One Of Life's Great Simple Pleasures

Song:  Wyatt's Torch

Group:  Immediate Music

 Just after Alex had completed his writing assignment

(the one described in the previous article)...

I had taken him out to eat at a nearby restaurant.

It is a quaint Casino / Restaurant at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains...

and poised at the gateway to the pass that leads to California from Reno.

The restaurant has large picture windows through which 

you may see the mountains.

It was lightly snowing and nearing sunset.

The air was crisp and fresh.

We entered and were seated.

Alex ordered a dish of Tilapia.

I had decided to engorge myself with one of my few vices...

I simply love a good cheese burger

(not too often...maybe a few times a month).

Not just any type mind you...

a flame grilled one

(Is there really any other way to cook one?  :)

The food is good...and the price is very reasonable.

The atmosphere is nice and the view is very beautiful.

Alex busied himself with his iPad and I listened to some

nice music on my iPod.

I was facing the mountains and I was simply entranced by the 

deep blue hue of the mountains below the glowing white of the snow caps.

As the sun set lower...

the mountains got a progressively deeper blue...

 and had finally disappeared from view.

I was alternately looking at the grand view of the mountains...

and at the grand view before me with my son sitting contentedly...

playing with his iPad and then concentrating intently on his Tilapia as he ate it.

I love nature...and I deeply love my son.

What a fortunate man I am, I had thought...

to have such great simple pleasures readily at hand.

I reflected upon my life...

of how grand an adventure it has been

(with more to come)...

of how I have had great fortune in my life...

even though in some ways...

I am a failure.

I need to expand upon this as I have a point to make.

As I have stated before...

to constantly strive toward that which you have a passion for...

to be able to do your life's work using that passion...

make a good living with it...

to help others in the line of your work...

and to love it so much that retirement is not in your plans...

you simply wish to do it until you simply can no longer.

That is to have lived a life filled with passion and creativity.

That is what I hope to have Alex achieve in his life...

unabated and ever growing happiness...

from sunup through sundown.

That is to be successful.

I have failed in this one important respect.

Although I had made my job as enjoyable as I could...

and it had provided me with a good salary 

and a very comfortable and early retirement...

it was not my passion.

I had waited too late to discover my passion and to pursue it

(Although it is not too late to pursue many of my passions.

I shall be engaging in them more in the near future).

I am one of the fools in life that had to learn some valuable life lessons...the hard way.

 This is not to say my life was difficult.  

To say so would be an insult to so many

who are struggling in a hard economic environment.  

It is not to say that I am not ever so grateful for the opportunities

I have been afforded and have taken advantage of.

It is also not to say that I am not fully enjoying life...

that I am...

with much more to come...

and with even greater depth through the chasing of my passions. 

My point is...

 that to have had an even greater life...

I would have had a job that I considered my life's work...

one where I couldn't wait to get to...

one where I loved every minute on the job...

one where I had felt a sense of deep satisfaction at the conclusion of the day...

of only leaving without regret because of even greater passions to pursue off the job...

all the while making important contributions to others...

to improve their lives.

That is to live life fully.

Had I thought even more deeply about the nature of life as a young child...

about reverse planning my life according to my passions...

about how serious study in school would open up so many more doors of opportunity

instead of wasting so many of my opportunities daydreaming in class...

of not doing homework, not engaging in class...

of living in my own world while the real one was passing me by...

I could have had a life that was pure joy...

instead of having one where my job hours were just fun and not a passion.

I now take solace in, not only being able to impress upon my son, Alex...

an even better way of life...but to prepare him for one.

This is what it means to be a parent.

To not only impart wisdom...

but to impart the means of achieving even greater heights

than the heights achieved by us.

Alex is my son...

I am...

 his Atlas...

 his Guardian...

his Protector...

 his Guide...

 his Teacher...

his staunchest supporter...

his Fighter/Intercepter...

his Full Back as he runs for a touch down in life.

His friends are my friends...

his enemies are my mortal enemies.

I am his Father...

and for this...

I am the most grateful for.

While being a Father is not always simple...

it is definitely one of life's greatest pleasures.

Alex Grasping The Concept Of Outlining A Paper

Song:  Dreamway

Group:  Immediate Music

I have been working with Alex on writing structure... 

and with techniques to improve writing flow.

I had taught him the basics of outlining his project or paper first.

As I had explained to him...

an outline is the outlay of mental notes to oneself...

 providing the prioritization or chronicalization of the salient points...

all of which provide the structure of the project or paper.

I had shown him how to research material...

how to extract that information from articles...

and how to incorporate it into the outline.

All that is left is to expand from the outlined words...

into sentences and paragraphs.

I had to, at first, explain what the important points were.

While looking at an article...

it may be obvious...at first.

What you get is, often times, the author's prioritization of importance...

which may not match your area of importance.

It becomes easy once the writer knows that which he wishes to impress.

The very first thing to be done is to know what the topic sentence shall say

(the first thing in an outline).

This dictates the parameters of the article

(expressed inclusions and implied exclusions).

