Navigating the Blogosphere...

One of the members of the Philosophe 5, DS, recently constructed an amazing document that outlined his teaching philosophy. Among the many techniques he incorporates into teaching is assessment of not only his students' abilities to learn, but his abilities to instruct. And he doesn't just do this at the end of the semester, or even the weekend, but throughout each individual lecture! Kudos to him for making the effort to ensure that his audience is not just 'getting it' but that he is doing his part in 'delivering it.'

So, less than a week into this venture, I think I should conduct a needs assessment of this Blog. I have no idea just why people are reading it, to be honest, but the map to the right shows that I've got people in 3 hemispheres checking in to read words of wisdom (no doubt akin to the words of wisdom written on the stall doors of the mensroom on the 1st floor of Plant Science; and no, I did not put them there). I don't know if those who read this are 'getting it', but I certainly am benefitting from reading those 'words of wit' of others. Friend ML, who is now in Santiago, Chile, has a FANTASTIC blog detailing her trials and tribulations and joys during her year abroad. Check out Directed Wanderings. And this morning, I was rolling on the floor after being introduced to George the Rabbit, a blog maintained by a Bostonian friend's wife. I have learned so much about raising rabbits already -- who knew that unbonded bunnies could turn into vicious killers? Hmmm... maybe the white rabbit in Monty Python's Holy Grail just needed a bit of leather?

So, to finish this post... While I say I speak for trees, in reality, they talk all the time. Does one need proof? I have not figured out how to add sound here, so instead just look at the face of this dawn redwood, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, that I photographed on the grounds of Stourhead (UK) a few years ago. If it looks familiar, you may have seen it on Edvard Munch's "The Scream."