Goodbye to the Weekend Assignment (Unless....)

I guess it's time.

I have been participating in the Weekend Assignment since the summer of 2004, just a few months after John Scalzi founded the meme as part of his AOL Journals gig. Within a few weeks it became an obsession with me. Since then I have written an entry in every single Weekend Assignment, whether the topic was assigned by Scalzi or, in more recent years, by my friend Carly or myself, or by someone else. A number of you have suggested topics as "guest professors," and for this I am grateful, even if I didn't use them all.

But the meme has been in decline for years, with most topics garnering from one to three entries, mine included. Coming up with fresh ideas for it, and second-guessing which ones are most likely to inspire participation, is a process that ceased to be fun for me over the last year or so. At the same time, my own life has changed dramatically in the last few months, as I've gone from working 4 to 7 hours a week to working full-time and then some. All in all, the prospect of writing the next Weekend Assignment question has become a chore instead of a game.

So I'm giving it up.

If anyone wants to take over this venerable meme, I will be glad to pass the torch, and help you keep it alight with announcements and promotions during the transition. I'll even do the assignments, but only as a participant.

Frankly, I suspect nobody will take me up on this offer, and the Weekend Assignment will quietly die. And that's okay. It's had a good, long run, encouraged people to write, and introduced bloggers to each other. Even if there is never another Weekend Assignment topic, the meme is far from a failure overall. Its time has just passed -- or, at least, my time as its champion has passed.

I will still be hosting the Round Robin Photo Challenges on another blog, and participating in Carly's Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot. And I'm not giving up text-based blogging entirely. When I feel a rant coming on or have some news, you can expect to find me filling up a screen over at Outpost Mâvarin.

Meanwhile, here are the results of Weekend Assignment #366: You're Doing It Wrong. Because of Easter and Passover, I gave people an extra week to do this one, but it didn't help:

In a recycled entry from a previous Assignment, Anne said...

When I was 24 years old, I put together my first “entertainment system”. A stereo receiver hooked up to a TV, VCR, CD player and speakers. I don’t think I even had a DVD player yet, and I certainly did not have cable. I put it all together myself and it all worked. That weekend, my brother, then age 20, came over. I dragged him to the room to brag. Not about the stuff, mind you. But the fact that I did my homework, made good consumer decisions, and put it all together by myself. He took one look and said, “This is all wrong,” and started pulling out cables.

Karen said...

After 45 minutes or longer, we finally decided that one of us would continue to wait where we were while the other checked out the other apparently deserted parking lots at the same intersection. If I recall correctly, that was how we found Bob, and boy, was he mad! We had all been right where we had said we'd be, but missed each other in the dark, simply because it didn't occur to Bob that we might be shivering in the cold in the grocery store parking lot on the northeast corner of the intersection, not warm and safe in the bar on the southwest corner.

Thanks to everyone who has ever written up a Weekend Assignment entry, or taken the time to read the entries of others. See you around!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #366: You're Doing It Wrong

Please note: I am extending the deadline on this Assignment for one week, to Wednesday night April 27th. This is to give people (including me!) more time to come up with an entry despite a busy holiday week (Holy Week and Passover). We will resume our usual schedule with Weekend Assignment #367 on April 28th.--KFB.

Weekend Assignment #366: You're Doing It Wrong
Tell us about a mistake you made: directions botched or misunderstood, minor disasters suffered because you did something incorrectly. I'm thinking of problems with "Some Assembly Required" projects, maps misread and appointments missed, problems learning to use technology, etc., preferably with hilarious results!


Extra Credit: How good are you at giving directions, or teaching others to do something correctly?

You know how this works, right?

• You have until next Wednesday night to answer this question in your blog or in the comments below.
• If you do participate, please leave a comment here with your name and the URL of your entry.
• Don't forget to link back to here in the entry itself. 

That's all there is to it! Please play this week if you can. It's not nearly as much fun without you!

Last week, I asked about your tax preparation strategies. Apparently nobody wanted to talk about taxes except me. But appearances are deceiving, because Anne did the Assignment and forgot to mention it! :)

Karen said...

