North Valley Pike Plan

After reading the plan for the North Valley Pike, here are my comments:

Love the idea of a bike path or greenway along the stream as shown in the map on page 18 as it would encourage outside exercise. 

How will you make sure that motorists just passing through are diverted to the new North South Connection rather than continuing up 11N through the commercial section, will it be just signs saying detour?  Will the commercial section be more local businesses or large scale businesses and franchises? 

Love the idea of having enough sidewalk space for outdoor cafes and seating, as well as increasing walkability.  There needs to be enough close parking (side street lots?) for people to come up from Harrisonburg to shop/hang out.  There should also be enough trees and green around the sidewalks to make it feel like a small town street rather than a big city feel (all concrete), see pictures on page 27 of the plan.  I fully support adding sidewalks to every road possible, especially the side roads to increase walking to the main street.  Not only would it help businesses, it would help form a community feeling and create healthier people.

It’s really hard to see how the context area map and the Illustrative Vision map connect to each other when they are shown at different angles, either redrawing the maps to have north in the same direction or placing a compass rose in the map would help readers understand what they are looking at.  Example of this on page 26.

For the employment area with the new connector road, it would make more sense to have Alternate 2 (page 31) where you have 2 lanes per direction if you are using that road to divert traffic from Route 11.  Having only one lane may cause problems with the extra traffic that is diverted and the traffic that needs to go to a place in the area.  It would be fabulous if there could be a rail link here that would supply D.C. so people who live in the area could take the train to D.C. (wishful thinking?)

Harrisonburg could take some hints from the Well Networked Uses/Streets guide on page 33.  It would make for a more resident friendly area.  Thank you for planning this area before development occurs, unlike the area surrounding Reservoir Street to Neff Avenue.  If this area develops like your plan lays out, I would live there over many areas in Harrisonburg, even though I would probably have to drive to attend JMU.

update

the boy is just friend material, he's not right for me and i'm not right for him.  the roomies knew this but were letting me figure it out on my own. thanks. yay for realizations!

"I just haven't met you yet."

Happenings

This past Wednesday I headed up to Philly for the NATA convention.  I had class at 1pm where we had to give our assessments that we created to our peers so that we could get feedback on our questions.  Luckily we finished in an hour and didn't have to stay until 3:30, so I was able to get on the road.  81 and 66 were fine and I sped right on up, but then 495 had some traffic issues, meaning it was a parking lot. Then 95 had some bad parts too and I swore I will never drive on 95 again.  Finally got to Baltimore and saw my dad's old office from the freeway, then drove through Wilmington and on up to Philly.  I got in about 7:30, put my stuff in the hotel room and walked over to where the JMU reunion party was.  I had a quick bite to eat before the party started and then got to see a bunch of the JMU people that I haven't seen because they moved or I haven't seen because I'm not working in sport medicine anymore.  Lets just say free drinks is not the best idea...we drank them out of yuengling and vodka.  A group of us headed out after to the Field House which is by the convention center, but were unable to get drinks there because it was so crowded so we headed back to the hotel.

Thursday we got up and headed over to the convention to see the speakers on Sudden Death in Athletics.  The first speaker discussed cardiac implications, like HCM and commotio cordis, the second talked about sickle cell, the third was Kevin Guskiewicz talking about concussions and the final speaker discussed heat stroke considerations.  Thinking about concussions I realized that we have lots of information on return to play post concussion, but we have little (that I know of) about return to school.  I was certainly not able to return to school the day after my last concussion (junior year).  In fact it took me a week to get back to class and be able to fully participate.  The other big thing I got was from the heat stroke discussion where I learned that you have 30 minutes to cool a person after they collapse from heat stroke and the best way is through ice water immersion (all but the head), and the problem with just calling an ambulance is that it takes 45 minutes on average to get the person to start cooling at the hospital.  They apparently don't believe in ice water immersion, even though studies done by the Army have proven that it's the best technique.  Complete lack of communication and evidenced based practice there.  That afternoon was the keynote speaker after they showed the JMU video Smooth Professional.  It was so neat to see that on the big screen and know that two guys from my school created that!  Go Dukes!  The keynote speaker talked about keeping play part of your life and focusing on making an impact.  He showed a video about the human polar bear, a guy who swam a km at the north pole!  Crazy dude, but it really showed that climate change is a big issue if someone can actually swim in the north pole.  The other neat thing about that session was the awards part.  My PT from high school, Craig Denegar (who is an ATC/PT) who helped me with my shoulders got an award.  I ran into him after the ceremony and said he probably didn't remember me, but he did!  It's a small world.  He even asked how my parents are doing and remembered my mom.  Crazy!  Thursday night I didn't go out because I was so exhausted from so little sleep the night before and because I had to be a the convention center at 9 the next morning.  I saw on the news that night that there had been huge thunderstorms rolling through the area around 3pm while we were in the keynote session.  We knew it was raining because we could hear it hitting the roof, but didn't know that there were 75 miles per hour winds outside!  The news showed all these photos of trees knocked over into houses and such.

