Month: December 2008

  • that nifty little thing called “footprints”…

    tells me that…

    More people from California and Belgium read my blog than from Indiana. what? Belgium?

    my happy thought for the day

    i had all my students give oral reports. my ninth grader, Igor, gave a report. actually…all he did was poorly read what i had helped him write down…but HE DID IT.

    and for the quiet, uncordinated 15 year old (who has been flunking every school he’s been to) to do that…was my lovely victory for the day. he doesn’t even do reports in Portguese, let alone English.

    i think he was rather surprised he did it himself.
    *
    Christmas music.

    last year i worked at a department store from thanksgiving to Christmas. piped in Christmas music every day. the same track.

    this year i am head of the Christmas program. the same 7 songs, two verses each for 60 children. and a couple rounds of Fa lalalala and 12 days of Christmas on top of that.

    next year…
    can only get worse.

  • stolen property

    ‘ello.

    it is Thursday night. and thursday night is my one night off. sometimes. and i watched “The Patriot” because i could. and now…i am looking through random people’s posts…because…

    it makes me feel normal.
    i guess that is as good a reason as any.

    i found one.
    a political letter that i like.
    stolen from a writer named gymsoc. anyone with that name has to be cool. they got it from…somewhere or other.
    don’tcha love the internet?
    *

    ‘As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark ‘The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?

    The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just aren’t happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ‘What are we so unhappy about?”

    A.. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

    B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

    C.. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

    D.. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

    E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

    F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

    G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

    H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

    I.. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

    J.. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

    K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

    L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

    M.. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

    Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy. Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don’t have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

    I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been led every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

    Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn’t take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it……are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the ‘Media’ told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day.

    Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn’t have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ”general” discharge, an ‘other than “honorable” discharge or, worst case scenario, a ”dishonorable’ discharge after a few days in the brig. So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans? Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by ‘justifying’ them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn’t kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way……Insane!

    Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most
    blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.’ ‘With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, ‘Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?’

    David Letterman

    *
    happy thanksgiving.

    personally…my anger at the press doesn’t last that long either. i’d rather just come home and have a nice Christmas. but every once in awhile, i dust off my values, morals, and beliefs and realize…things are not as they should be.

    and my next question leaves me where i begin…

    what does that mean i should do?

  • i am happy

    i am almost caught up with e-mails from October and November.
    my rule is…
    leave it in my inbox until i reply to it.

    sometimes…it is just sad to see how many letters wait for a reply.

    i made deviled eggs today.
    Pickles are new to Brasil. Relish hasn’t arrived yet. so i cut up pickles.
    the hardest part was the eggs. today is so windy that it kept blowing out the pilot light on the stove when i was hard boiling them.

    i love the Brasilian wind.

    and…tomorrow marks the two week line. there is something that clicks in me two weeks before i leave. it is weird.
    dun-du-dun-du-dun

    and i love my family and had a nice chat about Christmas decorations today with my mother and Dad is doing much better and is scheduled to head back to work next week. please pray for a smooth transition.

    and HELP!!!!

    this weekend i am going to buy jewelry, and stuff to make jewelry.
    the kids and i are going to get creative.
    i, unfortunately, have found myself in charge of this jewelry program.
    we make jewelry, and then anyone interested in Brasilian homemade jewelry can help themselves to it–and give whatever donation they wish to the Living Stones program.

    i did this last time, but this time the kids want to help make the jewelry. which is a great idea. if i wasn’t in charge of it. i am lost in a mountain of options.

    i have completely forgotten what American’s like…American style…whatever.

    So if you are interested in some Brasilian jewelry, or donating to the Living Stones project (for the poor children in Paudalho), please let me know.

    and and and…what is the most popular?
    rings?
    bracelets?
    earings?
    necklaces?

    there is coconut earings and rings that are cool.
    there are these white fishbone necklaces that i think are really pretty. and fish scale earings.
    and seed necklaces and wooden bead necklaces and wooden bracelets and….really…i have no idea where to start.

    if you want Chirstmas presents, please let me know so i can make sure to get the jewelry to you RIGHT AWAY. and so i know how much to buy. i would hate to run out. i also don’t want a mound of jewelry hanging around my room for the next couple years. 

    i get back December 19th.

    so don’t go Christmas shopping. write me and get exotic coconut stuff instead. and help out some really amazing kids.

    hum. how did that sound for my little info-mercial?