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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Friday, December 31, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What song does Karen play on the organ at Alex's funeral in The Big Chill?
2. TV - What 1982 comedy series were the Naked Gun movies based on?
3. MUSIC - At what temperature are you most likely to find Nick Lachey, Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What game was originally invented as a promotional item for a shoe polish company? [this was a surprise]
5. BUZZ - Ricki Lake was arrested while at a 1994 protest organized by what activist group?
6. FAD - What actor got naked in a 1972 Cosmopolitan centerfold? [I remember this and was among the ones who bought a copy]
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What are the names of the two syndicated newspaper colums, written by twins who were married on the same day in the same ceremony?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What name is hidden in each of the drawings of famous caricaturist Al Hirschfeld?
9. HISTORY - What is the name of the massive effort by U.S. and British military forces to bring food to a city blockaded by the Soviets after World War II?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What is the name for the atmospheric layer between sea level and the atmosphere?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What would you be playing with if someone told you to "knuckle down at taw"?
12. WILD CARD - What is the more stylish name for New York's famous 7th Avenue?
5:09:00 PM
Thursday, December 30, 2004
I'm Back!
I got back from Kathy's tonight. We had a good time visiting, opening presents, watching movies, shopping, and eating. We went to see the Lemony Snicket movie, which we all enjoyed. It was properly dark and gloomy. Kelsey has really gotten tall and will outgrow Kathy in no time. Kari has a hair cut which looks really cute. Luke is getting taller, too, and is still so sweet. It was lots of fun. I have some pictures posted in the album, so you can see them. I have some new ones of Brendan with his haircut, too. I stopped by there on my way home to take some clothes and toys Kathy sent that Luke didn't need any more.
10:11:00 PM
Monday, December 27, 2004
Travel Plans
I was supposed to go to Kathy's today and will if I can get out of my neighborhood. It's still icy with not much traffic on my street. I have errands to run before I can leave since I haven't been out of the house except to scare myself walking to the mailbox and back. I'll either go later this afternoon or in the morning. I don't mind this during school, but it sucks when I want to go places. Right?
10:18:00 AM
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Snowbound (or in my case Icebound)
My streets are still white and icy, so I can't get out of my neighborhood. I'm going to think about this if I move again; however, I sort of like the isolation at times. It's not so great during Christmas and when there's no school, so I'm not going to enjoy it to the extent I do now when I retire. It's weird to be stranded when most other people can get out. It's the hills in all directions here. Butch's 4-wheel drive truck made it fine, so maybe I need to get a car that has that function on it for future icy times. I don't want any big vehicles like SUV's and such as that, but Earl's Honda had 4-wheel drive which would be fine with me since my next car will be a return to the Japanese. I've had two Hondas which I really liked and have heard great things about Toyotas.
Brendan really racked up on clothes this year. In addition to his gifts, he got hand-me-downs from Patti and will get some from Kathy. Their boys have cute clothes that are just right for Brendan. He can pass them down to Carter. Brendan got some books and toys he likes, too. Janelle and Butch gave him an Old McDonald tractor with a cow, pig, and duck. The farmer sings and when an animal is in the driver's seat, it says, "I can't drive" in that animal's voice. Really cute. I got him Grunt: Pigorian Chant by Sandra Boynton which is hilarious. The pigs chant pig latin and the other animals real Latin. There's a CD with it which sounds like Gregorian Chants if you don't pay much attention to the words - not difficult for me since I don't know Latin - but Brian and Melissa do. I also got him clothes, a pull-toy train, and some other books by Boynton and Brian Wildsmith.
It was so sweet to watch Brendan and Mother playing the piano. She played that Old Saint Nick song about up on the rooftop, and Brendan just watched, listened, and then looked at her and said, "Ho, ho, ho." He sat on the piano bench after she finished and had the correct posture, held his hands right, and had a gentle touch. He has the genes to be a musician as well as the environment, so he probably will. Melissa sings, plays the piano and Celtic harp. Brian sings and plays keyboards. They were both in concert choir in high school and at Sewanee. The biggie is that Melissa's father is a retired music professor (several universities) and former concert master of the Birmingham symphony, and her mother was music director in various churches. Brenda definitely responds to music and has Melissa's talent for remembering lyrics and stories. He requests songs and stories by using key words from them. I'm beginning to catch on but can't remember and perform them the way Melissa does so brilliantly.
I'm planning to go to Kathy's tomorrow if my street melts enough. Once I get out, it will be fine, but I need to check with her to see how it is on Signal Mountain. I hope I can go tomorrow and not wait until Tuesday but will see how things are. Kelsey wanted Lemony Snicket books, Luke LeapPad modules, and Kari I didn't get hints from. She's been reading the Junie B. Jones books for a while now. I usually get them books and some crafts to do. Luke still likes toys, and the girls' interests are branching out. Then there are things I just decide they might like.
Grandchildren are such a delight!
1:22:00 PM
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Merry Christmas!
I hope all of you are having a good day. We did. I spent the night at Mother's last night and stayed up late talking with Brian and Melissa, while she was working on some free-lance art work she contracted to do. The deadline is approaching! Brendan was asleep. We had a good time playing with him and enjoying Carter. It's fun to have babies and toddlers during the holidays. Butch came after me and brought me home since the streets around my house are still white with ice and snow. So now I'm here. Where are you?
2:50:00 PM
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Weather
The electricity was off for almost an hour and a half tonight, so I was afraid it was going to be like the traumatic ice storm of '94. Now I'm thinking maybe not. So far we've had freezing rain and are supposed to get 1-3" of snow. Maybe this will be snow over the ice but no tree and utility line damage. Fortunately I have a cell phone this time and have had a gas log fireplace and can stay warm enough. I just don't want to be without the computer, TV, lights, cordless phone, refrigerator, microwave, and toaster oven. A shower with hot water is nice, too. Ten years ago I was without electricity and a phone for a week and had the cats Clancy and Lucy. This time I have Brigit and Columbo. Gosh, so much has happened during this time! I hope the next ten years will be less eventful in life-threatening and dramatic ways.
Hope everyone is safe and warm and doesn't have to get out in this.
11:39:00 PM
Shopping Links
As if shopping weren't complicated enough, here are a couple of links to make it more so. They have to do with which companies donate to certain causes. We can do what we can even though some of these places I probably won't avoid because of lack of availability of alternatives. Check out Buy Blue and Choose the Blue. Mark Morford's article in the SF Gate brought sad news about Amazon from which I order many things. Being informed is the first step, and I'll take it.
5:28:00 PM
Weather and Lists
The rain is beginning to change to something colder. No ice, please! Electricity is vital to my sanity since most things I enjoy doing require it. So wish us luck here!
From McSweeney's:
Songs That Wouldn't Have Been Hits
If They'd Been Grammatically Correct.
BY KAREN WISE
- - - -
Lie, Lady, Lie
I Have Eyes for Only You
I Must Be Myself*
Whom Do You Love?
(There) Isn't Any Sunshine When She's Gone
(There) Isn't Any Mountain High Enough
Love Me Tenderly
*I've Gotta Be Me
Can you think of others you'd like to add?
Also this list I pilfered from Brian's online journal is from there as well and will determine if you are in a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. Pretty funny.
Also from Brian ... if you really want to support our troops, send them stuff.
1:49:00 PM
Follow Up
Thanks to those of you who let me know you read my blog. There are others who choose to remain anonymous lurkers, I suppose, but I do like to know who you are.
For those who know me, you realize that I will go for the joke and say things for effect at the expense of the facts when I can. While I'm teaching, I have to stick with the material most of the time but do veer off now and then. That being said, I do realize what's going on with Brendan. He's good at making connections and recognizing patterns which is why he thinks his parents are going away when he sees me. He'll probably be good at math. No one told me to look for patterns in math until I was an adult teaching in the gifted program, and I never figured it out for myself the way math people do. Anyway, the more I'm with Brendan and his parents return, the better he'll be about it. He's fine once they are out of sight now. He's also quite dramatic.
1:25:00 PM
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Readers
It's come to my attention while I'm out in the world among 3-dimensional people that I have readers I don't know about. The only people I know for sure read my blog are Janey, Celia, Michael, Chris, Michelle, and Scaryduck. So if the rest of you would comment or email (if you're shy or a conspiracy theorist) to let me know you read my blog, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
2:20:00 PM
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Winter Break!
Yes!! We got out of school yesterday for our two-week break! Brian, Melissa, and Brendan came to school for the choral and band concert and other activities but didn't get there on time to see the concerts. Brendan didn't get to sleep until after midnight, so none of them had enough sleep. They did get to see the school and saw some people Brian hadn't seen in a while - teachers he had and others he went to high school with. Brendan loved the wide open spaces of the halls and enjoyed running in them. There weren't that many kids in school (probably around 300), and they were scattered in different places participating in art projects, the movie Elf, open mike, computer labs, cookie baking, and playing games and chess in the library where I was. We teachers had to sign up to oversee them, and that one was easy. So Brian, Melissa, and I were there in the library a while and in my classroom quite a bit.