Even though I'm an accountant, and furthermore rely on my favorite tax preparation software, income tax preparation still intimidates me, almost every year. This year I was worried about the amended tax forms I got from First Magnus Liquidation Trust, and about the 40 boxes of donations to St. Michael's to sell at the English Faire, the dregs of which I hadn't finished cataloging after many hours of work on it. Plus I recently started working full time again, and had less time for chores at home. So I'd put it off until the very end of March, or possibly the first of April.

Anne said...

Once upon a time (read as: up until this year), I pulled my paperwork together as soon as humanly possible and loaded up the Turbo Tax.  The faster one files, the faster one receives the refund.  Assuming that one is entitled to a refund. I always found it fun - Turbo Tax is good stuff.  While I am not the most organized person in the world, I can generally keep my tax information in one place.

This year, for the first time, I used an accountant.  My finances became a bit more complicated and I figured it was time.

Thanks to Josie of josiespeaksup for submitting a topic idea last week on the "Be a Guest Professor page. I'll get to your suggestion soon. If you have an idea for an Assignment, please let me know!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #365: Tax Time

I've been working on my taxes all night. How about you?

Weekend Assignment #365: Tax Time
What is your strategy for doing your taxes? Do you get them done as soon as you can get hold of the paperwork, put them off to the last minute, or something in between? Do you hire someone, do the work yourself, get your spouse to do it, or share the load? Do you mail forms or e-file?

Extra Credit: Have you ever had to revisit a tax return after filing, due to an audit or other circumstances?

You know how this works, right?

• You have until next Wednesday night to answer this question in your blog or in the comments below.
• If you do participate, please leave a comment here with your name and the URL of your entry.
• Don't forget to link back to here in the entry itself. 

That's all there is to it!

Last week, for Weekend Assignment #364: Ahead in the Clouds?, I asked about your use of "cloud" technology, in which data is stored online and streamed rather than stored on your computer. Please click on each name to read the full entry:

Angus Brooks said on Facebook...

scary stuff , really , it could be good , but i myself wouldnt put any thing private in the clouds , a mix of the 2 would be good

Anne said...

I have enjoyed streaming video from Academic Earth and from hulu.com.  But it is sort of like books.  There are things I borrow and things that I buy.  I still buy DVDs (though not nearly as many as in the past).  I still have a half-full DVR of things I am not watching.  I haven't tried Netflix yet because I don't want to add another monthly expense. 

Florinda said...

When it comes to entertainment content, I'm still relatively traditional (as defined by "tradition" of the last decade, anyway). In other respects, I have embraced "cloud computing." I've used Google Docs for years as my main writing space, just because it allows me to access my documents anywhere. A good chunk of my life lives on Google's clouds, actually - my e-mail, many of my photos, my blog; I will be in BIG trouble if they ever crash!

Karen said...

All in all, though, I'm not that much into using cloud-based streaming and storage in preference to having the file locally, or even a physical object. I don't buy many CDs, but I do buy every Doctor Who CD from composer Murray Gold more or less as soon as it's available in the U.S. A few of them I've bought twice, because I've been known to wear them out.Then I rip them to iTunes at work and at home

Have a great week, everyone!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #364: Ahead in the Clouds?

This year's big tech buzzword is "clouds." Are you ready to fly?

Weekend Assignment #364: Ahead in the Clouds?
Suddenly the marketing departments of Microsoft and other tech giants are all about "the cloud" or "clouds," the practice of storing large files online and streaming them rather than everyone storing them locally on their hard drives. Do you think this is a good idea, a bad idea or both?

Extra Credit: Do you still buy CDs and DVDs?

You know how this works, right?

• You have until next Wednesday night to answer this question in your blog or in the comments below.
• If you do participate, please leave a comment here with your name and the URL of your entry.
• Don't forget to link back to here in the entry itself. 

That's all there is to it!

Last week, for Weekend Assignment #363: Scammed!, I asked about scams you've fallen for, and ones you haven't. Please click on each name to read the full entry:

Josie said...

Both Mr Rufai Garba, a manager for the Bank of Africa in Ouagadougou, and Dr Frank Lemon, also of the Bank of Africa, want me to act as next of kin for people I don’t know. Furthermore, the lovely Mrs Daisy Mercy and her late husband, who made a lot of money mining gold, would also like to leave me a large sum of money.

Anne said...

There was one time, at Noodles and Company, when I handed over my Visa to pay for lunch and it was declined.  I called Chase to rip someone's head off and found that two hours earlier, someone tried to use my card to download music in Brazil.  Had I tried to use my card to download music in Brazil?

