Olympics – the enduring spirit

There's just something about watching the Olympics.  I have to admit, I prefer watching the summer Olympic Games & it is harder this year because I am not a fan of Russia's social policies (on gays and many other things), but something about watching Olympics is irresistible.  We all especially seem to love the amazing stories of the athletes, how they overcame great odds and the sacrifices their families made.  It is hard not to be moved by the incredible athletes and their interminable spirit and tenacity. 

Anyone who has driven their child to practice or spent long weekends at a sports tournament can tell you that sports are a family affair.  Great athletes don’t just happen; yes, there are naturally gifted athletes but even they need training and support to grow into world class athletes. 

So far I have only watched a few of the events.  I love the sweet little 15 year old Russian ice skating phenom, Yulia.  She is incredible. Since when did ice skating become a team sport? Does figure skating really need instant replay?

 I'm not sure if I could even walk up the hill that the Danish & Swedish skiers raced up to win in the Skiathalon event (I didn't even know that was a sport).  I found this picture online of the skiers after they finished the race.  I felt tired for them just watching the race.

And I have to admit - I must be showing my age; what the heck is slope style anyway?  I don't understand any of the snowboard events, I feel like they are all speaking a different language.  Seriously, curling makes more sense. 

To all of the athletes from these games, I applaud your amazing spirit and dedication and drive.  Just competing you are all champions already. 

Remote wars - the Epic Battle

There is a civil war that rages in every house in America & our house is no different - Who will get to the remote first? 

If Peter grabs the remote then I can be assured of ESPN coverage, a bad sci fi movie (one with aliens, not the really bad earth is ending B rated movies that I love to watch and laugh at), or anything with guns and loud gun fighting scenes (which includes war movies, westerns, or mobster movies).  If he can't find anything on the regular channels that grabs his interest, he will watch a recorded episode of Smallville.  I don't understand his obsession with that show, but he just loves it.  When all else fails - it is guaranteed that he will put Avengers in the DVD player, we have stopped counting how many times he has watched that movie.  He knows I will complain about his choices and I will try to grab the remote as soon as he leaves it unattended. 

If I am lucky enough to grab the remote first, we will be watching Project Runway (and yes that includes Tim Gunn's new spinoff version), or the Biggest Loser (but I am not happy about this year's winner and if they don't make changes I won't be watching in the future), Revenge (I can't explain it but I just love that show - it reminds me of a tele-novella, the acting is awful and the story line is ridiculous but it is so addicting) or Parenthood (its just a good show).  He complains loudly about all of my choices too. 

We do agree on several shows; Modern family (I mean really, this may be the best show on TV), The Big Bang theory (obviously), NCIS (yeah, he got me hooked on it - now I love it too), The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (which is where we get most of our news) and of course any ASU sports. 

I don't know which shows your family can agree on - but it is important to have special shows that you watch together - it helps to have a cease fire sometimes in the Remote Civil wars. 

Gay – remember when it meant happy? (in 80 countries being gay is punishable by death)

I was having an interesting conversation with my daughter tonight.  We were watching that cute new show "Celebrity game Night" hosted by Jane Lynch.  Jane was chatting with one of the celebrity guests and made a very open comment about being gay.  I like Jane Lynch, she makes me laugh & I could care less if she is straight or gay - I really don't care who she chooses to love.  Watching that show brought back memories of the Ellen show, not the highly successful talk show that she has now, but the adorable sit com that she did years ago.  It was such a big controversy when her character on that show 'came out'.  I thought it was ridiculous to make such a big deal out of it back then and I still think its no big deal today.  I realize not everyone agrees with me.  Many conservative Christians argue that it is against God's plan for us to be gay - but God also said we shouldn't judge, that we should leave that up to him ( "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone", or "Judge not, lest ye be judged"). 

I am fearful about the upcoming Sochi Olympics.  The major of Sochi was actually quoted saying homosexuality does not exist among the residents in Sochi and it is not accepted in the city.  First of all, I won't even acknowledge how silly his comment is about not having any homosexuals in his city, but the comment that its not accepted in his city frightens me.  What kind of reception will Gay athletes get?  I find it so sad that people are actually jailed or killed for who they love.  How can we accept this kind of intolerance?  I wrote a blog post last week about the Anniversary of the release of Holocaust prisoners from Auschwitz and it is so sad that intolerance and bigotry is still part of our lives today.  As Martin Luther King Jr. said "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools”  

I'm on my way......

I am so excited, I got two e-mails with fantastic news today.  First, the Book Chapter about eating disorders that I co-authored for the RT handbook is almost ready to go :) and should be published this year.  Second, I just got offered a part-time position doing some writing for a wedding planning company.  I feel like the stars are aligned.  It is amazing when you go after your future - positive things really do begin to happen. 

