As AAIMS project peers have begun to play an important role in community outreach and recruiting new members into the group from their home buildings, clinics, peers, and elsewhere in their community, we’ve been challenged by the strict criteria for involvement in the program.  Beginning in July we will have flexibility in the referral/intake criteria to include any person living in supportive housing who has any Axis I or II diagnosis plus metabolic symptoms.  We will continue to have a preference for those prescribed atypical antipsychotic medications, but this will allow us to include participants from the wider mental health consumer community facing similar challenges with metabolic symptoms, often in connection with psych-medications.

AAIMS also have plans to add another layer of peer leadership by creating Peer Community Advocates, which will expand our capacity for community engagement and advocacy while offering more tailored vocational training and support.  This new program activity strengthens our peer-led model, incorporating the ideas, feedback, and interests/goals of our current participants/peer leadership.  Participants will have the opportunity to develop new and different skills – greater vocational responsibility, community work, public speaking, peer support/counseling, community outreach/education, etc.  The Peer Advocates will develop a new group public image for the project’s engagement with the community (name, logo, outreach materials, website, etc.) that reflects their culture, mission, and message.  This will increase visibility of the project and decrease stigma associated with publicly disclosing participation in the group.

Here’s a sneak peak of what is to come

These are the 3 I’m starting with… with these 2 to follow:

For a very long time, the issue of sex education for young people, particularly in rural areas of Colombia has remained a taboo. Although sex is a natural developmental process, many parents, cultures and societies frown at discussing sex with their adolescent children because it is perceived as a generational taboo.

Without destroying the fabric of the society or culture, it is imperative to teach young people about sex education in a way that not only reflects the values of the family and society, but also enhances the sustainability of a balanced culture. Having sex is a intrinsic natural human tendency that emerges in all of us in different forms and at different times. One thing is certain: if children are not educated on sex and sex-related issues, they would learn from other sources and perhaps learn in a way that may have devastating consequences. Sex education is not only important as a developmental process in the life of a child, it arms the child with the tools to understand him or herself better in relation to the immediate environment and the threats that could emerge from such interaction. Young people would gain incremental knowledge of the ability to protect themselves and alert people of the threats of sexual exploitation if they are sexually educated.

Sex education provides young people with the information they need to understand their bodies and gender roles in positive ways. It is about better understanding of humanity, our reproductive rights and developmental changes such as puberty, menopause, aging, that could be experienced in the course of one’s reproductive life. It provides a safety net for young people whose lives are already infiltrated by messages from the media and other sources that may not reflect core family values. Educating young people about themselves sends a message of self-appreciation, self-esteem and highlights the fact that the change they are experiencing or would experience is indeed normal.

Children are more likely to make better and more informed decisions when adequately educated, and parents will feel more confident knowing that their children are aware of the realities around their reproductive lives. Although most parents work to prevent their children from premature sexual relationships, the reality is that it still happens and could happen in spite of threats and intimidation. Educating the child on the importance of protection as part of safe sex routine may serve a higher purpose of preventing sexually transmitted infections.

There are a number of reasons why parents are reluctant to teach their children about sex. Prominent amongst the reason for families frowning at sex education include but not limited to the preservation of virginity, prevention of premarital sex, illegitimate pregnancy and abortion, religion and culture, as well as maintenance of family honor and dignity. Contrary to this assumption, the reality shows that girls who are not educated about sexuality, including changes during puberty are more likely to embark on sexual indiscretion and become pregnant in their teenage years than those who are educated about sex. Knowledge is power, and this power when bestowed on adolescents could be the difference between an irrational decision and a well informed one.

The social development of young people is a product of family and society partnership, where these children are active participants in their own lives. Education provides the enabling environment for young people to question and understand better some of the existential questions they may have.

I’m so excited to be finally getting in order! I’ll post more pictures soon of all the beautiful DIY-ing done today!

