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I just picked up DC Universe classics wave 03 Nightwing and Robin both are on my want list.
I just picked up DC Universe classics wave 03 Nightwing and Robin both are on my want list.
"These are the days of high adventure"
Got the following for my bday last week:
Nickelodeon TMNT Splinter, April, Krang, 3x Footsoldiers
TMNT Classic collection Donatello
Lego Star Wars Wampa Cave
Lego Star Wars Hoth Echo Base (LOVE THIS!!)
Vintage TMNT Mutagen Man MOC
Vintage TMNT Scumbug MOC
Star Wars vintage Droid 3 Pack.
MOTUC WISHLIST - Karg | Lady Slther | Kothos | Staghorn | Sorceress of Serpos Teela | Hunga the Harpy | Kittrina | Dylamug | Hawke | Angast | Zilora | Artilla | Quakke | Robo-Woman | Great Black Wizard | Enchantress | Red Beast | Delora | DC He-Man | DC Skeletor | Lodar | Fang-Or | Mini Comics Tri-Klops | Filmation Jitsu, Frosta & Kobra Khan | Hans Hammer Holder | Granita |
TMNT Classic Collection Raphael
TMNT Classic Collection Leonardo
so until (and if) they make more characters I have the set
Those Turtles are great wolfsgang.
"These are the days of high adventure"
Picked this up last night at Toys R Us (I actually went out to get it at 10pm just after I discovered it was released, they had it in stock, and the store is open until midnight for the holidays)....
A few months back (around mid-late summer) for whatever reason I got this bug up my butt to start collecting the Sonic figures. I wanted to get both the 'classic' and modern versions of the characters, but I wasn't concerned with being a full completest (i.e. getting 2 versions of otherwise the same figure because it comes with a different accessory or something). I found most of the relatively major (IMO) characters.
The ones that eluded me (one of which still does) were Vector, Espio, and Metal Sonic. Two of those characters, Vector and Espio, are in this pack. They originated from the game Knuckles Chaotix.. and obscure spin-off of Sonic that was made for the 32X. While the game is obscure (though I like it a lot), the characters have apparently appeared in the Sonic Comics since. They were previously released as a 2-pack with a comic, but that goes for A LOT on the secondary market and I wasn't going to pay that kind of money for them (Espio was also released in a 2-pack with Knuckles). In my searches trying to find a good price, I discovered that this set, including those two characters and Charmy the Bee (also from the same Knuckles Chaotix game) were scheduled to come out later in the year. So, I waited, and my patience paid off.
Now I just hope that Metal Sonic get re-released in some capacity. The previous couple of releases of him are hard to find and really expensive when they do pop up. Once I get him, and maybe a classic style Knuckles when and if they make him, I'll be happy with my collection.
I have been on a Halo kick so I recently bought most of the McFarlane Halo Reach Noble Team. I just need to get Noble Six and the team is complete.
Just ordered
Marvel Now Deadpool #1 (Skottie Young Baby Variant)
Deadpool #2
apparently they have been colored by some guy called Val Staples but it's a Deadpool comic so I won't hold that against them
I went a little nuts with black friday sales picking up imaginext toys for my son
Last edited by aleksandur; December 7, 2012 at 04:10am.
I got a couple of X-Men comics in the mail today. First I got Uncanny X-Men #14 which features the first appearance of Dr. Bolivar Trask and his mutant-hunting creations, the Sentinels. The comic starts off with the X-Men going on vacation after their torturous battle with the Juggernaut in the last issue. However, across the city, Bolivar Trask creates a panic about a mutant revolution against humans. Professor X catches wind of this and challenges Trask to a television debate a few days later. There, Trask unveils the Sentinels and, according to Robot law, they go crazy and capture their creator and depart the TV studio leaving one Sentinel to guard the crowd. The X-Men arrive, after a Professor X mental alert, and battle the Sentinel which mysteriously collapses on its own. Professor X is able to determine the Sentinels' headquarters from probing the computer "brain" and they soon depart there. Unfortunately as they arrive they are attacked by the base defenses! To be continued...
Second, I got Uncanny X-Men #66 which is the last of the original X-Men stories until issue #94 (which features the new X-Men team). Beginning with issue #67 and continuing to issue #93, all the books are just reprints of previous X-Men comics. But in this issue, the X-Men face off with the Hulk in order to procure a device that Dr. Banner create which would help heal an ailing Professor X. The X-Men end up subduing the Hulk (yeah, right) and Bruce Banner agrees to help the X-Men but unfortunately the army shows up to arrest Banner. Well, this makes the Hulk angry and he escapes. The X-Men pursue the Hulk who, despite being the Hulk, leads them to Banner's old lab where the device is kept. The X-Men bring the device, a gamma healer, to Professor X and he gets well.
Now with this comic, I have every issue of Uncanny X-Men from issue #60 to #260.
"Wheresoever on earth he dwells, man is prey to two weaknesses: the need to pray and the need to love."-Marquis de Sade
"It is not by reasoning or by our understanding that we have received our religion; it is by external authority and command."-Michel De Montaigne
Heretical Vintage Purist and Non-Fan Extraordinaire!
I won a bunch of X-Men and Spidey books on ebay for a song, but at present I'm too lazy to dig them all out to list them. However the biggest win recently was Green Lantern (Vol.2) #29, from 1964 which features the first appearance of The Black Hand (who of course played a good sized role in Blackest Night if I heard right) got the book for 9.50, and the guy at my local comic shop graded it at very good but said that if he were pricing it he'd book it at fine instead, so my 9.50 turned out to be worth 40-50 bucks in the end. So that's a big plus to me!
This little beauty:
By the way, Mari spent 7 days in the mail getting to me from Hong Kong. Frosta took 40 days to reach me from California. How is that right?
I found both of these today, finishing up the set, at least until Hasbro makes a 3rd series(come on, we need a proper Fluttershy, yellow Rainbow Dash isn't good enough).
Wheeljack + Warpath
Anybody know of a store where I might find Blur or Scourge?
Those who can master the kairu can become all-powerful Redakai
FINALLY, got the SDCC Wondertwins set from BBTS. And man do they look great. Landed them for half of what eBay or amazon would have cost me. Now if they can unearth a Lobo and Giganta head and waist piece that won't cost me a car payment, I'd be sitting pretty.
found DDG Operetta at Walmart
got a Go-Bots green Creepy in the mail. I paid $6 shipped for it
Don't you have better thing to do than read this stupid signature
Tony Clifton : Kaufman was a hack....hack sack pack nack !
Right, time for another MU post.
Finally bit the bullet and picked up the Fantastic Four Team Pack from BBTS. They had this one forever for $26.99, which I thought was way way too much, but now they lowered the price to a much more reasonable $16.99, which is less than what three figures would cost you at retail these days.
The figures aren't anything spectacular at all. They all use old bucks (this pack came out in 2011) and thus have somewhat shoddy articulation. But since there doesn't seem to be any FF in the cards anytime soon, I caved in and got it just for the display purposes.
Here's the gang with my wave 1 Johnny Storm. I paid more for that figure than for the entire 3-pack!
Oh, and I lucked out with this one. I wanted the blue costumes (would have preferred the Kirby or Byrne variants, but this is close), and I got them, but I also got the clear Invisible Woman variant. She looks cool!
Congrats on the clear Invisible Woman! I have the normal version. Sandman, that 3 pack was $30 here in the states. You didn't have a choice as to which version you got did you?
I also have the Secret Wars Human Torch--I never liked the modern way that they have him flame on.
The Official 200X Sorceress vs 200X Evil-Lyn 2 Pack Support Thread
The Blonde Teela Thread
Sagitar (Jetlag) Azdar Belzar Chazdar 200X Evil-Lyn 200X Teenage Prince Adam 200X Teenage Teela 200X Sorceress General Rattlor (MYP) 200X King Randor and Queen Marlena 200X Battle Armor King Randor and Battle Armor Queen Marlena Ice Armor He-Man WMD Roboto
Lego Star Wars Desert Skiff
Transformers BotCon exclusive Gigatron/Overlord
HeadRobots Skel-E-Tron upgrade set for Overlord
I got tons of comics this weekend. Starting off with Uncanny X-Men #18 in which Iceman, fresh from a hospital stay, battles Magneto and tries to stop his mutant cloning factory that's been set up in the X-Mansion. The other X-Men as well as Professor X are steadily floating into space in a device built by Magneto after he defeated them in the last issue.
