Miscellaneous Missives

Yesterday morning I hit the beach at ten as I've been doing each day. A man approached me about day excursions. I told him no, but as I was trying to start reading Cleopatra and noticing some clouds, I called him back over. First I tried to get an evening boat rid, but my options included loud music, with free drinks, and buffet. It seemed appalling. My option was to leave in twenty minutes and return mid afternoon. $25 seemed reasonable, so I bought the trip to Yelapa . Being on the water was enjoyable to quite enjoyable as I spotted a whale on the way. Even this tiny village with no streets has a commercialized beach. My return trip was at 3:00. I was disappointed when the 1:30 boat was pulling out without me. The little town is interesting, but I didn't need all afternoon to see its charm. I ended up sitting on the pier trying to read Cleopatra. This wasn't bad as I watched them bring in the red snapper and watched various animals play on the beach, in the tr...

During the taxi ride to my hotel, I asked the driver if he could recommend a place with authentic Mexican cooking. He recommended a place (Carmelitas) that was up in the mountains. The view was amazing! We were hesitant to go since the number had been disconnected, and no one seemed to know about it. When we arrived we asked the driver to make sure they were open before leaving us in the middle of nowhere. It seems they moved a bit higher and had a new building. Although they had only been open for a couple of weeks, they were indeed open. We were given Mexican heaters (blankets) upon arrival since it was cold up on the mountain. I took the adventure with Kathy (iPhone cord lady) and her two friends. We were all questioning a bit at first, but had a lovely evening. The last picture is taken from today's boat ride. It shows where the restaurant was (high in the mountain). Today I am thankful for... 1) Carol (Kathy's friend whom I went out to eat with last night) is in...

Honestly, what does one write about when all one is doing is soaking in the sun... almost literally. My day was basically the same as yesterday. One major exception was that I ate a plate of bacon in my bikini on the beach (with a Fresca). It was decadent and delicious. Everything else from my morning workout (pilates today) and walk to the multiple hours in the sun remains the same (and will happen for the next two days). Being in Mexico is delightful. I love the flowers. I love to see green. I love the little puppy that I watched for at least ten minutes on my walk (maybe five each direction... exaggerated... picture didn't turn out... I'll look for him/her tomorrow). I love the birds that are no more than doves and sea rats. I love the flora and fauna. Me fui de compras. I went shopping today. First I bought gifts for Dad and S while I was sitting on the beach. Since I wanted one in green, and the vendor didn't have it, he actually left me with his entire je...

"S is the sound of the sea. Her surge and suck, her spray and surf. Sometimes she seethes. With her s , the sea marries the shore, and then there is scamper and slush in the sand. With curling s 's the sea rises to stroke the side of her superior, the sky, who loves and meets her in the s of spray, spawned in liquid and air." I found it fitting that I read this passage from Ahab's Wife as I was sitting on the beach listening to the ocean slide against the shore wondering why I don't live near the ocean. This passage from Ahab's Wife was read from my iPod since Kathy (from room 340) came through with a charger. Without the charger my day would have been merely reading The History of Neoliberalism . Instead I woke up and did yoga (using my iPod). After yoga I took a walk listening the ocean and soft music (from my iPod). Next I finished Ahab's Wife (on my iPod). Then after reading The History of Neoliberalism, I was able to text my brother (wit...

It seems I set my alarm to 2:35 pm instead of am. This caused me to go to the airport with unshaven legs. When I arrived at Park 'n Go, their lot was full. This did not maximize my happiness since I called last night to see if it would be a problem. There answer, "No not at that time." Everything was fine. Park 'n Fly was open, and I arrived at the airport in time. The plane arrived on time, and I was able to spend four hours in the sun. One would think with all I packed, I would have checked to make sure I had enough 15 sunscreen not merely six and eight. This unforeseen problem caused me to go back to my room to take a break. It also gave me the chance to charge my iPod since I was using the back up battery. One would think with all I packed that I would have brought the charger for the iPod and iPhone not merely the small attachable battery. Nope! I have three pairs of sunglasses, work out clothes for every day, and four swim suits, but I don't hav...

