That's a Wrap

Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November

all the rest have thirty one

except February blah blah blah I don't remember the end of this poem.

And so, it's day thirty of the month of November, and National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) is drawing to an end.  I wondered at the beginning of the month if I'd be able to gut this out.  Certainly there are many people who write far more than I do: National NOVEL writing month (NaNoWriMo) also takes place during the month of November, and I know someone who actually completed the task!  Mad props to those folks, but for me, a sixty hour work weeks combined with a senior in high school is not a successful recipe for penning a novel.  In fact, I think it's the precise recipe for Mince Pie face.  My writing tends to start after 10pm, and usually after 11pm, and I'm not exaggerating when I tell you if November was also National Nodding Off At Your Desk Month (NaNodOffAtYoDeskMo) I'd win a shiny banner for that one as well.

But I'm glad I did several more laps at the Tuna News.  Part of me truly missed it.  Part of me felt guilty every time I fired up my web browser, because The Tuna News is my homepage, and I've been staring at last winter's socks for the past 11 months.  Part of me worried that with so much national and social conversation going on right now (a very polite way of saying everybody is talking and nobody is listening), I was offering nothing new or substantive, and was, in fact, only adding to the problem.  Part of me was (and is) plain old boring vanilla tired.  It happens.

Today took an interesting turn down the rabbit hole of YouTube.  You never know when these days are going to happen, but one interesting thing after another seemed to pop up.  I took it as a sign.  And when music starts and ends your day, it's a good sign indeed.



Verdi - Requiem
A colleague of mine shared this video first thing this morning. I don't necessarily think you should watch the entire thing, but if you want to check out a couple of amazing moments, the Lacrymosa (40:24) is a great place to start.  Soloists include a 36-year young Leontyne Price who sings with such control, beauty and sensitivity, I don't know if I should swoon or take notes.  Really, both are appropriate.  I love the very beautiful, formal and simplistic concert attire of the women, and I'm amazed that half the soloists and the conductor are performing this 90-minute work from memory.  For those who are familiar with this work, the tell-all moment comes right at the end (1:15:46) for the Soprano.  Will she or won't she (1:17:27)?  You know she will.  And it's glorious.



Eric Whitacre - Paradise Lost
Eric Whitacre, 20th Century composer, social media fan, and seemingly all-around nice guy, not to mention smart and encouraging to musicians of every age and skill is working on a somewhat unconventional Broadway Show that he hopes to open in London soon.  Why didn't I know about this before today?  I don't know, but I'm glad I know now.  For an even tastier treat,you MUST listen to this.  Posting it on Facebook this morning, he wrote:  "A little a cappella interlude I wrote for the concert version of Paradise Lost. Thinking of expanding it into a full piece..."



Elbow - Live from Manchester Cathedral
I stumbled across Elbow this spring, and this is easily the most excited I've been about contemporary popular music in a long time. Well-sung, well-written, lyrics that are smart and thought-provoking.  You could choose any part (or all of it..it's that good) to listen to, but my first suggestion would be Lippy Kids (34:30) from their latest album Build a Rocket, Boys!  The lyrics are astounding on their own ("Lippy kids on the corner again.  Lippy kids on the corner begin settling like crows.  Though I never perfected the simian stroll, the cigarette senate was everything then.  Do they know those days are golden?  Build a rocket boys!" ) but when you hear it presented, it's not angry.  In fact, it's respectful of youth and encouraging at the same time.  A fine line to walk, I think.

My second suggestion would be One Day Like This (54:12) which is the most wonderfully unabashed love song you'd ever want to hear ('Cause holy cow I love your eyes! And only now I see the light, lying with you half-awake, stumbling over what to say, Well, anyway it's looking like a beautiful day.  So throw those curtains wide, one day like this a year would see me right.)




Bonjour, Girl!  - Disney's "Beauty and the Beast"
Oh, I love a good parody, and this one is fabulous. Please, please please warning -- language alert and definite Disney lampooning. If either of these are sacred cows, then you should move on.
As for me... IT'S MY FAVORITE!!




