Household Organization

I'm busy editing posts. I started a series on organizing one's house but changed my mind. I read once that if you delete a post, it affects the ability of people to find your blog in a search. Since then, I've hit deleted and changed the title and content of the blog post. Thought everyone else would get as bored reading as I was getting saying what I was tossing each day

MOOCS

I'm a big fan of MOOCs - Massive Open Online Courses. I started taking them in 2008 and haven't stopped. What makes them so amazing is that they never end. By the end of a MOOC, you've created a personal learning network of people contributing knowledge and having a particular interest in whatever the course might be. Whenever a new MOOC is going to start, word spreads quickly. In every MOOC, I've been introduced to new apps and course delivery methods. Anyone can enroll in a MOOC. There's a charge if you need University Credit but otherwise it's free. The trend is to have many guest speakers who are prominent in a newly emerging field. Easiest way I've discovered to stay current. Most of the MOOCs so far have been designed for those interested in e-teaching and social networking in education.

Reconnecting with Old Friends

The original purpose of this blog was for reconnecting with old friends. UWO produced a new alumni directory that included both my maiden name and my married name, my faculty and the year I graduated.

In 2010, I had both a high school reunion and a nursing school reunion.
All those people had access to the url for this blog so I'm pretty sure anyone who wanted an update found me.

For people who I met after I married Stephen, facebook works quite well. I'm extremely lucky to have a very rare name. Didn't think so on my wedding day but it sure helps on facebook if no one else has the same name as you.

So should I change the name of my blog or not? Think I'm keeping Reconnecting but will shift from the idea of the outside world being able to reconnect to me to looking outward into the community and the larger world.

Two Wounded Creatures

I haven't done much blogging since I started farmville. My oldest son taught me how to play just before he took my ancient German Shepherd to the vet to be put down. My dog Charlie and I were both hurting when our paths merged. He'd had multiple previous owners, one of whom kept him caged and alone and another who had him as a living on the streets companion. Our family had been in a rollover van accident on our way home from a camping trip. Everyone was able to walk out of the vehicle but it was still overwhelming to have 6 children and 2 dogs as well as ourselves to look out for. Moms have to be moms and no one really notices how a mom is doing deep down inside. When I saw Charlie, he was one sad looking dog - like the dog Charlie in the movie "All Dogs Go to Heaven". If no one took him, he's was going to be put down. Charlie just knew I was his last best chance and jumped up on those weak hips, put his paws on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eye and convinced me to take him home against my better judgement. He decided I needed a lot of care and never let me out of his sight. If I sat down, he laid down with his paw on my foot. When I went to bed, he laid on the floor on my side of the bed. If anyone thought about being upset with me, he was right in their face. He was more devoted than a seeing-eye dog. We saved each other. But time takes it's toll. Eventually he developed a tumor on his leg and was losing the strength to stand up. I didn't know how we'd handle just a huge dog (120 lbs) if he fell down the stairs and had a painful injury. So Charlie's gone and I've replaced real dogs with virtual dogs who don't make messes or cost money or knock you over with their enthusiasm but will never save or defend or adore you.

Grade 13 Study Room

The school provided us with a Grade 13 study room. Well sometimes it did. Periodically a male phys ed teacher would claim that he smelled marijuana and we'd lose the room for a bit. Personally I didn't have a clue what marijuana smelled like and as hard as I tried to figure out what this guy was smelling, I didn't smell anything being burned - not a cigar or a cigarette or incense or anything. Probably we were the first and the last class to have the room.
So what actually happened there - a bit of work but mainly passing the time hoping for something to happen, anything to happen. We were crossing off the days. If I want to remember the feeling, I just have to plug in the video "A League of their Own".

Victoria Fanshawe Nursing Class '75

Are we still having reunions? I've moved since the last one and have lost touch with everyone. UWO produces an alumni directory which includes both the last name at time of graduation and the current last name. As the first Fanshawe College nursing class, we had a mixed identity. It was hard to tell what made us different from the preceding year who were Victoria Hospital grads other than the caps. Do you call yourself a Victoria grad or a Fanshawe grad? At the time, we thought being a Victoria grad was more romantic but now being a Fanshawe grad sounds more youthful. Well if anyone is putting together a list, hopefully this blog post will enable you to find Ruth Stewart. It took me awhile to get used to being Ruth Demitroff but the more unusual the last name, the easier it is to be found on facebook or through a google search.

WDSS High School Reunion

2010 marks the 40th year since my high school graduation. Luckily for my class, 2010 is also the 60th anniversary of the high school itself so our 10 year reunions coincide with the larger celebrations that include anyone who ever attended the school.
Message to my Classmates:
Please come. I'd love to see all of you. The good thing about growing older is that I've erased any memories that weren't great and kept the good ones. The important thing is that we're fellow survivors - we passed through all those years of wondering when our lives would ever begin and are now wondering how long we'll keep doing whatever it is we do.
Let's celebrate our lives - the whole ball of wax. At this stage of life, we're people - not beauty queens or football heroes or nerds or dorks or whatever separated us into categories. It's time to dump all the high school baggage and just enjoy being together. Looking forward to reconnecting.