After this we went to Mother's for lunch. They were all so sleepy that Melissa took a long nap while Brian and I took Brendan outside to play. He loves being outside. Then Brendan joined Melissa for a nap, and Brian fell asleep in the chair. I'm glad they got some rest. We put something together for supper, and visitied some more now that Brendan and Melissa were energized.
I didn't get home until around 8:30 since I stopped by Sheena's for a few minutes to return The DaVinci Code to her. I'm reading his other novel Angels and Demons now. Same main character and format as the other. I'm still trying to imagine Tom Hanks in that role. That's not how I visualized him. It's an interesting novel with all the symbols and mystery. There are so many things people get carried away about and fight over. I'm not a fan of organized religion since it's caused more guilt, hypocrisy, fantacism, division, hostility, and abuse than it's been of benefit. I really don't like missionaries who have ruined what people had in Hawaii, South America, and other places that worked just fine before they bothered them.
Now that I'm in the Christmas spirit, I'll go shopping with Mother.
10:01:00 AM
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What TV sitcom dad played Billy Bob Thornton's father in 2001's Monster's Ball? [outstanding acting job being so dispicable]
2. TV - Which news anchor did CNN briefly advertise as "just a little sexy" while playing a zipper sound? [I didn't know this happened]
3. MUSIC - What rapper was in jail when his 1995 album Me Against the World entered the charts at No. 1? [a bigger question might be how many rappers haven't been in jail]
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What comedian was an anchorman for Monday Night Football for two seasons? [caused quite the controversy, didn't he? not that I watch MNF]
5. BUZZ - What body part did Rosie O'Donnell almost lose due to infection? [I restrained myself from commenting]
6. FAD - What 1972 best-selling novel had a bird as its protagonist? [well yes, I read it]
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What city was the home of the country's tallest building in 1885? ["the country" in this question refers to the U.S. - they didn't qualify that]
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What twentieth-century British author created "Jeeves" the butler?
9. HISTORY - Who was the chairman of the "Long March" in the 1930s?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What term was formerly used to indicate a bipolar mental disorder? [why do they keep changing the names of disorders? to keep us guessing?]
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What sport activity is primarily played by young girls as well as pugilists? [wish I could still do this the way I used to but I say that about many things]
12. WILD CARD - What are the names of the three men associated with the auto parts store Pep Boys? [haven't we had this question before? who would know this?]
9:40:00 AM
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Most fascinating people?
I watched the Barbara Walters special with her list of the 10 most fascinating people of 2004. Depending on how the word "fascinating" is used, I'm not sure that's the adjective I'd use for Karl Rove. Slate's article on the show expresses how I felt about her selections better than I can. Here's a link to it if you want to read it.
4:21:00 PM
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Condolences
My condolences to Michael and his family. This is mfblogger who answers questions regularly on our trivia quiz and has such a wide range of knowledge. His grandmother died, and he wrote the most beautiful tribute to her on his blog. You might want to read it. I'm glad you had such a close, loving relationship with your grandmother, Michael, and know you will miss her. I was fortunate in that way, too, and know how it is.
2:01:00 PM
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - In Mr. Holland's Opus, what song does Glenn Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) sing to his deaf son in the school auditorium? [love this song and cried during the movie - those inspiring teacher movies get to me]
2. TV - What superhero did Fat Albert and the Cosby kids idolize?
3. MUSIC - Who originally recorded Tiffany's 1988 hit "I Think We're Alone Now"?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What state was the site of the first Ironman Triathlon in 1978?
5. BUZZ - Carmen Electra began her career as the protege of what musician?
6. FAD - What, in Valley Girl speak, should you bag?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What political leader was often photographed next to a spinning wheel, to signify his resolve for his country's self-sufficiency?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What fictional character had relationships with Vesper Lynd, Tiffany Case, and Honeychile Rider?
9. HISTORY - Who was the "Iron Chancellor" who united small German states against France after the Franco-Prussian War?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What is the largest joint in the human body?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - Who led the Major Leagues in home runs in 1997 while playing for one team in the National League and another in the American League?
12. WILD CARD - What kind of book did Linda McCartney publish to promote a particular lifestyle?
1:49:00 PM
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
PP&M
I read that Mary Travers is going to have chemotherapy for leukemia. I hope everything goes well for her and that she has a complete recovery. I also dread what she is about to experience and wish her the best. Peter, Paul, and Mary have been entertaining me for many years. The latest concert I saw on TV showed her singing to her granddaughter. When I went to see them at TPAC she showed a poster-size photograph of her granddaughter. Her daughter married a Republican who Mary said was the first Republican in her family since they voted for Lincoln. She also commented on the philosophical distance between Greenwich Village where she lived and Grennwich, CT, where her daughter's husband was from. I've seen them in concert 3 times over the years and have enjoyed their albums and spirit. Best wishes to her and them, too.
7:36:00 PM
Zzzzz's
Well, this article explains a lot. Now I know. So I just need to get more sleep. I can do that but can really do it better when I retire.
6:26:00 PM
Monday, December 06, 2004
Field Trip
Today Vicki Drobnis and I took 45 students to the Opry House to see plays performed by the repertory company The Chamber Theatre. Vicki teaches English at Creek Wood, too, and organized the trip. They performed five plays based on short stories and were entertaining and well-organized for school trips. The plays were in the Encore group: "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Monkey's Paw," "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," "The Necklace," and "The Celbrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" (which in our lit book is "Notorious" instead of "Celebrated." We had a good time, and the kids were well-behaved. It was fun to be with them in a different setting like that.
6:19:00 PM
Sunday, December 05, 2004
TV
I read that Candace Bergen will join the cast of Boston Legal as one of the partners. I can't wait to see what her character will be like since David E. Kelley has written some of the quirkiest characters on American television. I've missed Murphy Brown and looked forward to watching it every week. Now she'll join James Spader and William Shatner who have roles that must be a hoot to play. Alan Shore and Denny Crane are hilarious to watch and would be interesting to know. Not sure about working with them, though. Whew!
11:01:00 AM
Friday, December 03, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What is the name of the hotel in The Shining?
2. TV - Who sang the Moonlighting theme song?
3. MUSIC - On which night of the week did Sheryl Crow's Music Club meet?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What team did Boston College's Doug Flutie beat with his "Hail Mary" pass in the 1984 Orange Bowl?
5. BUZZ - What outdoor activity was a passion for publisher Malcolm Forbes?
6. FAD - What coin was unveiled in 1979 and promptly rejected by the American public?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What was the popular name of Anna Mary Robertson Moses of Eagle Bridge, NY?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What actor played the dinner guest in the movie Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
9. HISTORY - What city undersiege in 1992 was also the scene of the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand that set off World War I?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What powerful bird is being raised on farms for its eggs and feathers?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - Who is "The Intimidator," the seven-time Winston Cup champion pictured on gold foil collector's cards honoring NASCAR's 50th anniversary?
12. WILD CARD - What three shows had the largest viewing audience for their TV finales prior to the last episode of Seinfeld?
I knew 6 2/3 of these - numbers 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 2 out of 3 on 10. I thought that might be the answer to #11 since I'd heard of him. Does having read Faulkner and not knowing NASCAR drivers make me a Southern elitist or just an English major/teacher? We're a category all our own.
5:32:00 PM
Another Week
I realized I haven't posted on here in a week. It's getting close to the end of the term, and I have research papers to grade, as well as the usual papers, tests, and assignments. We get out for winter break December 17 which will be here too fast. I have material to cover, tests to give, and then final exams to prepare the students for. It's easier to grade them now since I'll probably use that scanner and the cards for answers. The computer program I have (Gradekeeper) averages the grades as I enter them, so that's helpful too. When I started teaching, it was all done by hand - no calculators even! I was talking with a young teacher today who has never averaged grades without a computer. She looked horrified when I mentioned the pre-calculator days. It's conversations like that that make me realize I really am the oldest teacher at my school.
5:18:00 PM
Friday, November 26, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - In Cast Away, what company does Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) work for?
2. TV - What quaint Maine town did Murder, She Wrote's Jessica Fletcher live in?
3. MUSIC - What synthesizer band performed on the soundtrack for 1984's Risky Business?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What sports television innovation was introduced during an Army-Navy game on Dec. 7, 1963?
5. BUZZ - What actress inflamed tempers with her 1972 visit to Vietnam?
6. FAD - What line of jeans did Donna Rice and Marla Maples become spokesmodels for?
7. TV - What does Ross say when Rachel accuses him of having cheated on her?
8. MOVIE - What song does Fletch start to sing during his prostate exam? [now, wasn't that worth waiting for?]
9. MUSIC - What Beatles album was turned into a poorly received movie starring the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, and George Burns. [Wasn't Steve Martin in it, too?]
10. SPORTS & GAMES - What race is the final leg of horse racing's Triple Crown?
11. BUZZ - What designer did Mark Wahlberg model underwear for?
12. FAD - What '70s-era car was the auto of choice in Wayne's World?
Answers will be posted in the Squawkbox comments next Friday or Saturday when I post a new quiz.