I know I will really miss teaching, but life is too short to do something that doesn't make you happy. 

The voice in my head has been telling me its time to leave teaching and go write, and that voice has been getting louder and louder lately.  Today I think that voice was screaming an affirmation - it is time to write and although its scary not to have a planned steady income, I know it will all work out.

 

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

I noticed a tweet today about International Holocaust Remembrance day.  "On January 27th, we mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the date on which Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by Red Army troops in 1945."

Read more: On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Rethinking Commemoration | Simon Goldberg | Ops & Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/on-international-holocaust-remembrance-day-rethinking-the-commemorative-act/#ixzz2rWrAIgfO

 

When I think of Holocaust Memorial day I think of all the moving, compelling books I have read about the Holocaust; stories that have shocked and horrified me, stories that have moved me and made me cry, and all of the untold stories of horrors that we were never able to hear because they were never able to be told.  I recently saw a picture online that showed the 10 most read books of all time and not surprisingly 'The Diary of Anne Frank' is on that list.  Her poignant account of growing up during the Holocaust gave a face and a name to the millions of Jews who suffered and died during the Holocaust.  It seems unimaginable to think of the humiliation, suffering, torture and murder of so many people, guilty of only one thing, a Jewish heritage.  In that way I am also guilty and I can't help but empathize with Holocaust survivors, I can't help but wonder why this was allowed to happen and be angry at the injustice.  Despite my sadness and anger, it is my obligation to teach tolerance, to ensure the memory of these people are never forgotten and to help ensure our world is a better place today and in the future. 

 

Serendipity

Merriam Webster dictionary defines serendipity as 'luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for'.  A pleasant surprise, a happy accident, looking for something else and finding what you really want. 

 

 

Life rarely ever happens according to our plans.  When we open ourselves up to new ideas, what happens next can be truly wonderful.  I can only describe meeting Peter  as serendipity.  He is so amazing, he is not at all what I thought I would find and yet he is perfect for me.

 

I feel like serendipity is stepping in again, as I consider what I want to do with the rest of my life, I have become restless and unhappy with the teaching profession ( and obviously I am not alone).  I love teaching and I will miss it a great deal, but just as I am considering making a change, serendipity happens and Peter gets a raise, he encourages me to pursue my other lifelong dream of writing.  I have the ideas and now I have the support to explore writing. 

 

Being a teacher should not mean being a doormat

We teachers are all feeling like this lately

 

hiding from abusive parents, demanding administrators, out of control legislators

Well - to coin a phrase, I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!  I responded openly and honestly to a parent e-mail today.  I had a parent basically insult me and accuse me of intentionally trying to prevent her son from participating in sports rather than help him succeed.  Now normally I just take a breath and then politely respond how I am sorry (taking the blame on myself) and try to appease the parents so they don't get upset or go to the Principal - well NOT TODAY!  I was professional but very blunt - and I stated that I resented her accusation and that the responsibility for not turning in work should be directed at her son and not at me.  Honestly - I didn't (don't) care if I am written up or even fired, parents do not have the right to bully teachers. 

 

Since when did it become socially acceptable to belittle and abuse teachers?  It is so disheartening to listen to my colleagues and see the frustration and pain on their faces and in their body language.  I fear that we are headed for a severe shortage of quality teachers.  I recently read a very well written article entitled "Why I want to give up Teaching."   One line from the article was especially poignant "government attempts to improve education are stripping the joy out of teaching and doing nothing to help children" http://articles.courant.com/2014-01-17/news/hc-op-natale-teacher-ready-to-quit-over-common-cor-20140117_1_new-teacher-evaluation-program-common-core-state-standards-college-presidents  It is a very sad and very accurate statement on the current sentiment from the teachers in this country.  I don't believe I am exaggerating, I wanted to find the article again so I did a quick Google search for 'Why I want to quit teaching' and received 19,500 hits.  I'm not sure if reading many of these articles was affirming or simply depressing.  What I learned; the turnover rate in teaching is higher than most other professions, pay is also an issue for most teachers, mostly it's about job dissatisfaction - about teachers feeling powerless.  Today I took back some of my power - I stood up to a parent who was being a bully, despite the fact that I got no help from my administrators, I spoke up for myself.  Is it enough to change all the problems of education? NO, but at least its a step in the right direction, and it made me feel good.   

 

 Teachers should be respected, if we continue to demean and overregulate the field of education, if we allow overbearing parents, zealous politicians and power hungry administrators to continue to push teachers beyond their breaking point, we will all lose - especially the children.