Faust - Metropolitan Opera
Directed by Des McAnuff
My buddy Des is EVERYWHERE these days. His musical "Jersey Boys" is still touring all over the United States.  He is the BCMOC (Big Canadian Man on Campus) at the Stratford Festival in Canada, writing all the original music for this past season's production of "Twelfth Night", he has a hit revival of "Jesus Christ Superstar" that will open on Broadway next March and now, because, maybe he's bored or something, he's directed AN OPERA AT THE MET.  Seriously.  All the clips are fun, and it's in a very different and usual setting from the original concept. 


So, there you have it.  If you asked me how my day went, these videos sum it up.  It was a very good day indeed.  Thanks November.  Bring it, December.  I think I'm on a roll.

Sometimes

 

Sometimes

After a 14 hour workday
After 12 singers
After 10 performances
After a 2 hour night commute that usually takes 50 minutes
After 8 inches of snow
After too many accidents to count

When you finally get home
With all four wheels on the ground
With a bumper unkissed by the guard rail or an impatient car
With dinner waiting
And with family relieved that you are home safe and sound

It's enough for one night.

Everybody Says Don't

It seems there should be a dos and don'ts subject list -- much like a fashion hits and misses --  when it comes to blogs.  Or maybe it should just be a huge don't list, and anything leftover is fair game.  To name just a few:



1.  Weather
A definite don't when the weather isn't unusual for the time of year and/or geographic location.  This includes summertime heat in Arizona and sleet, snow, arctic freeze, rain, floods, tornadoes, hail, heat and/or humidity in Michigan from January through December.  By the way, we are supposed to experience approximately 80% of all those options in the next 24 hours.  In Michigan. SIGH.

So you better make sure you have a pair of these
when you live in the state that looks like this.
















2.  Cats

 If you write about cats, well, don't say I didn't warn you.  Writing about cats makes you the cat lady.  Writing about two cats makes you the single cat lady.  Writing about 65 cats makes you the crazy single cat lady.  My friends Gabby and Mila inform me I am not crazy.

Gabby says "Not crazy!" 

Mila says "Not crazy, but I really don't care."

3.  Politics
Yes, it's all the craze at the moment.  And by craze I mean crazy.  And by crazy I mean WHAT ON EARTH ARE THOSE REPUBLICANS DOING NOW?  Now before all the Republicans get upset with me for going all Caps-Lock on their ass, the Democrats aren't flaunting their crazy at the moment because they've all agreed to let the guy at the top take the heat.  Thanks, Jesus.



4.  Food
Blogging about food is a double-edged sword.  It's sort of like watching it on TV.  It's great for awhile, and then you're hungry, and then you're angry because you're hungry, and then you're angry because you're hungry and you're torturing yourself watching the secrets to making the perfect Ho-Ho and you don't have any perfect Ho-Hos.  You don't even have any imperfect Ho-Hos.








5.  Twilight

The movie. Not the time of day.  Blogs, like vampires don't sparkle.












6.  Holiday peeves

Oh, what an enormous category THIS is.  This includes Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Dead people that stepped on in Target, shoppers that got pepper-sprayed in Walmart and anything that includes the phrase Tickle Me, Elmo.  This also includes real or perceived injustices for or against Christmas Trees, Nativities, Carols, Holiday greetings, the Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas Smackdown, too many Christmas lights, not enough Christmas lights, wasteful spending, not enough spending, drunken debauchery at the office
Christmas party, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph,
Frosty and Herbie, who doesn't want to make toys. 


If you can make it past this gauntlet without any infractions, you're well on your way to creating a real blog DO instead of a blog don't.  Next up... Collegiate sports!

Twenty Questions

Me:  Hello. May I ask you a question?

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  We welcome your asking.

Me:  OK, here is my question.  May I...

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question. We are so pleased you chose us when you wanted to ask a question.

Me:  So is that a yes?

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Please answer the following 10 pages of questions.

Me:  But I just wanted to ask one question, not ten pages.

