J. G. Fabiano A New Means of Injecting Caffeine in All of our Lives
A few days ago my wife purchased a new coffee machine. This is normally not exciting news because our old machine was still working. Normally she would wait until the old machine self-destructed but there was something on the market any one who loved coffee had to have. I am talking about the KEURIG single serving machine that used pods instead of coffee and filters.
Feb 14, 2009 - 11:21:56 PM
J. G. Fabiano In Order for Consumerism to Succeed We Need Consumers
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Tuesday that President-elect Barack Obama's proposed fiscal stimulus package could help the economy, but he added that additional bailouts of financial institutions may also be needed to bring about a sustained economic recovery.
Jan 15, 2009 - 11:58:38 AM
J. G. Fabiano Trapped in the Parking Lot from Hell
I was trapped like a puppy stuck in a drain hole. I literally had no where to go. It looked as though every car in New Hampshire decided to either come or go in the parking lot around the mall. I was starting to believe there were no exits; only entrances.
Jan 10, 2009 - 9:31:09 PM
J. G. Fabiano Public Education's New Year
The New Year means different things to different people. Looking down at my waste-line no longer able to see my belt I like to take this time and ponder where my profession is heading. Now that the eight years of Bush policies are ending, education will be an area of change.
Jan 9, 2009 - 9:21:52 PM
J. G. Fabiano Following the Yellow Bus of Our Futures
The other day I was in a rather fowl mood driving to school. As you know I am a teacher. For the past few weeks I have been pounded by administration's obsession with state test scores, advanced placement test scores, and how they look to the rest of their world. I can't blame them because most media in the state publish these scores in order to give the image of schools in competition to show which one is successful and which one is failing.
Dec 1, 2008 - 5:14:15 PM
J. G. Fabiano Like a 800 lb. Gorilla in the Class Room
For the past few months, in fact for the past few decades I have argued with the establishments of education that the problem with today’s public schools are not with the teachers, students, or the parents. I am not going to be very popular with my next comments but if anyone would take the time to see where our public education system started to degrade they would have to look to the year 1987, when the disability act concerning public education came into existence.
Nov 24, 2008 - 7:52:20 PM
J. G. Fabiano Reflections of a Test Proctor as an Old Teacher
So, here I sit watching over 13 of my students who would be better off in front of me teaching something instead of watching them suffer through a system of questions that mean absolutely nothing to them. If you haven't figured out what I am doing from the title of this essay I will attempt to help. I am in the process of making sure the 13 students in front of me concentrate on the English portion of their NCLB mandated state test.
Oct 8, 2008 - 12:42:43 PM
J. G. Fabiano Back For a Different Form of a New School Year
Most schools across our nation have already begun the new school year. Some are beginning the Tuesday after Labor Day. I happen to be a part of a school that has already been in session. One of the first things I was confronted with was a plan as to what we should teach our students in order for them to succeed on the state test for NCLB.
Sep 2, 2008 - 12:14:24 PM
J. G. Fabiano The Demise in Local Control of Our Schools
The school year is over and as teachers we watch students whom we worked with for over 4 years go off throughout the nation to the post-secondary lives of their choice. Some go to colleges while others opt to go to technical schools. Some decide to join the work force and others choose to join the military. Like I have done for the past 28 years I hope I did the best I could with what I had from a community I adopted.
Jun 26, 2008 - 10:59:54 AM
J. G. Fabiano The Legalization of the Magical Mystery Tour
Ok, I admit it; I am working too hard. But, in today's economy with its high gas and food prices how could one not. Sitting in my doctor’s office I looked down at my fingers that were devoid of any fingernails because over the last too many years of my life they had become a major food source.
May 5, 2008 - 2:09:38 PM
J. G. Fabiano Why Do The Young Always Blame The Old?
It took me a long time to get this old. I've survived many challenges and opportunities to be able to wear the trophies of old age. Some of these include a balding head, bulging waistline, and wisdom that only come after years of practice. But, why do those who have not lived to achieve these awards blame us for all of their problems?
Apr 29, 2008 - 1:16:53 PM
J. G. Fabiano Bowling is Alive, Well, and Living in America
Barak Obama put the game of bowling back on the map. Ever since he threw many consecutive gutter balls in Pennsylvania people are once again talking about the art of bowling. Of course now people are thinking about how bowling became a part of their social structure.
Apr 21, 2008 - 12:11:07 AM
J. G. Fabiano Adult Education Should Include Grocery Shopping 101
There comes a time in every man's life when he is sent out alone. This happened to me a couple of days ago when I ventured into a local supermarket. At the time I thought this would be a very mundane experience. I now realize that I was very wrong.