"It is a good thing to be happy alone. It is better to be happy in company, but good to be happy alone." ~Thomas Traherne, Centuries "When we are far from the interaction of society, when the chatter and comment of our minds is stilled, then it is possible to enter into a deeper relationship with the universe that we inhabit... To be content with one's own company is an art that cannot be taught; it is something we each have to learn as our lives unfold. ~Caitlin Matthews, The Celtic Spirit Tomorrow morning I embark on a trip to Mexico, Puerto Vallarta, alone. This will be the third time I've traveled to Mexico alone, and I will admit that I really look forward to it. Since I am single, I do spend much of my life alone, but when I travel to Mexico it is different. I feel that I am alone with myself and my thoughts. It is a chance for me to truly regenerate (rejuvenate?). The next six days I will do little besides sit on the beach, read, exercise, and eat M...

The image is not necessarily appropriate because I don't want you to vote for me, but I do want you to vote . Magers and Quinn is my favorite local bookstore. I feel guilty because now that I am only reading books on my iPhone, I have neglected the store. You can vote twice (#51 and #52). Also, feel free to vote for Leviticus, my favorite tattoo shop, but I don't know the exact number. Thanks! My gratitudes for today include... 1) spring break officially arrived at 2:20 2) acupuncture (with no appointment and last minute call) 3) a fun group (minus one student) at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

I almost arose to my alarm this morning, but then hit the snooze. It's difficult to get up when there's snow on the ground, and it's dark outside, especially at the end of March. If I had put my feet on the floor instead of burying them farther under the blankets when the alarm first (or second, third..) sounded, I would have almost had time for breakfast. Since I did not have time for breakfast, I stopped by Caribou to get my skim, dark chocolate, light on the whip hot cocoa. Towards the end of winter and beginning of spring, I almost have breakfast multiple times a week and end up at Caribou. My stop at Caribou almost left me in an accident. My car slid on the ice, and I almost hit another car. Today I almost went all day without eating candy from the wonderful school candy stash. As I was getting candy (and almost ignoring it), from the candy drawer, I learned that the person I almost hit was a friend and colleague. This would have been an uncomfortable to q...

This morning I awoke to snow. Actually I heard the rain/snow mixture pelt against my window last night. After the brief visit of warmer temps earlier in the week, this was not welcome. In fact earlier in the week I had to explain the ducks at school. No, this doesn't make sense. Let me try to explain. Each spring a pair of ducks hangs out on the roof across from my room. There is a small plot of grass, enclosed by the school walls, where the ducks like to have babies. This is problematic because the babies can't fly out and need to be shuffled ( ??? ) out through the school. I don't really know how to explain this , but each year the ducks sit on the roof across from my room and freak out the students in my class. This happened earlier in the week. After I let everyone take a look at the duck (sometimes two), I explained that they were searching for a place to have babies and would be there all spring, so we needed to get used to them looking in our room and at ...

Today my job sucked. This is not really true. In my classroom with students went fine. I would consider outside my classroom with adults bad to quite bad. Maybe it's my problem because I really have little tolerance for ignorant and incompetent adults. This evening I had a meeting at church. After my less than delightful day, I thought about skipping the meeting and staying home (perhaps with a bottle of wine). Instead I went to the meeting, with my iPhone as a distraction. It seems I didn't even need the distraction of my iPhone. Actually I used my iPhone to research comments made at the meeting. The meeting was adult nurture. We discuss class offerings. After a long discussion, we decided to ask the church leaders if Hopeful Earth could be the theme after Easter. Ideas of bird feeders, bird houses, bells and other ideas not starting with 'B' were plentiful. Hopeful Earth! Not only do I like the idea, I need more hope. Some days gratitude is not easy to ...

Today is World Poetry Day and the fifth anniversary of Twitter. After reading an article in the New York Times this weekend, I decided it would work well for today's opening journal for the seventh graders. As I read the article , I even came up with my own example. I'm a bit confused about spaces being characters, but my poem (spaces and punctuation) is 140 characters (I think.). A tweet and poem meet Positive, poignant and powerful Filled with sadness Filled with madness Poetry is like a string It can become anything Although it's only 6:10am, I still am thankful for... 1) my Tweet poem and activity 2) only six days until Mexico 3) Caribou on the way to work (so I can blog instead of making breakfast)

The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. ~ Carl Sandburg I would like to say that I waited until 6:21pm to post since it was the time when spring (Vernal Equinox) starts, but that would be a lie. Maybe I better reason would be that it was foggy, and I really didn't feel like doing much of anything. Actually, I feel as though I'm still waiting for spring, and for a week, I'm fine with this wait. My reasoning is dependent upon my footwear. It seems I've become a bit addicted to my ugly Uggs.. UGH! Throwing on these ugly brown boots to go anywhere without thought makes me happy and comfortable. When I return from Mexico, I promise to put them away. Until then my spring colored toes will hide inside the softness of my boots. Hey, thanks for... 1) brunch with a dear friend 2) productive, unexpected conversation with a colleague 3) spring (?) and my Uggs Photo foolishness... No, my cat i...