Then I got Uncanny X-Men #19 which features the first appearance of The Mimic. After battling the Sentinels and Magneto, Professor X decides that the X-Men need time off. Iceman and Beast decide to seek female companionship and come across the Mimic in the city who immediately mimics their powers. He defeats them and realizes who the yreally are due to the nature of his newly acquired powers. He decides to follow them back to the mansion to acquire the other X-Men powers in order to defeat them all. However, the teamwork of the X-Men helps defeat the solitary Mimic and he retreats to his cave hideout with a kidnapped Marvel Girl. There he recounts his origin and reveals a machine designed by scientist father that he believes will make any power he absorbs permanent. The X-Men reach the cave but Professor X commands them to allow the Mimic to activate the machine. As he does so, the machine renders the Mimic unconcious and de-powered. The X-Men escape with the Mimic as the hideout explodes. Professor X then goes on to explain that the machine was built by the Mimic's father in order to take away his son's powers so that he may live without the problems such power would inevitable bring.
I also got The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3 in which the Avengers offer Spider-Man membership into their group if he can bring the Hulk back to them. It also has reprints of Spider-Man's battles with Dr. Octopus from Amazing Spider-Man #11 and #12.
With this Spider-Man annual I now have every Amazing Spider-Man annual from #2 to #26. I only need Annual #1 now...
Plus I got Avengers West Coast #47-#102 and Avengers West Coast Annuals #6-#8 effectively giving me the entire run (#1-#102) of that comic book series (including the introductory limited series).
"Wheresoever on earth he dwells, man is prey to two weaknesses: the need to pray and the need to love."-Marquis de Sade
"It is not by reasoning or by our understanding that we have received our religion; it is by external authority and command."-Michel De Montaigne
Heretical Vintage Purist and Non-Fan Extraordinaire!
I'm not super-crazy over Reed and Johnny's designs either, Max, but as I said there are no new versions of the FF announced so far... so this may be all we get.
Your friendly neighborhood org member!
one of these


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Delay will allow developer and Oxy time to discuss access to mineral rights
The Taft City Council delayed for one week a crucial vote on new housing tract for Taft.
The delay give the city time to change the wording on environmental documents for the development and additional time to allow the developer and Occidental of Elk Hills more time to work out an agreement on the oil companies access to oil under the land.
The proposed Hillside Estates/Hillside Terrace estates development sits atop land that Oxy owns the mineral rights to.
Oxy external affairs manager Susie Geiger told the council Tuesday night that the firm needs more time to study the proposed housing tract that would bring 300 to 400 new homes to the west side of Taft.
The developers initially sought approval at last night's meeting for environmental documentation and a vesting tentative tract map for the Hill.
They agreed, at the request of the council, to wait another week.
Mayor Paul Linder and the council voted to table the discussion and the vote until a special meeting on Jan. 23 at 6 p.m.
See Friday's Taft Midway Driller print edition for a complete report on Tuesday's meeting and all the issues raised at a 3-hour, 15-minute session.

subset: commoncrawl


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« Back to people
Daniel PalkowskiFormer Adjunct, Class of
|Courses Taught:
|Digital Sound Workshop/MIDI and Synthesis
Digital Sound Lab
Dan Palkowski is a composer, performer, sound designer and new media developer. A specialist in electronic music and MIDI (musical instrument digital interface), he has taught composition, theory, electronic music, and audio technology at Columbia University, the Manhattan School of Music, New York University, and the Hoff Barthelson Music School. He has written music for films, orchestras, operas, plays and multimedia works. Commissions include the Westchester Philharmonic, Music from China, the Sydney Alpha Ensemble, CD-ROM's by HarperCollins, MacMillan Digital and the Voyager Company, Disney Online, and Ernst & Young, where he currently holds a full time position as a webcaster, video editor, podcaster and engineer. He is keyboardist in the trio Erbium ( http://www.myspace.com/erbiummusic ).


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The Department of Athletics at the University of Idaho is committed to enhancing the visibility and image of the university by:
- Developing and maintaining competitive, integrity-based, athletic programs
- Uniting students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community
- Educating and graduating student-athletes
- Competing for championships
Core Values:
The University of Idaho Athletics Department has sponsored collegiate athletics for more than 100 years. During this period, countless student-athletes, coaches and staff have constructed a rich history of athletic competition and academic accomplishment. It is the responsibility of current and future department members to continue this storied legacy. Academic achievement, athletic success and personal development are the constructs of Vandal Pride and Tradition.
Vandal Pride is a celebrated attitude, feeling and mentality. Parties associated with the University of Idaho Athletics Department are proud of the Vandal Tradition and believe in the overarching goal of a Commitment to Excellence.
Commitment to Excellence
All personnel in the University of Idaho Athletics Department, including student-athletes, coaches, administrative professionals and support staff, are committed to achieving Excellence. Working to achieve optimal outcomes in all situations is a fundamental belief. This attitude is reiterated daily through activities and behavior, helping to develop Pride. Maintaining a Customer Focus and ensuring the demands and needs of all athletic, university and social entities are met is a long-standing Tradition at the University of Idaho Athletics Department.
Customer Focus
It is the pledge of the University of Idaho Athletics Department to retain the Tradition of serving all customers in the most effective way possible. A Customer-Focused mindset instills the ideals of progress and a Commitment to Excellence throughout the university and community. This customer-first attitude also helps to foster relationships and build Accountability among all individuals involved. Continuing this legacy of stewardship is a fundamental aspect of Vandal Pride.
Being a part of the Idaho Tradition means an individual has vowed to continue and expand the Excellence already in place. Being a member of the Vandal family also means being held Accountable for maintaining a Customer Focus in all circumstances. These responsibilities must be accomplished through the highest levels of Integrity and Pride as each action reflects on the University of Idaho Athletics Department.
The University of Idaho Athletics Department is committed to becoming a premier athletic organization. This vision can only be accomplished through a Commitment to Excellence, support of Diversity and Gender Equity and dedication to Customer-Focused endeavors. Remaining steadfast to these beliefs and Traditions are the primary responsibilities of the department. It is essential that each departmental function be carried out with the utmost Integrity and Accountability. Doing what is right, at all times and at the highest level of achievement is the principle of Vandal Pride.
Diversity and Gender Equity
Embracing Diversity and practicing Gender Equity are things in which the University of Idaho Athletics Department takes great Pride. Excellence cannot be achieved without diversity and equity in all practices and Customer Focused operations. The Integrity of the Vandal Tradition relies on the Accountability of all departmental associates to adhere to this fundamental belief.
Pride. Tradition. Excellence.
In early 2009, the University of Idaho Athletics Department adopted the tagline 'Pride. Tradition. Excellence.' for internal and various external uses. The tagline reflects the mission and vision statements as well as the core values of the department.
Vandal Pride is a celebrated attitude, feeling, and mentality. Associated parties are proud of the Vandal Tradition and believe in the overarching goal of a commitment to Excellence.
For more than 100 years, student-athletes, coaches, and staff have been part of the Idaho Tradition. Academic achievement, athletic success, and personal development are the constructs of Vandal Pride and Excellence.
The University of Idaho Athletics Department is committed to achieving Excellence. This attitude is reiterated daily, developing Pride. Pursuing and attaining greatness is a long standing Idaho Tradition.
Pride. Tradition. Excellence.


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America is the land of the free — or so we would like to believe. But where does this freedom come from? There are only two answers: from the will of the governed, including government itself; or from the hand of Almighty God.
The most popular of these two opinions is the first. One of the problems with that view is that if the governed, including the government itself, gives freedom, then it can also take it away — and we submit we are seeing this happen with a fair degree of regularity. For instance, the new health care law, commonly called ObamaCare, rides roughshod over the consciences of individuals, companies and even church-related institutions of higher learning with regard to the mandatory providing of abortion-related drugs. This restraint of freedom is also being found in the military where officers often are not allowed to place a Bible on their desks or talk about their faith outside of the their homes or churches, a policy which threatens the very work of the chaplains.
The Bible informs us that freedom, however, is not man-centered but God-centered. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Now if this statement is true, then we need to search the scriptures to determine how freedom is to be exercised.
On the other hand, if the statement is false, we have a bigger problem. We have an issue with the credibility of Jesus Christ — regarded as equal in essence with God the Father. If Jesus is wrong about freedom, then he is wrong about everything else, or at least suspect.
