Jessica Gray's Philosophies, Rants, Information, and Etcetera

I play the flute and recorder.  I try to play the clarinet, and some days I actually manage to make a sound that doesn't sound like a dying cow. For a long time, most music that I played stayed within the realms of what I had learned in beginning band.  Then I started playing the recorder.  After graduating from Beginning Recorder, I started ordering other music books for recorder.  Many of these music books cater exclusively to Disney songs. There are three things you need to know if you plan to play the recorder or have your kid start on the recorder. 1)  Most recorder music is an abbreviated version of the song rather than the song in its entirety. 2)  As a general rule, I do not recommend for a beginner to start out playing Disney songs.  They are extremely difficult. 3)  I would highly recommend that if you do play Disney songs, learn your sharps and flats--even the ones that people don't believe exist. Okay, #3 is probably pu...

This lesson covers: flashing signals ramp signals lane signals how the color and shape of a traffic sign tells you its meaning stop signs 4 way stops yield signs pennant signs and no passing zones To take the quiz for the above video:

This lesson covers: Blind spots of trucks Passing and following trucks Artificial respiration How to stop bleeding How to treat shock What the different color traffic signals mean What pedestrian crosswalk signals mean What red, yellow, and green arrow lights mean

This lesson also includes a quiz at the end.  It covers all types of car trouble: Break downs Wet brakes Brake failure Skidding Tire blowouts Wheels off pavement Car approaching in your lane Jammed gas pedal Submerged vehicle

My mom joked and said how this lesson would be shorter if it told you where you could park.  It is true--there are more places where you can't park than where you can.  Some things--like parking in front of someone's driveway--I always thought was inconsiderate, but it turns out to be illegal as well. So we go over parking--what is illegal and what is proper.  There is a brief mention of parking lights.  Then we talk about handicap parking, handicap placards, how to get one, the two different types, and the rules about how they are used (and the punishment for breaking them).  Want to borrow your handicapped friend's car so you can park in handicap spaces?  Think again--unless they are with you, it is considered a second degree felony. :O Here is the lesson: Here is the quiz:

This lesson covers: Blind spots Passing Rules What to do when others pass you When you cannot pass What the solid and broken center lines mean The two second rule Following distance for trucks Parking Which way to turn your wheels when parking on hills I also made a quiz to test you on what you learned in this lesson:

This lesson covers: Right of way laws when dealing with  blind pedestrians, other handicapped pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycles. Other road rules and advice for motorists about bicyclists and motorcycles. Rules about stopping for school buses. Rules about public transit. Rules about funeral processions. Rules about entering and leaving driveways onto a major road. There is a quiz at the end.  Sorry about the jumping--my cat was cleaning himself and must have moved the camera.

This was the second part of my video on how to fill out checks.  Deposit slips are found at the back of the checkbook.  Usually they are white.  Checks themselves can be a variety of colors and have designs like Disney Princesses on them, but deposit slips are usually more formal in appearance. You need a deposit slip when you are depositing money into your account.  It isn't just for cash.  If people have written you checks, you will use a deposit slip to submit those too. The important thing to remember is that not all transactions are immediate, particularly when it comes to checks.  I used to get annoyed with my dentist because he used to wait a full week to withdraw money from my account when I wrote him a check.  Some banks put limits to how many times a person can submit checks, and so some places or people will wait.  In the case of my dentist, they went to the bank once a week.  Of course, I've noticed they no longer do this when...

It occurred to me that there are many people who grow up without learning essential life skills.  Many parents are not willing to share personal information (i.e. finances) with their children, but the problem is that they also miss the opportunity to teach them much needed skills like how to fill out a check.  Then there are some people who were orphaned or who come to this country who are not going to know this information either. It may seem simple enough, and yet it is surprising how simple things can confound a person.  Sometimes we are too embarrassed to ask for help, or sometimes it is difficult to ask for help with things that have sensitive information--like writing checks. I don't actually use checks very often, since most of my dealings are through paypal or debit card.  However, there are times when you do need them. One thing I neglected to mention (though I don't know if the rules still apply in these times, or the practice is standard at all...

Here is the quiz for Florida Driver's Manual Lesson 3 Part 2.  You can study for it by looking at my video Florida Driver's Manual Lesson 3 Part 1.

This lesson covers how driving too slowly is also a problem, what to do when you are pulled over by a police officer, crossing intersections, stop signs, four way stops, open intersections, roundabouts, pedestrians, right of way.  The quiz to the lesson will be uploaded in the near future.

This tutorial covers:  defensive driving, how to  crash your car if an accident is unavoidable (yes, I know this sounds strange), backovers, backing up, avoiding rear end collisions, seat belt law and exclusions that apply to it, how to wear a seat belt, why you shouldn't leave children unsupervised in vehicle, speeding, and speed limits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOjjkTDOv4k There is also a quiz to test your knowledge for it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMG_9NX1OZI