It then becomes a relatively simple matter of categorizing the outline...

and researching the information for each category...

just a word or so for each point.

Then comes the fleshing out of the article in the rough draft.

Earlier yesterday...

 Alex had worked on a paper on an adornment commonly worn by Roman youths.

As I had explained the process 

and had walked him through a couple of papers previously...

I wanted to let him spread his wings on this one.

I simply told him to outline his paper...

to research the information...

and to complete his rough draft.

A few hours later...

I had checked up on him.

He had finished his paper...

his rough draft wasn't even rough  :)

The paper was well written and had contained all the pertinent information.

He said he just worked off of his outline

(which he had done by himself).

This is what I had been working towards!

He had grasped the concept of the outline.

As I had explained to him...

an outline is far more than what is used in writing papers...

it is an efficient way of thinking.

It is the difference between someone having to read a speech at a podium...

and one who orates...one who performs magic with words without a script.

It is because many people attempt to remember the whole of the script...

word for word...that they need to read a speech.

An Orator needs only to remember the outline of his speech...

a word as a guide to the concept to illustrate for each point.

By thinking in category / subcategory...everything is in order.  

You need only remember the name of the category.

The underlying knowledge may then flow forth unhindered.

It was after I had explained it to him in this manner that he had understood.

In previous weeks...

as I was working with him writing essays...

I had seen that his main problem was in the organization of the paper itself...

not in the actual writing once he knew the direction.

As he had no parameters initially...

he hadn't known where to start.

I could see he was attempting to write the whole essay in his head first.

Without direction...

he hadn't known which points were the pertinent ones.

His research had stumbled as a result.

The concept of the outline had made all the difference.

He had really taken off on this one.

He had not merely soloed...

he had soared.

It wasn't the quality of the paper that had made me so happy...

it was in his understanding of the concept of an outline as a way of thinking...

that had made me the happiest.

With this one concept...

he will improve in all his papers...

his speeches...

his whole way of categorizing his thoughts.

Addendum:  While I realize that most people naturally think in this manner...

a child on the spectrum often times has trouble in the area of organization.

He has had to learn how to extract the main idea from what he has read...

and how to best organize his thoughts and writing.

By explaining the concept...

demonstrating it...

having him do it under supervision...

and then letting him do it on his own..

a simple, tried and true method, once again...

regins supreme.  :)

Daily Guidance Of Homework - One Of The Great Pleasures Of Being A Parent

Song:  Age Of Gods

Group:  Thomas Bergersen

Guiding Alex in a project.

After Alex comes home from school...

he eats a snack...

he then does his homework at the dinner table.

I then check it and go over any missed points or misunderstood concepts

(my wife guides him in Math and many home supplementary subjects).

I go over his daily school homework.

I will attempt to teach through the asking him of guided questions

(Socratic Method)...

or through the direct explanations of basic concepts...

and then have him answer correctly...his initially incorrectly answered questions.

Sometimes, I will have him research the subject on the internet or to reread

a missed passage in his text.

Alex deriving great pleasure from working a problem to its correct resolution.

Neither of us are really morning persons.

This is a picture of us at the MathCounts competition.

It is about 11:30 in the morning here...way beyond my bedtime

(I still stay awake all night and sleep during the day).

Alex had just completed the initial 3 rounds of testing.

We are awaiting the results for the top 8 to compete head to head

(which he had gotten to advance to).

While moments together with my son...Alex...

during great moments such as accompanying him to events or taking

him places and enjoying watching him enjoy himself so much...

are tremendous...and form memories that last a lifetime...

and incredibly enrich my life...

it is in the daily pleasure of watching my son grow as I help guide him in his 

studies and other supplementary learning activities that I derive a deep sense

of satisfaction.  I learn so much about my son in knowing his basic thought 

process by watching his daily efforts come to fruition as he accomplishes his tasks.

I revel in his fighting spirit and his spirit of adventure...

as he advances in his physical and musical training

(presently on hold as we adapt his schedule to the needs of his school schedule).

It is through our daily guidance of him that he also knows us.

He knows, through our dedicated actions...

our measure of resolve to better his life...

our demonstrated love by the willing giving of our time to him

(a child left to his own devices and desires, is essentially abandoned)...

our sharing of our thoughts and philosophy...our accumulated and aggregated wisdom...

so he may become much more wise and to have even greater happiness in his life.

Again...

I know, all too well, how extremely fortunate I am to be in the

position to be fully retired at an early age...

so I may be able to spend, freely, the most valuable currency in life...

time...with whom I love the most.

I also know that it is in the training that the warrior wins the battles.

The training that will serve the Intellectual Warrior the most...

lies in his daily training...his homework and advanced supplemental training.

Prioritized as mission number one...

done daily (including weekends and all school breaks)...

it becomes a hunger to be satiated only through the great adventure of learning.

To be learning on a daily basis is...

(not as a solitary task...a sink or swim scenario...

but as a guided mission of love from parent to child)

 to be thoroughly prepared for life...

 to be thoroughly engaged in life...

 to thoroughly extract all the goodness from life...

 to be on a thoroughly... incredibly...rich adventure...

to eventually be able to guide others in their journey in life...

and so... to thoroughly enjoy life.