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Asking to ask a question is a complex procedure. 

Me:  I'm confused.  I just want to ask...

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  If you need to come back later to ask to ask your question later, be sure to click save.

Me:  WAIT

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Please remember there is a time limit to ask to ask your question.

Me : Time limit...?

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.

Me:  OK, fine.  I've filled out the pages of questions and I'm ready to...

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  You need to send outside confirmation that you are fit to ask to ask a question.

Me:  Fit to ask to ask?

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Please write a thorough analysis in 250 words or less on the topic of diversity and its importance to your existence.  Include examples of how you handle group dynamics, and then tell two stories about profound life experiences that left you permanently changed which include a championship football game, a lost puppy and that unfortunate episode at the mall.  You know the one I mean.

Me:  But I...oh, alright.  This seems like a lot of work just to ask a question.

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Before we can answer this question, you need to pay the oracle.

Me:  Pay the oracle?

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  There is a small processing fee to best serve you in asking to ask your question.

Me:  I have to pay you to ask a question?

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Payment is required to allow you to ask to ask a question.

Me:  Seriously?  OK, fine.  It's an important question, so I guess I have no choice but to pay you to ask a question.

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Payment has been received.  Please click continue.

Me:  OK, I'm all ready.  Are you ready?

Oracle:  Thank you for asking if you may ask a question.  Please proceed.

Me:  OK.  Starting over.  May I ask you a question?

Oracle:  No.

Take a Number

Three pies
One cheesecake
Two jello salads
Eight family members
Six bags of yard wasteThirty-two hours and counting (down)
One half of one front bed, and one entire backyard still to go.
Seven swans a-swimmingSix geese a-laying
Twenty-nine days until Christmas
Two applications finished
Three applications in process
Five hundred words or less.
First!


These days it seems all we do is quantify life.  How many more until....?  How many left until.... ?  How many completed?  Unfinished?  Standings.  Rankings.  Ratings.  Take a number, because you are one. And once you are a number, you are a measurable, comparative entity: higher than some, lower than others.  You've lost all traces of personality and your identity is now calculated and exact. 

Being a number ... it's not a very nice thought.  But not only do we allow ourselves to be defined and compared numerically, we do the same to everybody else.   After all, how can we know where we stand in the ranks if we don't know the scores of others as well.?  And, for better or worse, once we know, we are consumed with moving up and being better than the person ahead of us.

Now, there's  nothing wrong with self-improvement.  It's important to continually stretch and grow.  But moving up in the ranks merely for the sake of being ahead has nothing to do with self-improvement.  It's positioning and posturing for bragging rights and that feeling of superiority.

What if we could be content with ourselves and others, celebrating who and what we are and ignoring where we are in the greater hierarchy?  Would we be able to enjoy our individual gifts and those of other?  Would we be able to be content without comparison?  Are our own merits enough, or do we need to be better than others before we can feel good about ourselves?

I don't think it's possible to change the world. We are by nature a highly competitive, comparative society. But during this season of Advent -- this season of waiting for events far greater and grander than we could ever hope to be  -- it's the perfect time to set aside the numbers and rankings and examine who and what we are.  We all possess gifts as individual as we are, and these gifts of the spirit -- of our spirit -- are perfect on their own merits.  There is no comparison.

A Postcard

I'm sitting up, more than half-asleep, sometimes watching, always listening to a contemporary opera.  The opera, Il Postino, is based on the movie by the same name.  A movie that celebrates life, love, and the written and spoken word.  One of the characters in this story is the real-life poet, Pablo Neruda, and another equally important character is his poems that dip, swirl and conjure up wonderfully luscious, evocative images.

In a world where importance is measured by volume, originality is obscured by the outrageous, and truth is an antiquated notion best left for philosophers, the poems of Neruda are easily ignored for something flashier, something edgier, and something with clever, ear-tickling rhymes.  But to appreciate Neruda is to allow yourself to enjoy the simplest and most profound themes of life -- love, longing, nature, beauty. 

