Well, I was mentioning Jackson's interest in computers and did not mention how he now wants to build a computer. He wants to be sure he has a good processor and graphics card. He seems to have figured out easy ways to boost RAM. I'm sure he's been researching this already. I told him I saw a catalogue online with quad core (and even six-core) processors, and he was excited. We talked about scavenging parts from old computers, like the case and a DVD-ROM drive. And then he went on to talk about ports and servers and tracking IPs. It's pretty obvious he's been studying up on this (he prefers the video instructions to the written instructions and he also gets information from boys he's in touch with online and from school) and he may be calculating how to save up for the parts, as he has done for some of his software. He's not just playing video games. In fact, I don't think he's doing much real video gaming. He's much more interested in how it works. I am very curious to see how this bug to build develops. I talked to a guy at practice about it, and he said he did it once and thought Jackson would have no problem doing it. (I thought how the boys love to construct these elaborate Lego sets by following the meticulous graphic instructions.) The biggest time spent was gathering the parts, he said, choosing between the options: there's always something a bit better (and more expensive) to get. The dad also mentioned that he inserts all his old hard drives into his new desk top so he always has access to the old picture files. A great idea, and seemed so obvious once he said it. He also loved loading the new operating system without all the add-ons you don't want and don't use. You start with a clean slate. Or a blank screen.
Jackson's second baseball game was brutally cold. Jackson played first base and several outs were made there. He also pitched again. His first inning went good. One hit. No walks. A nice play where he fielded the ball and threw to first. He got into a bit of a jam in his second inning as a couple of hitters found the gap between first and second, and he got down on himself after the game. Comparatively, he did great! The coach likes to give him bunt signals and he laid down two that went along the third base line and then foul. He got on base a couple of times and scored a couple of times. Fun to watch him off the base, teasing the catcher to throw.
He had lots of homework to do after the game. He's working on a couple of projects.
Ry's had an earache for a few days. His second game the day after Jack's was still cold and windy but not nearly as bad as the evening before. Rylee played first again and got on base a couple of times. The boys on his team are getting better but it's still hard for them to throw the ball to first. The innings go by fast, since there are many strike outs--all swinging at this level--off the pitching machine. One of his teammates caught a big pop fly into left field.
Ry finished his first enrichment essay on future inventions, and he said he was going to ask his teacher if he could draw some pictures about what he wrote about.
Saturday more games.We got the scoreboard working at the minor field. I missed most of Jackson's because Ry's started shortly after it started, and it was my day to ump again. I did see Jackson lead off at bat, and, as I predicted, the coach signaled for a bunt. He laid one down perfectly on the first pitch and ran faster to first than I've ever seen him. Ry was at first again. I could watch from behind the plate. Midway through the game, a parent was being a jerk in the stands. The field ump called a ball foul as it sailed out of bounds just before first base. As a volunteer parent ump, it bugged me when I heard him the second time. I told the parent he was not there to make the call and that seemed to quiet him. The boys did great, and you can see the progress already in the team play. Ry is hitting better and running faster, and Jackson is becoming very good at bunts and cracking the ball, too. Jackson concentrates on shielding the sun. Those early and late games can be tricky. They both hustle. Jackson gets down on himself, like he did Monday when both boys had practice in the evening, but in Monday's case I think it was mostly because he was hungry and thirsty and just ran out of gas in the last minutes of a hard two-hour practice. The boys and I stopped off at the supermarket on the way home and we talked a lot about shaking it off and moving on. The talk and the chocolate milk we got from the refrigerated case revived him and he was happy again. We talked to the butcher and he gave us a break on the hamburger, so we bought twice as much. We managed to get a bunch of food for $13! It was a late dinner, and the boys almost nodded off at the table.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
don't forget Winona
Rylee requested a Lego motor bike set from the Easter Bunny, who also brought a Lego Technic dune buggy for Jackson. Rylee was very pleased, and Jackson appeared to be challenged by his, which featured all sorts of spring suspensions, gears and chain drives...even a piston, leaving only a working engine for the future. Ry has a desk in the boys' room filled with many of his Lego buildings, ships, cars, planes, and minifigures laid out on top, a mix of different play scenes. When he is not playing with those, he often sits in a basket in the corner to play on his tablet. Jackson is almost always at his desk on his computer. Yesterday, he was working with some software he hasn't used in a while and he showed me the three-dimensional graphic he designed: an apple.
Ry was very excited because Tuesday was the first day of his enrichment class. He goes again today. He wrote out his first assignment about future inventions, and he came up with three, including a hoverseat, while we talked. Jackson's apple is part of his independent studies project on computers.
