Presidential Word Study

Two cool NYT interactive pieces:

Interactive Video of Inaugural Speech and

Inaugural Words - 1789 to the Present

O! What a Week!

How do you find inspiration after the inevitable back-to-earthness following this week's historic and electric election night? I began by attending the GaETC conference in Atlanta. While the conference had its moments of inspiration, it certainly was not electric (though Bernajean Porter speaking on DigiTales truly was incredible!). However, I rushed home from the conference to attend a dinner with my friends and colleagues and to hear Heather Whitestone McCollum share her powerful and inspiring life story. OH MY! What I would have given for my little deaf students to have met her.

4th of July News of Note

So, you ask, how is my family celebrating the 4th? Ever the fun family, we have already:

• Awakened to a nonfunctioning refrigerator.
  
• Spent the morning at Home Depot selecting a new one, which cannot be delivered until Wednesday – while we are at the beach.
• Heard that Jesse Helms died this morning – on Independence Day, which is sort of ironic to me.
  
• Remembered that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams also died on the 4th of July: ironic in a very different sense.
• Given thanks for living in a country that is strong enough to withstand 8 years of lunacy.
• Prayed for a miracle in November.