Miscellaneous Missives

"Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting."  ~Joyce Meyer Today's word is patience, and I don't have much of it.  I'm not really a patient person.  On Wednesdays and Thursdays after school, I have the homework part of homework soccer.  This means I have about 20 students (most 8th grade boys) who must do homework in order to play soccer.  It also means they must sit for another 60 minutes after sitting all day in class. While they don't have the patience to sit, I don't have the patience to watch them not do their work.  Lose - Lose.  Truthfully, most are doing the best they can to work on their schoolwork, but it's challenging at the end of the day. It's also fitting that when I looked up songs for patience, I came across this Guns N' Roses song .  Yesterday I read that GNR was coming to the Twin Cities.  I asked a colleague how much she would pay to see them.  Another, much youn...

Gratitude by Mary Oliver What did you notice? The dew small; the low-flying sparrow, the bat, on the wind, in the dark; big-chested geese, in the V of sleekest performance; the soft toad, patient in the hot sand; the sweet-hungry ants; the uproar of mice in the empty house; the tin music of the cricket's body; the blouse of the goldenrod. What did you hear? The thrush greeting the morning; the little bluebirds in their hot box; the salty talk of the wren, then the deep cup of the hour of silence. What did you admire? The oaks, letting down their dark and hairy fruit; the carrot, rising in its elongated waist; the onion, sheet after sheet, curved inward to the  pale green wand; at the end of summer the brassy dust, the almost liquid beauty of the flowers; then the ferns, scrawned black by the frost. I really am thankful for my life and opportunities.  My job and the students I work with can be taxing at times, but I'm thankful for the opportu...

Longing by Matthew Arnold Come to me in my dreams, and then By day I shall be well again! For so the night will more than pay The hopeless longing of the day. Come, as though can'st a thousand times, A messenger from radiant climes, And smile on they new world, and be As kind to others as to me! Or, as thou never cam'st in sooth, Come now, and let me dream it truth, And part my hair, and kiss my brow, And say, My love why suffererest thou? Come to me in my dreams, and then By day I shall be well again! For so the night will more than pay The hopeless longing of the day. I'm following an advent practice  and posting pictures on Instagram.  I thought I'd also try to blog about each day's word, but I'm not sure about this idea.  Today's word is longing.  On the way home, I listened to The Current .  It seemed as though the "No Apologies" track also talked about longing.  I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I know all of th...

Today is Small Business Saturday, and I believe it's the sixth year I've done my shopping on this day at small businesses.  Part of this day is also treating myself.  I always use the Chinook Book and always buy myself Pre de Provence soap and shea butter hand cream.  I normally also buy both of these as gifts for some folks at work, but I mixed it up this year (for them, NOT me... I love the stuff).  This tradition is as much about shopping as it is friendship and laughing. We even made a stop at Demera Ethiopian Restaurant in the middle of our shopping.  Most of my gifts are now bought with a few remaining gifts that I will pick up at Penzey Spice.  Do you want to know why ?  Oh yeah, you already opened my link. Basically, I'm ready for the holidays.  I have decorated my house (another Thanksgiving tradition), bought the gifts, and even ordered Christmas cards.  I was going to skip this year because I didn't have many pictures of my...

For the long Thanksgiving weekend, I have my "niece" (not really, but kind of...) staying with me.  She joined my friend and me on our Thanksgiving tradition of participating in the hunger walk around the MOA.  We laughed, talked seriously, did jumping jacks for free socks, laughed, talked seriously, and had an enjoyable time. Today I went back to the gym for the first time since March 20th.  The weather has been so warm, that I've been riding my bike outside.  I will be riding inside for several months, but I already miss being outside and enjoying the changing colors, the birds, the animals, being able to set my own course.  I feel that I sometimes take nature and our beautiful planet for granted. As I opened up today's FB page, I saw the image and quote that I posted.  It's a Cree Indian Prophecy.  I'm worried about the protesters in North Dakota, and I'm even more worried about what happens when they leave and are forced out.  I feel ou...

Last night, as I was changing the deck screen door to a storm, bringing in the small grill, and the deck chair, my neighbor exclaimed, "I did that last week when it was still warm out.  You know, before we got precipitation."  Although he did have preferable weather, I cleared the deck before last night's measurable snow fall, just in time.  ⛄ Did you know Blogger now has emojis? 😇 Today I will be sitting in an open cafeteria waiting for parents/students to come.  I think it's going to be a sucky day.  I wish they'd let us be in our rooms.  Did I mention it's the day before Thanksgiving?

