Book of Days: asher553

"It'd be cool if Haight Street was always like it was back then, when people were all into disco an' stuff."
- TNG, age 11

Last year, The Next Generation was having trouble with his math. But you'd never know that now, the way the kid is doing fractions and multiplication and division.

a63: So, you can see that 4/12 is the same as 1/3 ...
TNG: Oh, I get it ... fractions are kinda like division, huh?
a63 {bouncing up and down excitedly}: Yes!!!!! Fractions are EXACTLY the same as division, in fact it's just another name for division.

He's doing really well with multiplication and knows most of his times tables. When he doesn't know the answer from memory, he can work it out by counting off (e.g. for 6*5=30 he'll count "five, ten, fifteen ..." until he gets the answer). So this tells me he understands the concept too.

He did several long multiplication problems tonight from the workbook I got him - multiplying two- and three-digit numbers. He got every answer exactly right. (I checked his work with a calculator.) He even did more examples than I asked.

So I'm really really excited about this. He's mastering the concepts and the techniques, and he's got the enthusiasm for the subject. He ought to have a good year in school.

I'm back in Portland and yes, I promise I'm going to catch up on my F-list! But I couldn't let the day pass without posting a link to The Next Generation's web page!

Yes, it's true. We went out for sandwiches and talked about stuff ... then I broke out the computer and showed him a few things - geeky math stuff (how to graph the formula of "x squared") and internet news. Then he asked me about setting up an internet page, and I showed him how to log on to Blogger. I walked him through the blog setup, letting him choose his own title, username (ewok5), and blog template. Then I had him dictate a post - it's one of his elaborate stories. He seems to be in a pirate phase right now. He asked if he could learn to type, and I told him that assuredly he could (once he got the cast off his wrist) and recommended that he try to get into a typing class if it's offered in his school.

And so, with great pleasure, I present TNG's new website:
Atomic Movie.

I slept in this morning (for me, "sleeping in" means staying in bed after 6:30am) and then took a short walk out by the Cliff House. Should have taken photos ... I'll do that tomorrow. The weather in SF has been absolutely splendid the whole time I've been here. It's wonderful!

My hotel is across the street from a little park that I think extends out to the beach. Just to the north is the Sutro Baths area, San Francisco's one proper "ruin". The 38 Geary bus takes me the 15 or so blocks to The Next Generation's home.

My date with TNG was for 6pm this evening, so I took the morning to relax and study my Arabic and Persian in between taking in the fabulous view of the Pacific. This afternoon I met Cinnamon for lunch - I'll see her again tomorrow evening with some friends in the area. We had a great time talking and walking around.

I took TNG to Golden Gate park, he wanted to follow the walkway past the golf course to the beach and his mom hasn't taken him out there. So we went, and we had a nice little hike! We passed some of those pretty little pink flowers (no, I haven't the faintest idea what they're called) and went up to a place where the trail ended in a spectacular view of the Pacific. Then we headed back. TNG talked about how he'd like to have wings, and asked if people could fly with glider wings but no motors. I told him it was possible, but just barely. He's even more into the superhero concept than usual - I attribute this to his temporary incapacitation - and he drew (using his nondominant hand!) a superhero for the occasion.

On the way home I took some pictures of TNG - he looks wonderful - and I'll post these in a separate (friends) post. I may have to wait until tomorrow because I'm on the hotel dial-up now.

... while Cade and Kitiara enjoy Portland!

I've managed to miss Alison Bechdel not once but twice: she was in San Francisco just before I arrived, and she's going to be in Portland while I'm here. Grrrr.

Alison's latest undertaking {wince} is a beautiful and evocative graphic memoir called "Fun Home". I managed to score a signed copy at a bookstore on Haight yesterday and devoured most of it last night and this morning. I can't recommend it highly enough. I'll have more to write soon.

I'm staying out in the Sutro area - way out in the boonies, City-wise. Got to travel 10+ blocks just to get to a restaurant or a convenience store. The Seal Rock Inn has a restaurant, but it's really more of a diner and only serves breakfast and lunch. I was really tired and REALLY hungry after my trip in, and didn't have the chance to get anything to eat while hanging out with Daniel yesterday ... finally grabbed a very lean salmon teriyaki dinner before heading back to the SRI. I slept, but not very well, 'cuz I was still on a semi-empty stomach. Got a big omelette this morning - my first full meal in a day and a half - and crashed in my room for an hour.

When I get a chance to sit down and write at leisure, I'll fill you in some more on my history in San Francisco. It touches on my own family history somewhat, and relates indirectly to Bechdel's "Fun Home".

I'm posting from the Art Bistro, but the butch isn't here today.