My new nail polish is orange. It is called "Ya'll Come Back Ya Hear." I spent too much money on nail polish that I don't need, but I fell in love with the color. N, my friend, put it on her toes when we went to get pedicures this evening. Since I don't mind doing my own finger nails, but I want them to match my toe nails, I brought my own polish. As soon as I saw her cool toes, I knew that my winter polish would not be good enough for spring break and bought the polish, so I could do my finger nails at home. Although both the pedicure and new polish may seem a bit excessive, it made me happy. We finished with a lovely dinner and great conversation and, of course, matching toes. Life is good! Life is good because... 1) I have a pedicure and orange nails. 2) N is a wonderful friend, and I love spending time with her. 3) A great idea via the interweb that I will use on Monday for opening journal. Attached Photo... BTW, the attached photo is not my nails. Mi...

It's tournament time, and I'll admit that I love the distraction. Last night I even found Tru TV (didn't know the station existed) to watch a game. March seems like the perfect time for this madness, especially this year. Tonight I am watching basketball instead of worrying about the war on the middle class, the wars with the Middle East, the war Japan wages on the nuclear power plants, and the wars I make out of tiny things in my life. All weekend I will watch both the women and men play basketball switching between channels and ignoring (to the best of my ability) the wars of life. I am thankful for... 1) basketball (March Madness) 2) ice cream 3) the ability to relax (somewhat)

I like this song, "Deer's Cry" or "St. Patrick's Breastplate". It is based on the prayer written to protect St. Patrick on his journey. As I was posting this video, I checked last year's post to see if I used it last year. Yep, I used the words last year as my post. Maybe this will be my St. Patrick's Day tradition since although I like beer, I've never been a fan of green beer. Today I give thanks for... 1) all papers are graded and entered in the computer 2) dinner with friends (and left-overs for tomorrow) 3) recognition (explained below) Today in my reading advisory the students used white boards to show comprehension of what they read during advisory. I, too, did this activity. We wrote the title of our book at the top of the white boards then drew a picture of a scene from today's reading. Next we wrote six words to sum up the days reading and three adjectives to describe a character. Currently I am reading (recently started) A...

“To the home of peace To the field of love To the land where forgiveness and right relationship meet, We look, O God, with longing for Earth’s children known. With compassion for the creatures With hearts breaking for the nations and the people we love. Open us to the visions we have never known. Strengthen us for self-givings we have never made. Delight us with a oneness we could never have imagined. That we may truly be born of you, Makers of peace.” ~J. Philip Newell Last Sunday in church we were given a card with this poem/prayer to keep with us and read/reflect upon during lunch. My card has come out the last three days at lunch. Every day I've seen something different in this reading. The first day I looked at "the land where forgiveness and right relationship meet". Today I focused on the words of compassion. I am amazed at the wisdom of these words. They seem especially fitting with the devastation in Japan and the crazy politics in this country. It seems co...

The Road Not Taken ~Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. All afternoon I've been trying to decide whether to go to book club or yoga this evening. I should go to book club, but I want to go to yoga. Actually I am pleased that I read the book, True Grit, and found the female protagonist amaz...

Today is 3.14... (Pi Day). Enough said! Back in the day I used to work with a math teacher that went all out for Pi day including a parent night with pie. I do not miss that "song and dance." Actually today is the second Monday of the month which means I met with my PLC (professional learning community). The language arts PLC often trys to compete with the attention the building administration gives to the math PLC. Our language arts PLC is an awesome group that always works towards a useful end product. Not only are our meetings productive, but we also have fun working together. Since half of our members were absent this afternoon, we focused on "fun". Maybe fun isn't the name for it. We focused on the "community" part with laughing, advice, and conversation. It was what I needed today after trying to teach students who were not quite ready to "spring ahead." Thank you... 1) wonderful language arts colleagues 2) book club with co...

