Dr Copa

Just got back in the house from walking the dogs and they were very upset during the walk. I couldn’t tell what was bothering them until we got around the back corner of our property and there was a black bear up on the edge of the woods. I only saw it for a brief moment, as the dogs barking must have scared it off. I’m rather glad that the barking didn’t agitate the bear into charging us.

It’s unusual to see a bear this close to the house. I am going to have to be more vigilant while outdoors from now on.

Sometimes I am reading a blog or a web site and I notice there are links to other blogs, either in the post or article, or sometimes listed on the sidebar. So, if I have a little extra time in the morning, I like to click on these other links and see where they go. I have found quite a few really good sites this way.

That is basically how I ended up at the web site called, The Chronicle, which is a site about academia. I was interested in the part that listed job openings in different colleges and universities, and I happened across a whole section of related blogs.

From this site, I surfed over to the Walden University web site. Although I don’t know anyone who has attended Walden, it seems like a good school for someone who wants to get their college degree online from an accredited university.

If you are interested in completing the college courses that you started elsewhere, or maybe want to just look into a higher Education, then try out some of the links I just wrote about in this post.

The new issue of Popular Mechanics has a list of essential tools for homeowners who work on common household repairs and do it yourself projects. Here is a good checklist of tools to have on hand:

1. Sledgehammer (8 or 10 pounds)
2. Center Punch
3. Putty Knife
4. Safety Glasses
5. Adjustable Wrench
6. Pipe Wrench
7. Socket Wrench
8. Combination Wrench
9. Jigsaw
10. Crosscut Saw
11. Snips
12. Needlenose Pliers
13. Power Drill with Drill Bits
14. Circular Saw
15. Measuring Tape
16. Hammer
17. Machinist Vise
18. Extension Cord  (12 or 10 gauge)
19. Screwdriver Set (or Multi-bit Screwdriver)

Something that is an actual bargain for the dollar is the washer and dryer that we buy for home use. They get used several times each week, in some homes they get used daily, and rarely break down or have any maintenance issues.

I have an older washer and dryer that I have been using for over 8 years. There is nothing wrong with them, but they are not the most economical machines. There have been a lot of advances in technology over the past 8n years.

The newest machines seem to be front loaders, that mount above a deep drawer unit that holds laundry detergent and other laundry supplies. The front loaders use less water, less electricity and hold larger loads than the older machines.

Math was my favorite subject in school. As soon as my Kindergarten teacher started talking about numbers, I was intrigued. All through high school and college, math was the subject that kept me interested and motivated throughout the school year.

Over all those years, I had one teacher who was not a good teacher. He probably didn’t even want to be teaching Algebra but it was his job, so he showed up every day and assigned us a lot of homework. I didn’t mind the homework, but I wish he had displayed some enthusiasm for the subject.

Thankfully, the following year, my Geometry teacher was outstanding. She explained the Acute triangle and the Isosceles triangle on the very first day of class and we hit the ground running. It was all smooth sailing after that.

Understanding a Line segment is also vital to learning and using Geometry. Kids who have a problem with the basics can at least get help online if their own parents are not a good resource for homework help. Many parents took Geometry in high school but have forgotten how to work with Indices and other critical math skills. Rather than let the kids get frustrated and develop an aversion to math, I hope their parents will try online homework help and free math tutoring for their kids.