Sunday, December 29, 2024

The Silent Corner - Dean Koontz

When I visit Teri in the nursing home, I often read to her. Her vision troubles have made it difficult for her to enjoy books on her own, and she deeply misses the joy of reading. She says my reading feels like listening to an audiobook, which she finds comforting and engaging. Sharing these stories together has become a special way to connect with something she loves. Recently, we finished Dean Koontz's The Silent Corner.

Dean Koontz’s The Silent Corner is a gripping thriller that introduces Jane Hawk, an FBI agent investigating her husband's suspicious suicide. As Jane uncovers a chilling pattern of other "voluntary" deaths, she stumbles upon a sinister organization using advanced mind-control technology. This discovery propels her into a high-stakes battle against extraordinary evil.

Jane Hawk is a compelling protagonist, blending intelligence, determination, and vulnerability. Her courage and resourcefulness make her relatable and admirable as she faces betrayals and deadly encounters. Koontz’s prose is dynamic and descriptive, creating vivid scenes and maintaining relentless pacing with short, punchy chapters that keep the tension high.

While the mind-control technology’s intricacies and philosophical implications might slow the pace for some readers, the story’s action and suspense outweigh these moments. The villains, though exaggerated, serve their purpose in creating a clear divide between good and evil.

As the first in a series, The Silent Corner effectively sets the stage for Jane Hawk’s ongoing battle while delivering a satisfying conclusion. Fans of fast-paced thrillers with strong female leads will find this book an engaging and exhilarating read, showcasing Koontz’s storytelling prowess.

 

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

My Mother's Wedding Dress


I ran across these when scrolling through my photos. This is my mother's wedding dress, worn on February 9, 1957, yellowed with age. 

 

Verity by Colleen Hoover

 



Verity by Colleen Hoover is a gripping psychological thriller with a twist of romance. The novel follows  a struggling writer who’s given the chance to finish a series of books by the famous but ailing author named Verity Crawford. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, Verity will not disappoint. The twists, dark atmosphere, and complex characters make it an unforgettable read. Just be prepared for some serious moral dilemmas—and don’t expect a comfortable conclusion.

An Overview of Leading AI Systems


In the world of AI, there are a lot of tools out there. The leading AI systems are
ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and Gemini. Each of these comes from a different company and serves a unique purpose, but all of them are designed to make our lives easier in different ways.

ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, is a general-purpose AI that can do pretty much anything—answer questions, write essays, generate code, you name it. It’s like a jack-of-all-trades. Whether you're looking for a quick answer or need help brainstorming ideas, ChatGPT is there to lend a hand. Its ability to generate human-like text makes it useful for everything from customer support to content creation.

Then we have Claude, developed by Anthropic. Claude’s main selling point is safety and ethics. The team behind Claude has designed it to be more careful with the responses it gives, reducing harmful or biased output. It’s built with the idea that AI should align with human values, which makes it a great choice for high-stakes or sensitive environments where you want to be extra sure the AI stays on track.

Next up is Copilot, a collaboration between GitHub and OpenAI. If you're a developer, Copilot is a game-changer. Powered by OpenAI’s Codex model, it helps generate code, suggest improvements, and even debug. It’s like having a personal coding assistant that can autocomplete lines of code, saving developers tons of time. It works in a variety of languages, making it a go-to for anyone writing code.

Lastly, Gemini is Google’s latest offering from DeepMind. It’s designed to handle both text and images, making it a more advanced, multimodal AI. If you're looking for something that can analyze text, generate images, or do both at the same time, Gemini is the tool to turn to. Google is clearly aiming to push the envelope with this one, integrating it across their suite of tools for an all-in-one AI experience.

In short, while ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, and Gemini all offer powerful AI capabilities, each one brings something different to the table. Whether you're chatting, coding, or looking for something more advanced, there's an AI for you.

A Haiku

Music plays softly
Crocheted threads weave through stillness
In peace I find strength

Monday, October 28, 2024

It's a Little Warm in Here


The temperature in my classroom. I thought I was going to faint.

Monday, September 23, 2024

For My Friend, Teri


 I could not have done this, and definitely not so quickly, without Mike's help. 