One of the consequences of holding to this view is that, while our consciences are not infallible, they are given to us by God as part of our make-up and therefore should not be violated, even if that conscience is wrong. An illustration of the latter is our view of religious freedom in this country, i.e., we are free to believe in God or no God at all — contrasted to those in Islamic cultures where "if you do not believe as I do," you can be executed as an infidel.
It would seem, therefore, if we want to be truly a land of the free, we need to return to the understanding that freedom is God-given and not derived from the consent of the governed or from government itself.


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Great travel photos from around the world
The vast Caesars Entertainment empire in Las Vegas thinks small is beautiful.
French Polynesia is just eight hours from Los Angeles, but ensconced in the Four Seasons BoraBora or the Brando resort, it's worlds away. If the Garden...
After three enlightening months in Europe, here's what we miss.
In an international city like Montreal, you can't talk about food without talking about history and culture. At least that's what I discovered during ...
As soon as Clea Massiani appears blond hair flowing behind the wheel of a Citroen 2CV, I fall in love.
Astrology devotees believe the stars can strongly increase our desire to travel between the two birth dates of our zodiac sign. I think the devotee who...
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"Okay, I never have luck with self tanning lotions but I tried this after putting on Australian Gold After Sun Tan Extender lotion and letting it soak in first. I had no streaks, no dark spots and a healthy glow. I recommend this to all my friends.
"From someone who rarely gets a tan this stuff worked. I like the smell, very tropical."


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Tehachapi, California, November 16, 2010 - A view of the Tehachapi Wind Farm, a collection of about 5,000 wind turbines operated by over a dozen private companies. It is the second largest collection of wind generators in the world, however it ranks first in terms of output, collectively producing about 800 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. California is leading the nation in renewable energy. In 2002, California established its Renewable Portfolio Standard Program, with the goal of...
more »
» View Daryl Peveto
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Sponsored by Swimming and Diving (women)
Luther placed sixth at the two-day Rochester Invitational hosted by St. Cloud State University.
Clare Slagel was crowned the champion of both the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke establishing new school records in the process. Slagel won the 100 backstroke with a time of 55.70, breaking her own record of 57.61 set on Nov. 10. Emily Green of Minnesota State-Mankato was second clocked at 57.90.
In the 200 backstroke, Slagel crushed her previous record in this event by nearly five seconds. Slagel touched the wall in 2:01.38 finishing nearly four seconds ahead of runner-up Paige Stavely of University of South Dakota. Slagel's old mark in this event was 2:06.70 also set on Nov. 10. Both of Slagel's times in the 100 and 200 backstroke currently rank fifth in the NCAA III.
Slagel also placed third in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:10.59 that ranks second on Luther's all-time list.
Lexi Scharmer, who advanced to the B-final of the 100 butterfly, posted the third best time in Luther history with a mark of 59.41.
The 400 medley relay of Slagel, Erin Connolly, Scharmer and Laura Boran set a school record of 3:56.43. The foursome placed fourth and were .04 seconds from finishing third.
The old mark in this event was 3:58.0 set by Erin Mykleby, Stephanie Drewes, Amelia Ladd and Connolly Feb. 16, 2012.
Luther will travel to University of St. Thomas for a two-day invitational that will take place Dec. 7-8.
Questions? Contact David Blanchard, post_to_results, 563-387-1586


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Microsoft® Windows® HPC Server 2008 (HPCS) provides a productive, cost-effective, and high-performance computing (HPC) solution that runs on x64-bit hardware. Windows HPC Server 2008 can be deployed, managed, and extended using familiar tools and technologies.
Windows HPC Server 2008 enables broader adoption of HPC by providing a rich and integrated end-user experience scaling from the desktop application to the clusters. A wide range of software vendors, in various verticals, have designed their applications to work seamlessly with Windows HPC Server 2008 so that users can submit and monitor jobs from within familiar applications without having to learn new or complex user interfaces.
Developing parallel programs requires integrated development environments along with support for distributed computing standards. Visual Studio 2008 provides a comprehensive parallel programming environment for Windows HPC Server 2008. In addition to supporting OpenMP, MPI, and Web Services, Windows HPC Server 2008 also supports third-party numerical library providers, performance optimizers, compilers, and a native parallel debugger for developing and troubleshooting parallel programs.
For more product information go to: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/ccs/default.aspx
Viglen Intel processor-based compute clusters run Linux, using the Intel Cluster Ready architecture to ensure application compatibility and ease of deployment. Every certified cluster is fully tested and arrives ready to run, registered applications install and work, and offering simplified troubleshooting.
For HPC solutions and further information, please use the following contact details.
01727 201860 01727 201888 firstname.lastname@example.com


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President Obama is faced with a budget that is spiraling out of control and we all agree that spending has to be cut. But where and whom do we hurt in the process? The President's recent State of the Union address specially targeted the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) as a program for which he would cut funding by 50%. Few people know what CSBG is and how sit impacts their community.
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DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke baseball team exploded for a season-high 18 hits and routed visiting UNC Greensboro, 17-2, Tuesday evening at Jack Coombs Field. Duke's 17 runs scored marked a season high as the Blue Devils have won eight of their past nine games.
Redshirt sophomore Chris Marconcini totaled a career-high five RBI, belting both a triple and a home run in the contest, while three Blue Devils – Jordan Betts, Kenny Koplove and Ryan Munger – had three hits apiece.
Trailing 2-0 heading to the bottom of the third, Duke (20-14, 8-7 ACC) put six runs on the board to take a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the way. The Blue Devils, who went 11-for-19 at the plate with two outs, added four runs in the fourth and seven in the fifth to stake a 15-run advantage.
The Spartans jumped out to an early lead in the opening frame, utilizing a trio of singles to plate the first run of the game. UNCG (16-17, 4-8 SoCon) added its second and final run on a wild pitch for the 2-0 lead.
The momentum shifted in Duke's favor in the third as Marconcini drilled a two-out, bases-loaded triple to turn a two-run deficit into a 3-2 advantage. Junior Mark Lumpa and Koplove continued the rally with a single and double, respectively, and Munger drove in the pair to put the Blue Devils on top, 6-2. Munger would finish the night 3-for-5 with a career-high four RBI.
Duke's offense continued to plug away in the following inning, plating four to take a commanding 10-2 lead. Sophomore Andy Perez led off with a base hit and came home on a Jeff Kremer double. Marconcini picked up his fourth and fifth RBI of the evening with a two-run blast to right, his team-leading sixth home run of the season.
Munger led off the fifth with a base hit and added a two-run double in the frame as Duke plated its final seven runs of the contest. Betts and Koplove each added a two-run single to keep the inning going. Betts would end the night 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored, while Koplove was 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Freshman Michael Matuella (3-2) settled down after the first inning and did not allow a run the rest of the way en route to his third win of the season. The rookie right-hander allowed the two first-inning runs and scattered five hits while striking out two on the night.
UNCG starter Dylan Hancock (2-3) suffered the loss, giving up six runs on five hits over 2.2 innings of work.
Duke returns to action tomorrow, hosting N.C. Central at 6 p.m., at Jack Coombs Field.


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The Capital Grille Chrysler Building
Conveniently located next to Grand Central Terminal, your guests will marvel at the architecture of our Trylon Towers, our elegant Chrysler Room and our stylish Wine Vault, while enjoying classic steakhouse fare such as our dry aged porterhouse, creative seafood dishes like our citrus glazed salmon and our award-winning wine list that is sure to please. Every private dining room is elegantly appointed with the warmth of mahogany, the comfort of leather and the glow of brass accents. All offer you the intimate atmosphere that makes special gatherings, well, special.
- Phone
- (212) 953-2000
- Contact
- Jill Dickstein
- email@example.com
- Website
- www.thecapitalgrille.com
More Venues (A-F)
Abigail Adams Smith Auditorium and the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden
A 2,300-square-foot open space suitable for parties, meetings and concerts. Features street-level access, galley kitchen and Colonial-style garden and grounds surrounding historic house museum.
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center
Alice Tully Hall is one of the most popular and frequently-used performance halls on the Lincoln Center campus. The theater features upgraded equipment, digital cinema projectors, a built-in film screen and state-of-the-art production capabilities. Wood cut from a single African moabi tree envelops the theater which offers ample leg room, Wi-Fi access and expanded technical opportunities for live streaming. Soaring to three stories, the glass-enclosed lobbies feature two distinct spaces which can be re-purposed for breakout rooms and receptions.
