Miscellaneous Missives

This poem appeared on one of my Twitter feeds this morning.  I wish we had more writers who were both political and literary. St. Andrew’s Day, 1935 Sharply the menacing wind sweeps over The bending poplars, newly bare, And the dark ribbons of the chimneys Veer downward; flicked by whips of air, Torn posters flutter; coldly sound The boom of trams and the rattle of hooves, And the clerks who hurry to the station Look, shuddering, over the eastern roves, Thinking, each one, ‘Here comes the winter! Please God I keep my job this year!’ And bleakly, as the cold strikes through Their entrails like an icy spear, They think of rent, rates, season tickets, Insurance, coal, the skivvy’s wages, Boots, school-bills, and the next instalment Upon the two twin beds from Drage’s. For if in careless summer days In groves of Ashtaroth we whored, Repentant now, when winds blow cold, We kneel before our rightful lord; The lord of all, the money-god, Who rules us blood a...

It seems bribery is sometimes a positive incentive when it comes to adolescents in an after school reading program.  The group has been challenging to quite challenging this year.  Of course this is understandable when one takes struggling readers and asks them to spend an extra hour after school reading.  Last week we actually gave them a break on Wednesday because of Thanksgiving.  This week, at our school, the schedule is similar to last week since the students don't have school on Thursday (workshop) and Friday (comp day for conferences).  Unlike last week, they are not letting them take Wednesday off although this perplexes them since we gave them a break last Wednesday.  As the groans and behavior escalated, we bribed them.  Good behavior tonight equals Takis and soda tomorrow night.  Score!  It seems they will be doing a reader's theater from a chapter in their Hunger Games book while eating Takis and drinking soda, and I'm OK with...

THE VICTOR by C.W. Longenecker If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not,  you don’t If you like to win but think you can’t, It’s almost a cinch you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost. For out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow’s will. It’s all in the state of mind. If you think you are outclassed, you are. You’ve got to think high to rise. You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win the prize. Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man who thinks he can. Today the seventh graders read The Victor .  It's the end of the trimester, and they need a bit of self reflection.  My other option was to start class saying, "Hey, when you sit in class and do jack (Is Jack capitalized in this situation?), your grade sucks.  When you think you're an idiot, you are."  I think I made the right decision to ha...

Today I went horseback riding for the first time.  Initially I was scared to ride the horse.  Then my fear became more specific.  How do I get on the horse?  We were able to stand on a little platform, so it was easy.  Our instructions were simple.  Keep the horses on the trail and out of the grass.  I was able to do this most of the time.  When he really wanted the grass, I was instructed to use my legs.  Ahh, this made it all easy and possible.  The ride was beautiful and relaxing (as relaxed as I truly become) until a new fear emerged.  How do I get off the horse?  With my hip pain it may have been a less than graceful exit from the horse, but I did so without falling.  Riding a horse was certainly more scary than jumping out of a plane.  I'm glad I accomplished the task.  Thanks Living Social!  P. S. Check out the natural halo around me.

Today I participated in Small Business Saturday.  I'll be honest; I rocked Small Business Saturday.  When I was growing up, my parents owned a small business, so I know the importance of buying local.  Although I only have ten people on my list, some need multiple gifts.  One of my first stops was Cooks of Crocus Hill on Grand.  Since I didn't know what I wanted, I appreciated that they were excellent sources of information.  In fact the best idea they shared was something they didn't have in their store, so they gave me ideas where to buy it locally.  Everyone I encountered today was helpful, polite, and gracious.  My experience was positive to quite positive.  Not only is my shopping completely finished, all but two gifts were bought at local stores (Target and Amazon unfortunately each supplied one gift... At least the Amazon order is a local artist).

I have a new definition for Black Friday.  Yep, that's my Black Friday.  Writing assignments stacked seven inches tall.  It's still preferable to the shopping Black Friday. 

Thanks   by W. S. Merwin Listen with the night falling we are saying thank you we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings we are running out of the glass rooms with our mouths full of food to look at the sky and say thank you we are standing by the water thanking it smiling by the windows looking out in our directions back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging after funerals we are saying thank you after the news of the dead whether or not we knew them we are saying thank you over telephones we are saying thank you in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators remembering wars and the police at the door and the beatings on stairs we are saying thank you in the banks we are saying th...