19th century + 20th century =

I now know why I’ve been suffering recently from the bloggers’ blues [see previous post].

I’m stressed. I’m off to an important meeting this weekend in a cold and windy mid-western American city. It’s the 3,486th meeting of my career but that is not what is making me shake.

I’ve been serving on a committee that’s trying to define 21st century learning skills.
However, I’ve learned that the committee is now a commission. What’s the difference I ask between a committee and commission other than one letter?

Apparently, a commission carries gravitas whereby a committee is… well... just another committee. Blah, blah, blah, you know.

The agenda arrived last week with a cover letter addressed to Dear Commissioner. Me? How does one behave and dress? A little imagination is called for here. I picture some sort of 19th century setting. A grande gathering perhaps?

I’ll stride in as a Prussian count with my walking stick and knee high riding boots. Prince Frederick is fine, thank you, gentlemen. But what’s this Commission about? We have a war to fight in Europe and I’m very busy.

Ah there’s the delegate from California dressed as a down-at-the-mouth Charlie Chaplin. You’re looking rather bankrupt, old thing.

And there’s the dandy who represents New England. He always wearing that tell-tale Harvard scarf and wears it in a tell-tale Harvard way which no one can imitate.

I had better stop – someone might read this from the Commission. There are 25 or so on their way to a cold and windy city. Time to pack and head for the airport. I have both my committee look and Commission look ready.

And what about those 21st century skills? More on this later.

The Blog Blues

I keep a list of topics for future blogs. Sometimes the list is long ~ sometimes short.

The list is more happenstance than well thought out. It has no plan or pattern to it.

Before you can write anything though, you need to ponder. And before you ponder there needs to be a little kernel of thought. I cannot write “off the top of my head”.

In the back of my mind are old junior high school composition principles: first a rough draft, organize around paragraphs, use a good topic sentence. No wonder I’m experiencing the Blog Blues.

Maybe it’s the weather that is causing this writers block?

It was actually cold here last week. Floridians panic when they look in the closet for their one sweater. Yesterday afternoon I watched fog roll in off the Gulf of Mexico. Fog! The seagulls were bewildered and were seen flying east en masse. I assume they are resting safely this morning deep in the Everglades.

Magic spell-check tells me there are 163 words just above. Remember asking your English teacher, “An essay on spring? How long should it be”? At least one side of one page was always the answer.

Ah ~ I’m feeling better. Here’s half a page to feed the Clermont Blog.

Euro-Buzz (hint - it's chilly)

It was over to Europe last week for a school visit. A very short trip as it happens due to a scheduling conflict and other planning hassles. So quick, indeed, that the dreaded jet-lag didn’t have time to set in.

Global warming? Where? Holland was wickedly cold, windy and damp and all that chilly weather set up the historic snowfall in London and the south of England. I can’t picture some of those lovely Surrey villages under 18 inches of snow.

The dollar has appreciated about 20% during the past year against the Euro and Sterling.
A bit of breathing room for Americans traveling abroad but not much, I can tell you that. Europe is still expensive. I’m a big train fan but had to rent a car on this trip. Re-filling the petrol at Amsterdam airport cost $56 ~ and that for ¾ of a tank.

The general European economy is headed into a deep slump. The big chill, I'm afraid.

Obama-mania rules in Euro-land. A quick check at the newsstand showed virtually all the popular magazines with his picture on the cover. Mark this date: early 2009 and a popular American president!

And sports? I was there for three days after the Super Bowl and was amazed that my Dutch hosts knew so much about the game: players, coaches and strategies.

The real buzz is over footballer David Beckham’s abandonment of the L.A. Galaxy and his pending switch to AC Milan. Remember the hoopla when Beckham – the Babe Ruth of European soccer – signed on with an American team last year? No one could believe a player of such stature would play in the MLS. Well, he lasted 18 months before coming home to the European pitch.