Poster Kurfuffle

It all started when I had to host one of our monthly meetings. I hate hosting meetings because I don't think I'm very good at it. Teachers, especially after a long day of work, are also the worst kind of audience. They chat amongst themselves, fail to pay attention, and wander off topic at the first opportunity. In short, it's a bit like teaching kids only you can't yell at them to behave.

Anyway, I was running this meeting, and we were discussing a major project we are developing for all students. This project has several components, and it involves many people working on separate pieces to create the whole. In the midst of serious discussion (yes they finally got on topic) about one of the most complex parts of the project, the principal suddenly interrupted to say "where's the poster!?" We all looked around in confusion trying to figure out what the heck he was talking about. "The poster!" he demands again. By this time, people are looking seriously confused.

"The poster about this project!" he finally clarifies. Vague memories are coming to me of his having caused posters to be made advertising the major features of the project. "Urm, sorry" I say "I don't think I have one of those yet." He's still looking wildly around the room as if a poster might magically appear. "You must have a poster! Everyone's supposed to have a poster! Who has one that we can use?!" Nobody responds at first. We're all looking at each other to see what will happen.

Someone tries to sort of ignore the whole poster thing and get us back to the topic at hand, but he's not having any of it. He demands that someone go down and find a poster "pull it off your wall if you have to" and bring it back to our meeting. No further discussion can happen until the all important poster arrives. A few people make vague noises about having posters in THEIR room because they're so important to the project. The poster finally arrives. It has been ripped from the wall for this purpose.

This poster is all of four lines long. It gives four steps for success on the project. The principle admires it, asks someone to read it out loud, and explains to everyone that these are the four steps that count. Without them, our students will fail. We all make more vague noises of approval before going back to our real topic. We've wasted at least twenty minutes.

The next day, in the staff bulletin, there is only one item:

If you do not have a Project Poster, be sure to pick one up in the staff room. It is essential that all students are able to read the four steps for success in each and every classroom.

You just can't make this stuff up.

Never a Dull Moment

I'm just back from a frosty morning fire drill. It went in the usual way with all three grade levels and all staff lined up on the sports field. When we are all together, it makes a crowd of more than 1000 people. We do these every month, so it is no problem knowing what you're supposed to do. What made this one unique is that we'd already had a practice drill for the month. This wasn't practice at all. The fire alarms were tripped by, I'm not making this up, a smoking diaper.

It seems that one of the science teachers was doing an experiment that involved warming clean wet diapers in the microwave. Needless to say, the diaper warming got a little out of hand and smoke appeared. Thus we all ended up shivering on the track while the firefighters made sure it was safe to re-enter the building. The guilty teacher is making cookies for us all tomorrow.

Of Good Subs and Bad

Last week I had the dreaded lurgy which is never fun, so I stayed home from school for one whole day. This is only the second day of this school year that I've missed due to illness, so you know I really wasn't feeling good. You might think missing so little school has to do with some strict sense of honor, but really it's not quite as noble as all that.

The worst part about being sick, aside from the obvious, is having a substitute teacher in charge of your classroom. Now I know that some people can quite cheerfully hand over their little darlings without a backward glance, but I am not one of those people. Are you surprised? I thought not. It is certainly part of my nature to dislike giving up control, but there is more to it than that.

My classes, as I've mentioned many times before, are not normal classes. My afternoon kids are exceptional young people who pretty much always do the right thing. However, having a sub stresses them out because it creates uncertainty. They REALLY want to know where they stand at all times. My morning block, on the other hand, has less emotional maturity than my seven year old niece. They just plain misbehave whenever they get the chance.

This is not to say that it's impossible to have a good experience with a sub. There are many good subs out there who do an excellent job of managing tough classes. In my experience, there are three kinds of subs to be had:

---Permissive subs just let the kids run wild. This makes the kids happy, but the work rarely gets done, and the other teachers in the school may become very grumpy. Also, your kids are NOT happy to see you when you get back. I hate this sub and try to avoid her (why is it usually a her?) at all costs.

---Authoritarian subs have their place, but they can be very harsh. The worst one I ever had threatened the kids with bodily harm, and they believed her. This sub gets the work done, but the kids end up shell-shocked. At least they are happy to see you when you get back. I try to avoid this kind of sub too.

---Authoritative subs are wonderful. They tend to be very grave and unflappable. They do not let kids get away with bad behavior, but they do not resort to yelling or threats. The kids do not like them, but they are not scared of them either. The kids are glad to see you after a day with this sub, but they don't need to spend half an hour telling you a tale of woe. I love this kind of sub, and will cheerfully make them cookies if it will encourage them to come.

I suppose, when it boils down to it, this is not really a tally of the different kinds of subs, but of the different approaches to discipline. You could also divide most parents into the same three categories. Can you guess which kind of parents my AM kids have? PM? Any guesses? Sign me up to be an authoritative parent some day. But I digress.

The sub I happened to get last week was of the authoritarian variety. According to my adult aide, she totally failed to teach the lesson, yelled at the kids for no reason, called them names, and then left the classroom five whole minutes before the end of the period. It took much soothing and cajoling to get them to calm down and get back to work this morning. No way am I EVER having that sub again. Could you pass me that bottle of hand sanitizer and an orange please?

Three Love Poems and No Songs of Despair

How Do I Love Thee?

by Elizabeth Barret Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.



It's all I have to bring today

by Emily Dickenson

It's all I have to bring today –
This, and my heart beside –
This, and my heart, and all the fields –
And all the meadows wide –
Be sure you count –
should I forget
Some one the sum could tell –
This, and my heart, and all the Bees
Which in the Clover dwell.


I Love You

by Sara Teasdale

When April bends above me
And finds me fast asleep,
Dust need not keep the secret
A live heart died to keep.
When April tells the thrushes,
The meadow-larks will know,
And pipe the three words lightly
To all the winds that blow.
Above his roof the swallows,
In notes like far-blown rain,
Will tell the little sparrow
Beside his window-pane.
O sparrow, little sparrow,
When I am fast asleep,
Then tell my love the secret
That I have died to keep.

Happy 200 Darwin

Happy birthday to Charles Darwin, arch nemesis of creationists everywhere! It is amazing to me that, 200 years later, his theories still create such incredible drama. I believe Mr. Darwin! I believe!

Silence

Not dead, just overwhelmed at work. More on that later.

Boron Moron

Reading the NY Times today, I ran across this story about a correction they made to a story that ran last week in the science columns. It seem that this correction caught the attention of the staff writers at the Conan O'Brien Show. Be sure to scroll down and watch the video clip.

500th Post

My goodness! I just noticed that the last post represented number 500 for this blog. That represents either a startling waste of time or something of an accomplishment. I like to blog because I think that writing is good for the human brain. It represents a very specific kind of mental work-out that can't help but keep us cognitively flexible.

Also, as an English teacher, I think it's a good thing to stay connected to the writing process. Otherwise, you run the risk of forgetting what it's like for the kids who are in the trenches slogging through the basics. I also model a lot of simple five paragraph essays specifically for the kids, but they are profoundly not blog-worthy. They say in education that the best writing is done for "real audiences and purposes" so thank you, readers, for providing as much for me.

Beethoven's 9th

I've been meaning to post this for a month now and just haven't had the chance. As part of our New Year celebration, we were lucky enough to hear Beethoven's 9th symphony. Musically educated friends tell me that some of the people playing instruments did only a fair to middling job of performing. However, the choral part more than made up for any other deficits. I've always enjoyed this piece on cd, but somehow the power of actually being there was something altogether new. The music really does swell up and wash over you just as music fans have always claimed. If you ever get the chance to here the 9th in person with a live chorus, be sure to take it. Also, big thanks to R who makes our little symphony club possible, and to M who is my musical sugar daddy. Hooray for men who like the symphony!

PETA Ad

If you haven't yet seen the banned PETA superbowl ad, you are seriously missing out. Okay, to be fair, you're not actually missing out on that much. I feel certain that PETA made this ad with the express purpose of having it banned thereby guaranteeing increased traffic on their website. I guess that's not a terrible strategy. I have such mixed feelings about PETA though. In many ways, they have a message I really respect and support. However, some of their tactics give vegetarians/animal rights supporters a bad name. Oh yes, and if you're going to watch the video, be sure to check out Whoopi Goldberg's impression of it as well.

There Are Kids And Then There Are Kids

Many critics of American (and probably every other kind as well) education seem to suffer from the illusion that all students are created equal, and that their success or failure depends only on what teachers pour into them. Experienced teachers (and parents?) know that kids come with very different sets of skills and abilities, and it is part of the educational challenge to play on the strengths and shore up the weaknesses. One of the single greatest problems for the average teacher is how to meet this variety of needs in a single class.

For example, a teacher friend of mine sent identical email to her three absent students. In this email she inquired after their health and reminded them of the work she would expect when they returned. She got these three replies (some details have been changed to protect the guilty, but the style and gist are original):

"Oh, okay thank you so much! I will get right to the homework. For the yellow history triangle, I remember you saying to fill that out as we go, even if we were in history or not, but it only goes through Dec. 16th. I was assuming we would receive another sheet or just finish that current one but I was not sure?"

"hi i will back on monday i do not have the spelling test or the vocab test. do i have to turn in the the writing prep 2 i did it but its not on computer grades?"

"it's already better so it' fine and i've just been hanging out but i might go up to the pass this weekend so ya thanks bye"

You begin to see the problem?