6:29:00 PM
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Bittersweet Transitions
It doesn't seem that long ago that Brian, Amy, and Andy were little. Christmas was fun watching them together. Thanksgiving we'd play games and eat too much. Wonderful memories. This year they all have children of their own - all under 2 years old. Brendan is 19 months, Ally 7 months, and Carter 3 months. They'll all be at Mother's tomorrow but not Christmas. Amy and Chris will stay in Kansas where they live.
Things are changing. I'm glad they're happily married and have children. I just don't know how the time passed so quickly. Now I'm a grandmother, and it doesn't seem so long ago that I had grandparents. It's a little sad in there with the happiness. I miss the ones not here anymore. I miss my father who died much too soon. I'm thrilled with the wonderful additions to the family after Kathy found me. It's a miracle I never thought would happen. For some reason I'm thinking about how it was and how it might be from now on and wonder what changes are in store.
3:46:00 PM
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Prozac Nation
From the lack of comments, I don't suppose any of you have theories on why so many people are taking psychotropic drugs. I get this response quite often when I ask my students questions. It's a good way to get them quiet. Occasionally some of them come through, but there aren't that many discussions. More like ... will this be on the test? I'm doing the same thing and cramming for my blood tests by avoiding food I shouldn't eat.
10:10:00 PM
Sunday, November 21, 2004
What's It All About?
I wonder why so many people (including me) are taking psychotropic drugs. If the subject is broached in conversations with any group of people, it's almost impossible to find anyone who isn't familiar with Prozac, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Paxil, Effexor, Elavil, and others I can't recall right now. What's going on? Why do we lack the natural seratonin and dopamine that should be in our brains? Or are we? Is it the food, speaking English, or what that causes so much of this since I don't know how many people in countries other than the U.S., U.K., and maybe Australia and Canada might be on these medications. They are rampant in ours. Why?
10:07:00 AM
Friday, November 19, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What is the name of Bill and Ted's excellent band?
2. TV - What 1974 cartoon followed Shirley, Keith, Laurie, Danny, and Reuben's adventures in space?
3. MUSIC - Who are the high school sweethearts Billy Joes reminises about in Scenes from an Italian Restaurant?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - Who did Roger Clemens throw a broken bat at during the 2000 "Subway Series"?
5. BUZZ - What comedian was pulled over with a transvestite prostitute in his car? [more sensational than Hugh Grant's dalliance - yet I never heard about it]
6. FAD - Where can you order a Frappuccino, Tazo Chai, or Caramel Macchiato? [the only one I know so far]
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What honor did Queen Elizabeth II bestow upon rock star Elton John in 1997? [another one]
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What cartoon character was originally named "Dippy Dawg"?
9. HISTORY - What was the name of the peace program outlined by President Wilson to Congress in 1918? [and this one]
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What does the poisonous dart frog lose when it's raised in captivity? [sort of guessed this one]
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What sport requires players to throw stones and sweep? [a fascinating sport it is too! I've actually watched it]
12. WILD CARD - What would a hoodlum have if he were carrying a "roscoe"? [in a Mickey Spillane mystery?]
8:54:00 PM
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Learning Right Along
When I mentioned to Brian I had a couple of Norah Jones CDs, he asked if I knew that Ravi Shankar is her father. I had no idea! I asked him how that happened, so of course he said, "When a man and a woman ...." The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, does it?
8:39:00 PM
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Brendan on the Moor
I stayed with Brendan last night while Brian and Melissa attended a dinner meeting. We had fun reading, dancing, and playing. Brendan likes the Clancy Brothers and got frustrated because I couldn't figure out which song he wanted to hear on the CD. Eventually I got there. Whew! I've been singing "Brennan on the Moor" to him as Brendan on the Moor. He'll request it by saying, "Mo-ah."
11:58:00 AM
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What movie star co-produced One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest?
2. TV - What did Ytossie and Taheed have that got them evicted from Temptation Island? [anyone watch this? so let's make up strange reasons]
3. MUSIC - What buxom British pin-up claimed in 1987 that "Naughty Girls Need Love Too"?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What 6-foot-5 WNBA star became the first woman to dunk during a pro basketball game?
5. BUZZ - What musician did Liv Tyler originally believe to be her father? [OK, I confess to knowing this]
6. FAD - What is the only word Pikachu says on the Pokemon cartoon? [Melissa would know this ... and Michelle, too?]
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - Where would you find the most joss houses?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What Beatles song, written by Paul McCartney, came to him in a dream and was originally called "Scrambled Eggs"?
9. HISTORY - What turn-of-the-century war marked defeat for Dutch settlers in South Africa?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What is the large desert area shared by Mongolia and China?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What are the only two years since 1903 that the World Series was not held?
12. WILD CARD - What monetary unit of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Sudan was formerly used in Turkey?
11:16:00 AM
I'm Working on This
On Belief by Steven Waldman
Perverted, God-Hating Frenchies vs. Inbred, Sex-Obsessed Yokels
Why Can't Liberals and Conservatives Get Along? Because They Fundamentally Misunderstand Each Other
I was waiting to go on a conservative talk radio show and heard the host say that John Kerry and his supporters "have no God" because they don’t stand up to evil. He went on to claim that "even the mention of God terrifies them." As for religious people who go to church regularly but vote Democratic, he said, "I see them as sort of phonies."
Then I came on, and his question to me was, "Why do secular people think we're all a bunch of intolerant people?"
I’ve heard similarly clueless statements from liberals who simultaneously talk about the need for fairness then compare the Bush administration to the Taliban or the Nazis. I’m not going to attempt to bring peace to the land right now but thought it might be worthwhile to sketch the top ways that liberals misunderstand well-meaning religious conservatives, and vice versa.
TRUTH ABOUT LIBERALS #1
They're Just As Moral As Conservatives
We've seen a wave of commentary suggesting that George W. Bush's re-election was a victory of people who cared about morality over those who didn't. "As a class, liberals no longer are merely the vigorous opponents of the Right; they are spiteful enemies of civilization's core decency and traditions," writes Mike Thompson, in Human Events Online. Columnist Ben Giles spelled out liberal depravity with greater specificity. "I'm sure the Kerry cabal has a lot to say regarding...conducting an orgy, the preeminent natural herb for curbing the side effects of herpes, how to pick out the right stripper and midget for a ménage à trois, how to redistribute someone else's wealth to pimps, whores and welfare brats, how to rid one's nation of Judeo-Christian ethics..."
The idea that this was a victory for people who care about morality over those who don’t is galling to liberals because, for many of them, the number one issue in this election was Iraq -- and their opposition to the incumbent administration was almost entirely grounded in moral concerns. It’s not like liberals objected because their own family members were dying. Rather, they believe that launching any war unless absolutely justified is profoundly immoral, a position also articulated by the Pope. One can disagree, but I would love the opportunity to watch Anne Coulter tell the Pope his opposition to the war isn't based on morality. Liberals also believe that a morally indefensible policy was sold dishonestly – a gross moral breach compounded by another.
Conservatives ask why the opposition to Bush seems hateful. The answer: liberals believe that what Bush did is worse than what other presidents, Democratic or Republican, have done because it involves the unnecessary and therefore immoral shedding of human blood.
TRUTH ABOUT CONSERVATIVES #1
They're Just As Smart As Liberals
Liberals tend to view people who take the Bible very seriously as yokels opposed to science, knowledge and thinking. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd said the Bush administration is about "replacing science with religion, and facts with faith. We're entering another dark age, more creationist than cutting edge." Novelist Jane Smiley declared the election a triumph for the forces of "ignorance." Privately, liberals friends have told me that Bush voters are "morons," "idiots" and "peanut heads." The idea that red state voters chose Bush because they’re ignorant or uneducated is bigoted, not to mention inaccurate. The least educated voters, people with no high school diploma favored Kerry 50%-49%.
Conversely, most people who are highly educated are quite religious too: 72% percent of people with post-graduate degrees believed in miracles and 78% percent believe in the survival of the soul after death. Liberals can’t mock religious people as dumb when they disagree with them but hail their wisdom when they're liberals like Jimmy Carter. This intellectual snobbery is a major reason why religious conservatives distrust liberal elites.
TRUTH ABOUT LIBERALS #2
Most Are Religious
A conventional wisdom has developed that almost all religious people voted for Bush and most people who voted for Kerry were secular or anti-Christian. The Republican Party sent out brochures in West Virginia and Kentucky saying liberals wanted to ban the Bible, Dr. James Dobson recently called a liberal senator a "Gods' people hater" and Republican convention keynoter Zell Miller’s said of columnist Maureen Dowd, “You can see horns just sprouting up through that Technicolor hair."