After a week or so of mild, spring-like weather, with little wind, we got blasted with a storm that brought relentless gusts on Monday evening, while Rylee had practice, followed by cold and rain and even some snow. Today doesn't look good so far for Jack's game this afternoon, which will likely be played, but should improve some for Ry's game tomorrow, with much better weather for Saturday's games. We needed the rain, and, fortunately, the temperature did not drop to freezing here in the city.
Ry was very excited because Tuesday was the first day of his enrichment class. He goes again today. He wrote out his first assignment about future inventions, and he came up with three, including a hoverseat, while we talked. Jackson's apple is part of his independent studies project on computers.
After a week or so of mild, spring-like weather, with little wind, we got blasted with a storm that brought relentless gusts on Monday evening, while Rylee had practice, followed by cold and rain and even some snow. Today doesn't look good so far for Jack's game this afternoon, which will likely be played, but should improve some for Ry's game tomorrow, with much better weather for Saturday's games. We needed the rain, and, fortunately, the temperature did not drop to freezing here in the city.
opening day
Saturday, the day before our visit I just wrote about, was baseball. It was opening day for the little league. Jack's early game meant we had to be there at 8 in the morning. Rylee had a game midafternoon, and in between there was a brief ceremony for opening day. The day could not be more perfect. There were games going on on every field all day long. Foul balls landing everywhere. Cheering. There were even some vendors and mascots and free samples. The concession stand was warming up its grill for green chile cheeseburgers.
Rylee's game felt strange, because I viewed it through the cage of an umpire's mask, calling strikes and outs and fouls. I had to volunteer. It's a struggle, too, because going into this season, Ry really wanted to be in minors league and we held him back. He often practices with Jackson's minor league team. Ry is guaranteed a good position to play on his team, since he has the skills, and he's delighted learning to play first base. He also got some great hits that went into the outfield. He was second in the batting lineup. He ran the bases well. He scored. The level of play is a bit frustrating, although he does not express it. Most of the players cannot field a ground ball and throw a ball, let alone know where to throw it. Rylee fielded the hits that came in his direction and made the out but otherwise not many fielded balls made it to first for an out. The season's young but I am afraid Rylee did not get the opening day spark Jackson got. This weekend was Jack's, and I wished more for Rylee, who was also coming off a week of tough cold symptoms.
Jackson started his game in left field. He played some excellent back up. A high fly got lost in the sun when one came to him, but I'm not worried. I've seen him shag fly balls pretty matter of factly. He played third, too. He was second in the batting lineup. He got some great hits, also going into the outfield. One came on a first pitch after a perfectly timed fake bunt. He scored a few times. James pitched first, then Nnamdi pitched two innings. Jack began pitching the fourth inning and then again in the fifth. As I told a coach of Jack's from the last several years, it was 6 up, 6 down. A no hitter. No walks. He struck out, I think, three, both swinging and called. Jack recalls one sucker pitch he threw. One batter got a hit, a line drive which the short stop behind Jackson leapt and caught. One I just don't remember. But the final out was a solid looper out into right field. The batter rounded first. The ball stopped in the grass.The right fielder chased down the ball. The runner rounded second. The right fielder threw past the cut off man to the short stop near second who fired it to third. The third baseman caught and tagged the runner a step from the bag. The crowd went wild! The team went wild, congratulating each other. A nice way to start the season.
I told somebody else how we weren't sure if Jackson would play baseball or soccer in the spring. Jackson had a great season of soccer last fall, and he can play again next fall. But there is a spring league, and his coaches hoped he'd return with the other players. We weren't sure where he stood in baseball for this season. Jackson said to me at the last minute, you know, Dad, if I don't play baseball this spring, I may never play again. Ah, I think he made the right decision.
The ceremony was short but late and it ate up the middle of our day. The boys hung around with their teams and ran out onto the major field as their teams were announced. All the teams lined up from first to third. A few awards were given out, and we finally went home.
Rylee's game felt strange, because I viewed it through the cage of an umpire's mask, calling strikes and outs and fouls. I had to volunteer. It's a struggle, too, because going into this season, Ry really wanted to be in minors league and we held him back. He often practices with Jackson's minor league team. Ry is guaranteed a good position to play on his team, since he has the skills, and he's delighted learning to play first base. He also got some great hits that went into the outfield. He was second in the batting lineup. He ran the bases well. He scored. The level of play is a bit frustrating, although he does not express it. Most of the players cannot field a ground ball and throw a ball, let alone know where to throw it. Rylee fielded the hits that came in his direction and made the out but otherwise not many fielded balls made it to first for an out. The season's young but I am afraid Rylee did not get the opening day spark Jackson got. This weekend was Jack's, and I wished more for Rylee, who was also coming off a week of tough cold symptoms.