American Museum of Natural History
More than 40 exhibition halls, showcasing some of the greatest treasures and natural wonders of the world, are available for special events.
Apella is New York City�s most innovative meeting and event space, located within The Alexandria Center for Life Science. We offer 10 thoughtfully designed rooms with contemporary interiors, state�of-the-art technology, and expansive East River and city skyline views. Events at Apella are managed by Backal Management Group and are exclusively catered by Riverpark, A Tom Colicchio Restaurant, and �wichcraft.
Arena Event Space
Available for corporate or private events for 50-500 guests. Stage�ready, (3) 16�x20� projection screens, HD projectors, wireless microphones, LCD TV�s and an extensive lighting/sound system. 5,600 square foot venue with an additional 2,000 square feet of rentable space located downstairs from Arena.
Armory on the Hudson
Home of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame and a world-class 60,000-square-foot arena, Armory on the Hudson provides a variety of rental options for events such as sports, expos, large lectures, commencements, concerts and social functions.
Artie�s New York Delicatessen
Accommodates up to 100, seated, for corporate events. Catering and party trays available. Atrium accommodates up to 50 for private events.
Astra by Chef Charle Palmer
A cafe by day, chef Charlie Palmer's Astra is an ideal location of New York City private events. Located in Midtown Manhattan's exclusive Decoration & Design building, the panoramic river view from Astra's 14th floor terrace is only one of its spectacular offerings. Under the direction of chef de cuisine Adam Bordonaro, the kitchen turns out personalized menus from cocktails and hors d'oeuvres to full dining, while the airy event space offers sophisticated but friendly service for both corporate and social events.
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Hi Jeffrey,
We are refinishing our basement to accommodate a large TV room, a home office and a three-piece bath. My husband and I have two teen boys and we want them to have a nice space they can bring friends to, so we know where they are and what they're up to. All three males in the house want leather furniture downstairs but I can't help but think of big, rounded, ugly leather sofas. (The kind I made my husband get rid of when we married.) What are your thoughts on leather furniture and is there such a thing as stylish pieces?
Thank you, Jill
To be honest, Jill, I think the attraction to leather furniture is a guy thing. I have placed numerous leather sofas and chairs in client's homes, but it's always the men of the house driving the steering committee.
I don't think it helped the popularity of leather sofas, when at one time, it seemed every bachelor owned an over-stuffed black edition. They were the status symbol of the single guy. And then women such as yourself spent years excising such furniture, until finally any self-respecting bachelor wouldn't go near one. But secretly, deep down, former bachelors harbour a suppressed love of leather. Now, whenever a decorating question arises, they revert to their first love: leather.
To be sure, there is nothing more practical for upholstery then leather. It's durable, cleans easily and lasts forever. (All great qualities for furniture when the primary users are teen boys and their friends.) And the design of leather sofas has come a long, long way. Whether your tastes lean to modern, transitional or traditional, you really will find something to suit you and your boys in leather. I promise.
Restoration Hardware has exceptional, well-designed pieces worth taking a look (restorationhardware.com). They have a wide selection of styles that I'm sure you'll adore and feel compelled to own.
The sectional sofa pictured on this page is from the Maxwell collection, and is upholstered in hand-tanned Italian leather. You mention your new TV room is large, so if space allows I suggest a sectional as they're great for hanging out and watching a movie. This collection comes in as many configurations as you could possibly want and they're all available to view online.
Notice the leather bean bag chair in the foreground of the photo. Few pieces are as comfortable - and at times harder to get out of - and I love using them when decorating for teens. They're always a huge hit and best of all, they're easy to move around.
I certainly understand why you were against leather furniture, Jill, but I think when you look at what's currently on offer you'll be pleasantly surprised. And better to get onboard with the idea so you don't leave all the design decisions to the gentlemen of your household.
Happy decorating, Jeffrey
Send your design question to firstname.lastname@example.com


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MSGL Summer Camp is open to Preschoolers through 1st Graders who are currently enrolled or recent alumni and while it is a really great time for all of those kids who have been here before, it is especially helpful for children new to MSGL and for the toddlers who are graduating to preschool. For these children, Summer Camp is the perfect way to ease into the routines of preschool and to set the stage for a successful start in August.
The absolute best part of being a Montessori directress - or ANY teacher, anywhere, I imagine - is watching the children develop and grow. We spend time with your children each day, observing and guiding them, and we get to see them just as they are in that moment. And what they are, as Grace Harvey says, is "totes amazeballs" (totally amazing). They grow in strength, wisdom, and courage right before our very eyes.
Today I will just speak to their courage because courage is the thing that gets your child through his or her day without you. In more stuffy circles it might be called confidence, but when you are only 28 inches tall and mom or dad just drove out of the parking lot, you've got to be brave to pull yourself together, to turn to face that great big green space filled with people you don't know and sally forth through the rest of your morning.
Maya Angelou said, "Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistenly without courage." During last week's Summer Camp, there were many examples of children developing their courage and I will share a few.
During Friday's Bike Day, a 4-year-old friend who enthusiastically embraces everything at school stopped his bike right at my toes, looked out at the cars going by on Sagamore Parkway, and said, "I miss my dad and my mom. And my little brother. And our dog. And they are missing me, too." I listened and commiserated and soon he took off speeding around the course. His courage waned for only a moment then he got back on his bike.
The 5-year-olds are totally courageous (one might even say fearless) out on the bike course and they consider their turn during Bike Day to be a race even though there is no starting line and no trophies. As they put on their helmets, their talk is all about who will win. When D missed his turn to ride with his fellow 4-year-olds, he got to ride with the 5's (a truly courageous decision) alonside his big brother. After the race, D was a little upset that he didn't "win." His big brother reassured him, "No, you DID win, D! Did you see all those people going by you? That's because you won!" (Just a note: We have a lot of siblings at camp this year and even though we know sibling rivalry is a real thing, you couldn't tell by watching these brothers and sisters interact at school. Whether it's inviting a little sister to play or feeding a little brother apples during snack, your children take good care of each other when they are away from mom and dad.)
The exploding paint activity required all different types of bravery, especially from the teachers. For this activity, the children put a scoop of baking soda and some colored vinegar in a plastic baggie, sealed it and shook it up before throwing it on the ground to watch it explode. If there was no explosion the child could take a pin-puncher and pop the bag. Loud noises, spraying liquids - it's not an experiment for the timid.
Courage hung thick in the air under the willow tree on Friday as children experimented with the log seesaw. Little ones who started out holding our hands as they walked the length of the log until it dropped to the ground were able to do it by themselves after seven or eight attempts. One group of brave 5 and 6-year-old girls inspired their younger sisters and friends to walk the seesaw and soon there there were eight girls waiting in line for a turn. These are some of the same girls who regularly show others how to draw pictures of princesses and fairies in the classroom. For me, this experience was a reminder that when we worry that a child is "only drawing" or "only playing" it's time to take a break and get a cup of coffee while the children follow their interests.
Maria Montessori observed that by using their senses and their big, beautiful brains, children can naturally learn everything they need to about their world. All they need is a caring community of adults to prepare an environment where that learning can occur. She described it this way, "The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences."
MSGL provides such an environment in our classrooms and on our beautiful campus that has been created by you and other parents like you. When you bring your child to Summer Camp next week or to Preschool this fall, you are allowing her to bravely conduct her own experiences apart from you. And that requires real courage from both of you.
See you soon!
The weather forecast calls for all of this snow to be melting in about a week. In case you think you just can't wait that long, here are some photos of MSGL summers past to see you through.
1994 - Digging in the tiny sandbox at Morton Center.
2000 - Hula hooping at Morton Center.
2001 - Hi Cathy!
2002 - The Parent/Infant class posing by the sandbox.
2003 - Waiting for a wagon ride.
2009 - Sack racing at the family picnic at Happy Hollow Park.
2010 - Releasing a newly-emerged Monarch butterfly.
2011 - Summer camp besties.
2012 - Shoveling in the shady sandbox.
2013 - Gardening at summer camp.
It will only be a few more days until warmer, friendlier weather arrives. Until then, take heart! Spring never fails to arrive.
Have a terrific Wednesday.
Grace's first day of Montessori preschool, 1997.