However, not only are liberals not, by and large, Satanic or anti-Bible, they’re mostly quite religious. Voters who went to church monthly split 50%-49% for Bush and Kerry. Those who go to church "occasionally” went for Kerry 53%-47%, while people who attend church weekly went for Bush 58%-41%. More important, 61% of Democrats pray daily, 59% are "certain" there’s life after death, and most believe in God. The spiritual lives of Democrats are, statistically speaking, somewhat less based in houses of worship than those of Republicans but they are believers nonetheless.
When Democrats hear conservatives accuse them of being anti-religion it sounds like what they’re really saying is that Democrats don't practice the right kind of religion -- that they are, as my talk radio friend put it, "a bunch of phonies." This is a direct attack on the nature of liberals’ relationship with God or spirituality.
TRUTH ABOUT CONSERVATIVES #2
They Don't Want a Religious Dictatorship
Liberal columnist E.R. Shipp said conservatives wanted a "Christian Jihad." The Village Voice declared Bush had a "mandate for theocracy." Others have compared the current administration to the Taliban. This is profoundly insulting to most conservative Republicans in the same way it is insulting to liberals when they are called Communists or defenders of terrorism. Yes, religious conservatives want a greater role in public life -- perhaps more than liberals want or the Constitution allows -- but President Bush's faith based initiative is highly pluralistic and he has spoken out for religious tolerance. Equating him or his supporters with regimes that execute dissidents or blow up buildings is heinous.
TRUTH ABOUT LIBERALS #3
They Believe History Is On the Side of Tolerance
Conservatives contend that liberals believe in moral relativism, and, to be sure, there is a tendency for liberals to avoid accusing people of moral wrongdoing. Conservatives say this proves liberals are immoral or amoral. In fact, what’s happened is that liberals have elevated "tolerance" as the value that trumps many others, an essential and ethical way of coping with life in an increasingly diverse nation. Most liberals who support gay partnership rights are not themselves homosexual but believe in the right of people to determine their own lives. Conservatives appropriately argue that it's OK to be intolerant of some things -- even liberals wouldn't tolerate, say, murder. But that means the debate is really over how to weigh one value (tolerance) over another value (traditional family) -- not over whether one side cares about values and the other doesn't.
There’s something else that needs to be said. Liberals believe that historically red state conservatives were on the wrong side of the civil rights struggle (first as conservative Democrats and then as Republicans) and that they opposed much of the campaign for equal rights for women that enabled Condoleezza Rice to be National Security Advisor and Sandra Day O'Connor to be on the Supreme Court. So when conservatives oppose gay rights, liberals see history repeating itself. To grossly caricature both sides, liberals may have been wrong about the Soviet Union but conservatives were wrong about civil rights and women's rights. Liberals look at gay marriage opponents and say, to paraphrase Reagan, there they go again.
TRUTH ABOUT CONSERVATIVES #3
The Pro-Life Position Is Born of Compassion
Liberals tend to think that right to life activists are motivated by a desire to control women's bodies or sex lives, and to impose a religious doctrine. Whether you agree with it or not, the heart of the pro-life position is the belief that life begins at conception, and therefore abortion is murder. Liberals who don't share that the foundational assumption have a hard time understanding the passion of pro-life voters. Yet they easily admire the radical abolitionists of the 1860s -- who were as "rabid" and doctrinaire in their opposition to slavery as pro-lifers are today. Liberals should ask themselves, if they honestly believed that life began at conception, wouldn't they do exactly what the pro-life forces do?
Liberals sometimes claim that the anti-abortion movement is actually a religious movement aspiring to impose a particular theology. In fact, the anti-abortion side has tended in recent years to make secular arguments. They offer pictures of fetuses at different gestational ages, not Bible verses. You can say it's ghoulish but that approach – having values shaped by religion but making arguments in non-religious terms – is exactly the way faith should be inserted into the public debates.
TRUTH ABOUT LIBERALS #4
Most Support Separation of Church and State to Protect Religion
There is indeed an outspoken group of secular liberals who oppose any manifestation of religion in the public sphere because they are suspicious of religion in general, and their views are Constitutionally protected. But most liberals (and many conservatives) fret about the separation of church and state because they want to protect the free expression of religious views. Conservatives might scoff at this as an over-reaction, and perhaps it is, but for most liberals it's a view born out of a love of religious freedom.
TRUTH ABOUT CONSERVATIVES #4
They Feel Under Assault
With conservatives controlling the House, Senate, White House, and Supreme Court -- and Christians accounting for 83% of the population -- it's hard for liberals to understand how conservative Christians can feel persecuted or under attack. But religious conservatives look at this way: they have clear beliefs about what is right or wrong. They think homosexuality is wrong, for instance. They turn on the TV and see it treated as morally okeedoke, and there's nothing they can do about it. They may have the numbers but they nonetheless feel powerless against a popular culture that doesn't seem to share their values, and in the face of aggressive judges who impose their will over the objections of state legislatures.
TRUTH ABOUT LIBERALS #5
Family Values Are Revered
Telling someone they are against "family values" is not far from telling them they’re bad parents. Most liberal parents (like most conservatives) spend most of their days thinking not about politics but about how to raise good kids. It’s probably not worthwhile to try to figure out who is better at it but these statistics ought to at least pour cold water on conservative self righteousness on this point: of the 10 states with the highest divorce rates, ten of them voted for Bush. Of the 10 states with the lowest divorce rates, 9 of them voted for Kerry. And the state with the lowest divorce rate in the nation? Massachusetts.
TRUTH ABOUT CONSERVATIVES #5
They Believe American Culture Has Become An Insult to God
Liberals look at the fervor of the anti-gay marriage movement and wonder: why do they care so much? Are they just obsessed with sex? What that fails to understand is that for many religious conservatives the stakes could not possibly be higher. They believe that in condoning legalized abortion or gay unions or even out of wedlock heterosexual sex, America is messing with morality as outlined in the Bible and so attacking God. As anyone who takes the Old Testament seriously knows, the consequences of that could not be more enormous.
On both sides, discourse now moves swiftly from disagreement into demonizing, from contrast to caricature. The worst motives are always assumed. Both camps have polemicists who win popularity, ratings, and book sales by devising ever more clever ways of ripping the eyelids off their opponents. We all know the visceral satisfactions of hanging out with our home-team blogs and watching the TV or radio stations that fit our worldview. Our politicians and pundits happily supply us with the voodoo dolls and the pins. But we'd be smarter not to use them.
I’m not saying the conflicting values aren’t profound and important. But I am saying that if we choose to find the legitimate underpinnings of our ideological opponents' arguments, we can. It may not be as much fun, but it is more patriotic.
11:11:00 AM
Friday, November 12, 2004
Excerpt from Article by Alicia Ostriker
Probably the state of the nation will get worse before it gets better. Yet now we can hear each other, we can talk, we can plan. I like the Martin Luther King Jr. line that says, "The arc of history is long, but it tends toward justice." And for the immediate present, I remind myself of some lines by the poet Anne Sexton:
"Depression is boring, I think,
And I would do better to make
Some soup and light up the cave."
Twice nominated for NatBookAward, Alicia Ostriker, author of nine volumes of poetry, teaches at Rutgers University. C 2004 Newsday
9:16:00 AM
Thursday, November 11, 2004
My Son, the Activist
Brian has a new site to share information about political change. Here's the link: Cynics for Change I've also added it to my blogroll. Check it out.
8:17:00 PM
True Believers
Evangelical religious fanatics are taking over the world. Reasonable, well-informed citizens with a world-view need to be the influential ones. Garrison Keillor said there should be an amendment to the Constitution preventing born-again christians from voting. I intentionally used a lower-case letter because they don't reflect the Christian values instilled in me and that I continue to believe. Basic human rights are replaced with intolerance, retribution, and violence in some cases. They are quite comfortable legislating morality and imposing the government into our lives where it doesn't belong. How people can call themselves pro-life and not only support but applaud torture, war, and the death penalty is paradoxical to say the least. Irony is lost on them along with logic, true compassion, and empathy. It wouldn't be so bad if lives weren't at stake. Christopher Reeve, Michael J. Fox, President Ronald Reagan, Janet Reno, and countless others with debilitating, life-threatening diseases could have possibly been cured. Apparently, it's fine to wait until embryos are adults who contribute to society to kill them.
I'm disheartened. Yesterday when students were being loud and silly, I jokingly told them they were causing me to lose hope in the future of humanity. One of the girls asked, "What is humanity?" (sigh)
8:15:00 AM
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
We're Doomed
Scaryduck sent me this link which explains the main reason our country is doomed. Unfortunately, the writer represents way too many people who along with way too many students have convinced me that Darwin was wrong. It's not survival of the fittest but of the lowest common denominator. We aren't evolving. Either that or we live in Brave New World ... or both.
8:50:00 AM
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Get In Line!
I'm joining the movement! Yes, we're back to the low-flow toilet topic. I found a bill against them. Dave Barry said everything I think about them in this column, too. Let's rally around an important issue, folks!
I'm not sure if it's a rumor or not, but I heard that old-fashioned toilets are no longer illegal. If so, I've found one thing about this administration that I like. Not enough to actually vote for any of them. I'm still not able to write about the election yet. It's too disheartening and depressing.
