Tammy and I have been regular attendees of the Practical Farmers of Iowa
Cooperators Meeting for some time, and it has been odd to have missed each of the past couple of years. This is what happens when your life changes.
The two-day Cooperators Meeting
features discussion and presentations on how research projects fared
during the previous year and then on designing new projects for the
upcoming season. It's a time to exercise curiosity and to seek camaraderie with other agriculturists who seek to become better at their craft by testing what we think we know and learning from careful observation.
Tammy was asked to give the closing remarks for the 2016 Cooperator's
Meeting and she was a bit uncertain as to whether she should agree to do
so or not. It was certainly understandable, the meeting typically occurs late in the year, when Tammy's school schedule is fairly stressful. Adding yet another thing to the "to do" list probably didn't sound all that attractive.
Still, I encouraged Tammy to do it. Why? Well, I happen to think Tammy is far more creative than she gives herself credit for and I thought it would be useful to hear her perspective. So, with some trepidation, she performed the task - and performed it well.
In fact, it was liked well enough that PFI put it out
on YouTube. That's a compliment. And I will continue with the
compliment by including the video at the end if you would like to see it.
But first, let me give you the text.
While this was all presented in a lighthearted fashion, there is a
great deal of meat to what is being said here. Take a moment and enjoy.
---------------------------------------
JRR Tolkien knew how to write a
good story.Is that an understatement,
or what?!For those of you who are not
familiar with his work, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, is an author and linguistic
scholar, best known for his high-fantasy novels
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. He is also known
for his intense attention to detail. I have long loved Tolkien stories and
grown to appreciate the importance he placed on detail and accuracy.“Close enough” was just not good enough.
I see a lot of Tolkien's
dedication to detail and knowledge in PFI farmers and our dedication to
detailed research.Rob has convinced me,
despite my admitted preference for “I think” to move to “I know” on the farm.Count it, measure it, record it, then plan
it.And, repeat - Count it, measure it,
record it, then plan it.
Tolkien writings
offer so much timeless wisdom including this exchange early in the “Rings”
journey:
“I wish it need not have happened
in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is
not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that
is given us.”
There are many things
farmers struggle with - including increasingly extreme weather and uncertain
economics and changing policies.What we
CAN do is decide what WE want to do with what we have – not just “Go along”.
At one point, one of
the HEROES in the Ring Trilogy, Aragon, inspires his troops before a seemingly
hopeless battle:
"Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of
Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take
the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake
our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour
of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But
it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good
Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"
I hope our farming does
not seem “hopeless”, though we certainly face challenges.So, with thanks to Tolkien and assistance
from Dick Thompson:
“Hold your ground,Protect your ground!Farmers
of Iowa - Row Cropper, Grazier and Horticulturist.
I
see in your eyes that same passion for farm and soil that inspires me.
A day may come when the courage of farmers
fails, when we forsake our passion for sustainable, well managed farms and
break all bonds with our history of smart farming.
But that is not this
day.
An hour of weeds, pests and
disease, a day of intense pressure to conform, to “go along”, when the age of
“thinking farmers” on diverse farms comes crashing down.
But, it is NOT this day!
This day we research!By all that you hold dear for the good of this
earth, I bid you, RESEARCH and LEARN, Farmers of the Land!”
-----------------------------
It's a good thing to have great respect for your partner in life. It's also good to be proud of their efforts, the things they produce and the heart they exhibit for the good things of this world.
It's an even better thing to be able to stand together for things we care about. Perhaps the day will come where we can't.
Today is going to be a good day. Or, if you are reading it later in the day, today IS or HAS BEEN a good day.
This is not negotiable. This is how it is how it is going to be. Sure, I suppose things could happen that might be undesirable. Perhaps I will drop my toast and it will land butter-side down. I might stub my toe or step up to my knees in a mud puddle. Maybe the skies will be cloudy and a cold wind might blow. But today is still going to be a good day.
It's going to be good because this person - the one in the picture shown above - is my friend and partner. And today is the anniversary of her arrival on this planet. That makes today, for me, a good day.
You, on the other hand, can have whatever kind of day you feel you need. But, I highly recommend having a good day. They really are worth the effort.