Apr 13, 2008 - 12:52:23 AM
J. G. Fabiano The School of All Our Past
It is that time of year again. A time when all of our nation's schools are judged as to whether they are successful or not by a generic test that everyone in my profession considers irrelevant to the success of our students. But, because of political powers who are more interested in a catchy name than the success of our children we have to suffer through this foolishness every year.
Apr 6, 2008 - 8:29:49 AM
J. G. Fabiano Inquiry Can Take the Content Out of Education
Inquiry is defined by Webster as being, "a request for information and a search for truth or knowledge." He goes on to describe the concept of being, "a systematic investigation of a matter of public interest." The reason I bring up this definition is this is the time of our school year when our federal government mandates tests in order to find out if our students learned anything. This is also the time when the teachers are basically tested to see if they are accountable to what they try to do.
Mar 22, 2008 - 9:45:08 PM
J. G. Fabiano Going Round and Round in Our Circle Game
Back in November of 1986, I wrote an article entitled, "Bleeding Heart, and Proud of It". It described how my brother-in-law and I had always reflected a classic confrontation between conservative and liberal. Into the new millennium we still defend philosophies that began early in our lives. He is now a builder pushing his conservative ideals of free growth and commerce while I am a liberal teacher praying that uncontrolled growth will not destroy the reason I decided to move to Maine over 37 years ago.
Mar 12, 2008 - 12:20:01 PM
J. G. Fabiano The Nothingness of Happiness
Webster defines happiness as being, "a state of well-being and contentment." Webster continues his definition by stating it has something to do with a pleasurable satisfaction. I have to admit for most of my life I have been told the best measure of the success in life is to equate how happy I am. I don't think I am alone because most of my family and friends are in a perpetual hunt for happiness.
Mar 4, 2008 - 10:06:51 AM
J. G. Fabiano A Patch by Any Other Name
Finishing up the first decade of the 21st century has ushered in many fads. There are few instances when I pass a young man or woman on the street without observing a white cord hanging from their ears or a cell phone seemingly attached to their heads. The cell phones have gotten smaller and smaller to the point of having them look like an elongated ear plug. The problem is one never understands if the person is talking on the phone or simply talking to themselves.
Feb 24, 2008 - 9:01:28 PM
J. G. Fabiano Old Man Caucusing
One has to love the political climate this year. In fact, I don't remember a time in my voting history when so much excitement was felt by so many people. A few weeks ago my wife and I spent an entire day participating in an Obama rally in the afternoon and a Hillary rally later on that same day. Since then we have been hooked to our television set every day from 4 in the afternoon until 10 at night watching every political pundant show from CNN to FOX TV. We were so intrigued by the primaries we decided to join the Maine State Caucus in our home town so we could have our very educated and indoctrinated votes counted.
Feb 17, 2008 - 10:52:57 PM
J. G. Fabiano Weather Isn't the Only Aggravating Part of Our Winter Season
We are working our way through another one. In fact, it is the first real one we've had for a long time. The winter of 2008, brought back the snows and cold all of us who live in Northern New England have come to both love and despise. Along with the weather of winter comes another famous tradition; cold weather aggravations.
Feb 10, 2008 - 8:26:52 PM
J. G. Fabiano Growing Old With Strangers
Everyone is afraid to grow old. At least this is what I am told. There are multi-million dollar industries promising to stop the reality of aging. I don't think anyone really believes anything can stop the aging process but it does supply a fictional glimpse of hope. My wife does a better job at growing old than I do. She does it with style and grace. I simply grow old.
Feb 4, 2008 - 10:30:48 AM
J. G. Fabiano The Political Junkie They Made Me Be
There is a new addiction plaguing the citizens of our nation. It has nothing to do with some new medicine gone awry or some new drug brought in by some society that went extinct thousands of years ago. It has everything to do with how our media has over reported our upcoming election. In other words, I have become a political junkie.
Jan 27, 2008 - 8:32:55 PM
J. G. Fabiano Can We Afford Excuses?
Excuses are defined by Webster as being, "a cause or explanation for something you may be responsible for or a reason to release oneself from an obligation." In today's changing world the concept of giving an excuse is an over used one. As a teacher I hear many excuses from my students when they are not able to get their work in on time. Years ago these excuses had to do with a dog or a younger sibling who decided to eat their work. Technology changed these excuses to include my computer's hard drive died, I ran out of ink in my printer, or the work was sent to my E-mail address at school that rarely works.
Jan 22, 2008 - 8:21:33 AM
J. G. Fabiano The Little Door
I have to admit I was quite awed. I think shocked would be a better term. My wife's sister, Jeanne, told me to go to the hall closet where there was a door leading to the garage. She did this so we could meet in the garage after she locked all the other doors. It must have been a few minutes before I came to the conclusion the door actually existed. It was only three feet high. The doorknob, a simple wooden disc, was only one foot off the ground. I reached down and opened the door. I started to doubt I had the capacity to crawl through such a small space. As I was squeezing through I closed my eyes and allowed my mind's eye to take control of my thoughts and thus my reality.
