People's History

I am reading A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. If I had more time, I would read stuff like this all the time. And by 'stuff like this', I mean 'books'. I read Letters to a Young Conservative by Dinesh D'Souza a number of years ago. It got me extremely charged up to understand the state of the union and the Constitution and everything social and political. I was encouraged to not remain ignorant of pertinent issues.

I'm really looking forward to this book. I read through most of the first chapter while waiting at the DMV. It discusses the discovery of the New World by Columbus and various other explorers and the resulting impact on the native cultures. One of the points he targets is the idea that terrible atrocities have essentially been justified by the perspective of historians through the ages. The mass genocide of many of the native cultures of the Americas was deemed necessary for advancement of European culture in the New World. History is a balance of perspectives. This book seeks to present history from many perspectives - not just the perspectives of explorers and politicians.

This book is going to spark questions. I love that. Isn't that what we want, as learners? To be sparked alive with questions in what we are learning? And what a fantastic implication for teachers.

My friend, Mya, was talking about how her experience living in Japan has taught her that who she is as a person is partially due to her American heritage. That American history, which once used to seem fairly abstract and detached from her life, has now come alive in the very American way she relates to the world. What does that mean, really? And how would I relate to the world differently if I was not this person I am now?

This is why I am reading this book.

Pitter-Pat. What now?

Ok. I admit it. I am excited about Adam. It's taken me a while to completely admit it. But I am pitter-pattery over him. I never thought that he and I would actually work out. But we do. We are different. But we are also similar. I adore him. In my late twenties I have encountered gentlemen who are fairly non-committal. This one included. Sort of. This one is committal in a pseudo-non-committal way. So when you're in a relationship like that, it's fairly difficult to be up-front about the way you feel about somebody. So this is a big step for me.

"I like you. Alot. Like more than I like lightning storms. Like if I had to choose you or sushi, I would choose you. See. I like you alot alot."

I like him enough to take photographic evidence of our relationship. I even like him enough to print them out and start putting them places like my desk at work. Well, not really multiple. Just one. Let's not go overboard. I like him enough to plan surprises for when he goes out of town. Ha! I can't reveal this secret just yet. But I will take photographic evidence of it to post at a later date. I like him enough to be sad when he leaves for deployment. Real real sad. Sad enough to wait for him to come home.

Sounds like I'm in big trouble. Sounds like I got myself a crush. A bad one.

Liar

I've been lying for two years. Lying. To a (now) ten-year-old girl. She's a fan of John Mayer - as am I. I finally admitted to her today in class, that indeed, I am NOT the long-time girlfriend of John Mayer OR Jason Mraz as I so passionately attested to for the past two years.

It was funny, I thought. She did, too. I know it. But it's the end of an era. And I have a real live boyfriend now. So, goodbye John Mayer. Goodbye Jason Mraz. So long to what may have been.

Politician Twitter

As if politician banter isn't catty enough, they've decided to Twitter. Seriously? I just read that Arlen Specter and Senator Grassley were involved in some little slap-fight via Twitter regarding health care.

Didn't they get enough of that in seventh-grade fashion wars during passing periods? Please.

Conversing with a Six-Year-Old

Her - What's that stuff you're drinking?

Me - Potion.

What??!!

It's potion.

What does it do?

Turns my toes green.

Nooo!!!! DON'TDRINKIT!!!!!!

It tastes good. *sip* My toes are tingling. They itch too.

(with furrowed brow) ARE THEY GOING TO TURN GREEN?

Yes.

STOP IT RIGHT NOW! STOP DRINKING THAT!

Ok. ... Hey. Did you know that when people turn into monsters, the first thing that turns green is their toes?

Twenty-Whatever

Today is my birthday. I told the kids at school that today I turned 100. They don't really know. Thirty is basically like 100 to them. When I was twenty-whatever, these are the things that I learned.

Change happens. For better. For worse. There's nothing we can do to stop it. We can't prevent it. But we can direct it.

Committment is worth it. I'll never give up on committment again.

My greatest treasures are friends and family. They are priceless.

Starting over is way harder than it seems.

My dog is the love of my life.

Retail therapy covers over a multitude of sins. Well... we pretend it does.

Being responsible is not one of my strong points.

I fail. Almost every day I fail at something. But in the end, it causes growth, so perhaps it's worth it.

Changing the life of a child is like nothing I've ever known. It's nothing anyone can ever take away from me. It's mine forever.

I know what I want and what I don't. And I'm not afraid to clean things out of my life that just aren't what I want.

To communicate.

Balance is essential.

I need God. Real bad.

Being a lady is not just about looking lovely. It's about confidence and tenderness and full-blown, bone-crushing torrential strength.

When you get down to the tough stuff you do what you gotta do to plug ahead. You laugh. You find all the happy you can find. You pull your friends real real close.

I am extremely skilled and I have raging passion that pulls me to love what I do for a living.

Being outside is not optional for me. I have to see the sky and feel the breeze. I have to notice the little details. I have to stop and explore.

When I love, I love big.

Learning to Love

Only two more days of being 29. And still I fail at lots. It's all part of being human. Regardless of how laid back I am about many things, I am extremely hard on myself. I am learning every day. I am so grateful to have a man in my life who encourages me to grow. To make positive changes. Today we had one of those discussions. Hard discussions that clean up areas in my brain and make it easier to become better. There was a pit in my stomach nearly the entire time but now I can breathe more clearly and maybe walk more lightly.

I am learning to love. Sometimes this means making decisions on what is worth changing in my own life. Sometimes it means discovering how to gently encourage positive growth in him. The big idea of this conversation was the idea that people change. Of course they do, right? The most frightening thing that I've encountered is the idea that I can link my life to someone 'till death do us part and have them or me drastically change. I had no guarantees. None of us do. But the idea of love is that we risk it. And we go forward knowing that we will be with the person we love through every change they endure and we have strength of hope that they will be with us through every change we endure. Time will hopefully bring wisdom which in turn brings change for the better.

Relationships are hard. Who knows if we or you or she or he are making the right decision? Is it worth it? Do I go with my instinct? Do I stop before everything gets too close? Nobody really knows. But I am of the firm conviction that whatever I choose to do, God will bless as I learn to trust Him and turn to Him in all things. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Right?