My Laugh of the Morning...

...came when I was reading one of those comment sections after a Fox news article, and found this comment:

When you write "Everybody doesn't see it that way" you really mean "Not everyone sees it that way." Editing is kewl. Check it out.

Hee hee hee! It was posted by "nitpicker." Oh for a little more chutzpah. Kind of like the guy bombing down the highway in the fast lane, flashing his highbeams at all who refused to move over for him. It worked like a charm! I sailed along in his wake, falling farther and farther behind, but amazed at how, once people had moved over for him they stayed moved over. It made me wish that there was a polite way to say, "pardon me, could you move into one of the other lanes so that I could get by you?" in a car. I think half the people in the fast lane get tunnel vision and forget that they're supposed to move over. Sigh. So I just pass on the right, usually. But that's a terrible thing to do!

And NOW it's even MORE terrible, because I have a school bumper sticker. OH NO!!! I've been SO conscious of my driving since getting it and it's awful! I just want to get where I'm going, and I employ a weaving and bobbing method now and then. But now I probably shouldn't be doing that. But why oh why should I be the victim of other people's fast lane stupidity?! The only way most of them realize that I want to pass is if I wicked tailgate, and that's also a terrible thing to do and is certainly not going to help out the school's reputation. I'm definitely in a pickle.

Maybe I'll actually have to learn some patience on the road. Gasp! Or maybe I can just hurl touchingly-worded apologies out the window as I pass on the right...

Back in the Saddle Again...

Ha! I bet you think this post is going to be about teaching! Why else would I title it "Back in the Saddle Again?" But NO, I am talking about a BIKE saddle! (bike saddle? yeah...) Yes indeedy, folks, I just got back from a glorious bike ride! I never did get my bike up to NH, so I haven't ridden since last school year. And it was just as wonderful! Actually, it was even better in some ways. There weren't any spring swarms of bugs to splat my way through, which is a definite bonus. Also, I didn't mistake my neighbor for my Aunt and say really weird things! And the reason I didn't mistake her?

I got CONTACTS! Yes sir, I've had them for a month and a half now, and the advantages keep piling up. I got them right before going to England, which was awesome. I didn't have to do the whole glasses/camera fight at all! And I could just see everything instantly.

My main reasoning in getting them is that I didn't wear my glasses all the time, but I needed to wear them more than I did. I didn't wear them for things like teaching, because I didn't want to worry about whipping them off to read, or tipping my head funny so the top or bottom of the frames didn't get into my line of sight. I just never took to the full-time glasses scenario. And therefore I had some awkward moments (awkward is an awkward word to spell, by the way - the knowledge of its spelling is kind of a recent acquisition) when people would enter the school at the end of the long hall, and I would know whether to wave vigorously or decorously, because I couldn't see who it was. And sometimes I couldn't see the back row of my class as well as I would have liked.

So in came the contacts! And it's been niiiiiice. Today's bike ride is the latest example. Ooo - another one was playing volleyball w/ contacts. I could actually see the server! What a great advantage.

In case any of you were devastated that this post wasn't about teaching (because who wants to hear about anything else, really?), I'll add now that Teacher Training has been GREAT! After my fear and bellyaching, it's been helpful, inspiring, and edifying. I'm so psyched for the school year! I'm actually starting to catch the vision for teaching being a discipling process as well as an information transfer. That's so cool.

We have a new second grade teacher, and I love her! She's a couple years older than I am, easy to talk to, funny, and she's running a marathon with her husband in October (but I won't hold it against her). It's a joy (and relief) to have a newcomer fit in sooo well.

Okay, gotta go watch the Sox beat the Y***kees!

Well, I Liked THIS Monday!

So far I'm doing really well on my new resolve to like Mondays more. (By the way, I think the winning reason for liking Mondays came from Chad, with his 24 argument...) One Monday has happened since that resolve, and I liked it. Alright! One for one.

Sunday night wasn't so hot - I had a sudden, unexplainable reaction against going back to school! I felt like the person who marries in haste and repents at leisure. My infatuation with teaching was over and now it was time for the long, slow, hard grind. Nice, eh? Then I realized it was 1am (or so) and that one should NEVER take oneself seriously at that hour. I think it was just the tired, to-be-expected reaction to the thought of change and, um, work. Definitely not to be taken seriously.

Sure enough, I woke up excited to go back to school! And as I drove my (packed-to-the-gills) car back to RI, it felt so right (and we always go by what feels right, as we know). I was going back to do what I was born to do. Hurrah! I LOVE TEACHING!

