http://jody.multiply.com/ Welcome to my web site. Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:26:46 -0000 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:34:27 -0000 http://images.jody.multiply.com/logo http://jody.multiply.com 100 100 Yes, drums. Kyla plays electric bass and piano. She's playing bass and Stan is playing guitar in a special "Beatles" service that we're having at our synagogue. So Stan was practicing the song "We Can Work It Out." Kyla sat down at Charlie's drum set and started playing. I couldn't believe it. I don't know anything about drums but this sounded pretty good to me. She had one drum lesson with Charlie's drum teacher when he first started. I had no idea she could actually play a song. http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/39/kyla_playing_drums.wmv Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:34:27 -0000 I'm going to be writing some travel article on what to do in Pittsburgh with kids (ages 0-teenage.) I've not been there before so I'd love for anyone to tell me what the best things are in Pittsburgh with kids. I'm going to be visiting, probably in mid-late July. What should not be missed? Any really fun hotels or restaurants http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/175/Pittsburgh_with_kids Sat, 14 Jun 2008 03:16:00 -0000 <p>My article about Charlie's "invention room" is on Wondertime's website if you'd like to take a look. (There are more pictures in the actual magazine.) In my blog I have a link to the article, and also some pictures of what the room looks like now, as opposed to how it looked for the photoshoot.</p> <p><a href="http://www.jodymace.com/news/?p=190">http://www.jodymace.com/news/?p=190</a></p> http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/174/Article_in_Wondertime_Magazine Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:11:00 -0000 We went on a 4 wheel drive tour today in Corolla, NC to see the wild horses. The tour was spectacular. Not just the horses, but everything. The landscape/seascape, the other wildlife, the history, etc. I highly recommend the http://jody.multiply.com/photos/album/245/Corolla_beach_tour Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:48:16 -0000 Today we bought Charlie a new kite because although it's still cold here, the wind is very strong, which makes for nice kite flying. We drove down to Hatteras Island, thinking we'd take the ferry to Ocracoke. By the time we got there we decided to not go to Ocrocoke. We went to the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" museum and to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. We also stopped at a sound beach where there were loads of kiteboarders and a few sailboarders. Charlie flew his kite there and I took a bunch of http://jody.multiply.com/photos/album/244/Tuesday_at_Outer_Banks Tue, 8 Apr 2008 22:52:00 -0000 We're at Nags Head, NC, on the Outer Banks for spring break. It is unseasonably cold! Not really beach weather. But we are making the most of it. These are pictures from the house where we're staying, from Roanoke Island Festival Park, and from a sound beach we went http://jody.multiply.com/photos/album/243/First_couple_days_on_Outer_Banks Tue, 8 Apr 2008 12:31:47 -0000 <P><A href="http://www.jodymace.com/news/?p=165">http://www.jodymace.com/news/?p=165</A></P> <P>It's not too late to enter this prestigous poetry contest. Entries will be judged by an impartial judge. (Not me) Prizes will be weird things I've bought at the Goodwill. Read the rules and examples carefully.</P> http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/170/Poetry_contest_on_my_blog_great_prizes Tue, 8 Apr 2008 01:43:00 -0000 Today was opening day for the baseball league Charlie's playing in this year. This is the first time he's played in a sports league that wasn't just an intramural league at his school. They have real uniforms and everything. There was a "parade of teams" to start the day. Charlie's game directly followed the parade. They managed to get enough innings in to make it official before it poured rain. Charlie did well, considering how much less baseball experience he has than the other kids. He was in right field and made a good throw. He got up to bat twice and was walked once and hit the ball hard once (but to the pitcher who threw him out.) We're really, really happy with his coach, who is extremely nice and encouraging. I don't have any pictures of the game because it was too rainy to get my camera out. Next game I'll take some pictures. http://jody.multiply.com/photos/album/241/Baseball_opening_day_for_Charlie Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:01:23 -0000 Our synagogue had a karaoke fundraiser (as part of a Purim party.) Here is one that went very wrong. It was supposed to be "We Are Family." However the wrong song was played. The enthusiastic kid in the green shirt is Charlie, age http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/37/Wrong_Song_Karaoke Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:17:36 -0000 <P>I have an essay in the spring issue of Brain,Child Magazine called "Inappropriate for Children." It explores why we (as parents, as a society) deem certain kinds of art and literature inappropriate for children, and whether we need to rexplore that. I write from the perspectives of both a parent and a school librarian. The essay is not online but you can find it at some bookstores and newsstands or&nbsp; you can buy it online at <A href="http://www.brainchildmag.com">www.brainchildmag.com</A>.</P> <P>Here is an excerpt (but if you want to read how the story ends you've got to buy a copy. :-) )</P> <P>We have a huge book in the library, a gorgeous book, called <EM>Great Masters.</EM> It contains page after page of classic paintings, but it only takes about 5.6 seconds for an industrious second-grade boy to zero in on the nudes. I can tell it’s happened because two or three other boys hover around looking guilty. Inevitably, a girl approaches me to tell me the news.</P> <P>“Ms. Jody,” she says, “Mark [name changed to protect the guilty] is looking at somethin... http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/168/Essay_in_BrainChild_Magazine Sun, 9 Mar 2008 23:18:00 -0000 <P>I was lucky enough to see her on her birthday (1/25) because it was Kyla's Bat Mitzvah weekend, but I was so busy with Bat Mitzvah planning that I haven't gotten her a gift yet. (Of course that's our tradition - late birthdat gifts.)</P> <P>Please wish Sue a happy birthday week!!