Octuplets: Twelve Babies Too Many

Yes, yes, I know that the California woman who just gave birth to octuplets only delivered eight babies (I do know that oct=eight). However, it turns out that this woman already had six children! Not only that, but she is a single mother who does not have any obvious means of support. Her oldest child is seven while her youngest is just two. Throw in the fact that at least one of her older children is autistic, AND that she lost her house just before becoming pregnant. It would be tough to dream up a worse situation for the introduction of a brand new baby. However, in this case it's not just one new baby, but eight.

Now the ethics, medical and otherwise, come into the situation. There are so many ugly questions here that it's difficult to know where to begin:

- Either insurance or public aid will have to pay for the healthcare costs of these children. Given the fact that each is likely to cost more than one million dollars for their delivery and NICU care alone, that is a huge amount of money. This woman made a choice to have these children and now private individuals are paying the enormous cost. Suddenly this does not seem like a purely personal issue any more.

-Next come the medical ethics. Was it reasonable for a doctor to implant so many embryos? Was it even reasonable for a doctor to be offering this type of service to a woman with so many children already? Should there be any kinds of checks on the mental health or stability of the family? What kind of life can a child expect as one of eight babies in a family of fourteen?

-Last there is the question of adding so many extra people to the planet. I have long believed that we will one day have to face the realities of unlimited population growth. Very few countries actually tackle this issue for fear that they will run afoul of religious conservatives who see every conception as a new soul sent from God. Other countries have tried to cope, but with brutal results. Eventually we will need to find a kinder gentler way to limit the growth of our population. Perhaps we might start with a limit on the number of children one can have and still seek infertility treatment?

In the end, I (and the millions of other horrified people) could certainly be wrong. Maybe this woman is a wonderful mother who will work hard to provide everything her children need. Maybe this home will be a warm and loving place where all the children feel safe, comfortable, and loved. I fervently hope this is the case. However, I also hope that child protective services will keep this woman on their short list just on the off chance that hers does not turn out to be the perfect environment for eight tiny babies.

Hypothetical Despair

Imagine, if you will, an office with thousands of employees. Just for the sake of argument of course. Now imagine a manager who has been assigned a very specific group of reports. These twenty or so employees have been pulled out specifically to work on this team because they are the company's underperformers. They are not bad enough to fire, and in fact, many of them are quite talented individuals, but they all have had problems in the past. Some do not meet their quotas, others have repeated HR violations, and some just seem totally checked out. This re-assignment is a last ditch effort by the company to save them.

At first, the new team struggles to find its footing. Some of the employees find it very hard to leave bad habits behind, and even with much coaching from their new manager, they still have trouble making the right choices. Some members of the team seem to want to improve, but others continue to make life difficult for everyone. One time, the problems get serious enough that the manager's manager has to step in. However, as time goes by, things do begin to get better. The manager begins to notice glimmers of hope. Decent quality work begins to emerge. They may not be the top-producing team in the company, but they are also not the last. On one project, the team excels to the point where they earn a commendation from above.

To be fair, this purely hypothetical team is not perfect. Some still drop the ball, and allow work to fall through the proverbial cracks. However, the team has certainly improved as a whole, and only a few are still in danger of firing. The manager is especially happy to see that some of the most recalcitrant members of the team are now putting in true effort and working to collaborate constructively with colleagues. Could it be that this team of mis-fits might actually make a true turn-around?

Then one day, this imaginary manager comes to work to discover a huge crowd of officemates. The people are buzzing like a swarm of angry bees. As the story comes out in bits and pieces, the manager discovers that something major happened the day before. It seems that after most people had already left for the day, a small group of employees were escorted from the building by security. They were caught doing something not only against company policy but also illegal.

Most of the employees involved were from a more senior team, but one other person was also caught out. This person was one of the biggest success stories from the manager's "special" team. The manager is horrified. What will happen to the employee? What if others on her team were involved? How could this have happened when he was doing so well?! Why did he have to make such a stupid choice?!! The manager has become virtually frozen by disappointment and disbelief. Hypothetically speaking of course.

Perfect Snowflakes

The dusting of snow falling this morning made me remember the snow we had on Sunday. I don't remember ever seeing such perfect snowflakes! They were like the sort that you cut out of paper when you were a kid, or the kind that your grandma knitted as Christmas ornaments. I kept catching them on my gloves and stopping to look at all the intricate detail. We usually get a variety of flakes from the cotton wool-type clumps to the grainy sand-like bits, but flakes like the ones we saw on Sunday are certainly a rarity. Don't get me wrong, I'll take any kind of snow on offer. If the snow falling right now will only stick around long enough for accumulation, I certainly will not complain.

Year of the Ox

Happy Chinese New Year! According to one story, The Buddha invited all the animals to join him for a party, and twelve of them answered his call. The Chinese zodiac represents the order in which the animals appeared. Having tricked the kind and generous ox, the rat arrived first as they all raced to cross the last river. The poor ox was second, the rooster third, and so on down the line.

Having left the year of the rat behind, we are now entering the year of the ox. According to the Chinese zodiac, ox people are supposed to be "unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint." Unfortunately, many of the predictions, both zodiac and real world, are saying that this will be a year filled with hardships. The good news is that these are supposed to be hardships of the economic, and not personal, kind. Supposedly, the ox's greatest pleasure is spending quiet time at home with family and friends after a good day's work. Maybe this is just the ticket to finding happiness and success in 2009.

Teacher Pride

Many readers know about my "small block" as I often call them. These are the kids who do not meet the legal qualifications for special education, but they are still not quite up to being successful in our fast-paced general education classes. Our former vice principal used to call them her "tweeners" because they just didn't fit in either category. Why are they low performers? Divorce, suicide (parents not there's of course), poverty, and abuse are the usual culprits. It is rare for me to have a kid who isn't impacted by one of those. To meet their needs, my small class was created.

We have few kids (15-20 instead of 30+), we go slowly, and we explain and model everything very carefully. In general, the class is quite successful at keeping these kids from failing language arts and social studies. The challenge for me is to keep myself upbeat as I explain, for the fourth (or fortieth) time today, the definition of a thesis. Sometimes I struggle to keep things light, to keep up hope for them, and to support them as they act out or pull in due to stresses at home. Then, every once in a while, I get a wonderful, heartening moment.

Yesterday we took our novel quiz. Today we discussed the first half of our novel, and I graded the quizzes. It was amazing. The average score on the novel quiz was 32/35. I've used this quiz before with previous classes, so I know this is not just an easy one. I also know this class pretty well now, I've seen a lot of their work, and this is something amazing. They've finally "bought in" to this whole reading thing, and they're actually PAYING ATTENTION!!!


During our discussion we had this exchange:

Me: Okay, so let's think about the characters in this book. What makes them tick? Why do they each do the things they do?

Boy 1: Because they are Confucius?

Me(amazed that he remembers this term from one class and is applying it correctly to another): Confucian? What do you mean by that?

Boy 1: Because Confucian makes them have to behave, so Haoyou has to do what his dad says or what Uncle Bo says no matter what.

Me (floored!): Wow, that's really clever of you. How did you think of that?

Boy 1 (totally nonchalant): Because Haoyou said it himself about needing to be obedent.

Me: Obedient?

Boy 1: Yes, oBEEdeient.

Boy 2: Yeah, they all kind of have to be obedient because that's the rule. Be obedient to your family.

Girl (forgets to raise her hand and blurts out): I think they're all looking for families! That's what they all want.

Me (totally amazed now because our discussions usually consist of one word answers): Families? What do you mean by that?

Girl: They are all missing some family. Like Haoyou misses his dad and the Great Miao is kind of like a dad for him cause he's nice to him and stuff. And Mipeng wants, um (blushing), a new, nice husband.

Boy 1: Yeah, like if you put them all together then they kind of make up a new kind of family. Then they could all be loyal to each other and still be kind of in Confucian.

Me (still floored): Well, um, wow, that's very good everybody. I think you've done a great job summing up the motivation for these characters.

This may seem like a weird kind of blog post to be sharing, but if you knew this class, if you knew how far they'd come from the start of the year, you would be amazed too. They’re thinking, they’re actually thinking! And not just on a purely concrete level! On Monday, when they get their novel quizzes back, they are definitely getting doughnuts.

Good News for Sick Kid!

Yay! Finally some good news for my student who has cancer. Unfortunately, she still has cancer. However, surgeons were able to remove the tumor and it had not moved into the bone! She still has to do a full course of chemo, but then her outlook should be very good. Even though the chemo is very rough, she still wants to come to school, and we end up seeing her 2-3 times per week. She seems tired and wrung out, but she still the same sweet girl as ever. Here's hoping that good luck and modern medicine can help her live to a ripe (and healthy) old age.

A Nod to Non-Believers

Many commentators are saying that Obama's inaugural speech was somewhat lacking. I would have to disagree. True, he did not go for the idealized flights of fancy that characterized some of his more famous speeches, but hey, this is definitely a time for realism. At times it almost seemed like he was taking the country to task for its collective mistakes, and, again, I thought this was very appropriate. I found his speech to be inspiring without sugar-coated any of the facts about our situation.

One portion that particularly pleased me was his mention of religion:

"...for we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus--and non-believers."

Wow! Non-believers! This IS an historical moment. In my 15 years of following politics closely, I don't think I've ever heard non-believers mentioned in any remotely positive context. Talk about being inclusive! Add to this, all his words about returning science to the fore, and I am feeling very optimistic about his platform. Now if we could only make some progress on gay marriage and charter schools...

Oh Frabjous Day! Obama is President!