Karen said...

Last week, a guy with a heavy Asian (India/Pakistan or something) accent call the land line here, claiming that "Your computer has a virus." Which computer? Mine? John's? The iPad? I didn't ask him that, though. "Go to your computer and let me show you," he said. Yeah, right.

Thanks also to Anne for some great ideas for future assignments. Have a great week, everyone!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #363: Scammed!

Weekend Assignment #363: Scammed!

Have you ever been successfully scammed? Was it a phone fraud, a phishing email, a trojan worm, or something else? How did they fool you, and what have you learned from the experience?

Extra Credit: Tell us about a scam that didn't succeed in tricking you.

You know how this works, right?

• You have until next Wednesday night to answer this question in your blog or in the comments below. 
• If you do participate, please leave a comment here with your name and the URL of your entry.
• Don't forget to link back to here in the entry itself. 

That's all there is to it!

Last week, for Weekend Assignment #362: Emergency!, I asked what, if anything, you've ever abstained from for Lent or some other spiritual purpose. Click on the names below to read the responses:

Sandrine said, on her new blog...

To test your earthquake supply knowledge, I’ve made a small list of things you should and things you shouldn’t have. You decide which is which. We have them all. [The list starts with "A flat on the ninth floor."]

(Sandrine also left a great comment on my personal blog, scolding me for not being prepared for "an alien invasion" or "a zombie apocalypse.")

Anne said...

"What kind of disaster would have to occur for there to be no Internet in Chicago, Columbus or Washington, DC? (the latter cities being the alternate work sites under discussion)"
"A nuclear event," was the answer.

Karen said...

We are so unprepared for emergencies that I feel a little guilty as I admit to you the Awful Truth: our entire stash of emergency supplies consists of two cinnamon and nutmeg votive candles and two partially used boxes of matches. I was going to say that at least we have duct tape, but John corrected me. What we actually have is several rolls of clear plastic tape, suitable for mailing packages.

Please do the Assignment this week if you get a chance - and watch out for scammers!

Karen

Watch This Space

Due to the paid work I've been doing all night (webmastering and newsletter editing), I'm unable to post the new Weekend Assignment tonight. Fear not, however: it will be posted on Friday evening this week, and will return to its usual Thursday night scheduling next week. Thanks for your patience.

K.

Weekend Assignment #362: Emergency!

A number of recent events in the news have reminded us that life isn't always safe and predictable. I don't want to trivialize those events for a Weekend Assignment, but I will ask a related question:

Weekend Assignment #362: Emergency!

How prepared are you for emergency situations? Do you know how to do CPR? Does your home or business have an evacuation plan or do fire drills? Do you have a generator, duct tape, candles, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, sandbags or other emergency supplies on hand? Why or why not?

Extra Credit: Does your smoke detector (if you have one) have fresh batteries in it?

You know how this works, right?

• You have until next Wednesday night to answer this question in your blog or in the comments below. 
• If you do participate, please leave a comment here with your name and the URL of your entry.
• Don't forget to link back to here in the entry itself. 

That's all there is to it!

Last week, for Weekend Assignment #361: Give It Up!, I asked what, if anything, you've ever abstained from for Lent or some other spiritual purpose. Click on the names below to read the responses:

Anne wrote...

Back in the day, I gave up French Fries every year for Lent. It was a good one for me because it was something that I enjoyed enough to make it a sacrifice, but not such a deprivation that I was twitching two weeks in - like those people that give up caffeine. I considered it participating in a tradition that many of my friends and colleagues valued, and it was good for my health.

Karen wrote...

One year, I gave up playing Mahjong on the computer for Lent. It was one of the games on a Disney Mulan software package, and I'd become quite addicted. Giving it up cold turkey was a really good thing to do. Did it bring me closer to God? I'm not sure, but I certainly don't regret my choice that year.

There are also some fascinating and varied responses on beliefnet. Have a look!

Please do the Assignment this week if you get a chance - and stay safe!

Karen

See also: Red Cross Save-a-Life Saturday

Weekend Assignment #361: Give It Up!