To apply Trackuino to a much simpler setup, both the software and hardware needed some changes. For instance, the provided version of the software (1.4) would not compile using the latest Arduino app (1.0.5). In the process of modifying the code, I added support for running a beacon without a GPS – with set coordinates, setting the symbol in the configuration file, showing the current temperature and voltage on an LCD module, and disabling one of the two temperature sensors. I also tried using software-based serial for communicating with the GPS, but that didn’t work, as it seems that there were no interrupts left to compose the output audio waveform.

On the hardware side, I completely redesigned the shield, as I would use it with an external GPS and a stand-alone radio transceiver. I was lucky enough to find a serial GPS unit that supports TTL-level output, so no extra components were necessary to connect it to Arduino’s serial RX pin. To interface with the radio, I used a transistor to pull PTT to ground and a coupling capacitor for the audio output, as the sound wave produced by the Arduino swings between 0V and 5V. Before the coupling capacitor, I also added a simple low-pass filter, as suggested by the Naranjino docs.

The hardware design was quickly put together on perforated board, I loaded the software, prepared all necessary cables, and rushed out for a field test! Success! I could even see myself heading south on the Internet, as local packets are also gated to the global APRS-IS network from SV1UY (see what’s happening here). Now I can never hide.

My version of the code and shield is available at github.

Short term Professional Certificate Courses Duration

1 Mechanical QAQC Inspector 30days
2 Electrical QAQC Inspector 30days
3 Civil QAQC Inspector 30days
4 Instrumentation QAQC Inspector 30days
5 Welding Inspector 30days
6 Welding Foreman/Supervisor 30 Days
7 Painting Inspector/Supervisor 15-20 Days
8 Qc Quality Technician 15-20 Days
9 Certification Course in Six sigma black belt 15 Days
10 Certification Course in Six Sigma Green belt 6 Days
11 Marine Thickness survey Ndt/Quality Control 35-40 Days
12 Qualitycontrol in Shipbuilding/Repairing 40-45 Days
13 Certification Course in Quality documentation 6 Days
14 Certification Course in ISO Lead Auditor 6 Days
15 Certification Course in ISO Internal Auditor 5 Days
16 Certification Course in Welding Supervisor * 10 Days

Asnt Ndt Level I &II Courses Duration
1 Asnt Ndt Level I & II (Rt,Ut,Mt & Pt) 20-25 Days
2 Visual & Optical Testing 15-20 Days
3 Radiographic Film Interpretation(Rtfi) 5 Days
4 Advanced UT T, K, Y Joint weld UT 5 Days

International Preparatory Course Duration
1 Cswip 3.1 Welding Inspector Preparatory 10-15 Days
2 Aws-Cwi Preparatory 25 Days
3 Nace / Bgas Painting Inspector Preparatory 10-15 Days
4 Aws-Cswip Bridging Course,10-15 Days (Those Who Already Have

Aws-Cwi Certification.)

Indian Industrial Quality Inspector Certificate Courses Duration
1 Automotive company Qc Quality Inspector 15-20 Days
2 Fabrication company Qc Quality Inspector 15-20 Days
3 Forging company Qc Quality Inspector 15-20 Days
4 Casting company Qc Quality Inspector 15-20 Days
5 OIL and GAS company Qc Quality Inspector 15-20 Days

Diploma Courses Duration
1 Diploma In Welding Inspection 6 Months
2 Diploma In Ship Building Quality Control and NDT 6 Months
3 Diploma In TPM, TQM, 5S, Kaizen Engineer 6 Months
4 Diploma In Quality Improvement Method Engineer 6 Months
5 Diploma In Automotive Quality Control 6 Months

However, last night, I ventured out to be sociable at the launch of For Rhino In A Shrinking World, and what a wonderful evening it was. The venue was packed to capacity and there was  a sense that everyone there was genuinely concerned about the plight of the endangered rhino, and wanting to be a part of this wonderful project.