Coming off a successful walk last weekend at Backbone State Park, Tammy and I took a moment to stop at the trail to Malanaphy Springs on the way home after our god-daughter, Turi's wedding. The last time we walked this trail was a little over eleven months ago. Even though that prior walk was in November, it was actually a bit warmer (and sunnier) that time around. The biggest difference was the absence of any leaves on the trees that time.
This time around, we got to view the trail with some nice greens and yellows, along with some brown leaves (of course).
One of the neat things about Fall walks in the woods is that you can take in that earthy/leafy smell as you go down the path. It is usually a bit more prominent on a day that features a bit more sunshine, but it was present this time around. And we were serenaded with the sound of wind through the drying leaves.
We were noticing, on the walk back, that there were maples, elms, oaks and numerous other trees in this woodland. While there were many downed, older trees - we also noticed many younger trees. It looked like the maple seedlings and saplings were the most plentiful, but we observed other young trees as well.
I actually like taking photos on days that aren't terribly bright because it is easier to show the depth of your surroundings. Of course, a wooded area that has a good canopy and decent leaf cover provides enough shade to make it easier to handle those bright days.
I think the pictures I took this time around show a nice contrast between the darker shades in the tree trunks with everything else. And it was refreshing to see the different shades going from green to yellow.
The goal for this walk is typically to get to the cold water springs (and waterfall) at the end of the trail. We were not entirely sure that Tammy would be able to go that far, but she made it. Upon arriving there, she found a good stump to sit on so she could just soak in the sights for a while and get a little more energy for the return walk.
While she got a break, I decided to meander around the stream and see what other pictures I could take. I got some that looked upstream towards the source where Malanaphy exits the rocks and I took other s that looked down to the waterfall that drops to the Upper Iowa River.
While we were in the area of springs, the sun decided to make a quick appearance. I think we were both pretty happy to get a few rays peeking through the tree canopy. It was a bit like having a friend tell us that they were glad to see us there.
A little extra light provided a little bit more texture on the waters of the Upper Iowa by reflecting a patch of blue back at me. I just happened to be looking at the right time and decided to see how that would look in a picture.
By the time we returned to the car, Tammy was probably feeling like she had put in about as much of a hike as she should at this point in her rehabilitation. We were told that Achilles surgery has a long road to recovery, but it is one thing to be told such a thing and another thing to live the experience. That said, she is recovering well and we're thinking it might be a good strategy to try to set aside time to take these walks each weekend.
I am not sure where we'll go next. But, it certainly was a good walk with my friend at Malanaphy Springs.
Two of the longest days of year at the Genuine Faux Farm are the ones where we take the turkeys to "the Park" and then to "Freezer Camp" or their "Forever Homes." And, I am happy to report that both farmers survived those two days in 2022.
These two days were technically Wednesday and Thursday this past week. But, in reality, it all started on Tuesday night.
Why Tuesday night? Well, the preparation for how things must go on Wednesday begins then. For example, we knew the turkeys had to stay in their shelter on Wednesday rather than allowing them back out on pasture. That meant we had to bring in waterers and make sure they were full and make sure the room was ready for birds that were used to being outdoors.
Yes, the turkeys spent each night in this room. So, it's not like they were unfamiliar with it. But, we were certain they weren't going to be terribly pleased with the next day's situation - so we took time to make things as comfortable for them as we were able.
This year, we had a nice little extra activity added to our "take the turkeys to the Park" day. It came in the form of a trip for an appointment in Waterloo at 6:45 AM for a "medical thing." No, not an emergency. Let's just say that when it was scheduled there were likely limited choices AND when you look at this sort of thing three weeks before the event, it doesn't SEEM like it will be a big deal.
But, when you find yourself staring one of the "longest days" in the eyes and you're driving to get to a medical appointment, you have to doubt the wisdom of choosing that day. After all, this felt like it deserved to be a "significant event" all by itself for Wednesday. And, if we can help it, we like to spread our "significant events" out a little bit.
Guess we failed this time around.
The other significant event was the trip to the Park with the turkeys. That event starts earlier in the day. The truck gets cleaned out and straw gets put into the bed. The electric net fencing and the charger and grounding rod get removed. A ramp is located and moved to the building entrace and the truck (Chumley) is moved to that entrance. There is most certainly more to it than that - but I think you begin to get the point.