Friday I got up early, tried not to wake up my classmates (ATEP 09!) and walked over to the convention center.  It wasn't too hot yet so it was a nice walk.  I had signed up for the Myers-Briggs Personality Test and took the assessment before I got to Philly.  We talked about the different types, defining how you see the outside world (introvert or extravert), how you integrate information (sensing or intuition (N)), how you make decisions (thinking or feeling) and how you execute those decisions (judging or perceiving).  I'm ISTJ, which means introverted (the party's in my head, not in the room), sensing (practical, literal and hands on), thinking (logical, good at analyzing) and judging (organized, enjoys decisions, liked categories and control).  Makes sense doesn't it?  I think it describes me very well.  The one point that was nice to hear is that while these letters describe our personality preferences, how we like to be, it doesn't mean that we don't have any other parts of us.  So in situations I could be more intuitive or more feeling, but it just depends.  Makes me sound less like a cold-hearted b*tch.  The other interesting things that we did was separate into two groups, based on extravert and introvert and discuss what we liked about our group, what we liked about the other group, what we didn't like about our group and what we wanted the others to know.  So all you extraverts out there, know that just because us introverts go quiet, doesn't mean that something is wrong.  Or that we may not initiate the conversation, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't talk to us, we just need you to initiate.  Then we changed into SJ (completely me), NP, NF, and NT groups.  Most people were SJ and we were supposes to discuss what a company would look like if it only had SJ employees.  Basically we'd be super organized, get everything done on time and perfectly, but have little forward thinking or creativity and be very workaholic.  So we'd eventually all burn out and the company would fold.  Meaning that we need other people in our lives.  I got to thinking about how Julia (roomie) is the complete opposite of me (ENFP) and how she brings me out of my shell, which is good.  After the seminar, I headed back to the hotel and met up with my 09 kids, we grabbed some cabs and headed to Jim's on South Street to get Philly Cheesesteaks.  I obviously didn't get the cheese part, but the steak and onions was fantastic.  After lunch it was time for me to head out and start the drive back to JMU.  I decided to stop in Annapolis to see Sara for the night which was a great decision.  I took the backroads through Delaware, drove through Jaynell's town, got to call her and catch up while I drove (hands free!) and then arrived in time for dinner at Sara's grandparents.  I got to meet a bunch of her family and they were all so nice and told some great stories.  I would go back anytime. ;o) We decided to stay in because we were tired and watched some tv before chatting for about 2 hours lying in bed.  It was really nice to catch up and hear about everything going on in her life and talk about everything going on in mine.  So worth it!

Saturday we got up around 10, hit the pool at her uncle's for 30 minutes with her little cousin and aunt, then headed over to her grandparent's where we had lunch and I headed off.  The drive back was not a problem at all, 495 kept moving, I didn't have to shout at people to find their gas pedals, and then 66 and 81 were speeding right along.  No tickets either!  I'm glad to be back and get my work done for class tomorrow, and it was a pain to get to Philly, but seeing my ATEP family and knowing that it's ok that I don't look for an AT job (Bridget said "you've finally found your niche!"), and then seeing Sara was worth it.  The perfect excuse to skip class. ;o)

Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want and just see what happens.

Secrets, secrets are no fun...

I love reading the PostSecret books and reading the Sunday secrets when they're posted, but I always want more!  The roomies and I have been looking through all the books and marking our secrets.  It's interesting to see which we share.  But now we're out of books.  Guess we have to start making our own secrets!

