Skip to main content

BTSN

No it is not a new Hindi film name abbreviation. It is the subject line of an email our daughter's school sent.  To us.  The parents.

Back to school night.  BTSN.  I stopped going to school a while back as the readers may be aware. .which to sidetrack a bit was 25 years ago based on another mail sent by some enthusiastic alumni wanting to get together. .wonder what that is all about.

But I digress as I'm wont to do in my blog.
.it's my blog so anything goes.

Back to the child's school urging parents to visit with her teachers and see what the offspring might be doing this year on campus.


This is a ritual the American k to 12 school districts engage in across the country and it's purpose is two fold.  Allow parents to confirm that said teachers are actually aware of who your child is and what they should look forward to in the upcoming year.   The other critical goal for district is to again ask for money.  They are labeled donations that apparently overcome the gap in federal funds for school and the level of programs and quality of education needed to churn productive citizens.

It - the event - is organized on a workday after the workday is over to allow the multitudes of commuter parents to make it to the gathering.

Of course the result is a traffic jam that makes the morning rush look like child's play.  Speaking of which the children in 12th grade aka seniors in high school are indeed found playing with their new found automotive freedom during rush hour ..being partly contributory to event.

The parents wander their child's 'day in the life' at school visiting for 10 min with each teacher.  Some teachers use that time wisely to tell you who they are and how they plan to enrich your child.

Some are clueless as to the whole exercise and read a slide show word for word.

Regardless it was a good intro for us and we walked back home..picked a house that requires no driving. .did one thing right!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Of chocolates

I like chocolates. Godiva Dark with Almonds - not sure of the naked woman on the horse to be the icon of some choice cocoa based products but tastes good. Started in Belgium but now owned by some Turks. Cadburys - Fruit and Nut Milk Bars - awesome combination of dried fruit pieces along with a medley of nuts makes your toungue dance - started by a Brit now owen by Kraft USA. Lindt Hazelnut spheres - made by a Swiss confectioner are divine balls that melt in your mouth with a lingering nutty taste Ghirardelli Milk Crisp Squares - crunchy and light these milk squares are easy on the palate but pack some serious calories - all good I say! Originally founded by an Italian who moved around till he landed in SF Bay today also owned by the Swiss Lindt empire.

Columbia SC

 The Palmetto state.  One of the confederate kinds. History dating couple centuries back.  We visited the capital yet again this time to take in the SC State Museum. Occupying the former digs (literally remodeled) of an erstwhile cotton mill this structure is an amazing piece of reimagination.  Four floors of excitement for kids and young at heart alike. Located on the shores of the Congaree River formed when the Broad meets up with the Saluda River, this edifice is approx. 60 years old.  The front of the building has a more modern planetarium that was added about a decade ago.  The museum itself has different areas of interest segregated on each of its four floors. The first floor has gift shop and a diorama of some of the local geography including the swamps and the state beaches with audio guides to help understand what fauna thrives locally. The second floor is all about natural history and showcases animal kingdom that may have survived on this latitud...

But What If We're Wrong?

I attempted to read this book by author Chuck Klosterman backward to forward but it started hurting my brain so I decided to stop and do it like any other publication in the English language.  Start from page 1 and move to the right. Witty, caustic and thought provoking this is a book you want to read if you believe that the status quo might, just might be wrong. At times bordering on being contrarian about most things around us it tries to zero in on the notion of what makes anything believable and certain in our minds.  The fact that there is a fact itself is ironic.  Something analogous to the idea that you can never predict the future because there is no future. Many books and movies have tried to play on this concept - best that I recollect (I think I am) was 'The Truman Show'.  This book by Klosterman attempts to provoke the reader to at least contemplate that what they think they know may be wrong. He uses examples like concept of gravity, and how it ...