Have you thought about how many laws are broken without major consequences, and then here is this one that no one will cross! Argh!
6:40:00 PM
Funeral arrangements have been made for Arafat even though he's not quite dead.
8:39:00 AM
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - In Mr. Mom, after Martin Mull turns down a beer at 7 in the morning, what does Michael Keaton then offer him?
2. TV - What is the most popular beverage in the year 3000 on Futurama?
3. MUSIC - Who wrote Sinead O'Connor's hit "Nothing Compares 2 U"?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What city is known as "Hockeytown U.S.A."?
5. BUZZ - Who did Prince Charles have an affair with while married to Princess Diana?
6. FAD - What cereal-related word is often used to describe hippy, environmental types?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What call on the Mississippi was used to signal a depth deep enough to allow the paddle wheel to spin freely? [my students should know this ... and how deep is it?]
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What 1969 Michael Crichton novel introduced an invincible microorganism?
9. HISTORY - Whose article "J'accuse" ("I accuse") garnered support for Alfred Dreyfus during his unjust imprisonment for selling military secrets?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - Which of the five senses of a rhinoceros is considered poor enough that your chances of being attacked are lessened?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What Cubs rookie pitcher set a new record in 1998 with 33 strikeouts in consecutive games?
12. WILD CARD - What cola drink was exported to the U.S. in 1998 by the same British entrepreneur who owns an airline?
10:34:00 AM
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Story
I copied this from Brian's blog. Melissa introduced him to the story. I'd read it before and am glad to be reminded of the message. Here it is:
A Cherokee Indian elder was teaching his grandchildren about life.
He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me... it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.”
The children thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather,
”Which wolf will win?”
The Cherokee elder replied simply ...
”The one you feed.”
11:08:00 PM
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Attention Computer Geeks!
Help!! I have Office 2003 and use Outlook Express for my email. I keep fiddling with the settings but am having trouble receiving email in the font the person sends it in. Some of the emails come through the way they were sent but not others. Also when I reply, the font isn't consistent. I can't find this on that "help" part of Outlook, so I'm asking you.
Election
I'm really nervous about the election. For the first time school is closed for it. I guess we have Homeland Security to thank for that. Also the turn-out is so large that it could interfere with school since that is where quite a few polls are located. I can't watch TV or listen to the radio, so I'm grading papers and doing laundry. I just hope it's over tonight and that we don't have another 2000.
What do you make of the tape from Osama? It almost seems as if he's saying that if W is elected, our economy will be bankrupt that much faster. The current misadministration is doing that quite well all by themselves, but he said it was playing into his plan more quickly than he'd hoped. I don't know what he's really trying to do here, but he is intelligent, informed, and still very active and alive. It's really scary.
11:26:00 AM
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Humor
George Carlin was on Inside the Actor's Studio on Bravo tonight. His website has funny thoughts scrolling around the bottom of it.
7:39:00 PM
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - 10 Things I Hate About You is an adaptation of what Shakespearean comedy?
2. TV - What are the names of the two movie-mocking 'bots on Mystery Science Theater 3000? [I used to love that - hilarious!]
3. MUSIC - What British band was formed in 1980 by the surviving members of Joy Division? [Joy what?]
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What group performed such notable Super Bowl half-time shows as "Salute to the Big Band Era" and "Beat of the Future"?
5. BUZZ - What rock star's Paris gravesite is so popular that a full-time guard must be posted next to it?
6. FAD - Which "Jamaican" TV "psychic" came under indictment for fraud in July 2001?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - Where did Woody Allen's purple rose grow?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What is Jerry's father's name on Seinfeld?
9. HISTORY - What is the term for the right of the government to take property with the proper compensation? [part of Janey's area of expertise - she teaches property law]
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - Who is the carbon molecule "Buckyball" named for?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What NFL team is the only non-profit franchise?
12. WILD CARD - What two states have names with three vowels in a row?
1:24:00 PM
Monday, October 25, 2004
Little Hacker
New photo of Brendan asleep in the car after spending most of the day at the Hackers Convention in Nashville in the photo album.
10:47:00 PM
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Another Reason for the World to Love Us
Check this out. Wal-mart disregards where it builds its stores, who it runs out of business, which burial grounds it desecrates, and any symbolic importance.
4:41:00 PM
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What actress played Tobey Macguire's mother in both The Ice Storm and Pleasantville?
2. TV - Who played the Melanie Griffith role in the TV version of Working Girl?
3. MUSIC - If it's been one week since you looked at tme, how many days has it been since you laughed at me? [any clue what song this is from? I don't]
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What college basketball coach is famous for throwing chairs onto the court during games?
5. BUZZ - What Beverly Hills 90210 star was seriously injured in a 2002 automobile racing accident?
6. FAD - What popular dance song tells participants in Spanish: "Give your body pleasure"?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What TV mogul admitted, "If I only had a little humility, I'd be perfect"?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What is the skunk's name in Bambi?
9. HISTORY - Who is considered the first female poet in the American colonies?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - Who was the first scientist to discover a relationship between electricity and magnetism?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What father and son have both won the Indianopolis 500?
12. WILD CARD - What was the name of the ship Jason sailed on in quest of the Golden Fleece?
2:08:00 AM
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Countdown
I talked to Janie (principal of the school where I teach) and told her that I plan to retire at the end of this year. She acted disappointed which made me feel good. It's better to be missed than for them to wonder why I was still there. Then I told her I was just tired all the time but that I liked it at Creek Wood and enjoy working for her. I also said it was a really good place to end my teaching career and that I'd have good memories of it. This is true. It's a new building, the faculty has some neat people, and my schedule and students are good. It's like I told her, I'm so tired all the time and need to take care of myself. I'll enjoy spending more time with my children, grandchildren, family, and friends.
My plans are to become a shepherd with my border collie I'll name Mr. Coach Hatley (and call MC). It will be a cover for my money laundering business. Then when I'm arrested, I'll be in federal prison where all my expenses are covered which will help out my children, so they won't have to take care of me or put me in a nursing home. When I get out, my laundered money will be stashed in an off-shore account and will take care of expenses from then on or be left to my children. See? It's all worked out.
9:20:00 PM
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Dullness
Thanks to Chris, here is a link to The Dullest Blog in the World.
10:34:00 PM
Prine Time
I went to Earl's Friday, and we went to Paducah to Four Rivers Center to see John Prine. Leon Redbone opened for him. Their new center is very pretty with warm colors and great acoustics. The crowd was pretty rowdy in part because the built-in bars at either end of the lobby stayed open throughout the performance. Therefore, audience members kept traipsing around. This young couple in front of us (him in a cap and her in a cowboy hat which they exchanged about half-way through the concert so who knew which hat was whose) kept making out as they navigated around their hats. Then they'd jump up and yell, whistle, and wave their arms.
Earl and I wondered if this is the trend of audiences now or if it was particular to Paducah. We've been to performances in Nashville where the Bluebird has strict rules about talking during performances. No one wants a dead audience when they are performing; however, shouting out the next words of the lyrics and requests for songs during significant pauses while singing and telling stories isn't cool. I'm sure Prine has experienced worse on stage and handled it mostly by ignoring all of it. Once when song titles were shouted out for requests, he said, "I know them all." I guess they don't realize how well-planned the concert is and didn't understand that the guy who kept taking and replacing Prine's guitars was tuning them for the next songs. Oh well. It is good that younger people are coming along who enjoy him and that he has an audience of all ages.
At TPAC the bars are open before and during intermission. When people have to leave during performances, they are discreet about it. They talked out loud and were distracting at this one. I told Earl I wish we could have gone to the Ryman in Nashville the next night to compare the audiences. If any of you attended, please let me know. Four Rivers seating capacity is around 1900, and it was almost full. The crowd of around 6,000 at the arena to see Michael Moore wasn't as disruptive and they were being stirred up.
The important thing was the concert. Leon Redbone was his usual sardonic self and wonderful to see and hear again. John Prine sang songs I've loved for decades. He's one of my favorite songwriters. He sang "Hello in There," "Angel from Montgomery," "Paradise," "Sam Stone," "Dear Abby," and many many others both old and new. He introduced "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You into Heaven Anymore" by saying he'd retired that song, had it stuffed and put on the mantle but that the president requested it, so he brought it back out again. He said the president didn't exactly request it in so many words but that he sure was asking for it. The audience cheered, and many of us remembered when that song was about Vietnam.
Thank goodness he can still sing after surviving throat cancer. He had squamous cell carcinoma and went to MD Anderson in Houston for treatment. He has to drink water really often because of what radiation did to his salivary glands. He told the doctors to worry about curing the cancer, and he'd worry about his vocal cords and that if he could talk, he could sing. And sing he does!! It was great to see him and enjoy his music again. I have the DVD of him in NYC when Iris Dement joined him and love it.