Last summer, my 19-year-old daughter was getting ready to move into her first apartment. I was excited for her to have the chance to live on her own and had been setting aside household items that I thought she could use. One day, after admiring the "steal" of a chair I had found at Goodwill, she asked me, "Aren't you sad that I won't live here anymore?"
"Well, honey," I said, "I always imagined that you would grow up and move out of the house. That was our goal all along for you to be an independent, self-sufficient person."
"I know," she said. "But I'm kind of sad that I won't be sleeping here anymore."
I reminded her that she had hardly slept at home at all since she started college last year. She lived in the dorm, four hours away from home and we often didn't hear from her for days.
"Yeah, but this is different. I just can't believe this won't be my home address anymore. Are you going to change the garage door code?"
A-ha! Then I figured it out. She was worried about cutting the cord from the house where she grew up. I had been concerning myself with making sure she was comfortable "out there" and she was worried she would no longer be welcome back at home.
It occurred to me that not much has changed between that day and the day sixteen years ago when we were preparing to send her to preschool here at the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette. Back then we were so excited to help our "baby" pick out a new lunch box and indoor shoes but we had little idea what to do to help prepare her (or ourselves) emotionally for this new chapter. She sailed through preschool and is now working through nursing school just fine, but we have learned a lot since then. Today I am sharing some tips and advice gathered from teachers and parents here at MSGL to help you and your child prepare for the first days of preschool.
Talk about school - mindfully.
Talk with your child about preschool when he is in the mood. Maybe he will bring it up or you can start the conversation, just don't push too hard. If your child seems "done" with the conversation or is becoming anxious, let the topic drop until later. And be honest about your feelings when you do talk about school. Some children worry that their parents will be sad or lonely when they are gone. When you say, "I am going to miss being with you in the morning, but it makes me happy to know you will be enjoying yourself at school," it lets him know that you will miss him but you are confident that school is a good place for him to be.
Check out the new environment.
MSGL's Parent Work Day is Saturday, August 16th. This is a great time to get familiar with the school and classroom environments and to be part of the school community. Children are encouraged to help clean lockers, pull weeds, and load and unload wheelbarrows full of mulch right alongside their parents and new classmates. And, each family member's time counts towards your volunteer hours requirement.
You will have another opportunity to get familiar with the school when your child attends her New Student Orientation visit on Monday, August 18th. This is her first opportunity to see her teachers and classmates in her new classroom. She can put her indoor shoes in her locker, locate her cubby and extra clothes box, and see where the bathroom is. The whole family can attend the Parent Orientation later that evening and maybe your child can give a tour of her new classroom.
Make new friends.
You will receive a class list via email in August. Consider contacting a few families on the list to set up a playdate before school starts. Even if you can't get together with any other families, you and your child can look over the names on the list together. You may discover that one of his classmates lives on your street or maybe someone has the same name as a sibling or a friend.
Help her dress for success.
Our Montessori classrooms are prepared to encourage your child's independence and you can help by providing your child with shoes and clothing that she can put on and take off by herself. Belts, suspenders, and jumpsuits look smart but they can be difficult for your child to use successfully. Provide your child a choice of clothing that allows her complete independence in her self-care routines. And please remember that preschool is a time to jump in and explore. Paint, snack, sand, and dirt from the garden can stain your child's clothing, so please send her to school in clothes that can stand to get dirty.
Plan a morning routine.
Now is a good time to do a mental run-through of your morning routine. Consider how much time your child needs to wake up, get dressed, and eat breakfast. Allow time for packing lunches, finding coats and shoes, and getting on the bike or in the car. Then add a few extra minutes. Parents and children who are not in a rush tend to have much better experiences at drop-off. Some families even do a few "practice runs" in the summer to see if they can get to school and work on time.
Create a goodbye routine.
Discuss with your child how you each want to say goodbye at drop-off. Some families say, "After you put on your inside shoes and put away your lunch box, we will walk to the classroom and I will give you three hugs and two kisses before I go to work." Some children like to wave to dad out the window and some parents leave their children with specific plans for what they will do after school. "Sonia is picking you up today" or "we are going to the Farmer's Market on our bikes after school today." Children have so little control over their daily lives that they appreciate at least knowing what is happening and when.
And while we're talking about goodbyes, let's take just a moment to consider the specter of separation anxiety.
What if my child cries when I walk away?
Separating from your child that first time can be heart-breaking, but remember - it's only for a few moments. The majority of children who are sad when they separate from their parents are able to calm themselves and choose an activity within a few minutes. If you have gone through the goodbye routine and are finding it hard to turn around and walk away, ask your teacher for help. Sometimes parents say, "Please help me. I need to leave." That is the teacher's sign that she needs to hold your child's hand or pick her up so that you can walk away. Teachers don't want to step in before you are ready to go but they are happy to help when you ask them.
The best thing you can do for your child at drop-off is to be consistent and walk away when you say you will. Lingering tends to just prolong the heartache for the parent and the child. The first few times you drop your child off may be difficult, but trust that with consistent repetition you and your child will develop a peaceful good-bye routine.
Talk with the teachers.
Talk with your child's teachers about how the adjustment period is going. The teachers help dozens of children adjust to school every year but this may be your first time. They expect you will have questions and concerns. Email is a great way to communicate with your child's teachers and all of the contact information is available on the classroom web page at Msgl.org.
Help your child talk about his day.
If this is the first time your child has been away from home you will no doubt be very eager to know what he did all day. Unfortunately, preschoolers often say they "did nothing" or "just played." A lot of things happened between the time you dropped him off that morning and when you picked him up several hours later, but he might not yet be able to give a sequential list of his activities. Here are some ideas to help your child tell you about his day.
Take care of yourself!
The best thing you can do during these last few weeks of summer is to give you and your child the gift of a regular bedtime that allows enough sleep to wake up refreshed and ready for the big days ahead. Fill up with a good breakfast each morning and be extra patient with your child and especially with yourself. Parenting preschoolers, like college students, is hard work and there is no right way to do it. Follow your heart and follow your child, and in sixteen years, or so, you will be very proud of the people you have both become.
"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek with Carissa Pekny during the 2016 College Championships.
Photo courtesy Jeopardy Productions, Inc.
Montessori School of Greater Lafayette (MSGL) alumna Carissa Pekny appeared this week on the "Jeopardy! 2016 College Championship." A senior studying environmental science at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Carissa was one of 15 contestants competing this week on the TV game show for a chance at a $100,000 prize. Carissa graduated from second grade at MSGL in 2002.
You can watch the contestant preview video here: https://www.jeopardy.com/tournaments/2016/college-championship
Carissa almost didn't take the call the day an unknown number from Culver City, California showed up on her phone. She gets a lot of phone solicitations and was going to ignore it, but she answered and heard, "Hi, this is Amy from 'Jeopardy!'" That call was the end of a two-month process that started with an online test in November. Approximately 3,000 students took the online test and Carissa was one of the few who moved on to the regional audition.
"They tell you (at the regional audition) that if you get a call in a few weeks, you will be on the show. If you don't get a call and you don't see yourself on the "Jeopardy! College Championship" episode in February, you'll know you didn't make it," she said.
Carissa did make it to the show and she took her parents Joe and Chris, her sister Chelsea, and a West Point friend along to Universal Studios when the show was filmed over two days in January. There were fourteen other contestants and they filmed five tournament episodes each day. She described the "Jeopardy!" studio as being much different than she expected.
"You watch them on TV and think the studio is massive, but the studio is actually really small. There is room for maybe 100 people in the audience," she said.
Carissa has always liked trivia and she and her mom would compete against each other while watching the TV show at home.
"Jeopardy has been my mom's dream, too," she said.
In fact, Carissa was surprised to hear just how excited her mom really was. When she told her parents she was accepted into medical school in November, her mom was happy. But Carissa wasn't prepared for her response to the spot on "Jeopardy! College Championship."
"When I called to tell her, I said, 'Wow, you didn't even act this happy when I called you a month ago!'" she said.
Carissa started out strong in the first round of the quarterfinals on Monday answering questions about science, history, and popular music, but ultimately it was Emily Sun, a freshman from Columbia University, who advanced to the semi-finals. Carissa said she was a little nervous at first, but her experience as an athlete helped her concentrate on the task at hand.
"Just like any sports game, I was able to focus my nervous energy into focusing on answering the questions and buzzing in on the buzzer," she said.
