Waiting for those who work.....

I am having a walk-in shower installed in my apartment.  It is amazing how many different trades are involved in this task: designers, contractors, plumbers, tillers, glassmakers, and others are all involved in removing the old tub, upgrading the plumbing pipes, installing specialized flooring, laying the "mud" or mortar for the floor tiles, measure and measure again to get the correct measurements for the wall tile..carefully cut each tile to make the corners match and line up evenly. These gentlemen, and I do mean that in all due respect, are indeed master craftsmen whose creations and knowledge of their "trade" enrich our lives.

And the work of these folks, as well as those of carpenters, cabinet makers, stone masons, violin makers, mechanics, welders, ironworkers, and electricians take many years to hone and refine.  These are careers that involve a strong basis in pure mathematics and a knowledge of the sciences like chemistry and physics that need to be mastered in real life situations. My own children will attest to the fact that I have declared many times that all things are either geometry or physics...or a combination of both: baseball, bowling, soccer, tennis, football, hockey; these all have elements of both in their execution. And if we taught math and science with an eye to theses applications, more students would be directly involved in learning these important skills instead of asking, "Why do I have to learn: fill in the blank geometry, algebra, physics, chemistry?" Educators need to show the practical applications in the real world as well as the formulistic equations and graphs that can be applied to the world of work.

During my tenure as an Intermediate School Teacher, I was exposed to the work of the Salvadori Institute that was connected with the architecture department at City College of New York.  They taught the application of pure mathematics and physics in the built environment. Inspired by my summer fellowship with them, one, by the way, I was told by a supervisor I was NOT eligible to take because I was a social studies teacher, I introduced a unit on the bridges of New York and challenged my students to learn the history of NYC bridges and create models of them.  It was an exciting unit, and one I did at the end of the school year after the regular curriculum was finished. It was a huge success, and wound up being a real feather in the cap of our school.  Some of my students, not just the "honor" kids, had their creations exhibited at the Institute's fundraising event that year. I also got to take a class to CCNY to meet other students from other NYC schools who shared their work and vision for a new re-creation of the site of the recently destroyed World Trade Center.

What was important to me at the time was that my students, most of them students of color, had never been on a college campus, nor had they seen the diversity of our city university colleges up close. And even though I was NOT their math or science teacher, the students were able to see that math, angles, density of materials, force, gravity, and other mathematical and scientific facts they had studied actually had real life implications.  lesson all of our students should be exposed to in this age. 

Manufacturing jobs are NOT coming back to the United States...get over it. But, there will be a demand for people with trade skills, mathematical understanding and scientific thinking who will be building our future.  Let us bring back real vocational/technical education in high school or post high school to make sure we continue to have the next generation of skilled craftsmen and women to lead us on. And let us make sure all of our students have the opportunity to be exposed to the possibility of doing this important work.

Biding the time through November...

I don't know about you, but I am so very done with presidential politics. I don't want to have any more conversations with friends, family, neighbors or aquaintances debating the merits or demerits of the various and sundry folk who are currently running for elected offices in our nation.  I instead intend to make some personal space and time for knitting, reading, praying, meditating, swimming, and eating watermelon.

Knitting is a skill I learned in grade school, my best friend at Nativity School, Dorothy Jane Zilkowski, and I would knit together. I learned to knit watching my mother who, although she was right-handed, knitted left-handed because she was taught by a left-handed friend. I learned the basics from Mom, but Dorothy taught me the nuances of creating patterns with differing stitches.  I began by following patterns, and later on began to create patterns of my own relying on the algebraic equation mantra that one side of the equation must equal the other side  I create Irish knit scarves making up patterns based on seed stitches, simple cables and bobbles.  They are obviously not the traditional patterns, but my own creations.  Currently I am working on a shawl that has about six inches to completion and am already thinking aobut the next project.

Reading, done well, needs continued honing.  When I was a student, I was required to read many academic texts since I majored in History and later became a teacher.  Teachers have to do lots of reading to keep up with new developments in the profession.  When I got my second Master's in Theology/Church History, I got to do quite a bit of reading original documents for my research and thesis. But now my reading is more for pleasure.  I tend to read mysteries while traveling and non-fiction if I need to sharpen the grey matter. Unfortunately, reading local newspapers has lost its charm, and I now cherry-pick my daily diet of NewYork Times, The Daily News and Staten Island Advance articles. Crossword puzzles are still personal favorites,but that is another story for another day.

Praying is a daily discipline, although I have to admit, sometimes I let prayer time slip aside for other events that I might think are more pressing.  This is not a good thing, setting aside some time every day to do this is a personal challenge and goal.  In the Christian tradition, similar to both Judaism and Islam, various daily prayer times are  carved out: Matins, Noon Prayer, Evening Prayer and Compline ( also known as Vespers) traditionally frame the prayer lives of those in Christian monastic communities and provide a structure for personal devotion.  My personal goal is to intergrate Morning Paryer and Compline into my life.

