Six Word Saturday

This was the conversation between the adults in the Chili car on the way home from Punkin’s recital at the old peoples’ home this afternoon:

Let’s retire on a cruise ship!!

Ducking Out

I’m feeling overwhelmed, you guys.  I need to take a media break, I think.

The straw that broke this camel’s back was the 15 or so minutes I watched of Fox last night (I know, I know… bear with me for a second).  I was interested in the whole Juan Williams-NPR hoo-ha, so I tuned in to see what was going on at Fox after I had heard NPR’s side of the story (because, you know, I LIKE to hear two sides….).  15 minutes was all I could take.  Seriously; about a minute and a half in, the host of the show I was watching used the words “pinhead” and “stupid” several times already.  A minute and a half, People (Falcon, really?  We need to talk).

I have been feeling sickened by what I’ve seen and heard lately – the whole Fox thing was just the cherry on top of this shit sundae -  so I’m checking out for a bit.  I’m going to put a CD in my car’s stereo (I got a new audio course on sentence craft, and I’m eager to start that!).  I’m going to listen to iTunes at home, and I’m going to avoid all television news casts.  If something big happens, I’m sure someone will let me know; I can do without all the nutjobbery and whackadoodle-ness I’ve been poisoned with lately, thank you very much.  I need to get out before my faith in my countrymen is completely shredded.

Love Thursday: Geeking Out

Last weekend, I went to visit O’Mama, and she let me flip through one of her magazines.  In it was an advertisement for a college-level course on sentence craft, available on either DVD or audio, and I was intrigued.  She photocopied the ad for me, I went home, called the company, and ordered the audio version.

The box came today (and confused me; I didn’t recognize the logo on the label and I was surprised by how quickly it came).  While I haven’t listened to any of the course yet (I ordered the CDs – guess what I’m going to be listening to in my car for the next, oh, month or two?), the catalogue completely GEEKED ME OUT!  There are courses on everything from history and philosophy to economics and literature.  If this lecture is as good as I’m hoping it will be, I bet a good portion of my professional development allowance is going to be spent with these people.

Really; go check ‘em out.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

This is me and some of my students (my kids were there, too, but they’re not in the picture), demonstrating for compassion and acceptance in the center of our little town.

I’m so proud of them.

Ten Things Tuesday

I’ve been trying pretty hard lately to recenter myself energetically.  I have lately found myself getting sucked into the hysteria and general meanness that are all too readily available on the t.v. and the internet, and I’ve let dumbness like the Westboro Baptists and Glenn Beck bring me down.  Here, then, are ten things that are maintaining my faith in humanity in the face of rampant and gleeful ignorance and hatred:

1.  My students.  The kids at CHS really do have the whole “celebrate diversity” thing figured out.  We exist in a safe, supportive, and entirely comfortable environment, and they delight me in their capacity to be not just tolerant, but accepting.

2 -  6.  MAB, Rob, Karen, Success Warrior, and J.  Seriously.  These guys (and most of them are literally guys) really have it figured out.  These are the people I go to for reasoned, clear, and articulate dissections of nutjob arguments and affirmations that we really aren’t going to hell in a handbasket.

7.  Rachel Maddow.  This piece helped me understand the whole appeal of the rescission of DADT, I was delighted when she brought a Republican strategist on her show, and I love that she is always respectful, even when her guests go off their rails.

8.  My yoga classes.  Several of my Sunday regulars are an important part of my practice; knowing that they’ll be there keeps me coming back, and the unspoken connection we share for an hour a week is meaningful to me.

9.  My children.  Mr. Chili and I are working hard to raise these girls to be sources of light in the universe.  Despite the sometimes tumultuous atmosphere in our home (we’re host to two teenage girls, after all), they really are grounded in kindness and compassion.

10.  Friends, family, and blogging buddies who hold me up, especially when I feel like my best option is to crawl under the covers and hide.  Thanks for reminding me that we’re all in this together, that we’re all struggling, and that none of us can make it alone.  The connections I have with these people – even with people I’ve never met in real life – are important to me, and I’m not sure that I say that often enough.