Meanwhile, Rob and Tammy both did their level best to work a full day at each of their jobs - Tammy at Wartburg and Rob at PAN.
The actual trip to the Park is actually two trips. Our flock this year was 67 birds - too many to put into the truck at one time. So, we load up a batch of about half of the birds. Drive to Greene from Tripoli (about 45 minutes). Unload that group. Drive back to the farm. Load up the second half... rinse and repeat...
The kicker is that the birds are less stressed by this process (and it is easier for the farmers) if we wait until nightfall to begin. That's not so terribly late this time of year - but we still found ourselves getting home from the last trip after 11 PM.
That's just day one.
Day two requires a fair amount of clean up. The straw has to come out of the truck and then the back of the truck needs to be cleaned and sanitized. By this time of year, things are a bit chillier so the process is a bit less enjoyable than it is when we take broiler chickens in.
Well, ok. To be honest, this process is usually a bit less than enjoyable anyway. But, it has to be done. Of course, we also have to prepare ourselves by finding all of the equipment we need to load, transport and deliver the birds.
This year, thankfully, was easier for us than it has been in years past. We have been moving towards raising turkeys for a couple of "larger accounts." This year, each of those accounts took thirty birds each, leaving us with only seven. So, if some of you are wondering why we did not promote the turkeys this year - that's why. We've been executing some of the changes to the farm and we're continuing to evolve. One of the many changes we have been making have to do with reducing the labor requirement while still keeping our hand in farming.
Dealing with trying to sell sixty some turkeys to sixty some different buyers is just one of those things. It is so much easier to take thirty one place and thirty to another place. One of the buyers is Local Foods Connection - a non profit that arranged to purchase food from Iowa's farmers and distributes them to families that need that food. That's a pretty good motivator for us to continue to raise a flock.
Well - there you have it. We survived two of our longest days at the Genuine Faux Farm in 2022. I even had enough energy to write a little bit about it at the end of the second day.
The real question is this - was I awake enough to make any sense? I think it might be time to catch some zzz's.
I sometimes wish I was quicker with pulling out my notepad and pen when
amusing things get said or done around the farm. Given the right mood,
the two of us have the ability to take discussions in all sorts of
absurdly wonderful directions and I sometimes wish I could remember them
well enough to report them and then play with them further on the
blog. After all, if they amused us, won't they amuse you? (ok - don't answer that one - you don't want to hurt our feelings do you?)
Why don't I remember them, you might ask?
Well, if you fall into a
giggle fit, your brains fall right out of your ears and you have a case
of temporary amnesia.
However, I do remember one specific conversation
that started with the observation that we could see the stars. This discussion was
particularly noteworthy because it had been very cloudy for some time AND it was forecast to continue to be cloudy. To top it off, temperatures were forecast to be
higher than usual in mid-December. Sadly, the sun was not forecast to
show itself during the daytime hours and the couple of moments we
were going to get of clear skies was 9:00 at night - the very moment we were having this discussion. Not helpful when you were hoping for some sunshine to do outdoor tasks.
After the expected and understandable lament
that we would have liked a few moments of sun versus the continual fog,
drizzle and overcast/cloudy skies during the day, Tammy
mentioned the fact that there was supposed to be a meteor shower at some
point during this week. But...
She DELETED it.
Ooops, you missed one.
This is one of those cases where I know Tammy heard what she was
saying. She just wanted to get to the point sooner without all of the
connections that get a person from point A to point B. I mean, I DID understand that she was referencing an email she deleted that had the INFORMATION about the meteor shower.
But, WHY would
you want to let something like that go? I mean, she just said "There's supposed to be a meteor shower at some point this week, but I deleted it."
We didn't let it go - we
had fun with it.
So, for everyone out there who was hoping to see a meteor shower
recently. You didn't see it because Tammy DELETED the meteor shower.
It had nothing to do with incessant cloud cover. So there!
Rob was particularly disappointed because he felt it was about time to
take a shower. So, if the next time you see him and you feel that he is
stinking up the place - blame Tammy. She deleted the shower he was
going to take.
I don't care if she deleted it, take a shower anyway! I, the Sandman, have spoken.
