 3rd place! Sounded like you gave it your all!
Deez - very happy for you and your son.
My Dad had a stroke about 2 months ago and has been in rehab. Weakness on left side. He is at the point of not making much more progress now, and will need to move to long term care (he is 90). He is as clear headed as they come, but stubborn as a mule and doesn't like that he is being kicked out of rehab and has to choose a long term care facility. My siblings are dealing with this right now. Then they will have to sell his house and car. He is 90 and doesn't have a will, yet has talked about getting one for about the last 20 years. Is that typical? Denial? Procrastination?
I ran about 2.5 miles this morning - the knee told me to go home early. But I must say, it feels A LOT better than a few weeks ago, especially after times I have iced. Then I BBB'd to work. MBE has the crud and an ear infection he is getting looked at today. So far I've been lucky this winter.
"During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."
See? This is my conundrum. I understand the students need to learn more than "tricks" to come up with answers. However, in 3rd and 4th grade are their brains developmentally ready to understand proofs and this level of abstraction? In the 3rd grade class, they were comparing fractions using < and > and =. They would have to compare the fractions and fill in which symbol applied to the two fractions.
One way to do this is to draw a rectangle and divide it into parts representing the denominator and then shade the parts that represent the numerator. We do this for both fractions and then ask the student to choose whether the shaded area is greater than, less than, or equal.
This is concrete and they can really see how the fractions compare. HOWEVER. The worksheets have many problems on them. If the kids have to draw a picture for each and every fraction, not only does this take FOREVER, it also takes a lot of room on the page.
So. Can we show them one example with the pictures how the fractions compare and then show them how to cross multiply to simply compare which fraction is greater than, less than, or equal so they can get through the worksheet in a timely fashion?
Perhaps my overthinking to this conundrum led to my having to help with history homework today. We made "suitcases" of information about Ancient Greece. Did you know that four major products grown in Ancient Greece were figs, grapes, barley, and olives? Barley grows in the ground from seeds. Figs and olives grow on trees. And grapes grow on vines. Yea!
Holly?
Sayhey! MM#130
Jay! Congrats--and what MikeE said, as well.
And Starr, what Jay said.
Got in 8 and a half this am, slow but nice. (But some odd driving all over--I think the time change is being felt.)
Anyone find something pleasant about Albert Einstein being born on 3.14? It just seems right, you know?
So good so good so good deez. And I'm sure Steven's going to work every inch of his program and then some!
I know Holly has the more professional take on the issue, enke, but I can tell you there are a bunch of folks who should have given up the car quite a few whiles ago!!!
Good rest of the day and evening!
o--tomwhite, the invites for Blister in the Sun were emailed today!
grins,
A
https://agratefullifedotnet.wordpress.com/ (for a piece or two of my mind)
I haven't posted since Fri. as "stuff" kept getting in the way. Holly, I'm glad to hear that you and your husband had a good weekend with friends. Jay, nice half, battling a tough course and tough competition. Aamos, good job on a speedy half and kudos to your husband on his half. deez, I'm glad to hear your son is back home. I hope he makes rapid progress with his recovery. enke, dealing with elderly parents can be tough. I hope that you, your siblings, and your dad can come up with acceptable and reasonable solutions.
RCG, as a retired math teacher, I found your "comparing fractions" situation interesting. Even though the picture approach is neat, it is time consuming. I don't know what the students have done at that level, but if they have found common denominators, that could lead to an understanding of cross multiplying. Even though it may not be the least common denominator, the product of the denominators will always yield a common denominator. After changing both fractions so they have this denominator, the one with the larger numerator will be the larger. Looking at the pattern in several examples can show the new numerators are the product of the original numerator and the other denominator. I wouldn't call this proof or algebra but it leads to the generalization that cross multiplying gives the desired result.
Nice long runs for Mike, Holly, RCG, and evan.
Sunday, I got in three miles at an 11:02 pace and today, I did 5 miles at an 11:29 pace in Saginaw while my wife had an appointment.
A good day and good runs for all.
TomS
Eureka! I understand what you are saying and I think I know how to apply this to my fraction work with the children. Thank you! Tselbs, once a math teacher, always a math teacher!