And it's a good thing, too, because tomorrow begins the most severe test of love-for-teaching, known as "Teacher Training" (or: Long Hours of Boredom Punctuated by Severe Feelings of Guilt and Inadequacy). Fun times! But actually, even my courage for teacher training is good. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and getting re-adjusted. And decorating my room. And buying a new grade book. And meeting new students at Thursday's open house. And chalk. And writing out my own copy of this year's schedule. And teasing my fellow Room 3 teacher about Shakespeare. And going over the Newport Bridge. And new shades on my windows that go up and down. And sports talk radio. And getting to know the new second grade teacher. And eating lunch in the teachers' lounge. And making practice speeches to myself in preparation for the first day of school.

I LOVE TEACHING!

Poor Poor Pitiful Mondays

Okay, that's it. Mondays get such a bum deal! What did they ever do to deserve it?! It's not Monday's fault that it comes right after Sunday! I don't usually feel that stirred up about this subject, but I just had a Hershey kiss today, and instead of saying "Hershey" on the tassel-thing (what is that thing called, anyway?) it said "I hate Mondays." What?! Surely you are down on your luck if Hershey kisses have turned against you.

[And what's up with Hershey's saying anything but "Hershey" on the tassel-thing, anyway? "Hershey" was good enough for me - it spoke of bliss and beauty-for-the-taste-buds. Who needs catchy slogans? My conservative soul recoils.] [By the way, [ and ] were reallly hard for me to learn. I still usually hit the wrong one or \ or something.]

Anyway, upon seeing that last straw I decided that I was going to start being loyal to Monday. And then I realized I don't really like Mondays. I love Tuesdays because of residual feelings left over from Bible School. Tuesdays were cheese day for dinners, which often meant pizza, and dessert day on top of that, and, most importantly, SPORTS! I love Wednesdays because they are the middle of the week and when they're done the weekend is practically there. I love Thursdays because I know there's only one day left so I don't feel so guilty about staying up later. I love Fridays and Saturdays for the Sabbath and the satisfaction of finishing another week (good job! you let time go by again! that's a really good talent!). And I love Sundays because I enjoy church and the Patriots:) But Mondays? They're basically to be endured.

And now I have guilt that I don't like Monday as much as the rest of the group of days. It's not fair! I must conjure up some love for Monday.

Okay, at least I can say that it was a big deal to move from Mondays in high school to Mondays in Bible School and college - there was no more dread. That's a big step! Not dreading Mondays is a lot closer to loving it than dreading was!

Hmmm, what else? Mondays sometimes have football games! However, they're usually too late for me to watch.

Well, Monday is named after the moon, and the Greek goddess of the moon was Artemis, and Artemis was one of the three maiden goddesses, and another of the three maiden goddesses was Athena, and Athena is my favorite of the Greek goddesses! PERFECT! Okaaaay, that's a little stretch.

So here's what I'll have to do: start some tradition that's really happy and that happens on Mondays! Like, stop-on-the-way-home-and-buy-something-yummy day. Or visit-Melissa-in-Providence day. Or slack-off-on-lesson-plans day (then I could feel grumpy about Tuesdays instead!). Or I could have payday switched from Friday to Monday! That's a good tradition!

So it's time to throw off the old worn-out tradition of hating Monday. Monday needs to be embraced - welcomed back into the good graces of humanity! I mean, can't we all just get along?

Oops!

Silly me... I just started this great post - it was going to be really interesting. I carefully led up to it with allusions to past events to pique people's interest. I stated my theme at last and prepared to launch into the writing of the thing when it hit me... I had no evidence! It was going to be one of those "you know when this happens?" posts, and I was going to tell all of my stories. But I couldn't remember them! I only have vague memories - I know it happened - but I couldn't possibly dredge up enough of the details to make the post interesting. Alas! Hope springs eternal, however, and I saved the post in case the stories come back to me at a future date.

It's like trying to write an essay in which you get the intro down, then the thesis, but realize you have nothing for the body paragraphs. Which brings me to a discussion of teaching... (Clever segue, no?) I don't think I can ever leave my school. Not only do I love it, but I can't handle the idea of someone else teaching my Literature classes. They would most definitely do it WRONG! Welllll, they might do it alright, but they would leave out some VERY IMPORTANT THINGS, such as the definition of the word fortnight, or juxtaposition, or the beauty of the theme of self-sacrifice. (Can you imagine?)

Oy vay, I didn't realize I had a control issue until I considered my replacement teacher. Maybe my replacement will be a college professor with 20 years of experience. I might be able to yield for that... But no young, fresh-from-college upstart is going to take my place!

Waaaait, I was a young, fresh-from-college upstart myself. I had zero experience, but lots of zeal. Hmmmm, maybe it won't be a terrible thing. I'll have to give it some further thought. I may not have to burn the school to the ground upon my retirement after all! (What a cheery thought.)

