Nick Hornby

In search of a book to choose for April's book club, I read Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby. I had enjoyed Hornby's About a Boy, but this one wasn't as captivating for me. It starts out strong with an obsession about a recluse 80s rock musician who was not too famous. But about halfway through, it seems to just be people stuck in their messed-up lives with no chance of change. I didn't dislike this book, but I probably won't remember much about it in a year.

Buzztime Trivia

One of my volunteer efforts this year is to organize about 4 Carleton alum events per year for the Inland Empire. Last fall we had a potluck BBQ, and today we competed in a trivia game with 14 other Carleton clubs across the country. Seven of us gathered at Tequila Hoppers in Upland where you can get a game box and answer trivia questions that appear on a screen. The faster you answer correctly, the more points you get. Well, our LA club didn't win, but certainly had fun!

February Day in Claremont

So, it's a beautiful sunny February day in Southern California. It's perfect for sitting outside in the yard to eat lunch. Except. Except the wood chipper is going full tilt about a block away, and the gardeners across the street are whackin' weeds and mowing the grass. Ah, serenity.

Expanded Orchestra

Every year I start the off the school year off with a small orchestra at Vista. Then, after the February concert, I invite all the beginning string students to join orchestra. Today was our first rehearsal of all students with 100% attendance! We were nine strong, and now we have 21!

Hooray!

This fall several teachers and I wrote a Best Bet Grant proposal for a multimedia projector that I could use for teaching. We didn't get the grant, but about a month ago, my great principal found some money to order 4 projectors for the school, one earmarked for me. This means that every time I want to use one, I don't have to go around the school and borrow one that's not being used.

The projectors came yesterday, and I can start using it today!

Claremont Library

I haven't checked out a picture book at the Claremont Library for many years now, but today I wanted a copy of Peter and the Wolf to read to my 2nd graders. The online directory said that two copies were available, so I set out to find one of them. It used to be that all the A's were in one section, B's the next, but with no order other than that. To my delight, I found that they are now alphabetized with the first three letters of the author's last name and kept in order!

CUSD Calendar

Our school district sends out robo calls occasionally with various information. I get the ones for the music program, but usually not others since I am a consultant, and not an employee, for the district. Last night I got what I assume was for every phone number they have in the directory. For the first time since I've been involved in the district (starting as a parent in 1990), school will start before Labor Day this fall. This year it will begin on Tuesday, August 31. I'm curious as to what other changes will come to the calendar. Maybe we'll take off the day before Thanksgiving?

Lenten Book Discussion

Claremont UCC will be discussing The Last Week: A Day-by-Day Account of Jesus's Final Week in Jerusalem by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan during Lent. Like other Borg books I've read, this one gives the reader an historical context to help us understand the Bible as the original readers would have.

We have the opportunity to attend one of three discussions each week - Sunday mornings, Wednesday mornings, Wednesday evenings. The book will also serve as the basis for Sunday sermons during Lent.

Egads! Redux

Just as I had feared in my Sept. 8, 2009 post. Arriving in the mail, THREE more traffic violations from Italy from our trip LAST March. Two at 107 euros, one at 111 euros. We're out another $450 as the price for getting lost. Twice in Arezzo and once in Siena. Factor in the first ticket of $150 from Florence, we could have ridden trains all over the place.

String Student Concert

The string students of the Claremont USD can be very proud of the work they have done so far this year. We had a great concert last night at the El Roble gym. We had over 80 beginning strings, over 40 in the Elementary Orchestra and about 40 in the El Roble Orchestra. Here I am conducting our orchestra favorite - Dragon Slayer.