How has your creativity changed this semester?

How have your views toward creativity and Creativity changed this semester? Discuss an uncomfortable moment/assignment for you because you had to expand your creativity.

                     Throughout the course of the semester, my idea of creativity has changed completely. I used to think that I was not a creative person; I dabbled in many arts and crafts like sewing, crocheting, jewelry making, sketching, but never considered myself creative because I never considered the items I created to be...well, creative. Now that I say that, that way of thinking does not make any sense! It really doesn't. I've discovered that I was confusing creativity with talent. I understand as talent being something somewhat innate, a gift if you will, that needs little to no maintenance but can definitely improve with practice.

                      Through my creativity project, I definitely enhanced my creativity.  The project that inspired this whole idea is not quite finished; it is a multi-colored, multi-strand necklace made with small really small colored beads, which made the project itself quite overwhelming.  At the start, I was very motivated to work on it, but after about 3 hours of 'beading' and only have a small portion done, I was discouraged. But it did spawn a lot of other ideas in the process. Not only have I made time to make jewelry, but I’ve also made sure that I allowed myself opportunities to be creative.  I’ve finished several other jewelry items, checked out books from the local library and learned new crochet stitches, make it a regular habit to analyze jewelry that I see in stores and in catalogs and create my own variations, taught my sister how to crochet, and continue to work on unfinished projects and start new ones. This process helped me to understand that it is important to flex your creativity muscles whenever possible in order to keep them strong and imaginative. 

                               I've realized that being creative is something that I've always enjoyed, but told myself I just didn't have the time for it. After taking this course, I recognize that lack of time was no longer an acceptable excuse; if it is important to me I should make time for it, just like I do for everything else.  I understand now that creativity is: a an "out of the box" way of thinking, fluid and flexible, non-traditional, challenging, expressive, aesthetic, abstract, meaningful, motivating, unique, energizing, draining, and purposeful.

My Response: Gardner's "Five Minds for the Future"

“Needed today is a generous dollop of creativity in the human sphere – in particular, in the ways in which we human beings relate to one another personally, carry out our work, and fulfill our obligations as citizens” (Gardner, 2008, p. 101)

 

            The first thing that comes to mind is advances in science and technology.  The world’s improvements on and resourcefulness with technology has greatly improved efficiency and effectiveness as well as save money in a wide range of fields from communication to medicine.  Technology has allowed us to do more with less – less manpower, less time, less money, and less space.  However, the ability to do more with less has come at a cost – the human element. 

Let’s consider the fields that were mentioned above. Advancements in communication include E-mail, text message, blogging, Twitter, Facebook, instant messaging, and even form letters such as E-cards. Having access to internet/electronic methods of communicating has greatly improved efficiency, saved money on stamps, and most likely lightened the load of mail carriers (I wonder if that has anything to do with the ever-increasing cost of stamps…). In the meantime, the lost art of handwritten, personalized notes have been sacrificed. How often do you receive a handwritten note from a friend or colleague? And when you do receive them, do you struggle to read the handwriting of the author? I believe that my handwriting has suffered as a result of our technological advancements. Call it old-fashioned, but it I think it is so much more personable to receive a handwritten letter of appreciation or view a loved one’s handwriting stating ‘happy birthday’ instead of an E-card.  A pre-created card template in which all I need to do is fill-in-the-blank and change the background color of a pre-selected array of colors does not allow for full creative expression.

What about medicine? There have been so many improvements in the area of medicine that now we are able to develop vaccines for illnesses that used to kill people only years ago, perform operations that years only decades before were considered impossible, and use tools and instruments that allow people to live longer and better lives.  There is no denying the necessity and benefits that technology has offered in medicine. But, remember house calls (I don’t because that existed before my time, but I bet it was nice)? I bet this was only possible if a doctor had a smaller case load of patients to care for at one time. But with the increase in technology use came the increase in efficiency as well as the increase in the number of patients that one doctor could juggle and, as a result, the decrease in human contact.  Sick patients are monitored by machines and are checked on by nurses every half hour or so.

            Don’t get me wrong – I am glad and grateful for technology and I wouldn’t go back to what we now call “The Stone Age,” that time (that I barely remember) before computers were so readily available.  These changes are definitely necessary, and perhaps the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but what a price!

