Staying connected to the US

So last night I went out to dinner with Maggie Mutsch, Kate Brundage, and Janis Freckmann. A powerful and fun group here- very into what they do and education. The best part about the night was Maggie telling me all about podcasts. I knew about podcasts earlier, but never really needed them. Now I've downloaded NBS Nightly News and the Today Show onto my i phone, which I can hook up to my TV (I need to figure out how) and play the news a day behind. This also means that I can get the shows I want- Grey's anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance, etc. from my i phone and just watch it on my TV!! So those Thursday nights when I completing Friday Folder comments, I can watch something I've downloaded from the US from my phone! How cool is technology? (Well, when it works...)

I'm also off to Starhub to check how I can be calling my friends and family in that short window of time when we're both up without using Sykpe because the connection is not good over the 3 G network- Skype works well only with WiFi at my apartment or at school. I'm usually running to catch my cab share in the morning (past the minister mentor's house- I run right by his guards) so I can talk to someone in the US when it's there 6:20 PM until 6:25 PM. Gotta love 5 minute time frames- every minute counts!

Talk to y'all more later...I'm headed to the famous Raffles Hotel tonight for a "Singapore Sling" drink for a colleague's bday...one drink I hear is every expensive. I'll tell you about the Singapore Sling later. Also- the restaurant we went to last night was gorgeous. It was a Thai restaurant with excellent decor. I know that doesn't really explain it- but I'll say there were Thai dancers, huge seats, etc. Maggie is the Superintendent's wife- she works next door to me teaching 3rd grade, so it was nice getting to know her a little more too. I had gotten to know Brent (the Superintendent) a little bit when he hired me. Janis Freckmann is the math specialist that comes to SAS once a year to do math consulting. She's out of Wisconsin, so it was nice getting to know her a little more, too. Kate Brundage, the school librarian whose classroom I took over, invited me out with these lovely ladies. It feels good getting to know different people, little by little. I'm so glad I now have these tools to keep me connected back to the US, because of course- that's where I'm from. Roots are very important!!

Dani