Life is good

Hello to all in cyberspace who may be reading this...

The random picture, which has nothing what so ever to do with my blog is of a bowl of blackberries, blueberries, rasberries, and strawberries. I like the picture, and it comes from a good memory of the last time I made pancakes for the family ( a couple of weeks ago)

The second half of 2008 was very difficult for me and my family. My husband was very sick, and had to be hospitalized, and I was having great difficulty with someone at work. My husband is now healthy, and the problem person is no longer an issue, I'll leave it at that.





So 2009 is here, and going from good to better. In keeping my resolve to be positive and to nurture friendships, we have had a couple over for dinner, and I am going to spend some "girl" time with the wife. I have made a new friend, had lunch with her, and invited she and her husband and kids over for dinner. We had a great evening with another we have known for several years at their house sitting outside around a bonfire toasting marshmallows and making samores! I have attended a meeting of the currents events groups of the chapter of AAUW to which I belong. I am going to my first Stitch and Bitch meeting on this coming Wednesday! That is a group of people who like to knit, crochet, and talk! And, I have been going to the gym with my a dear friend who I have known since the 9th grade! We live a mile apart, in the same town in which we grew up.





Other things have been going right as well. My DD, you may have read was accepted into her first choice for college, California State University, Chico. She has started to listen to me, and even asks for my advice on things! My CS has begun doing chores with much less argument. He is not happy about the fact that we have decided to attend church more regularly, and that we want him to begin preparation to be confirmed. Being confirmed in the Episcopal Church is not compulsory, but it is, as my dd told cs, "just what we do! Once he has gone through the process, if he does not feel drawn to church, I will allow him make up his own mind. My parents gave me that gift! I give it to my children, after they are confirmed!





My overall feeling of well being has increased a thousand fold. I know we are in tough times, but I am not going to let that make me miserable. Yes, the economy is bad, yes we are at war, but life has to go on. With a prayer in my heart for prosperity sooner rather than later, and peace on earth, I choose happiness!





My you all find peace, love and joy!

Teaching

I have been teaching at a wonderful school, in a safe neighborhood. Most of the students are middle-class. I have had to wonderful opportunity to work with honor's students and others who are capable, and for the most part motivated to learn. In other words, they would "get it" even from a teacher who lacks conviction and passion. No offense to any teachers out there feeling burned out. It is a major hazard in the teaching profession!

I want to work with kids who would NOT get it without the support of a dynamic school environment and/or a dynamic teacher. My passion for doing this work is a driving force for me to constantly improve my practice as a teacher.

I may be leaving the standard public school arena and moving to a charter school. This will require to up my game and put my money where my mouth is. My sister is a principal at a charter middle school in Southern CA. She requires her teachers to submit, for approval, lesson plans a week in advance. Although I have reservations about this, including, but not limited to - "What do you do if you can't finish your lesson, and what if you need to reteach? I haven't spoken with her about this. She is very busy, so I don't call too often. Besides, to keep peace in the family, I would not got work for my sister. I love her, we are very different, and often have trouble communicating.

Truly though, If I want to be a "kick ass" teacher, wouldn't I want to make it a practice to plan well ahead so that I could be more successful? By that I mean, planning ahead with the caveat that I would need to be flexible!

Any and all comments are welcome!

Entertaining

As I type, the smell of a roasting chicken is wafting through my house! We are having company for dinner. Nothing fancy, but I set the table to look pretty and have planned a nice meal.

1st course - Potato, Leek, Cheddar Cheese Soup

2nd course - Roasted chicken, linguine with alfredo sauce, sauteed Swiss chard, and steamed carrots

Dessert - Kahlua cheese cake with chocolate shavings!

I am looking forward to a relaxing time of good conversation and yummy food!

Darling daughter

I sit at my computer tonight feeling better about life than I have for some time. My dd got her acceptance letter from California State University, Chico today! This was her first choice!!!!! There was a time when i had real concerns about her willingness to finish high school much less make it to pursue higher education. Whew......

Cal State Chico is a lovely campus in Northern CA. It has the look and feel of an eastern college. It is a residential school, so the campus life is easy to enjoy! I'm just glad she gets to have the "away" at college experience at a good school!