Six Thinking Hats: The Tortoise and the Hare

Here are a few questions that I came up with using the Six Thinking Hats. These questions are based on the fable, "The Tortoise and the Hare."

• White Hat: How much faster is the Hare than the Tortoise? What could the Tortoise do to train for the race?
  
• Red Hat: What made the Tortoise think that he would win the race against the Hare? What were the Fox’s thoughts about the race?
  
• Black Hat: Did any of the Tortoise’s friends try to discourage him from racing Hare in fear that he would embarrass himself? Did anyone discourage the Hare from racing the Tortoise in fear that he would seem like a bully?
  
  
• Yellow Hat: What rewards would the winner receive for winning?
  
  
• Green Hat: Is it possible to let the Tortoise or the Hare decide the start and finish learn instead of the Fox? Is it possible to base the race on stamina instead of speed? Is it possible to add obstacles to the course?
  
  
• Blue Hat: Instead of the Hare taking a nap, can the Tortoise receive a headstart?

Ideas for Improvement: Laptop desk

This is my response to question #5 on page 203 using Osborn's 73 Idea-spurring Questions.  As I completed this assignment, I noticed all of the things that I was doing to make the laptop desk I was using more convenient for me, so it seemed like a perfect candidate for this assignment. I also realized that many of these questions reminded me of the SCAMPER activity we completed at the beginning of the course. Anyway, here are some of my ideas:

Put it to other uses:

• use as a lunch or dinner tray
  
• serve as a music stand
• a podium (maybe just for practicing speeches at home!)

Modify:

• make the desktop surface detachable
  
• include a detachable lamplight
• create a pencil groove to hold pencils and pens
• built-in pencil sharpener
• add wheels (I think it might've had wheels at the beginning but I've had mine for a while and I think they broke off!)

Magnify:

• extendable desktop surface (make it longer or shorter)
  
• include wi-fi antennae for Internet compatibility
• power cord so that it can be plugged into outlets when laptop cords can not reach outlets
• detach desktop from its stand and install flip down legs so that the desktop can be used on the floor

Combine:

• add adjustable seat
• have the bottom portion of the stand contain a drawer for small storage (pencils, paper, folders, sticky notes, etc)
  

Readers' Theater: Little Red Riding Hood and Porky Pig

This is written as a fractured fairy tale. Fractured fairy tales are traditional fairy tales with a twist in which the problem, point of view, etc (think SCAMPER) is altered and a new story is created. This is a smashed hybrid between Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs.

CAST: Narrator, Mother, Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, Porky, Grandmother

NARRATOR: Once upon a time, at the edge of a large forest lived Little Red Riding Hood and her mother and father. Little Red Riding Hood's real name was Rebecca but since she always wore a red hood and cape, she was known in the forest as Little Red Riding Hood.

MOTHER: Little Red, a little birdie just told me that Grandmother was not feeling well. I want to go over to her house to care for her for a while but I can't because I am preparing dinner for this evening. Would you go over and check in on her to see if she needs help?

LITTLE RED: Sure, Mom! I'd love to! Do you think I can take her some of the muffins we made last night?  I bet she would love them!

MOTHER: Of course you can! Just put them all in this basket. Please be careful on your way and remember not to talk to strangers. I want you to come back before it gets dark.

NARRATOR: Off Little Red Riding Hood went, skipping through the forest on her way to grandmother's house. As she traveled, liked to talk to the animals. Her mother told her not to talk to strangers, but she felt that animals weren't strangers.  Little Red talked to a friendly rabbit, a sleepy turtle, and a hurried hummingbird. Towards the end of her trip, she met a wiley wolf.

WOLF: Where are you going all alone, little girl?

LITTLE RED: I am going to visit my sick grandmother. I am going to bring her sweet treats and take care good of her so that she will feel better.

WOLF: Is that so? Is your grandmother the little old lady that lives at a farm house with big chimney?

LITTLE RED: Yup, she's my grammy. She's an animal whisperer.  She taught me how to speak to animals.  She has a lot of animals inside of her house - birds, rabbits, pigs, and goats. My favorite animals are the pigs. They're smart and funny. They usually help her around the house too and take care of the other animals.

WOLF: Yes, I know exactly who she is. Well, I don't want to hold you up any longer, Little Red. Please be on your way.

LITTLE RED: Nice to meet you, Wolf. I will see you soon!