Callooh! Callay! we chortled in our joy! Obama is safely elected 45th president of the United States! I do not have the proper words (beyond Carroll) to express the amazement, satisfaction, and delight I am feeling right now. What a long strange trip it's been to get us to this point, and this morning was no exception.

This morning, it was still dark as night when I left the house. Fog was rolling over everything, but you could still see a huge bright crescent moon looming overhead. I thought it set a very interesting tone for the rest of the day. When I got to school I discovered there was no heat in my classroom, or in our building as a whole. The gauge in my room read 52 degrees F. It was so cold that the overhead lights were not working properly, and the classroom was left in a sort of dim shadow.

I assumed that the heat would come on eventually, so I went about trying to make sure that the computer/vcr/cable (no, I don't know why it has to be so complicated) connection was working. I wanted to show the kids at least 30 minutes of the event if not more. The media system had other plans though, and I couldn't get anything besides static on the screen. I asked permission to stream it from the internet, but this was denied. It was really looking as though we might not get to watch the inauguration at all. Meanwhile, the heat still was not on, and the bell began to ring.

You would think that a class full of freezing kids would be most concerned about the freezing part, but this was not the case. They were very upset at the thought that they might not get to see the new president! I'm not kidding, this was their main concern, and several of them spent quite a while trying to get the TV to work. We played "Simon Says" to stay warm, and I served hot cocoa in little paper cups. When the game was over, I showed historic photos and info about past inaugurations. Then Ms. S swept into the room. She did not have any students in her room first period, and she wondered if we would like to come and visit? We made the switch in two minutes flat.

Ms. S. already had the TV on when we arrived in her room, and there he was, Barack Obama, larger than life on the big screen. We were enthralled. Most of the students in my low skill block were silent and attentive during the ceremony. This is a pretty impressive performance for a group of students like them. A few boys had some trouble being quiet, but even they settled down when the actual swearing began. We heard Aretha Franklin, we heard Itzak Perlman and Yo Yo Ma (that was the hardest part for the difficult boys), and we watched Obama put his hand on the Lincoln bible and become our new president. The whole scene gave me chills. There was a spontaneous round of applause from all the students.

I told the kids to really pay attention today because this is one moment in history that they will want to remember. I'm hoping that as the next eight years go by, the inauguration of Barack Obama can begin to eclipse 9/11 as the most important historical event in my memory. It all depends on what he does from this day forward. Best of luck Barack.

Happy Birthday MLK

One hopes that most Americans are familiar with the life and work of Martin Luther King jr. At school we are working on an assembly to honor his memory, and to point out that his struggle for justice must continue. Our country has changed quite a bit since his death, but many of the problems he denounced are still with us today. Nevertheless, progress is being made in some areas. On the eve of his assassination in 1968, MLK gave a speech that seemed prophetic:

"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!"

Now I don't want to over-state the situation or anything, but I think maybe I can see a little bit of the promised land coming up over the rise? Yep, that's certainly it. I believe a small, but very important, portion of The Promised Land will be arriving Tuesday at 12pm eastern time. Happy birthday Dr. King.

Happy Baby!

Congrats to our friends J and T who have just become proud parents. Welcome to little baby E who arrived just in time to watch the inauguration. What a joyful and momentous week this will be!

New Teacup Location

My most favorite Seattle tea shop, Teacup, has changed location. Don't worry, the purveyors of fine Dammann Frères teas (and others), have not gone far. They are still located on Queen Anne Avenue North, but now they have moved just up the street to a larger corner location near Safeway. If you've never been, be sure to stop by and sniff some of the many fragrant varieties of loose leaf tea. Then, once you've made your choice, order a cup to go, wrap your hands around the steaming cup, and breath in the happiness.

Sick Kid

At school we just found out that one of our kids has bone cancer. Not just any kid in our school, but one of MY sweet little girls from the morning class. I understand that when you gather a group of 1000 kids, you are bound to have car accidents, suicides, and serious illness (we've had all of those before). However, knowing that never seems to take away the shock. This poor little girl is one of those all-round nice kids who looks after other people and plays beautifully on her cello. Why does this have to happen to her instead of some grumpy grown-up? Sometimes life really is not fair.

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell

Some books are great fun to read, but they don't promote much deep thinking. On more than one occasion, I've picked up a promising-looking book only to discover a vague memory of having read it before. For whatever reason, the story just doesn't stick. This is never the case with books by Malcom Gladwell. His topics always leave me pondering the ideas for months or even years afterwards. His newest book, Outliers, is no exception.

The main theme of this book is success, and it attempts to debunk the myth that some people are successful simply because they are talented. Success, Gladwell claims, is the result of a complex interplay of many factors including natural talent, extensive practice, thorough education, bountiful opportunities, and a healthy dose of luck. Quite the counterpoint to that old story about a person who pulls themselves up by their bootstraps through sheer pluck alone.

One part of the book I found particularly interesting was when he looked at the role of education in success. I won't repeat it all here (you can and should just read the book), but it was so good to hear his opinion that American schools are not, one the whole, total failures. He argues that our education system does, in fact, educate nearly all students (he has the test results to prove it). However, it seems that this learning is often disrupted, disjointed, and ultimately stratified by issues of class, parental style, and social expectations. I could go on and on, but it turns out that Gladwell is a much better writer than I am.

The Precise Art of Taunting

At seven and ten years old, my nieces continue to amaze me on a regular basis. They are so creative and smart (but I'm not biased) that they are always catching me by surprise with one new idea or another. Most of the time this is quite wonderful to behold, but it can, from time to time, get to be kind of annoying too. On a recent road trip, M and I beside ourselves at their latest bit of cleverness.

Sitting in the back seat, they are bored by the four hour car ride. It's dark, so they can no longer read, and we don't have any laptops or dvd players in our car. They are becoming antsy. I try to engage them in word games and "what if" questions, but that only works for so long. Pretty soon they start pestering each other. The subject they argue about is indicative of their ultra-liberal magnate school education (which I love):

Small Niece: I'm making up a religion, and you can't have it. It's a religion about giants (she's done Greek mythology at school)

Elder Niece: Oh yeah, well your religion is stupid!

Small Niece: My religion has giants, and it's the best one.

Elder Niece: Oh yeah, well, I'm not respecting your religion!

Small Niece (incensed): You HAVE to respect my religion!

Elder Niece: NO I DON'T! I'm not respecting it! Ha! Ha!

Me: That's enough

Now you have to repeat that entire conversation from beginning to end about 800 more times. Then change my line to "I SAID BE QUIET RIGHT NOW!!!" (oh my goodness, I sound like my mother). The next part is what makes all this so amazing.

Elder Niece: I'm making up a hand sign that means "I don't respect your religion!"

Small Niece: Oh yeah, well I'm making up a hand sign that means "you can't be in my religion!"

They continued to battle out their fake theological differences (yes, via hand signs) for another hundred miles or so, but at least they were quiet. Who knows, on the next road trip, maybe they can debate the meaning of life using only shadow puppets.

Censorship

When I was very young, I remember the Dr. Seuss book, The Lorax, being banned from our public school library. That story shocks many people because Seuss is such a beloved, and harmless, figure. There is no nudity in Lorax. Nobody curses, no one is murdered, and none of the characters even mentions having two mommies. Nevertheless, after parent complaints, The Lorax was gone.

Why? Because I lived in rural Oregon in the early 1980's. The timber industry was busy shedding jobs, and many logging families (maybe half my little school?) attributed this to liberal forestry policies (hrm let's check, who was president then?). The Lorax included themes about ecological conservation, and this was unacceptable to many parents. Rather than simply preventing their own children from reading the hateful book, these parents felt the need to prevent everybody's children from reading it.

That, to me, is the most amazing thing about censorship. It's not about one person avoiding a certain book. It's not about keeping their child from seeing the book. It's about that person wanting to make this choice for everyone. This reminds me a lot of the gay marriage movement. If you, an individual, don't like gay marriage, then don't have one! Why in the name of everything important do you need to impose that belief on everyone else?

It is amazing that censorship still exists in our country, but it most certainly does. Usually, the excuse for this is to "protect the children." One of my favorite examples of this logic is from a school district in California who, the story goes, handed out copies of Fahrenheit 451 to it's 8th grade English classes. The books had the "naughty" words like "hell" and "damn" blacked out. The main theme of Fahrenheit 451? The horrors of censorship.

Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books in 2000-2007

1 Harry Potter J.K. Rowling
2 Alice series Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3 The Chocolate War Robert Cormier
4 Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck
5 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou
6 Scary Stories Alvin Schwartz
7 Fallen Angels Walter Dean Myers
8 It’s Perfectly Normal Robie Harris
9 And Tango Makes Three Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
10 Captain Underpants Dav Pilkey
11 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain
12 The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison
13 Forever Judy Blume
14 The Color Purple Alice Walker
15 The Perks of Being A Wallflower Stephen Chbosky
16 Killing Mr. Griffin Lois Duncan
17 Go Ask Alice Anonymous
18 King and King Linda de Haan
19 Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
20 Bridge to Terabithia Katherine Paterson
21 The Giver Lois Lowry
22 We All Fall Down Robert Cormier
23 To Kill A Mockingbird Harper Lee`
24 Beloved Toni Morrison
25 The Face on the Milk Carton Caroline Cooney
26 Snow Falling on Cedars David Guterson
27 My Brother Sam Is Dead James Lincoln Collier
28 In the Night Kitchen Maurice Sendak
29 His Dark Materials series Philip Pullman
30 Gossip Girl series Cecily von Ziegesar
31 What My Mother Doesn’t Know Sonya Sones
32 Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging Louise Rennison
33 It’s So Amazing Robie Harris
34 Arming America Michael Bellasiles
35 Kaffir Boy Mark Mathabane
36 Blubber Judy Blume
37 Brave New World Aldous Huxley
38 Athletic Shorts Chris Crutcher
39 Bless Me, Ultima Rudolfo Anaya
40 Life is Funny E.R. Frank
41 Daughters of Eve Lois Duncan
42 Crazy Lady Jane Leslie Conly
43 The Great Gilly Hopkins Katherine Paterson
44 You Hear Me Betsy Franco
45 Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut
46 Whale Talk Chris Crutcher
47 The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby Dav Pilkey
48 The Facts Speak for Themselves Brock Cole
49 The Terrorist Caroline Cooney
50 Mick Harte Was Here Barbara Park
51 Summer of My German Soldier Bette Green
52 The Upstairs Room Johanna Reiss
53 When Dad Killed Mom Julius Lester
54 Blood and Chocolate Annette Curtis Klause
55 The Fighting Ground Avi
56 The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien
57 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Mildred Taylor
58 Fat Kid Rules the World K.L. Going
59 The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things Carolyn Mackler
60 A Time To Kill John Grisham
61 Rainbow Boys Alex Sanchez
62 Olive’s Ocean Kevin Henkes
63 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Ken Kesey
64 A Day No Pigs Would Die Robert Newton Peck
65 Speak Laurie Halse Anderson
66 Always Running Luis Rodriguez
67 Black Boy Richard Wright
68 Julie of the Wolves Jean Craighead George
69 Deal With It! Esther Drill
70 Detour for Emmy Marilyn Reynolds
71 Draw Me A Star Eric Carle
72 Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury
73 Harris and Me Gary Paulsen
74 Junie B. Jones series Barbara Park
75 So Far From the Bamboo Grove Yoko Watkins
76 Song of Solomon Toni Morrison
77 Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes Chris Crutcher
78 What’s Happening to My Body Book Lynda Madaras
79 The Boy Who Lost His Face Louis Sachar
80 The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
81 Anastasia Again! Lois Lowry
82 Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret Judy Blume
83 Bumps In the Night Harry Allard
84 Goosebumps series R.L. Stine
85 Shade’s Children Garth Nix
86 Cut Patricia McCormick
87 Grendel John Gardner
88 The House of Spirits Isabel Allende
89 I Saw Esau Iona Opte
90 Ironman Chris Crutcher
91 The Stupids series Harry Allard
92 Taming the Star Runner S.E. Hinton
93 Then Again, Maybe I Won’t Judy Blume
94 Tiger Eyes Judy Blume
95 Like Water for Chocolate Laura Esquivel
96 Nathan’s Run John Gilstrap
97 Pinkerton, Behave! Steven Kellog
98 Freaky Friday Mary Rodgers
99 Halloween ABC Eve Merriam
100 Heather Has Two Mommies Leslea Newman

Car Buying for M Part 2: Playing the Harpy

A little while after our great test-driving extravaganza, M noticed another Subaru Forester XT in the paper. This one seemed to have all the features he wanted, and the trim package and color were a big improvement over the one we'd previously driven. Add these features to the significantly lower price, and we had to drive out and see what this car was actually like.

That meant a trip to a certain Seattle suburb. This is not a place where we normally spend a lot of time, but we soldiered through the traffic and found our way to the dealership filled with shiny new cars. Of course, we were not actually heading for the new car portion of things; no glossy Toyota showrooms for us. The used cars at this dealership were part of the much smaller, and much more utilitarian, Kia showroom. I warned M in the car that I planned to be the "bad cop," and so I put on my grumpiest face as the lot attendant first approached.

I let M do most of the talking as we were shown to the Subaru in question. Then, once we were on a test drive I started my show. "Why do you need a new car anyway? Your old one is perfectly good!" M almost jumped at my whiney tone and gave me a sidelong glance to check how serious I might be. I did my best to feign total innocence. I went on and on (hopefully not laying it on too thick) about how much the car cost, how we didn't need a new one, how the old one was still good, and how we shouldn't be spending money anyway. By the end, I was "wondering" if the car smelled funny. The very young lot attendant said nothing, but he heard everything I said.

After the test drive, M said he was interested in hearing more about the car, so a meeting was arranged with a more senior car dealer. This person was not immediately available (what a surprise!), so we spent a few minutes cooling our heels among the Kias (motto: crappy but cheap!). Finally, we were ushered to a cubicle festooned with sales award plaques. Clearly the lot attendant had warned his boss about us because the presentation we got was almost entirely directed at me. We heard all about the merits of the new car, the excellent price, the repair record etc. Anything to try and convince us (me) that it was a good buy.

I continued to look grumpy, but when he started talking about price I had my most shining moments acting out my mean wife part. What price did they want for the new car?! No that can't be right?! HOW MUCH?! Then I got to do the same for the proposed value of the old car (I wash shock! Shocked!). By the end of the whole thing, we got very much better prices for both, and I believe I helped out in some small way by playing the harpy.

Yes, yes, I know you may be thinking that we got a good deal because of the bad economy and the lack of car buyers in general. Perhaps I am just flattering myself by saying that my act helped. That may all be true, but I hate the way car dealers play with their "victims" and try every trick to manipulate buyers (one tried to tell my mom that she couldn't even go get lunch if she wanted the price to "stick"). Therefore, it amuses me no end to play with them in just the same fashion. No matter what the real reason, I've checked around, and we did get an incredible deal on that car. The next time you are considering a car purchase, think about pressing a friend or family member into service as your own personal bad cop.

Car Buying for M Part 1: Luxury Cars Disappoint

Not long ago, M decided that it was time for a new car. His old one has done good service low these many years, but it needed expensive repairs, so he decided it was time for something new. Well, not new exactly, but new to us. I'm delighted that M concurs with my belief that a brand new car is rarely worth the premium price. By some estimates, a brand new car loses 20% of its value by driving off the lot. In short, that "new car smell" comes at quite a price. But I digress

M decided to get a new car, but he wanted one that still had the practicality and AWD of his old Subaru. The question was, should he just buy another Subaru, or would it be more interesting to trade to something different? SUV's were right out from the beginning (need I explain?). Audi, Toyota, Volvo, Volkswagen, Infiniti, Saab, and several others have cars that met his criteria, but when we did a Consumer Reports search, some of these makes went out the proverbial window too. It seems that many cars aiming for the luxury AWD market do not fair so well on reliability ratings. With the options somewhat narrowed down, we moved on to my favorite part: the test drive.

The Subaru Impreza STI came first. Heading out, this is the car I thought M would probably buy, but he surprised me. The car is fast and sporty, it corners well, and it has AWD, but it had a turbo lag that wasn't much fun, and it had the curse of all Subaru’s: very poor leg room both front and back (there's also the clutch issue in my mind, but M doesn't seem bothered by that). Thus we walked away from the STI without buying.

Next came the Infiniti G30. Do you remember those Infiniti commercials with Jonathan Price? You know, the ones that are supposed to make you think of Infiniti's as suave and elegant and the epitome of controlled power? Yeah, not so much as it turns out. I really expected something special given the price and the hype, but the best thing I can say for this car is that it sounds really cool when you first turn it on (with a silly push button instead of a key). That throaty purr is not enough to make up for the fact that driving this car is no fun at all. Smooth and powerful sure, but also strangely heavy and unresponsive. I've also come to the conclusion that a tiptronic (at least the ones we drove) is just a fancy/smart automatic. I'll stick with a real manual (at least in cars that are meant to be sporty) thank you.

We declined to drive the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 (which was stupid because it would have been fun to try once) because who wants to look that silly (plus it didn't meet M's criteria). We did not drive the BMW's, Volvos, Mercedes, Lexus, the RX-8 (sob!), the canary yellow Thunderbird or many of the other impractical or unreliable cars they had on that lot (I think maybe gas prices and the economy are helping people shed some of their sillier cars) In fact, by the end of that day, the only real contender on the list was a Subaru Forester XT in a most unlovely shade of brown. We went home without a new car.

On another weekend, we set out again, and this time we headed over to an Audi dealer. I expected the Audi dealership to be a funny place due to the level of snoots often put on by fancy car dealers. However, a very nice, low-pressure sales staff brought out an A4 for us to try. The Audi was certainly better than the Infiniti, but both cars lack the feedback that both M and I enjoy. The designers of these cars seem so focused on giving you a luxurious ride that they remove all "car" (feedback?) from the driving experience. I felt as though I could have been in an armchair watching a movie about driving. No thank you. I was all prepared to talk M down from buying such an expensive car, but I found it entirely unnecessary. Once again, we went home without a new car.

New Year's Resolutions 2009

In 2009 I resolve to:

1. call or get together with at least one friend or family member per week.

2. sit down with each Basic Block student at least once per week.

3. find at least one fun new activity to do with M (get your mind OUT of the gutter Dear Reader!) each month.

4. work on one significant garden project every week from March through October.

5. travel to Pittsburgh, C's birthday, and DISNEYLAND!

6. keep my door closed and my mouth shut at work.

7. write at least five times per week (projects for school, blog entries, letters, etc.).

8. work on one significant house project each week.

9. eat fewer foods that have extra sugar, extra fat, or more than five ingredients.

10. exercise for a total of at least four hours per week.

Goodbye 2008

What a year it's been!

On a national level this has been a very mixed twelve months with many ups and downs. For the first time in a long time, I feel like there might be hope for us as a country. Our economy is in tatters, but at least 50% of the country cared enough to vote for something different. I sincerely hope we're not too late.

