My last entry saw some improvement in my knee pain, which was mostly undone by two straight days of strenuous exercise. I had found a stretch that loosened up my knee, drastically reducing the amount of crackling noises it was making (although I can still feel some crackling in the joint).
Monday, the day after I wrote my entry was much better. My knee pain was virtually gone. It only appeared when I would flex it about 35 degrees and use muscle to straighten it, or when I put weight directly on my knee cap (which made for some funny incidents crawling across my hardly unyielding bed to get a book or magazine).
By Tuesday I was moving around pain free. Although the joint was not what you would call springy, it was neither stiff nor achy when I woke up. I went through three days where I had pain only when I would use my right leg first to stand up from doing push ups and when I would go up stairs 2 at a time. Even that was tantalizingly small, a sensation, like your gums when novocaine is wearing off and you can't stop pressing the half-numb flesh.
Thursday evening was a minor test. I played basketball with two of my kids on a cement court. We played for about 30 minutes and I tried some adult, game speed defense and moves to prepare for a tournament I have coming up this week. My flexibility in the joint was good and there was no sharp pain while I was playing. On some landings and while playing defense, I felt some pain, but not to the extent where my muscles responded to it by losing power.
Essentially, it was quite bearable and uplifting. The next morning, my knee was a little stiff but not swollen. I did my flexibility exercise (as described in my previous article: http://newsfrompalookaville.blogspot.com/2012/05/glucosamine-diary-tease-in-week-2.html) and felt some sharp pain as my knee got close to my chin. After a few reps, the pain was reduced significantly.
Since I will be playing basketball on three consecutive nights this week, that was a big test. As most of us know, your knee's reaction to the actual activity is only part one. Just as important is part two, how it responds the next day. With this test completed and my knee feeling good on Friday, I am confident that I can play at 80-90% speed.
On Saturday and Sunday, I jogged and rode the exercise bike. I iced down after both and have a little pain and stiffness. Looking at how last week went, this seems that it will be the norm. My knee is a little less painful this week, but that may be attributed to running a shorter course this week.
All in all, I can positively say that the Glucosamine/Chondroitin is having a positive effect. It is definitely not merely psychological. I have been running my knee through daily flexibility and power tests to see how it is responding and there are concrete results. This Wednesday through Friday, I will see how those results fare under duress.
On another note, for those thinking of trying this supplement, I have become quite flatulent. It happens everyday at around 12:30 in the afternoon and for about three hours is quite persistent. The studies I've read warn of loose stool, but I have only contracted flatulence. Luckily, my profession allows me to keep separated from others for extended periods. For those who need to be wary of their aroma, you might try spacing out the dosages to three times a day, instead of twice a day with the larger dosage at night like I do. It is a small price to pay if these results keep getting better.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Quick notes on Laker loss & Magic's comments
The Lakers lost game 4 to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night. Down 3-1 in their best of seven series, they are sunk. Next year Kobe will be a year older and the team will have to look to an as yet immature Andrew Bynum to carry more of the load.
What Lakers head man Jim Buss needs to understand is that head coach Mike Brown is a winner, but not a WINNER. Like Tom Hagen in The Godfather, Brown is a fantastic consigliere. He is second to no one in preparation, pre-game strategy, and delivering a winning record.
But he is not, as Michael Corleone points out to Tom, a wartime consigliere. When the playoffs get tough and it's winning time, his players do not respond to him. They make fundamental errors as if some confusion or lack of belief is hampering their ability to tap into their highest level of play.
Leadership is more than just knowledge and preparation, and Brown does not know how to inspire confidence in his team at the most crucial moments.
Magic Johnson addressed this when he talked about Brown being replaced if the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in round 1 of the playoffs. He understands that the other court families are getting stronger and that a coach who cannot get the job done when the crossfire is at its deafening height needs to be replaced.
Magic alluded to it first and I agree, the Lakers need a wartime consigliere.
In other notes:
Brown was brought in partly to emphasize defense. It seems other teams are putting up 100 points a game on the Lakers, either not knowing or heedless of what the coach was hired to do.
What Lakers head man Jim Buss needs to understand is that head coach Mike Brown is a winner, but not a WINNER. Like Tom Hagen in The Godfather, Brown is a fantastic consigliere. He is second to no one in preparation, pre-game strategy, and delivering a winning record.
But he is not, as Michael Corleone points out to Tom, a wartime consigliere. When the playoffs get tough and it's winning time, his players do not respond to him. They make fundamental errors as if some confusion or lack of belief is hampering their ability to tap into their highest level of play.
Leadership is more than just knowledge and preparation, and Brown does not know how to inspire confidence in his team at the most crucial moments.
Magic Johnson addressed this when he talked about Brown being replaced if the Lakers lost to the Nuggets in round 1 of the playoffs. He understands that the other court families are getting stronger and that a coach who cannot get the job done when the crossfire is at its deafening height needs to be replaced.
Magic alluded to it first and I agree, the Lakers need a wartime consigliere.
In other notes:
Brown was brought in partly to emphasize defense. It seems other teams are putting up 100 points a game on the Lakers, either not knowing or heedless of what the coach was hired to do.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
How they Made Americans Roll Over for High Gas Prices
This article was extremely valuable in giving me great tips on how to improve the efficiency of my car and lower the amount of gasoline I use on a daily basis.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-steps-counter-4-per-070049728.html
The problem that underlies this, which unfortunately nobody seems to be talking about, is that gasoline costs over $4 per gallon. A few years ago at $3, people were shocked and angry. Outrageous! Shameless money-grubbing profiteers! George Bush promised he would make the Arabs "Open their spigots."
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to placate us.
Then the "speculators" came. They drove up prices to over $100 a barrel, citing war and unease in the financial markets. So gasoline rose up to $3.50. Again we got off our seats. How are we going to travel during summer vacation? What are our politicians doing! And we heard that our strategic reserves were full and could be used to offset gas prices.
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to get us back in our seats.
Now we have the oil companies telling us that they need to update their refineries and we can look forward to gas being over $4 through the Independence Day travel season. Blame it on "Americans' addiction to oil." And people are throwing up their hands. Not with fists clenched, but with eyes rolled and the look of the defeated in their eyes. There is nowhere left to look for help and no one seems interested in trying anymore.
And gas prices will stay above $4. Completely, but we will simper in quiet angst, reading about how to make our cars more efficient. The mighty companies and bungee pricing have broken us once again.
As for me, I am placated no more. I believe in the free market and it is time to make my stand. I'm going hybrid, or electric, or even bicycle and let the oil companies hang themselves. Like the boxer in the Simon and Garfunkel song, "I am leaving, I am leaving/ But the fighter still remains."
A historical lesson for the politicians. Gas prices were one of the very public manifestations of "stagflation," one of the main conditions that cost Jimmy Carter and others in power their jobs. Since everything in this country relies on gas-fueled transportation, inevitable rising prices will come and history will repeat itself. And we will get out of our seats, pay our $4 a gallon, go to the voting booth, and get someone to get this under control.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-steps-counter-4-per-070049728.html
The problem that underlies this, which unfortunately nobody seems to be talking about, is that gasoline costs over $4 per gallon. A few years ago at $3, people were shocked and angry. Outrageous! Shameless money-grubbing profiteers! George Bush promised he would make the Arabs "Open their spigots."