My friend Teri had a stroke on June 20th that necessitated a craniectomy and left her partially paralyzed. On July 10th she was moved to sub-acute rehab, and on August 29th was moved to long-term care at Elderwood Nursing Home. I'll have more to say about Elderwood later, but for now I asked her what her favorite color is and got my big brother on the phone. 

Mike coordinated the colors and purchased the yarn, and I crocheted this in record time. It is big enough to cover a hospital bed, which is unfortunately just what Teri needs right now. 

I am hoping desperately that she will have some recovery after a cranioplasty. What she is doing now is not 'living' by any stretch of the imagination. 

Monday, March 13, 2023

My Baby Got Married

 


I don't think they slept the night before... Welcome to our crazy family, Sarika. 
Miguel is a very lucky young man. 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Meteor Shower!

 

My Head is Going to Explode

It has been a VERY interesting couple of weeks!  Last week, I took a class for my Google Level I Certification. We covered: 

  • Google Slides
  • Google Chrome
  • Google Web Store
  • Gmail, Calendar, and Meets
  • Google Groups
  • Google Forms
  • Google Sheets
  • Google Docs
  • Google Drive
  • Google Classroom
  • Google Sites and
  • YouTube
This week, I took a class for my Google Level II Certification. We covered: 
  • Screencasting
  • Chrome Extensions
  • Gmail Templates
  • Creating, Sharing, and Embedding a Calendar
  • Creating Appointment Slots
  • Google Maps, Google Earth, and My Maps
  • Google Sheets Functions
  • Publishing and Protecting Sheets
  • Creating a Sparkline
  • Creating and Using Pivot Tables
  • Creating Surveys and Quizzes
  • Google Forms Digital Differentiation
  • YouTube Studio, Playlists, and Channels
  • Google Docs (more in-depth)
  • Blogger
I had No Idea Google offered so much for educators! I have to sign up for the exams, each of which is three hours. Hopefully I can knock out the Level I exam this week and get the Level II exam done before school starts. 

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Twins are a-Comin'!

One of my co-workers is having twin boys in October! A benefit of being laid up for a while... I've completed the first of two baby blankets. 


Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Foot Surgery

For the past few months, I've been struggling with a plantar fibroma on the bottom, arch area of my foot. I thought the analogy the doctor gave me was interesting: 

Think of the plantar tendon as a stalk of celery, branching out from the heel to the toes. For some reason, sometimes the tendon frays, like strands of celery do. (Why is not known.) When this happens, the strands bunch up into a knot. Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of that bunched up knot is to have it removed. 

So I did. I will be on crutches for two weeks until the first half of my stitches are removed, then taking it easy until the remaining stitches are removed at the three week mark. After that, it will be another four to six weeks for the inside of my foot to heal, so I will still have to be careful. 


July 10, 2020
Excision of plantar fibroma

Wednesday, July 08, 2020

Yep. Somebody Ticked Me Off.

I am not an angry person. I'm not even an angry blogger. I'm basically a happy, satisfied, optimistic person bumbling her way through this adventure we call life. 

But every once in a while something irritates me so much I just HAVE to say something, and since this is my blog to express my opinions, sit back and enjoy the ride or keep scrolling. If you're easily offended, I recommend the latter.

<Rant Mode On>

I am Sick And Tired of the Incessant Complaining. I am disgusted and horrified by some of the protests where people hold up signs like, "Sacrifice the weak - reopen". I am completely exasperated with all the excuses.

Yes, masks are uncomfortable. Yes, they can be an inconvenience. Yes, it's aggravating when your glasses steam up. Yes, they can be hot. Yes to all of these things...and whatever else you come up with to excuse yourself. 

But it's not about you. It's not about the government taking away your rights or turning this country into Nazi Germany. It's not about a descent into fascism or decimating the population to benefit the rich. It's not a hoax perpetrated by Democrats to get Republicans out of office. It's not about getting a vaccine so the government can 'chip and track' you. It's not about my alleged fear and your claim that my 'fear' is 'not your problem'. All of that is horse hockey.

It's about keeping your friends and family, the older ones among us, and anyone who may be medically unable to wear a mask, safe. It's about respect for other people. It's about being a caring, moral, ethical, loving person in society. 