NARRATOR:And that she did. The Wolf had taken a shortcut through the valley to get to Grandmother's house.  The Wolf had been searching for food in the forest and couldn't find any. Now he knew why; the creatures were all hiding safely in Grandmother's house so that they would not be caught by Wolf. Now Wolf knew their secret and planned to eat these animals. To make sure that his plans were not foiled he would eat Little Red and Grandmother too.

LITTLE RED: Hello, Grammy! I've brought you some treats to help you get better. Boy, Grammy, what a red nose you have!

GRANDMOTHER: That's from blowing my stuffy nose, my dear. Softer things to blow my nose would help.

LITTLE RED: Gosh, Grammy, what a soft voice you have.

GRANDMOTHER: My throat is sore, dear. A good bowl of hot soup would help.

LITTLE RED: I am glad that I came, Grammy.  I will go and talk to the 3 Little Pigs and get them to help. Please don't get up. The animals and I will take care of everything.

NARRATOR: With that, Little Red found Porky, the smartest little pig in the forest picking berries and chopping wood for tonight's supper.

LITTLE RED: Hi, Porky! I've come because I wanted to help while Grammy is sick. How can I help?

PORKY: Hi, Red! My brothers are off doing silly things and I have no one to talk to. Oh, and I've got a new joke... How do you make friends with a squirrel?

LITTLE RED: Hmm, I should know this...give them a basketful of acorns?

PORKY: No. Climb a tree and act like a nut! Hardy-har-har!

LITTLE RED: That's really funny, Porky! Tell me more!

NARRATOR: While Porky and Little Red chatted and laughed, the Wolf snuck into the house. Wolf ate the goats, rabbits, and birds but wasn't quite full yet. He still had room in his belly for a pig, a little girl, and a grandmother. Just as Wolf was making his way to grandmother's room, Little Red walked in and noticed him creeping past the fire place. She also noticed the feathers and fur that remained of the creatures that once lived in Grandmother's home.

LITTLE RED: Hey, Wolf! What are you doing here? And what happened to all of the animals?

WOLF: Oh, well, I was hungry and I came to get something to eat.

LITTLE RED: You mean, you ate my grandmother's animals?

WOLF: Yes, I did. I said I was hungry, and I am still hungry. I was just looking around for more food.

NARRATOR: Just then, the Wolf started drooling. Little Red realized that she was in danger as long as the Wolf was there. Suddenly, the Wolf pounced on Little Red and knocked her into table and chairs, breaking the vase that was sitting on the table. Porky heard the commotion and ran into the house and saw that Little Red was struggling with Wolf.

PORKY: Oh no. Not you again! I thought you were history!

WOLF: That history's history! I'm back and hungrier than ever!

NARRATOR: Like a flash, Porky and Wolf were fighting - shoving and pushing one another back and forth. Porky got the upper hand and pushed Wolf into the boiling pot in the fire place. Porky and Little Red made wolf soup for grandmother  which helped with her sore throat and made soft rags from the fur of the wolf for her to blow her nose.  Soon, she was restored to health.

Can creativity be measured?

No. Creativity CAN NOT be measured.  In order to measure something accurately, it is important to use the same system or unit of measurement so that it can be compared to another. The purpose of measuring it to find establish a standard in which other things can be compared to, replicated, or modified. What unit can be used to measure creativity?

Some may say standardized testing. CogAT, ITBS are tests that have been said to measure the gifted potential of students based on creative and logical exercises.  I strongly disagree on sooo many levels! How can you measure something irregular, malleable, and abstract with a tool as rigid as standardized testing? 

With that said, I think creativity CAN:

1) be taught. People can learn creative thinking at any age, in any area, from just about anyone.  Grandmothers can teach their grandchildren how to scrapbook, art teachers can teach students different styles and mediums for art work, students can teach other how to perform a hobby, families can help one another rearrange furniture, parents can watch their child play with an item incorrectly but functionally, people of all ages can write stories...the list goes on. How can you measure that?

2) be enhanced. Many people attend training sessions and workshops, visit tutors and teachers, watch videos, read books, etc. to enhance a creative area that they wish to develop. For most, one creative area is interrelated with another (ie. interior design is connected to color schemes, furniture arrangement, and designs) and by strengthening these areas, creativity is broadened and improved.

