What brings you here?

Dear Reader, do you ever wonder why people come to read your blog?  I do.  I know some of you are good friends, but there are others who are directed here from their search engines.  These are the searches that brought people here today:

fall foliage

cornucopia display

red dinosaur

uc merced campus

crazy clothes week

kids tied up

how to wear a hoodie

blackberry tower

ucmerced

see said

Some of these are just too funny.

This week’s adventure

The Marketing 3 class, in preparation for the sidewalk chalk competition, Skyped with a chalk artist in Oakland, California. The students were quite excited to use the technology and to actually get to interact with the artist while he sat in his studio and they sat in their classroom.

Mark Wagner onscreen, talking to my students via Skype

We are making headway on the event.  Students have designed entry forms, found sponsors, planned music, and are working with media for promotion.  It has been a learning experience for all of us.

Another grandma post

Last weekend we visited our kids.  Jen had to work on Sunday but after church she was able to go home.  We had a busy afternoon playing with Leeya.  The next day Jen ran errands while we babysat.  Makes me wish we lived closer.

Leeya knows her bottle and grabs on now.

Grandma and Leeya show off a painting for the nursery done by a friend.

All three girls showing off their hair color. Jen had hers dyed purple for a challenge to her high school students to raise enough money for World Vision. Leeya's hair is coming in lighter.

The next time we see Leeya will be for her baby dedication.

Beyond the school walls

What did I do this week?

On Monday I took four seniors to Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis to scope out the site for our chalk competition.  Went to Starbucks to revive our lagging energies.

Chalk artists meet here

On Wednesday I went along with the sophomores to Fashion Fair Mall to study visual display.  My nine students worked from Macys to Penneys, and did very well.  I treated all the sophomores to lollipops from Sees to tide us over until lunch back at school.

Nine outstanding sophomores standing outside Macys

I see, said the blindman

“Look, Mrs. Zody, I have glasses now.  I can really see well.”

My little freshman student in word processing was very excited that he could see.  He showed off a pair of red thin-line metal frames that looked more like girl glasses than those of a boy’s, but I know there are unisex frames out there.

“I’m glad you can see, Zack.  It should make your work easier,” I replied as I noticed he didn’t seem to be squinting at the typing book as he had in past days.

“Yeah, I need glasses, but my mom couldn’t get me an appointment so my friend gave me these glasses.  They work really well.  See that poster,” he said pointing to a wall behind me, “I can’t read those words without the glasses, but when I put them on,” doing so as he says the words, “I can read everything.”

I thought it was nice that someone had an extra pair of glasses for the kid and went on with the period.  When the bell rang, Zack again showed me his glasses as he went out the door.

“These sure work well.”

The next class came in, a multimedia class, and I started the lesson.

“Mrs. Zody,” a girl I didn’t know said, behind me, “did you find a pair of glasses in here?”

I turn around to see a girl looking kind of confused.  She isn’t one of my students but rather from the class that meets in the room before lunch.  She looks very earnest and very upset.

“Were they red, thin wire rimmed?”

“Yes.”

“Were you sitting in that seat,” I ask, pointing to Zack’s seat.

“Yes.”

Oh, no.

Where was Zack’s next class?  I called the teacher, and yes, he still had the glasses.  I asked her to send them to me.

“Will he let me have them?

“Tell him Mrs. Zody needs the glasses.”

I left the girl in my office and went back to my class.  After about 5 minutes, she comes through the classroom.

“Thank you, Mrs. Zody,” she called, waving the glasses at me.

I call this good Kharma

Dear Reader, you know I teach entrepreneurship, and I’m a big believer in women starting their own business, and I lOVE San Francisco.  So, today I can tell you that all these things have combined, and it makes me very happy.

I just found a new blog about a business in SF, started 90 years ago, but now run by four enterprising young women.  Today, there is an article in the SF Chronicle about them.  Isn’t that just the best?

Those of you, who like me, love SF, check out the business, Paul’s Hat Works, and say hello to the four “Pauls.”  Next time in SF, I will try to get out to the Richmond to see this place for myself.

Guess I’m not the only one

Saturday mornings…I like to get up early (not as early as school mornings, though), get a few loads of laundry done, and then head out to run my errands.  I’m usually on the road by 9.  This morning, so was everyone else.  The traffic was heavy; I was surprised.  Usually early Saturday mornings are quiet.

I got to Whole Foods and there were long lines at all the checkout stands as I was coming into the store.  Wow, these people were out even earlier than me?

By the time I did my shopping, the lines were gone and I sailed through the checkout.  The next store, same thing.  By 10:30, on my way home, the traffic was nonexistent.  Guess everyone got out early and then headed home or onto the next activity.  It is supposed to be over 100 degrees today so that may have been the incentive.  It sure was for me.

Now I’m headed out to lunch with girlfriends.  Wonder if I’ll run into crowds again?

So, what did I do this week?

I took 14 yearbook students to the Josten’s printing plant in Visalia.  We do this every year, and this was my ninth trip.  Every year there is more renovation.  I love to see all that they are doing to keep up to date.  Unlike schools, businesses innovate.

Here are my students in front of one of the big color presses:

While perusing the art department, a group of girls found a book they really liked and wanted to imitate:

This was a size 7 book for Trinity High School two years ago.  Trinity is not an inner city school.  We are.  Trinity is an all white school.  We aren’t.  Trinity probably has no gang problem.  We have a huge one; actually two distinct gangs and a few smaller ones.

I think the idea of a notebook motif is good and one that I could go along with.  This one?  Not so much.

The state of journalism makes me sad

Not enough advertising dollars.  Too few readers or viewers.

These are reasons I hear for the demise of journalism that I once knew.  I subscribe to two newspapers and they have both deteriorated in the past year as the staffs grow smaller and smaller.  The papers have grown smaller, too.  I could deal with that, but the writing is getting so bad.  It was probably always that way, but the talented, experinced editors fixed the articles before they hit my driveway.  Now, there are no editors.  My local paper doesn’t even do much with headlines.  Reminds me of what my yearbook students want to do, just label the page.

Television news is suffering, too.  I sort of fault the talking heads.  They should be better educated, better equipped.  But, the main fault lies with the copywriters.  They are doing a terrible job because they too have been cut in ranks and are probably overworked, underpaid, and young.  All those with experience were too expensive and so they were let go.

Will newspapers and TV news die out completely?   I don’t know, but I sure hope not.  I enjoy my morning papers.  I enjoy the evening news.  This is how I keep us with what is happening in the world.

The next project

Pamela Hutton working with my seniors

Lights On Afterschool is the only nationwide event to illuminate the benefits of afterschool programs and draw attention to the pressing need for additional programs. On October 22, 2009 hundreds of school districts and communities around the country will host Lights On events. Select schools in the Central Valley have participated annually with afterschool open houses; however, in 2009 the event will take on a larger, more collaborative scope.

The Central Valley Afterschool Foundation will work with the Fresno County Office of Education and regional school districts to create a major event that captures the attention of students, parents, teachers, administrators, businesses, youth organizations, government leaders, local media, and community in the Central Valley. The event will be conducted afterschool and evenings during October 21-22, Wednesday and Thursday, at Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis.

The Fresno High Marketing Academy has been engaged to coordinate and promote the High School Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition to be held on Wednesday, October 21, at the west entrance of Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis.  Pam Hutton, Director of Communications and Development, will meet with the class once a week to guide them on their project.  I will keep you all updated.