Carissa's natural curiosity might be at the heart of her love for trivia. She discovered an affinity for research when she was in Marshall Overley's chemistry class at West Lafayette High School. After graduating in 2012, she moved on to West Point where she started doing malaria research in her sophomore year. That interest led her to spend 3 ½ weeks in Australia working at the Australian Army Malaria Institute.
"This was a way to do things that I liked doing that had implications for medical research," Carissa said.
Carissa Pekny, second from left, during Ring Weekend at West Point.
She plans to continue in the field of medical research next year as she begins medical school at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.
In high school, Carissa was an accomplished athlete who played on the WLHS soccer, basketball, and softball teams. When she arrived at West Point in July of 2012 for Beast Barracks, West Point's Cadet Basic Training, she thought she was physically fit but discovered she wasn't really prepared for that level of physical conditioning.
"I'm not much for quitting things so I decided to stick it out until the school year and not do anything too brash," she said.
That decision paid off when it became clear that even though she may not have been physically prepared for basic training, she was academically prepared for a challenging course load. On top of becoming a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, every West Point graduate receives a Bachelors of Science degree, no matter what their major, because of the required core of math and science classes.
Carissa Pekny playing rugby for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Photo courtesy of West Point.
Once she made it through Beast Barracks, Carissa went out for the women's rugby team. She had never played rugby before, but was selected for the West Point team in her freshman year and currently plays inside center. Carissa was named to the USA Rugby Academic Honor Roll in 2015 for being a consistent starter on the team and maintaining a 3.9 or greater cumulative grade point average. The team travels around the country for both a spring and a fall season. She expressed some ambivalence about ending her rugby career at West Point by saying,
"It is rough on the body. I think I'm gonna miss it a lot because my teammates are my best friends here," she said.
Carissa Pekny pulls a friend on a sled at Morton Community Center in 2000.
When asked what she remembers about her five years at the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette, she recalled her kindergarten year, when the school was located in the Morton Community Center near Purdue's campus.
"I remember Kindergarten with (teacher) Ginny Meyer pretty well. We used to do this Thanksgiving feast and all the parents used to come and have a feast with us. That was pretty cool," she said.
Carissa said Meyer had another lasting impact on her life by always making time to listen to her read and making sure she understood what she was reading.
"I always really loved to read. Having teachers that cultivated that skill and made sure that I understood the words I was reading has benefited the rest of my academic career," she said.
In 2000, she attended the Montessori Elementary I class with teachers Linda Bolam and Jeff All.
"I remember singing with Jeff and his guitar in the circle all the time," she said. "That was a lot of fun."
She also appreciated being able to choose her activities from around the room.
"In Elementary there were certain things we had to learn, there were milestones we had to reach," she explained. "But we had a lot of free activity time and we could just do whatever we wanted. Then the teachers would come around and make sure, first off, that we were being productive," she laughed. "If we needed help with anything they would help us."
Carissa Pekny, in blue, looks on as Jeff All and a friend play for the MSGL Kindergarten class in 2000.
One specific subject she remembers learning about at MSGL is the history of the U. S. Presidents.
"This is gonna sound totally crazy, but the reason I like to study the Presidents is because (the Elementary class) had this placemat and that's how I memorized the Presidents," she said. "I remember learning a little bit of Spanish, too. I don't remember it now, but I remember trying to learn it. I think it was with Ana (Orizondo)."
Carissa's parents were involved in the MSGL school board and helped with the transition from the Morton Center to the current campus on Soldiers Home Road. Her siblings were also MSGL alumni. Her brother, Andrew, now works for an accounting firm in Indianapolis and her sister, Chelsea, works as a pharmacist in Kenya. Carissa is open to where her life after West Point and medical school might take her.
"The great thing about the Army is, if you want to go somewhere you can pretty much go anywhere," she said. "I'm just really excited to go out there and see what's out there and serve our country wherever I'm needed."
This is the first post in the series "I Am MSGL" featuring alumni of the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette. If you or someone you know would like to be featured in this series, please email me at email@example.com.
The best kind of snow day is when you can actually play in the snow.
Last week provided a miserable welcome to the new semester. Snow, high winds, and bitter cold meant that the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette was in session for only 20 out of a possible 40 hours over four days. Our staff did its best to maintain communication with the families and those families were very understanding. There were, however, a few questions about how we respond to Indiana's volatile winter weather at MSGL.
The question of the week was "If the weather continues like this, can we expect to continue having so many delays and closures?" The short answer is, "yes." But how are decisions about school delays made? That's a longer answer.
I would have thought this to be a very elementary understanding. Doesn't everyone know when it's too dangerous to take the kids to school? But when I found myself working as MSGL's "Weather Delay Intern" last week, I discovered that many factors contribute to a closing or delay, and they are not always obvious to everyone.
First, there are no hard and fast rules for determining if conditions are too dangerous for school. Everything depends on timing. Temperatures below -12F are a general cut-off if people are going to be outside for more than a few minutes. However, if the roads are clear and the temperatures are on the rise at 8 a.m., then -12F might be acceptable at arrival. High winds could change that, of course. Roads that are clear now may not be clear when morning classes dismiss. Or they might be passable in town, but dangerous out in the country. And all of this has to be considered over the course of our 10-hour day.
MSGL can't follow the determinations of local school districts because they have special considerations - such as bus transportation and a large number of students who walk to school. Generally, MSGL can be in session more frequently than the public schools.
The weather is just one component of a weather-related school delay. Preparation of facilities and the safety of our staff are two others. And our families themselves are an important consideration.
Facilities: The parking lot and sidewalks must be clear of snow and ice before staff and families arrive. Our school is a small, not-for-profit, parent-owned school. A small core of people manage the day-to-day operations of the school and the needs of over 500 people. This is why we rely on a private company to clear the parking lot, sidewalks, and steps of snow and ice. That company serves several other businesses each day AND it needs two hours to clear MSGL after a snow or ice event. As an example, if the snow stops falling at 6 a.m. on a school day and we are third on the list for snow removal, school cannot open at 7:30. The ability of our snow removal contractor to clear our lot and paths before we arrive is a major determinant of our start time.
Cultural Considerations: Another little-known factor is our region's cultural relationship with winter weather. As one parent said, "I grew up in Vermont. We don't cancel school there." Indiana's threshold for tolerating winter weather might be a bit lower than other cold places because we don't see as many snowy days and our street departments are not equipped for a large quantity of snow on a regular basis. And because the majority of the West Lafayette community is made up of faculty or students from Purdue University, we also have a lot of families who come from places with absolutely no snow, ice, or cold temperatures. It can take these families a few snowy days to get the hang of dressing for the weather and driving in it. We are more comfortable with snow than Los Angeles, but less comfortable than Montpelier - and that makes a difference in how we respond to it.
Staff: Teachers and staff need to be able to travel safely and arrive at school before the children. Our staff are dedicated to their jobs and they want to be at school. While it's easy to imagine teachers being excited to have a snow day, the reality is that the majority of our teachers have school-aged children of their own. Just like MSGL families, the teachers have to scramble to get their children safely to school in case of a delay or to arrange other care if public schools cancel and MSGL is in session.
Many of our staff live outside of city limits and travel county roads to get to work, so their ability to arrive safely is always a top priority. Delaying the start of school allows them to get out of their driveways and travel potentially hazardous roads in daylight so they can be here when the families arrive. We could call on substitute teachers to work for staff who cannot make it to school, but our substitute teachers are also home with their children on these days. Operating without adequate staff is not an option so we need to be sure all of our teachers can get to school.
Forecasted weather: Conditions throughout the day, and not just at arrival, need to be considered to determine closures and delays. The weather may be clear at morning arrival, but if incoming snow and/or ice and wind threaten later in the day, staff and children could become stranded at school or out on the roads. The administration must take into account the anticipated timing of dangerous weather and sometimes cancel classes in advance of this weather (even if that bad weather never fully materializes.)
Our early arrival and after school programs are the first to be cancelled because MSGL is a school and not a daycare facility. We do offer before and after-care programs that can function as full-day care for families, but our primary function is that of a school. This means being open during class time from 8:30 - 3:00 takes priority over being open before and after class.
We understand that it is frustrating to wake up to a school delay or cancellation. Our Montessori parents have jobs, commitments, and plans and not being able to leave their children in our care causes real problems for them. That being said, MSGL is a parent-owned school. We were started by parents over 40 years ago and all current MSGL families are the current owners of the school. If you are reading this and you have children enrolled at our school, you are one of the owners of the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette. With that ownership, come some responsibilities.