3) be aesthetic. We all have a variety of experiences that create our schema of what is appealing to us. This can range from a variety of art forms such as scultpures, paintings, books, and movies to fashion, car choices, music, and landscaping. These allow for us to have preferences in our choices and the variety of forms allows for all of us to find, establish, or create forms that are aesthetically pleasing to us.

In summary, I do not think that creativity can be measured, but I do think that it is a form of expression for all.  Some of these expressions we identify with, question, understand, disagree with, misinterpret, etc. How can that be measured? Who's to say that one creative idea is not as creative as another?

Extending School Hours/Days - My Response

After hearing Obama's recommendation to extend the amount of time that children spend in school, I had a few thoughts about a few points that he mentioned.

• Increase the number of and access to after school programs. I think this would be a great idea for coomunities to consider. Too many times students, especially adolescents, spend time finding something else to do after school.  They may not be interested in extra-curricular activities that would require them to stay at school longer, but would be willing to get involved with community-based activities such as the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club. Additionally, these programs should not be the only ones offerred in low-income areas as they currently are.

• Increase the length of the school day.  This sounds like a great idea. I mean, how often do you hear, 'there just aren't enough hours in the day,' or 'if I had just one more hour, I can do so much more.' While this may be true, it is not a successful strategy on its own. In addition to (or maybe even instead of) extending the length of day programs, it's necessary to recognize the importance of adequate and sufficient resources and manpower to attend to the ever-increasing standards and objectives that students are expected to learn and teachers are expected to teach.

As a teacher, I think that adding additional time to the school calendar whether it's in the form of longer school days, longer school weeks, or a longer school year would be a step in the right direction to increasing and improving the learning of students in our country.  However, the demands continue to increase, expectations are on the rise, and resources and manpower are on the decline. For our educational system to be more effective, it is important that it functions as a more streamlined, well-oiled machine.  The current problem is that schools are expected to function and progress full speed ahead but our tank is only half full...or half empty, depending on how you look at it.

•  

Four Ps and Mysterious Mental Happenings

• Rank’s creative type: Jimmy Neutron - well-adjusted, self-actualized, strong, positive personality. Spontaneous expression of creativity. Jimmy is a young scientist that spearheads one of my most favorite shows. He's witty, funny, ingenious, and seems to have this love-hate relationship with his equally smart counterpart, Cindy. 

• Jung’ s psychological type of creative person: Eminem - draw from lessons of life, emotional shocks, and experiences of passion and human crisses.  All you have to do is to listen to one of his songs to know that he speaks from the heart of a person with a difficult past.  His material is understandable and often feels that he needs to explain himself to his beloved daughter, Hailey.

• Jung’s visionary type and primordial archetypes: creators of Saw IV - People often respond astonished, confused, disgusted...horrified! Reminds us of fears, nightmares, and dark thoughts. I've seen 1 (and a half) of the movies in the "Saw" series, and the first thing that came to mind was how scary it is that someone actually thought of this idea! Have you seen any of these movies??? Absolutely SICK! AAAAHHHHHHH!

• Torrance’s creative type: Johhny Test  - each episode is based on  Johnny, a young boy with genius older sisters, parents with superhuman powers, a talking dog named Dukey, and access to a lab, finding solutions that present themselves in each episode.  These problems often involve other people that he is trying to outwit and he usually  enlists the expertise of his older sisters to assist.  His solutions/inventions are often creative and smart but usually backfire.

• The creative press: www.teachertube.com  - original, creative, meets a need, has social value, ingenious. Jason Smith, the creator of teachertube.com, offers an educational alternative to online videos and resources for teachers and students alike. It offers easy access to upload and view educational video from around the world.  

• Mental Happenings
o In Art - Salvador Dali
o In Music - Enya 
o In Science - BreatheRight Strips' creator
o In Literature - Roald Dahl Museum Center and books written by Roald Dahl 

Creativity in Gifted Education

Just a few thoughts that I had about the readings...