Professionally, well, one just keeps on keeping on (if you know what I mean). It's hard to think in calendar years when you're on an academic schedule, but I realized that the whole bad business of the last school year really only happened in spring of 2008. I'm happy to say that things have largely died down. This is partly because feelings have actually cooled, and partly because I avoid putting myself in certain situations and interacting with certain people. Three things I am learning to keep: a low profile, my door closed, and my mouth shut. Work life may not always be this way, and for now at least I have achieved a tenuous peace.

Luckily, at the same time that work has been less than fun, I've had many events at home to be thrilled about. On a personal level it's simply been a wonderful year. Planning our wedding was fantastic, frustrating, exhilarating, and exhausting. Actually having the wedding was pure happiness. Married life has been a very enjoyable experience (oh Costa Rica!), and I'm really looking forward to many more years. One more heartfelt thanks to all our family and friends who've helped us out in so many different ways.

And so goodbye to 2008! I hope your year was at least good and possibly even great. I hope that next year treats you at least as well and possibly even better. New Year’s resolutions to follow in the new year.

Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family near and far. I hope this is a warm and happy day for you, and that you enjoy all sorts of relaxation and fun. We are very much enjoying only the second white Christmas I can remember. The snow is falling heavily again, and I cannot think of a lovelier backdrop for a holiday celebration. Last night, after we ate Christmas Eve dinner, we went saucering in a little basin near our house. Could there be a better way to spend vacation time? I absolutely cannot believe that this is western Washington with all this snow around! Once again, merry Christmas!

Seattle in only 8.5 Hours

'Tis the season to visit out-of-town relatives, so, with my heart in my mouth, we set out on Friday to drive to Oregon. Actually, M did most of the driving, and we were pleasantly surprised to find most of the major roads were not too bad in spite of the snowfall that has blanketed the Seattle area. I think we made the trip in about five hours which is only half an hour longer than normal. We visited family and friends for three days and generally tried not to think too hard about what might be happening at home and in between. Then, yesterday, it was time to return to Seattle.

We set out from Corvallis just before 10am. For the first 30 or 40 miles, things were pretty good. Some light snow was falling, but the road was clear most of the time. Then we came to Salem, and the snowing started in earnest. By the time we came to Portland, you could not see any black on the road, and the traffic was moving at 0-10 miles per hour. Luckily, M really is a good driver (and we were lucky) because we really didn't have any terrifying moments. We saw many terrifying moments happening around us though.

People were slipping all over the place, and we witnessed more than one accident as it happened. We saw a large American car in the ditch with lights on, people sitting inside, and windshield wipers waving. We saw a Jeep that had skidded into a concrete divider, done at least a 180, and ended up facing the wrong way in the "fast" lane. Come to think of it, the worst (in terms of bone-headedness) drivers were all in Jeeps and red Jeeps especially.

One red jeep decided that he didn't want to crawl along in traffic, so he drove between two columns of cars with barely any clearance on either side. He kept having force his way into the row of cars when the gap narrowed, and this caused everyone around him to slam on brakes to avoid him. He ended up driving on the shoulder as well. Another red Jeep decided to bunny hop the traffic until he nearly got creamed by a semi that couldn't stop.

Snow seems to bring out the best and the worst in the average driver. Subaru drivers tend to be more sensible (I know I'm biased) even though they have better traction than most. The key to driving in this kind of weather seems to be remembering that ice is ice no matter what kind of car you're driving. A really thick, slippery patch of ice will cause ANY car, with ANY tires to slip. Besides, even if you are the world's best driver in the world's best car, you cannot control the people around you. Therefore, you still have drive with caution and not behave like a stupid wally (as M would say).

Anyway, we made it home safe, and the only bit of road that was too much for the Subaru was our own driveway. She got stuck half way up in the deep snow. Luckily, my experience with owning a silly, rear-wheel drive car stood me in good stead because I remembered how you can create traction by raking the snow into roughness. Sure enough, the car went up just fine after that. Only 8.5 hours to get home, and we are very glad to be here safe and sound.

Wal-Mart Sucks Again

I have never been a fan of Wal-Mart. In fact, I've refused to shop there for many years based on their terrible record on labor policies, censorship, and attempted refusal to sell birth control products. Now, it seems, there is another reason to hate them, and it's nothing you could possibly have imagined.

It seems that a lovely couple from New Jersey decided (a few years ago) to name their child Adolph Hitler (plus a last name). The father is a fan of Nazism and thinks the SS were a bunch of pretty cool guys. This poor child even has a sister named Jocelyn Aryan Nation. Now this part is not news. Whack jobs inflict horrible things on their children all the time, and I can only hope that poor little Adolph and Jocelyn grow up to think differently than their parents.

The story here is about little Adolph's birthday cake. The whack job went to several cake shops trying to get somebody to write "Happy Birthday Adolph Hitler" on a birthday cake. I'm glad to say that he was refused more than once, and has complained mightily about the "discrimination" against his son. Again, there's nothing much you can do to combat this kind of whack job (freedom of speech and all) except to socially isolate them for their unacceptable beliefs.

However, even social isolation eventually fell apart when Mr. Whack found a bakery to make his chosen cake. What bakery would agree to write that on a cake? You guessed it: the accommodating bakery was found in a Pennsylvania Wal-Mart. Thank you, Wal-Mart, for once again confirming my belief that you suck.

Oh Happy, Snowy Day!

11pm (last night) --- there was no snow on the ground, and no news of any school delays. It seemed that the weather people were in need of firing as their "100% chance of snow" turned out to be nothing at all.

5am (this morning) --- I happened to wake up (you never sleep soundly on a potential snow day) and look out the window. Only a tiny dusting of snow. I also looked at the district website, and found no news of delays.

5:30am --- The call from the phone tree assured me that we would, in fact, have a two-hour delay. Looking out the window there was a little more snow, but nothing that would make much of an impact.

6:20am --- Another call from the phone tree, and we were cancelled for the day. Looking out the window this time, and it was easy to see why they made the call.

10:21am --- I'm still in my jammies, and a beautiful winter scene is playing out outside the window. The snow is probably up to about 2 or 3 inches, and it is still falling thick and fast. The tiny, grainy flakes we had earlier have given way to fatter, fluffier ones, and my desire for real winter weather is slaked at last. After finishing my leisurely tea and blogging session, I think I will put on my marshmallow coat, and go for a walk to enjoy the scenery. All those prayers to the gods of winter must not have gone unheard after all.

PNW is COLD!

For those few readers not currently experiencing the deep freeze, the Pacific NW is having a little bit of a cold spell right now. Low temperatures in our greater Seattle area were in the low teens last night, and it is not expected to get much above 25 (or so) today. There is a dusting of snow on the ground in many areas, and it has taken on that glittery quality that only comes from frost after snow. The snow and ice hit is a very strange pattern, so we, up on our hill, have less snow and ice than some lower-lying places. While many of the roads are bare and dry, some are slick with compacted snow and ice. Parking lots, tiny side roads, and driveways are often the worst part of a given trip.

A two-hour delay from school was most welcome this morning since it allowed the sun to rise and shed some light on the patches of ice. At least it is very clear and sunny, so the picture outside the window is absolutely beautiful. However, I'm not sure how many people will actually be going out to enjoy the sun given the extremely low temperatures. The children are strangely calm as they wait to hear what will come out of the sky next. Some weather reports are saying there won't be a day above freezing for the next two weeks. Other reports suggest two days of snow later this week. One thing is certain, it will not be business as usual for the last week of school in 2008.

Twilight Movie Review

I've been so remiss! It's been weeks and I've forgotten to actually do this review. Since so many people have reviewed it already, it seems kind of pointless to go into details. Suffice it to say, I liked the movie version quite a lot, but still not as much as I loved the book. I AM one of those fans (hopefully a not-too-crazy one) who actually enjoyed the thing. I've had a great time watching my non-believer friends and family fall under the Cullen/Swan spell. Even some people who were DETERMINED not to like the story.

Things I did not enjoy were the soundtrack (in my head this is mostly a quiet story), the casting of Charlie (waaay too young) the casting of Rosalie (waaay to old) and the hair and makeup done on Carlisle (waaay too laughable). Nevertheless, the faithfulness to the original story impressed me, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the next movie come out in a couple of years.

I Like Tofurky

I actually do. I have no idea if it resembles turkey or not, and I really do not care in the slightest either way. I enjoy Tofurkey because it is warm and fragrant and it tastes nice on my tongue. My consumption of Tofurkey is is no way meant to:

-make a political, religious, or environmental statement

-make a judgement about what you are eating

-create a talking point about why I'm a vegetarian

-cause you to change the way you eat

-attack the meaning or historical significance of the day

In short, it's just shouldn't be that big a deal. Think of it as me choosing the peas instead of the green beans or the apple pie instead of the pumpkin. Or better yet, just don't think about it at all. It really isn't any of your business anyway. If you would like to ask a few polite questions, that's fine. However, don't view that as an opportunity to then explain "your side" about how awful, disgusting, or unnatural you think it is. You wouldn't come to my house and tell me I had terrible taste in furniture/pets/dishes/fashion/cars/husbands, so why would you think it was okay to malign my choice of food? Do us all a favor this holiday season and SAVE IT. Thank You.