A small sampling of Neruda's poems.  Check out:

If You Forget Me

Sonnet XVII

Sonnet LXXXI

 No other words needed.

About Face

 Tradition is what you make of it.

We started the day somewhat traditionally -- watching a bit of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Two thumbs way, way up for the Tim Burton balloon and its wonderful backstory.  Two thumbs down for corporate mascot balloons and some extremely poor attempts at lip-synching.

"B. was created, Frankenstein’s monster-style, from the leftover balloons used in children’s parties at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Forbidden from playing with other children because of his jagged teeth and crazy-quilt stitching, B. retreated to a basement lair, where he obsesses over Albert Lamorisse’s film The Red Balloon and dreams that he, too, will be able to fly someday."

Our day continued in a decidedly non-traditional manner.  We went in search of the face.  And we found it. Technically we found them.  And for the record, let me say that I'm so very happy that the face is on a billboard and not on a wanted poster.  Once we found them, pictures were in order.

  Face number one.

Face number two.

Then it was home and time for cooking, cleaning, practice, and homework.  The traditional portion of the afternoon was covered by the Detroit Lions losing in spectacular fashion to the Green Bay Packers.  Dinner was delivered first and eaten second, which seemed to be very appropriate.  When we got home it was anything but turkey and stuffing.  Instead it was leek soup, lamb shanks, spinach noodles, fresh green beans (CASSEROLE-FREE) and an apple-cranberry pie.  The teenager declared it was the best non-turkey meal EVER and frankly, I agreed.  We'll do the whole turkey-ma-gig on Saturday, but today it was a little bit of familiar mixed in with a whole lot of you did WHAT?  In other words, it was tradition.  Tuna-style.

And that's something to be thankful for.

Good Things

 'Tis the season to make a laundry list of grateful things.  Much like a what I did last summer essay, an annotated list of gratitude is only meaningful to the list maker, while everybody else wishes for a swift and painless ending.  Somehow it doesn't seem right to itemize all the things I have and apportion my gratitude accordingly.  Instead I'll leave you with a simple wish for Thanksgiving:  I wish you all good things.  And these things don't have to be things at all.  Good things are as universal as love, happiness, acceptance, humor.  Good things are as simple as a smile, a hug, a sympathetic ear and a helping hand.  Good things don't have an expiration date, and you don't have to replace them over time.  Good things are self-sustaining.


May your life be filled with good things. 
May you wake up each morning and recognize the opportunity it brings.
May you never tire of finding good things in your life and then sharing it with others.
May you appreciate its simplicity and marvel at its power.
May you be comforted and sustained by the good you are given and the good you give to others.
May you lay down each night, not beating yourself up for what you didn't do,
but rejoicing in the fact that tomorrow brings a fresh opportunity.

There are times where it seems nearly impossible to find the good.
But it's always there.

I strongly believe our lives should be filled with good things.
I believe our lives are filled with good things.
And for that I'm grateful,
always and always and always.

Letters from the Editor

Dear Beans:

This is not the poem I learned.

Dear Creative Design Team:

This piece is a cautionary tale for using

a clear and unambiguous font.  

Intellectually, I KNOW the saying is 

and your little dog too,

but this does NOT look like the word "little"

What on earth is a "tittie" dog?

Dear Canada -- I know I tease you a lot, but you can't blame this on me.

I'm sorry the Canadian Santa has a drunk nose and

is currently steering the sleigh off a steep cliff.

Maybe once we get past the spring thaw, super-cool

Australian Surfing Santa dude can come rescue you.

Dear Google -- I wish you put up doodles more often, even

when they are celebrating people and events from other countries.

The doodles are super creative, and who knows...

maybe someone will learn something.

Dear Twitter:  I love you.

Michele Bachmann just referred to the founder of Apple as "Steve Gates". 

She is a dumb stupid person who's an idiot.

if you missed #CNNDebate, impress people tomorrow with these facts from the stage: 

Africa is a country and Steve Gates founded Apple

Steve Gates, the founder of Applesoft. I can not wait for the iZune. #CNNdebate

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Tuna readers

It was a very long day.