Jackson started his game in left field. He played some excellent back up. A high fly got lost in the sun when one came to him, but I'm not worried. I've seen him shag fly balls pretty matter of factly. He played third, too. He was second in the batting lineup. He got some great hits, also going into the outfield. One came on a first pitch after a perfectly timed fake bunt. He scored a few times. James pitched first, then Nnamdi pitched two innings. Jack began pitching the fourth inning and then again in the fifth. As I told a coach of Jack's from the last several years, it was 6 up, 6 down. A no hitter. No walks. He struck out, I think, three, both swinging and called. Jack recalls one sucker pitch he threw. One batter got a hit, a line drive which the short stop behind Jackson leapt and caught. One I just don't remember. But the final out was a solid looper out into right field. The batter rounded first. The ball stopped in the grass.The right fielder chased down the ball. The runner rounded second. The right fielder threw past the cut off man to the short stop near second who fired it to third. The third baseman caught and tagged the runner a step from the bag. The crowd went wild! The team went wild, congratulating each other. A nice way to start the season.
I told somebody else how we weren't sure if Jackson would play baseball or soccer in the spring. Jackson had a great season of soccer last fall, and he can play again next fall. But there is a spring league, and his coaches hoped he'd return with the other players. We weren't sure where he stood in baseball for this season. Jackson said to me at the last minute, you know, Dad, if I don't play baseball this spring, I may never play again. Ah, I think he made the right decision.
The ceremony was short but late and it ate up the middle of our day. The boys hung around with their teams and ran out onto the major field as their teams were announced. All the teams lined up from first to third. A few awards were given out, and we finally went home.
the knighting
Jackson, Rylee, Cyndi and I went to the academy Sunday. It's about a mile away. There's a bike path off the street behind our house that goes to the acreage and another one that goes to its gate. We drove and parked at the lower campus. Inside the west gymnasium, next door to the natatorium, Amy, who interviewed Jackson, greeted him. He shook her hand and we got our name tags downstairs. There they had an assembly of the newly admitted sixth grade students, the Class of 2020, and their families. Judy, the admissions director, welcomed us. This is her last year. The head master spoke. He talked about books that have a map inside the front cover. These, he said, were fantastical maps to a future adventure and the home on the map of their adventure was the academy. A senior spoke about her time at the academy and she and the head master asked the new admittees to stand up. These are your classmates, they said, asking the students to look around, and your friends for the next seven years. A knight's armor stood on the makeshift stage, and the senior passed a sword overhead, welcoming the children to the Chargers. The 6th grade department head, a Spanish teacher, began by reading a passage from a book in a choose-your-own-adventure series and introduced the teachers. An a capella chorus sang a song with lyrics written for the event. There was such pride in the parents. I spoke to one woman. She said her children went here, and now her grandchildren. Jackson knew a good handful of the kids already, and we knew some of the parents.
We walked first to the far side of the lower campus to the visual arts building. The art room was filled with student drawings, paintings, and sculpture. Three sixth grade students were printing the frontispieces for their portfolios on a printing press. The art teacher told us about filmmaking opportunities in the future and an artist in residence program next year. We then walked to another building which had two wings: a technical applications wing and a performing arts space. We met a drama teacher and he filled us in on some of the choices. As I recall there were dramatic arts, orchestra, band, dance, chorus and guitar. There was also a club for stage technicians. In the other wing was a creative arts installation based on sea life. They also use the performing arts center on the upper campus.
We then walked to the 6th grade building. There were more people there, a few we recognized, and some friends Jack already knew. We met one of the English teachers. There was Shakespeare inside, but also Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. The English teacher next door had student mythology stories on the wall and language reference books on every table. In a science room, we met a science teacher and the head master again. The large room looked made for experiments and projects, although not a lab how I remember. (More labs are located in a separate building in the middle of the campus.) The sixth graders are taught life sciences, and I gathered that included some fundamental scientific tools and many different subjects and whatever seasonal or celestial event that was happening. There was a handmade periodic table of the elements along one wall. We visited two history teachers. One room was filled with classic history posters and her class concentrated on U.S. History from the Industrial Revolution to World War I. The other room was an explosion of popular culture ephemera and the subject matter included most of my lifetime.