For those who have interest in things like meteor showers, Tammy gets email posts from the Space Weather site. But, remember, don't delete emails about meteor showers, that will make Rob stinky.
-----------------------------
ed note: this post is an edited version of a blog that was originally posted on Dec 15, 2014 - it was worth a new look and a little extra sauce - enjoy!
When your sweetie makes a comment on one of your blog posts that makes a specific request, it is normally a good idea to listen and act upon said request.
Ok, Tammy - here are some waterfalls for you!
We featured Dunning's Springs back in a Learn Something New blogpost that featured Jewelweed as well. Since both of us went to college nearby and lived for a time in the Decorah area, we are pretty familiar with this beautiful waterfall. We should walk there again (and again).
Speaking of walking - the first time we saw this waterfall, it was not the easiest hike for me, but I was willing to go with Tammy to find it because - well - she wanted to - and you do things that are difficult for you because you love someone. Since that time, we have visited the same waterfall and taken the same hike - getting easier each time to deal with feeling that the edge of the cliff is going to reach up, grab you and toss you into the wide expanses. Next time we should just go and plan to hang out there for a couple of hours...
Sometimes a waterfall can be mesmerizing. Drawing you back over and over again. You stop to look at it "for just a second." Before you know it, a half hour has gone by.
There are other moments in time that you remember to take advantage of circumstances and make sure to take an opportunity that is offered. What is gained if you don't give yourself that gift of visiting a waterfall? Nothing. What is lost?
Well, you might never know the answer to that question. So perhaps we should not dwell on it. Instead, we should consider what was gained and what it means for us.
The two of us have taken to referencing Bilbo Baggins as we tell each other that we are ready for 'another adventure.' It doesn't have to be a big thing either. Little adventures can have as much value as the big ones. Just as long as you be sure experience them together.
Some of these photos adorn the walls of our home, bringing the adventure into the secure bubble of our lives at the farm. These are reminders that we can be brave and we can be content and calm at the same time. They transport us back in time and to other places - where the air is moist and cooler than it was just five hundred feet down the road.
And these photos also show us what focus can do. Feast your eyes upon the waterfall and crop out the surroundings that don't please the eyes or feed the soul. Suddenly, there is only the waterfall and the surrounding natural beauty. There is no bridge with a railing. You don't see the vehicles driving past and the rest area, signs and parking lot are no longer in view. The helicopter on the horizon? Don't see that either.
It's just water following gravity to a pool down below. And a light breeze. Some sunshine. Rock formations and trees. Maybe a few birds. And a chance to enjoy it all with a good friend.
Tammy and I have been regular attendees of the Practical Farmers of Iowa Cooperators Meeting for the past several years. The two-day meeting features discussion and presentations on how research and projects fared during the previous year and then on designing new projects for the upcoming season.
Tammy was asked to give the closing remarks for the 2016 Cooperator's Meeting and she was a bit uncertain as to whether she should agree to do so or not. I strongly encouraged her to do this and I think she came up with a winner. In fact, it was liked well enough that PFI put it out on YouTube. That's a compliment. And I will continue with the compliment by including the video here and the text she based her closing remarks on.
While this was all presented in a light-hearted fashion, there is a great deal of meat to what is being said here. Take a moment and enjoy.
JRR Tolkein wrote a
good story.Is that an understatement,
or what?!For those of you who are not
familiar with his work, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, is an author and linguistic
scholar, best known for his high-fantasy novels
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is also known
for his intense attention to detail. I have long loved Tolkein’s stories and
grown to appreciate the importance he placed on detail and accuracy.“Close enough” was just not good enough.
I see a lot of Tolkein’s
dedication to detail and knowledge in PFI farmers and our dedication to
detailed research.Rob has convinced me,
despite my admitted preference for “I think” to move to “I know” on the farm.Count it, measure it, record it, then plan
it.And, repeat - Count it, measure it,
record it, then plan it.
Tolkein’s writings
offer so much timeless wisdom including this exchange early in the “Rings”
journey:
“I wish it need not have happened
in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is
not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that
is given us.”
There are many things
farmers struggle with including increasingly extreme weather and uncertain
economics and changing policies.What we
CAN do is decide what WE want to do with what we have – not just “Go along”.