And if you claim to be Christian, you should be thinking about the Golden Rule. You don't care enough about your family and your friends to wear a mask to protect them from a potentially fatal virus? Well, how about that...you know...love your neighbor as yourself thing? Don't be a hypocrite. 

Just. Wear. The. Mask.

<Rant Mode Off>

Thank you for listening. We now return you to somewhat normal programming. :)

Saturday, June 20, 2020

Building a firepit

 

My neighbor stopped by to help my son build a firepit in our backyard. It was easy - and cheap! He watched a youtube video first. Check out how to build a fire pit on youtube: 

Thursday, June 11, 2020

I Don't Understand Boys.

 

I'm not sure how he thinks...and sometimes it makes me laugh.  He put his clothes in the dryer. He then  dug up a post-it note, found a pen, wrote a "still wet" note, and stuck it on the dryer. 

Wouldn't it have been easier to start the dryer? 

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

The School Building is Closing

 

We're going to be closed for at least two weeks because of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Some of the teachers are saying we won't be back this year. 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  In the meantime, we'll be teaching online from our basements, spare rooms, and wherever we can find a bit of quiet. 

Friday, February 14, 2020

Friday, October 25, 2019

An Epiphany Moment

Mom, he says, with a contemplative look in his eye.  I've had an epiphany.

Alarm bells start going off in the back of my brain.  I don't like surprises, and epiphanies definitely qualify as surprises. I just never know what he's going to say when he gets that...look.  I decide to tread gently, just in case I need to hide the knives, because I'll never forget his "epiphany" when he decided my chef's knife should be used for everything (resulting in stitches).

An epiphany?

Yes. I really am a geek.  I ... belong ... with the geeks.

Ahh, another proud mom moment. I do love that boy.


Saturday, October 19, 2019

He's dreaming about math!

I tap on his door gently to wake him up at around 10:30 a.m. He told me he does not want to sleep all day; he's got homework to do before he goes to work at 4. 

Hey, kiddo, it's time to wake up. 

He yawns, stretches, and then gets this wild-eyed, panicked look...

IT'S COMING ALONG SOON! IT'S COMING ALONG SOON!

Ummm...it's coming along soon?

YESIT'S COMING ALONG SOON!

What's coming along soon?

2√2y!  (Pronounced, "2 root 2 y")

Errrr... 2√2y is coming along soon?

YES! IT'S COMING! ALONG! SOON! 

There is another long pause, and then he looks at me angrily...

You have NO idea what I'm talking about, DO you?!

Sweetie, do YOU know what you're talking about? 

There is another pause, and then the confusion clears...

Oh.My.God. It's that DAMN MATH PROBLEM I've been working on all night!!!

I couldn't help myself. I just burst out laughing. 

HE'S DREAMING ABOUT MATH! 

I couldn't be more proud.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty...


Yes, part of it is camera angle. He is getting big, though. He's a little over a year old and weighs about 12 pounds. And I swear he's still growing.

Friday, September 06, 2019

Surprise!

School has started again and I am not teaching what I thought I was teaching ... I will still be teaching HTML and CSS using the code.org curriculum, and I will still be teaching Introduction to Computer Science in JavaScript using the codehs.com curriculum. I will be writing the Introduction to Business course and teaching that. AP CSP however? The school decided over the summer not to offer it, so the 30 hours I spent at Buff State in a professional development course and the 60 hours I spent online in a second professional development course were a waste of time.  Heavy sigh. 

Well, at least I was prepared. If I am going to teach it next year, I will have to take the PDs again, because the College Board is changing the exam and/or the requirements for 2020-21. In the meantime, I am LOVING teaching Business!

Sunday, July 28, 2019

It's been a while...

Teaching has been so rewarding, but so very challenging. I started in 2016 teaching middle school math. That summer, I taught 7th and 8th grade math in summer school. In 2017, I started teaching HTML and CSS from code.org as well as Intro to Computer Science from codehs.com. I had never had any computer courses before and had no idea how to code, so the entire year, I was one or two lessons ahead of the students. 

In 2018, I taught these two courses as well as Desktop Publishing and AP CS A. AP CS A was a disaster...I thought I was supposed to be teaching Computer Science Principles, but I spent the year being one step ahead of the kids in Java. 

