Opportunity

I recently read In A Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. It read like a "how to" book written by a motivational speaker ... not what I was hoping for. But evidently I was in need of some motivation. I liked the authors that the writer cited, and the science that he used to illustrate ideas, so I read with great interest. Before I had finished the book, I even knew who I was going to pass the book on to.
One of the big Main Points of the book was that one should be open to opportunity, especially small opportunities that point the way to larger opportunities. In that spirit I responded to a number of small job notices. Yesterday I recieved word that I was offered a remedial science job for high schoolers. I'm already slated to teach Go for two weeks this summer and this job fits perfectly into the two weeks between the Go weeks.
It's not going to be easy. I have to learn a lot of molecular biology between now and then. I also have to learn a lot about the state-wide testing system. But it's an opportunity.

Back in 71

http://gjbgraphics.com/mylife/2008/05/11/my-mother-was-once-a-rookie/

More daily life

The mundane is taking up my mindspace lately. Today feels like an excellent day for ironing. It's coldish and damp and Prairie Home Companion will be on the radio this evening.

I'm keeping my mind away from worry about money. Last week's sermon was on worry and Pastor Martin had a string of great quotations which I'll post here if I can find them. Meanwhile Philippians 4:6 is the best:

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I avoid tv news and I follow current events with comedy shows - The Daily Show on TV and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me podcasts (NPR). WWDTM is good dishwashing entertainment and it makes me laugh out loud.

Last week I was enchanted by adolescents. Now this week if I see an adolescent, I will probably cross the street. Last week a student's cruelty to another brought me to tears and reminded me of the hurt I inflicted on another kid when I was in the seventh grade. I can remember vividly how mindless my act of cruelty was. (Thanks to the internet I found the kid I hurt had died recently after raising a family and receiving honors at work.) I can also remember the hurts I had at that age.

I picked up some information about playing guitar in other tunings. I guess I'll listen to some music on Pandora today as I do weekend type home chores.

If I'm really industrious today, I'll water my three plants.

life

I left a message on my landlord's phone this morning. No hot water. That is very inconvenient. I'll have to heat bath water in my electric frying pan. Too bad my coffee maker isn't bigger!
Well, this will inspire me to get to the pool this week - free shower.

I had a lot of fun with adolescents yesterday. K. bought a friend and I taught her how to play Go while S. trounced K.. S. was being his extremely shy self. The girls were self-conscious and inane ... true seventh graders. In response S. was trying to be mature. I told him that he would have to become self-conscious and inane someday because that was part of getting to maturity.

At game night a man was interviewing on film people sharing reflections on our church. (It is the 300th anniversary of Church of the Brethren.) I made sure that my "Got Fruit?" shirt got into the picture.

Seventh graders in my life

An eventful past few days. I was rushed to the hospital yesterday on the recommendation of my school nurse and vice principal. I'd had a stomach bug and felt "faint" after 7th grade lunch duty. While they were calling 911, I was barfing breakfast and lunch and by the time I was riding to the hospital to ruin my son's day, I was feeling fine. 5 hours of tests later the hospital was convinced I felt fine too. I'm grateful that everyone was concerned enough to worry about me.

I used to get out of work by saying "I don't feel well" and then everyone would say "you look pale". That's because I'm naturally pastey and if people focus on it, people can convince themselves that I'm really really ill when I'm not. So yesterday that backfired on me.

Today I was back at work to get get well cards from kids which was nice. I wore my "Tell me I'm cool" button and really enjoyed getting kids to read it and when they told me I was cool I enthusiastically thanked them. This made them smile and for a moment they thought I might really BE cool! After work I went to a county wide picnic for mentors and mentee families. I saw lots of people I know... probably because I associate with really good folks. I really did my walking and standing in line muscles a work out.

Then as I left I realized I was just in time for choir practice which charged me up some. I found out our pleasantly geeky drummer is a seventh grader who loves anime and manga. I said "you're the girl for my grandson". He is really not interested in girls, so K. and I are going to pretend she's a boy (I thought she was a boy when I first saw her) and let him get used to the idea. I'm taking him to my church this Saturday when we're having a board game night and my grandson and I are bringing Go which K. knows how to play!


After music I went to the supermarket to buy a block of swiss cheese for a coworker's birthday tomorrow. I was cheerfully greeted my a seventh grader from my school. Seventh graders can be quite pleasant when they are out of the crowd.

When I got home I got my "Got Fruit?" T shirt which I look forward to wearing on game night!