Inside this building are lockers and a student common area with one wall dedicated to daily schedules. We indulged in the refreshments there. The sixth graders are divided into two halves, what they call, in their pod-speak, pods, and those are further divided at least two times until you get a family of one teacher and 10 or less students who eat lunch together every day in their dining hall in yet another building.
We almost didn't go the lower campus administrative building, but it was only half administrative. There was an atrium and a small bookstore inside and several more classrooms and more lockers. Jackson got to talk with the Tech App teacher. She understood him. In her class, each student creates their own web page using html script; not so much, she conceded, the java script Jackson is now using, among whatever else he's doing. We also met, unfortunately so briefly, a Spanish teacher and finally a math teacher. Spanish is required. I wondered how advanced the students might be in math but Jackson was soon talking with the teacher about calculating volumes, which he is doing now in his general class, and a mathematical theorem he must have learned in his gifted class. In between we visited the music room, filled with instruments and keyboards, and talked with the teacher.
That was a full two hours. It was sunny that day, no breeze, and we were still exhausted from the previous day. We had already visited the upper campus and the library before, and the boys and I have practiced on the some of the athletic fields already. Ry and I have run around its track. I have swum in its pool and run on its cross country course. We didn't get to visit with the physical education program or get much information on athletics for sixth graders.
The remainder of the day was spent with yard work, computer gaming, a work out, church, catch, soccer, French toast and leftovers. I saw Jackson sitting with Rylee that evening, helping him with graphs on his homework. I do wonder what will come in three years with Rylee. As Jackson said the other day, their scores for applying to gifted were exactly the same. I love the smarts I see in both. Ry is still 7 but he wants to do now what Jack is doing, whether it's sports or academics. In ways, he's excelled earlier than Jack. While he exudes confidence and ability, he's also still shy around adults. Jack was never shy. Ry gets to start his gifted class at Dennis Chavez tomorrow.
We walked first to the far side of the lower campus to the visual arts building. The art room was filled with student drawings, paintings, and sculpture. Three sixth grade students were printing the frontispieces for their portfolios on a printing press. The art teacher told us about filmmaking opportunities in the future and an artist in residence program next year. We then walked to another building which had two wings: a technical applications wing and a performing arts space. We met a drama teacher and he filled us in on some of the choices. As I recall there were dramatic arts, orchestra, band, dance, chorus and guitar. There was also a club for stage technicians. In the other wing was a creative arts installation based on sea life. They also use the performing arts center on the upper campus.
We then walked to the 6th grade building. There were more people there, a few we recognized, and some friends Jack already knew. We met one of the English teachers. There was Shakespeare inside, but also Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited. The English teacher next door had student mythology stories on the wall and language reference books on every table. In a science room, we met a science teacher and the head master again. The large room looked made for experiments and projects, although not a lab how I remember. (More labs are located in a separate building in the middle of the campus.) The sixth graders are taught life sciences, and I gathered that included some fundamental scientific tools and many different subjects and whatever seasonal or celestial event that was happening. There was a handmade periodic table of the elements along one wall. We visited two history teachers. One room was filled with classic history posters and her class concentrated on U.S. History from the Industrial Revolution to World War I. The other room was an explosion of popular culture ephemera and the subject matter included most of my lifetime.
Inside this building are lockers and a student common area with one wall dedicated to daily schedules. We indulged in the refreshments there. The sixth graders are divided into two halves, what they call, in their pod-speak, pods, and those are further divided at least two times until you get a family of one teacher and 10 or less students who eat lunch together every day in their dining hall in yet another building.
We almost didn't go the lower campus administrative building, but it was only half administrative. There was an atrium and a small bookstore inside and several more classrooms and more lockers. Jackson got to talk with the Tech App teacher. She understood him. In her class, each student creates their own web page using html script; not so much, she conceded, the java script Jackson is now using, among whatever else he's doing. We also met, unfortunately so briefly, a Spanish teacher and finally a math teacher. Spanish is required. I wondered how advanced the students might be in math but Jackson was soon talking with the teacher about calculating volumes, which he is doing now in his general class, and a mathematical theorem he must have learned in his gifted class. In between we visited the music room, filled with instruments and keyboards, and talked with the teacher.
That was a full two hours. It was sunny that day, no breeze, and we were still exhausted from the previous day. We had already visited the upper campus and the library before, and the boys and I have practiced on the some of the athletic fields already. Ry and I have run around its track. I have swum in its pool and run on its cross country course. We didn't get to visit with the physical education program or get much information on athletics for sixth graders.