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to placate us.
Then the "speculators" came. They drove up prices to over $100 a barrel, citing war and unease in the financial markets. So gasoline rose up to $3.50. Again we got off our seats. How are we going to travel during summer vacation? What are our politicians doing! And we heard that our strategic reserves were full and could be used to offset gas prices.
And gas prices went down. Not completely, but enough to get us back in our seats.
Now we have the oil companies telling us that they need to update their refineries and we can look forward to gas being over $4 through the Independence Day travel season. Blame it on "Americans' addiction to oil." And people are throwing up their hands. Not with fists clenched, but with eyes rolled and the look of the defeated in their eyes. There is nowhere left to look for help and no one seems interested in trying anymore.
And gas prices will stay above $4. Completely, but we will simper in quiet angst, reading about how to make our cars more efficient. The mighty companies and bungee pricing have broken us once again.
As for me, I am placated no more. I believe in the free market and it is time to make my stand. I'm going hybrid, or electric, or even bicycle and let the oil companies hang themselves. Like the boxer in the Simon and Garfunkel song, "I am leaving, I am leaving/ But the fighter still remains."
A historical lesson for the politicians. Gas prices were one of the very public manifestations of "stagflation," one of the main conditions that cost Jimmy Carter and others in power their jobs. Since everything in this country relies on gas-fueled transportation, inevitable rising prices will come and history will repeat itself. And we will get out of our seats, pay our $4 a gallon, go to the voting booth, and get someone to get this under control.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Glucosamine Diary: A Tease in Week 2?
In the previous entry, I noted that in my first week taking glucosamine/chondroitin I had no change in pain from when I started. Last Sunday I noticed something about my knee. It made crunching noises.
This was nothing new. My knee has made crunching noises for some time and I was used to it. It was like an audio Post-it reminding me that all was not right in that joint. But this was louder. It was the difference between crumpling a chewing gum wrapper and an empty plastic bottle.
With nothing to go on but a hunch that it might be scar tissue build up or (hallelujah) some new cartilage, I started doing a knee exercise that I'd had to do throughout rehabbing my knee when I had my ACL replaced. Lying on my back with my toes pointed upwards, I lift my leg straight up and then flex my knee, pulling it toward my chin. When the knee will bend no more, I point my toes down and straighten my leg. When the leg is straight, I point my toes back up and repeat. I did three reps of this 20 times each.
After I finished, the crunching noises in my knee mostly disappeared. The joint also felt more flexible. During the week, I noticed that certain things like getting in and out of my car or going down the stairs had less pain or fewer stabs of pain. When pulling my foot up to my butt to stretch my thighs, I could do so with easily bearable pain although it still gave me a good shock when I would release my foot to go down.
So, until yesterday, it was a mixed bag of results. That was better than the bag full of coal that I had the week before.
On Thursday, I played basketball with my kids. No quick movements or high jumps, but I experienced a bit of pain on quick stops and changes of direction on defense. It was a warning that I am definitely not ready for full court with grown men.
Yesterday morning I went jogging. I was feeling sprightly, but I wasn't sure how my knee would respond. Through warm-ups and stretching, everything was mostly pain free. After one-half of a mile, my knee felt great. I decided to run the long course. Three miles. My knee felt so good I even did high knee raises on the home stretch. After a little icing, no swelling at all.
Today, I worked out on the exercise bike and did leg exercises: quads, hamstring, and leg press. I think two days in a row was too much. The nagging pain was back going down the stairs and when I straighten my knee from ninety degrees, it hurts. It was not quite back to square one, but it reminded me to take it slow.
No problem. Since I am only in week 2, I feel that the progress I have seen is sufficient. It is uplifting to believe that after another two weeks I might be able to work out two days in a row or even run full court, pain free. With the help of the glucosamine/chondroitin, maybe time will bring back what time's broken down.
This was nothing new. My knee has made crunching noises for some time and I was used to it. It was like an audio Post-it reminding me that all was not right in that joint. But this was louder. It was the difference between crumpling a chewing gum wrapper and an empty plastic bottle.
With nothing to go on but a hunch that it might be scar tissue build up or (hallelujah) some new cartilage, I started doing a knee exercise that I'd had to do throughout rehabbing my knee when I had my ACL replaced. Lying on my back with my toes pointed upwards, I lift my leg straight up and then flex my knee, pulling it toward my chin. When the knee will bend no more, I point my toes down and straighten my leg. When the leg is straight, I point my toes back up and repeat. I did three reps of this 20 times each.
After I finished, the crunching noises in my knee mostly disappeared. The joint also felt more flexible. During the week, I noticed that certain things like getting in and out of my car or going down the stairs had less pain or fewer stabs of pain. When pulling my foot up to my butt to stretch my thighs, I could do so with easily bearable pain although it still gave me a good shock when I would release my foot to go down.
So, until yesterday, it was a mixed bag of results. That was better than the bag full of coal that I had the week before.
On Thursday, I played basketball with my kids. No quick movements or high jumps, but I experienced a bit of pain on quick stops and changes of direction on defense. It was a warning that I am definitely not ready for full court with grown men.
Yesterday morning I went jogging. I was feeling sprightly, but I wasn't sure how my knee would respond. Through warm-ups and stretching, everything was mostly pain free. After one-half of a mile, my knee felt great. I decided to run the long course. Three miles. My knee felt so good I even did high knee raises on the home stretch. After a little icing, no swelling at all.
Today, I worked out on the exercise bike and did leg exercises: quads, hamstring, and leg press. I think two days in a row was too much. The nagging pain was back going down the stairs and when I straighten my knee from ninety degrees, it hurts. It was not quite back to square one, but it reminded me to take it slow.
No problem. Since I am only in week 2, I feel that the progress I have seen is sufficient. It is uplifting to believe that after another two weeks I might be able to work out two days in a row or even run full court, pain free. With the help of the glucosamine/chondroitin, maybe time will bring back what time's broken down.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Clippers get Ref-Assisted Suicide
The Los Angeles Clippers squandered an eight point fourth quarter lead and the home court advantage they had taken from the Memphis Grizzlies by losing 90-88 Friday night. The series now heads back to Memphis for a decisive, winner take all game 7.
The Clippers had clawed back from a 9 point, first half deficit to lead in the fourth quarter. A hobbled Chris Paul, obviously bothered by an injured hip flexor, turned the ball over twice in the waning minutes and Randy Foye stepped incomprehensibly out of bounds on a free throw rebound to hand the Grizzlies the victory.
Although Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were key to Memphis' comeback down the stretch, the Grizzlies were helped in their endeavor by referee Marc Davis. Earlier in the game, he inexplicably called a technical foul on Reggie Evans for high-fiving Blake Griffin. In the final minute, he again put his fingerprints on the game by calling Griffin for a phantom foul on Tony Allen.
Make no mistake, the Clippers blew this game, and possibly a chance to move on in the playoffs, all by themselves. Having to keep one eye on an overzealous, recovering from a chest-bump, pathological zebra while trying to defend their opponents did not help them maximize their efforts, either.
