Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Thinking about my roots

Dear Mom, Birthmom, Woman who bore me, Ma’am,

I imagine you don’t know me any more.
After all, you did only briefly; though at 15 it must have seemed like an eternity.

These are the things I know about you –
You are beautiful - not in a traditional way. Really in more of a crazy, spirited way.
You have abundant energy - people love to be around you. You make them feel better about
themselves than anyone else ever has.
You’re happy – really – you know that though you’ve made some tough choices in your life,
they’ve been the right choices.
Your partner and children know about me and are ready for my possible resurfacing.
You smell like the earth – rich and inviting and warm and sunny.
You stand-up for all the right causes - and work
hard to show people a caring way.
You’re a vegetarian - but not a vegan – something about eliminating honey just doesn’t work
for you.
You look young for your age – people can’t believe you’re pushing senior citizenship.
Your job involves reaching people – you might be a therapist, a yoga instructor, a teacher
.
Your house is small and full but not cluttered.
You read – a lot – and aren’t afraid to loan your books out to anyone – even the hardbacks.
You keep in touch with people - not many are lost from your life.
You do cartwheels in the hallways at work when no one is around.


Giving me up was the hardest thing you've ever done.

These are the things I don’t know –
If any of this is true.
If I can bear it if any of it is not.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Role Models

I just saw Hancock - Neat movie, and it got me thinking, If you could be a superhero - would you? That's not really a question is it? I mean, I don't think a super-hero has that choice. He or She just is. Except for Batman; Batman chose - no super powers for him, just super gadgets. But the others, Superman, Wonder Woman, they had no choice, they just were. Though that's not right either. Couldn't choose the super, but did choose the hero. Hmm.

I was reading a "10 Questions" in Time with John Madden. Mostly football stuff that I care not much about, but someone asked if football players should be considered role models and he very enthusiastically said, YES. Even proposed that some type of clause should be written into contracts stating as much. I instantly fell in love. Professional athletes are certainly role models, but we shouldn't stop there. We are all role models. Live your life remembering that - avoid doing things that you wouldn't want a kid to grow up and do.

If only that were easy right?

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Stuck

Is it possible to not know what to say when you're fairly sure no one is listening anyway?

Friday, July 25, 2008

The Writer in Me

I have been inspired by the outstanding job my writer friends Christina and Denise have done with their blogs, and have decided to begin my own. I am very new to thinking that I may be a writer, but figure I can't be a writer if I don't indeed write. So here I am writing.

I am determined to have an entire week's "vacation" this summer, so I am NOT working on anything for school until Monday. Seriously. I mean it. But, I did just finish watching Dead Poet's Society, and am now full of even more great ideas for my classroom this fall. I will do all I can to remember them on Monday when I allow my holiday to come to a close. And I won't remember them by obsessing on them between now and then. I promise. Really.

So, about my week off. It's been fabulous. I've played with the kids. Legs and I had a riot today in Staples. Yes, the home of the easy button. We dropped Carlos off at school and ran up there for the 5-cent sale (Why is there not a cent symbol on keyboards anymore? Where did it used to be? I understand, much to my dismay, that pennies are fast becoming obsolete, but cents in general? I don't think so) which unfortunately ended Wednesday. We had time to kill, and Staples is air conditioned, so we wandered a bit. Ally happened upon a computer with a camera and touch screen - I think it was this one - and so we played. The options on the camera allowed us to do many funky, and some rather unpleasant, things to our images. We were giggling like Middle Schoolers, which only one of us happens to be (and no, this doesn't count as talking about school).

The rest of my leisure week included laundry, scrubbing floors and toilets, and actually completing a novel. All in all a good week.