Owner: The Crooked Shall Be Made Straight URL:http://thecrookedmadestraight.typepad.com/ Join Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:22:11 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: A blog about teaching, keeping the faith, writing, reading, and living with Major Depressive Disorder. Site statistics:Click here
Is it wrong??? 2008-06-08 19:00:05 That I can't wait for these seniors to graduate, already!!! I mean, really, the drama and senioritis that have been inflicted on me during the last week have nearly driven me over the edge!!! Yearbooks EVERY.FREAKIN.WHERE. "Ms. S, Will you sign my yearbook?" "No, Sweetie, I can't right now. I have to deal with your classmates who've not given a crap about coming to class and doing t
Is it wrong??? 2008-06-08 19:00:05 That I can't wait for these seniors to graduate, already!!! I mean, really, the drama and senioritis that have been inflicted on me during the last week have nearly driven me over the edge!!! Yearbooks EVERY.FREAKIN.WHERE. "Ms. S, Will you sign my yearbook?" "No, Sweetie, I can't right now. I have to deal with your classmates who've not given a crap about coming to class and doing t
Bon appetit 2008-06-04 11:40:23 So, I actually didn't read these. When I entered the monastery in Santa Barbara, I saw this: See all those books! Right there in the foyer! And these: And these: And these: And these: There were books EVERYWHERE! And, I didn't even take pictures in the two libraries! So, my friend, K. and I did this: And when we got antsy, we moved to another seat and grabbed a different book: It was like a book b
On my way here . . . 2008-05-30 01:14:05 I'm on my way here. Going to read this and this and practice this. Be back soon.
Separation anxiety 2008-05-26 09:00:00 (from the archives -- I sent Margaret a card recently, and it was returned to me, stamped "no longer at this address," and even though she retired in 1996, I felt the all too familiar panic as I fingered the card and began to weep with the grief of missing her.) Separation
Anxiety The ripples of color in the painting on the wall soothe me somehow. I look at it week after week while I wai Read more:anxiety
Nakedness 2008-05-24 09:00:00 (a piece from a series about "first times" in my life) I close the curtains while she sets up the table. I don???t want anyone to see. I have never done this before. Sweat rolls down my face. She says she needs to go to the restroom. As she walks away from me, I notice the knots in her hair -- cords, matted and hanging haphazardly down her back. She is thin and bra-less. Her armpit hair
Typical Sunday morning 2008-05-23 00:16:39 "Rise and shine, girls! We'll be late for church," grandma's voice screeches down the hallway and into the middle bedroom where my sister and I sleep. I whimper and pull the quilt over my head. Minutes later. "Sun's in the Sky. Grass knee high. Get up, Shelia. Get up, Lelia!" Craig bolts into the room and jumps on the bed singing. "Hurry up, Shelia! Mister Ed is coming on! Read more:Sunday
For good 2008-06-19 21:51:03 ELPHABA I'm limited: Just look at me - I'm limited And just look at you - You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda So now it's up to you (spoken) For both of us (sung) Now it's up to you: GLINDA I've heard it said That people come into our lives for a reason Bringing something we must learn And we are led To those who help us most to grow If we let them And we help them in return Well, I don't know if
I'm taking a break 2008-07-06 02:26:50 I just don't feel like writing right now, so I'm not going to. I don't know how long I'll be away, but I've appreciated all of you. Your comments have meant so much to me. I got terrible news from a dear friend today, and I'm sad, but I'll be okay. It's her news so I won't share it, but its impact will reverberate for a very long time to come. If you pray, please say a prayer for her and her famil
A new brake job 2008-07-01 16:45:04 My 2002 HONDA CRV made this awful sound (like I was dragging a dead goat or something) as I was pulling into my driveway and into my parking space yesterday. F*&K! (repeated many times). This can't be good. I back out of the carport, drive around the block, testing this new noise to see if it is for REAL. The sound mysteriously stops. I pull back into the driveway convinced that it can't possi Read more:brake
Say it isn't so 2008-06-29 22:22:19 (photo taken in 1990, my 2nd year of teaching) I walk out of my summer school classroom, anxious to get into my car and drive off campus for my 3 day weekend. I make it about 20 yards down the sidewalk, and I hear, "Ms. S, Is that you? Ms S? THE Ms. S?" I turn and spot a woman, clad in capri pants and a long, white button down shirt. Her hair is tossed up in a loose pony tail, and she ho
Lessons from skateboarders 2008-06-26 10:34:52 So, the students in my summer school classes all failed sophomore English. It's an interesting dynamic to have 46 kids in one classroom (with 36 desks) who all got "left behind." The class periods are 2 and 1/2 hours long, and 17 of the students in my first block are also in my second block, which only has 38 students. Read more:Lessons
Paradigms power perceptions 2008-06-24 19:57:03 I'm teaching summer school, and each day we read for 20 minutes. After reading we keep a reading log of our reactions to what we've read. Notice that I didn't say a summary. Read more:power
, perceptions
Turn the other cheek 2008-07-22 01:37:01 This book is a bit simplistic for my taste. (But sometimes SIMPLISTIC is just what I need!) There are, however, a few jewels inside. The most interesting is the exegesis of the passage in Mathew 5: 38-42, which unveils Jesus' plan for how we must always engage our abusers with nonviolence. You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' Do no resist an evildoer. (39b)
FURminator, take 2 2008-07-16 23:11:57 This is Charlotte after being FURminated! I thought there was no way there could be more FUR on her after yesterday's FURminating session, but, WOW! I'm thinking that there should be a FATminator invented. No, it doesn't have the same ring to it, but can you imagine, just rolling the thing over your buttocks and belly and thighs and having the FAT fall off onto the floor? How light and free you'd
