Dr. Jan's Blog

Cowgirl Up!

I was feeling pretty smarty pants. I could hook up my trailer to my new old
truck and go just about anywhere. I like the feel of my big ole cummins diesel
truck... rumble, rumble.

Today, I had hubby drop me by the pasture, and I was tending my Buttercup and
Frosty and getting them all spiffy for our Draper Lake ride with Keta and her
hubby Dale. I carefully hooked up my truck to the trailer. I had gotten all
the fancy stuff that I read about in the magazines... an EZ Connector to insure
that my brake and lighting system would be perfect everytime and then this
really cool hitch that snaps your ball right into place with hardly any effort.
Oh yeah... I was all cowgirl upped.

Then, one of our buds in the adjacent pasture was having some
horse trailering issues. I strode up Horse Hill to give her a hand. After all,
I had all kinds of trailering problems initially with Buttercup; but I had
learned how to have her gladly hop onto the trailer and was just sure that my
skills would easily translate to Alex. I was wrong. Alex didn't take kindly to
my help; and I was lucky he didn't squash me like a fly.

The prideful stride up the hill was replaced by a more reserved meander down the
hill. I hopped in my truck and began to pull away; I was on my way back home to
pick up hubby who was glued to the set watching OU football (we won't go into
it... because all the play by play interpretation by hubby of our offensive line
needing something or other nearly bored me out of my skull... so why put you
through it?).

Anyway, within just 10 yards of pulling the trailer up the hill for the turn
around, a loud thunderous crash took place. I immediately put on my brakes and
got out. I don't know what I saw. It didn't look good. The trailer hitch was
sitting on the ground. I called hubby and pronounced a grievous situation that
I was not sure what it was... but it wasn't good. He was on his way, gratefully
relieved of watching the last moments of the game (that's my story and I am
sticking to it).

Then, Keta and Dale arrived merrily driving up Horse Hill to pick up their two
horses in their shining white heroic pickup truck with matching new horse
trailer. I was flailing my arms over my head and screeching about a tragedy.
Dale came right over and determined that I had not gotten the ball in the
hitch (remember it's a new fangled thing that's not easily interpretted). The
humiliation of that kind of thing was almost more than I could take (but I took
it because I was a little dazed from the whole event). I got the horses off the
trailer, Dale cranked everything up and down and got things right again. Then,
he determined that my emergency brake system on the trailer hadn't worked
(although some ACT OF GOD had) because the electric wires to the battery of the
emergency brake system were shot (and the ding dang trailer ain't even a year
old yet!).

Well, hubby got there and managed to provide some more bewildering comments
about my being in my right mind. But, we got everything fixed; and we went on
to Draper. Once out of eye and ear shot of Keta and Dale, I proceeded to wail
desperately about the humiliation and near death experience (okay, maybe not a
near death experience but let's accept that drama goes with the queen in my
name). There was only one cure... we went to the Krispy Kreme Donuts on I-240;
and I got some fresh donuts and diet coke. I immediately felt better. What
crisis in life can't be rendered much better with that kind of cure?

Anyway, back to the story. Hubby doesn't really like horse back riding like I
do. He is a golf fanatic; I hate golf. I haven't even tried to like it for
him. And, it turns out that though he has tried to like the horsey thing and is
way supportive; he doesn't really like riding horses (the jiggling is disturbing
to him). And, he's only ridden Frosty the hubby horse twice and both times he
was lucky not to fall off when first a bunny rabbit ran by spooking ole Frosty
and then today when Bendito freaked out over a concrete wall or something and
got everyone all spooked up. And, we rode a different part of Draper than usual
and were mostly on the road with very little up and down action.

So, we got back to the Marina, untacked the horses, and prepared for our
homeward journey (I won't even go into the crises on the trail like Frosty's bit
being upside down or my reins falling apart when we finished the ride). We
finally got home and then went to Walmart to get all kinds of gadgets, so hubby
could fix what was ailing the trailer after my episode of stupid. We are now
home... safe and sound except our 16 year old isn't home yet; and we are going
to kick his.... Um, that's another story, another day.

Anway, there's a moral to this story: Don't get cocky or you are sure to have
some crisis knock you back down to size.

Incredible, fantastic, FREE, web conferencing! DimDim

One of my colleagues (Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D.) at Kaplan University sent me an email with this news:

"FYI - had a cool seminar tonight using Dimdim - http://www.dimdim.com/ - a free Web Conferencing tool.  I was able to use my own video and audio, my students could easily use their audio (one choose to do so). I easily shared my screen (which included my PPT via Google Docs), URLs so I showed a Youtube video, and it  had a chat window - AND it recorded the session.  It was fun and interactive."

I tried it out.  I couldn't believe it.  It looks like Webex and Elluminate are outta here.  Who can compete with fun, easy, and free?!!

New Definition of Effective

I have always said that since we can't measure student academic growth reliably, then we simply give students academic tests and pray that what they say is somehow related to academic achievement.  It's kind of like needing to measure someone's weight and you measure their height instead because that's all you can do.  It may or may not predict weight.