Sincerely,

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Vegetarians (SPCV)

Why Obama Makes Some Women Lactate

How often do I start a post by saying "Slate has this fascinating article..."? Well, there's no change in the routine today. Be warned, this time I'm taking on complicated (but really interesting) science content. It may not seem like hard science at first, but I promise you that it is. Science people, please do feel free correct anything you see amiss.

Slate does indeed have a great article about the famous Obama charm. Much has been made of the immense power he has over all types of people, and he's been called a thesaurus-full of words describing charisma. In this article Emily Yoffe explores the idea that Obama taps into a previously unrealized emotion called elevation. This emotion, to paraphrase deeply, causes people to feel uplifted, hopeful, and elated. It makes people feel connected to the object of their "elevation" and many people even feel "spreading warmth" their chests. In other words, you just can't seem to get enough of this person.

Doesn't this all sound kind of familiar? Wasn't there already an emotion like this? Wait, wait, it will come to me! Oh yes, I think that hopeful, elated, oooey gooey warm, connected feeling used to be called love! Yes love. Does this mean that people are in love with Obama? Millions of heterosexual male Obama fans might not like that idea very much. Perhaps it is too simplistic to say that people are in love with him. After all, there are many different kinds of love.

One of the studies mentioned in the article consisted of taking a large group of women with babies, and showing them a video. Half the women got to watch Obama, while the other half watched something else. Of those who watched Obama, a large portion suddenly felt the urge to nurse their babies. Why? The study's authors believe it's because the women experienced an increase in their oxytocin levels when they watched Obama speak.

Oxytocin is, of course, that chemical our brain produces when it want us to feel connected to someone be it a new baby, a new boyfriend, or even a president-elect. Perhaps it's not just that we love Obama, but that we have NEW love for him. You know this feeling. When our unconscious brain feels a need for a strong connection with another person, it feeds us large quantities of oxytocin (potent happy drugs) to make us seek out and maintain that relationship. Viola! Warm fuzzies whenever we see the object of our affection.

This all raises so many questions. The first has to be: why Obama? What is it about him that causes us to feel such "elevation" for him? Do our unconscious brains know something that we don't? Is he somehow gaming our natural systems to make us feel that he is deserving of an oxytocin benefit? Then there's the somewhat scary reality. Most of what I've read about the natural high of new love says that most humans have a "four year itch" where the happy drugs usually peter out.

If this is all true, what does this mean for Obama's chances for re-election in 2012? Perhaps, by that time, we will have learned to love him for himself alone. To ensure a successful re-election bid, maybe he should institute a policy of throwing his socks in the hamper, putting down the toilet seat, and being nice to our mothers.

Back to Normal Chaos

Okay, grades are posted, and all the aftermath has more or less settled. We also have most things about the new tri., such as seating charts, schedules, and expectations, worked out as well. Therefore, I'm starting to feel a little more normal. Of course it is the holiday season is also upon us, but that is mostly just fun. Now I intend to get back on the blogging bandwagon.

Digital Dog

I found this great quote online today:

from Quotes of the Day
"Home computers are being called upon to perform many new functions, including the consumption of homework formerly eaten by the dog." (Doug Larson)


It made me think of this excuse note that I received from a parent explaining why the kid could not turn in her homework:

Dear Mrs. Nitwit (not my real name ;)

Prudence (not her real name) will not be able to turn in her essay today because she was unable to print. It seems that my husband had a problem yesterday, and he couldn't get it up again until this morning.

Sincerely, Mrs. Patience

I showed this note all around school and found it to be an excellent judge of personality type. Some crack up with instantly while others simply stand there waiting for the punch line. One person went so far as to say "you actually find this amusing?" Needless to say, this guy could have opened soda bottles with his bottom.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mom's 55th birthday. It is such a nice thing to have a mom; not everyone does, and I know I'm very lucky. It's an even better thing to have a wonderful, caring, kind mom. It's the absolute best to have a wonderful, caring, kind mom who is also young and fit and active. Given all this, my brothers and I are fortunate indeed. Happy birthday Mom!

End of Tri Madness

There are a few times of the school year when we all go crazy. The kids tend to lose their minds when we are just about to go on vacation, when we are having a social, or when one of our sports teams has a big game. Teachers, on the other hand, tend to go crazy just before grades are due. Yesterday was the last day of the trimester, and all through the school the teachers are glued to their desks and computers. Depending on when you cut off work (refuse to take any more assignments) you may be more or less pressed right at this moment. One way or another, all teachers must finish their grades within one week. Every spare moment goes to grading the last papers, entering comment codes, and negotiating the intricacies of posting grades in our fun, fun online system. Wish me luck.

Twilight Movie Reviews

I'm busy falling all over myself with the hilarity of the movie reviews I've been reading today. Everyone has a review of Twilight out right now, and they ALL seem to miss the point. Okay, maybe not ALL of them, but such a significant portion as to be funny. Many of these people talk about how the movie sucks because it totally fails to be a horror movie. Um hello? Horror movie? Are we really so limited as to think that all movies with spooks have to be horror? Many of these reviewers even go so far as to suggest an alternative title with the proper amount of "thrills and chills."

The Slate reviewer admits that she could never actually make it through the book, but she thinks the movie is probably pretty much the same (well how exactly would you know that?). Another group slams the movie for being too complicated and subtle to appeal to children! Children?! Who said anything about taking kids? I wouldn't expect The Nieces to enjoy something like this, and I wouldn't try to make them.

It is almost as if some of the reviewers had already made up their minds to hate this movie before they actually went to the show. Afterwards, they cast around for some reason to throw out there to account for the negative review. I am strongly reminded of the Harry Potter haters who, when you pinned them down, admitted they’d never actually cracked a book!

Why do the self-appointed keepers of popular culture insist on dismissing and misinterpreting anything they deem immature? God forbid we should actually like something that is intended for YOUNG PEOPLE! Eww what an icky thought! That might harm our credibility as SERIOUS and GROWN UP people. Gah! What about trying to judge the thing based on its merits?

Happy Thanksgiving 2008

I feel like I've already celebrated this holiday in a major way by not getting out of bed at 6am. I am EVER so thankful for sleeping in. Now I'm looking forward to a day of cooking with M, visiting with family and friends, and tucking into a delicious dinner. Whatever you're doing today, I hope it is equally warm and satisfying. Now go enjoy your seethed lobsters and boiled eels! Again, Happy Thanksgiving!

The First Thanksgiving Part 3

From all the bounty described by Edward Winslow, it seems likely that the colonists were able to pick and choose the menu for their Thanksgiving day feast. However, not all items on our modern table were available at the time (cranberries for example). In addition, tastes have changed a great deal over the years, and not everything that we enjoy was considered good food at the time. Historians believe that the actual menu in 1621 looked quite a bit like this:


Seethed [boiled] Lobster (not considered particularly ritzy at the time)

Roasted Goose

Boiled Turkey (boiled?! boiling meat was a very common cooking method)

Fricase of Coney

Pudding of Indian Corn Meal with dried Whortleberries (yeah, I'd never heard of them either)

Seethed Cod

Roasted Duck

Stewed Pumpkin (the open-faced pie was not a common cooking method of the time)

Roasted Venison with Mustard Sauce

Savory Pudding of Hominy (Hominy is corn that has been soaked in lye until the flavor is gone)

Fruit and Holland Cheese

The First Thanksgiving Part 2

After explaining the reason for the Thanksgiving day feast, Edward Winslow went on to sing the praises of the colony in general. He may have been writing party for the benefit of the colonial investors back in the old world, but his beautiful description must have been for family and friends as well. In summing up the value and assets of a business, very few modern businessmen would have done as much. I particularly love the discussion of the roses:

Our bay is full of lobsters all the summer and affordeth variety of other fish; in September we can take a hogshead of eels in a night, with small labor, and can dig them out of their beds all the winter. We have mussels ... at our doors. Oysters we have none near, but we can have them brought by the Indians when we will; all the spring-time the earth sendeth forth naturally very good sallet herbs. Here are grapes, white and red, and very sweet and strong also. Strawberries, gooseberries, raspas, etc. Plums of tree sorts, with black and red, being almost as good as a damson; abundance of roses, white, red, and damask; single, but very sweet indeed… These things I thought good to let you understand, being the truth of things as near as I could experimentally take knowledge of, and that you might on our behalf give God thanks who hath dealt so favorably with us.

The First Thanksgiving Part 1

I've been doing a little research about the first Thanksgiving for a lesson I'm teaching, and I thought it might be fun to share a few details.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated on December 12th, 1621 in Plymouth Colony. The reason for the feast was two-fold. The last of the colony's harvests had just come in, and for the first time, the often starving colonists felt that they had a bounty. The second reason was a visit from "King" Massasoit, an important leader of a nearby native tribe. A colonist named Edward Winslow reported on the feast:

Our corn [i.e. wheat] did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, .... Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.

Thankful

In honor of the season (and the fact that we need to consider how ridiculously over-privileged we are) my class is working on something we are calling The Thankful Project. Each kid is making a list of 100 things, big and small, for which they are thankful. We are comparing and contrasting our lists, and we are going to look at how many of the things we really appreciate are material goods. We are also going to create a list of things that a person living in poverty might include. In the end, the lists will be posted in the hallway, and the kids will take home a copy of their won list to share with family on Thanksgiving Day. If you would like to contribute a list of your own (it doesn't have to be even close to 100) I will include it in the lesson. Resist the urge to be facetious.

