Changes
Obviously posting has been slow lately. It’s about to get slower.
I’m retiring this blog.
The kids are doing well, learning a lot, and all of that. We are traveling, trying to sell our house,and dealing with other tedium. I’m appalled at the way our government is handling the economic situation. And so on and yadda yadda.
I’ve just gotten tired of writing about it.
I’d like to spend my time writing better researched posts, polishing them more carefully, and tying them together more coherently. I also want to spend some time thinking about how we can use technology to improve the education process, and start building tools and content directly targeted at students and teachers.
Of course I can do much of this by just making this a better blog, but I’m choosing not to do that. “Coherent” and “polished” would ruin the spirit of this blog anyway. This blog is about picking fights over homeschooling, calling people on their hypocrisy, and cute little “kids say the darndest things” posts.
It is also about learning — both me and the boys. The Mathematics posts are still my favorites, especially the ones collected here and the little series about the Riemann zeta function (which I really should continue).
So what is in the future for the Schmidt family?
We’re moving to Seattle where I will start working on a Ph.D. in Computer Science at UW. I am excited about getting started, and once I get established there I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say about it. In the meantime, we’ll be on the road most of the next four months, we’ll have spotty internet access, and I will squander much of that access on facebook and runsaturday. I’ll still pester some of you with my comments too, and do my best to keep up with your posts in my reader.
I do want to thank all of you who read this blog and all of you who left a comment or two or twenty. I had a lot of fun with some of the discussions and was genuinely surprised at the response I got.
BTW, if you want to buy a house in Texas, I’ll give you a good deal 
Tschüss!
Well that’s a fine how-do-you-do. I’m sure I won’t be the only one to say it, but you’ll be missed. I’ll leave this in my reader though and assume the blog bug will bite soon enough and that there’s a chance we’ll see you again around these parts.
Good luck with everything, and safe travels to you and the family.
sam
April 7, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Good luck to you and your family on your journey! Look forward to hearing more once you get settled in Seattle.
Not June Cleaver
April 7, 2009 at 1:34 pm
UW — impressive! Good luck with the degree. We could always use more computer science Ph.D.s.
Rick
April 7, 2009 at 2:37 pm
[sniffle, sniffle, sob, wail]
I’ll miss your blog, too (even the math posts that went over my head). You better check in w/us from time to time or we’ll hunt you down.. now that you’ve recklessly revealed where you’ll be working.
By the way, I’m trying to unload I mean sell a house, too. Mine is located in the quaint fishing village of Shelter Cove, CA (Humboldt County). Black sand beaches, wild and forested land, exciting DEA raids looking for (uh, nevermind), running trails AND a mere 700 mile commute to WA. The kids will love the tidepools!
boremetotears
April 7, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I never commented (at least I don’t remember doing so), but I’m sad to see you go. Yours was a well-written and fun blog to read. I’ll miss the math for sure. I bookmarked many of them for the inevitable “one day” when my kids are ready for them. Good luck with your move and best wishes to you and your family.
Sarah
April 7, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Rolfe says:
. . .”once I get established there I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say about it.”
So – where are you gonna say it??
If you don’t have any other ideas, Snook is at your disposal for comments to your heart’s content, on topic or not, always. We can even make you a full-privilege partner there if you’re interested, no pressure,, and you can post independently on education or whatever if and when you’re so moved, would you like that? Just say the word.
JJ
April 7, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Thanks everyone, I will let you know when and where I start writing again. All of you are in my reader, so I know where to find you. Unless you flake out like me.
The minute I published the post I started thinking about other things I could have written — camping in Death Valley, reading Pippi Longstocking, watching the kids learn to ski — but they will have to live on in our family memories. Part of the problem I have with blogging is that it makes me go through life asking “Should I write about this? How?” That gets old, especially when I’m just doing this for fun.
Lynn, that was pretty careless of me wasn’t it? Ah well, I haven’t been causing trouble with GL’s stalkers lately and I’m pretty easy to track down anyway. Humbolt County sounds nice — I like the real Northern California — but I want to walk to campus and even with the ultramarathon training 700 miles seems a bit much.
Sarah, I enjoy your blog too even if I am a lurker. Hopefully I’ll get a much more coherent set of Math posts built sometime down the road. In the meantime these will still be here.
JJ, I’m not sure where I’ll write. For Math/Science content I’d like to develop something a little better than a blog format: I want to make it easy to find “prerequisites”, map categories, add interactive components so readers can actually do the Math or play with the graphs. For politics and homeschooling stuff, I want to do something a little more anonymous. I will consider your offer…
Rolfe Schmidt
April 8, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I’ll miss the posts, too… but happy that you’re going to be closer so we get to hang out & possibly ski more!
Harry Hollander
April 14, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Hi Harry, We’re already shopping for season passes so I think more skiing is in our future. As for the posts, I guess you’ll get to hear my harangues in person now.
Hopefully the house will sell soon and we can come hang out.
Rolfe Schmidt
April 17, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Well, pish. I just found your blog via your comment on the dingbat’s unschooling post that Doc highlighted, and now you’re done. Best of luck to you!
Sarah
April 23, 2009 at 2:34 am
Happens in Blogland. Vaya con Dios, Rolfe.
opit
May 16, 2009 at 12:00 am
Thanks Opit and Sarah.
By the way, there is still occasional life over at my math blog.
Rolfe Schmidt
May 16, 2009 at 6:44 am
Check. Thanks.
opit
May 16, 2009 at 8:14 am
good work.
vlorbik
June 27, 2009 at 1:11 pm