Speakers included wildlife veterinarian, Dr. William Fowlds, publisher, Dr. Amitabh Mitra, environmentalist/university lecturer, Prof. Heila Lotz-Sisitka, and poet, Harry Owen, who so eloquently reminded us of why we were there. He showed us a wonderful, touching excerpt from Sir Richard Attenborough’s documentary,Africa, showing rhino socializing at night. The atmosphere was heightened by the poems that were read by several of those who had contributed their work to the book, and was rounded off  by the playing of  David Mallett’s thought provoking song So You Say the Battle is Over?.

Music for the evening was provided by Lawrence Sisitka’s band Nia, which was much enjoyed by all.

The cover of For Rhino in a Shrinking World: An International Anthology

The book For Rhino in a Shrinking World: An International Anthology features the work of poets from many different countries around the world. It is edited by Harry Owen and illustrated by me. The cost of the book is R195.00 and all funds will be going to help protect the rhino via the Chipembere Rhino Foundation. To order your copy, contact Harry Owen or order online through the Poets Printery.

My contribution to the evening was the launch of a series of greeting cards and signed limited edition prints of all the drawings that feature in the book. They are now available for sale, so if any of you out there might like to purchase and help the rhino cause, 10% of sales will be going to the rhino. Several of the framed original works have already sold, but there are still a few available. Contact me for details.

The book, greeting cards,limited edition prints and framed, original artwork now available.

The cards are selling for R30.00 each.

The limited edition prints are R250.00 each

Original works range from R1800.00 – R2300.00

It’s a very worthy cause, so lets all support it!

Sometimes the postal service and life falls apart. Sometimes they fall together. Sometimes stamps shoot up in price and the butterflies make themselves scarce. This time, life fell together so I could give the butterfly, which Cheryl had beautifully wrapped, for Mother’s Day. Teri is not my mother. Sometimes men call their wives “Ma” or “Mother.” That is just not my style. I do not need someone to pick up my shorts or blow my nose. I do not give Mother’s Day gifts to my wife. I try to give gifts at other times, not too often, by surprise, just because, when windows of opportunity open. Gifts are one of the five love languages along with affirmations, quality time, acts of service and physical touch. Gifts are important but not the end-all.

The butterfly will become an important piece in our own personal art gallery — our home in Cove, the mountain cabin. Why not? The butterfly will remind us of all the good things Teri’s mom stood for before her untimely death from leukemia in 2003: lifelong learning, courage, family, independence, love.

Too often, we give gifts with strings attached. A man, for example, gives an engagement ring. When the relationship goes south, he wants the ring back. Sure, it might have cost a small fortune. Certainly, there are women who are gold-diggers out there. Consider it an expensive lesson. Give only what you can give. If that is not enough to impress the woman, what other things down the road will be “not enough.” Once you have given, let it go.

Consider these situations. A person gives a gift to a university but wants a building named after himself. A grandmother wonders why grandchildren never acknowledge her gift, much less reciprocate.

We’ll always remember the butterfly that flew into our lives this Mother’s Day. It is just one more step toward surrounding ourselves at the mountain cabin with our own and other people’s art that we find inspiring. We will, over time, step by carefully considered step, make the mountain cabin our own personal art gallery. We will surround ourselves with inspiration, with beauty, with love, produced by ourselves and an ever-widening circle of friends.

Data Entry

Entering form data into an iPad or computer can be a huge pain, and anyone who has tried in a gradebook before knows this first hand. Apple’s Numbers does a pretty good job of making it painless, and a big part of it is the keyboard. We designed a customized keyboard for entering grades that makes the process user-friendly and streamlines it for the teacher.

Grade Reporting

The most important thing an app can do that a book can’t is provide real time grade data about student performance. This powerful asset is invaluable to teachers, and anyone who has used a system that does it effectively can attest to it. I’ve used SMART response clickers in my classroom for about three years now, and the ability to provide immediate and graphical feedback is amazing. We took the traditional gradebook style with rows and columns and gave it a small makeover, visualizing overall student progress with a subtle progress bar.

Main Gradebook view in Planner.

