The sky looked threatening for sure.
Bela noticed this and sent me outside.
I love storm clouds!
Storm Clouds
The Dovekeepers
Alice Hoffman’s cover for The Dovekeepers attracted me first. I recognized one of the ladies on it, and that drew me in for a closer look. I wasn’t sure I wanted to commit to reading it in spite of my curiosity. I didn’t know if the topic could hold my interest. To be honest, I was almost half through it when I realized I had to finish.
I was finally invested in the characters. Shirah, the Witch of Moab, fascinated me, but no more than Yael, Aziza or Revka. The lives of the four ladies intertwined in a web of destiny that none could escape.
If you are remotely interested in Biblical history and women’s roles, you should read The Dovekeepers. Although this is fiction, it’s amazing to consider the possibilities.
Nebraska Calling!
Sweden’s tourism brainiacs had a super cool idea……they created a phone number for interested parties (like me) to call to speak with a random Swede in a random place there. As soon as I discovered this, I was determined to call Sweden.
I made that call this morning! After a brief wait, I was connected to Olivia in Stockholm. She was a delightful conversationalist who was happy to teach me things about her country. When I told her I was calling from Nebraska, she was surprised. She was even kind enough to speak to the principal of the school (my boss). Since he happened to pass by my room while I was on the phone, I figured he might want to know what was going on.
I have always been fascinated by other cultures, so I may end up calling again with more questions for a volunteer Swedish ambassador.
Underappreciated!
I have been teaching languages for the last sixteen years, and I have seen and heard many weird comments during that time. I have noticed that many people simply don’t appreciate the work I do. To be honest, it makes me sad and a bit angry.
I have heard things like, “Speak English!” or “Why can’t everyone learn English?” too many times to count. Think about it from my perspective if you can. I am a professional paid to speak my second language—in this case Spanish. I am paid to teach people as much as I can in the time allotted to me. I have been trained extensively in the various methods to do just that, literally spending years staying current with research in my field.
When my students encounter me, I need to create the expectation of using the second language. What that means is when I see students in town or anywhere else outside of my classroom, I like to speak to them in Spanish. It activates what they already know and expands their minds to be able to learn even more. They gain confidence when they are successful.
Sit back, be quiet and let me do what I’m trained to do. It’s not my fault there is no official language for the United States. It’s not my fault that students are required to take at least one year of Spanish to graduate. It’s not my fault that it is harder for some students than others. If you think about it, that could easily apply to math or science, etc.
What any teacher does is build background knowledge for life. Our job is to combat ignorance. A little support from the community would be nice. Tolerance for other cultures wouldn’t hurt either. You’re never too old to learn!
P. S. To the community members who are always supportive, thank you so much! You make the rough days easier.
Planting Seeds
My colleagues and I had an “event” today in a neighboring city, and we all expended a lot of time and energy to make it fun and successful. I was hoping to be able to use my Spanish because I had invited several gals. I didn’t get any takers this time, but I figure nothing grows unless you plant seeds. That’s what I’m doing now—planting seeds as I invite ladies—and hoping for a harvest at some point. That harvest may be in the form of business relationships or friendships. Either way, I come out a winner.
Today’s event gave me a chance to practice what I’ve learned and look my best at the same time. The cupcakes were a tasty bonus!
Change that Channel
Am I the only one who watches maybe five or ten minutes of a show and then has to flip the channel because I’ve suddenly had enough? That happened to me this morning. Again. I won’t tell the actual name of the show, but it involves people getting married. I felt like I was getting “stuck on stupid” due to things people were saying about gender roles and marriage in general.
I, of course, base that last statement on my experiences with my own mate. The TV mother-in-laws said a woman should keep romance alive, take care of the house and let her husband be the boss. WHAT??? In a good marriage (relationship), there is no boss. It would (ideally) be a partnership, right? There will always be chores that one person usually does, but in real life, partners have to function as a team and do things that may not be easy. That means two people working together to make a future. There’s no boss, and nobody gets paid a salary.
According to the ladies on the show, my mate and I did everything all wrong! Funny thing is, our “wrong” sure did work well! I have no objection to what people call old-fashioned values. I do, however, object to a warped view of marriage and what each gender “should” do.
Just Believe
This morning—for the last few mornings, actually—I was thinking about all of the things I need. I have tried to remember to trust in the Lord, but I’m human. It’s a challenge to let go of things that bring me down.
A rainbow always reminds me of God’s grace and power.
While I was in the shower, I was still pondering everything, but I remembered that God already knows what we need. I took a moment to thank God for the hot water coming out of the tap. Then I started thinking about all of the other things I rarely notice until we don’t have them. It’s easy to take things for granted because (say it with me) we are human. It’s our nature to worry and get worked up about things we simply can’t control.
I reminded myself that God knows. He’s not limited by time, money or ability like we are. He is perfect. We are not, but we can strive for perfection and accept grace. I will have to keep reminding myself of these things. If and when I forget, I’m counting on you to remind me.
Slow Down!
That’s what I keep telling myself. I have to slow down, take a breath and relax from time to time. Even when my body is at rest, my brain is racing. I can’t be the only person who lies in bed just thinking for hours, can I?
Lately, my brain has been focused on growing my new business—making contacts, creating punch cards, ordering samples, etc. When I hit on a great idea, I share it with my friends who are in the same line of work. That’s the best part about my brain racing because I love to collaborate and brainstorm with friends. Maybe that is how I relax.
Plan B
I have recently started a new business venture to go along with my regular teaching job. After teaching for sixteen years, I know that lessons don’t always go according to plan. No matter how carefully we make plans, things happen and we have to improvise. You other teachers definitely understand and can cite thousands of examples, I’m sure!
Anna, my coach/mentor/friend, and I had a great day yesterday and a Plan A for today. A bit before nine this morning, she informed me that she had to cancel due to illness, so I was forced to wing it (or as some say “drop back and punt”). Enter Plan B.
I was in a panic at first, but Anna sent me a message telling me to take it ten minutes at a time. That was today’s mantra. Guess what? It worked out just fine! I even made use of the down time to brainstorm for later.
Sometimes Plan B is meant to happen in spite of our best intentions. The next time you have to drop back and punt, maybe the real lesson is that you need to learn to be flexible and respond to challenges in the moment.
The Cloak
Today would have been the 59th birthday of the man I loved (and still do) with all of my heart. He was killed a year ago a few days shy of his 58th birthday. I have been in mourning since that day. Other family members have felt the pain, too, but I can only tell my story.
I made a comment to my cousin tonight (thanks, Cheryl) about grieving. I liken grief to a mantle or a cloak I was forced to put on. For the first few days, it was stifling, oppressive and shocking. The heaviness nearly suffocated me. As months passed, it became more a part of my normal wardrobe. That’s not to say wearing that cloak was ever something I wanted.
For a time, I was existing day to day, struggling to bear the heaviness. I got through those days, weeks and months, but just surviving his loss was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Ever.
Grief is a life-long process. The sharpness of loss fades to become bearable, but that cloak is still settled firmly on my shoulders. It doesn’t feel quite so heavy, but I still feel the weight. It’s not something I can take off and don again. It’s there to stay, but maybe I’m strong enough to stand tall in spite of the cloak.
Ramblings of a Perforated Mind 