Nathanael's Birthday Month

Jonathan is surprising us with his language skill.  "Hat," "Hot," "Cat," "Book," "Block," "Car," "Dog," "No," and "Da" (for yes.)  All these words are used in the proper context.  Charis has her sign language, but Jonathan has perhaps caught up with her in vocabulary.

It's so much fun to watch both kids learn new things.  Jonathan decided one of the toys in Susan's living room made a great tunnel.  After seeing him crawl through, Charis had to squeeze through (repeatedly.)  And just as Charis had earlier played telephone (with a computer mouse), Jonathan did it with a spare phone.  He also learned to put coins in the big crayon bank, and dimes only in the top hole, just as Charis had done earlier. 

Nathanael turned 31.  The party seemed (appropriately) to have a Mister Rogers theme.  As we've often observed, Nathanael has been described as a cross between Mr. Rogers and Bill Nye the Science Guy.  [ That reminded me that I describe Annie as Mary Poppins, "practically perfect." ]

So how do I describe Jean?  Maybe she is like Belle, having found her Beast is a lovable teddy bear.

Here, Jonathan is sporting the bow tie he will wear as the ring bearer on the 16th.

Spreadsheets 2.0

The last time I made a major overhaul of my BUS 1700 lectures was over the summer of 2013.

Although I tweaked them a bit from time to time, I've resisted major changes.  Until this quarter.

Most of my free time over Christmas Break involved reworking my Excel lectures.  This continued with expanded practice problems and more lesson revisions right up to two days before "Lesson 10."  I have ten lessons now instead of twelve, but they still take twelve hours to deliver. 

Attendance has been much better this quarter.  This photo is of my 6:00-8:00 PM Tuesday/Thursday section.  My 3:00 PM class did not miss a day due to the mid-January snow and cold, but my 6:00 PM students missed on the 14th and finished up with Lesson 10 on the 28th.  My four-day Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend began and ended with full days of Excel course prep, with the two days in the middle devoted to grandchildren.

Seahawks End Season with Loss at Green Bay

Again in 2019, the Seattle Seahawks made the NFC playoffs, this time as the number five cede. 

On January 12th, they fell to the Packers 23-28 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.  Green Bay went on to lose to San Francisco the following week.  But in the first round of the playoffs, Seattle defeated Philadelphia 17-9 to advance.  Super Bowl Sunday, February 2, 2020, will see the NFC's San Francisco 49ers face the AFC's Kansas City Chiefs.  The Chiefs haven't been in the Super Bowl for fifty years!  I'm rooting for them.

(AP) "PHILADELPHIA -- Jadeveon Clowney knocked out (quarterback) Carson Wentz. Then, Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles.

Wilson threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to (rookie) DK Metcalf (left), Marshawn Lynch had a rushing score and the Seahawks beat the Eagles 17-9 in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs on Sunday night."

Bits and Pieces

On the 29th, we got the official word that the business school's accreditation by AACSB International had indeed been extended for another five years.  I fully expect to be comfortably retired before our next accreditation visit in 2024.

One of my pre-wedding tasks was to prepare the PowerPoint of the bride and groom to run in a loop after the ceremony. 

Friday morning the 31st, while Nancy and I were deciding upon a card for Jean & Joel, the high wind blew off 25' of our highest ridge flashing that Nancy, Annie, and Nathanael had installed in August 2007.   Nathanael and I will try to reinstall it on Saturday the 1st.  Then we'll all be off to a wedding shower / birthday party at Susan's.

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