Free Family Hurricane Preparedness Workshop

Houston/Galveston National Weather Service is hosting a free Family Hurricane Preparedness Event!  This is open to the general public:

Saturday, June 9, 2012 

10 am - 3 pm.

George R. Brown Convention Center (Hall B)

Highlights include:

* Electric Safety Demonstration at 9:00 am by CenterPoint Energy

* Interactive, family-friendly format

* Photo Booth

* Local meteorologists

* Free giveaways

* Guest Appearances from Louie the Lightning Bug and the Ready Super Hero team

Be sure to visit our booths to learn how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints help as first responders and ways children can participate in family preparedness!

Visit the event website here for more details!

Confusion, naivete, and walking through walls

On the first day of the Interactivity conference this year in Portland, I shared an elevator ride with a tall fellow with a white beard. He saw my badge and asked where the conference was being held so I told him that that's where I was headed and I'd walk him there. Trying to make friendly conversation, I asked him what museum he was from. He said he wasn't with any museum. A firm? I tried. He shook his head and smiled. On the board? Nope. I gave up. When I said I was confused he smiled again and said it was good to be in state of confusion. A half hour later I watched him give the keynote speech, introducing himself to the audience as John Seely Brown, Chief of Confusion.

Sometimes I can feel self conscious about being the new kid in a group of highly experienced professionals. But the truth was, they were all really excited to give me advice and introduce me to people I should know. The more questions I asked, the more answers I got.

As much as I look forward to gaining experience and some day becoming one of the Children's Museum Elders, I realize that I have something to bring to the field as the new kid. My naivete. And I don't mean ignorance. I think there's something valuable about not knowing your own limits.

One of my favorite science fiction novels is Robert Heinlein's The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. The title character is a cat named Pixel whose naivete is his power:

"...Pixel got the tag 'Schrodinger's Cat' hung on him because he walks through walls."
"How does he do that?"
Jane Libby answered, "It's impossible but he's so young he doesn't know it's impossible, so he does it anyhow."

I like that quotation so much I named my own cat after the cat who walks through walls.

Pixel

Free Preparedness Fair for Houston

This Saturday, there will be a FREE Preparedness Fair, for the city of Houston!!

May 12, 2012

Time:  10:00am. to 2:00pm.
Place:  16333 Hafer Rd.

Houston, Texas 77090   

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Building

Come learn about how to prepare your family for any emergency that you might come upon!

Special FREE Classes: 

Couponing (in Chapel)
Tiffany Ivanovsky
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
 

Houston Weather (in Chapel)
Dr. Jim Siebert
Fox 26 Chief Meteorologist
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
 

Neighborhood Ready Classes
Bob and Tracey Reichardt
In the Relief Society Room
1)  11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
2)  1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
 

Canning and Sprouting
Marlyn Diderickson
In the Primary Rooms
1)  10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
2)  11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
3)  1:15 a.m. to 1:45 a.m.
 

Drawings for prizes every 30 minutes!

Parking on the sides and rear of the building…

 Enter through the back (west) door.   Open to the public!
 

Displays / Demonstrations:
100 Day Food Storage
What goes in a year’s supply?
Water Storage
Container Gardening
Bee Keeping
Chainsaw safety and sharpening
Shelf Reliance
Alternative Health Care
Alternative Cooking
Alternative Power Sources
Dehydrating
Canning and Sprouting
Ham Radio Communication
72-hour Kits
Generator Tri-fuel Conversion
Storage Containers
Homemade Bread and Butter
And Much More!!!