Rest of Visit
My college roommate and her husband live in Paducah. She's a retired teacher and he is still an elementary school principal. I called Barb, and we met her for dinner. Johnny (John now but still Johnny to me) went to the concert, so we saw him there and briefly at the restaurant. It was so good to see them again. Barb and I meet and pick up where we left off, but I hadn't seen Johnny in about 25 years. Barb and I compare grandchildren stories now. I'm so glad that bond is still strong and value her in my life.
Earl and I stayed at his parents' house in Clinton. I had the whole upstairs which reminded me of my room when I was at home in Charlotte. His mother died a few years ago, and his father is in assisted living now. Earl and his daughters are sorting through things. I understand that and need to do my own and will help Mother with hers when I retire. We went to see his father, and the place is really nice. Earl is in touch with him and his daughters daily.
Before I left to come back, Earl gave me some tours of places that mean something to him. We had breakfast at the pool room and met his cousin Bobby there. Then we went to a park that overlooks the Mississippi River which has a good view of it. Missouri is across the river where barges are seen moving things along. We went to lunch in South Fulton where Earl usually goes, so I could take in all his regular haunts.
I had a really good time, the weather was beautiful, and it's a boost to get away now and then. Now school starts back tomorrow. (sigh) I like being off and am so ready to retire. I'm planning to at the end of this school year (June 2005) and am beginning the countdown! Can't wait!!
1:53:00 PM
Hmmm
Back in 2000 a Republican friend warned me that if I voted for Al Gore and he won, the stock market would fall, we'd lose millions of jobs, and our military would be totally over- stretched. You know what? I did vote for Gore, he did win, and I'll be darned if all those things didn't come true!"
- James Carville
1:32:00 AM
Saturday, October 16, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What is the name of the mouse that prisoner Eduard Delacroix trains in The Green Mile?
2. TV - Who could stop a ticking bomb with a hockey ticket and pick a lock using a light bulb and ice cubes? [say what?]
3. MUSIC - Who wrote the critically cursed poetry collection A Night Without Armor?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - How many yards does it take to get a first down in the ultra-fast NFL Blitz video game?
5. BUZZ - What controversial organization is Tom Selleck a spokesman for?
6. FAD - Whose charitable food line has the slogan "Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good"?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What colorful cable broadcasting mogul said, "Life is a game. Money is how we keep score"?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What classic film fosters a theme based on the line, "No man was born to be a failure"?
9. HISTORY - Who described himself, during the Renaissance, as a man of "humble and obscure condition" while authoring The Prince?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - Which precious metal is suspended in ocean water at the rate of 38 pounds per square mile?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What international competition set a clear 1998 world record in a clean 14.34 seconds? [just weird]
12. WILD CARD - Which country, thousands of years ago, made the predecessor of beer called "barley wine"?
6:34:00 PM
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Test
I took this quiz twice because I couldn't decide on some of the answers. It probably means that I'm Pooh with sharp, pointy teeth or Rabbit on an SSRI. What do you think?
Which Pooh character are you?
Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!
Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!
3:04:00 PM
Terror Semantics
Is it just me, or does anyone else have a problem with the grammatical use of having a war against terror? Terrorism seems to be what the war is against which is ambiguous enough, but terror is an emotion. Besides, having a war against terror makes us more fearful, which would make it counter-productive. No one else seems concerned about this, but every time I hear it, I want to get out my red pen.
1:10:00 AM
Monday, October 11, 2004
Ahh, Fall Break!
I had a totally slacker day yesterday and enjoyed every minute. I slept late, didn't shower, wore totally comfortable clothes, and did nothing but surf the web, watch TV, and rest. Only ice cream would have made it better. I slept late again today and feel relaxed at last.
Superman
It was so sad to hear about Christopher Reeve's death. He certainly brought attention to spinal cord injuries and has been an inspiration.
Greed and Power
I know that companies need to make money but at what cost to others? Because the profit margin wasn't large enough, major drug companies aren't manufacturing the flu vaccines. Now for various reasons, there aren't enough. I wasn't planning to get one anyway since the one I had last year wasn't covered by the flu shot, but I'm probably in a group to get one. I'd just rather not. There are people who need them who will die from the flu now. I totally understand that pharmaceutical companies need to make profits in order to fund research. What they do is important and necessary. There are also many attempts that don't work and that it's expensive and a loss when they don't. They saved my life even though the chemo almost killed me, too.
I also believe that what's being done to food might have a correlation to cancer. With the extreme business types, it's all about more and more money and getting over on someone else. When Jackie was getting her MBA, she'd ask why people couldn't just make a living if that's what they wanted to do. It's all about sharks moving forward or dying. Small, successful businesses are bought or forced out by large ones who keep on and on until they are king of the mountain. I don't like all this and wonder what kinds of families they grew up in and what they think they have to prove to whom.
1:57:00 PM
Sunday, October 10, 2004
The Week That Was
During the first week of fall break I went to Nashville every day but Thursday. And here it is!
Sunday: Mother, Brian, Melissa, Brendan, and I went to Ellendale's for brunch for Brian's and my birthdays. Good food, great company, and lots of fun. Brendan is a nutty, exuberant child much like John Belushi! He talks and can say anything!
Monday: My appointment with Dr. Spigel went fine. It was a regular check-up, and I go for scans in December or January. I get nervous going to see him even when it's routine - operant conditioning, I guess. I've been taking Lexapro for my post-traumatic stress disorder and need to see a counselor for it. I've been asking people about their therapists and haven't really checked into it enough. Maybe I will next week. Anyone know someone good you've been to in our general area? The Lexapro helps with the PTSD but gives me a narrow range of emotions and makes me sleepy and tired. I am already tired enough on my own.
I also went to see my dental hygienist in Green Hills. The dentist looked at my teeth and decided this tooth he's been watching for years was ready for a crown. Not fun and expensive! Such a combination!
Tuesday: Back to Green Hills to the dentist for the temporary crown. I went to Wild Oats to get a few things and have lunch and then came home. I took a nap when I got back. After I got up, I checked email and wandered around. I guess it was around 6 pm. A policeman rang the doorbell to ask if I'd seen anyone at the house across the street throwing rocks at the back windows. I told him I almost never look toward their house since I'm usually in the back with the computer and TV. He mentioned something about seeing me moving around in the house as if to accuse me of taking too long to answer the door. I felt offended and wanted to point out that I wasn't under investigation but instead told him I'd been taking a nap and needed to put on more clothes. Sheesh!!
Wednesday: Molly and I went to Hillsboro Village since Rachel had a doctor's appointment nearby and shopped while she was there. I bought a new cloth purse at Pangea which is much lighter than my previous one. My shoulders, neck, and arms are suffering from that one since it starts out heavy - it's leather. I like it but put too much stuff in it. We met Rachel's brother Kirk for lunch at Jackson's. The sandwich I had was good. Then Rachel and I went to discuss options with the state retirement people. More on this later. She got better paperwork than I did ... and a folder. Hmph!
Thursday: Melissa and Brendan came down. Melissa got her hair cut at Terry's. It looks great! Still long but layered and stylish! Really pretty! I didn't take a picture of her but I will. We ate lunch at House Blend and then came here where Brendan enjoyed playing on the patio and with the cats. Columbo likes company and loves the attention but not Brigit.
Friday: I drove up to stay with Brendan while Brian and Melissa went to a dinner meeting. They're on the organizational committee for a science fiction convention to be held in Nashville - Xanadu, I think. I had a massage at 4:00, so Brian got some food for Brendan and me. We had fun.
Saturday: This brings me to today. I slept late yesterday and today. Linda and I met for dinner at Demos's and then went to the arena to see Michael Moore's Slackers Uprising Tour. The proceeds went to the Music Row Democrats who have a spot they are going to run on the radio. It's a song titled "Takin' My Country Back" and is by the Honky Tonkers for Truth. Here's the link to it if you want to hear it. Let's get it on the radio!
So this has been a busy week with quite a few things I enjoyed doing. I'm going to rest tomorrow, watch some movies, and get some laundry and other things done. I am going to vote Wednesday since that's the first early-voting day. Sheena and I are going to vote and have lunch.
I'm sure this summary of what I did this week was just fascinating to you. Sometimes it's good not to have excitement and drama in our lives even though it doesn't make very interesting blog material.
1:47:00 AM
Here We Are!
Check this out! Three out of four of our group made the website from the Plato Conference. We're at the bottom left of the photo on the top of this page with our backs to the camera. You can see my silver hair and red plaid shirt. Molly is at the bottom and Kimberly above her to the right.
1:42:00 AM
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - Who played the young Vivi Walker in The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?
2. TV - What show marked David Caruso's return to series TV after his NYPD Blue departure? [He is the reason I don't watch Miami CSI. His departure improved NYPD Blue to me and brought Jimmy Smits to the show!]
3. MUSIC - What '90's rock band was fronted by the twin sons of the late Rick Nelson?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What company gives out an annual award to baseball's best relief pitchers? [this is pretty funny ... think about it]
5. BUZZ - What designer created Jennifer Lopez's plunging green 2000 Grammy Awards dress? [we all remember that dress she almost wore]
6. FAD - Who played the Crying Indian, upset over pollution, in the 70's Keep American Beautiful ads?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What mentor of Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg recorded a video with U2 in his 80's?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What actress wrote about herself when she sent out Postcards from the Edge?