Let's get right to it:

Weekend Assignment #361: Give It Up!
Lent has begun, and in certain denominations, people are "giving up something for Lent" - in other words, not indulging in some pleasurable food or activity between now and Easter. Have you ever abstained from something for a period of time for a religious or spiritual purpose? What was it? How successful were you at avoiding it?

Extra Credit: Regardless of whether you believe in doing so, if you were to give up something you enjoy between now and April 24th, what would it be?

You know how this works, right?

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, March 10th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to. 

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory. 

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you! 

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged! 

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment #360: Toy Show, I asked about your favorite childhood toys. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Josie (welcome!) said...

Mr Bear was packed away in the huge shipping crate with most of the rest of our furniture for the six week trip to Australia. His return was delayed when the crate went missing for 10 months. It was very nearby in Port Melbourne all the time, within 40km of our final home. So I guess Mr Bear wasn't visiting relatives in Deepest Darkest Peru after all.

Trevor said...

So I only have one toy left from childhood, And it’s not really form childhood, but a reminder of that childhood. It’s a troll, up in my daughter’s closet. He’s grey, furry, has bare arms and legs, and was made by my grandmother. He’s also one of the few things left of one of the best memories of my life.

Karen said...

I'm not sure Trophy was my favorite toy, but he's an integral part of my childhood. One time, a dog got hold of him and tore off part of one leg, but an aunt of mine sewed him back together. That was when I was staying with my dad's family in New Jersey. while my mom was in the hospital with polio-encephalitis. On later occasions I repaired him myself, restuffing him with tissues and I think Elmer's Glue.

Have a great week!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #360: Toy Show

Every year about this time, John and I go to a local toy show, hunting for childhood treasures. That's the inspiration for this week's Weekend Assignment:

Weekend Assignment #360: Toy Show
Do you have any old toys or dolls from your childhood, either the originals or replacements purchased as an adult? If so, tell us about them.

Extra Credit: Is there a particular toy from your childhood that you especially remember as a favorite?

You know how this works, right?

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, March 10th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to. 

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory. 

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you! 

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged! 

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment #358: Career Day 2, I asked what new career you'd be interested in trying, if age, money, etc were no obstacles. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Anne said...

I have often said that I want to be the lady at the spa that brings you your ice water with lemon. Because everyone is in a good mood at the spa. And even if they weren't, who the heck yells at the ice water lady?.

Kara said...

I have always made my family my career. There has never been a time, even as a girl when I really wanted to be anything other than a good mum and a good wife. I know, I know….seriously?! But, yes.

Trevor said...

Would I keep doing what I’m doing? As much as I enjoy some days, it’s not what I’d prefer to be doing. I can think of dozens of jobs I’d rather be doing. Or not doing ,in the case of my safe deposit job I used to have. If’ I’d been emotionally able to write then, I’d have finished a ten novel series by now.

Karen said...

When I took ten weeks of Business Law in the fall of 2003, I got all excited about it. I really loved learning about legal decisions and the reasoning behind them. Were it not for my age, money issues and the fact that I hate confrontations, I'd have switched to law school then and there.

Have a great week!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #359: Career Day 2

A friend of mine went back to school to get a library degree, and guess what? She just got a good job in her new field. That's the inspiration for this week's Weekend Assignment:

Weekend Assignment #359: Career Day 2
It's often said that most people will change careers several times over the course of their working lives. If money, age and educational resources were all conducive to your trying another line of work, would you do so? If so, what new career would you choose?
Extra Credit: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

You know how this works, right?

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, March 3rd, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to. 

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory. 

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you! 

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged! 

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week! 

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment #358: Drive, I asked whether you enjoy driving. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Anne said...

Ten years ago, I would have told you that driving was my favorite thing.  I loved my car more than I loved my books.  I drove just for fun.  At that time (my mother recently reminded me), I even enjoyed my commute to and from work.  The driving time helped me get my head in the right place in the morning, and decompress on the way home. No longer.

Karen said...

So how do I feel about that long morning drive? Well, if I could get a full night's sleep first, and if gas weren't going up in price almost daily, I wouldn't mind it at all. In fact I kind of enjoy it. Driving is a game, in which the object is to arrive safely but also quickly, and without drawing a traffic ticket by going too fast or doing anything stupid.

