Miscellaneous Missives

zinnedproject.org Earlier in the week, a first year science teacher came up to me in the hall and asked, "Can students read banned books?"  Of course, my answer was a resounding yes, but I was wondering what provoked this question.  It seems a student had asked her, and she didn't know the answer.  First, I explained the ridiculousness of banned books to begin with and gave some example.  My interest, however, was piqued.  I couldn't help but wonder what the student was reading, so the science teacher and I went to talk to the student who wouldn't show us the book.  This made me want to know even more, so I had the conversation about banned books with the girl. "Is it Eleanor and Park ?" I asked.  Although it wasn't Eleanor and Park , she had read it, so we were able to discuss why it had been banned in some places.  I also told her what it would actually take to get a book banned at our school.  Even after a bit of conversation, she wo...

This weather is really starting to get on my nerves.  If it wasn't for Jimmy Fallon and Emma Stone, I would have stayed inside tonight instead of going to Hennepin Reads at church tonight.  Jimmy and Emma are so amazing that I forgot that it sucks outside. Hennepin Reads highlighted author Rebecca Kanner .  I finished reading her book this weekend about Noah's wife.  It was dark but certainly a good read.  We also were privileged to listen to the Tim Sparks play Klezmer (?) music on his guitar... beautiful.  It was a wonderful night and certainly worth having to go outside into the horrible, cold, and rainy weather.  Thanks Jimmy and Emma!

Mysteries, Yes Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood. How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of lambs. How rivers and stones are forever in allegiance with gravity while we ourselves dream of rising. How two hands touch and the bonds will never be broken. How people come, from delight or the scars of damage, to the comfort of a poem. Let me keep my distance, always, from those who think they have all the answers. Let me keep company always with those who say "Look!"  and laugh in astonishment, and bow their heads. Mary Oliver, Evidence Life is about opportunities and taking advantage of those opportunities.  Today I am going to give you an opportunity although I don't have all the answers, merely suggestions.  A colleague and friend needs books for her classroom to do literary circles.  She's using Donorschoose.org to solicit enough books to make it happen.  It's easy.  Go to Donorschoose.org.  ...

Happy Poem in Your Pocket Day!  IMHO, my school did a poor to quite poor job promoting this event this year, but at my urging, most of my students did have a poem in their pocket.  I, too, had a poem in my pocket.  This year I chose Billy Collin's The Trouble with Poetry. The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins The trouble with poetry, I realized as I walked along a beach one night-- cold Florida sand under my bare feet, a show of stars in the sky-- the trouble with poetry is that it encourages the writing of more poetry, more guppies crowding the fish tank, more baby rabbits hopping out of their mothers into the dewy grass. And how will it ever end? unless the day finally arrives when we have compared everything in the world to everything else in the world, and there is nothing else to do but quietly close our notebooks and sit with our hands folded on our desks. Poetry fills me with joy and I rise like a feather in the wind Poetry fills m...

Today was World Book Night.  I chose the book Hoot by Carl Hiaasen, and chose twenty, actually nineteen because I kept one copy, students to gift this book.  It was also a day of doctors appointments.  I've realized that my shoulder is getting better yet is still painful to quite painful.  Instead of waiting another week to see the orthopedic shoulder doc, I called this morning to see if I could get an earlier appointment.  Not only could I get an earlier appointment, he was able to see me at eleven this morning.  Since we were in the middle of MCA testing (YUCK), I e-mailed several people to assist me, so I could make the doctor appointment.  Everyone came through (as they always do) for me!  LR helped me by giving the books to the chosen students and took pictures for me.  Although I was a bit saddened not to be able to hand out the books, I knew she was the perfect person for the job.  This allowed me to meet with the orthopedic guy...

Love that I match... hate the boy hairstyle. Happy Easter!  Today is absolutely beautiful.  It's what spring should be, 73º and sunny.  First, I went to the sunrise service at 7am, and it was wonderful.  Since the weather was glorious, I walked to the grocery store.  My walking trip the the grocery store crosses the Midtown Greenway (actually, it's not officially the greenway by my house, but I'm not sure what this section of trail is called).  Bikers were all over the trail enjoying all the trail has to give.  It made me sad that my bike was sitting in the garage. I called the Y to see if there were any biking classes offered today,  Summit Ride was offered at 2:00.  Since my exercise options are limited to quite limited, I went to the class.  Of course, it's not an equal replacement to being outdoors on a bike.  This class was also my first indoor bike (spinning) class.  It went well, and sweat poured from my pores. ...

As I've mentioned before I find Good Friday an oxymoron.  Of course, I attended Good Friday service (the music sucked!), but I also made my first visit to the PT.  Although I sometimes don't listen to the doctor, I almost always listen to my PT (actually I have two).  Today he gave me reason to wear my sling (The orthopedic guy should take lessons on persuasion from the PT.  If he had, I would have been wearing the sling for two weeks now instead of twelve hours.).  I've known for two weeks that I should have " buddy taped " my fingers, but the PT also persuaded me to do this.  Actually, he wanted to do it while I was in the office.  I told him the only reason you want to do this for me is because you don't think I'll do it myself.  If I didn't respect his time, I'd take a picture of my "buddy taped" fingers and email it to him.  Perhaps I should also email J because I'm sure she doesn't think I actually have them taped, but I...