Oops. It's tomorrow.

 

 

Common Sense, Aisle One

Hang onto your drumsticks, it's just about that time once again.

There has been a lot of hullabaloo in the past week or so  because some major department stores are planning to open even earlier on Black Friday.  Thanksgiving evening, it seems, is turning into dark gray Thursday night.  Because Store A wants a jump on Store B, now they are going to open at midnight, meaning employees for Store A have to show up while Cinderella is finishing up her last piece of pie.  Or in other words, at 11pm.

Some people are HOT (as in angry) about this development.  Some people are HOT (as in excited) about Christmas shopping at midnight.  And then, some people are like me.

The angry-hot people have petitions available for digital signing. "How dare they!" They cry.  "Is no holiday sacred?" They ask.  "It's a slippery slope!!" They warn.  I understand all the arguments.  I agree with them.

The excited-hot people honestly don't care. "At least they have a job!" they counter.  "Stores have the right to open when they want" they claim.  I understand all these arguments too.  And, I agree with them as well.

Yes, I understand, sympathize and agree with both sides of this issue, which for me isn't tricky at all.  Money is tight and shoppers are desperate for savings however they can get them.  But Black Friday shopping has gotten more out of control with each passing year.  Nowadays it's not unusual to hear reports of who got trampled in the same news story that describes the best sales.

For many, many years both in high school and college I worked in the movie theater business.  My first holiday season (two screens Kramer vs. Kramer and two screens Electric Horseman -- yes, I'm that old) was a total shock.  In the 17 years I had been alive it had never once occurred to me that anybody would go to the movies on a holiday.  I didn't even realize they were open on days like Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I learned quickly that Thanksgiving and Christmas were big BIG movie days, and for twelve years I sucked it up and worked.  It might not have been my favorite thing to do, but as is usually the case, the thought was much worse than the deed, and in the end it always ended up being not as bad as I thought it would be.  Besides, I learned that although holidays movies might not have been my personal choice of activities, they were exactly what was needed for others. After all, lots of people don't even celebrate Christmas, and for some families, a movie on Christmas day was a special outing for the family -- something they could enjoy together.  Who was I to tell people their choice of entertainment was wrong?

And then there is the shopping.  Personally, I find Black Friday shopping ridiculous.  Intellectually, I understand why people plan strategies and make a real event out of shopping the early bird sales, or early-early bird sales, or the it's-so-early-the-bird-hasn't-hatched-yet sales.  But would I tent out on the old parking lot campground, clothed in pajamas and armed only with cell phone, credit card and brass knuckles (in case the crowd gets unruly) and compete for shopping supremacy?  Not on your life.  It's not that I'm staying home to sing the 57th verse of Kum-bah-Yah or "Wahoo-Doray" with my family. I'm not staying home to fulfill some sort of Norman Rockwell picturesque family fantasy.  I'm staying home because I don't like the crowds, I'm not a big fan of the crazy pants holiday sales, and frankly, I do not need a television for a nickel.

If you ask me (which you did not), it seems that the best answer with the least amount of argument and confrontation is do what works best for you.   If you work at a place that is asking you to come in early to accommodate late-night and/or early morning shoppers, then you better do it, or be prepared to battle the crowds in the unemployment line.  You might not like it, and it might not be fair.  But work first, complain later, and if need be, find a different job.  But lots of people work holidays for lots of different reasons, and you can choose to celebrate any time of any day you would like.  There are options.    If, on the other hand, Black Friday is an insult to your every last breath, then by all means, stay home.  Vote with your feet, your car and your wallet.  Nothing speaks louder to a retailer than a wallet full of money walking away.  Stores won't open early if the demand isn't there.