           "I'm above average in ability and high in creativity...but motivation was always a problem" (Davis, 277).  Renzulli's three-ring definition of 'giftedness' identifies traits that highly talented people that have made contributions to society possess - high levels of creativity, task commitment, and intelligence. Unfortunately, many educational program designers use these criteria as a formula for identifying students as 'gifted.'  The text states that this was never the intention of this definition. Obviously, this negatively impacts students that are highly intelligent but lack the motivation to take risks and follow through with creative tasks. Think about the number of students that you see that have so much potential that they do nothing with it and are content with blending in or being 'average.' Even more so, think about those students that have so much potential and what they choose to do with their 'gift' has a negative impact on society.  Their lack of motivation could be the result of many things such disappointments, lack of opportunity, lack of awareness of gifts, laziness, etc., and their contributions go undone. It's a shame that many schools districts including Wake County follow this model for identifying 'gifted' students.  They favor high test scores and IQ levels over the creativity that a child shows. Rubrics, ranges, percentile scores, etc. are established as a baseline when creativity can not accurately be assessed numerically or captured in a range or rubric.  Instead, Renzulli recommends a "highly flexible...five step identification process" that holistically evaluates students' giftedness, and the trait of motivation is one that is a part of the cultivation process for students once they have been identified.  

Further recommendations from the text and articles include acceleration and enrichment programs for students.  These ideas seem more prominent in secondary school while at the elementary level classroom teachers are expected to differentiate for a wide range  of students.  In the upper elementary grades, 'gifted' students often receive services outside of the classroom because that is the best way to meet the needs of a majority of students within a grade at one time. These services seem very disjointed from the regular classroom instruction and students feel that what they are learning in their pull out services is not a part of the regular education curriculum.  Thus, this in itself can have a negative impact on motivation.  

So, perhaps loosen the criteria. "When in doubt, admit" (279). It is better to catch a wide range of abilities to be sure that those that are truly talented can receive the services that they need. But does that really work? Are those students really being targeted for receiving instruction at their zone of proximal development if they are being taught at a level that meets the needs of moderately gifted or average students? This wide net of ability in itself is what the regular classroom atmosphere is.

This goes to show us that the identification process in itself is flawed.  It is based on one's definition of what giftedness is.  This definition may come from a variety of experts in the field, but as mentioned with Renzulli's three-ring definition, these 'formulas' could misinterpreted or misused.  The best way to identify giftedness in education is to provide teachers with additional training in gifted education and stress the importance of fostering and facilitating creativity in students.

Creative Personalities on my MP3

"Creative individuals are remarkable for their ability to adapt to almost any situation and to make do with whatever is at hand to reach their goals" (Csikzentmihalyi, 1996). As I began this assignment I thought of a ton of celebrities that could fit the mold for the 10 antithetical traits. So I pulled out my mp3 player and began reading bios of some of the artists in my playlist. Here's what I discovered.

Creative people...

...have a great deal of physical energy, but they are often quiet and at rest. Maroon 5 is a group that I've had the pleasure of experiencing live, and they are a very energetic group of singers that are a part of the neo-soul genre.  Very laid back and humble,there rise to stardom was a slow process but they continued to reinvent themselves into what they are today.

...tend to be smart yet naive at the same time. Britney Spears was the first person that came to mind.  She started on the Mickey Mouse Club but made her solo debut in the late 1990s. Her rise to stardom was fast and steady, and embellished with controversial media coverage including two failed marriages, a chaotic nervous breakdown, and two children all before her 25th birthday.

...combine playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility. They are both rebellious and conservative. The Black Eyed Peas seem like a very unique group that combines hip hop, pop, and rock in an original way.  There lyrics, their performances, and their costumes are borderline eccentric yet classic.

...to an extent, escape rigid gender role stereotyping. Pink is an artist that tests the boundaries by saying what many women are thinking.  Her style is honest (sometimes painfully honest) and flirty, yet she offers a very strong edge through her likes and style of dress. 

...tend to be both introverted and extroverted. They are humble and proud at the same time.  Beyonce is able to hold her own on stage and perform for thousands of people, but she also maintains a private side of her that seems very comfortable to her. Furthermore, she has a very glamorous lifestyle as a celebrity but she is not one to be afraid of being seen with little no makeup.

...are very passionate about their work, yet they can be extremely objective about it as well.  Ne-Yo is an artist that has been hard at work in the music industry since her early teen years.  He spent most of his time writing songs for and collaborating with others, and continues to receive praises. 

...openness and sensitivity often exposes them to suffering and pain, yet also to a great deal of enjoyment.They alternate between imagination and fantasy, rooted in sense of reality.  Michael Jackson's love of music and global issues, especially those that relate to children, earned him quite a bit of publicity, positive and negative.  His music served as a way to communicate these issues as well as a form of entertainment for his beloved fans. 

