Stereotypes

I've been thinking alot about stereotypes recently. It's been mainly since I started teaching and since my boyfriend came into my life. It's been interesting because I'm falling into some stereotypes. I.e. drinking red wine and playing Wizard of Oz monopoly while away on a weekend mini-break with A. But I'm wondering about stereotypes of my students and something that happened at church today.

I'll admit, I have a minor crush on the minister of my UU church (laugh all you want Liz!) Why is that though? I'll admit, he's got a Ken Doll look about him. But there is something about the forbidden fruit of a minister. I mean, isn't there a literary stereotype of the preacher's daughter? Corrupting the bad? Striving to be saintly? I guess in the 21st Century, one can go straight for the preacher. Not that I will, just fun to have a crush.

Now, my students - they live in the ghetto, they have hard lives and now it is my job to find the good in all of them.

It's the little things

I feel I've used this title before for a blog post. However, I don't feel like I have the patience to go back into the over 5 years of blogs to find it. It's also a song from that rather cooky musical COMPANY. But for me, it's becoming my life mantra. Something happened yesterday when I dropped the kids off in the computer lab. There was one kid E who whipped it out of his pants and decided to urinate on the floor of the lab. I don't know why but I lost it laughing. Does that make me a bad person?

The other much more positive little thing I learned about today is all the way out of Africa. I finally saw some pics from the theatre competition that I started in 2006. It went from 6 schools in 2006 with $1000 budget to a 2 day competition with 22 schools and an almost $10,000 competition in 2009.

I'm happy!!!! No Zanex involved.

Is it still sad?

I've been around a lot of death in my life. It has always been a major feature in my life. Maybe that is why I don't really fear it. I just don't. It's part of life. However, when I got home tonight I got some bad news from across the pond. A good dear friend died about 2 weeks ago. She lived in Pinner, NW London and was one of the kindest women I have ever met. Her name is Katharine Young and she died at 101. She was the mother of a friend of my mother. I used to go and visit her in London whenever I was there. Last time I was in London, she had her 100 birthday and I wanted to visit but she was not home. The family took her to Spain for the birthday celebration! She's been in and out of my life for many years and I always enjoyed watching some of those crazy gameshows with her.

What I'm wondering now. She lived a full life. I mean not many people really make it to 100 years! She touched so many people and I'll always remember her. All these good things about this woman that lived THOUSANDS of miles away...

Why is it still sad?

PS. I HATE the term passed away or passed. Don't know why...

A nuisance

So I haven't blogged since I started my job as a teacher. I'm dreadfully sorry to everybody who has read this so much over the years. I'm going to start up with a vengence again because I've picked up my journal and felt so wonderful. But after 38 days of school (112 left!), two separate grade assignments, finally understanding the definition of crack baby and finding someone who likes me I'm back.

I'm writing to you today about two things. Since it is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, we have elections. That means no one really notices and nothing really happens. We call ourselves the greatest democracy on earth? I don't get it honestly. I woke up this morning really happy that I would be able to vote but wondering if it would really matter. Of course I decided that I would have to. I knew too many people in Africa that would have slapped me silly if I didn't vote. It's just something we take too much for granted. One thing for certain, I don't understand why we don't have a civil holiday. South Africa has a national holiday AT THE WEEKEND every year. When I went, I asked them how many people they have seen so far today. They said 25. 25 out of 400 eligible voters in the district! Is voting a nuisance?

The other nuisance was proved to me today. A teacher was complaining about how horrible life is right now. Then a good friend of mine sent me a story of someone he knows. This person was laid off a month ago but was able to get her old job back. Her new job requires a lot of traveling and moving around. The catch is she is blind. But she would rather worry about "that small" problem with a job than worry about all the other problems that come with not having a job.

So let's breathe!