Thank you

Thanks to ALL of you who have been so kind.  I feel like I am at a point that I can share with you what I have recently been going through.

I was diagnosed on Tuesday, February 16th with liver cancer.   It is the primary cancer source.  Often, it is in indicator that cancer is in other areas of the body.  However, after numerous tests and bloodwork, we are confident that it is just in the liver.

I am doing alright as my district had this whole week off. 

Brad, I appreciate the help that you have offered.  I may take you up on that as I am behind and I am hoping to get a few of the projects finished today.  To be honest - I haven't even made a list of everything I have yet to finish.  And YES, my husband and I would love to come and take a walk around your property.  I will put it on my list of things to get me out of the house and do.

I am so appreciative of this cohort and the willingness to share and the support that you all have been throughout the first 3 classes.  My hope is that I can continue, as I am anxious to keep busy and finish as much as I can.

I meet with my specialist on Wednesday, the 24th.  I will know more from then. 

I am trying to be as open as I can with my diagnosis.  I believe that education is so important in finding a cure.  My symptoms were very benign and NOT at all indicative of cancer.  My doctors have been very "shocked" that this is where "we" ended up.

Please do not hesitate to contact me (using my school email from the last 2 classes) instead of the CMU if you would like to check in!

Thanks.
Ruth
( I will most likely delete this post after a week or so since this is an "open" bog site. )

Finally

I realize that I have been very behind is all my assignments.  I am making a last ditch effort to get this class finished. 
NOTE:  I have been really sick this last week and in and out of various testing sites.  long story short, I have been given a really shocking diagnosis.  I am going to try my damndest to finish this class.  However, I may have to drop the next two classes and pick back up with you in the fall.

I know that probably doesn't count for official blogging...

But, I recently set up a new blog site and I have made it private and invited my close friends and family.  My Question is: is it truly private?  I will begin blogging about my "journey" and am hoping to get my family to log on and be able to keep up on daily updates and respond.

I am hopeful that this little piece of technology can help bridge the gaps for those who can't be with me an yet need to know what is going on.  Weirdly enough I am excited that if I can get my technological challenged family to grasp this one concept - I will be so excited!

Thanks!

Uuugghh!

So, as I sit here finishing up some school stuff... have been reading other people's blogs and so impressed.  Pete - perhaps a school to watch!  Sara - so much planned on your storytelling!
I just finished grading 90 Math tests.  Then, today I had a substitute teacher who didn't bother to read my plans....aahhh.  Really?  I asked him to read specific directions to my students - which he didn't.  Then, I asked him to collate my test ( staple part 1 and part 2 together and put together with bubble sheet).  He didn't have to do ANYTHING else but "watch" my students take a test.  He didn't do that either.  Then, my intern told me he showed up in jogging pants (whoosh-whoosh ones).  Who does that ?

Tiffany, I didn't have our number to cal you last night...please email me with it so I can call next time!  Thanks!

 A podcast would have definitely come in handy!

Privacy Issues on Facebook

So yes, while reading this article , Privacy, Facebook and the Future of the Internet
from ReadWriteWeb by Marshall Kirkpatrick, I realized I was one of the unaware people who had their privacy exposed.  I had my Facebook account rather hidden.  I was only visible to friends and unable to be "found".  I thought that would give me the ability to be friends with those whom I really wanted to be. Instead, at times I find myself in that really awkward situation of deciding if I should "friend" someone just because they requested to join my network.  Then, I have to decide do I want this person to see my updates and such.   aaaahhh.  I thought being a grownup was so going to be easy. Haht!  So I say Boo to Facebook.  It's too bad that you keep changing so much stuff and constantly making your users upset instead of listening to them.  Why can't I just talk to my friends instead of blocking and ignoring stupid application requests?  bblpppttt

Students punished for Facebook

A student at Roxboro Middle School created a Facebook page that "bashed" a teacher.  Other students quickly became fans and added postings.  The School District took action by suspending one student and giving the other kids after-school detention.  One parent was angry and expressed that his daughter did nothing wrong and would not be attending her detention.

In this age of social networking and cyber-bullying this story gives me reason to pause and think.  I am curious to see where the rest of this story goes.  I teach 6th Graders and frankly, they can hate you one day and love you the next.  I also, would like to point out that obviously the parent in the video was not monitoring their students accounts.  I think that as a parent, that is one safe guard that needs to be in place. 

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=17819441

Apple ipad, Kindle....

I was catching up on my rss feeds and I noticed a lot of hype about the Apple ipad.  I am curious to know how long it will be before books are a thing of the past.  There has been a lot of talk about newspaper and magazine subscriptions have been declining.  I am sure that book sales are as well. 

I just saw recently that schools are offering to "rent" textbooks instead of purchasing them.  Soon I am sure textbooks will be downloaded onto Kindle, ipad or some other "reader".   I am sure Apple is sure to give Kindle a run for their money.

What will be the next "hot" new gadget or website.  Who knows, Apple just may make Bing the newest and hottest search engine and wipe out Google's supremacy.  Lok at what Apple did for AT&T by making them the sole carrier for the iphone.

Children of today!

I had to share...mostly because it is cute and partly because it just shows how today's children think....

My nephew said his bedtime prayers and said the following:

"Dear God...please help the people of Haiti...you can go to www.Haiti.com to help them."