Ring!

I decided it was time to do something for me and I've always wanted a right hand ring as a "congrats you've made it this far and you'll only go further" kind of thing.  I looked in every jewelry store in harrisonburg, couldn't find anything that I liked so I started looking online, just to see if I was describing things wrong.  Well, I found the ring at overstock.com and I bought it late last week.  It arrived today!  And I am now wearing it on my right hand.  ;o)  It's blue topaz in a gold setting surrounded by tiny diamonds and a silver wrapped band.  I'll try to post pictures soon.

Maybe this will help motivate me in classes right now?

In other news, Coolwhip now contains milk.  It used to be milk free, so we bought some the other day and eating it last night was a bad idea.  Not only did it mess up my stomach, but it drained me of energy all today.  It was really hard to focus and get things done in class today.  Arg.  Luckily I'm headed to Philly on Wed for the National Athletic Training Conference and I get to see some of my ATEP kids!  Yay!  I'll be back on Friday to take a midterm this weekend and work on the first of many big technology assignments.

I forgot to mention that I got my student teaching placements today in an email.  I start at Shelbourne Middle School in Staunton in the 8th grade (civics) then moving to Turner Ashby High School for the last 8 weeks, not sure what grade that will be with.  I'll have to check.

A happy picture for today!

Blog Post #2 (summer 2010)

Research suggests that what many of us refer to as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is really nothing more than a skill developed by some children that have been raised in the digital age. As a result, these research findings are revealing that the learning environment these students are placed in does not match their cognitive or digital learning style, which then affects motivation and achievement. Have some of these students rewired their brains to multitask? Can they can read e-mails, send instant messages and text messages over handheld devices, speak to one another in short sentences, and continue to watch movies and participate in multiple conversations, all while finishing their homework? When we try to place these students in the traditional learning environment, are we working against their cognitive or digital learning style? What are your thoughts about this theory for this new generation of digital kids? Do you see the differences in their learning? What suggestions do you have for reaching them? Give some suggestions and defend your answer.



As I write, my roommates and I are watching a movie and doing homework, quite representative of the multitasking that our generation, and definitely the younger generation, has become able to do. However we do multitask, I’m not sure that it allows us to be better learners, at least not our age group (the 20-ish age) because we’re on the edge of the group that grew up with such amounts of technology in our everyday lives. Younger children have a better grasp of this, which I believe is a learned skill that comes with living in an age where technology is inherent in every part of our lives. I don’t know how much of the ability is due to brain rewiring. A New York Times article that my mother sent me discusses how technology stimulates the brain by responding to stimulation with dopamine, just like you would respond to something else that pleases you, which would then prove the brain re-wiring theory. What the article also discusses is how even though the adults interviewed were multitasking it didn’t make them more efficient or productive. I don’t think that I am more effective when I multitask because to actually get quality work done and be efficient and effective I have to focus and I know that I am unable to focus with a million things going on, hence why I lock myself in my room to study or head to the library. I don’t think that I know enough younger kids to be able to tell whether they are that different from myself. My roommate’s younger siblings all do homework while doing other stuff on the computer, but whether they can read and comprehend while doing other things I’m not sure. I think that’s something I’ll learn by working with more kids on a continual basis.

If kids are actually able to multitask and get quality work done, then I think schools are doing a mis-service to students by providing a situation that does not meet their abilities to multitask. To adapt school to kids with the multitasking ability, it would make sense to have projects with multiple steps and provide each kid with a computer with internet access to allow them to research while taking computerized notes in class. I’ve found that I enjoy being able to look up things on the internet during class because it is a more individualized learning process, but not being a multitasker, I get behind in class following the discussion. However, kids with multitasking abilities should not have that problem and it might help their ability to connect prior knowledge to new knowledge. I want to have my students write articles for Wikipedia and blog about learning in class because I think that will help students connect their interest in technology with history and learn the skills of research and writing concise articles. I think that using technology helps students with their digital learning because they are so used to videos and pictures. Powerpoints should contain more pictures than words and students should be encouraged to find appropriate videos for class and create videos for class.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/technology/07brain.html

daily quote

Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience."