Have a great week, no matter what work you're doing!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #358: Drive

Considering my 75-miles-a-day commute and the fact that I'm about to drive a rented car to Los Angeles, there's one thing on my mind at the moment (well, aside from the Doctor Who convention I'm going to):

Weekend Assignment # 358: Drive
Is driving something you actually enjoy doing, or is it merely a means to an end? Do you ever go for a drive for fun, or revel in certain kinds of driving?

Extra Credit: If time and money were not at issue, and you wanted to go somewhere 500 miles away, would you prefer to drive, be driven, take a train or fly? (Okay, you can also choose to go by boat.)

You know how this works, right?

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, February 24th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to.

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory.

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you!

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment #357: The Art of Packing, I asked how much stuff, particularly technology, you tend to bring on a trip. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Julie said...

Generally, my electronic gear consists of my backpack with DSLR gear and laptop, plus a cellphone and charger. If I know I'm not going to have time to shoot then I'll take a different laptop bag, or try to cram everything into a wheeled carry on bag we bought last year that has room for a laptop and a change of clothes or two. Or, I may just get radical and only take the cell phone or replace the laptop with my tablet.

Karen said...

Meanwhile, I get to borrow his iPad for my trip next weekend. This both thrills me and makes me nervous. I'm considered a bit of a techie, especially by people over age 70; but smart phones, PDAs and iPads are outside my experience. I don't even use my cell phone for anything but phone calls, the occasional photo if I forgot to bring my camera, and rarely a text message if there's no good alternative. I've never browsed the web with my phone, and my iPod is an old monochrome one. So now we've got less than a week to get myself and the iPad ready for my trip.

Anne said...

I used to travel light. Before the electronics. I don't bring a ton of extra clothes. I never bring a hair dryer. My suitcase never weighs more than 50 pounds. But I am always plugged in. I am on vacation. With me are: [click to see the list!]

Florinda said...

No, I don’t travel particularly light. I’m just lucky that I’m small, and my clothes and shoes take up less space than most adults’ do. That leaves me some room for the books. And yes, I absolutely plan those in advance too. It’s a tricky thing timing-wise; it’s not that hard to set aside a few books as designated travel reading, but scheduling my reading so that I don’t have an unplanned in-process book that I have to bring along to finish is a delicate enterprise.

Have a great week, and drive carefully!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #357: The Art of Packing

I'll be going out of town on President's Day weekend, and I'm already thinking about what to take along:

Weekend Assignment # 357: The Art of Packing
When you go on a trip, do you travel light, or try to make sure you have everything you might conceivably need? Specifically, what do you bring along by way of electronics?

Extra Credit: What's the most important thing you ever lost, broke, or forgot to bring on your trip?

Here are the guidelines in case you'd like to participate - and I hope you do!

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, February 17th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to.

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory.

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you!

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment # 356: Brrr!, I asked about recent weather in your area. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Julie said...

Unless you've been living in a cave, you might be aware that there's a football game in Arlington on Sunday. So really, we were just asking for it. The Steelers and Packers fans are calling us wimps, but what they don't understand is that this type of weather is atypical, and when it does happen it rarely lasts for more than a day. The temps bounce back up, the stuff melts, and it's business as usual again. People down here don't get to practice driving on ice and snow on a regular basis. We don't have snow tires or snow chains, and we certainly don't have the heavy duty road deicing equipment they have up north.

Anne said...

Yesterday, my office was closing early, so I called my dentist to see if my appointment was still on.  It was.  I arrived early and they took me early.  When I walked out the door, the blizzard was in full swing.  It took 45 minutes to drive the three miles home. I live in a cul de sac, so there are three snow plows required to get us out.

Karen said...

Yes, I know I live in Tucson, but we did have a winter. Really! We were in the throes of it when I wrote the questions above. No, we didn't get any snow; in fact it's been unseasonably dry. But it has been cold. How cold? Consider this: the all time record for the lowest temperature for Tucson in February was 17 degrees, set in 1899. In the early hours of February 3rd and again on the 4th, it hit 18 degrees here! I went out and bought myself a winter jacket, which John said I'd never wear. I think I've worn it every day since then.

Have a great week, whether or not you're planning a trip!

Karen

Weekend Assignment # 356: Brrr!

This Week's Assignment is the obvious one:

Weekend Assignment # 356: Brrr!
In much of the U.S. and Europe, this winter has been an especially cold and snowy one. How cold has it been where you live? Have recent weather conditions led to any unusual situations locally?