She wants to major in philosophy. So like my dd. She has her head in the clouds, and is always much too busy thinking great thoughts to worry about the mundane realities of life! She is even considering a PhD and becoming a professor. Because she comes from a family of public school teachers, she balks at the idea of following in our footsteps. However, I think that teaching is genetic. Honestly, if I could go back and change one thing in my life and still be able to end up where I am now, I would have gotten a PhD, and become a history professor!

To my daughter I say: I am proud of you. You have achieved something most people only dream of. Work, play, laugh, and stay focused! You are amazing, and I look forward to seeing what amazing and surprising things you will do. I love you!!!!!

To myself I say: Job well done. You have raised a thoughtful, intelligent daughter. It wasn't easy at all, but you never gave up. Enjoy this moment.

To the world I say: 2009 is already one of my best years. Keep the faith. The economy is in large part dependant upon our confidence in its ability to sustain us. Pray, meditate, or whatever you do.

:)

Life on the color line

For all of you who may be wondering what it feels like to be both black and white, and for those of you who have never given it a moments thought I would like to share 2 poems I wrote about a year ago...

#1

I look inside for
my story to tell
the history, the people,
the place.

I look inside for a fortress
in which to dwell
and all I see is a
white woman's face

I look all around for
open brown arms
the promise of embrace
I look outside for community
and instead there is a problem called race

I am from the future
one in whom all the
world resides
They're not ready yet
and so I wait for the change of the tides





#2
You look at me and say
You're not black
You're too light
I look in the mirror I am not white

You listen to me then say
You're not black
You talk too right
I listen to my voice
I am not white

You touch my hair and say
You're not black
The curls are too soft and not tight
I run my fingers through my curls
I am not white

You may say I'm not black
My skins too light
My voice too right
My curls aren't tight

But mother Africa calls to me at night!


These are for all the members of my family who have had the same experiences.

The Oath of Office

Was I the only one who was bothered by the total mess up of the oath of office? I know it is just words, or so some would say. I happen to be one who believes that words are extremely important. Perhaps that is part of my need to keep a blog, or the reason I study different versions of history and agonize over the difference between the meanings and conotations of words.

When I read that President Obama had retaken the Oath I was relieved! I was waiting for some right wing extremist to claim Obama had not actually become president because of the problem. We do live in the world where his citizenship was questioned as late as weeks after the election. I am elated about Obama's presidency, but I a pragmatic too. He will have to dot every i, and cross every t as he goes about his duties, as had the "first" black person to hold every other important position.

I don't know the details of why this was done, but I will sleep better tonight!

Inaguration Day

Okay, where to I start...

Today was simply magical. The graciousness with which our country changes power is a thing of true beauty. No one was more glad than I to see FORMER President Bush get into that helicopter and fly away for the last time! But he was treated with respect by the crowd, and President and Mrs. Obama. (I love the sound of that!!!!)

I wore my Obama t-shirt to work for the first time today. This was a difficult decisions. There is much disagreement among history teachers about how much of our political views we should share with our students. My dd profoundly explained when I was making the decision, that it is no longer a political statement, but an act of patriotism. Anxious for a good reason to wear the shirt I used her thoughts, and put 2 Obama buttons on the shirt!!!!! The majority of my students were in favor of Obama, so I if I offended anyone, it was only a few. They know that I respect the office of the presidency separately from the holder, so they realize that I am happy about Obama, and having our democracy!

The older people, especially those of African descent were the most moving to me. I did not think I would live to see a person of African descent become president. I can't imagine the feelings of people like my 95-year-old grandmother who was born 6 years before women got the right to vote! She lived in the Jim Crow south for many years in her childhood. Today was a triumph on so many levels.

Malia and Sasha were adorable! It is nice to have kids in the white house! The joy of watching kids is a universal thing that will bring people of all sorts together to smile and celebrate!

Mrs. Obama's inauguration outfit was awesome! She nailed it. The gloves, the dress with the gorgeous collar of rhinestones, and that amazing coat were an excellent choice. The evening dress was a bit of a challenge. On my parents 57 inch tv she look like a cotton ball! She looked much better on our old fashion 27 inch. I knew there was a good reason we weren't buying one of those uber expensive flat screen monstrosities!!!

I will sleep better tonight, dreaming of a better tomorrow for the US and the World!