 

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

 

Monday Meme

Stolen, yet again, from Kwizgiver:

1. What is the closest item near you that is blue? A pad of sticky notes (really; does this surprise you?).

2. What is your favorite color? I’m fond of autumnal colors; golds and browns and dark greens.

3. When is your birthday? I share a birthday with Brother Martin; we were both born on January 15th.

4. When did you last go to the mall? A few weeks ago; the girls and I got haircuts at the salon just outside of Sears.

5. When was the last time you bought a pair of pants? It’s been a long time since I’ve bought pants.  I’m hoping to have to do that soon, though; I’m starting to lose weight (yay!).

6. What do you want for your birthday? I suppose that depends on what I get for Christmas.  My birthday comes so close on Christmas’s heels that I often ask for whatever Santa failed to deliver.

7. Who will be your next kiss? Mr. Chili – unless Beanie gets me first.

8. What was the last candy you ate? I had one section of a Dove bar in my car.  I enjoyed it after lunch.

9. Are you wearing socks right now?  Yep; long, soft brown ones.

10. When was the last time you went out of the state? Probably the last time I went to visit Auntie (who lives in the same state I do, but the best way to get to her is to go out and come back in, rather than going all the way across…).

11. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days? I haven’t been to the movies in what feels like five MONTHS.  We want to see this and this; I’m hoping for a couple of just-us dates coming up soon…

12. What was the last thing you had to drink? Iced green tea with orange tangerine juice.  It’s pretty much a constant for me.

13. What are you wearing right now? A brown ribbed top and tan trousers; I just got home from school.

14. What was your last purchase? I just made a pretty significant Cafe Press order.

15. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Mr. Chili, telling him that I was on my way to pick him up for lunch.

16. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week? I bought a couple of tops the other day; I noticed a shortage in my long-sleeved selection, and it’s starting to get cold around here.

17. Do you have a pet? Two at home (Taters and Toses) and five at work, all fish; one algae-eater named Hoover and four tiger barbs named Henry (Henry I-IV, of course; I think I need one more so I can have Henry V)

18. What’s the last sporting event you watched? I watched the Pats win in overtime yesterday.

19. What’s the most played song on your iTunes? Huh; I wouldn’t have guessed this.  iTunes is telling me that my most played song (at least, on this computer) is Darwin’s Children by Edwin McCain.

20. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be? I’ve gotta tell ya, I like being home.  Ask me again in about 8 weeks and I’ll answer “someplace warmer than here…”

21. What is the last thing you purchased online? Bumper stickers and a tee shirt from the aforementioned Cafe Press.  I can’t wait.

22. One thing you hate about yourself? I wouldn’t say “hate,” but I sometimes annoy myself by being really unproductive.

23. What’s your favorite soup? I’m really loving the Progresso Hearty Tomato.  I need to figure out how to make that from scratch.  I’m also mighty fond of my cheddar soup recipe (especially with the addition of potatoes and bacon (and a sprinkling of green onions).  Mmmmmm!!)

24. Do you miss anyone? I sometimes miss my mother (especially when I need advice on how to be one).  I often miss Mr. Chili.  Right now, I’m feeling a longing for my sister and the TwoBlueDays.

25. Last play you saw? I saw a section of Macbeth on Great Performances, but then my TiVo dumped it before I could see the whole thing, so I have to find it online.

26. What are your plans for the day? I have to do some grading, do some planning, do some reading, do some cooking and maybe some more laundry, watch some t.v., then go to bed.

27. Last person you messaged? Sphyrnatude, asking him what sweetie he’d like me to make for our staff meeting tomorrow.  His birthday is Wednesday, so I figured I’d let him choose.

28. What do you know about the future? It’s coming and, for the short term, at least, it’s going to get colder.

29. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne? Neither.  I sometimes wear perfume, but not as a regular thing.