Meditation techniques were introduced to me by the Rev. Claire MacPherson at General Seminary. I have tried several types over the  years and have settled on a modified  Buddhist meditative practice involving controlled breathing and focusing.  I have actually used these techniques with unruly classes and nervous teacher/candidates with excellent results.  I find this practice is also handy when I am forced by events I have little or no control over such as standing in long lines at stores, banks or international customs.

Swimming is a summer time indulgence that just gets better and better.  I live quite close to a city municipal pool that opens for special senior water aerobics early in the morning.  The class allows me to get in some quality exercise and swim time four times a week throughout the summer months.  I miss it tremendously once the pool shuts down in September.

Watermelon??  What can I say???...the proverbial summer fruit/food.  I don't think I have ever met anyone who dislikes watermelon, and sharing it is one way to bring a smile to the faces of anyone who is given a piece.  I do like the newer varieties that are virtually seedless.

So, I am trying to occupy my mind with sunny summer distractions so I don't have to think too much about the craziness of our American election madness.  I just wish I was more successful at filtering it all out.

Hot Time, Summer in the City...

Lyon's Pool SI,NY

We are well into the summer here in the northeast and especially here in New York City. Many of the natives will be heading out of town to the mountains and lakes of the Adirondacks or the beach communities of the nearby Jersey Shore or  Long Island.  But here I am...staying in town for another summer, and loving it!

Across New York City there are municipal pools.  Some are indoor, others are outside and only open during the mummer months.  This year the pools are opened until September 2nd. The three on Staten Island, where I live, are often underutilized.  I live around the corner from Lyons Pool and Recreational Center.  In Fall, Winter and Spring, I use the cardio-room and its treadmill at lest three times a week. In the summer I go to the early water aerobics class Monday through Thursday.  It is a forty-five minute workout.  There are also swimming classes for children and adults plus lap swimming in the morning and evening. One of my favorite things about living here is sitting on the roof deck listening to the children enjoying their time at the pool.

Jacob Riis Park

And lest we forget, New York is a city based on islands on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean; there are numerous beaches in four of the five boroughs: Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx have more than their fair share of lovely beaches which are free to the public. From Midland Beach on Staten Island to the beautiful shore of Jacob Riis Park in Queens, Coney Island in Brooklyn and Orchard Beach in the Bronx, these beaches can be reached by subway, bus or car and offer cooling sea breezes to any resident who has a bathing suit, beach towel, an umbrella and a Metro-Card in hand. Bring along a cooler with a few sandwiches and cold drinks (non-alcoholic only permitted), and you can spend a day at rest "by the beautiful sea."

Another New York institution is free "Shakespeare in the Park" offered every summer by the Public Theater.  I recall watching Raul Julia and Meryl Streep early in their careers in "The Taming of the Shrew", a great production of "As You Like It", and others over the course of living here.  Nowadays, I do not want to wait on long lines for the tickets, but now the Public distributes free tickets in the boroughs. And here is a hint, if you can get to Staten Island, the ticket availability here is very good.

Bethesda Fountain

If beaches and pools are not your cup of tea, there are always time to take a stroll on a tree lined path in one of the city's many parks.  Each borough has one or more large ones that often have ponds, streams and other water features.  On my home county of Richmond you will find the lovely Clove Lakes Park that includes, as its name implies, lakes that offer boating and fishing...mostly catch and release. In Brooklyn the amazing Prospect Park is a green haven of serenity and peace.  Central Park in Manhattan is chocked full of ball fields, walking paths, lakes, and the lovely Bethesda Fountain where I hung out as an undergraduate at Hunter College. Fresh Meadows in Queens is another one of the parks where city residents can relax and contemplate nature at its best.

If it either rains or gets too hot to stay outside, there are several local museums that are both free and air conditioned! These include the National Museum of the American Indian, a branch of the Smithsonian Institute which is located at Bowling Green near the SI Ferry. The American Folk Art Museum near Lincoln Center is also free and houses a great collection of Amish quilts.  Other free museums include The Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Harbor Defense Museum at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, The Hispanic Society of America and the New York Public Library building at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue.  Oh, by the way, all public libraries have free public bathrooms as well.

And remember, the ultimate free New York experience is riding the Staten Island Ferry. Just be careful that you don't fall for one of the Statue of Liberty/harbor tour ticket hawkers.  The SI Ferry is free, round trip takes about an hour ( you have to get off in SI, walk around to the waiting area to get the boat back, or you can walk along Bay Street to Pier 76 and get a great pizza for less than it would cost in Manhattan), and you can take all the photos of the harbor and statue that you want.  Just, please, let us natives sit  on the Brooklyn side in peace to read our paper. If you want to impress your significant other, take her/him on the ferry leaving at sunset and sit at the back.

Staten Island Ferry

So, there you go, boys and girls...lots to do here if you decide that a staycation is for you this summer.  Just remember, we have to share our city with tourists. We depend on them to bolster our economy...smile and keep walking.