Sunday will decide whether it will be more of Lob City or an epitaph of Flop City.
The Clippers had clawed back from a 9 point, first half deficit to lead in the fourth quarter. A hobbled Chris Paul, obviously bothered by an injured hip flexor, turned the ball over twice in the waning minutes and Randy Foye stepped incomprehensibly out of bounds on a free throw rebound to hand the Grizzlies the victory.
Although Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were key to Memphis' comeback down the stretch, the Grizzlies were helped in their endeavor by referee Marc Davis. Earlier in the game, he inexplicably called a technical foul on Reggie Evans for high-fiving Blake Griffin. In the final minute, he again put his fingerprints on the game by calling Griffin for a phantom foul on Tony Allen.
Make no mistake, the Clippers blew this game, and possibly a chance to move on in the playoffs, all by themselves. Having to keep one eye on an overzealous, recovering from a chest-bump, pathological zebra while trying to defend their opponents did not help them maximize their efforts, either.
Sunday will decide whether it will be more of Lob City or an epitaph of Flop City.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
iPads and Issues in Education
In an article I saw about the Manhattan Beach school district in southern California, it stated that the district was aiming to have an iPad for every student up to middle school by next year. The district sees having the devices as imperative to engaging student interest and providing some skills to prepare them for the future.
They already have bought 560 iPads this year and are looking to buy up to 600 more. The enormous cost of this will possibly be offset by leasing the devices. If the district cannot come up with the funds, 55% of parents have stated that they would not mind letting their children bring their own iPads to school.
I believe in the power of technology and empowering our students with the tools to make them able to shape a better future for themselves and society. Provided that the teachers are using the iPads for presentations, research, and getting immediate feedback on things such as student comprehension or class opinion, I am all for it.
On the other hand, there is the fear that our over-stimulated students are driving their teachers to wit's end and the iPads become a district approved baby-sitter. At my daughter's school there are a few class sets of iPads, but for some reason they have the app Temple Run downloaded onto them. I hate to think that when Friday rolls around and the teacher is tired of hearing "I'm bored" he may pacify the students with the type of mindless entertainment they are wasting their time on at home.
While I do not really think that iPads are the answer to the problems in education, they represent a barrier between the haves and have nots. It is the perception that is most troubling, more than the fact itself. The iPads might be used for eye-opening experiences or to prevent eye-closing tedium, but just the physical presence of such a hot technology in some affluent districts is demoralizing for students in other districts. For low income students who already feel disadvantaged, the iPad represents another barrier to equal opportunity.
Although students in low income areas are making Power Points, doing research on the internet, and doing amazing things with computer design, they are always getting the message that they are the caboose of the train rolling into the future. They are oh so wrong, but they are also right.
In school they ARE getting a quality education, and no iPad or Smart Board is going to take away the fundamental knowledge and skills they acquire. They are right only insomuch as they believe schools are supposed to be fair. Outside of school, low income students know life isn't fair because they feel the pain of want everyday. I don't think they are sad about their lives, but there is a realization there that says they must survive and can't live a certain lifestyle.
Schools are supposed to be the vehicles through which students can correct this. Feeling that they are being left behind raises their self-defeatism, their feeling that "everything" is stacked against them and often they become less engaged in school.
Equity has been a buzz word in education for the last few years. It means that all students are given equal chances to reach their personal potential. In Manhattan Beach, that means that each child gets his or her own iPad to use. In most other areas, it means getting class time a few times a month on the Dell desktops. The reality is that inequity is the inevitable norm for public schools.
Probably because of a combination of forward thinking and better resources, Manhattan Beach enjoys exceptionally high state testing scores, and I cannot fault them for that. If I were in their shoes, I would invest in iPads, too. But when I hear low income students say they feel the system is not fair, I know they are being further indoctrinated into the belief that what they are told and what really happens are two separate things. How we as a country conquer these differences will say a lot about what we value.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_20516912/manhattan-beach-teachers-union-questions-districts-ipad-program?IADID=Search-www.dailybreeze.com-www.dailybreeze.com
They already have bought 560 iPads this year and are looking to buy up to 600 more. The enormous cost of this will possibly be offset by leasing the devices. If the district cannot come up with the funds, 55% of parents have stated that they would not mind letting their children bring their own iPads to school.
I believe in the power of technology and empowering our students with the tools to make them able to shape a better future for themselves and society. Provided that the teachers are using the iPads for presentations, research, and getting immediate feedback on things such as student comprehension or class opinion, I am all for it.
On the other hand, there is the fear that our over-stimulated students are driving their teachers to wit's end and the iPads become a district approved baby-sitter. At my daughter's school there are a few class sets of iPads, but for some reason they have the app Temple Run downloaded onto them. I hate to think that when Friday rolls around and the teacher is tired of hearing "I'm bored" he may pacify the students with the type of mindless entertainment they are wasting their time on at home.
While I do not really think that iPads are the answer to the problems in education, they represent a barrier between the haves and have nots. It is the perception that is most troubling, more than the fact itself. The iPads might be used for eye-opening experiences or to prevent eye-closing tedium, but just the physical presence of such a hot technology in some affluent districts is demoralizing for students in other districts. For low income students who already feel disadvantaged, the iPad represents another barrier to equal opportunity.
Although students in low income areas are making Power Points, doing research on the internet, and doing amazing things with computer design, they are always getting the message that they are the caboose of the train rolling into the future. They are oh so wrong, but they are also right.
In school they ARE getting a quality education, and no iPad or Smart Board is going to take away the fundamental knowledge and skills they acquire. They are right only insomuch as they believe schools are supposed to be fair. Outside of school, low income students know life isn't fair because they feel the pain of want everyday. I don't think they are sad about their lives, but there is a realization there that says they must survive and can't live a certain lifestyle.
Schools are supposed to be the vehicles through which students can correct this. Feeling that they are being left behind raises their self-defeatism, their feeling that "everything" is stacked against them and often they become less engaged in school.
Equity has been a buzz word in education for the last few years. It means that all students are given equal chances to reach their personal potential. In Manhattan Beach, that means that each child gets his or her own iPad to use. In most other areas, it means getting class time a few times a month on the Dell desktops. The reality is that inequity is the inevitable norm for public schools.
Probably because of a combination of forward thinking and better resources, Manhattan Beach enjoys exceptionally high state testing scores, and I cannot fault them for that. If I were in their shoes, I would invest in iPads, too. But when I hear low income students say they feel the system is not fair, I know they are being further indoctrinated into the belief that what they are told and what really happens are two separate things. How we as a country conquer these differences will say a lot about what we value.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_20516912/manhattan-beach-teachers-union-questions-districts-ipad-program?IADID=Search-www.dailybreeze.com-www.dailybreeze.com
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Google Earth
I was watching the Kings game today and was wondering if the arrow on the roof of Staples Center faces due north.
It doesn't.
I checked Google Earth, my favorite bird's eye view, only to find out that the arrow faces NorthEast, veering towards the East. The logo on the top of Nokia Center (where they have the Grammys) faces the exact same direction.
I googled for an answer but found nothing.
Is there any significance to the direction those name brands of Nokia and Staples face? I am sure it is not a Mason plot, a la Da Vinci Code, but there must be some reason. Right?