My List:


100 Big and Small Things for Which I Am Thankful
(in no particular order)


1. Hot Cocoa
2. A Great Book
3. Autumn Leaves
4. Spring Flowers
5. Blue Jeans
6. My Husband
7. Thai Food
8. The Right To Vote
9. A Great Movie
10. My Parents
11. Fresh Summer Tomatoes
12. Flannel PJ’s
13. Honey
14. The Symphony
15. My School
16. Great Friends
17. Sweet Crisp Apples
18. My Aunties
19. Singing
20. Cars
21. Newspapers
22. Horses
23. My Nieces
24. A Good Joke
25. Candy Corn
26. Fresh-Cut Grass
27. My Brothers
28. Christmas
29. My Garden
30. A Fire in the Fireplace
31. Word Games
32. Backyard BBQ
33. Sweet Tea
34. Hiking
35. Airplanes
36. Mt. Rainier
37. Pumpkins
38. Hammocks
39. Pets
40. Good Health
41. Snowflakes
42. Snow Days
43. My Music
44. Cooking
45. Clean Water
46. Sitting After a Long Day
47. My Computer
48. Forests
49. American Democracy
50. American Liberties
51. Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate
52. Stars
53. Soft Slippers
54. Friday Night
55. Ripe Peaches
56. Central Heating
57. Dinner with Friends
58. Sunshine, Sunshine, Sunshine
59. Camping
60. Grilled Cheese
61. Rivers
62. Shopping
63. Ducks
64. Friendly Email
65. Nature
66. Roses
67. Fireworks
68. Sunday Brunch
69. Ice Skating
70. Poetry
71. Olives
72. A Nice Hot Bath
73. Photographs
74. Safety
75. Baseball Games
76. Parties
77. The Dishwasher
78. The Washer and Dryer
79. Plays
80. Seattle
81. Basketball in the Park
82. Baking
83. The Pacific NW
84. Farmers’ Markets
85. Cozy Sweaters
86. Thunder
87. Lightening
88. Picnics
89. Ferries
90. Holidays
91. Jazz
92. Indian Food
93. Dancing
94. Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
95. The Beach
96. Snowshoeing
97. Travel to Other Lands
98. Writing
99. Friendly Dogs
100. Sleeping

Happy Birthday M!

A very warm and happy birthday to MY "dear and loving husband" who is definitely worth more than whole mines of gold.

To My Dear and Loving Husband

by Anne Bradstreet

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay;
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let's so persever,
That when we live no more we may live ever.

Stephenie Meyers' Twilight Series Part 2

Oh yes, the second reason I love Twilight? It's entirely selfish. These books are just plain fun to read! As I mentioned earlier, the characters are so well done, that you really do find yourself caring about them. I am also a sucker(har!) for a first person narrative story with excellent voice. Bella and Edward are the perfect star-crossed lovers, but they manage to be interesting long past the point of standard teen romance. Meyers also manages to confront some very serious themes, such as divorce, family connections, suicide and depression, and teenage alienation, all through the lens of this very unsual relationship.

In the end, I would recommend the first book in this series to nearly everyone (okay, to be fair, to nearly all women and older girls). For the adult reader, it takes just a couple days to finish the novel, and it is such a fun ride that you won't have time to worry about whether it represents highbrow or low. If you are still concered about looking silly being seen with the now famous cover, grab this for a plane ride, and tell everyone around you that your niece is making you read it.

Stephenie Meyers' Twilight Series Part 1

There are so many reviews and so much discussion out there of the Twilight series, but I just had to get in my two cents in case you'd written them off as pap for the very young. Actually, you're not entirely wrong, there is something a little bit pap-ish about them. They are certainly not the highest form of literature ever to grace the shelves. However, the good qualities of these books far outweigh the bad, and I must confess that I love them for two reasons.

First, I am thankful to Stephenie Meyers for writing on a level that works for such a wide array of kids. Her situations and settings may sometimes be a touch simplistic, but her characters are so beautifully drawn that readers really start to care what happens to them. This is another wonderful phenomenon, like Harry Potter, where I am seeing huge numbers of kids being hooked into reading by these books. Many kids, both good readers and poor, are telling me that these were the first books they ever read where they stopped noticing how many pages or minutes went by.

One little girl told me that it used to take her two weeks to read a short (roughly 150 page) book. She wasn't so sure about reading Twilight because it is so long (498 pages), but she was actually able to read it over a long weekend. She only stopped reading when her eyes were starting to hurt. When we had our booktalk about her reading, it was clear that her quick read had not hurt her comprehension in the slightest. That's a pretty engaging book if you ask me. She's also gone on to read the other three monster books in this series.

Success like this is invaluable to a struggling reader. Looking at a shelf full of big books, and knowing that YOU actually read, understood, and even enjoyed them is a huge thing for many of my kids. Lest you worry, I am happy to report that when this girl finished with Edward and Bella, she went on to read other books and series. This to me is the whole point of YA literature. If a kid happens accross just the right book at just the right time, it can mean a lifelong change in attitude towards books and reading. The trick is to keep exposing kids to different kids of books in hopes of hitting on that magic one.

Men and Their Small Devices

What is it about men and small electronics? Women are constantly accused of being shopping crazy, but take a guy into an electronics department, and he becomes a demon. Scads of men lined up and waited for hours when a certain new uber phone was released. Newly available applications are rigorously reviewed, and some men even pay large sums for applications that add no practical value to the actual device (green glowy gem anyone?). What is so absorbing about staring at that tiny screen?

Many men appear to think about their devices almost constantly. They caress them, play with them under the table, worry about their health, buy cases and decorations for them, and some even have them engraved. Then there is the urge to compare. When two device-owning males get together, they immediately begin competing to see whose is more powerful. If social convention would allow it, I think men would be playing with their devices 24/7 and in all situations. It seems that if the device-loving man doesn't get some quality time with his "little friend" every day, he gets very grumpy indeed.

I'm sure you've had experience with all this. You may have heard stories about men like this, you may have met a man or two who fits the profile, or you may even have a man in your life who's fallen victim to the scourge of small device envy. Precious hours of your relationship/marriage may have been purloined by these tiny devils that hold such captivating power over our men.

What can be done? Not a whole heck of a lot in my experience. If you are lucky enough to have a device-free male, thank you lucky stars, and try to ensure that he stays away from those already infected. The spread of this crisis is rampant because there is nothing the device lover enjoys more than showing off his special tool.

Best Seattle Florist: Fena Floral

Fena Floral did our wedding a few months ago, and I was deeply impressed by their work. In fact, of all our wedding vendors, Fena was the most impressive. When I met with them, they did the perfect balancing act of helping me figure out exactly what I wanted without forcing their opinions on me. They did a wide variety of different items for me from the bridal bouquet to the alter decorations and the rose petals for the flower girls, and every single one of these items was better than I imagined. Added to all that is the fact that their bid for our wedding came in well under budget, and it was truly a great experience. I would absolutely recommend them to anyone who needs a florist.

Best Seattle DJ: Bamboo Beats

Originally, I didn't even want to have a DJ at our wedding. My experience with wedding DJ's usually went from the moderately cheesy to the downright embarrassing. However, my fiancé was determined, so a DJ we had to have. Fortunately for us, we ended up with the DJ services of Bamboo Beats. I was so pleasantly surprised by their work, that I had to let other people know about them.

The first thing you notice about the Dyckhoff's (yes, there are two of them) is that they really want to know about you and what kind of music/presentation you would like. Our wedding was fun and romantic, and they absolutely worked to create that feel in both the music and the announcements. They also did a great job of noticing the mood of the crowd and modifying the music to fit.

Last, but not least, the part where there are two of them was invaluable to our event. Having two people meant that one could actually play the music while the other helped keep people organized and made sure that everything ran smoothly. These DJ's even pitched in when they saw a need. From comforting flower girls to smoothing the aisle runner, they were very helpful all around. Bamboo beats doesn't just play the music, they also help your whole wedding to run more smoothly. Thanks very much to DJ Tecumseh and Johanna!

Best Seattle Caterer: Ravishing Radish

The backbone of our July '08 wedding was Ravishing Radish catering. This company was one I remembered from a wedding I attended years ago, and I was very pleased to find them still in business when our time came. While "Radish" may not be the bargain basement cheapest of the catering bunch, the little bit of extra cost is entirely worthwhile in my mind. They were very professional, helped us to choose exactly what we wanted, and they did a great job of actually managing our event on the "day of."

We found the quality of the food to be very good, and if you're still not sure about that, be sure to visit one of their tasting parties. We were also very pleased to discover that the Ravishing Radish chef was able and willing to create lovely vegetarian dishes for half our guests. Even better than the food, though, was the way Junko and the other servers managed our event. They were willing to help out with all sorts of tasks from arranging tables to positioning the cake and creating beautiful centerpieces. Having such well-rounded team meant that we did not have to worry so much about every little detail. I would highly recommend Ravishing Radish for any type of event.

Reviewing Wedding Vendors

I've been meaning to do this for the longest time!

When M and I were planning our wedding, I used a number of different methods for choosing our vendors. Firsthand recommendations were my favorite, but in the absence of those, I often did some web searching to see what strangers had to say. I found that some long-lived businesses with thousands of past customers still had no feedback either on Yelp, Citysearch, etc, or on a simple google search. I was very surprised by this, so I vowed to write a few for the best of our vendors. If you are a friend or family member who attended the wedding, the next few posts will be really boring, but it's all for the greater good (if you know what I mean).

Obama Wasn't the Only One

While Barak Obama's victory was certainly the most exciting part about the election, there were a number of other positive results as well. Christine Gregoire is still governor of Washington. While I don't have any really wonderful associations with her, I don't find any faults with her work either. She certainly represents policy perspectives that are much more in line with my beliefs than those of Dino Rossi.