"There's somethin' wrong with the world today I don't know what it is Something's wrong with our eyes We're seein' things in a different way And God knows it ain't his It sure ain't no surprise Livin' on the edge Livin' on the edge Livin' on the edge Livin' on the edge There's somethin' wrong with the world today The light bulb's gettin dim There's meltdown in the sky If you can judge a wise man By the color of his skin Then mister you're a better man than I" ~ Livin' on the Edge by Aerosmith Recently I posted a link on my Facebook page. It spoke of Obama's reluctance to join the protests in support of the teachers and unions. I posted it out of frustration with Obama not following through on his campaign promises. An acquaintance commented, "Wow that's a shock." The person who made this comment is working although he should be near retirement. He has little money. The Republican...

"In Germany they first came for the Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they cam for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me--and by that time no one was left to speak up.. ~Pastor Martin Niemoller I have been following the news and recent legislation that is being passed across the country. Republicans are taking away the rights and money of the middle class while ensuring the rich get richer. Of course I am not the only one upset by these decisions being made and many feel helpless (hopeless). Although I feel a little helpless, I have written letters/emails and attended one protest. Some wonder why I am passionate about these issues. My beliefs (Christianity) and my students (many in poverty) and...

It is not normal, but I have to admit that I like Lent. Maybe it started when I was younger. I was always jealous of the Catholics during Lent (Actually all of the time... Don't worry, this is certainly something I've outgrown). For some reason, I wanted to join the forty days of sacrifice, to give up something, to refrain from eating meat on Friday. Of course my views on sacrifice and denying myself of something has changed, but I appreciate the discipline Lent adds to my life. Lent is a time when I follow a discipline (my Lenten plan) and take more time for reflection. Although it's early in Lent (day three of forty-six), I feel that I am more aware of my surroundings. As I try to think of three things for which I'm thankful and a person to whom I should send a thank-you note, I concentrate on the positive things in my life. Today I give thanks for... 1. Dad (tests results seem good) 2. Jenna (who recently became a BodyPump instructor) 3. Weekend (leaving a...

"We are of the Earth We are nourished by the Earth We travel on the Earth We will go back to the Earth." Yesterday evening Dad and I went out for dinner. At dinner I was asked about my Lenten plans. I told him that I didn't know, but that I would know by the end of the Ash Wednesday service. Last night's service once again reminded me why I appreciate my church and what they are trying to do. We were told that Lent was not about guilt but about recognizing the ways we are connected to God, to each other, to the Earth... ways to bring healing and hope. As I entered the service, I picked up my Lenten Devotional. In the back were "68 practices for Feeding Hungry Hearts." I chose one new idea that I will follow through Lent. My Lenten practice is to write one thank you note to someone each day. As I mentioned yesterday, I will also write three gratitudes each day on this blog. The other Lenten activity that I am going to TRY is to walk or go to the gym...

Last night at the end of yoga class, the instructor told a story. It seems in India they put peanuts in a jar to catch monkeys (or something like that...). Basically peanuts are put in the jar. The monkey can reach in to get the peanuts, but he can not get the peanuts out without releasing them which means the monkey can't get them out. The fable was told to remind us to let go. Today I will try to concentrate on those burdens of which I should (shoulda coulda woulda)let go. Tonight I will attend Ash Wednesday service and will reflect on my Lenten activity. I typically add something instead of giving something up. One tradition I will continue is listing three gratitudes a day during Lent. As I have done in the past, I will start today (Ash Wednesday) although it is a wee difficult to have three gratitudes at 6:00am. Gratitudes: 1) going to a job I love 2) going to a job I love with wonderful co-workers 3) going to a job I love with wonderful co-workers and an extra hour t...

"Nobody is equal until everyone is equal." "The rich get rich and the poor get sold." "Left, right, rich and poor. Ain't no middle anymore." Today is International Women's Day. The following is taken word for word from www.internationalwomensday.com When : Tuesday 8 March 2011 Where : Everywhere What : International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday. Why : Suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote. The word 'Suffragette' is derived from the word "suffrage" meaning the right to vote. International Women's Day honours the work of the Suffragettes, celebrates women's success, and reminds of inequities still to be redressed. The first International Women's Day event was run in 1911. 2011 is the Gl...