It doesn't.
I checked Google Earth, my favorite bird's eye view, only to find out that the arrow faces NorthEast, veering towards the East. The logo on the top of Nokia Center (where they have the Grammys) faces the exact same direction.
I googled for an answer but found nothing.
Is there any significance to the direction those name brands of Nokia and Staples face? I am sure it is not a Mason plot, a la Da Vinci Code, but there must be some reason. Right?
Saturday, May 5, 2012
First Week with Glucosamine
One week has passed since I started chasing the dream of ridding myself of knee pain through a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. So far, the results have been negligible. Or zero. I still have significant pain when my knee is flexed and I put weight on it (usually when trying to sit on the sofa, a low chair, or toilet). From a 90 degree angle, it still hurts when I straighten it without my thigh supported. Also, my psyche still aches when I imagine myself trying to play sports and crumpling to the ground in a pathetic, wailing lump.
Of course, I did not expect extravagant results in the first week, but I was hoping for some morsel to satisfy my athletic soul's appetite. On the other hand, there is also the possibility that I do have some results but they are not yet measurable. Either way, I will continue with the program and take the results as they come.
Since I started, I have gotten a lot of support from people who take glucosamine. It is encouraging to know there are so many out there who have had positive results, and I thank you for your stories and advice. Someday soon, I imagine I will be able to put my arm around the shoulders of an arthritic middle aged friend and, with a far away gaze in my eyes, say, "I remember that feeling. Have I told you about this supplement...."
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Why I bother
Six o'clock, my dog followed me to the front door, hopeful of an early walk. No such luck. I raced off to the gym and got in an hour workout on the bicycle and leg weights. Sweaty as a 14 year old on his first date, I zoomed home in my still warm car.
The dog was in luck. I think he had just gotten back to sleep when I walked in, snapped on his collar, and jogged him out the door. I had him walked and filled with treats before the clock struck eight.
I jumped on the computer and did some writing before whipping up some waffles to wake the kids up with. Despite calls for my head due to a lack of whipped cream, the army was fed and ready to march. I washed the dishes and vacuumed the house.
My water heater broke on Friday night and I am without hot water until Monday when my plumber will replace the heater. Therefore, I cringed and gasped through a 65 degree shower. I actually felt better afterwards, like I, the world's feeblest public speaker, had just given a speech and was greeted with slaps on back.
After that, I worked with the kids on their homework, put some things away in the garage, folded clothes and scrubbed the walls. The obnoxious "have to" part of my day was over. The job of being a homeowner and father gave way to the leisure of a Sunday afternoon with nothing to do.
By 12:30, all I had to do was heat up some bean dip, microwave some chips and cheese, and settle in for the Laker game. I am all about simple pleasures, and the Lakers at playoff time is one of the most satisfying. With Kobe going for 31, Bynum rocking a mind-blowing triple-double, and no sign of a Peace induced brawl breaking out, it was great.
Here's to the Lakers and being together many more Sunday afternoons through June.
The dog was in luck. I think he had just gotten back to sleep when I walked in, snapped on his collar, and jogged him out the door. I had him walked and filled with treats before the clock struck eight.
I jumped on the computer and did some writing before whipping up some waffles to wake the kids up with. Despite calls for my head due to a lack of whipped cream, the army was fed and ready to march. I washed the dishes and vacuumed the house.
My water heater broke on Friday night and I am without hot water until Monday when my plumber will replace the heater. Therefore, I cringed and gasped through a 65 degree shower. I actually felt better afterwards, like I, the world's feeblest public speaker, had just given a speech and was greeted with slaps on back.
After that, I worked with the kids on their homework, put some things away in the garage, folded clothes and scrubbed the walls. The obnoxious "have to" part of my day was over. The job of being a homeowner and father gave way to the leisure of a Sunday afternoon with nothing to do.
By 12:30, all I had to do was heat up some bean dip, microwave some chips and cheese, and settle in for the Laker game. I am all about simple pleasures, and the Lakers at playoff time is one of the most satisfying. With Kobe going for 31, Bynum rocking a mind-blowing triple-double, and no sign of a Peace induced brawl breaking out, it was great.
Here's to the Lakers and being together many more Sunday afternoons through June.
Hesitant, but Off and Running with Glucosamine
All right! My shipment MRM Glucosamine/Chondroitin arrived yesterday. There was no problem with the safety seal this time (I had to send the last bottle back because the seal wasn't secured), so I was ready to begin my cartilage and synovial fluid replenishment.
Having a strong aversion to medication and supplements, I was initially very hesitant. I don't get the feeling that most people can relate to this feeling. Most people who I have talked to have related their experiences with vitamins and supplements that they use for health and beauty. I get the feeling that medicine cabinets are more like giant medicine pantries filled with the ingredients that, if added and sprinkled properly, will make the dish of your body into a perfectly flavored entree.
For me, though, I had always been the plain dish. Meat and potatoes. I never looked down on others who took vitamins and supplements, I just felt they were fighting a battle against Father Time, which I wasn't interested in doing. Furthermore, I thought pills were unnecessary if you ate right and exercised. Many people want the psychological edge/confidence that supplements, energy drinks, and other products give, but I never needed it.
This knee problem, though, had me flustered. I hate the thought of my body not being able to run properly without some medication. When I tore my ACL about 12 years ago, I had it replaced, got cortisone injections and rehabbed everyday. No medicine required. But the commitment I have here means that I will have to take Glucosamine for years. That was the toughest pill to swallow, knowing that this was the best option for being able to continue competing at sports. As I am sure many have said before me, I told myself, "Such is life," and hoped for the best.
Although the Arthritis & Glucosamine Center say there is no chance of overdosing from this product even if taking "many times the daily dose," I decided I would break the manufacturer's recommended three pills a day into dosages of two in the evening and one in the morning. The LiveStrong site advises that people should take the pills three times a day, but I would rather take them all at home rather than bring one to work and risk forgetting to take it or having it splatter in my bag.
The reason I started with two in the evening is because I believe that your body does most of its rejuvenating at night, when you're asleep. It seems logical that if I am trying to build up cartilage in my knee, I should do it when I am only using the joint for rubbing my feet together. If there is any factual evidence on whether this is true, I would love to know, but I did not come across any research into this.
So I have started my treatment. At present, I can walk up and down stairs with very minor pain. I can sit on a regular chair with minor pain. I can not sit on a low chair without strong pain. I can lift my foot high enough for my hand to grab it when stretching my quads, but straightening my leg from that position is very painful.
I will report back in two weeks. I hope to see some measurable improvement in those areas, although I realize it will take much more time to re-build what has taken me 43 years to wear down. With the timeline I create, others can get an idea of what their progress might be taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements. Wish me luck!
http://www.glucosamine-arthritis.org/glucosamine/glucosamine-side-effects.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/205738-what-are-the-benefits-of-chondroitin-glucosamine-msm/
Having a strong aversion to medication and supplements, I was initially very hesitant. I don't get the feeling that most people can relate to this feeling. Most people who I have talked to have related their experiences with vitamins and supplements that they use for health and beauty. I get the feeling that medicine cabinets are more like giant medicine pantries filled with the ingredients that, if added and sprinkled properly, will make the dish of your body into a perfectly flavored entree.