It all starts at home...

from parent to child.

There is no truer measure of intent...

than that of accumulated actions.

Through a parents dedicated actions...

and demonstrated love...

a child learns a truer and better way of life...

and he will do the same with his children.

Alex At The State MathCounts Competition

Song:  Motherland

Group:  Proud Music

Alex just joined his school's math club a couple of weeks ago.

Just last week...Alex's math club instructor asked if Alex would like to 

be part of their math team

 (they were going to the Nevada State MathCounts Competition...

a once a year event).

They had a vacancy and the instructor thought Alex would benefit from

the experience...as well as his being able to contribute to the team.

This was a series of 3 math rounds...

two individual and one team.

The first was the Sprint Round.

It was done individually...

30 problems in 40 minutes.

The second was the Target Round.

It was done individually...

4 pairs of problems timed at 6 minutes a pair.

The last was the Team Round.

This was done by the group...

10 problems in 20 minutes.

The scores were averaged and rankings were determined.

For the finale...

a timed head to head competition involving the top 8 contenders was conducted...

as determined by the top scores averaged from the Sprint and Target Rounds.

This was Alex's first time...

and most of the contenders were competition veterans.

Most were either in 7th or 8th grade.

Alex is in the 6th grade.

There were actually two simultaneous competitions...

one in Reno for the northern state...

one in Las Vegas for the southern state.

We had arrived early and were in the staging area.

Only the competitors were allowed in the testing area in the next room.

The whole front row was filled by the math team from the Davidson Academy.

The Coral Academy Of Science (Alex's school) was in the second row.

The remainder of the schools filled up the other rows.

They served sandwiches to everyone just before the final head to head competition.

The individuals to compete was still to be announced.

The Coral Academy 2012 MathCount Team.

The team instructor Emre Gul and his team.

Alex is large for his age...

he is 11.33 years old.

Alex received his competition certificate after the first 3 rounds.

We were still waiting for the head to head competition announcement.

Of the 8 top scoring individuals...

6 of them were from the Davidson Academy

(the Davidson Academy had fielded 10 members for the competition).

The other 2 had come from Coral Academy Of Science...

Alex was one of them.

The last portion (the head to head of the top 8 scoring individuals)

was open to the public.

Although Alex was eliminated in his competition...

he had done so well to be in the top 8 for Northern Nevada.

I must say that all of these children were phenomenal in their 

problem solving capabilities. 

For the team from Northern Nevada going on to the Nationals...

the Davidson Academy.

As Alex is only in the 6th grade.  

He still has another 2 years of competition possible.

He can only improve from here.

He said he really liked the competition and that he is looking forward

to competing in the future.

Another good day for Alex

(although he had inadvertently committed one faux pas during the competition...

and he had felt very badly about it - 

he hadn't listened to the instructions fully for the contestants...

and he was so excited that he had absentmindedly blurted out an answer while

two others were going head to head.

He was rather heavily scolded by the proctor...

but nothing can take away from the great job Alex had done).

Alex is still learning to observe his surroundings for cues as to 

what other children are doing or not doing...

and to listen fully to instructions instead of focusing too much on his objective.

It was a tough lesson for Alex.

I know he just wanted to show he could answer the problems.

His heart was in the right place...

but he also must learn to observe his surroundings...

to be constantly aware of the full situation and not just a portion.

He was so concerned that everyone thought that he had done it on purpose.

We knew the reason...

and we had told him we knew he hadn't done it on purpose.

However, we also told him it came about because he wasn't monitoring his surroundings.

When we got home...

he felt much better...

and he said he had really enjoyed the competition.

That is the fighting spirit I had wanted to see in him!

He knows that he will stumble in life.

He also knows that it is ok...

 so long as the problem is identified...and rectified.

We are so proud of Alex.

He continually accepts new and challenging learning opportunities.

He had also learned the far more valuable lesson of being more aware

of his surroundings, and to reason out the meanings of the actions...

and inactions, of others.

Alex - A Member Of The School Math Team

Song:  Emily's Theme

Group:  Fired Earth Music

Alex on the night before the State MathCounts Competition.

Alex is part of a small group of students (from the school math club)...

competing in a statewide math competition tomorrow.  Each competing school

will have their teams representing them for honors.

I don't know much about it, as this will be Alex's first one.

We were fortunate in there being an opening on the team when Alex 

started the math club last week.

This will be good practice for Alex.

There will be many highly gifted children there.

Alex is going to keep active in the math club...and in the competitions.  

As Alex still has much time to grow and learn...

he can only improve with each event.

Alex loves competition...

it seems to spur his spirit to learn.

This is for grades 6 - 8.

The practice tests we had seen seemed heavily weighted toward

Abstract Reasoning and Geometry.

As Alex has only just started learning Geometry...

my wife has been preparing him by going over similar problems...

and giving him explanations.

Here is to the spirit of competition...

and the excellence it engenders in our children.

In my next article...

I will cover the actual event.