The point is, do what works best for you and your life.  And no matter what, remember the other guy.  If you're shopping as soon as you hear the opening bell at midnight, remember that others may have sacrificed a little or a lot of their precious family time to accommodate your consumerism.  Be polite, be grateful, say please and thank you and SMILE.  If, on the other hand, you wish to protest the latest insult to common sense, holidays, and traditional family gatherings, then by all means, stay home.  Consider yourself lucky that you have the time to spend time and the family to spend it with.  Keep your wallet closed and your mind open because someone, somewhere, will do the exact opposite of what you choose to do, and shocker -- it's okay.  It means we all have a choice.  And that is something to be thankful for.

Lights Out

It's probably not fair for me to complain if I haven't read any of the books.  Or seen any of the movies all the way through.  But the movie (the first one, I guess) is on TV now practically all the time, so it's been impossible to ignore its existance.

But still, I simply have to say:  I don't get Twilight.

What little I've seen of the movie has been so excruciatingly dull, that I can't seem to stay awake more than 10 minutes, 9 of which are spent being annoyed.  The vampire guy spends his time looking moody, and speaking in boring hushed tones.  The only thing I can think of when I see him is, "Hey!  There's the guy who DIED in Harry Potter."  Other than that?  *Yawn*

The non-vampire girl spends her time staring at people, looking moody and speaking in boring hushed tones.  There's also a wolf-guy and I cannot quite figure out his ultimate purpose in these films.  And guess what?  He spends his time looking moody and speaking in boring hushed tones.  No wonder vampire guy decided to be a vampire.  There is nothing else to do.

Somehow readers young and not so young decided that this story was cutting edge and exciting.  I just don't see it.  Maybe I'm too old, or maybe I missed the vampire bus -- sparkly, at that -- but the only thing this film speaks to is a royal hazing courtesy of MST3K (Mystery Science Theater 3000).  In the meantime, I will be grateful for the existence of this cinematic pile of shlock.  After all, a girl has to sleep sometime, and a sure-fire sparkly cure for insomnia is a terrible thing to waste.

A Song for the Ages

The first gig of the season was not a seasonal gig at all.  It was a memorial service for those assisted by Hospice care over the past year.  There were prayers and hymns and names read and family remembrances shared.  And tears.  There were lots and lots of tears.

There were tears for strangers we didn't know.  There were tears for stories too easily imagined, stories that hit too close to home.  We were grateful for stories that gave us a chuckle, even though they were laced with sadness and loss.  They were strangers to me, but they sounded like warm, loving, resourceful, feisty, wonderful people that I think I would like to know.

The kids sang with poise and beauty; a tough feat considering many of them had been in tears themselves.  But somehow they rose above it, and gave the family members such a wonderful gift.  It was hope and love and compassion wrapped in melody, harmony and beautiful prose.  It was sympathy and celebration and sadness and a message of hope and promise for tomorrow, sung by the young voices of today.

I'm not sure they really know the depth of the gift they gave.  They knew they sang well and that it was for a good cause.  But I don't know that they would fully understand at their age how something as simple as sharing music can shoulder a burden so heavy.  But it did.  And their voices -- young in years -- were profoundly old and wise in message.

That message of comfort was exactly what was needed today of all days, as this particular service fell on the one year anniversary of the passing of my grandmother Hazel.  She was mother, grandmother and great grandmother to three of us in the church that morning.  And while she was both missed and remembered this morning, the singing made it all a little easier.

Decking Them Halls

Tomorrow it all begins again.

Actually it began tonight.  The city closed down the major streets, put twinkly lights on firetrucks, held a parade, lit the tree in front of the capitol and had a fireworks show.  I'm pretty sure this is exactly what happened in Jesus' day as well.  Afterwards the crowd headed off in all directions.  Some went inside to hunt down hot chocolate and cookies, others window-shopped along the main street, and others headed home.  The very smart ones discovered the peanut shop and learned that nothing could beat a bag of hot freshly roasted peanuts as a portable heater.

Tonight I celebrated the start of the season by hanging in a Mexican restaurant, eating chips and salsa and nursing a Dos Equis.  I'm pretty sure this is also exactly what happened in Jesus' day as well.  But tomorrow we begin the seasonal singing monkey show.  Tomorrow it's double-gig Saturday.  There will be so much decking of the halls and fa-la-la-ing that our tidings of comfort and joy will be closer to a holiday rave. 

