DRIVE THRU PRAYERS!!!
2 Cleaning the kitchen instead of grading papers. Cooking the dinner instead of writing lesson plans.
3 And I still get a full evening.
4 I could get used to this. At 5:30 last night I was in the back room listening to Casablanca play behind me while I pressed my brain to get me an idea.
5
6 <honk>
7 Maybe it's the cashews. I munch cashews.
8 Good source of nutrition.
9 I'm also reading passages from Pete Townshend's auto bio Who I Am. I repeat: I've now got the time.
10 I'm reading the chapter entitled Amazing Journey. It has some fun parts. Here is a sample:
"We played several shows with The Troggs, whose hit single 'Wild Thing' had been borrowed by Jimi Hendrix. A show with The Doors marked the first time I'd met Jim Morrison, who was respectful, but very drunk. During the Door's show a girl ran on stage and tried to touch Jim's face. He was startled and turned suddenly; two bouncers misinterpreted his action and threw the girl into a barrier, cutting her face quite badly. Jim hauled her back out again and she was brought backstage, where I was among those who comforted her. The incident became the inspiration for my song for Tommy called 'Sally Simpson'."
11 If you are familiar with Tommy, or even the film or the stage musical you would perhaps have heard Sally Simpson.
12 Great old Who song.
13 And it's early. Maybe I could Google it and learn it now that I don't have to plan or grade.
14 Moving On, Part One: Have you ever been on a fast shopping trip and tried to buy Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme?
15 To this day I've never completed that task. I'm usually in a rush with hundreds of other shoppers, many of whom now hang out in the veggie area.
16 It's like driving down a main street that has no traffic lights, like the the early days of San Francisco traffic.
17 I usually begin with one of those herbs that is not parsley.
18 So in short I never have successfully done that.
19 Bucket List.
20 I find sage, for example, and it triggers the hunt for the other three.
21 Meanwhile I have near shopping cart encounters with every sort of kook on the planet.
22 Beats workin'.
23 Moving On, Part Two: Ya gotta love this. Fremont Catholic Parish is now offering Drive-Thru prayers. They refer to it as the "God on the go program" so they can bring prayer "where the people are."
24 The Holy Spirit Catholic Church offers the prayers weeknights from 5 to 6 p.m. It is at 37588 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94536. (510-797-1660).
25 A lot of people I know could use something like that right now.
26 Just thought I'd share.
27 Moving On, Part Three: A's fans must be reeling. They just got Billy Butler from the Royals. They might become downright dangerous next year. More power to them. That guy is the real deal.
28 Headline in this morning's Merc: IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, JOIN 'EM, with a great picture of Billy Butler looking out at his new team. Welcome to the Bay Area, Mr. Butler.
29 Lots of good news.
30 No grading. No planning. A real life. I'm not used to this. At first it was like shaking a severe addiction.
31 As I modified lessons and realized the District is not bargaining in good faith, and is in fact trying to squeeze us into not working to rule, I'm finding it peaceful. The idea of taking a ride to Fremont and saying prayers for nearly everyone I know > coming back each day to see that talks haven't improved. What's the big hold up, unless they are trying to break our union? It's difficult to see the other side to this.
32 There has to be a bit of give on both sides, but clearly the District and the teachers need to compromise. A strike is the worst of all situations and would be devastating to the students.
33 I'm making sure they are getting quality lessons right now, despite all. They don't need homework every night. I don't need paperwork every night. The entire purpose of homework is to ensure the students are taking the lessons seriously and that they are on top of the standards we are teaching.
34 I usually take a break from giving lots of assignments this time of year anyway. It's like a Coinstar. They've poured all the coins they have in, and now they need to wait for it to count the coins.
35
36 Ah, c'mon. Don't EVEN pretend you've never done Coinstar.
37 That's those embarrassing green machines that are in supermarkets. You give up something like 10% of your loose coin values, but it will count all your coins, as well as your pocket lint, mints and guitar picks, and give you a coupon that you could redeem at the check-out.
38 Each year I throw all my loose change into a coffee can, everything: dollar coins, quarters, dimes, and foreign coins that somehow worked their way into the mix: all of it.
39 I never thing about the interest. I have walked into Lucky's at 7 a.m. the day before I go to Tahoe and do this when nobody is around. It's usually an early Saturday. I've come out with $400. Always makes me smile. It isn't much in terms of a vacay, but it's better than counting coins from your purse and having $000.
40 This Pinterest idea comes to you courtesy of this Old Brown Shoe. Use it. ; ) <-------------winky emoticon dude.
41 I think that's about it for today. I wanted to keep it positive today, since I finally had a good night's sleep sans night terrors.
42 And no, I didn't learn Sally Simpson on guitar.
43 But it is on my Bucket List.
44 So is driving around in the afternoons and enjoying afternoons and evenings after work.
45 I'm going to have a second cup of coffee and go in with a clear mind, and in a much better move.
46 Have a GREAT Wednesday. If you are a teacher in our District, take a real break. Stop volunteering your free time. Do that when the District gets sensible and sees that we are willing to put hundreds of volunteer hours in.
47 Just not this minute.
48 Gottago. I have a yoga class that includes cucumbers on my Hollywood eyes.
49 See you again.
50 Peace.
~H~
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