For me, though, I had always been the plain dish. Meat and potatoes. I never looked down on others who took vitamins and supplements, I just felt they were fighting a battle against Father Time, which I wasn't interested in doing. Furthermore, I thought pills were unnecessary if you ate right and exercised. Many people want the psychological edge/confidence that supplements, energy drinks, and other products give, but I never needed it.
This knee problem, though, had me flustered. I hate the thought of my body not being able to run properly without some medication. When I tore my ACL about 12 years ago, I had it replaced, got cortisone injections and rehabbed everyday. No medicine required. But the commitment I have here means that I will have to take Glucosamine for years. That was the toughest pill to swallow, knowing that this was the best option for being able to continue competing at sports. As I am sure many have said before me, I told myself, "Such is life," and hoped for the best.
Although the Arthritis & Glucosamine Center say there is no chance of overdosing from this product even if taking "many times the daily dose," I decided I would break the manufacturer's recommended three pills a day into dosages of two in the evening and one in the morning. The LiveStrong site advises that people should take the pills three times a day, but I would rather take them all at home rather than bring one to work and risk forgetting to take it or having it splatter in my bag.
The reason I started with two in the evening is because I believe that your body does most of its rejuvenating at night, when you're asleep. It seems logical that if I am trying to build up cartilage in my knee, I should do it when I am only using the joint for rubbing my feet together. If there is any factual evidence on whether this is true, I would love to know, but I did not come across any research into this.
So I have started my treatment. At present, I can walk up and down stairs with very minor pain. I can sit on a regular chair with minor pain. I can not sit on a low chair without strong pain. I can lift my foot high enough for my hand to grab it when stretching my quads, but straightening my leg from that position is very painful.
I will report back in two weeks. I hope to see some measurable improvement in those areas, although I realize it will take much more time to re-build what has taken me 43 years to wear down. With the timeline I create, others can get an idea of what their progress might be taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements. Wish me luck!
http://www.glucosamine-arthritis.org/glucosamine/glucosamine-side-effects.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/205738-what-are-the-benefits-of-chondroitin-glucosamine-msm/
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A Gluc Setback: What would you do?
Right on schedule, I received my shipment of Glucosamine from Amazon yesterday.
I had asked some questions at my local natural foods store, done some research and decided on the MRM brand of Glucosamine/Chondroitin. I wanted the Gluc Sulfate, as recommended by the Mayo Clinic tests and the chondroitin manufactured from shellfish and the MRM brand fit the description. In addition, my fountain of information clerk at the natural foods store had good things to say about MRM (as well as one other brand), with processing of the supplement ingredients, reputation, and customer trends being the main points I keyed in on.
That same day I ordered the supplements on Amazon (at $9 cheaper than the store). Unfortunately, as I was getting ready to take my first plunge into the unspoiled body pool, I twisted open the cap and down floated the safety seal. It was a big white, decomposing moth floating on the surface of my pool. Excited as I was, I couldn't go in the water thinking that the pills I would be taking might be filled with sugar, salt, or some other ballast.
I wonder if I am being too cautious, but I figure that I can wait a few more days. I also wonder how many other people have had this type of experience from online distributors, not being sure if what you received was the real supplement or actually was not what you ordered. My wife says it happens all the time and that was one of the reasons I ordered from Amazon. I thought they would be foolproof.
I have to push back the start date, but I must commend Amazon on their return policy. While I am sending back the compromised bottle tomorrow, they will be sending me a replacement (which is set to arrive on the 27th). In a vision of the perfect exchange program for consumers, the return and the replacement may arrive with simultaneous, across-country doorbells. Pretty cool.
Therefore, my less than perfect knee will have to wait another two days before it takes the rest of its body on this adventure. Let the countdown begin....again.
I had asked some questions at my local natural foods store, done some research and decided on the MRM brand of Glucosamine/Chondroitin. I wanted the Gluc Sulfate, as recommended by the Mayo Clinic tests and the chondroitin manufactured from shellfish and the MRM brand fit the description. In addition, my fountain of information clerk at the natural foods store had good things to say about MRM (as well as one other brand), with processing of the supplement ingredients, reputation, and customer trends being the main points I keyed in on.
That same day I ordered the supplements on Amazon (at $9 cheaper than the store). Unfortunately, as I was getting ready to take my first plunge into the unspoiled body pool, I twisted open the cap and down floated the safety seal. It was a big white, decomposing moth floating on the surface of my pool. Excited as I was, I couldn't go in the water thinking that the pills I would be taking might be filled with sugar, salt, or some other ballast.
I wonder if I am being too cautious, but I figure that I can wait a few more days. I also wonder how many other people have had this type of experience from online distributors, not being sure if what you received was the real supplement or actually was not what you ordered. My wife says it happens all the time and that was one of the reasons I ordered from Amazon. I thought they would be foolproof.
I have to push back the start date, but I must commend Amazon on their return policy. While I am sending back the compromised bottle tomorrow, they will be sending me a replacement (which is set to arrive on the 27th). In a vision of the perfect exchange program for consumers, the return and the replacement may arrive with simultaneous, across-country doorbells. Pretty cool.
Therefore, my less than perfect knee will have to wait another two days before it takes the rest of its body on this adventure. Let the countdown begin....again.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
The Glucosamine Experiment
Middle aged. In good shape. Keeping up on the court with the young guys at age 41. Invincible. Old man time, meet the new generation.
Playing tag with my kids. At he boundary I juke right, cut left. Instead of smoothly slipping away, though, my foot slips on the slick cement and my kneecap hits flush on the surface with much of my body weight and all the power I had pushed off with. Nothing broken, but my leg is a rubber band for the next 15 minutes. Seasoned veteran, I ice it for the next few days.
Although the leg feels good, I can't bend my knee without pain. There is still power in the joint, but the pain steals a lot of it. Even after a month, I grab the rail going down stairs and wince when I go up them. (In one comical event, I try to stretch my quads by pulling my foot up and end up doing a poor imitation of a medicine man dance. This happens because my right side cramps up from the combination of the effort of raising my foot back and up as far as I can and trying to reach down and back to grab my foot.)
I see my doctor. She tells me there's nothing I can do, it is just something I'll have to deal with, but also that I can try this supplement called glucosamine. It works for some people but not for others. I ask her if I'll have to take it my whole life if it does work. "Probably." Since I refuse to take anything that I will have to rely on for more than a week, I ask her about surgery. She says she can refer me to the orthopedist and they will recommend surgery "because that is what they do." We share a sarcastic sense of humor and we both laugh.
So I feel stuck with these options. Nagging pain when I bend my leg or glucosamine and possible, not guaranteed, salvation with the downside of a lifetime commitment. But I am not without hope. I work out on the exercise bike, the elliptical, and strengthen my leg. It feels better. Not great, but very bearable.
The middle aged athlete's problem. The heart vs. the mind. I know I can stay this way and be fine. I can't sit in a crouch and start a campfire, but I can do most everything else. But I can't be satisfied. From talking to my friends, it seems that most of us need that one life-changing injury that puts us on the straight and narrow, puts family before fun or career before competition. And apparently that wasn't my wake up call. My heart still wants to compete.