--Eleanor Hibbert,

Update

I got to my technology class this morning, started typing notes and then went to find my flash drive in my backpack, only to realize it wasn't there.  Looked at the back of the computer I was using on monday, and what do you know, my flash drive was still sticking in the back of it.  Now I just have to make sure that I don't leave it in the computer today!

This part is going to get personal.  There's a guy that I've been friends with for about 3-4 months.  I love spending time with him because we have amazing conversations and I never know how long we've been talking, until suddenly I look at a clock and realize its been over an hour and it feels like only 20 minutes.  So I love his personality, and for the longest time I kept telling myself that I wasn't physically attracted to him, and in the past I really wasn't.  Plus I recently had a pretty bad breakup that would just never end, new information and things kept emerging from the closet that made it even harder to deal with.  I was pretty hurt and I guess am still hurt, so I didn't want anything to do with a new relationship.  Now I'm realizing how much I really like this new guy and am hoping that something works out.  But I guess I'm still scared of trusting someone and opening up again only to be hurt.  I know that's something you have to risk in order to find happiness in a relationship.  I really want the emotional support that you get from a relationship, especially right now, but I'm scared of the physical aspects after everything that happened in the last relationship.  We'll see how things turn out, especially because I'm not sure how he feels.  Hopefully similar to the way I'm feeling.

540 Blog Post #1

Your Technology Autobiography


I feel like I’ve always been surrounded by and connected to technology. My first memory, and I’m not sure if it really is my memory or one created from old movies my parents have, but I had this pink plastic telephone with which I would have entire conversations with an imaginary person on the other line. My imitations of my parents talking on the phone was an early use of technology, but my parents videotaping it, is another example of being surrounded by technology. Later on, I remember our first computer, which was one of the original boxy Macs with a box for a mouse. My cat would sit with me as I played on the computer and bat at the screen because the mouse graphic moved so slowly that a digital tail would form. A literal cat and mouse game. We had Oregon Trail and Carmen Santiago on that computer, which were technically educational games (learning about the wild west and geography) seemed purely fun to my brother and I. Later on, we got the next version of a Mac, this one with a separate monitor from the actual computer and with CDs to put in it. Computers were still about games for me then, playing Sim City and Sim Tower, but this is when my brother and I split interests, as he moved into the Descent games which are more video game style and require more precise hand-eye coordination. We had almost all the technologies we wanted, but comparing stories we didn’t have the same usage that other kids did. We didn’t have cable TV and the videos we saw were few and random ones my parents thought we would enjoy. I remember using the stereo to record books on tape for car rides, or to listen to music while playing with Legos. But even playing outside became filled with technology, specifically laser tag and Skip-It that both required batteries. Dad was always the one to go to when electronics or technology broke, probably because we saw Mom ask him to fix things too. Alex, my brother, and I were usually pretty equal in the things we got. We both got Gameboys at the same time, mine red and his blue, so we had the fun technology, but I don’t remember always wanting more and more.
Today I still feel surrounded by technology even though I don’t consider myself to be a technologically gifted person who has all the latest fads and uses everything to the max potential. I usually call my dad or brother for simple technological questions, but having my cousin’s husband, a computer systems analyst, in the family is even more beneficial. Through him, I’ve learned a lot more about technology and ways to use it. Each time I visit them there is another lesson on how I should be using my ipod or my MacBook better, which in turn makes me more able to help others. My mom got a droid phone for work so she could check emails, but of course my brother and I had to teach her how to use it, which prompted me to get one when my phone died. I think that growing up around technology, but not having it consume our lives helped my brother and I to have the relationship we have with technology today. I try to keep technology in the position of helping my life without taking over it and making me so connected that I lose value in real human relationships. Today I usually have my web-based phone with me when I leave the house, my keys (which contain a car clicker, more technology), and small wallet with magnetized cards inside. I try not to bring other things on a daily basis, but when the occasion arises I will bring my laptop to do work somewhere other than home, my camera to take photos (I forget that my phone has a camera) or my ipod for a long drive.