"I said no more teachers and no more books I got a kiss under the bleachers Hoping that nobody looks" from "My First Kiss" Ke$ha While working out tonight, it became apparent that current politics is affecting me more than it should. "My First Kiss" has been the triceps song for at least a month. Tonight during the tricep track, the instructor merely repeated the lyrics, "no more teachers and no more books", and I took it personally. No, I didn't say anything, but it did make me think about all of the negative comments made about teachers lately. It is sad when I am feeling stressed about the situation in Wisconsin (Florida, Ohio...) enough that I would take innocent lyrics personally. The song is not against teachers, and I know this but...

Plant Information Support Hope Grow Awareness Produc e Change Pick Fresh "Americans fear only one thing, inconvenience." This morning I as I read the church announcements, I grabbed for my cell phone. I wanted to put a date, March 6th, on my calendar to ensure that I stayed to watch the movie Fresh . Imagine my surprise when I realized today was March 6th. Although I had several activities planned for today, I decided to stay and watch the movie. As with movies such as Fresh , I covered my eyes for many parts of the movie although my eyes weren't covered as much as they were in Food Inc. The message of both movies is basically the same, but Fresh takes the message "a step further." Eating and producing food without antibiotics and chemicals is as much about being better people as anything. During the movie, I took multiple notes, but my notes are in the recycling. I love the name of the production company, Ripple Effect Media. Instead of spreading th...

"Month of March-- great is the forwardness of birds; Severe is the cold wind upon the headlands; Serene weather will be longer than the crops." ~anon. Welsh poem Yesterday my dad drove down from "The Iron Range". He followed me to Okoboji, and we enjoyed dinner with my dear friend J. By the time we arrived in Okoboji (a little over 3 hours south of Minneapolis), the temperature was ten degrees colder than the temperature we had left in Minneapolis. We were walking out into the cold after dinner at the same time as a younger man was swearing about the cold. Of course, we acknowledged his dismay and agreed with his horror. This morning as we were driving around accomplishing small tasks, we came upon thousands of geese along the creek. My dad pulled over, so I could take pictures. Of course I am still getting used to my iPhone and missed some great pictures, but the attached pictures aren't bad. I also accidentally took the movie, but it shows how the col...

On most days my class after lunch arrives as I'm finishing my lunch. Often to quite often they arrive as I'm eating candy typically hard candy or chocolate. Typically comments are made about the amount of candy I eat (too much). One day I actually told them it was broccoli. Yesterday an apple showed up on my desk after lunch. Today it was an orange. One of the sweetest girls in my class has started bringing me fruit. Maybe she's concerned about my health, but I'm fairly certain it is as much for the humor it brings to the class. The gift today was fitting since as I was peeling my orange over the garbage can, I dropped it into the trash. Maybe I'll get a banana tomorrow.

Recently a friend's young daughter bought me a book entitled, Miss Mary is Scary . She found it and thought of me. I hope this is because of my name and not the scary part. The back of the book says it's for readers age seven to ten. On page five an asterisk moved my eyes to the bottom of the page. At the bottom was the following message, "What are you looking down here for? The story's up there, dumbhead!" Dumbhead. First let me say I think dumb head is two words. Second, I am not a dumb head. When I read on to page 14, I was dismayed at the use of, "Oh snap." Seriously, oh snap. My favorite chapter was perhaps "I Love Dirt." In the chapter is an "I love Dirt" rap. "Now some love Ernie, and some love Bert, and some love Big Bird; but I love dirt." I would like to point out that the punctuation is incorrect. One wouldn't use a semi-colon with a coordinating conjunction (but). My students (most) could help...

The Daily Show Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes , Political Humor & Satire Blog , The Daily Show on Facebook Why don't I watch Jon Stewart? I love Facebook because others find great clips, and I repost them.

"Here Comes the sun, here comes the sun, And I say it's all right. Little darling it's been a long cold lonely winter , Little darling it feels like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, And I say it's all right." Yes, I still have the lyrics from Sunday's service of Beatles' songs. On Sunday several people laughed at the line, "It's been a long cold lonely winter." True that! Today one of my replacement credit cards came in the mail which meant I was able to pay for tanning. Oh, I know that tanning beds are the ultimate evil, but I have no problem with that evil. In fact, it makes me feel "all right". Not only do I love having my skin turn a little darker, it also marks the fact that I will be in Mexico in a little less than a month. "And I say, it's all right."