Extra Credit: What extra measures have you personally taken, if any, to stay warm? 

Here are the guidelines in case you'd like to participate - and I hope you do!

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, February 10th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to.

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory.

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you!

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment #355: Science!, I asked about your interest and competence in science. Considering the number of sf fans who have played along in the past, I'm a little surprised we got so few responses. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Anne said...

By high school, I didn't do particularly well in science. I didn't particularly enjoy science. In history and in English, it didn't matter who the teacher was - I was interested. In science and math, only the best teachers could engage me. And even then, I was more interested in impressing the teacher than embracing the material

Karen said...

I struggled in Earth Science in junior high school, got 100 on my Biology final in tenth grade, dropped out of Chemistry after getting a D the first semester, and never took Physics at all, which I regret. I took astronomy and some sort of climatology in college and struggled with those, too. Nevertheless, I am a great fan of science.

That's it for now. Considering what dramatic weather we've had recently, I hope more of you will find time to write about this, even if your entry is a brief one. Have a weagreat week!

Karen

Weekend Assignment #355: Science!

Sorry this is late: I needed a little extra time to think of it.

Weekend Assignment # 355: Science!

In this year's State of the Union address, the President spoke of the need for better education, particularly in math and science, and the desirability of celebrating winners of science fairs - in other words, science geeks. How good were you in science in school?

Extra Credit: Whether or not you were actually good at it in school, how much of a science geek are you now?

Here are the guidelines if you'd like to participate.

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, February 3rd, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I really want to.

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory.

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Please post the URL itself rather than a live link.

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment # 354: Tour Guide, I asked where you take people who visit from out of town. Please click on the names to read the entire entries:

Anne said...

A a couple of summers ago, my Aunt Jacquelyn and Uncle Mike got in their RV with their youngest son, Matthew, and drove across the country. This was my aunt and uncle's third trip, but Matthew hadn't done it before. They chose their routes and destinations by a book based on the Food Network show, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

Karen Funk Blocher said...

From there we took the freeway down to Mission San Xavier del Bac, a few miles south of Tucson on I-19. I explained that Father Eusebio Kino founded the place centuries ago but that it was built much later, by the Franciscans. I showed off the saint statues in real fabric (silk?) clothing, and explained about milagros, little charms attached to the statue of a saint as a prayer for a loved one's healing.

Really, people, I'm starting to worry again about the viability of this venerable meme. Please participate if you can this week - I'd really appreciate it!

Karen

Image credit: "Goldilocks planet" illustration by Lynette Cook, National Science Foundation.

Weekend Assignment # 354: Tour Guide

My Dad was in town last weekend. Guess what we did together:

Weekend Assignment # 354: Tour Guide
Do friends or relatives from out of town ever visit you? If so, do you take them sightseeing? Where?

Extra Credit: What is the most interesting place you ever went sightseeing while visiting someone else?

Here are the guidelines in case you'd like to participate - and I hope you do!

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, January 27th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to.

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory.

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you!

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment # 353: My Fifteen Minutes, I asked about your brushes with fame, however slight. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Anne said...

One piece of the film was the little girl that drops a book in front of the bus as she crosses in front of it – then runs back to pick it up. The lesson, of course, was Don’t Do That (followed by If You Can See the Driver, the Driver Can Probably See You). I, of course, played this little girl. And my school district purchased the film.

Karen said...

In 1965, I appeared in two scenes in my mom's musical revue, DeManleyville '65. My doll Tootles and I shared the role of a doll that came to life at midnight to dance with a physically disabled girl. I also came on stage to cuddle with some local actress while she sang about "the curve of baby's cheek." I was eight years old.

That's it for now. With the holidays over, I hope more of you will find time to do this Assignment, even if your entry is a brief one. Have a great week!

Karen

Weekend Assignment # 353: My Fifteen Minutes

I'll probably never see the report, or even know if it aired, but I was interviewed for the local news today. That's the inspiration for this week's assignment:

Weekend Assignment # 353: My Fifteen Minutes
Andy Warhol famously said that in the future, everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes. Have you had yours? For purposes of this assignment, "fame" includes public speaking, amateur plays, any tv or radio appearance, being a face in the crowd as a movie extra, being mentioned in someone's autobiography, etc.