Well, with this overwhelming need to measure administrative success, we (school administrators) are suddenly required to simply produce voluminous amounts of paperwork.  In my driven desire to succeed, I am now producing hundreds of pages of paperwork each week.  It's an obsession for me and those who haunt cenral office positions.  God help me!

Marzano and Interactive Whiteboard Technology... wowee!

My Kaplan Mentor, Dr. Robin James, and "warmly"

How do you sign off to emails with depth and understanding and friendliness?

Well, my supervisor and mentor at Kaplan University, Dr. Robin James, has this totally down.  With her simple "warmly," she can tell me anything; and I still feel encouraged and embraced.  Well, would that I could, I would steal her sign off.  But, I need my own. 

So, would you do me a favor and give me an opinion on the following Thesaurus provided synonyms? (Just leave a comment.)

1.  Kindly

2.  Harmoniously

3.  Charmingly

4.  Easily

5.  Cheerily

6.  Genially

7.  Pleasingly

Thanks!

Pleasantly,

Dr. Jan

Surgeon General's Warning on Horse Hair!

Surgeon Generals warning on horse hair

Urgent Notice: Potential Danger of Horse Hair This is a public service announcement. In a press release today, the National Institute of Health has announced the discovery of a potentially dangerous substance in the hair of horses. This substance, called "amobacter equuii" has been linked with the
following symptoms in female humans:

• reluctance to cook
• reluctance to perform housework
• reluctance to wear anything but boots
• reluctance to work except in support of a horse
• physical craving for contact with horses (may be an addiction)

Beware! If you come in contact with a female human infected by this substance, be prepared to talk about horses for hours on end. Surgeon General's Warning: Horses are expensive, addictive, and may impair the ablility to use common sense.

One of the cool things about teaching for Kaplan University...

is the access to these incredible minds.  We have online professors from all over the nation and beyond.  Some of the greatest applied tech geeks I have been exposed to.  Many are professors at other institutions and/or practitioners like me.  Since we are all online geeks, I get to see some pretty cool practices.  Take a look at this presentation by my fellow professor, Dr. Jackie Gerstein, who is using Prezi in her classroom seminars.

Did You Know 4.0... be prepared to be blown away!

Web 3.0-- what's next?

Web 3.0: What's Next

View more documents from Nicole Engard.

Back in the saddle again!

Four weeks ago, today, I got a new saddle for my new Tennessee Walker, Frosty.  I was so excited to go to Horse Hill and toss it over his back.  What a great horse Frosty is.  He's no Buttercup (who could or ever would be?); but he's my hubby horse... Pat will have his own companion when we go out trail riding with our couple friend trail riders.

The saddle didn't really fit Frosty; in fact, it was a smidge too big.  I didn't bother to get my tack hole puncher; I just hopped on and took a brisk tour of the  5 acre pasture.  I wasn't worried because I am a great bareback rider... in fact, it's one of only two life skills to which I naturally took an immediate skill (ice skating being the other).  I just balanced that ill fitting saddle on his back and enjoyed the wind blowing through my hair (what's the use of a head if you can't feel the wind blowing through your hair?).  

After a while, I spied something in my pasture and decided to get down and check it out.  My middle aged, addled brain seemed to have completely forgotten the ill fitting saddle.  As I slid to the ground, the saddle slid with me causing me to lose my balance.  Everything after that seems kind of surreal and slow motionish.  I remember thinking out loud... tuck and roll, Jan, tuck and roll.  But, instead, I stuck my left arm out to break my fall... and... well, snap it went!

Now, I do what I always do in a crisis situation.  I fainted.  The next thing I remember was Frosty running and bucking like a maniac all over the pasture.  I feared for his safety in the midst of the intense pain I was feeling (was this like a sprained ankle or worse?).  Somehow in that 96 degree heat, I struggled to my feet and began the journey back to my horse trailer.  My arm was really smarting by this time, and Frosty was rather agitated still bucking and running.

Somehow, I got back to the trailer and laid down in the tack room.  I pulled out my iphone and tried to dial family and friends.  But, my hands were so soaking wet with sweat that the buttons wouldn't seem to press.  Finally, I dried them off (ow-ow-ow) and managed to get my buddy Jo (who sent her darling daughter in law Jennifer and grandchildren to the scene immediately) and then husband Pat and son Bo. 

I kept cooing to Frosty until he finally settled own and came to me.  I unfastened his saddle and reins and just dropped them to the ground, laid down in the tack room, and waited for help to arrive.  The entire left arm immediately began to swell to unbelievable proportions.  By the time Pat and Bo arrived, it was pretty clear an emergency room visit was in store.  Long story short.... it was broken and a splint and lots of extra duty narcotic pain killers began to become a part of my life until Tuesday when the orthopedic surgeon fixed me up.

Today marks four weeks since my last ride; it also marks my first day back in the saddle again.  Sarah, my trainer, came and helped me saddle both horses; and I began to ride again.  She wondered if I were scared... if the pain were still bad (short cast now).  Nope, after breast cancer and treatment, this was just a hang nail in the scheme of things. 

What a blessing my horses are.  Life is very, very good.