The FURminator! 2008-07-16 13:09:44 So, WOW! I bought the FURminator, and it arrived via Amazon yesterday. (Have I ever told you how much I HEART Amazon? Well, I do.) If you have cats (or dogs), this tool is a must have! I can't believe I had never heard of it. My girlies (Charlotte and Emily Bronte) are shedding EVERY. FREAKIN'. WHERE. and it had become pretty intolerable. UNTIL. NOW. The photo below is not of my cat, but it IS IND
The joy of reading and making new friends 2008-08-03 22:29:26 This month I hosted book club on my patio. Below are some random photos I took with my phone. My bookshelves are overflowing with books screaming, "Read me next!" My husband, Amazon, keeps sending me books because he knows how much I like to read, and you know, because he LOVES me! Preparing for fellow book club-ers! The totally shabby patio! My new favorite water from Target. The cucumb Read more:making
Book quote of the week 2008-08-01 17:59:39 From HOPE AGAINST DARKNESS by Richard Rohr. "The word change normally refers to new beginnings. But transformation, the mystery we're examining, more often happens not when something new begins but when something old falls apart. The pain of something old falling apart--chaos--invites the soul to listen at a deeper level. It invites, and sometimes forces the soul to go to a new place because
Earthquakes, some thoughts on forgiveness 2008-07-30 12:08:50 I was in class yesterday morning with a room full of high school students when the earthquake hit. When the rumble began, it took a few seconds to understand what was happening. Then, imagine all at once, 40 high schoolers screaming and me saying, "Duck and cover, Duck and cover, everyone, duck and cover!" I pace the room and I check to make sure each one is under a desk. The room is dar Read more:thoughts
Email from a student 2008-07-25 14:57:03 I just received this email from a former student. "Hi, Ms. S, Hope all is well! I was online today, and found this article that I would never take a look at if it wasn't for your class. I thought you might want to see it. - Amanda" And that is how I found out that Randy Pausch died today. I am overcome with emotion, sitting in the coffee house grading papers. Randy changed the way I teac Read more:Email
Divine therapy 2008-07-24 11:00:37 Woke up with tears this morning. Weird, I thought, what's up with that? It felt a lot like old shame surfacing, childhood shame. I lay in bed and let the tears flow in this cleansing stream while I stretched and slowly emerged from a deep slumber. I didn't remember dreaming. Then it occurred to me that I practiced centering prayer last night, later than usual, and that maybe some "junk" Read more:Divine
Happy Birthday! 2008-07-23 14:45:57 It's Eileen's birthday. Go on over to A Life of Triggers and wish her a happy, happy day. She's an amazing Social Worker who advocates for many, many, many children who can't advocate for themselves! She even had to cancel her upcoming vacation to Maine in order to go to court on the behalf of a young girl who was horribly abused. She is one special lady, and not enough can be said about the wonde Read more:Happy
, Birthday
, Happy Birthday
Snapshots # 3 and #4: living with sweaty hands 2008-08-22 03:26:00 Snapshot #3 I pick out the blue GAP hoodie and take it to the register. I take out my checkbook and put it on the counter while the clerk rings up my purchase. I hold both hands up off the counter top while I write out the amount of twenty-one dollars and 69 cents. Drops of water splash on my check, and I dab it off with the sleeve of my white t-shirt. The ink bleeds on the page, and I lift the ch
Goodbye to the nickname, La La 2008-08-20 21:47:04 When this little guy was about 1 1/2, he named me, La La. He would try to say Shelia, but always ended up saying La La instead. The name stuck. Soon the whole family was referring to me as La La, and I was referring to myself that way, too. The last time I saw him was nearly 10 months ago on his 3rd birthday. I had no idea I'd not see him after that. The very next week after his birthday, his mom Read more:Goodbye
Snapshot #2: growing up with sweaty hands 2008-08-19 23:56:53 I stand on the pitcher's mound, holding the softball and glove under my left arm. I fold up my polyester jersey where I've safety pinned a blue wash rag and dry off my hands. Eyes from the bleachers are on me. Eyes from both dugouts are focused on me. The eyes of the batter watch me closely, too. I bend over and pick up my small, rectangular shaped rosin bag and toss it back and forth between my h
Snapshot: growing up with sweaty hands 2008-08-19 01:23:00 I stand facing the front of the church, L. on my left and C. on my right. We stand like this each Sunday morning for the singing of "All Hail the power of Jesus' Name," which is right before the whole church prayer, and the passing of the offering plate. I sing loud, "All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ Name! Let angels prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord o
What am I missing? 2008-08-18 18:36:02 It may surprise you to learn that I don't go to church. I haven't in a long while (around 4 years). For the first few years, I felt this "should get up and go" feeling every Sunday. Now, on Sundays, it doesn't even occur to me to go to church. This is good and maybe not so good. I try not to put a value judgment on it. I do, however, have faith in God. I seek to know Jesus in a personal
Death by carbonation 2008-08-14 15:11:26 I've been glued to the TV late each night watching the Olympics. Imagine me sprawled out on the couch with the Bronte sisters--one cat curled up to my side and the other one straddled on top of my right leg with her chin hanging over the top of my knee, her front legs and paws hanging down from each side of my thigh--watching Mr. Phelps kick ass in the pool! I'm a creature of comfort (it's my moth
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