</P> http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/166/Weve_neglected_my_sister_Sue_Happy_Birthday Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:15:00 -0000 Wow, what a day! Kyla did a fantastic job. I wish you all could have been there to see her!! Here are some pictures. I took a few before the ceremony. Then we had lunch at a wonderful restaurant in Matthews called Sante, and then we had a casual party at our house. p.s. Sue, you left your baby carrier thingie here. I'll ship http://jody.multiply.com/photos/album/239/Kylas_Bat_Mitzvah Sun, 27 Jan 2008 05:30:34 -0000 If you're Charlie, you can make a http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/34/What_can_you_do_with_a_couple_feet_of_PVC_and_some_rubber_bands Sun, 25 Nov 2007 20:12:13 -0000 <P><A href="http://www.jodymace.com/news/?p=102">http://www.jodymace.com/news/?p=102</A></P> <P>Check it out. It's&nbsp;a caption writing contest. The winner wins a fabulous or not so fabulous surprise from the Goodwill!</P> http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/163/A_contest_on_my_blog Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:33:00 -0000 In this video Charlie scores twice and makes a rebound. At the end of the clip he's on the floor fighting for the ball with another kid. This isn't great video quality because I wanted to make it manageable. So to pick him out, he's #3 on the orange team. He is wearing long, shiny, silver shorts and has fabulous hair (although that doesn't narrow it down much on this http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/31/Video_1_from_Charlies_game Sat, 20 Oct 2007 22:19:44 -0000 I realized that I didn't post this here (I think.) this is an animation video that Kyla made this past summer. I went back to look at it and was amazed to see that it has over 4,500 views and has been favorited 49 times. I think it's pretty good for a 12 year http://jody.multiply.com/links/item/8/Kylas_video_for_Behind_Blue_Eyes Sun, 14 Oct 2007 02:12:50 -0000 <P>If you have little kids or buy presents for them, you might want to take a look at this article I wrote for Early Childhood News on the best new books for preschool-aged kids.</P> <P><A title=blocked::http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_home.aspx?ArticleID=724 href="http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_home.aspx?ArticleID=724"><FONT color=#800080 size=2>http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_home.aspx?ArticleID=724</FONT></A></P> <P>Of that whole list, the funniest book is "I'm The Biggest Fish in the Ocean" and the most moving is "Imagine Harry."</P> http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/161/Best_new_picture_books_article_by_me Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:59:00 -0000 I hope you have a great http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/158/Happy_Birthday_Shannon_B. Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:10:00 -0000 Charlie made this video today at Imaginon, which is Charlotte's phenonemal children's library. They have a studio where kids can do all kinds of animation and movie making. Kyla started a video but hers is much more involved and she has to go back again to finish it. Charlie's is only a few seconds long but it took him 2 hours to make. He had to draw something like 150 frames, plus add the sound. If you can't tell the story, a burglar breaks into a store called Hot Topic and steals a pair of pants. The store clerk chases him. You can tell which one the burglar is because he's holding the http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/28/Charlies_video_ Thu, 2 Aug 2007 22:00:02 -0000 Charlie took apart his last invention and used the parts for this one. It's a boat with a propellor. He has the batteries out of the water, and they're connected to the boat with insulated wires. His verdict after this demonstration? Needs more power. Also he needs a battery case that's not melted. (He partially melted this one with a too-powerful http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/27/Another_creation_-_motorized_boat Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:37:37 -0000 Ignore Charlie's appearance. He didn't brush his hair after his shower and he's a mess. He created this...thing tonight. At one point he was using a different motor, one that he got out of an old VCR, and it melted the battery case and made a lot of smoke. That didn't stop him, though. He just moved onto a different motor. Sometimes it's a little scary having him around. I can only imagine what he'll be creating (and what disasters he'll create) after he turns http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/26/Charlies_inventioncreation Thu, 12 Jul 2007 03:00:32 -0000 I've got a new article in CSM today: <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0629/p20s01-algn.html"><FONT color=#800080>http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0629/p20s01-algn.html</FONT></A></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">&nbsp;</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">And if you’d to suggest enhancements to the robotoddler, you can leave comments on my writing blog: <A href="http://www.jodymace.com/news"><FONT color=#800080>www.jodymace.com/news</FONT></A></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">&nbsp;</P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Thanks!</P> http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/157/New_article_Robotoddler_2.0 Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:41:00 -0000 I'm teaching a magazine writing workshop for kids this summer, and one 3rd grade girl is writing an advice column on dealing with sibling problems. If you have more than one kid, would one of them like to submit a question to her? Free advice! Thanks! Just post it here if you'd like or send me a private http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/156/Looking_for_problems_for_an_advice_column.... Fri, 8 Jun 2007 13:50:00 -0000 Charlie's gone fishing a few times and loves it, but this is the first time he's caught anything. These are two pictures of the same fish. Notice the advantageous perspective of the second picture. That's some good fish http://jody.multiply.com/photos/album/210/First_fish Mon, 28 May 2007 18:03:30 -0000 <P>If anybody wants to take a look...<BR><A href="http://www.skirtmag.com/stories/050107/featu_20061101128.shtml"><a href=http://www.skirtmag.com/stories/050107/featu_20061101128.shtml>http://www.skirtmag.com/stories/050107/featu_20061101128.shtml</a></A></P> <P>-jody</P> http://jody.multiply.com/journal/item/151/New_essay_out_iComa Tue, 1 May 2007 17:32:00 -0000 Shaggy freaked out when Stan started blowing http://jody.multiply.com/video/item/21/Shaggy_hates_bubble_gum. Sat, 7 Apr 2007 03:23:35 -0000