At one point, one of
the HEROES in the Ring Trilogy, Aragon, inspires his troops before a seemingly
hopeless battle:
"Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of
Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take
the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake
our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour
of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But
it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good
Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"
I hope our farming does
not seem “hopeless”, though we certainly face challenges.So, with thanks to Tolkein and assistance
from Dick Thompson:
“Hold your ground,Protect your ground!Farmers
of Iowa, Row Crop, Grazer and Hort.I
see in your eyes that same passion for farm and soil that inspires me.A day may come when the courage of farmers
fails, when we forsake our passion for sustainable, well managed farms and
break all bonds with our history of smart farming, but that is not this
day.An hour of weeds, pests and
disease, a day of intense pressure to conform, to “go along”, when the age of
“thinking farmers” on diverse farms come crashing down.But, it is NOT this day!This day we research!By all the you hold dear for the good of this
earth, I bid you, RESEARCH and LEARN, Farmers of the Land!”
I sometimes wish I was quicker with pulling out my notepad and pen when amusing things get said or done around the farm. Given the right mood, the two of us have the ability to take discussions in all sorts of absurdly wonderful directions and I sometimes wish I could remember them well enough to report them and then play with them further on the blog. After all, if they amused us, won't they amuse you?
Why don't I remember them, you might ask? Well, if you fall into a giggle fit, your brains fall right out of your ears and you have a case of temporary amnesia.
However, I do remember one specific conversation a couple of days ago that started with an observation that we could see the stars. This was particularly noteworthy to us since we knew temps were forecast to be higher than usual for this time of year, but the sun was not forecast to show itself during that period. Of course, the couple of moments we got with clear skies was at 9:00 at night. After the typical lament that we would have liked a few moments of sun versus the continual fog, drizzle and overcast/cloudy skies during the day by both of us, Tammy mentioned the fact that there was supposed to be a meteor shower at some point during this time period. But...
She DELETED it.
Ooops, you missed one.
This is one of those cases where I know Tammy heard what she was saying. She just wanted to get to the point sooner without all of the connections that get a person from point A to point B. But, WHY would you want to let something like that go? And we didn't let it go - we had fun with it.
So, for everyone out there who was hoping to see a meteor shower recently. You didn't see it because Tammy DELETED the meteor shower. It had nothing to do with incessant cloud cover. So there!
Rob was particularly disappointed because he felt it was about time to take a shower. So, if the next time you see him and you feel that he is stinking up the place - blame Tammy. She deleted the shower he was going to take.
I don't care if she deleted it, take a shower anyway! I, the Sandman, have spoken.
For those who have interest in things like meteor showers, Tammy gets email posts from the Space Weather site.
(A rare post by T) While living on a farm, especially this one, is rewarding, sometimes there are frustrations that get me wondering why we do this. Are we not allowed a day away? Are we not allowed to have some fun without penalty? According to the masked pests in residence at GFF, the answer is no. Down at least 3 hens by arriving home from a baseball game that went long. And, now the car battery is dead because we used the headlights to try to help us see in the dark. Argh somehow does not seem to cut it tonight. Tomorrow will be a better day (good news, though - R played center field well and had several nice hits...)
(an addendum by R)
We try not to be overwhelmed on the frustration side. But, at the same time, it's not entirely fair to present ourselves as never being frustrated or unhappy with the way things are going. And - it's nice to have Tammy write something.
The problem will be partially solved as R will not be playing baseball anymore. Just can't justify the drive to Newton or Des Moines to play.
It must be Spring at the Genuine Faux Farm. We can tell because the number of bruises, cuts, sore muscles and joints and other various dings are getting harder to track. The conversations Tammy and I have sometimes might be disconcerting, confusing or amusing depending on how you're feeling at the moment.
"Where'd you get *that* bruise?"
"Which bruise?"
"*THAT* one."
"Oh, I don't know. I think that's where I ran into the tailgate on the truck... no, wait.. that was *this* bruise..."
"It looks painful."
"I suppose, but it only hurts if you bump it into the tailgate on the truck..."
Or maybe we come to wrong conclusions such as this one:
Rob earlier in the evening. "You know, I was really dreading how I would feel at the end of the week. I'm not as sore as I thought I would be."