Jan 22, 2008 - 7:39:39 AM
J. G. Fabiano Going Back to Our Political Futures
One of the nice effects about living near or in New Hampshire is being able to meet Presidential candidates up close and personal every four years. Right before the New Hampshire Primary my wife, some friends and I decided to re-politicize ourselves and take part in both an Obama and Clinton rally. Thinking back we all realized we haven't done this in many a decade
Jan 13, 2008 - 9:08:34 PM
J. G. Fabiano Life Without Teaching
I have to admit I am a bit disappointed about the lack of conversation on my blog. Actually I have little knowledge about how these things work but I was hoping to start a conversation about a profession I and many like me believe is the most important in our nation today. Maybe it will catch on and maybe it won't. But God hates a coward who will not give it a try.
Dec 30, 2007 - 12:14:05 AM
J. G. Fabiano Reflections on a Christmas Past
I know the title of this essay sounds a bit like a Dickens novel but the Christmas past I am talking about happens a day after the holiday. The pounds have been put on our bodies like drifting snow in a nor’easter and the aches and pains of drinking more in three days than one drinks in an entire year make eyes look like they are surrounded by bright red Christmas pillows.
Dec 28, 2007 - 10:03:16 PM
J. G. Fabiano The Silence of Our Sounds
After our last storm I found myself digging out a drainage pipe at the end of my property because I did not want to have an indoor swimming pool in my basement over the upcoming winter thaw. For the past half decade this has been an easy task because we had mild winters. This year's winter made up for this because I found myself in a hole that had to be at least eight feet deep.
Dec 18, 2007 - 7:32:24 AM
J. G. Fabiano Everyone Can't be a Martha Stewart
I don't like this time of year. Spring is still a few months away and I am suffering through the doldrums of winter. This is not a good sign because winter has just begun. There is still snow on the ground and it is much too cold to attempt to do any outside activities. Some of my friends advised me since I live in northern New England I should attempt to participate in some winter sport. I explain I no longer bounce when I fall down; I break. Since I also enjoy the feeling in my fingers and feet winter activities are simply not for me.
Dec 9, 2007 - 11:31:29 PM
J. G. Fabiano A Recyclable Kind of Guy
I've always considered myself a green kind of guy. During my youth in the 1960's I never threw my clothes away because I wore them until there was little to throw away. I tried not to buy drinks and food that were contained in non-degradable products because I could never afford them. I also never tossed anything out my car window because I never had a car. Needless to say I was ahead of my time.
Nov 22, 2007 - 10:29:55 AM
J. G. Fabiano The Legacy of a Tattered Black Sports Coat
One of my students asked me the other day after if I had another sports coat. Since we just finished chemistry class I was a bit surprised by the question. Then I smiled because I came to the realization I had been wearing the same jacket for the past too many years. It is not that I can't afford a new jacket but the tattered black sports coat not only kept me warm but also reminded me of why I am who I am.
Nov 4, 2007 - 9:04:58 AM
J. G. Fabiano The Attack of the Speckled Ladies
Reading about what is happening with the fires on the west coast, the tornadoes in the mid-section of our nation, and the drought in Georgia our problems seem so insignificant. But, every now and then some natural system goes a bit out of whack and produces a problem that drives us all a bit nuts.
Oct 27, 2007 - 10:10:15 PM
J. G. Fabiano Time to End Evangelical Conservatism
There is one thing I am sure of this year. It is definitely time to end our nation's obsession with evangelical conservatism. This means we have to finally come to the conclusion that in order to have a strong and healthy society we can no longer continue to attempt to find the least expensive means to do this.
Oct 27, 2007 - 12:31:50 AM
J. G. Fabiano Yearning For The Foods From My Past
If it sounds like I am crying, I'm not. I praise the day my wife came into my life because she obviously saved it. It's just that my taste buds won't forget the days when ignorance was bliss. From experience, I can tell you that ignorance tastes much better than knowledge.
Oct 26, 2007 - 12:30:20 AM
J. G. Fabiano A Short History About a Place That Heals
I enjoy delving into the history of a place I call home. I abhor going to a hospital. The other day I visited a very good friend who is having a difficult time with his health. My wife and I met his wife in a small room at York Hospital at which time everyone there tried to make my friend feel better. A little time passed when some nurses and doctors wanted to meet with my friend about his health. I took this time to wander a bit around a place I knew had some history to it.
Oct 25, 2007 - 9:23:01 PM
