student aid

At the beginning of each new school year, in the fall, the University has a drive to raise funds for on-campus projects. The campaign is called First Day, but it is held through the end of the first month.
Today is the end of First Day.
For those who gave above a certain threshold amount, the school offered a special gift, hoping to encourage folks to be generous. After all, the threshold was only US$125.
The First Day campaign even allowed donors to select a general fund or specific projects for the money to support. Nice! I chose the Science Bowl project, partly because I participate with that project as a reader every January and February, but also because it encourages an interest in science for high school students. I recall fondly the science projects I was fortunate enough to be part of in middle school and high school. I know firsthand what a postitive impact that has had on my life and am proud to be able to "pay it forward", so to speak.
As I was saying, the University set up a reward program for First Day donors. The picture above is one of eight notecards I received, each with a different photograph taken on campus grounds.
Very nice!
I look forward to using each and every one of the cards!

civilization starter kit

If
I were of a mind
to build my own house
from the dirt below my feet,
I now have the instructions
which would allow me to construct
my own Soil Pulverizer (to loosen the dirt below my feet),
my own Tractor (to transfer the soil from the dig site),
my own Compressed Earth Brick Press (to mold the material into stackable units),
and my own Power Cube (to energize all pieces).

And so could you.

Thanks to Marcin Jakubowski and Factor e Farm in Missouri, anyone in the world can obtain these massive tools for a fraction of the cost of buying them preconstructed.
Thanks to this kickstarter project, the blueprints may be easily accessed by anyone with a computer and internet connection. Everything I have on this DVD, you can now access right here.
Everything.
The Soil Pulverizer, or Rototiller: go here.
The Tractor's instructions are here.
Then check here for the CEB Press, aka The Liberator.
And what else? Oh, yes, the Power Cube.
Gather all of the materials, use the instructions and videos to construct the tools, and then you can build the house, known by them as the HabLab, where they all live and work on Factor e Farm.
This is Jakubowski's Christmas gift to the World.
I once dreamt of technology and knowledge being open source, available to all, free.
I am now seeing that I did not dream alone.
Thank you, Marcin, and thank you to your fine crew.

sean won't be coming after all

My heart breaks for Pat Alley. Her dream of bringing the Sean Curran Company here for the Savannah Dance Festival will not be coming true.
At least, not for this year's event.
The funds sought via kickstarter to bring the troupe did not accumulate sufficiently.
Maybe another time?
Meanwhile, remember: You were born to DANCE!

savannah stage company fall educational tour

They're local! They're talented!! And they want to educate children!!!
Sounds like a win-win situation to me.
The schools gain some much-needed artistic input, disguised as free-lance show-and-tell, and the children gain education, disguised as entertainment.
Their first work will be an original play, titled "Rip Van Winkle: The Musical". You already know my fondness for musicals, as I have backed not one, not two, or even three - no, keep counting!
But this is, I believe, the first musical geared toward children.
So, sure, that warrants a Benjamin for the kitty.
Me? No, I don't have any children of my own to benefit from this endeavor.
No, I sure don't.
But I do have nieces and nephews who are still in school. I also have great-nieces and great-nephews who will be blessed by this talented troupe.
With any luck, my schedule will even allow me to see the live performance of the show!
However, at the very least, I'll have a dvd of "Rip Van Winkle" to enjoy at my leisure.
And my name will be associated with the show as a backer.
Woohoo!