The remainder of the day was spent with yard work, computer gaming, a work out, church, catch, soccer, French toast and leftovers. I saw Jackson sitting with Rylee that evening, helping him with graphs on his homework. I do wonder what will come in three years with Rylee. As Jackson said the other day, their scores for applying to gifted were exactly the same. I love the smarts I see in both. Ry is still 7 but he wants to do now what Jack is doing, whether it's sports or academics. In ways, he's excelled earlier than Jack. While he exudes confidence and ability, he's also still shy around adults. Jack was never shy. Ry gets to start his gifted class at Dennis Chavez tomorrow.
Monday, April 1, 2013
scrimmages
The boys' scrimmages on Saturday, one week before opening day, were at the same time. Jackson's coach, when asked, said Jack was scheduled to pitch the second inning. While Jackson and his team warmed up and practiced, Ry and I practiced throws to first. Then we went up to his field. I watched one inning. Ry played first base and he got a hit at bat. Not many throws made it to first that inning. Lots of hits got past the fielders and pop ups were misjudged. When a couple of grounders were hit in Ry's direction, he scooped the balls up and tagged first to make a couple of outs.
I ran over to catch Jackson pitching. He was getting a lot over the plate but he also walked a few. Several swing strikes, a couple of hits. I wondered if he'd get frustrated. This was his first full inning. He'd walk to the mound and get in his stance. The boys tried a few pick offs but there was lots of small mistakes being made all around. I knew they were better. The boys were talking to each other, giving lots of encouragement to Jack. The umpire was a young boy getting some experience, too. He was pretty good but he sure called a tight strike zone for the little league sized players. Jackson retired the inning and I watched him get on base during his at bat. Jackson said he would not be pitching again, as the coach was trying out all of the pitchers, and I left the field while Jackson was warming up the next pitcher. A good first inning of pitching to have under his belt, but of course he was slightly down on himself. Fortunately, he seemed to shake it off.
Ry's game was pretty much the same as when I left. I think there was one grounder that managed to be stopped and thrown to first. Ry got on base again, and as it was approaching 11 I thought I'd see how Jackson's was going. Ry's team was behind when I left, although there was no official score. Cyndi and I missed each other going back and forth between the games. She had just left Jack's game to see Rylee's. I watched Jackson play third. He had a nice tag out, a couple of throws to first, and was very enthusiastic in the field. Before his game ended, I saw that Cyndi had returned to the stands with Rylee. Ry's game had ended. He said their team came from behind to win. He told me about a pop fly that arched over his head, which he caught. It had to be about the only caught fly that day.
Jackson's coaches are evaluating this week to determine positions. I think Jackson will pitch a little and play a little third. We did bring Ry's catcher gear again but for now his coach wants him to play first.
Ry has some sort of cold he's been fighting off for a few days. He and Jackson got Legos, some clothes, marshmallow and chocolate candy and a movie they love on Easter morning and played some catch that afternoon with their cousins in Belen.
I ran over to catch Jackson pitching. He was getting a lot over the plate but he also walked a few. Several swing strikes, a couple of hits. I wondered if he'd get frustrated. This was his first full inning. He'd walk to the mound and get in his stance. The boys tried a few pick offs but there was lots of small mistakes being made all around. I knew they were better. The boys were talking to each other, giving lots of encouragement to Jack. The umpire was a young boy getting some experience, too. He was pretty good but he sure called a tight strike zone for the little league sized players. Jackson retired the inning and I watched him get on base during his at bat. Jackson said he would not be pitching again, as the coach was trying out all of the pitchers, and I left the field while Jackson was warming up the next pitcher. A good first inning of pitching to have under his belt, but of course he was slightly down on himself. Fortunately, he seemed to shake it off.
Ry's game was pretty much the same as when I left. I think there was one grounder that managed to be stopped and thrown to first. Ry got on base again, and as it was approaching 11 I thought I'd see how Jackson's was going. Ry's team was behind when I left, although there was no official score. Cyndi and I missed each other going back and forth between the games. She had just left Jack's game to see Rylee's. I watched Jackson play third. He had a nice tag out, a couple of throws to first, and was very enthusiastic in the field. Before his game ended, I saw that Cyndi had returned to the stands with Rylee. Ry's game had ended. He said their team came from behind to win. He told me about a pop fly that arched over his head, which he caught. It had to be about the only caught fly that day.
Jackson's coaches are evaluating this week to determine positions. I think Jackson will pitch a little and play a little third. We did bring Ry's catcher gear again but for now his coach wants him to play first.
Ry has some sort of cold he's been fighting off for a few days. He and Jackson got Legos, some clothes, marshmallow and chocolate candy and a movie they love on Easter morning and played some catch that afternoon with their cousins in Belen.
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