The progress bars were a nice touch, however we didn’t feel like that was good enough. This led us to the most exciting feature of Planner, our progress reports. With one tap, student grade reports can be sent wherever they need to go through Mail, which makes keeping parents, guidance counselors , students, and resource room teachers informed a breeze. As we can see, Johnny Depp is doing pretty well in my class.

Progress Reports in Planner

Sometimes, a book just doesn’t cut it. We’re thrilled with the way our Gradebook came out and I’ve never had an easier time sending progress reports than I had while using it. Let us know what you think on Facebook and Twitter.

WALA!

Yes, I’ve shopped for new dishes many times. Plates and bowls come in so many beautiful shapes, colors, materials, and designs. But I’ve only purchased them once. Thinking back, I always had something that did the job. There was never a practical reason to spend money on new dishes.

“Dragonfly” by Retroneu

When I moved into my first apartment, I bought a Retroneu 16-piece place setting for four; it was standard quality: four each of dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, and mugs. They had a pretty watercolor design; four main colors rotated through the set so they all coordinated but didn’t match. They had solid brushed color on the outside of the bowls, a large dragonfly on each dinner plate, and two flowers on each salad plate. I bought them on a bright, sunny day when my mom and I were shopping in Lancaster, PA. Strange how the brain can recall such details.

It’s worth noting that the dishes weren’t what I would typically select. I’ve never been a pastel, watercolor kind of gal. But they called to me, I guess. I used the dishes in my apartments and even in my first house. Over time, a plate broke and a mug was lost. Each time I thought to replace the set my practical side kept me from doing so. I was fond of them, too.

In 2003 I went through a huge life overhaul and made the shift from a house to an apartment. It was a defining moment – a fresh start in many ways. And it was the perfect occasion for new dinnerware!

There were so many styles to choose from; the search would take a couple of weeks. I needed something to use in the interim. My dragonfly set continued to dwindle during the move, and I no longer had enough pieces to get by.

Seth was transitioning to new dishes, and he offered me his old stoneware plates. I graciously accepted the beige, brown floral, (and honestly not so pretty) plates.

Now I’m sure the set was stylish when his mom purchased them in the early 1980s. They became Seth’s when he went to college in 1988. And now they would tide me over while I selected the perfect plates.

It’s funny, though, that when you don’t have an urgent need, things fall by the wayside. I became frustrated with my plate search: everything I liked either didn’t fit my budget or had tiny cereal/soup bowls. I wasn’t going to compromise. I’d rather eat on free ugly plates than pay for something I almost liked. I abandoned Project Plate as more important matters arose.

Seth rounded out his new set when I adopted the old. He had selected Corelle (vitrelle) dinnerware: all white with a slight texture around the rim. I didn’t care for the material. They seemed like a cheap excuse for plates: lightweight and clinky sounding when stacked. But Seth liked them, and that’s all that mattered.

Years passed. The tan and brown 80s plates stayed with me for 3 years of apartment living. I thought of renewing Project Plate when I bought my new house in 2010. I had to purchase other home goods, though, and decided to deal with dinnerware at another time.

Then in late 2012, Seth sold his house and moved in with me. We decided to donate the old dishes to Goodwill. The white Corelle plates were now front and center.

I guess plates, like people, can grow on you. Since they’re rather new and non-offensive, there is no reason to replace them. Plus, they do have some merits. They are lightweight (great for achy days), nearly indestructible, and microwave/dishwasher friendly. It’s also easy to find one-off pieces; we have customized the set for our needs: lots of plates and big bowls.

So while I may still ogle them in stores, I am officially retiring Project Plate. Once, I saw dinnerware as an opportunity to have a fun reflection of my style in everyday life. But now I view them as a tool, a means to an end.

It takes a little magic out of my world, to be honest. It reminds me of a more innocent time before my own practicality tightened its grip. But maybe not all hope for pleasing materialism is lost. Perhaps by retiring this objective I am making room for one anew.