So, if you out shopping and spy a group of high school kids trying to brighten your day with a few songs, stop and listen to the for a minute or two.  Give them some applause and tell them thank you.  They'll appreciate it more than a king sized camel with a quilted pillow-top mattress pad.  And it doesn't take a wise man to know that means a whole lot.



Not these people.  I have no idea who they are.
You are not required to stop and listen.  I have no idea who they are.  I don't even know what they are doing...

Lightbulb Moments

This tidbit popped up on Facebook this morning, and it has stuck with me throughout the day.  It seems over the past few weeks, I've crashed into this wall several times through a variety of circumstances.  Interestingly, the results haven't been the same, and it never occurred to me before now that the reason why is sitting right in front of me.

I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.

 As a teacher, you might say that I'm in the business of explaining.  And explaining.  And explaining.  Repetition is absolutely necessary because it would be unfair for me to explain a concept once and then move on, waiting for the student to understand.  If they don't understand something the first time, I do it again, but in a different way.  Eventually, hopefully, there will be recognition and understanding on the part of the student.  Then it's mission accomplished.  This week I had a student get a little teary-eyed, not out of frustration, but because the concept we were working on suddenly made total sense, and with that sense of understanding she was able to take a giant step forward in her technique.  After 17 years in the studio, this was another first for me:  tears of happiness because a student finally "got it." Those firsts don't happen as often anymore, and when they do, they're something special.

A major factor in achieving understanding is being open to ideas and possibilities.  Too often teaching and learning becomes a cacophony of competing viewpoints, and the words build and build and build until each side is well-insulated and protected from any and all thoughts outside your own.  Understanding requires both trust and patience, especially when you feel like you don't understand at all and you're certain everything you've heard by way of explanation is insufficient or just plain wrong.

St. Francis had it oh so right way back when when he prayed not so much to be understood as to understand.  "To be understood" places all responsibility for success (and blame for failure) on the other side.  Although it's highly unproductive, it's an easier and more convenient path to walk.  "To understand" however, recognizes the importance of participation in the process.  It accepts responsibility for listening and being open to ideas. It doesn't fight back with words or attitudes, and it doesn't build up walls. 

I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.

As a teacher, a confidant or a friend, I will explain things every way I know how.  You are responsible for your own aha!! moment.  Lightbulbs are not included.  Kleenex, however, will be provided upon request.  Maybe for both of us.

One Day at a Time

It's Wednesday for not-very-much longer.  It's been a long day and a long night, but looking at the clock on the wall, there will be little time for sleep.  This isn't a moment for bragging, it's just reality - nothing more, nothing less.  Thanksgiving is a week from tomorrow and then it's time to scream into the holiday season, which, if you haven't noticed, has already begun, whether you were ready or not.  Black Friday ads have already been leaked for most major outlets, and I'm sure there are plenty of people who have already started planning their route.


I'm not ready for Black Friday.  I'm not ready for Thanksgiving.  I'm not ready for the day before Thanksgiving or the day before that.  I'm not ready for the weekend.  Hell, I'm not even ready for tomorrow, which technically is already today.

What I am ready for is ready for bed.  I'm ready for this day to be done.  I'm ready for a little respite from the crazy that is my life. Tomorrow I'll give it another go.  Ready, set... Zzzzzzzz....

I'm Gonna Herff

 
There are days when it's hard to think of things to say.  Maybe the day was dull, or I just don't feel like I have anything new to say.  There are days when I don't think my insight into life is any keener than the next blog down the street, and I retreat into a less noisy corner of the internet.

But today.  OH LORD.  It writes itself.  Today's graduation horror: The cap and gown racket.  And believe me, after all the screaming I did when I saw the ordering BOOK, there was a racket.  So, here were my choices. I passed on everything except that text in green.