Extra Credit: Given the opportunity, would you want to be famous for more than fifteen minutes? 

Here are the guidelines in case you'd like to participate - and I hope you do!

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, January 20th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to.

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory.

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you!

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment # 352: Winter Work, I asked about your productivity in winter. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Florinda said...

I do seem to feel pretty productive at this time of year - perhaps because I've had a bit of a break over the holidays, or perhaps because I've managed to psych myself up, knowing that I have a lot that needs to be done. This year I seem to be unusually focused, though; with my shoulder surgery less than two weeks away and about to make me a lot less productive for several weeks afterward, I'm trying to get done with as much as I can before it happens.

Anne said...

I live outside of Chicago and I have, historically, had a problem with mid-to-late winter. In school, third quarter always netted my worst grades of the year. I get cabin fever pretty easily and February always feels like the longest month of the year..

Karen said...

When January hits, accountants and many bookkeepers are faced with such "year-end" tasks as generating W-2 and 1099 forms, solving the arcane mysteries of correctly booking accrued payroll, and beginning the process or tracking down last year's errors and proving that the resulting numbers are the correct ones. This year I'm working on two or more of these tasks at both St. Michael's and St. Matthew's, and trying to nail down a reasonable 2011 budget ahead of our parish's annual meeting. Oh, and I also bought a car last night to replace my beloved Eagle Vision, which had developed multiple transmission fluid leaks. And tomorrow I drive up to Phoenix to pick up my almost-88-year-old Dad, for a really badly-timed 4-day visit!

That's it for now. With the holidays over, I hope more of you will find time to do this Assignment, even if your entry is as brief as the fame was. Have a great week!

Karen

Weekend Assignment # 352: Winter Work

January is the beginning of my busy season professionally. How is the month shaping up for you?

Weekend Assignment # 352: Winter Work
Now that the new year has begun, most of us are back at work, with only a few holidays to look forward to over the next several months. Most of us in the Northern Hemisphere wake now to cold, dark mornings, and may see little or no daylight on our morning and evening commutes. What is this time of year like for you? Are you more productive in the bleak midwinter, less so, or neither? What is the weather like where you are, and do you enjoy it?

Extra Credit: Are you still working on unfinished business from last year? 

Here are the guidelines in case you'd like to participate - and I hope you do!

1. Please post your response no later than than 12:01 AM on Thursday morning, January 13th, your local time. You can do this either in a blog entry of your own or in the comments section of the assignment entry. No submissions will be accepted after that time unless I want to.

2. Please mention the Weekend Assignment in your blog post, and include a link back to the original entry. Using one of the logos shown here is encouraged but not mandatory.

3. Please come back here after you've posted, and leave a link to your entry in the comments to the assignment. Don't forget, or I'll probably miss out on linking to you!

4. Visiting other participants' entries is strongly encouraged!

5. I'm always looking for topic ideas. Please see the "Teacher's Lounge" page for details. If I use your idea, you will be credited as that week's "guest professor." Help me out, folks, because sometimes I run dry when doing this week after week!

6. I reserve the right to remove rude or unpleasant comments (not to mention comment spam), and to leave entries off the linking list if the person has been rude or unpleasant, or fails to mention the Weekend Assignment in the entry.

For Weekend Assignment #351: What Are You Doing New Year's?, I asked about your New Year's Eve rituals. Most folks were too busy to write about them, but we we did get a few responses. Please click on each person's name to see the full entry:

Anne said...

When I was younger, I made a point to be out of town on New's Years.  It started with 1999, when my friends wanted to do something special.  But we had to pick a destination that did not involve airplanes.  Just in case.  We went to Galena, Illinois - a popular weekend spot for Chicagoans.

Karen said...

I did try to vary it a little, but to little avail. John bought me some low-risk fireworks for Christmas, which have only recently hit store shelves in Tucson, having been banned except for professional use since before we moved here. It turns out, though, that it's legal to BUY them in Tucson, but it's not legal to USE them in Tucson. We live in the city limits, and besides, it was cold outside. So they're still sitting on the end table in the den. Darn it.

That's it for now. With the holidays over, I hope more of you will find time to do this Assignment, even if your entry is a brief one. Have a great week!

Karen