Practice: Feb 15, 2009

1. Sit spin 2. Sit-change-sit 3. Camel Back sit is surprisingly pleasant. Tried it only a handful of times on Wed (11/2), once on Fri (13/2), and today. Sit spin was annoying as usual. I still spin but, much slower than before sharpening. By scraping ice, my spin slows down and I can't stay in position. I checked, I'm not on a flat edge. According to my coach, it's because I haven't gotten used to the sharpening. But it's been a long time! I really want the ice to go away! Imagine scraping a pile of ice and you end up sitting on it! All the time! All spins were smashing on Wednesday. Like, wow! Oh well. I need help with camel. I apparently center it and spin instead of going in a big circle, but the position simply sucks. How to arch my back, straighten the knee, correct the arms? Is there any way you use? Pst. Flip: I'm getting this high arm swing, and my free leg swings rather high. Like a toned-down version of Zhang's. Help!!! I can land it consistently, just looks horrid.

Post Tension Slab

Poetry Practice Through Play

When my youngest daughter was in pre-kindergarten, I went to the prerequisite open house. As the children played, the parents gathered - either standing or perched precariously upon tiny chairs - waiting for the teacher to speak.

The teacher gestured to each section as she explained how the children spent their day. We got to know the art center. We saw the tricycles, swings and seesaws they used during outdoor play. We were introduced to the block building, kitchen, and music centers.

When she finished, she smiled while waiting for our questions. One parents question stuck out in my mind: Besides going over their ABC's and 123's, what do they actually learn?

My Answer: Playing, while being a fun way to pass the time, can also teach. This is as true for poets as it is for the pre-k crowd.

THREE WAYS TO PLAY

~ONE~

A fun tool in the poet's toolbox is alliteration. My favorite way to sharpen this tool is to play the game Scattergories.

The way to get points is to come up with unique answers, because if someone else comes up with what you wrote down, neither one of you get a point. The way to pile up points is to come up with a single answer that had words beginning with the same letter. For example, if "P" was the letter rolled and "panther" fit one of the categories, then "pink panther" would get you two points instead of one - as long as it also fit the category. You could try "pink polka-dotted panther", but if the category is "type of cat" - you might have a problem defending your answer.

On the other hand, it's loads of fun trying.

~TWO~

In case that was too much like playing for you, here is a fun way to practice poetry that I learned in my Creative Writing classes in college.

Try playing with word magnets - no refrigerator required.

The object isn't to come up with anything serious, although sometimes you do by accident. Focus on finding a rhythm and the way words sound together. It's okay to get silly.

You can find these word magnets at most bookstores.

~THREE~

The third way to play is as easy as closing your eyes.

Find a quiet place and use your imagination. Visualize a place in detail or become a different person. Immerse yourself in this imaginary place or imaginary life. Next, you write as much of this detail as you can. Bring it (or him/her) to life on paper.

Practice can be as boring as repeating the multiplication tables or it can be a fun experience. Boring gets old fast - personally, give me the fun.

Civil Engineering Overview