(Oh. I only made it to Algebra2 and did not do well in that. My friend, Rose, is the math specialist at Matoaka Elementary and that is why I am helping out there. I just like kids and try to do what the teachers tell me to do)
MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803
In line with rosie’s math comments, one of the recent incessant spams inundating aol users was a math test with the kid just putting a circle around the letter “x” as the answer to a question to “find x” on the side of a triangle with the lengths of the other sides and degrees between given. .jay - probablhy both but the runner who passed me on my bike
was headed towards a high-tech company’s building
so I’m surprised he’s not already retired. ..ps - are there any beginning math books for a 6-yo GS who apparently likes numbers so much he’s twisting my penchant to spell words out in the middle our conversations so “wonderful” becomes “number one-d-e-r-f-u-l,” “g-r-number eight.” etc. I haven’t taught him “u” for “you” yet because I don’t like it and will never use it but, because he thinks it is the easiest word in the world to spell, he loves it when I ask him to spell “ok.”
<<<(Ed note: what he really means is are there any books that would help him understand what you're all talking about?")>>>.Not that it is the reason I’m so ecstatic today
even though I missed either a run, walk, or cyclemute,
but two more meetings up in GS-land on Thur/Fri'll
means another GS weekend. Yippee.
.
pps - I kind of have a will of joint accounts, etc.
Everything else I leave to my RA friends.
Sorry, no running shoes, though.
but knees are still holding up.
"Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)
Cross multiplication is a trick? On what planet? How the #$%#$%# else do you figure out which of two fractions is bigger? Why teach awkward ways to do something? It just discourages people. buehrle my vote is for you, the teacher, the school and the rest of the educational system to teach cross multiplication. That and to stop using really boring problems to teach math with. The latter is a major personal gripe I have with mathematics education in general and subject for a future rant.
Slo_Hand Gamin has done something to mess up connections between its software and everything else. My PC version of SportTracks no longer automatically imports my runs. I have to go to Garmin Connect, find the last run, tell it to export it to a GPX file and then have SportTracks import that file. Thank you Garmin! NOT!
enkephalin I am really sorry about your dad. The lack of a will is a BIG problem. Or will be. I would suggest asking him what he wants to do. Get a will writing program. Enter in his wishes. Bring him the will and get him to sign it. In CT you need this done in front of a notary with two witnesses that are not beneficiaries of the will. Good luck with this! I have a will my DW has a will that is in desperate need of updating! I bug her to do it every now and then, but no dice.
I managed a 7 mile run this morning. The weather looked bad but turned out not to be. It was in the low 40s. But not as damp or windy as I thought it would be. Nor really damp or windy at all!
Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.
Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/
So... the one place I always thought I'd be safe from <of all things> MATH talk, and here we have the daily full of the stuff! Goodness. More power to ya, RCG, for helping out at the school. I bet the teacher really appreciates it.
Sorry to hear about the elderly parent struggles, Enke. Where is he? Good that your siblings are able to deal with him, but it's hard if they're all on the other side of the country. At some point, it's just hard being the distant kid. My parents (and MIL) still being alive and well here is one of the main reasons we're still here and no plans on leaving anytime soon.
Well good grief. We got the bike paths around town all plowed mostly clear, and some were in great shape with some having some to a lot of ice on them. But now they're covered in a couple inches of SNOW! Yes, we had a snow drought since late December, and now we're getting snow. Oh well, snow in March is definitely not unusual for us so just buck up and deal with it. And run on the treadmill tonight. We should have sunshine back by Thursday, I think.
Sorry to hear about your Dad, Enkie. Good luck with the will writing. If you want to save a lot of headaches later, that Will must be top priority.
Will you go to see your dad soon?
Erika, I so admire your attitude about the snow. Just deal with it and run on the TM. That is my Alaska Snow Queen!
Holly, are you recovered from the weekend yet?
Another 6 slow relaxing miles for me today with a surprised appearance of my rocking running partner.
Well, time to go home now. It is sunny and glorious here today.
MikeE, you are a good writer. I enjoyed the poem for your friend the other day.
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard