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2009-03-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading "Feed" by M.T. Anderson.

Right away I was sure I wasn't going to like this book. I actually put it down for a month or so, and only picked it up one day because I didn't have anything else to read, and I just hadn' gotten around to taking it back to the library yet. The problem was that the main character reminded me way too much of Holden Claufield. I know, I know I DID like 'Catcher in the Rye' but reading that character was such a downer; I didn't appreciate the book at all until the end. It has been so long since I read it, all I remember now is the terrible negative attitude and the "I really do"s where a little contagious. So I wasn't really up for anything that would put me in a bad mood. Fortunately, when I picked it up again I didn't have too much more to read before the book got really interesting.

"Feed" refers to the constant flow of information that people in the story have coming to them directly through the implants in their brains. It is like being constantly connected to he internet and seeing it all in your head. The main character, Titus, is a teenager growing up in the United States in this world where people have had feeds for a few generations already. He, his famiy, and even the president of he United States speak as if they are chatting online because for generations they have had the capability to chat each other using the feed.

The feed also monitors their purchases, their browsing history, and even their feelings and moods to suggest things they should buy which can be done using the feed. People are so dependent on the feed they feel that the feed sometimes knows what they want even before they know it themselves.

Titus and his friends are hacked by some kind of "whacko" protesting the feed and the superconsuming habits of the people. In the middle of a night club their bodies freeze and they begin chanting the hackers message. The hack has lasting effects on one of the characters, creating a situation which forces Titus to look at what is happening to the world around him.

This idea of a feed is really interesting to me. In the last year I along with most of the rest of the world, as far as I can tell, have become an avid facebooker. When I first signed up I would find time once every couple of weeks to sign in and see who had contacted me. Now I sign on almost every day. I think I'm pretty good at using it to keep up with people and not to waste away hours of my life, but it is pretty tempting from time to time to think about finding out what Golden Girls character I am most like, or share 25 useless peices of information about myself with all of my friends. Not too many years ago I didn't see the purpose of having a cell phone. Now I'm not sure why I don't get one that will allow me to facebook from anywhere. I wonder how many of us would implant a feed if it meant we could facebook all of the time without having to carry around a cell phone.

The market profiling the feed does is not really a peice of fiction either. We scan our Kroger card every week, and for it we get coupons in the mail from Kroger. Over the last couple of years they've really got a hold on our purchasing habits. They seems to know when we're about to run out of toothpaste, and send a coupon to save with Kroger before we have the time to think about getting it elsewhere.

I was introduced to internet radio at pandora.com this week. If I have a lot of work (or play) to do on the computer, I've been a pretty loyal Live365.com listener. But Pandora will build a station just for you. All you do is put in an artist or song you feel like listening to, and Pandora builds you a playlist with songs you would like. It seems to select music based on the what they call the musical "genes" of a song.
Taken together these genes capture the unique and magical musical
identity of a song - everything from melody, harmony and rhythm, to
instrumentation, orchestration, arrangement, lyrics, and of course the rich
world of singing and vocal harmony.

I just copied and pasted that sentence from http://www.pandora.com/mgp.shtml See how much easier it is to use the feed than try to express something yourself!

I typed in one of the more obscure Latin artists I've come across lately and instantly had a whole radio station full of similar artists I've never heard of, but so far I have enjoyed them all just as much.

Amazon will suggest purchases for me based on what I've browsed and bought, and I often find myself wanting whatever they suggest.

All of this, especially Pandora which I'm using now to listen to my very own "Jack Johnson" station, is wonderful. But are we on the fast track to the decline of civilization? In school I complain about my students' inability to read an analog clock (We're learning to tell time in Spanish this week.) We all rack our brains at how to help our students express themselves better in writing and sore better on their standardized tests. Are these struggles new, or have teachers been struggling for years with the same problems?

While the main character's feed is temporarily off line for a time after the hacker got to them, he describes the blank look on people's faces as he tries to communicate with them and they are simultaneously shopping, getting news, and chatting on the feed. The other day Chris and I were talking about the events of our days and as the news, or Jeopardy or whatever we were watching came back from commercial we both paused the conversation, one of us in mid-sentence, to continue watching. I wonder how often we do that, never to return to the topic of conversation.

The people in the book consume and consume without regard for the consequences to the environment. How often do we buy a shirt or eat a banana without so much as a thought about the carbon footprint of it's delivery to us or the inhumane treatment of or inadequate compensation to those who created it?

Well, the book certainly made me think. If you get a chance to pick it up definitely promise yourself to read at least to the end of Part 1 before you decide to put it back on the shelf for good. You'll be glad you did.

Jesse, Jenna and Kloe visit

2009-03-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

So my little brother came down this weekend with his family. It is amazing to see my little brother as a grown up. He is not really any more mature, but he is definitely responsible. He seems to juggle work, family and play (coaching wrestling) really well.

Here are some pics of the adorable Kloe.

Here is a video of her shopping. She really enjoys herself.

Welcome to the world Anderson Whitsel

2008-09-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Chris' brother and sister-in-law welcomed their second son, Anderson, to the world last week. Mom and baby are doing fine. Check out their blog to see some adorable pictures.

http://amandawhitsel.blogspot.com/

Jen's wedding

2008-09-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

One of my dearest friends moved to Indy about a year and a half ago. It has been a pretty busy year full of a lot of changes for her. Exactly one year from the date, she and her (now) husband married in the same spot where they first met. They connected on E-harmony as many of my friends have with their spouses. They met for the first time on the steps at monument circle. It was a wonderfully intimate ceremony. The judge's statement was breif but meaningful. She said that Marriage was a union that a government might regulate and a church might recognize, but only two people could keep. Both Jen and Mark wrote their vows, and both proved to be quite moving. Poor Jen could hardly get through hers. Afterward their friends and family joined them in their new home for a small reception. In a couple of months they plan to welcome their son into the world. Jen, as she always is, was beautiful as was the whole event.

Mark arrives, yes, with Starbucks.
Jen can't help but be beautiful, and funny.
Jen and Mark walk back to where they first met to get married.
Jen pulls herself together as she tries to tell Mark what he means to her.

Spend a weekend at The Shack.

2008-06-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

Thank you Kevin for suggesting that I read The Shack by William P. Young. (http://www.theshackbook.com/, amazon)

Without giving away more than you would read on the back cover, the main character, Mack, gets an invitation to meet God at the shack where his youngest daughter was brutally murdered. He accepts the invitation, and is changed forever.

Most people know that I read quite a bit. I read mostly fiction. I read for enjoyment. I love words, and I love a good story. For me, this book was not just another book. It was not even just an outstanding book. It was an experience.

While reading this book I felt so loved, and so uplifted, I felt like I was the one invited to spend the weekend with God.

It is a work of ficiton, but reading this book teaches us a lot about the true nature of God.

When reading Life of Pi by Yann Martel, I cried at the end reading the second version of Pi's story not just because it was so sad. I cried because I felt that the existance of a second version killed any chance that the first wonderful story was true. (Some days I feel this makes me a pesamist. Some days I feel it shows I was silly to get that wrapped up in a work of fiction... again.) Halfway through reading The Shack I realized, in spite of the information in the Forward, this isn't a true story. The thing is that it didn't matter. What I learned about God and humanity by reading this book is true.

So... Experience The Shack as soon as possible.

(Later, read Life of Pi. It is a wonderful, wonderful story.)

We love thos nieces to pieces.

2008-06-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend Chris and I went home for a couple of occasions.

First, my nephew, Corban, made his Confirmation. It is a big deal in the church. The Bishop comes down for the mass. If you thought mass could be confusing with all of the sitting, standing and kneeling, try being a bishop. He has to keep track of all of that as well as know when to take his little pointy hat on and off. It could be very tricky. Luckily, he has an assistant who follows him around to adjust his hat and even his microphone if need arises.

Nobody messed anything up. Everybody received the Holy Spirit and a nice meal afterward.

Corban is getting so big. He is officially a high schooler now. He is taking Summer Bio at the High School. In the picture above we have Corban, Brother-in-law Todd, Sis, and our eldest niece, Emily.

Emily is also growing at an incredible rate. She has had to adjust her bike seat twice in the last two weeks! Even with all those new inches she can still turn all the back flips she wants, on and off a trampoline.

The other big event that brought us home was the birth of our newest niece, Abigail Barbara Elizabeth Espinoza. My older bro Jeremy and his wife Eleasha are very proud parents. Abi was born on May 29th.

As you can see, she is just adorable. She has incredibly long fingers. I know everyone says that about every new born, but it is truer for Abi. At a week old, she is keeping her pretty blue eyes open and starting to hold her head up already.

Almost one-year-old Kloe, who we call the Klo or Klonus, is quite happy to have a younger cousin. She is more adorable by the day. My younger brother, Jesse, has proven to be a great Daddy. There isn't anything he would not do for his little girl. See below how he holds really still so she can have a nap.

After this small rest both Kloe and Daddy were up again for a quick diaper changing contest with Jeremy and Abi. I don't remember who won, but a good time was had by all. This weekend's competitions were really just preliminaries for the big Father's day cook out next week anyway.

Lately

2008-04-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't posted anything in quite some time. Just so you don't think I'm working too hard, here are some pics from the last month or so. For Easter weekend we went up to Clio, MI to visit with Chris' brother and family. Chris' Dad and Patty came out from Iowa. Here is a picture of Chris and Rachel who came over from Flint. It was great to see everyone, and to see how fast Nolan is growing.

Adam and Sherry came up to visit for Meredith's B-day. Chris was out of town for a conference in St. Louis. On Sunday the three of us went to the Children's Museum.

If you've not been to the Central Branch of the library yet since it has been remodeled, you're missing out. It is beautiful. The fiction section takes up the entire older section of the library.

The new atrium is beautiful and lets you see up to all of the other floors. Go check it out.

Before Adam and Sherry headed home, we stopped for lunch at Buca Di Beppo's. Try the chicken cantelloni. It is superb.

Today Chris is very excited about the nice weather we've had this week. He's been preparing all week to get some work done outside. Of course the temperature is plumeting, it is supposed to snow tomorrow, and Chris commented that he just felt a drop of rain after I snapped this picture. :)

What I've read lately

2008-02-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

In spite of my quest to work less this year, I often find myself at school way too late. This week that happened at least 3 times. To the untrained observer, it may seem that I am not meeting my goal. But truth be told, I feel like I am. I submit the following as evidence.

I began reading Isaac Asamov's Robot Visions. Asamov brought us the story from which the Will Smith clad I, Robot was born. As far as I know the story carried the same title as the movie, but I've not confirmed this. He also brought us the short story Bicentennial Man. By my estimation of the limited time I have to read, I would finish reading this collection of short stories just in time for the long awaited release of Harry Potter y las reliquias de la muerte, the Spanish version of the 7th Harry Potter installment.

However, I finished Robot Visions earlier than expected. Not sure what to do with my extra few weeks, I picked up Jurassic Park. I hadn't read it since high school, and I thought if I am not able to finish it before I finally get my hands on Harry, I'll already know how it ends.

Somehow, in the midst of this crazy week, I read the whole book. It was as entertaining as I remembered. To top it off, I hadn't remembered how it ended!

I grabbed a collection of Puerto Rican fables off of my shelf to hold me over until Thursday (Febrary 21st).

So, although I might not have blogged as often as I had intended, I sure have gotten to ejnoy a few good books.

Meet Sofía and Claire

2008-01-07T17:12:00.000-08:00

The girls moved in with us at the start of the school year this year. As you can see they've settled in nicely.

Originally I had intended to let my students name them. We did in fact hold a contest to choose new names. After much debate (in Spanish of course... well almost) they chose Nevaeh (Ni-vay-ah) which is heaven spelled backward, and Diamond, because Claire has an orange spot on her forehead. Shortly after the contest I talked to my friend Amanda. During high school her best friend and she had French names in their French class: Sophie and Claire. So we kept the names they had when we found them at the Humane Shleter.

Sofía (on top) is 2 years old. She had never lived with other cats, so she was quite leery of letting Claire get close. She spent most of the first month at home on top of the refridgerator. She would sleep there all day, but was by no means shy. When anyone would walk in the room she would go to the edge of the fride to get their attention. She enjoyed being petted so much that she would lose all sense of space and just fall right off the edge, purring all the way to the floor. She is now quite comfortable at home, and rarely jumps back up to her perch on the fridge. She is so comfortable in fact, that she will fall asleep almost anywhere. Once asleep it is sometimes difficult to rouse her. She snores, she squeaks, and she twitches without a clue as to what is going on around her.

Claire is 4 years old. She is a little smaller. She doesn't have Sofía's pretty coloring or pretty blue eyes. With the strange orange spot right on top of her head we sometimes refer to her as "the ugly one." She has a few bad habits that have helped her adopt a few other nicknames. First, she has a talent for swinging her tail just beyond the limits of the litter box. You can imagine the rest. Her great joy in life is drinking from the faucet. She will sprint from any place in the house the second she hears the water running. The habit unfortunately has developed into a serious drinking problem. She enjoys the running water so much that she does not know when to stop. She'll drink her fill, jump down from the sink, and promptly vomit on the floor. We've grown accustomed to her weak stomach. She is allowed to drink from the faucet on rare ocassions only, and we quickly cut her off.

They've been a lot of fun. We keep their hair cleaned up as much as we can, and we keep allergy medicine on hand in case our guests have problems.

Do you have a New Year's Resolution for me?

2008-01-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

As I look ahead at the coming year and reflect on 2007, I can see a lot of things I could be doing better. I haven't been to the gym in months. Most of my major muscle groups have gone into atrophy. I slouch much of time because the strings I call muscles in my back cannot bear the weight of my scrawny arms for an entire day.

I don't help out at home. I do take care of a few things like cleaning the litter box and vacuuming in a mad frenzy before guests arrive, but Chris really takes care of me. Yesterday I was putting a few things away in the kitchen and realized I didn't even know where to put away the can opener! We've lived here since August!

I am out of touch with some of my closest friends and family. In 2007 a close friend of mine underwent a not-so-minor surgery. Rather than send flowers or visit her in the hospital, I had not idea. I found out when her work email sent back an auto-response telling me she'd be out of the office for 3 days. A few months later she had another surgery. I found out in the same way. She lives just a few blocks from me.

I'd like to say that I'm really not the terrible person described above, but the fact is those are true stories.

In the past I haven't really made New Year's Resolutions, not seriously at least. But it is glaringly obvious that a change is necessary. In fact, the need is so obvious that yesterday people started suggesting New Year's Resolutions for me: "How about you call me more than once every three months this year?"

The problem:

You see, I really am not that terrible person. (I couldn't help the desperate plea for pity) The thing is... I have a one track mind, and lately I'm stuck on work. My afternoons, evenings and weekends are spent planning, grading, and calling parents. I must be doing something wrong. There is nothing wrong with being dedicated, and there is nothing wrong with putting in some extra hours. But there are good, effective teachers out there who do my job, raise children and still have a life outside of school. I MUST be doing something wrong.

My hypothesis is that I allow myself to become totally engrossed in work. I allow myself to over plan, to try too hard, to work myself into the ground. I allow myself to ignore valuable short cuts. I allow myself to ignore things that should be of a higher priority when I don't need to, when I shouldn't.

The solution:

I don't think I'll be successful if I try to schedule X number of hours at the gym each week. I'll fail if I schedule a day of the week when I catch up with friends and family. I'll disappoint if I try to force myself to make dinner at home and clean the house every Tuesday and Thursday.

I may succeed however, if (drum roll....) I resolve to blog. Writing it down, it sounds a little off. I know. But it really makes sense to me. It is something I'll enjoy. It is something that'll force to me to start paying attention to my life outside of work again. Frankly, ANYTHING that gives me the opportunity to get my mind off of work is going to help. This doesn't seem like too large a commitment.

So, as I drank my champagne this year, this is what I drank to, to a year in which I blog. I'll call it better living through blogging. Who knows? Maybe next year I can go back to not making resolutions and simply drink to a me who has kept in touch, who has done my part outside of school, to a me who doesn't slouch!

A weekend of Birthdays

2007-10-28T17:31:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend visiting family and celebrating Birthdays. Our nephew, Nolan, turns 1 this week. The rain did not spoil his hay-ride. My dad, Rudy, turned 58 last week. You can see the birthday cake almost set off the smoke alarms, really! We also got to see our niece, Kloe. Here she is with her aunt Eleasha.

Enjoy the pics!