Rob later in the evening (after sitting down for dinner). "Uh oh. I think I'm really dreading how I'll feel in the morning."
And, yet another disturbing conversation:
Tammy, digging into the cabinet in the bathroom: "Hm, we don't have any bigger bandaids. We just have a bunch of these little bandaids."
Rob: "Pffft. If we had a cut the size of those little things we wouldn't bother with a bandaid. Maybe we should donate them to the daycare."
Other things we notice (with maybe some exaggeration for effect) this time of year.
- Our hands are so rough and dry if we touch a lotion bottle our hands wick all of the lotion out of the bottle without having to open it.
- The amount of dust that gets blown into our ears is enough to start a small patch of arugula.
- We walked so much this weekend that the soles of our shoes lost a quarter inch of thickness. And we've noticed that it *IS* uphill both ways (to and from wherever we're going)
- Our blisters have callouses. Or is that the other way around?
No actual farmers were hurt in the writing of this post - just the faux ones.
Well, here it is... a request by the Queen Boss of this outfit.
What should we bring to a potluck? Suggestions?
All right, here are the details.
Practical Farmers of Iowa sponsors field days. We held one last August and we hosted a potluck/heirloom tomato tasting & provided roast bison sandwiches. The food brought by participants was excellent.
Now, we find ourselves looking at attending a field day at Scattergood in West Branch. How should we represent our farm *and* provide something very yummy for people to munch during the potluck portion of this event?
There isn't really any pressure here. T just thought it might be fun to ask people to suggest things that either
a) have been something they have enjoyed that we have brought/created in the past b) is something that might make you think of our farm and what we do c) would simply be a really cool thing to bring to this potluck
Rules of suggestions are as follows: 1. It has to be able to travel well over a couple of hours - and then sit for two more while presentations are given. 2. It can't be too terribly complicated and should be able to be completed in a couple of hours at most. 3. Primarily uses items we have on the farm.
R mentioned the hatching of our very first chick this morning. How wonderful! What a special thing to reach into the box and find a chick still wearing a "shell hat", still damp from hatching!
Tonight we took the trip to get turkey feed and got home after dark, about a half hour too late. Today, the day we witnessed birth, we also had to administer death and say goodbye to our friend Yogi Ducka. We found her nearly dead from wounds inflicted by a what we strongly suspect was a raccoon.
I was reading a short story in Green Prints (great magazine filled with humorous and thoughtful gardening stories(www.greenprints.com)and found a quote that I philosophically agree with, but tonight I can't quite reconcile myself to: "God created all creatures in this world, big and small, for some purpose" (Summer 2009,p. 73).
Could someone please tell me what purpose raccoons serve? Aside from reminding me that I really am not in charge at all, I can't think of a single useful purpose these death-bringing creatures serve.
I don't know if T wants me to put this out here - but I'm going to any way because I am extremely proud of her.
We just received a letter in the mail from the college she works at - and it is a good letter. Says something about being pleased and granted tenure and stuff like that.
As a simple (minded) farmer, I am mildly perplexed by all of this. Don't really know what it means. But, since the letter seemed to be saying nice things about T, that must mean it is good.
I saw a picture from someone who has a worse raccoon problem than we do! This was apparently taken in her KITCHEN! And we thought WE had a raccoon problem! The buggers tore up the barn last night - ripped a sack of lime pellets to shreds, scattered the lime (which is certainly NOT edible, so they were just being destructive), tossed around empty trash cans and dumped the cat's water dish. Luckily, we HAVE learned to keep chicken and cat food in WELL secured containers.
The photo comes from http://www.rhymeswithorange.com/
I saw this cartoon today and started to think about perceptions. Is it smart to try to make people perceive you as smart? I was at work WAY too late last night, then could not get to sleep right away. So, any thoughts I had about being perceived as smart today are buried beneath the fog in my brain and bags under my eyes.
Wait - Pythagorean Theorem - that ought to do it! Yes, you now know that I am smart! (Bonus points for anyone who can come up with a rhyme for Pythagorean Theorem!).
tf (not so qbt today)
addendum by rf:
Unfortunately for tf, her students may rebel if they hear about things that are math related...