What can MSGL families do to help?
1. Stay informed - before school and during the day. We announce delays, cancellations, and early dismissals through many different sources. Here is a listing.
2. Offer help, if you can. If you have some time after bringing your child to school on a wintry day, you might:
If possible, we would prefer to be able to control the climate and prepare the outdoor environment as carefully as we prepare our students' learning environments. But the realities of winter weather require our staff and families to be vigilant, flexible, and patient with weather events - and the timing of those events - over which we have no control.
And if you, like me, are curious how the large, public school districts determine delays, this video from Louisville, KY is interesting.
Thanks for reading, ~Heather
Following Friends to Physics
Free play and building with logs and boards is a realistic way to explore physics concepts. MSGL has an outdoor space that allows for more than just "recess." Outside time is not a chance to get away from the classroom, it's an opportunity for children to use their whole bodies to learn and, most importantly, have fun with friends.
On Thursday, a quartet of boys was getting very silly in the back corner of our Montessori classroom. They were speaking with outside voices and using all available paper to make pretend swords so they could have a pretend swordfight. When I tried to redirect them, they asked to make paper airplanes and see whose would fly the farthest. Although Montessori teachers are known for their flexibility and laid-back grooviness, I could not condone sword-fighting and airplane-flying during class on this, only the second full week of preschool. What would people say?
I empathized with these friends because they wanted to play together and needed to actively move their bodies, but it was still 30 minutes before we (read: I) could even think about going outside where this type of gross-motor play was appropriate. They took a half-hearted interest in another activity and I sat at a table nearby to observe. When they realized I was there to stay, they started putting away their work and chanting with dead eyes and sad voices, "No more fun. No more fun. No more fun." It would seem I had officially become "the man." They went to the other side of the room to build a tower with the brown stair and the pink cubes and within minutes, they were using the smallest brown stair as a lever to launch the smallest pink cube across the rug. Clearly, they were trying to tell me something.
What these boys wanted was action. They are perfectly willing to come in each morning and work on their maps or practice writing their names, but after a time they really want to make things move. And it's not just the boys, of course. Girls thrive on kinesthetic learning activities and they are usually the first to line up to walk across the log seesaw.
In fact, all young children are kinesthetic learners. Most mature into adolescents who can learn successfully through watching and listening, but not all. As long ago as 1979, researchers studying how humans learn understood this:
"Restak (1979) and others have indicated that many students do not become strongly visual before third grade, that auditory acuity first develops in many students after the sixth grade, and that boys often are neither strongly visual nor auditory even during high school. Therefore, since most young children are tactual and kinesthetic learners, such resources should be developed and used, particularly for those who are experiencing difficulty learning through lectures, direct verbal instructions, "chalk talks," and textbook assignments."- See the full article at Education.com
"Restak (1979) and others have indicated that many students do not become strongly visual before third grade, that auditory acuity first develops in many students after the sixth grade, and that boys often are neither strongly visual nor auditory even during high school. Therefore, since most young children are tactual and kinesthetic learners, such resources should be developed and used, particularly for those who are experiencing difficulty learning through lectures, direct verbal instructions, "chalk talks," and textbook assignments."- See the full article at Education.com
No one is suggesting that preschoolers should be taught through lectures, but sometimes society (or maybe our high school principal's voice in the back of our head) worries us into thinking that if we don't make our children sit down, concentrate, and learn - how will they ever be successful in school or the Real World that supposedly comes after?
Parents sometimes ask, "When will you teach him to sit still and listen to the teacher?" The answer is that he will sit still and listen when what I am saying is of interest to him. It's my job to find the topic that is so fascinating to the child that he can't help but hold his body still so as to not miss a single word. A teacher's job is to be fascinating; but only until the child is so interested in the subject that he sets off to explore it on his own. At that point, the teacher observes and prepares for the child's next question then guides him to find the answers on his own. (Please note: Matters of health, safety, and courtesy are always addressed immediately. No one in the classroom has the freedom to hurt themselves or to hurt or disrupt others.)
Maria Montessori observed that not only do young children learn kinesthetically, they absolutely MUST learn this way for proper brain development.
"Movement, or physical activity, is thus an essential factor in intellectual growth, which depends upon the impressions received from outside. Through movement we come in contact with external reality, and it is through these contacts that we eventually acquire even abstract ideas." - The Secret of Childhood
"Movement, or physical activity, is thus an essential factor in intellectual growth, which depends upon the impressions received from outside. Through movement we come in contact with external reality, and it is through these contacts that we eventually acquire even abstract ideas." - The Secret of Childhood
So, as a good teacher who believes in a research-based approach to education, I am obligated to consider the kinesthetic learning style of my preschool students. I am also obligated to follow a child's interests because a child who is studying something she is interested in, as opposed to an externally-imposed curriculum, is much more likely to retain that information and build connections in her brain. So why were we still inside the classroom and NOT outside studying the physics of flight and simple machines? Because I didn't know they were interested until Thursday. But now I do.
As a result, my assistant and I will be following our 3, 4, and 5-year-olds into the action-packed world of physics this week starting with the simple lever. We will spend a little extra time outside on the log seesaw for some major gross motor exploration, then we will scale down the kinesthetic experience to make smaller levers inside the classroom using blocks, rulers, pennies, rocks, and pompoms. We will introduce the appropriate words such as "load", "effort", and "fulcrum" and we will figure out how many pennies it takes the raise the rock load. I will do my best to be fascinating. There may be squeals of joy and pompoms flying through the air, but no more "No more fun."
Thanks for reading,
I had the great pleasure of working in my former classroom today and it reminded me of why the three-year cycle in Montessori classrooms is so beneficial, not least of all, to the teachers.
Our Montessori preschool classrooms are composed of a mixed-age group of children who remain, ideally, in one classroom for three years. A child starts at age three and stays through her Kindergarten year. This is called the three year cycle. Each of those years brings new and unique learning opportunities for the child. As a three-year-old, the child observes her older peers and benefits from their experience. As a four-year-old, she starts to see herself as one of the "big kids" and expands her social circle. In her Kindergarten year she is recognized as a leader and takes pride in helping others.
When I took a sabbatical at the end of the school year in May, I left behind children who had been in my classroom for one or two years. I was able to catch up with many of those students today when I visited the classroom. I observed that two of "my" third-year students, I'll call them S and K, were part of what Montessorian John Chattin-McNichols calls a "roving pack of 5-year-olds." They were wandering around with some other boys and mixing it up a little. I knew these two boys when they were just barely three years old. I knew them before they could consciously control their bodies at group time and even before they could dress themselves successfully. Now, here they were - big, bold 5-year-olds and I was curious to see who they had become eight months after we last worked together.
Angie, my dear friend and the lead teacher of my former class, shared with me that S and K had been working on the squaring and cubing chains in the math area, so I asked them about those activities. They were eager to show me what they had already done and tell me what came next. Within a few minutes, they broke off from the pack and were ready to master the 10 cubing chain.
The 10 cubing chain - or 1000 chain - is a concrete representation of 10 cubed. It's made up of one thousand pea-sized beads organized into bars of ten. The bars of ten are attached at the ends to make a chain. Children are ready for this work after they have mastered the 1 - 10 squaring chains and the 1 - 9 cubing chains. This video from the DuPage Montessori School in Naperville, Illinois provides a good overview of how the squaring and cubing chains are presented in the Montessori classroom.
The 10 cubing chain is nearly 30 feet long so it must be laid out in the hallway outside the classroom. So, off to the hallway we went.
S and K divided up the tasks between themselves. One carried the rolled-up mat and the other carried the chain. We established the space we would use in the hallway and K unrolled the mat while S went back into the classroom for the number tabs. We discussed how they would sort the tabs on the tray and move it down the mat as they worked.
S found the 1000 tab. He knew it went at the very end of the chain but he left it on the tray. There was a pause before they started and I asked what number they would start with. S said, "We have to count them all."
That is certainly one way to do it. But when a child is ready for the 1000 chain, he is generally ready to complete it without counting every number because he can now count by tens and hundreds. Once you trust that 10 is ten, you don't have to count it again.
