best ever deal on hp calculators (again)

I regretted not buying a 35s last month when sale prices were the best I'd ever seen. Fortunately for me, another sale wasn't far behind. I won't regret it this time because I won't miss out (I already placed my order).

Anyway, the current sale will get you 20% off of hp calculators through January 5th (I think). Check 'em out here.

Christ in Christmas

Count me as one of those folks who doesn't like "Seasons Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." Wal-mart ("Your One-Stop Christmas Shop"), Kohl's ("The Biggest Christmas Sale"), Target and other retailers are brave enough to include "Christ" in their marketing. Good for 'em. I want to be greeted with "Merry Christmas."

The word Christmas means Christ's festival. How can it not include Him? Ah, but that's where the really sad part comes in. You see, so many of us (Christians) obey the festival but not the Christ. We celebrate the birth but not the born. We give our money and our time to finding that perfect gift for each other without ever remembering that perfect gift which was given to us. We give the best tech gifts and toy gifts and food gifts and never think about giving the gift of eternal life by sharing the one gift that matters.

My favorite Christmas quote:

How many observe Christ’s Birthday! How few, his precepts! Oh! ‘tis easier to keep holidays than commandments

Ben Franklin—Poor Richard’s Alamanac

This Christmas, yes, shop at Christmas-friendly establishments. Greet cashiers and strangers with "Merry Christmas." Tell others about Christ. Give the gift that you can not afford.

Do all that and I'll let you get away with "Seasons Greetings."

Happy Holidays

venni vidi vici

I was a math major in college. I learned all about Venn diagrams when working with sets. I'd say I had a pretty good education.

Imagine my suprise a couple of weeks ago when kcrazorback daughter began (correctly) explaining Venn diagrams to me and showing me an example of one. Don't forget, kcrd is in kindergarten.

Turns out her K-teacher is pretty good with math and very good at teaching. So she and math-interested daughter are a good fit. All the kids in Ms. H's class are benefiting from this.

Daughter is already pretty good at math (at age 4, she could multiply, say, 2 x 12 in her head--actually doing the computation--I think she was making 24 imaginary tick marks in two rows of 12 and counting them--answering correctly) and dreams about numbers. But with a little bit of genetics and a teacher inspiring her, she can be great in mathematics. I always knew she would, just didn't expect it so soon.

Thank you Ms. H for breaking my preconceived ideas of what an elementary educator is capable of. Thank you also for recognizing what your little learners are capable of. Thanks for intersecting the two. Good job!