1. Graduation announcements
2. Announcement inserts
3. Return address labels
4. Class envelope seals
5. Senior photo stickers
6. Graduate namecards
7. Photo Invite package
8. Premium Thank you notes
9. Traditional Thank you notes
10. Graduation Celebration Cards
11. (more) Return address labels
12. (more) Class envelope seals
13. Personalized stationary
14. (more more) Return address labels
15. (more more) Class envelope seals
16. Premium memories album
17. Senior Year memory album
18. Memories Memory album (I kid you not)
19. Memory album sticker sheet
20. Personalized class emblem
21. (more) Photo invite package
22. Premium thank-you gift.
23. (more) Personalized class emblem
24. (more more more) Class envelope seals
25. Friends for life photo album
26. Graduation pen
27. Graduate namecard photo album
28. Graduate portfolio
29. (more) Senior photo stickers
30. Diploma signature frame
31. Traditional Class jewelry - Pendant only
32. Traditional Class jewelry - Pendant with 18" chain
33. Traditional Class jewelry - Pendant with 24" chain
34. Swirl necklace
35. Senior tag bracelet
36. Senior dog tag necklace
37. Heart necklace
38. Senior t-shirt
39. Senior hoodie

40. Cap, Gown and Tassel Unit

41. Memory Tassel
42. Mega tassel
43. Mini tassel
44. Ice tassel (memory)

I know I speak for my weary arm and wallet when I tell you I feel downright lucky that we're dodging this bullet for approximately $50.  Yes, lucky.  Package "deals" start around $165, and skyrocket quickly.  But just remember, the packages that cost $298 (no joke) include a cap and gown FOR FREE.  In other words, that's $298 worth of other trinkets that will get tossed in a drawer 3 days after graduations.

Oh.  And you may have noticed, the laundry list above did NOT include class rings. That's a separate scam player in the graduation game.  Lord have mercy, what's next?

Senior Moments

It's November, and already I feel like this school year has been about 49 months long.  For those of you who have already crossed over to the other side, please no snickering.  For the rest of you who haven't yet walked this path, here are a few things I've learned so far:


1.  College applications are sent from the Bastard Karmic God of Education.  It's his way of saying, "See??? A late-night diorama project doesn't seem all that bad NOW.  Now does it?"

2.  Senior year = Open your wallet. Invert.  Shake vigorously.  Never ever ever ever stop.

3.  The insane rationalization argument logic sentence that runs along the line "It's my senior year!  I only get to ............ once!" gets old.  FAST.

4.  College essays.  Why?  Can't we just bake you a pie, come over, hold hands and sing Kum-Bah-Yah?  We'd even clean up and take out the trash.  Win-win, says I.

5.  Television no longer exists.  Wait, this is a good thing.

6.  You worry all the time, you cannot plan ahead, you're in the dark and you don't know where you're going.  If this were the Amazing Race, you'd already be in Loser's Lodge.

7.  Going to the movies and sitting in the dark for two hours sounds like the biggest luxury in the whole world.  Sadly, this hasn't happened since summer and probably won't happen again until Christmas vacation.

8.  Bed before midnight?  Winning!!  Also, never happening!!

9.  Your 17-year old discusses buying a business suit.  For real.

10. You wonder if you hug them tightly enough, can you slow time...just for a little while?  Because while the teenager is acting tough and the parent seems calm and collected, the truth of the matter is everybody is flying by the seat of their pants and there are no brakes.  I guarantee at the end of this ride, nobody is getting off saying, "Wow!   Let's do that again!!" 

11.  There really is something wonderful about cookies and milk and a short nap in the middle of the day.  Those Kindergartener's have it MADE.

Haiku AieeeeeeKu!

Today's grateful list:

Arms, legs, strong backs and muscles.

Family there always.

Thank God for youngsters

"Another box. Upstairs, please!"

And they go.  (Knees: "Phew!")

Moving's tough, it's true.

but beyond the upheaval?

possibilities.

In a month or two

unpacking done, things away,

party at YOUR house.

The rules are the same

you should never use your back.

Haiku with your legs.

With that thought we join

familiar territory 

with "That's What He Said!"