I played basketball for the first time in about 7 months on Monday. It was great. Ear to ear smile up and down the court. A little pain afterwards, but nothing a day of rest couldn't cure. I know I can go three-quarter speed and hold my own in tennis, hoops or softball, but when the game gets close, I worry that I'll overcompensate because of the pain.
And that is why we are at the threshold of the great glucosamine experiment. I am able to continue without it, but I feel I have to give it a try. I did some research on the supplement and it seems that glucosamine works best in its sulfate form, taken with chondroitin. The information about its effectiveness, dosage, etc... was on the Mayo Clinic's website:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/glucosamine/NS_patient-glucosamine/DSECTION=evidence
I also found contradictory testimonies which said that glucosamine gives no measurable relief at:
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/glucosamine.html
Deciding that I would trust the Mayo Clinic and my own doctor's observation that it works for some, I am going to follow the Mayo Clinic guidelines and start taking it today. By this time next week, I hope to report that I am pain free. Invincible I am no more. But I hope to show that, as Ulysses said, "age hath yet his honor."
Playing tag with my kids. At he boundary I juke right, cut left. Instead of smoothly slipping away, though, my foot slips on the slick cement and my kneecap hits flush on the surface with much of my body weight and all the power I had pushed off with. Nothing broken, but my leg is a rubber band for the next 15 minutes. Seasoned veteran, I ice it for the next few days.
Although the leg feels good, I can't bend my knee without pain. There is still power in the joint, but the pain steals a lot of it. Even after a month, I grab the rail going down stairs and wince when I go up them. (In one comical event, I try to stretch my quads by pulling my foot up and end up doing a poor imitation of a medicine man dance. This happens because my right side cramps up from the combination of the effort of raising my foot back and up as far as I can and trying to reach down and back to grab my foot.)
I see my doctor. She tells me there's nothing I can do, it is just something I'll have to deal with, but also that I can try this supplement called glucosamine. It works for some people but not for others. I ask her if I'll have to take it my whole life if it does work. "Probably." Since I refuse to take anything that I will have to rely on for more than a week, I ask her about surgery. She says she can refer me to the orthopedist and they will recommend surgery "because that is what they do." We share a sarcastic sense of humor and we both laugh.
So I feel stuck with these options. Nagging pain when I bend my leg or glucosamine and possible, not guaranteed, salvation with the downside of a lifetime commitment. But I am not without hope. I work out on the exercise bike, the elliptical, and strengthen my leg. It feels better. Not great, but very bearable.
The middle aged athlete's problem. The heart vs. the mind. I know I can stay this way and be fine. I can't sit in a crouch and start a campfire, but I can do most everything else. But I can't be satisfied. From talking to my friends, it seems that most of us need that one life-changing injury that puts us on the straight and narrow, puts family before fun or career before competition. And apparently that wasn't my wake up call. My heart still wants to compete.
I played basketball for the first time in about 7 months on Monday. It was great. Ear to ear smile up and down the court. A little pain afterwards, but nothing a day of rest couldn't cure. I know I can go three-quarter speed and hold my own in tennis, hoops or softball, but when the game gets close, I worry that I'll overcompensate because of the pain.
And that is why we are at the threshold of the great glucosamine experiment. I am able to continue without it, but I feel I have to give it a try. I did some research on the supplement and it seems that glucosamine works best in its sulfate form, taken with chondroitin. The information about its effectiveness, dosage, etc... was on the Mayo Clinic's website:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/glucosamine/NS_patient-glucosamine/DSECTION=evidence
I also found contradictory testimonies which said that glucosamine gives no measurable relief at:
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/glucosamine.html
Deciding that I would trust the Mayo Clinic and my own doctor's observation that it works for some, I am going to follow the Mayo Clinic guidelines and start taking it today. By this time next week, I hope to report that I am pain free. Invincible I am no more. But I hope to show that, as Ulysses said, "age hath yet his honor."
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Getting Rid of the "D" Grade
Finally, the Los Angeles Unified School District is considering doing away with the "D" grade. Probably due to our inexplicabe love for draconian customs, it has lasted far too long. It should have been run out of our school systems long ago.
Your average apathetic student only wants to do the minimum to graduate, and the "D" grade assures them that they can be "below average" (which is the explanation given for what a "D" represents) to do so. While this does have some relevance to the real world, such as in jobs that are protected where workers are able to get by with doing the minimum work required, in diy projects your spouse wants you to do but you have little interest in, or in bachelor cooking/health maintenance, it is not a recipe for a society's success.
Schools are telling kids that below average is good enough. The places where students are expected to learn coddles them with lowered expectations. Furthermore, their parents are often relieved that their children are passing, not caring that they are doing so at a hopelessly low level. It is not a great mental leap to think that students with "below average" but passing grades are going to be below average workers who take away from productivity and are the foundation of a below average society.
If the best we can expect from many of our students is to just do enough to get their diploma, accompanied by a warm feeling of accomplishment, make them at least earn it with a "C," a grade that says they are "average." To do otherwise is to admit that we care more about a student's promotion than production. In a system that has been more prone to disgrace than earning respect, disposing of the "D" grade would be a good start to showing the public that LAUSD has faith in student success.
Your average apathetic student only wants to do the minimum to graduate, and the "D" grade assures them that they can be "below average" (which is the explanation given for what a "D" represents) to do so. While this does have some relevance to the real world, such as in jobs that are protected where workers are able to get by with doing the minimum work required, in diy projects your spouse wants you to do but you have little interest in, or in bachelor cooking/health maintenance, it is not a recipe for a society's success.
Schools are telling kids that below average is good enough. The places where students are expected to learn coddles them with lowered expectations. Furthermore, their parents are often relieved that their children are passing, not caring that they are doing so at a hopelessly low level. It is not a great mental leap to think that students with "below average" but passing grades are going to be below average workers who take away from productivity and are the foundation of a below average society.
If the best we can expect from many of our students is to just do enough to get their diploma, accompanied by a warm feeling of accomplishment, make them at least earn it with a "C," a grade that says they are "average." To do otherwise is to admit that we care more about a student's promotion than production. In a system that has been more prone to disgrace than earning respect, disposing of the "D" grade would be a good start to showing the public that LAUSD has faith in student success.
Monday, April 16, 2012
A trip up the coast to Santa Barbara
The word Santa Barbara brings visions of beautiful beaches, great shopping and a fine lifestyle. Visiting there last weekend showed me that the city hates to disappoint.
To start with, I visited the Santa Barbara website.
http://www.santabarbaraca.com/things-to-do/calendar-of-events/
I decided to check out the waterfront first. Although it was a blustery Saturday, people were out enjoying the morning on bikes, roller-blades, and any other form of people mover when I arrived. The artistry on display at the art flea market was as fun as the weekenders who were selling their pieces.
The attitude was so relaxed and easy I felt bad heading over to Stearn's Wharf. This is an old wooden pier with shops and restaurants. It not only takes you out over the ocean, it gives you a magnificent view of the harbor. I had a nice slice of grilled halibut as I watched surfers ride the long jetty break and yachts glide out into open water.