30. Where are your best friends located? My most best friend lives right here.  Luckily, many of the people I consider my best friends are close by.

31. How old do you want to be when you have kids? I was the perfect age for me; Punkin came when I was 28, and Beanie followed 21 months later, just after I turned 30.

32. Who was the last person who made you cry? Go look at yesterday’s entry, then watch the video I posted.  Yeah; that guy.

33. Do you have any tattoos or piercings? My ears are pierced.

34. How do you like your soda? I’m fond of diet (preferably caffeine free) Coke.  I drink a lot less lately, though, than I ever did.  I’m trying to make more healthy choices.

35. Do you like hot sauce? No, and I really don’t understand people who do.

36. Next time you’ll take a shower? I shower every morning.  It’s less of a hygiene thing than it is a wake-up thing.

37. What was the last movie you watched at home? I watched a piece of Matrix Revolutions while folding laundry the other day.  The girls saw How To Train Your Dragon, but there weren’t enough seats in the living room for me to participate (Punkin’ had a girlfriend over).  I bought the movie, though, so I can watch it later.

38. What is your mood? Eager.  I have a bunch of stuff to do, and I actually have the energy and motivation to do it!

39. What kind of car do you drive? I love my little VW Golf.

40. Have you ever been to Virginia? Several years ago, we took the girls to Williamsburg.  Look up “Magical History Tour” in the search box and read around that week if you’re interested in our adventures there.

41. What are you doing right now? Finishing a meme, contemplating writing a new acceptable use policy for my blogs, and getting ready to get some stuff done!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Ally Week

Ally Week starts tomorrow.

Never before has it been so important for me to speak out in support of GLBTQ rights and acceptance (not just “tolerance, mind you, but true acceptance).  Children are taking their own lives rather than endure another day of bullying in schools.  Religious and political figures (I will not call them “leaders”) are deliberately fanning the flames of fear and hatred.  Too few voices are speaking out against the madness, and too few outlets are being given to those who do.

Let’s get something perfectly clear; one doesn’t have to burn a cross or threaten a life to be engaged in hate speech.  Anyone who advocates anything less than full and equal rights for ALL people is engaging in hate speech.  Anyone who remains in a pew while their minister preaches that homosexuals are an abomination before God, anyone who says nothing when someone calls someone a “fag” or a “queer” with the intent to intimidate another, and anyone who votes for a candidate who supports only one-man-one-woman marriage or the continuation of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell or the denial of partner benefits is engaging in hate speech.  Silence, in a very real way, equals death.

Stand up.  Get educated.  Out yourself as an ally – buy a button or a bumper sticker or a tee shirt.  Let people hear you talking about equal rights and compassion.  The children who have taken their own lives – and all the ones who went before them – are an indictment on our society, and everyone who stands back and does nothing is as guilty as those who tease and threaten and hate.  Don’t be that person; I’m begging you.

fckh8.com (not safe for work)

Six Word Saturday

The Great Clothes Switch is DONE!

Quick Hit: Love notes

This summer, the girls came to school with me a few times to help me get my classroom put together.  Unbeknownst to me, Punkin’ Pie peppered my desk with hidden love notes.  I’ve been finding them (in note books, stuck inside of files, in my “aspirin and girl-things” stash) all year.

I found this note inside a box of note cards I opened today to send thank-yous to some parents who donated books to our school.  It is, by far, my favorite.

Quick Hit: Love notes, originally uploaded by mrs.chili.

 

Love Thursday

The other day, and completely unsolicited by me, I received a large envelope at work. Inside this envelope was a poster advertising this:

On the back of the poster is a series of critical thinking questions, a plot summary, activities, major themes and characters, and writing prompts to work with Macbeth. I geeked right out.

Today’s Love Thursday is aimed at the people who make productions like this, to the people who put all these sorts of materials together for teachers, and to the people, whoever they are, who saw fit to send this to me!!