Sketchword: Professional Learning Teams

Here is my sketchword illustration of Professional Learning Communities (PLTs). 

More blocks, barriers, and squelchers

      In a profession that naturally lends itself to so much creativity, there are many blocks, barriers, and squelchers that hinder us in education. Here are few that I am sure many of you have heard:

     'Is it a research-based strategy?' That question is asked every time an intervention or strategy is put in place. In fact, there is a collection of 'research-based strategies' that wer are encouraged to look through depending on the child's needs.  Though some of the interventions are creative,  it is sometimes challenging to think of new ways since this ready-resource is available and is expected to implemented if we are being exhaustive in meeting student needs.

     'We just don't have time for that.' The North Carolina Standard Course of Study is jam packed with objectives and goals for students to cover at each grade level from kindergartern through twelfth grade. We tend to rush through certain objectives because there is a pacing guide for us to keep us on track so that we can say that we've taught the students everything that they need to know to score well on state assessments. For those students that require more time, more practice, more attention, etc., it is very difficult to make sure that all students master the objectives because of these time restraints (...and standardized testing, but that's a whole other can o' worms!). As a result of the time constraints, it is extremely difficult to provide time for creative outlets for students because it may be difficult to justify its academic value.  The key here may be integration, but is it always possible?

      'That's not my problem/ It's out of my hands.' As teachers were are always challenged with ways to meet student needs regardless of where they are (on/below/above grade level) though all students come with life situations that may affect them such as poverty, abuse, instability, extracurricular activities, talents, interests, disabilities, etc.Things that are beyond our control can make it difficult for us to encourage creative opportunities because there are more pressing issues at hand that must be addressed first.

      'Will it increase test scores?' No? Then it's a waste of time.It's not that simple, but it feels that way sometimes.  If it is a strategy, idea, or intervention that is not targeted toward reaching test scores, then it needs to be set aside and usefulness re-evaluated. 

     'It's too noisy.' Many teachers feel that a learning environment is a quiet environment. As social creatures, it is important for us to be able to communicate our thoughts and ideas with others and receive feedback about these ideas.  That process in itself is a creative process.

      'It's not in our curriculum.' As mentioned before, if it can not be aligned with the standard course of study then it's not a justifable activity that should be done in the classroom. But we know that is SO not true! There are many talents and interests that a child brings that are a part of that child, and children should have the opportunities to share parts of themselves that make them feel proud.

Thinking Outside the Box of Creativity

As I read chapter 1 of the text, there were several points that were very eye-opening for me. Here is my reflection on just two

       One can be creative without a great creative talent. This seems like such an obvious statement but it's one that I had not considered to be true. I enjoy arts and crafts that allow me to create things from scratch, to take something in its simplest form and combine/ modify/rearrange/remodel it into something new. My hobbies include sewing, crocheting, jewelry making, and sketching but I never considered myself to be a creative person because I wasn't 'great.' I clearly confused the meaning of being creative with having a special talent. Until now, I was one of the 'unfortunate' people that associated creativity with "the possession of extraordinary, distinguished, and highly visible talent" (6). I now realize that I am a creative person. When I think about the decisions teachers make on a day-to-day basis, I'd like to think that we are all expert problem solvers. Because of a variety of factors (funds, resources, time, room, environment, etc) we have no choice but to be creative in our line of work. 'How am I going to teach these objectives? How in the world am I going to teach this objective in this amount of time?' Teachers are able to take a set of abstract commands (objectives) and bring them to life in a concrete and meaningful way = creativity. We are able to make something from nothing.  

       Creativity is a lifestyle, a way of living, a way of perceiving the world, and a way of growing.  Naturally, the art of creativity lends itself to decisions that must be made and actions that must be carried out in our daily lives. As different situations - finances, relationships, families, work, home - whether they are positive or negative,  most decisions that we make require careful and creative thought before reaching a a final decision. We must be flexible in our thinking in order to feel happy and healthy, to garner value from different aspects, and appreciate the good times as well as 'probortunities.'

Oh yeah, and that intro to chapter one with Rickles and Dangergnome...that one through me for a loop! I just had to re-enact this script with someone and I was brought to tears!