9. HISTORY - What country's independence was at stake when Russia fought Britain and France during the Crimean War?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What mainly adult indulgence do doctors say poses a considerable health risk to the increasing number of teenagers who've taken to it since 1993?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What beverage became the "victory drink" of the Indy 500, following a tradition set by the 1936 winner Louis Meyer?
12. WILD CARD - What hamburger chain, started in 1921, has five holes in its burgers so they will cook through without being flipped over? [I hate these burgers based on the one time I ate one ... gaggy!]
11:00:00 AM
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Photos
I've posted the pictures from the day at the play area last Saturday. One of them is good, but the other one is sort of blurry. He was in constant motion. The shoes he was wearing were before I read the Kangarules posted on the (yep) kangaroo. Brendan noticed the other kids and took off his shoes. This was after he made two of them cry because of his exuberance. We're working on this. He's 17 months old and learns fast, so there's definitely hope.
Others are posted from today at Ellendale's for Brian's and my birthday brunch. We ate outside on the deck and enjoyed the beautiful weather. I got some sweet and funny cards and can't believe I'm this old!! How did this happen so fast?
6:40:00 PM
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What does the word "Ocean" refer to in Ocean's 11?
2. TV - Who was nominated for an Emmy for the 1984 TV-movie The Burning Bed?
3. MUSIC - Which supermodel stars in Chris Isaak's steamy Wicked Game music video?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - How are the characters Sirrus and Achenar related in the video game Myst?
5. BUZZ - Who was Julia Roberts's first husband?
6. FAD - What English site had over 150,000 visitors between July 1 and August 30, 1998, its only time open to the public?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - Which famous lover and adventurer retired and became a librarian?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What facilitator of fright played an opera singer in the 1936 film Charlie Chan at the Opera?
9. HISTORY - Which twentieth-century American president survived two assassination attempts within one month's time?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What particles cause the color in human skin?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What did a referee do in football, before penalty flags were used, in order to signal a foul had been committed?
12. WILD CARD - Which pro baseball team, formerly known as the Spiders, is now named in honor of Louis Soukoletis, a Native American?
1:19:00 PM
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Books
Scaryduck asked for this on his blog, so I thought I would, too. What are the best and worst books you've read?
I have quite a list for each, so I went with recent selections. I really do like Ann Patchett's Patron Saint of Liars and Taft. I'm in awe of her writing.
I wanted to throw The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve across the room and jump up and down on it because of the ending. The Horse Whisperer had an unbelievable ending, too, and I'm glad they changed it for the movie.
Since I'm an English teacher, I've read some good and bad novels as assignments. I've caused some student uprisings and protests, too, from some I've required for class.
9:43:00 PM
Monday, September 27, 2004
Catching Up
It was definitely the right time to go to Florida when we went to the conference. We managed to be there between hurricanes. Those people in Florida have been through too much of this! It's horrible. Enough already!
We had such a good time at the conference. We went early, so we could do some things we wanted to at Disney and paid for our room that night. The NCLB money paid for our rooms, the conference, meals, and flight. The way I feel about the No Child Left Behind program made me really glad to have them pay for us to attend this conference. We learned a lot from it and plan to see about changing the name of Credit Recovery to Course Recovery the way Memphis does. People think it's a financial counseling program.
So anyway, we went to Epcot which is like a World's Fair. We went to Mexico and rode through the history of the country on boats. They had a restaurant and shops there as well as a band and singer. Festive and fun. Norway had a male fragrance designer with an amazing body who was probably gay (not that there's anything wrong with it). Those Norwegians scare people. The Viking boats went through a dark passage with frightening voices, trolls jumping out, almost going down a waterfall backwards, and then actually going down one forward very fast. It was exciting.
We also went to China where they had a surround-screen film about the Great Wall, cities, and the countryside. There were also shops and a restaurant there, too. We also went to Japan, France, Italy, Germany, and most of the countries except for Canada and the UK. We ran out of time, so we need to go back. We opted not to go through the US.
We ate dinner at the Restaurant Marrakesh at the Morroccan section. I had chicken, vegetables, and couscous. Very good.
The conference hosted us at Animal Kingdom where we had a wonderful meal. It was outdoors under thatched roofs with tables in various places with the best turkey I've ever tasted (some kind of seasonings and roasted - wonderful!), lamb, butterfly pasta, couscous flavored so well, mixed vegetables, desserts, and drinks. Then we saw their production of The Lion King.
This conference was right up there with the Academy for Teachers of the Gifted and the Governor's Academy for Teachers of Writing. Those were outstanding, and so was this one.
Brendan at the Mall
I took care of Brendan at Bellevue Mall Saturday afternoon while Brian and Melissa cleared out their bedroom in preparation for painting it. We spent most of our time at the play area for kids under 5 years old. Brendan had a ball and just loved being there. He's so exuberant! I took three pictures. Since he was in constant motion, I couldn't manage more. He really is like John Belushi! We had fun and enjoyed the afternoon.
9:52:00 PM
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What corporate giant did Erin Brokovitch crusade against and win?
2. TV - What show teamed Eddie Murphy with the makers of the dancing California Raisins?
3. MUSIC - What hard rockers from down under were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2003?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What position in baseball is known as the "hot corner"?
5. BUZZ - What does Marie Osmond sell on QVC network?
6. FAD - What publication was derisively dubbed "McPaper" upon its introduction in 1982?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What peaceful country was the site of the Cafe Voltaire, where Dadaism took form in 1916?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What 1980s rock group took its name from a character in the 1968 film Barbarella?
9. HISTORY - What did The New York Times do for the first time on September 15, 1997?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - Which wild animal can go without water even longer than a camel?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What ball sport took its name from the Tibetan word for the "willow root" from which the balls were made?
12. WILD CARD - What direction would you travel from Detroit, Michigan, to get to Canada by the shortest route?
11:21:00 PM
Thursday, September 23, 2004
I'm Back!!
Had a wonderful time in Orlando! The weather was great, conference informative and interesting, and the shopping was fun! We went to Epcot and really enjoyed it. Plato hosted a dinner at Animal Kingdom which was delicious and then showed us The Lion King production which was exciting and entertaining! Well done!
I got home a little after 9:30 and slept very well and plan to again as soon as I can. I walked more during this time than I have in a year, so maybe this will motivate me to keep on. We all had lots of fun, got along, and learned things. More later. (yawn and smile)
9:01:00 AM
Friday, September 17, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What 1996 Scottish import featured a troubled gang with names like Rent-Boy, Spud, Sick-Boy, and Begbie?
2. TV - What entertainer did Judy Davis win an Emmy for portraying?
3. MUSIC - What R&B singer was paralyzed after a 1990 on-stage accident?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What quarterback is the great-great-grandson of Brigham Young?
5. BUZZ - What actor appeared in black face at a Friar's Club roast for Whoopi Goldberg?
6. FAD - What hairstyle is short on top, long in back, and widely mocked everywhere?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What two-time U.S. presidential candidate had a grandfather who was a vice-president in the 19th century?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What comic relatives starred in the 1932 radio show, Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel?
9. HISTORY - What president established the Central Intelligence Agency?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - Which natural phenomenon can occur only when the sun is 40 degrees or less from the horizon?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What martial arts form was known to have been practiced in the east as early as 2600 BC?
12. WILD CARD - What is the most desirable part of a fitch polecat?
7:27:00 PM
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Flying in the Face of Reason
Is that the expression? Doesn't quite look right. Well, apparently we're going to Disney World! I've been making preparations for a substitute for my classes, which is more work than being there. I hope the kids behave. We don't have all the plans worked out about meeting to go to the airport yet. The flight leaves at SEVEN A.M.!!!!! That means I'll have to get up in the middle of the night to leave here at 4:00, so we can get there at 5:00. There is so much to do before then! Wish us luck.
I'll post the new quiz and answers to the old one tomorrow. Then after I get back Wednesday night, I'll have something entertaining to read.
7:52:00 PM
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Blowin' in the Wind
It's not sounding like a good idea to go to Florida to a conference Saturday. All these people are evacuating the entire area, so we're going there? Not sure about that!
1:22:00 AM
Sunday, September 12, 2004
Cheating
I've been having a problem in my honors English class with cheating. First of all, four boys turned in their summer reading list folders with exactly the same information in them. The fonts were different for each of the four books, so I called them out in the hall to point this out. Eventually they admitted that each wrote about one book and then made copies for the others. I said I guess they should make 25 on the folder since they only did one-fourth of the work. I told them I appreciated their admitting what they did and said I'd let them get the grade I gave them (not 100 but an A). I told them I wouldn't be able to vote for them if they were nominated for Boy's State or outstanding students since they cheated and also showed them what their grade would have been with the 25. I pointed out what that would do to their GPA and explained that I was giving them a break this time but to consider what a zero would do.