With an entire afternoon still available, I headed to Solvang, just 30 minutes up the highway into the mountains. Solvang is a city with a Danish theme. They have antique, gift and art shops that are truly worth the drive. It was dog friendly, so it was an extra bonus having furry friends wagging their tails in shops.
The food there is also Danish/Euro themed and it is pretty good. What really set the standard were the desserts. There were bread shops that had mouthwatering pastries. The cookies and chocolate shops had samples that almost brought me to tears. After my dinner, I had an apple strudel that will be the measure of all other fruit dishes for as long as I live.
Apparently, there are many wineries in those mountains, and I have every intention of visiting each one next time I visit there. I'll also see those art exhibits Santa Barbara has to offer or the wonders of State Street. I had no regrets about how I spent my day there. I'll be back again soon!
To start with, I visited the Santa Barbara website.
http://www.santabarbaraca.com/things-to-do/calendar-of-events/
I decided to check out the waterfront first. Although it was a blustery Saturday, people were out enjoying the morning on bikes, roller-blades, and any other form of people mover when I arrived. The artistry on display at the art flea market was as fun as the weekenders who were selling their pieces.
The attitude was so relaxed and easy I felt bad heading over to Stearn's Wharf. This is an old wooden pier with shops and restaurants. It not only takes you out over the ocean, it gives you a magnificent view of the harbor. I had a nice slice of grilled halibut as I watched surfers ride the long jetty break and yachts glide out into open water.
With an entire afternoon still available, I headed to Solvang, just 30 minutes up the highway into the mountains. Solvang is a city with a Danish theme. They have antique, gift and art shops that are truly worth the drive. It was dog friendly, so it was an extra bonus having furry friends wagging their tails in shops.
The food there is also Danish/Euro themed and it is pretty good. What really set the standard were the desserts. There were bread shops that had mouthwatering pastries. The cookies and chocolate shops had samples that almost brought me to tears. After my dinner, I had an apple strudel that will be the measure of all other fruit dishes for as long as I live.
Apparently, there are many wineries in those mountains, and I have every intention of visiting each one next time I visit there. I'll also see those art exhibits Santa Barbara has to offer or the wonders of State Street. I had no regrets about how I spent my day there. I'll be back again soon!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Bubble Gum Boy- A children's story
These are the first pages of a story I wrote. It is called Bubble Gum Boy. I read a story called Skippy John Jones to my kids and loved the rhyming dialogue. I used that style and created the story after visiting a Skechers shoe store.
School was starting in 3 days. Edgar P. Coe and his dad headed for
Maxwell's Shoe Store to get some new treads. Starting the school
year, E.C. wanted to look his best.
Maxwell's Shoe Store was the place to find the best.
It is a marvel. Mr. Max, the owner, loves his shoes.
He has Spring Shoes for springing, Moon Shoes for moonwalking and
Flip-Flops for flopping.
They even grill your name onto the sole of your shoe so you can
stomp your name in the sand.
But Edgar never got that far. Not to the moonshoes and not to the
griller.
You see...right at the entrance, next to the door at Maxwell's is a
gumball machine. It is shiny and has a crazy corkscrew gumball slide.
Best of all, it's free!
Edgar asked his dad if he could have some.
"Dad, I do know
That fine shoes await,
But having some gumballs
Sure would be great."
His Dad replied, "Edgar, my boy,
A gumball or two,
Are yours for the chewing,
I'll be in "moon shoes."
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Cycle of Street Violence
In the cycle of modern life, it seems that most things do not disappear. They are merely shelved for a spell. A comical example might be bell bottoms, which seemed to have met their swishy end in the early 70's only to make a comeback around 2000. A strange example would be cars with a rounded shape which started with the Porsches and Volkswagons of the 50's and 60's and made their return in the late 90's in the new Bug and PT Cruiser. A wonderful example is the pleasant cashier, who seemed to have disappeared from large chain stores for a decade or so, only to return and take the fear out of shoppers' eyes.
What concerns me now is that the economy is bad and people are suffering. So far, it had seemed that people had been keeping themselves on the positive side, but the dam was holding too much boiling water. One thing I recently see more often on the streets are people getting more flustered in their cars and willing to lay on the horn or flip the bird. Another is people losing it in the check out line at stores.
The main concern I have is with crime, though. With our consumer culture and my memory of the freewheeling, gotta get that money, 80's, I feel that street violence is going to come back in fashion. Young people's frustration with the lack of opportunity will lead to more drive-by's, accosting of common citizens, and the return of the car-jack.
I agree that the police have done a wonderful job of keeping the streets more protected. Their use of high street presence and overwhelming response are very effective. I wonder that some of that effectiveness, though, has been a concentrated effort on the part of the people to be more civil to one another and teach their children the same. I would also attribute some of it to a better economy and more opportunity.
With the country collectively holding its breath for the past 4 years as unemployment has hovered around 10%, I feel the cycle of street violence's time is coming. Be warned, keep your composure, and be safe out there.
What concerns me now is that the economy is bad and people are suffering. So far, it had seemed that people had been keeping themselves on the positive side, but the dam was holding too much boiling water. One thing I recently see more often on the streets are people getting more flustered in their cars and willing to lay on the horn or flip the bird. Another is people losing it in the check out line at stores.
The main concern I have is with crime, though. With our consumer culture and my memory of the freewheeling, gotta get that money, 80's, I feel that street violence is going to come back in fashion. Young people's frustration with the lack of opportunity will lead to more drive-by's, accosting of common citizens, and the return of the car-jack.
I agree that the police have done a wonderful job of keeping the streets more protected. Their use of high street presence and overwhelming response are very effective. I wonder that some of that effectiveness, though, has been a concentrated effort on the part of the people to be more civil to one another and teach their children the same. I would also attribute some of it to a better economy and more opportunity.
With the country collectively holding its breath for the past 4 years as unemployment has hovered around 10%, I feel the cycle of street violence's time is coming. Be warned, keep your composure, and be safe out there.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
On Vin Scully Missing Opening Days 1 & 2
As another Dodger game goes by without the comforting sound of Vin Scully's voice, I feel the unease of a mother with a child in a war zone. I do not know if I will hear it again. Scully's words are local lore, and even in Monday's paper there was a quote, as if funneled through a sports lover's wormhole, about Sandy Koufax's 9/9/65 no hitter:
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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
An "A" for Customer Service at Apple
Inexplicably, the "A" key on my laptop left its comfy housing yesterday and stayed stuck to my finger for a split second before falling onto the numbers row of my keyboard. Although my Space bar had stopped working on a previous Mac, this is the first time I had anything like a key dislodging itself happen to me. My keyboard was a perfect surface with a gaping hole, a baseball field with an open grave between first and second. It was disconcerting.
Further, it was impossible to replace the piece because it looked as if some tiny plastic latches had broken off. All that was in the open square was a tiny, and rather pleasant feeling, rubber nub that I had to press to make an "A."
I went to the Apple store yesterday filled with uncertainty. I was sure I was going to get taken to the cleaners. When my aforementioned Space bar gave up its ghost, I had to buy a whole new keyboard and my imagination was thinking how much worse this would be for a laptop.