25 things about me

1. I like answering these and reading other people's

2. My two feet are two different sizes, one a 9, the other a 7.5/8. 

3. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century, I would have fit in well in the 1800s (Jane Austen anyone?) or 1600s (as royalty of course)

4. I don't like free time, I get bored and do things like this

5. I've never smoked a cigarette or pot and never will

6. I wish I was fluent in Dutch

7. I love tulips and will have them in my wedding

8. I reuse tea-bags for at least 2 cups of tea before throwing them out

9. I don't like eating out a lot, only for really special occasions. I'd rather stay in and cook a full meal

10. I like dressing up to go on a date, it makes me feel stronger, more respectable and more confident

11. So not a PDA person, and not a touchy-feely person either. I have a hard time trusting and showing emotions.

12. I wish I was back in/at YAG or CONA where life was simple and I was surrounded by friends who became family

13. I'm not very patient and get easily upset with really small things people do

14. The Wesley House was one of the best things in the world and the people make it so

15. I'm not a night person, I'd rather go to bed early and get up early than stay up late, and i usually am in bed by 11:30

16.  I question my choice of my life plans

17. I love shoes, and have a ton of pairs that don't fit (see #2) so I don't wear them often, but I could easily go buy more

18. I get annoyed with text messages and emails that contain improper grammar

19. I love old books that smell really good and old and musty. I love reading.

20. I love bookstores too. If I could own any kind of store, it would be a bookstore with old and new sections.

21. I want to live in the Netherlands, in either Makkum or Sassenheim. I've picked out the houses too.

22. I like my alone time, especially when I need it, but I like hanging out with people too.

23. The perfect party is one where there is no pressure, just a group of friends hanging out, laughing, playing games, telling stories; ie. YAG shindigs

24. I get grumpy when I'm tired, or hungry, or annoyed, or stressed. I was Grumpy for halloween one year, kind of makes sense. After the last concussion a year ago I still need more sleep than I used to and am more moody. If I don't get enough sleep I have worse balance and more problems concentrating.

25. I am really afraid of needles, sometimes they make me pass out and I don't like lots of blood

next blog

I don't understand why when I click on the "next blog" icon it always seems to take me to family blogs with mom's raving about their little kids.  I like little kids for the most part, but I'm sick of reading them!  Why can't it take me to intellectual blogs?!?!?

Election

Republican Wilt won the election for the VA House seat from Harrisonburg today.  Unfortunately.  Sad day.  Hope people don't mind having oil wells drilled in their back yards soon!

Project Multishow

We've been watching seasons of Project Runway lately in our apartment and I got an idea for a TV show.  It would combine Project Runway, America's Next Top Model, Top Chef, and Sheer Genius.  So the designers on Project Runway would design collections that the models from ANTM would wear in a show, the artists from Sheer Genius would do the hair for the runway show and Top Chef contestants would cook to feed all the guests at the after party.  We would need a makeup show to do the makeup, and a photography show to take pictures of the runway.  How incredible of a show would that be?  It would probably have to be movie length to show all the different components, and it would be hard to do multiple episodes in a short amount of time, but I would pay to watch that!

New Templates

I like the new templates that Blogger has to offer!

Hair Trim

A and I went to get hair trims today, and I pretty much got a hair cut rather than a hair trim.  That's the part that stinks about having glasses, I can't see what she's doing until she's done and I can put my glasses back on.  So my layers are much shorter and there's about an inch missing from the bottom.  Oh well, it's just hair, it will grow back, eventually.

Also made a skirt this week along with creating a 25 page curriculum analysis/curriculum map for class.  Luckily the 4 of us social studies people were able to work together on the project, but it was still a big project.  The skirt was fun!  It has pockets and flounces and pleats and a zipper that I put in all by myself.  I'm pretty proud but I still have to fix the waist band before I can wear it.

One more paper to finish for the curriculum class and then that's done.  Two weeks left of Behavior Management.  Assessment class and Technology start on Monday.  Almost halfway done for the summer!

daily quote

People always call it luck when you've acted more sensibly than they have."

--Anne Tyler,

Valentines Day

Watched the movie Valentine's Day last night with friends.  It has a great cast, but there are too many storylines which makes it hard to follow.  It reminded me of Love Actually, how everyone was connected to each other in some way, but because there were 10 different stories to follow, I got lost, something that doesn't easily happen.  They could have done a better job with editing the script.