After a day full of wonderful workshops, I headed back to the convention center to listen to Ta-Nehisi Coats.  Although he had a lot of interesting thoughts and ideas, here's some of what I typed into my phone. Your weaknesses and kinks in you armor are much more interesting... Get up in the morning resolved to fight... (recent election) History of country being manifested... (recent election) This is who we are.  Accept it and get to work... Most effective in school when I could connect to something... Mindset of a writer is always asking questions... Anyway, I was impressed by his words, humility, pauses...  He really is a brilliant guy.

I love going to NCTE (National Council Teachers of English).  It is always an amazing couple of days that leave my head spinning with new ideas.  This year I focused on my sessions on reading and inquiry.  Plus, I made sure I saw all of the "big name" authors/educators I wanted to see.  Although I had planned on attending one more session this afternoon, I skipped it and ended with the words of Kylene Beers, Ernest Morrell, Kwame Alexander, and Pam Allyn.  Listening to them was inspiration, and I felt it was a good way to end the workshops.  These are amazing people doing and saying amazing things, and I felt blessed to be in their presence.  When I arrived and saw Beers in the aisle, I thanked her for making my job easier with Notice and Note.  In return, she gave me a big hug. I also took time off one session today to go to the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta.  Words can't express my feelings as I walked through the museum.  I...

What is Heavy Turns to Spirit  by Carrie Newcomer All that is hard and heavy turns to spirit. It cannot help but eventually Become like a cup of ink That is poured out into the ocean. I do not doubt that for a time The ink darkens the water, Obscures and displaces the light, Leaching out its tendrils Staining what it touches But eventually, Finally, The ink must break down into its smallest elements, And even the stains become only faint shadows Barely noticeable to the outer eye. The does not belittle the awful impact of a cup full of shadow. It is only to say, that in an ocean of goodness, In an expanse of health and light, A cup full of dark can only prevail for so long, Until it is overcome and transformed back into spirit, Back into its smallest elements, Received into the body, To be made whole  And healed. One of the first videos I saw on Facebook this morning was Kate Mckinnon singing Hallelujah as Hillary Clinton.  It brought tea...

I was blessed yesterday to have Wing Young Huie in my classroom once again.  Basically, students were paired up with someone they didn't really know and asked to have a conversation around society and culture.  He started the class by asking how many students followed the election.  As he looked at the students, he described how adults don't know how to get along (He used better words.), and people need to be able to talk to each other and learn about each other.  Students talked to their partners, wrote a word or phrase that described themselves, and took pictures.  It was a wonderful, crazy day.  This has been an emotional week for me and my students, but I take solace in these students being our future.   Also, this weather is certainly helping since I'm still biking and enjoying the weather and beauty.  

Let's be honest, I don't have the words to describe my feelings or frustrations any more than anyone else (and probably less than most).  Last night I did not stay up and watch the election results.  I didn't watch at all.  Since I've been sick and am on antibiotics, I went to bed.  When I went to bed, I had NO idea that it was at all possible that Clinton wouldn't be our first female president.  After all, I had already book my flight for the inauguration.  Texts and messages started coming through, so I understood the gravity of the situation when I awoke this morning.  Instead of watching the news or spending a lot of time on social media, I prepared for school. As the students started walking in this morning, it was obvious that it would be a difficult day.  Over 65% of our students are students of color.  This means everything to these kids and their families.  My journal entry today was a good start.  My two listening vid...

Hey!  Did you hear that the Cubs won the World Series?!  I'm sick this weekend and had to cancel my weekend plans.  What does this have to do with the Cubs?  I honestly think the lack of sleep watching the games caused some exhaustion.  Did you see Eddie Vedder sing Take me out to the Ballgame ?   Game seven included an extra inning and rain delay.  It, however, is worth it.  After the game I stayed up watching in amazement. The next morning I watched more videos with tears in my eyes.  It's soooooo fun.  More videos appear today after one of the largest post championship parades and a SNL appearance.  Go Cubs Go!

It seems I've been pushing it a bit with my schedule, but it's all good stuff.  Part of it is the Cubs are playing in October/November!  The games extend past my bedtime, but I can't get to sleep after the game when the win or lose.  It's a good problem to have, but I'm tired.  Actually, it's also good because I'm wearing my Cubbies sweatshirts to school, so my attire for game day is set. Last weekend I went to Dallas for Sports Extravaganaza .  I think this is my fifth year of helping out.  My volunteers were great this year.  When I explained that I was giving them my phone and password because I never get pictures to share with my students, they told me we were starting with a selfie.  They were fun and helpful.  Each time I turned to make sure they were helping, they were talking with the athletes.  They didn't need my encouragement. Gotta go to work folks.  What are you doing these crazy autumn days?