Also, in news that was nearly ignored by much of our state, Randy Dorn appears to have won the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction. I am really very excited about this victory. Like Obama, Dorn is taking charge at a time when it will be tough just to do business as normal. However, I'm really hoping he will make some progress on a few of the more annoying issues that face education in Washington State. Canning or reducing the WASL and the Pro Cert, for example, would actually be a way to SAVE money, and I think he should get to work on that one right away.

Thanks very much to those of you who supported Dorn!

A Good Day

The sky is like a heavy wool blanket, and the rain has been pouring down for two days now. Nevertheless, this is a very good day. Here are a few of the reasons in no particular order:

1. At school we all attended the Veterans Day assembly, and the kids actually sat and listened in polite silence for ALMOST the whole time.

2. We got to sing at the assembly.

3. It's Friday!

4. I get to go on a mini road trip with my Very Superior Husband (more on the VSH label later).

5. The autumn leaves are even more beautiful against the gray sky.

6. I get to have a lovely, sweet, steaming mug of tea this afternoon since I don't have to go to bed early (I know, this seems pitiful, but it means something to me.)

7. All the make-up wedding china arrived without a single broken piece.

8. Everybody in my family is gainfully employed.

9. I get to have dinner with my Aunties this weekend.

10. Pretty soon I won't have to hear Bush's awful voice or see his picture anymore.

11. Democrats control Congress!

12. Democrats control the Senate!

13. There's about to be a Democratic president in the White House!

14. The country cannot be quite a racist as I had feared.

15. The Nieces are coming along on the road trip!

The Perfect Quote

My elder brother had this quote tagged to his messages yesterday, and I it is certainly worth repeating:

"Today we may say aloud before an awe-struck world: 'We are still masters of our fate. We are still captain of our souls." -Churchill

Obama Wins!

And there was great rejoicing! That screaming you can hear in the background is millions of Democrats engaging in the the kind of jubilation that hasn't been seen in, hmm, maybe ever. This is truly a historic day when the United States of America is not just able, but very enthusiastic, about electing an African-American president. It took a situation as bad as the one we're in right now to get people to sit up and take notice, but notice they finally did.

A part of me has been living in the proverbial darkness for eight long years, and it feels unbelieveably good to come back out into the sunlight. Of course there will be challenges, of course he (and they) will make mistakes, of course the situation out there is absolutely grave, but at least we now have some chance of seeing positive outcomes. Republican leadership has literally run this country into the ground over the last eight years, and it is now time to try and repair the damage. Hopefully Barak Obama is feeling up to a challenge. Hooray!

Vote Now!

I know many readers are out of state and many more have already voted. However, if you're in Washington, and you still plan to vote at the polls today, you should get out there and do it now. My school is a polling place, and when I arrived at 6:45 this morning, it was a madhouse. In all the elections I've seen here (this is my third presidential) it's never been like this. The parking lots were overflowing, and people were parking on sidewalks and bus lanes.

However, those must have been the people rushing to make it to work. Right now, the voters are coming and going at a steady clip, but the lines are not bad at all. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that no one is waiting more than 15 or 20 minutes. Nevertheless, I plan to flee by 3pm to avoid the post-work rush. If you're thinking of leaving work at 5pm and heading down to the polls, be sure you bring your dinner and a book because this could get ugly.

The political science part of me is still happy to see this happen. Granted, it took both national and international calamity to get people to sit up and take notice, but still it's good to have so many voters involved. Perhaps if more lazy liberals had done something last time, we wouldn't be in this mess now. Happy voting!

Vote for Dorn

One last minutes election plea. I'm sure you've made up your own mind about most of the ballot you're likely to face tomorrow. However, there are often those odd offices where you might feel that there isn't very much information from which to decide. If this is the case with Superintendent of Public Instruction, please choose Randy Dorn as your candidate. The incumbent, Terry Bergeson, is responsible for a number of problems in Washington education, including the ever- expanding WASL test and the Professional Certification Program for teachers. Having firsthand experience with both, I am enthusiastically voting for Randy Dorn who promises to change both of these issues and a hundred others in our state.

Happy Halloween 2008!

Happy Halloween! I hope your costume is a good one, all the spirits and teenagers leave you alone, and you don't get any stupid health foods in the bottom of your trick-or-treat bag.

Yesterday, in honor of the holiday, NPR had a wonderful story about 2nd graders who learned a portion of the "Three Witches" poem from MacBeth. They especially enjoyed the poem because you just HAVE to use a scary voice when you read it out loud. It was incredibly cute.


Macbeth, Act IV, Scene I [Round about the cauldron go]

by William Shakespeare
The three witches, casting a spell

Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison’d entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights hast thirty one
Swelter’d venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i’ the charmed pot.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting,
Lizard’s leg, and howlet’s wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witches’ mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg’d i’ the dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse,
Nose of Turk, and Tartar’s lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver’d by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron,
For the ingredients of our cauldron.

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Happiness is...

Going out to Indian buffet lunch with a big family group. As the nan and samosas are being passed back and forth, to have Elder Niece decide that we need a more stimulating (to her) topic of conversation. What is one of Elder Nieces top favorite topics? Books! She directed each person to tell our top three favorite books (or series) of all time. We complained that this was too hard since there are so many good ones out there, but she would have none of it.

She picked Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, and The Lord of the Rings. I almost lost my composure (which would have horrified her) I was so delighted. I don't know if those are my favorites of all time, but they are certainly up there among my top picks. This must be what it is like for an evangelical Christian to hear their niece or nephew start spouting the bible. Of course, this virtually guarantees that my own children will be obsessed with sports or fishing or something of the sort.

Hindu Sweets

Recently, in my class, we did our annual study of comparative religion. Since the state changed the curriculum a few years ago, we no longer have much time to devote to the five major religions (chosen by number of followers). Therefore, we are forced to spend just one day on each.

We find that even this small amount of time gives kids enough perspective to better understand the history we are trying to teach. We also find that by teaching religions up front, we get less complaining (but that's another blog post) when the subject comes up in our history lessons.

Anyhow, we were about half way through our week of religions when we came to our study of Hinduism. A significant part of our lesson is a short video featuring young people talking about their religious beliefs and traditions. We saw the festival of Divali in particular including all the lights and a table full of sweets. After the video was over, we discussed it as a group.

Someone mentioned the sweets and I said "Oh yes, Indian sweets are wonderful, and I'll have to visit the Indian bakery and bring some in sometime." Now sitting in the front row of this class is a little girl who had not yet spoken. In fact, she has not done much speaking since the school year began. However, when she heard me say this, she raised her hand and said in her sweet Indian accent "Mrs. X! Mrs. X! I am a Hindu! I have sweets!"

It turns out that she is very excited to share some of her culture with her classmates in the form of goodies. It also turns out that her mom is a very talented cook. We then discussed a time when she might be allowed to bring in such goodies. Not to be outdone, three of the Jewish students (there are several) also piped up to talk about religiously-themed sweets.

In very short order, we had organized a class "culture" day where anyone can bring a food that is somehow tied to their heritage or religion. Nothing too perishable of course (cookies? yes beef dumplings? not so much). I'm lucky that my school doesn't have a "no home-cooked food" rule. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Voting Grumpiness

All this has happened before, and it seems that now it's all happening again. The subject is voting. Once before, when I lived in Oregon, I had to watch my beloved right to vote at the polls go away. The last couple of elections before I moved away, we all got ballots in the mail. It felt like filling out a customer service questionnaire instead of participating in the democratic process. The state saved a little money (it really wasn't that much) and gave up a fair portion of voter anonymity and security. In addition, citizens are robbed of that one remaining civic activity that tied them to their community. Can you tell I don't approve of vote-by-mail?

Therefore, I was incredibly grumpy when a ballot measure similar to the Oregon law passed (I voted against it, but with no luck) in Washington state. Fortunately, the office of elections was unable (for several years) to ready itself for mail elections, and so we were saved. If they are to be believed, the election of 2008 will be the last polling place election in Washington State. Ever after, we will all have those awful mail-in ballots. Aw well, I thought to myself, at least we get to vote properly one more time. I was particularly happy that we would get to do things the traditional way for this, an historic presidential election.

Imagine my surprise, and displeasure, when I received a mail-in ballot at my house. I checked my voter status online, and found that I was listed as a permanent absentee. This was news to me since I'd never filled out the paperwork or checked the box for absentee. Calling the office of elections, I discovered the problem. Since all people will be mail-in soon, the elections people have decided to force some people to make the switch early. How did I have the fortune of being one of their victims? I had the temerity to change my name.

In fact, any kind of change to your voter information automatically tripped this switch. The helpful elections person on the phone informed me that there was no way to put me back on the rolls of poll voters. If I really wanted, I was welcome to drive down to my polling place with my ballot and fill it out in a little booth. Of course, I still can't put it into the machine because they expect mine to come in an envelope with my signature. Gah! They are missing the point! I might as well go into my garage, get out a cardboard box, and put in head in it while I mark my ballot.

It makes me sad to think that I won't get to take my children to vote with me the way my parents took me. I clearly remember the excitement of going to the public school with my mom, getting a look at the all important ballot, and squeezing into the little booth with her as she made her choices. It was the first time I ever thought about what it meant to be a citizen. Sometimes symbolic actions are important to remind people that they are part of something greater than themselves. So I'll mark my ballot, I'll sign my name, and I'll put the thing in the post box with my fingers crossed. However, I can't help feeling like we've lost something here.