A Wicked Deep Discussion of Heroism

I taught Classical Literature (you know, those Greeks and Romans) my first year of teaching, and I’ll be teaching it again this year. The question of heroism frequently arises when studying such characters as Achilles, Odysseus and Aeneas. What makes a hero? What made a hero then? How are the two the same and how are they different? (Ohh how the Lit teacher loves good discussion questions!)

It’s easy to say that there aren’t good heroes today. Not the way there were then. I mean, Brad Pitt? Are you kidding me?

However, there are examples such as the NYPD that show that modern America still has some admirable values. And there are personal examples, as evidenced by one of my student’s essays about her mother, whose husband died years ago and who is raising my student, her sister, and her handicapped son on her own.

And then there are sports. Oh ya.

So now I must share some of my favorite examples of heroics in sports.

#1 (of course). Curt Schilling in the 2004 World Series, pitching with his tendon stitched to his ankle bone (or whatever gross thing it was), risking his future career for victory. And boy howdy, did it ever work! (My students say “boy howdy” now, every once in awhile, much to my glee and to their parents bewilderment.) Why is this heroic? It’s an example of someone willing to give himself (my students also know that self-sacrifice is my favorite theme in literature!) for something larger than himself.

#2. Curt Schilling (déjà vu anyone?) in his youth, heeding the voice of wisdom. He was a young punk, living up the life of a major league player and a major league player’s salary, partying, and generally goofing off. Roger Clemens pulled him aside one day, and gave him a talking to. If you ever want to amount to anything, Clemens told him, you’ve got to cut this out, take this seriously, and start working hard. Schilling did so, and became one of baseball’s greatest pitchers. The heroism is a little different here – perhaps a little closer to home. It’s the heroism of someone willing to humble himself, take the advice of another (in this case a peer, which is impressive), and engage in self-denial for a greater end.

#3. Dustin Pedroia making it to the major leagues (and doing quite well there, I might add!), despite his stature. People thought he couldn’t do it, because he was so short, and his range would be limited. But now he’s there on the Red Sox, contributing handsomely. Plus, he has the coolest name in baseball. Except for maybe Dante Bichette. The heroism here is the diligence to work hard, and persistence to stick with it, even in the face of nay-sayers.

#4. Tim Naehring (why haven’t you mentioned him earlier?! you may ask. Ah, I respond, I was carefully crafting this masterpiece in a way that would make you wonder, holding you in suspense, until the end. Plus, haven’t you heard of the saying “best for last?”) being willing to take LESS MONEY to stay with the Red Sox rather than be traded to the Indians (Orioles?). Not too shabby, eh? Where do you see that in professional sports these days? I still remember that little newspaper clipping that was on my wall through high school which said, “Kirby Puckett and Tim Naehring aside, loyalty is a rare commodity in baseball.” OH YA! That’s my hero! I once wrote an entire essay on why Tim Naehring was my hero, and this point played a big role. Loyalty is heroic in my book (not to mention Homer’s and a bunch of other guy’s).

So there you have it, people. We still have heroes – we just have to know where to look for them (i.e. The Red Sox)!

PS. Two other heroes are Danny and Gretchen, people who give themselves daily for their families and for God and I wish them a very happy birthday (yesterday and today). Love you guys!

Claire is my Inspiration!

Three cheers for Claire, who has always been high on my favorite people list, and who, most recently, has inspired me to get back into blogging. Not that I was going to abandon my blog or anything, but I felt kind of out of the loop after a month of no posts except pictures! Then I went to Claire's blog, and remembered how awesome blogs can be. TIME FOR SOME WRITING!

So of course, my first topic must be my trip overseas. It's so fascinating that the trip really isn't over. I keep thinking about things we saw or did, pictures I took, and experiences I had. I have that trip forever! It's like the trip that never ends.... COOL.

My basic synopsis is this: I loved England because of the amazing things that I saw - I was awed over and over and over. But Scotland. I fell in love with that land. Talk about bonding! :)

And now that I'm back I keep finding myself talking about the most random little aspects of Britain - like their sinks. Who even cares? I have to bite my tongue before I start annoying people. But Mom says she wants to hear every little thing - that's the joy of having travelled with other like-minded fans of Britain! :) My family actually likes to look at ALL of my pictures! Whoah! I would never make someone do that.

You know what the final picture count is? I will tell you. 4,350. Not too shabby, eh? And I went through them at the end of every day, deleting half (or more) of what I'd taken! Now I've got to get them organized and off my computer before the poor things dies of overpopulation...

But you know what? Despite the incredible experience of being overseas, and the soul-satisfying way I discovered it to be all I'd hoped for, I was SO happy to get back home. Everything is so normal and right here! And all the people I love best are here. That's pretty hard to beat...

(PS. The picture is from Cambridge - Karena's BEAUTIFUL city!)