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message 1651:
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Pamela(AllHoney), Fairy Godmother
(new)
Jul 14, 2013 07:01AM
Rats! ☺
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Aww, Pamela! Sorry to hear that.
Thanks, LK. Just got back from the pool. Thunder so we didn't get to get in :(
That was probably wise.
Okay, I'll try to be on here as I can but I must let you all know that it won't be as often as I normally am. We are down to 1 computer in the house and my daughter has decided to start playing a game online that means she wants the computer more than usual. As I said I'll pop in as I can. ☺
Sorry about your computer woes, Pamela.
Thanks, LK, but I feel fortunate that we have the one :)
Sorry to hear about your computer Pamela, I keep my fingers crossed mine keeps working.
Thanks, Melissa!
Will miss you Pamela but certainly understand. I know I have been in that same place several times before.
Thanks, Sunny!
I just got an email from Goodreads telling me I'm in the Top 1% of reviewers. Cool! Did everyone get the email?
That is cool! I didn't get one. I also don't review that often, so that's probably why. :)
Pamela, I got one too. I was really amazed because I only review a couple a week or so and there are 20 million people on Goodreads. Now if they had said you are in the top 1% always on Goodreads, that would be a different thing. I spend WAY too much time on here, LOL.
I struggle with writing reviews, so while I always rate the books I read, and sometimes include a comment or two, I rarely review.
I got one, too. Since I don't think I write that many reviews, I dismissed it as so much fluff.
On the author side, I'd very much like to know why my book rated three or fewer stars, and I'd very much like potential readers to know why a reviewer gave it four or five stars. But I will admit that if a book already has a lot of reviews, I may not comment. :)
I try to write at least a little something about what I thought of a book, but It mostly is about how a book made me feel when I read it.
I'm so excited, my mom was moved from the hospital to the rehab facility this weekend. She was able to walk 50 ft today with the assistance of a walker. 3 weeks ago she could hardly move her left side at all.This woman continues to amaze me every day!
That's great, Melissa! I'll keep you and your mother in my prayers.I'm with Abigail on reviews versus stars. As an author, I want to know why. But as an author/reader, I'm hesitant to criticize. I've heard too many stories of retaliation, so usually I just give stars at 3 and above and don't rate anything below. I usually don't bother with big name authors when my opinion has already been stated 300 times!
Great to hear, Melissa! I pray for her continued rehab!
Just an FYI, I've not been able to be on as much due to only one computer in the house and I apologise. But school starts in about 2 weeks so maybe I'll be able to get on a little more then.
There's nothing like a good education for you children! LOL
Melissa, I'm so glad for your family. Hope your Mum improves even more.And Pamela... what we do for your kids, LOL. I've just brought my 26 year old daughter's washing in from the line. Not because I 'm a nice mother, oh no, but because I couldn't stand it being still there after three days, Sheesh!
Yes, she is spoiled and I have no one to blame but myself.
So glad to hear your mom is recovering well Melissa ^_^
Pamela, Its amazing how much more things get done when they go back to school isn't it?
I'm counting the days myself. I like spontaneity, but there is something to be said for routine.
LMAO they aren't back to school yet where I'm from. You all should the look on your faces on the first day of school. You're positively gleeful looking to the teachers lol
Kids here aren't back in school until after Labor Day -- silly law about education interfering with tourism. Melissa: Hope your mom continues to improve!
I doubt it has to do with tourism. In North America school always let out for the summer months because the kids were taken out anyway because they were needed on the farms back in the day before it was the law to have your kids in school. At least, that was my understanding.I thought some the States went back in August? Though it is rather early in the month so maybe not yet?
Our kids go back on Aug. 21st. My kids all went to school here and I worked for the system for 20 yrs and I never did get used to starting before Labor Day. Of course, we used to go until mid to late June and these kids get out in late May.This will be my first year NOT going back to school and I can't wait for the first day of school. I'm going to sleep in!
Schools go back on Aug 19th here
Giulia~Bubbles ♌ wrote: "I doubt it has to do with tourism. In North America school always let out for the summer months because the kids were taken out anyway because they were needed on the farms back in the day before i..."No, it really is a law here that schools can no longer start before Labor Day. Employers (supposedly) claimed that when schools started earlier it affected staffing for tourist sites over Labor Day weekend.
Some states do start school mid-August, but not here.
Ontario has several pilot programmes up and running to test the effectiveness in long term memory if the kids go back in August. So much of the classroom time is spent in review in Sept. just to get them back to where they were back in June. Both parents, kids and many teachers like the idea. The holiday time is the same. The time lost by going back in August is added on to the Christmas holidays. So that makes the tourism and retailers happy too.
I think you both may be right. In the US, there is no school year standard - though the Feds are working on it. Each State or local district defines its calendar and I assume many are based on things like agriculture or tourism or even weather. It wasn't too long ago that schools around here would excuse students for up to two weeks for fall harvest. If you think about it, it's that harvest or tourism that raises the taxes to fund the schools.
You are so right Jacqueline. Follow the trail to the money. In the school boards everywhere it is the parent to be listened to and the parent that every teacher reports to in the form of report cards.
August in Florida, too. It started after Labor Day when I lived in Boston.
Our schools in the south start back around Aug.25. It used to always be after Labor Day in Sept. and originally was set up that way so students were home on the farm to help harvest crops such as tobacco. Since less of that is being done now, our opening school dates moved up by at least a couple of weeks. Ours moved up further than that to where kids started around Aug. 15 but parents & tourist cities had a fit because of loosing revenue from late vacations. Our state states that kids cannot start earlier than Aug. 25 and must get out the first week in June.
Weather plays a role, too, I think. Our district didn't start pushing back its start date until all the buildings were air conditioned. Even in Sept. some of the classrooms would get above 100. A lot of old timers gave them the 'when we went to school in those buildings' routine, but they forget that they didn't live in an air conditioned world.
Well, I'm in California and my nephews are in some school that is open year round. They have several off days. And they close for major holidays - since parents take their kids out then anyway. But not all schools in California do this.
With so many families with parents working outside the home, this is probably the coming thing.
Wow, didn't realize how varied it was state to state in the US. Very interesting. I'm in Ontario and the city I'm in, one of the schools is piloting the balanced calendar sunny mentioned. They've been on that schedule for several years and I heard teachers like it too, but not sure what their studies are showing. I don't mind that idea myself to be honest, I think it would be more organized and balanced for everyone. I wish they had taken the time to do proper studies before they opened full day kindergarten. A lot of schools have been dealt with rude awakenings when it hit them.
We have a few "year-round" schools in N.C. Our county tried them but didn't like it so dropped it. Each district sets its open/close dates as long as they meet the state guidelines. Basically, that says No students in school before Aug. 25 and they must be out by June 5...of course, lots of holidays and 14 teacher workdays with no students scattered through out.
And our Kindergarteners go full day after the first 3 days. Of course, our pre-schoolers (4 yr. olds) do too.
Personally, I'm all for longer school years. Not only does it prevent "brain drain," it keeps kids out of trouble. NOT that I think of teachers as babysitters, because I don't, but having somewhere to be every day can make a huge difference in a kid's life. No country in the world has a longer summer break than the US, and it is so varied from state to state, district to district it's ridiculous.
Our kinders are 4. But since full day is so new here, it's not been easy on anyone.
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