I asked if they thought they could first put tabs on the hundreds. Yes! They were sure they could. Together, we counted the bars as 10, 20, 30 and so on until we got to 100. S got the 100 tab and marked that spot. K quickly grasped the system and immediately went to work sorting out all of the hundreds tabs in a separate group so that S could place them. This was my cue to find something else to do. I went back inside the classroom to assist Miss Angie while the boys marked off every 100th bead on the chain with the appropriate tab.
They repeated the process, stopping after each bar of ten. K was the sorter, S was the placer. "150! I need 150," S said. K had it ready. There was never any disagreement, that I heard, over who would do which task. They just got started and they each found their niche as they went. And they were really digging their work.
They started the cubing chain work at 9:45 and I checked in with them every few minutes. They finished at 11:00. One of them stopped to use the bathroom then went straight back to his work. Other children would step into the hall to see what was happening and then go back inside to their work.
Sometimes I checked on S and K without speaking and other times I acknowledged their progress. Once, I said I would be back to check on them in a bit unless they needed some help. "We need some help," S said. They could not find the tab for 590. I suggested they leave a space for that number and they could put it there when they found it. They never found it, but they were able to move on without hesitation.
As they got to the very end, S picked up the 1000 tab and started to place it under the 1000th bead. K said, "Hey! We decided we would put that one on together!" And so they did. That's when this photo was snapped.
If you had asked me three years ago if these children were developing normally and if they were going to learn to read and write and grow up to be compassionate humans I would have responded, "Of course they will!" But in the back of my head there would have been a tiny voice saying, "What if they aren't? What if they are never able to sit in a chair for more than 8 seconds? What if they never learn to put their shoes on by themselves? What if they show no interest in reading? What if they always write six as 9?"
That doubtful voice is a familiar one to parents because most of us only get to experience the development of one or two children. We fear we will do something wrong and our children will not achieve their potential. Preschool teachers should know better because we get to observe hundreds of children over the course of our careers, right? But sometimes, even with years of experience, we forget that our job is simply to prepare a nourishing environment. It is the child who must do the work of building the man.
In 1949, Maria Montessori offered us some guidance in our quest to relax and trust that each child will reveal himself as a competent and confident being in his own time. In The Absorbent Mind she wrote, "...for while, in the traditional schools, the teacher sees the immediate behavior of her pupils, knowing that she must look after them and what she has to teach, the Montessori teacher is constantly looking for a child who is not yet there."
Dr. Montessori also implemented the three-year cycle in our classrooms to give us enough time to look for that child and see him before he moves on to primary school.
I am not at all surprised that S and K can count to 1000 by tens and hundreds. I am not surprised that they can recognize 3-digit numerals or that they can prepare, complete, and put away their work. I am not even surprised that two 5-year-old boys willingly work together on a math material for 1 hour and and 15 minutes with only a bathroom break and very limited guidance. I've seen it before.
I am surprised at the sense of joyous relief I feel each time children reveal themselves in this way. It's an experience that never gets old. I suppose that's the ultimate reward of being a teacher.


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That same cloth swim diaper was used by my second daughter, and then my third daughter. However, it was not working fine with my third daughter. My first two daughters were very chubby, however my youngest is very skinny... It was too bulky to put it under her tiny bathing suits, and it was too ugly to use it by itself (Ok, I have to be fair, it was not *that* ugly... I just think that it may have looked better on a boy).
Anyway, I was planning a weekend away, plus a 7 days vacations the following week with my hubby and girls, so I decided to order a couple of Imse Vimse swimming diapers from Kelly's Closet and get a top for them.. .They looked soooo cute that I didnt want to cover them!!
I also wanted to mention that they dry VERY fast, however I dont think it would have been that easy with only one diaper... We managed just fine with two, but I think three diapers would have been just perfect.
- by Anelys


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NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- With retirement savings down and anxieties about health care costs up, Americans find themselves in an awkward position on long-term medical care. They want it, can't afford it and may have to cut into their kids' inheritance to pay for it. Already, 71% of U.S. adults between the ages of 30 and 65 are "concerned" about long-term medical care, according to a study from Prudential. About the same number of older Americans (those past the age of 65) will require "some type" of long-term care, yet the same study notes 63% of Americans say they have little confidence in their capacity to pay for for it. Only 10% say they are "very confident" they can afford long-term care. What's a conflicted senior citizen to do? Increasingly, the move is to dip into children's inheritance to get the job done. At least, that's the word from Nationwide Financials Services, which has a report out saying 48% of U.S. adults aged 50 and over say their long-term care costs will cut into an inheritance, while 43% say they would prefer to use funds to pay for extended health care instead of handing junior a big inheritance check. "A parent's legacy to his or her children used to include leaving behind an inheritance," says John Carter, director of distribution and sales for Nationwide Financial. "The escalating costs of health care and lack of proper planning have many Americans hoping just to break even and not be a burden to their children." Folks in the poll, which was conducted by Harris Interactive, weren't poverty stricken. Survey participants included 813 Americans with income of $150,000 or more. But 21% of study respondents said they can't count on their children;s physical and financial support in retirement, and 78% of older Americans don't want their kids burdened with mom and dad's retirement issues. Nationwide says at least talking to their children is a must for parents heading into retirement, especially since 29 states have laws that put the burden of payment for long-term care services on family members if parents can't afford the tab. "It's important to start discussing LTC planning as a family and develop a well-thought-out plan so that parents and children understand where LTC funding will come from and both parties feel secure in the approach," Carter says. "Proper retirement planning should include some type of LTC insurance protection that can provide funds for someone should they have LTC expenses."
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This pale yellow, flammable varnish dries quickly to a high gloss. Dammar Varnish will work on oil and alkyd paintings, prints, maps and drawings, and tends to darken with age.
The varnish is available in 75 ml, 250 ml, and 500 ml bottles.
The varnish is available in 75 ml, 250 ml, and 500 ml bottles.
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It had to happen. In a jam-pack field of exemplary 2013 films and performances, a few of the best just had to be overlooked.
Such was the case Thursday when the 86th Academy Awards nominations were announced.
Here are some of the most heartbreaking snubs:
- Robert Redford: As a lone sailor battling for his life in a leaky boat on the open seas, the influential 77-year-old actor gave one of his most calibrated and accomplished performances ever in the unduly ignored "All Is Lost." It was his bit of masterful, no-nonsense acting that was all but lost on the Academy. Subtlety often fails to snatch Oscar nominations.
- "Fruitvale Station": Midway through 2013, this moving drama that depicted the final hours in the life of Oscar Grant III, the 22-year-old Hayward man who was fatally shot on New Year's Day in 2009 by a BART police officer, appeared to have a lock in numerous categories — best picture, actor (Michael B. Jordan) and supporting actress (Octavia Spencer).But Academy voters suffer terribly from short-term memory loss. And sadly, this fine film from the East Bay's Ryan Coogler got lost in the blinding blitz of late-term contenders.Advertisement
- Tom Hanks: In any other year, it would have been smooth sailing for the popular actor to land a nom. But the "Captain Phillips" star was left scrubbing the decks, even though this was one of his strongest acting turns. On the other hand, his co-star, Barkhad Abdi, deservedly landed a nomination.
- "Inside Llewyn Davis": Oscar showed little love for the Coen brothers' latest drama about a jerk of a folk musician. Not only did Oscar shun it in major categories, it didn't even score a song nomination. They basically gave the siblings the cold shoulder, with "Davis" scoring only two technical nods. To coin a song from Dylan, the times they are a-changing for the Coens — who used to be Oscar champs.
- James Franco: The crafty "Spring Breakers" star turned in the one of strangest, most unforgettable performances in any category of 2013. Yet Oscar failed to notice. Perhaps it's a case of sour grapes due to his dismal co-hosting awards duties. No matter what, this fierce acting turn deserved to be in this pack.
- "Lee Daniels The Butler": This big historical family drama seemed tailor-made for Oscar. But it came out of the gates looking strong, and later got eclipsed by better films. Still, Oprah was sensational, and should have occupied that snug slot taken by Sally Hawkins ("Blue Jasmine") in the supporting actress category.
- Emma Thompson: The reason "Saving Mr. Banks" goes down like a spoonful of sugar is due to Thompson, who played prickly author P.T. Travers to stuffy perfection. She was knocked out of the competition by perennial fave Meryl Streep, who shouted her trophy-winning heart out for the failed stage-to-film adaptation "August: Osage County." Histrionics tend to get you noticed.