This year, I am teaching the original two courses (HTML/CSS and Intro to Computer Science) as well as AP Computer Science Principles and Introduction to Business. I am really looking forward to this year! 

In the meantime, for the first time since I graduated from high school, I took the summer off. My son and I have seen baseball games and thrown catch in the yard, gone to movies, seen the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and just relaxed in general. 

It's time for me to get serious again though... school starts in four weeks, and I have the remainder of a 60 hour PD course to get through! 

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Found his glasses...

We don't know why, but Ernie likes to put his toys in his water bowl. Guess where I found Ian's glasses?


Thursday, April 18, 2019

Saturday, September 01, 2018

Ernie the Kitty

Ernie the Kitty
We got a kitten!

I really hadn't planned on getting a kitten...I wanted an older cat that has less energy. :D  This one picked me, though.

We went to the SPCA and there he was, this little brown tabby, shaking and trying to hide in a corner. I sat down on the floor, putting my hand on the floor beside me, and I sat very still.  He came out, sniffed my  hand, and ran back to his corner.

The volunteer told us that was the most interaction she'd seen from him since he'd been there. Ian and I looked at each other and said, "He needs us."

He came from a hoarding situation. He was so thin you could feel almost count his ribs, and he was so flea-bitten it was heart-breaking. We will feed him and love him and he will be safe and happy.

His name is Ernie.

Friday, December 29, 2017

He's grown up too fast.

Ian and I went to the DMV today and got his learner's permit. I have so many mixed feelings about it...

Where did the time go? Wasn't it just last week he was 3# 9oz and struggling to breathe? Or yesterday that he broke his elbow playing touch football? All of a sudden, he's driving and graduating from high school.

Time flies when you don't know what you're doing.



Thursday, August 10, 2017

Washed Away



One of my family's legends is that my great-grandfather was a rooftop survivor of one of the great floods in Pennsylvania. I'm not sure of the year or the town (it depends on who is telling the story).  I picked up this nook book through Barnes & Noble to start my flood history education.

I'm having trouble putting this book down.  It is told chronologically and separated into sub-chapters by town. It details the lives of the people who both survived and succumbed to the great flood waters at that time. It is interesting, and more often than not, heartbreaking.

I cannot imagine the fear those people must have experienced seeing the waters rise within hours of surviving a tornado outbreak.

I found this map of the area affected by the tornadoes and floods in 1913:

Credit to: http://brisray.com/flood/flood1.htm

(This website, http://brisray.com/, has a well-organized library of pictures/postcards of the flood areas at the time.)

I'm halfway through the book, and I recommend it.

Monday, July 31, 2017

Dining Experience

A couple months ago, Steven and I decided to go for Chinese takeout at my favorite little local eatery. We stood behind a couple completing their 'to go' order. After the couple left, the little old lady behind the counter was FURIOUS. "He never pay! Every time they come, he never pay! She pay all the time! He Deadbeat!"

Well, you had better believe Steven and I, in a silent joining of the minds, decided that was not the night for me to treat him to dinner. He had his wallet out before we even ordered. Fast forward to this evening...

Steven is working and Ian is hanging with his buddies tonight, so I was left to fend for myself for dinner.  I decided that I haven't had Chinese takeout in a while, so I walked over to get my Chicken Chow Mein to go. The little old lady was behind the counter again. I gave my order, and she said, deadpan, "Okay. Give me all your money."  I started laughing, and she said, "That good, right?" and I said, "Yes - for you!"  She began laughing too, and I realized this was the first time in all these years I've been their customer that I've ever seen her so much as smile.

I was alone in the restaurant and sat at a table waiting. All of a sudden she yells, "Okay! Goodbye!" I laughed again and thanked her, and she launched into a chorus of "Bye Bye Love" as I grabbed my bag. I sang with her as I was leaving, and here it is, three hours later, and I'm still laughing.

I don't even know her name, but I love her!

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Dead Men's Dust


Excellent read! I do love murder and mayhem (in fiction, that is).  This is Matt Hilton's debut novel. Although I thought the story started off slow, after the first chapter or so, I could not put this book down. The synopsis from Amazon says:

The electrifying debut of ex-military officer and all-around tough guy Joe Hunter, who is on the trail of his missing and estranged brother . . . and the madman who may have taken him.