An article in Business Insider about the prominence of South Asian American children in spelling bees reminded me of my long-held interest in spelling bees. Though I participated in the occasional spelling bee as a elementary school student, I did not outshine my competition. Despite my modest—but by no means stellar—performance, I was intrigued by how exceptionally well some students did. I was impressed with their fierce commitment to the competitions and what motivated them. Although I watched only a few televised Scripps Spelling Bee competitions over the years, when I did I, I enjoyed them and found myself rooting for several participants. Over time, the superior performance of South Asian American children caught my attention. I learned from the Business Insider article that “Many Bee winners are the children of highly-skilled immigrant parents who put a high value on education and foster a love of words and language, which underlie the significance of academic activities like spelling bees among immigrant communities.” It occurs to me that the cultural value bee participants’ parents place on academic activities could serve as a model for “the rest of us.” Instead, it seems most American parents tend to view sports as more important than academia. My gut suggests to me that students who perform well in spelling bees are apt to be especially successful in subsequent careers that require intellectual discipline. I would be interested to measure my gut sense; compare spelling bee high-performers’ career achievements with those who did not participate in spelling bees. Designing such a study might be challenging, but a well-conceived research study could yield powerful results…and might encourage parents to focus on intellectual achievement versus performance in sports. Just curious…but hopeful. By the way, the E.W. Scripps company is one of the largest local TV broadcasters in the United States.
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News that the eight largest theatre chains in the US and Canada have announced a $2.2 billion renovation plan for their theatres suggests a major change in big-screen viewing is in the offing. The question, of course, is whether the cost of big-screen experiences (huge screens, better sound systems, upgraded amenities, etc.) will compare favorably to the benefits afforded through streaming at home—control (privacy, pausing, rewinding, viewer-specific food and beverage options, etc.). I like big screens and superb sound, but I think I like control even more…especially when that control is less expensive.
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Despite feeling less than 100% (more like 40%) last night, I stayed awake and watched three episodes of the limited series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The characters speak mostly Hindi (with English subtitles), with a liberal sprinkling of English. Based on the events of a December 24, 1999 hijacking, the mini-series is tense, action-packed, and sufficiently mindless to let the viewer sit in a shade of a trance for awhile. I would compare it favorably to grinding coffee, but without the required effort and attention. I will decide tonight whether to continue watching the remaining episodes.
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Mi novia is off visiting her daughter (and daughter’s son and husband) for a few days. I am glad she is able to take a little time off from being caretaker (I keep telling her I can be my own). I am glad to have a few days to myself, as well. It’s not that I am getting anything done in her absence; it’s just that a few days of mostly solitude gives me a sense of relaxation that’s unavailable when others are present. I suppose that goes to the heart of my personality; I need time alone. I do not need to feel productive during that time (which is good, inasmuch as I decidedly am not productive lately), I just need solitude. That having been said, her return will be cause for celebration. In the interim, I will be a childless cat man.
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I wrote this piece this morning, Saturday. I thought I had posted it. But a phone call from one of my brothers made me realize I had finished it, except for one thing: hitting the publish button.