During the next test, I moved the boys away from each other, and one of them failed the test. I commented that I knew one was the tree and the others were mistletoe - parasites living off the knowledge of others. They thought this was funny and joked about it. I decided to talk to some others in authority which I don't generally do, but I didn't see any attitude from them that made me feel better. I talked to one of the assistant principals and their coaches. The football coach said his player's attitude was good and that he apologized. He didn't to me, though. The basketball coach said his boys laughed it off and said everyone cheats, so he made them run while the others played which was about 3 miles. They weren't laughing then.
I talked to them privately out in the hall about talking to their coaches and the assistant principal and gave another speech about cheating. As soon as I finished and they were back in the room, I gave a 50-point quiz on The Old Man and the Sea, one of the summer reading list books. When I was grading the tests, I noticed that the two basketball players missed the same answers that "the tree" did on his, so I gave them all zeroes. When I returned their tests, they tried to talk to me about it. I told them I'd already said everything I had to say to them and that I was totally irritated with them since they cheated right after I'd talked with them again. They tried to say they didn't cheat and pointed out that I'd watched them. (sheesh) I told them I didn't watch them but trusted them instead and that this is what happened.
These kids all know what goes on with each other, so I thought this would be the end of it. But noooo! I can't beleve how blatantly they cheat, the little remorse they have, and how it continues no matter what.
I'd told the boys they were going to have to take their tests in ISS (in-school suspension). The reason I'm doing this is that public humiliation goes a long way. At least I hope it will. I told the assistant principal that I could move them in the room but that this way others would see them and know I was serious about cheating. I also said I'm not going to make separate tests every time because I'm not going to make it harder on myself because they cheat. I will make separate tests now and then, though.
This is so frustrating. Unsurprisingly, this is worse in my honors class than regular since grades are so important. I tried to give them a break but that was a mistake. No more! They interpret being nice as weakness. Apparently, they also must think I'm just stupid.
Have any of you read The Cheating Culture? Those who say we shouldn't teach values in school, don't realize that we do it all the time when we try to instill honesty, hard work, respect, and other such ethics.
8:18:00 PM
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What student film was the 9th top grossing movie in 1999?
2. TV - What was Frank DeFazio's restaurant called on Lavergne and Shirley?
3. MUSIC - What was the first Aerosmith video to feature Alicia Silverstone?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What innovation was introduced by baseball's American League in 1973 to increase scoring and raise attendance?
5. BUZZ - How many times have Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith been divorced from each other?
6. FAD - What company marketed Space Food Sticks in the late '60s?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What "spooky" TV actor demanded the filming location of his 1990's hit program be moved from Canada to the U.S.?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - Which nation printed the world's first books with moveable type made of porcelain?
9. HISTORY - What is the name of the country that occupied Tibet in 1951?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What tree family is the source of cloves?
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What component of golf was not standardized until 1921?
12. WILD CARD - Which well-nourished cartoon character has a six-foot tall stone monument in his honor in Crystal City, Texas?
1:15:00 PM
Friday, September 10, 2004
The Sleep Thing
Here I am at school during my planning period wondering why it is that I can sleep any time except when I go to bed. Lately I've been doing that again. What's with this?
How are you doing? What's going on in your lives now? Doing anything fun this weekend? I'm babysitting Brendan tonight. Sleeping would have been a good idea.
8:34:00 AM
Monday, September 06, 2004
Language
I like Scaryduck's post on his blog today. Check it out if you get a chance. Those of us with children and grandchildren will relate.
11:43:00 AM
Saturday, September 04, 2004
Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ...
1. MOVIE - What is William Wallace's final word in Braveheart?
2. TV - How many hours did David Blaine stand encased in ice for his 2000 ABC special: 22, 42, 62, or 82?
3. MUSIC - How many Pet Shop Boys are there?
4. SPORTS & GAMES - What title is given to the top dog selected each year by the Westminster Kennel Club?
5. BUZZ - What city does Fran Drescher's accent mark her as a native of?
6. FAD - What beer were the "Wassuuupp Guys" hawking?
from the "Know-It-All" Edition ...
7. PEOPLE & PLACES - What American naturalist and writer said, "Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in"?
8. ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT - What British architect designed the plans for St. Paul's Cathedral in London?
9. HISTORY - Who did Napoleon abdicate to in 1815, though that person never ruled?
10. SCIENCE & NATURE - What over-the-counter pain remedy originally came from willowbark? (Michelle will get this one for sure)
11. SPORTS & LEISURE - What is the popular name of Brazilian athlete, Edson Arantes do Nascimento?
12. WILD CARD - What did Fredrich Froebel introduce in 1837 that revolutionized preschool education?
10:06:00 AM
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Ventured Out
I've branched out and gotten away from the house and school this week. Bethel Cooksey, my ex-mother-in-law, died Monday morning. Fortunately, all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren visited her in the hospital Sunday, and she was aware they were there and enjoyed them. Mother and I went by the funeral home Tuesday after school and saw Carolyn and her children Kim and Chris and their families, Milton and Barb, Jimmy Scott, and many other relatives. Barb and I enjoyed talking about Brendan and what he's doing. She's been a good step-mother to Brian and is a neat person. I'm not sure how she's stayed married to Milton for over 25 years. I couldn't make it to 10. But I digress. I'm glad they got to see Brendan again and spend some time with Brian and Melissa even though the circumstances were sad.
Mother went to the funeral Wednesday and stayed in the kitchen with Melissa and Brendan a while since it was necessary for him to be away from the funeral. He's very active. I took off from school early to take Mother to a retina specialist in Nashville. She got a good report in that her vision and condition have not changed. Dr. Moffatt doesn't recommend surgery at this time and said she can avoid it as long as nothing gets much worse. That was a relief.
We went to St. Thomas Hospital to see my aunt (Daddy's sister Pauline) who had surgery Tuesday. Half of her liver was removed because of cancer, and she was sitting in a chair feeding herself dinner (such as it was - jello and liquids). She looked great and has always been beautiful and said she believes she will be fine. A positive attitude helps a lot. Her daughter Betty was there with her, so we had a good visit. I really hope she does well with this and feel good about her recovery.
After we ate at the Belle Meade Buffet, we stopped by Andy and Angela's new house they will move into soon. Angela's parents, a friend of hers from school, Butch, and Andy were painting. Angela was putting Carter down to sleep, so I got to see and hold him. He's so sweet and cute. Angela looks good and has energy. Their house is off the McCrory Lane exit in one of those new subdivisions. Their house is very pretty and large.
On my way home, I went by Kroger and had a conversation with a friend who teaches at the adult high school at night. There were almost no people in there. I like going late at night like that.
Tonight I went to Rachel and Molly's for dinner and to play Cranium with some of their friends. We had a lot of fun. It's relaxing to laugh so much and escape into a game.
On my way home tonight, I went by Kroger again to get a couple of things I forgot last night, filled the car with gas, and went by the ATM.
See? I'm becoming more social again. Now I just need to Clean Sweep my house and have people over. I told some people that I'd just have to let them visit in the "during" stage since it's going to last a while.
10:36:00 PM
Monday, August 30, 2004
Yawn
I've been grading Scarlet Letter tests and am so sleepy.
Did I mention that I'm going to Disney World? Those of us who taught in the Credit Recovery program are getting to go to a conference on Plato, that computer program we use for it. Kim and I (who refer to ourselves as Lucy and Ethel since that's how we felt this summer while working out the kinks doing this for the first time) are going and so are Molly and Kimberly from Dickson County High School - we were all on the phone quite often with each other to compare notes. They are all so much fun, so it should be a good trip. We're looking forward to learning more about the program and getting away for a while. It will be September 20 - 22.
11:02:00 PM
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Technical Difficulties
Comcast had problems today, so we had no connection for the internet and email all afternoon and into the night. It also affected the cable TV channels. The local ones were a little fuzzy, and all of the cable channels didn't function - just snow. Fortunately, I could still watch the Olympics. Not sure what I'll do now other than have Olympics withdrawal. Then to make matters worse, the Republican Convention will be on. If there isn't any more coverage of it than there was the Democratic Convention, it will barely be on. I do plan to watch some of it even though the speakers (Guiliani, Arnold, and McCain) don't represent the actions of the ones running things and platform of the party. That's an advantage actually for me to listen to until I think about how they are manipulating all those one-issue, misguided people to vote against their own best interests. I watched the DNC on public TV, CSPAN, and MSNBC, and not FOX where I will be certain not to watch the RNC. I'll probably watch C-SPAN. They don't interrupt the speeches with so many commentaries and show entire speeches, not the sound bites chosen by some.
It's come to my attention (not by others but myself) that I've become a curmudgeon. Now I don't like that Coca-cola commercial with the too-sweet singer with the Stepford smile giving out Cokes to people on the street. It's like fingernails on a chalkboard. She sings, "I wish I could show all the love in my heart." Now that's a nice message. What's wrong with me? Earl said I was on the wrong medication.
10:51:00 PM
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