Miscellaneous Missives

Lately, I'm having a problem blogging.  I think it's because I'm having a problem with general motivation.  It's a good thing Wing Young Huie visited my class on Friday to discuss his book (with John Coy) Their Great Gift .  He is certainly motivational.  I really appreciate that he let's me work with him on the presentation.  We discussed next week's visit over lunch at Andale .  It was a great end to the week. I have been motivated to follow Rethink Church's prompts for a photo a day during Lent.  Each day I pick a picture that I feel goes along with the word and post it to Instagram. I hope they appreciated my beer picture for fulfillment.  I wonder if anyone is humored by my picture of my new book, Watch Your Fucking Language, in the middle of the Lent images.  Oh well, at least I'm taking a picture each day. Here's my words from Watching Your Fucking Language for today:  "In Arabi, 'Muti' means: Jackass." Anyway, Febr...

Today is a crazy mix of Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday.  As I drove home from school, the news announced another school shooting on this day of love.  A friend had started a donation page for Everytown For Gun Safety .  I thought this would be something I could do also.  It's on my Facebook page.  I asked people to give what they normally would give on Valentine's Day to this organization.  I think it's fitting for all that today represents (First day of Advent, Love, and continuous gun violence all rolled into one). Since it is the first day of Lent, I've decided on my Lenten practices.  Each night I'm going to read the Beatitudes (Blessed are the...).  I'm also reading Pope Francis' Happiness in This Life, and he talks a lot about the Beatitudes.  In addition, I'll be following the words from Rethink Church's Lenten Photo Challenge.  Today's word was spirit.  In the spirit of love, friendship, camaraderie...) two of my col...

I'm ready for spring.  The cold weather has been a bit miserable.  I think snowfalls are always pretty, but I don't like the cold.  Yes, I try to embrace it by walking to do my errands, but it's too much.  February is a difficult month for me (and many teachers).  This year seems to be worse.  Our students are obnoxious.  It really seems as though this year is "two steps forward and one step back."  Last Thursday I was concerned about what to pack for my trip to Iowa.  Would I stay for one night?  two nights?  What night would I go?  What would I wear?  I packed my bag, had a glass of wine, and went to bed.  Friday morning I woke up with the stomach flu which turned into (???) the head/chest flu.  My weekend was ruined.  I know I'm whining, so the good news is that I read a couple decent books.  Plus, I had bought a big thing of Clorox wipes and was able to wipe al surfaces in my classroom. ...

What 'o Week!  It was a crazy week from sickness, to conferences to field trips, to weekend visitors...  In the craziness, everything turned out OK.  We had perfect weather for snowshoeing and kick-sledding.  Conferences went as one would imagine, and it gave us Friday off.  A three day weekend is always the medicine for all that ails one.  It's Super Bowl week in Minneapolis as everyone knows.  The weather has been snowy and cold, but I think our city (#mytown) has impressed folks.  All week I've been hoping to see Justin Timberlake and/or P!nk, but it's difficult since I really haven't gone out much.  Today, as I watch the Super Bowl, I'm trying to follow the above chart.  It's early in the game, and I've already done 20 pushups, 7 burpees, and 10 jumping jacks.  I plan an changing the push ups to reverse crunches at half time.