It had been over a year since I had been to the store and I was surprised to find that now there is a concierge/matre d at the door and what seemed to be the same number of staff as the rest of the entire mall combined working there. A beehive serving its fruit queen by zooming to get people's questions answered quickly. It was a very cool experience and brought a tear to the eye of this been kicked around by poor service customer.
Still, I was wary. The guy who looked at the keyboard went in the back room and came back a few minutes later. He said he couldn't find the piece, but he'd make me an appointment for later. I went back to the store at my appointment time and was called within 4 minutes by a tech who sincerely apologized for making me wait and literally zoomed to find an "A." (more tears) She found one and replaced it. As I held my breath, she informed me that it was free of charge.
Not only was I happy with the price, I was completely comforted in the thought that I had staked a winner. Not just that I had trusted this company for a long time for my computer needs, but that it rose to the occasion for the service part as well. When I talk to my parents about "the old days" they get nostalgic about the way stores used to SERVE customers and make them feel wanted. As I walked away, I couldn't have agreed more.
Further, it was impossible to replace the piece because it looked as if some tiny plastic latches had broken off. All that was in the open square was a tiny, and rather pleasant feeling, rubber nub that I had to press to make an "A."
I went to the Apple store yesterday filled with uncertainty. I was sure I was going to get taken to the cleaners. When my aforementioned Space bar gave up its ghost, I had to buy a whole new keyboard and my imagination was thinking how much worse this would be for a laptop.
It had been over a year since I had been to the store and I was surprised to find that now there is a concierge/matre d at the door and what seemed to be the same number of staff as the rest of the entire mall combined working there. A beehive serving its fruit queen by zooming to get people's questions answered quickly. It was a very cool experience and brought a tear to the eye of this been kicked around by poor service customer.
Still, I was wary. The guy who looked at the keyboard went in the back room and came back a few minutes later. He said he couldn't find the piece, but he'd make me an appointment for later. I went back to the store at my appointment time and was called within 4 minutes by a tech who sincerely apologized for making me wait and literally zoomed to find an "A." (more tears) She found one and replaced it. As I held my breath, she informed me that it was free of charge.
Not only was I happy with the price, I was completely comforted in the thought that I had staked a winner. Not just that I had trusted this company for a long time for my computer needs, but that it rose to the occasion for the service part as well. When I talk to my parents about "the old days" they get nostalgic about the way stores used to SERVE customers and make them feel wanted. As I walked away, I couldn't have agreed more.
Finding a Tutor
Have you had trouble finding a tutor for your child? I have been through an exhaustive search for tutors and would like to pass on some tips.
My goal was to find a tutor to help my son get a high score on the CST/STAR Test so that he could secure a spot in the honors classes when he moves to middle school. I have used workbooks to help him, but my time is limited and I did not feel we were progressing at a sufficient rate. It is very competitive in my area and students must score Advanced on the state test to get into the honors class, or else be put into the much more unruly and slow paced regular classes.
To find a tutor, I started by asking friends for recommendations. A few had tutors that came to their houses and some went to tutoring centers.
I visited the tutoring centers, but the cost of $50-70 per hour for one on one lessons put me off. Despite there being centers that seemed more interested in my money than my son's future, there were some centers that had very good programs that included pre-lesson assessments and fully credentialed teachers who would have a lesson plan to show you for EVERY lesson. If I had the money, I would have chosen those centers. As a high school teacher, I know a lot about the basics of education in California and a teacher that is able to build up a child's fundamentals while breaking down the questions on the test. Unfortunately, they did not fit my budget.
My second option was through my network of friends, but it seemed that their good tutors were not unknown to the community. They were all too busy now and by the time they had free time, the test season would be over.
I wanted to look at my nearby university job boards, but I have an inherent distrust of the patience of college students and their ability to break down complex materials to the level a child can understand.
Finally, I hit the internet. It is no picnic looking for a tutor through the search engine. I tried Tutor Doctor, Care.com, WyzAnt, and many others that popped up on Google. I do recommend this method if you can't afford the tutoring centers. The services basically act as the middle man to introducing you to tutors. Besides telling you what the tutors are able to teach, there is a lot of background information and reviews from other people. The prices for most tutors were reasonable and they come to your house. To find a good tutor, follow these steps:
review their credentials,
read their introduction,
check the subjects they specialize in,
look at other customer's comments,
e-mail them to find out their availability, experience, and teaching methods,
also ask them how they follow-up, re-teach, and review materials,
set up a trial lesson (for half price, if possible)
if you like them, buy 3 lessons at a time,
get a progress review after the 3 lessons,
if your child is working hard with them (they don't HAVE to like the tutor) and the tutor is still working hard, continue the lessons,
if they are not working hard or your child is getting complacent, find a new tutor.
As to my story, after a few inquisitive e-mails and then meetings, I found a tutor who is the perfect match for my son. It took more leg-work than I thought it would, but I am very happy.
I hope you have as much good luck in your search!
My goal was to find a tutor to help my son get a high score on the CST/STAR Test so that he could secure a spot in the honors classes when he moves to middle school. I have used workbooks to help him, but my time is limited and I did not feel we were progressing at a sufficient rate. It is very competitive in my area and students must score Advanced on the state test to get into the honors class, or else be put into the much more unruly and slow paced regular classes.
To find a tutor, I started by asking friends for recommendations. A few had tutors that came to their houses and some went to tutoring centers.
I visited the tutoring centers, but the cost of $50-70 per hour for one on one lessons put me off. Despite there being centers that seemed more interested in my money than my son's future, there were some centers that had very good programs that included pre-lesson assessments and fully credentialed teachers who would have a lesson plan to show you for EVERY lesson. If I had the money, I would have chosen those centers. As a high school teacher, I know a lot about the basics of education in California and a teacher that is able to build up a child's fundamentals while breaking down the questions on the test. Unfortunately, they did not fit my budget.
My second option was through my network of friends, but it seemed that their good tutors were not unknown to the community. They were all too busy now and by the time they had free time, the test season would be over.
I wanted to look at my nearby university job boards, but I have an inherent distrust of the patience of college students and their ability to break down complex materials to the level a child can understand.
Finally, I hit the internet. It is no picnic looking for a tutor through the search engine. I tried Tutor Doctor, Care.com, WyzAnt, and many others that popped up on Google. I do recommend this method if you can't afford the tutoring centers. The services basically act as the middle man to introducing you to tutors. Besides telling you what the tutors are able to teach, there is a lot of background information and reviews from other people. The prices for most tutors were reasonable and they come to your house. To find a good tutor, follow these steps:
review their credentials,
read their introduction,
check the subjects they specialize in,
look at other customer's comments,
e-mail them to find out their availability, experience, and teaching methods,
also ask them how they follow-up, re-teach, and review materials,
set up a trial lesson (for half price, if possible)
if you like them, buy 3 lessons at a time,
get a progress review after the 3 lessons,
if your child is working hard with them (they don't HAVE to like the tutor) and the tutor is still working hard, continue the lessons,
if they are not working hard or your child is getting complacent, find a new tutor.
As to my story, after a few inquisitive e-mails and then meetings, I found a tutor who is the perfect match for my son. It took more leg-work than I thought it would, but I am very happy.
I hope you have as much good luck in your search!
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