Thinking About: Hamilton

Over the long weekend, I watched Hamilton thanks to Disney. I was grateful for the "bargain price" of 6.99 vs $$$$.  The music, the cast, and the historical-fiction-musical-infused perspective of America's story were worth the price! 

Lin Manuel Miranda's depiction of Hamilton as progressive and anti-slavery is not historically accurate; yet, the depiction of Hamilton and America's founding fathers as people with economic and political vision combined with a need for power and prestige is part of America's story.  The movie has spurred my thinking, reading and questioning!  

I knew Hamilton was an architect of our economy and was on $10 bills! I didn't know much else and so, many decades after my last history class, I started reading everything I could find about Hamilton and other founding fathers. 

https://www.amazon.com/Alexander-Hamilton-Ron-Chernow/dp/0143034758https://www.ushistory.org/us/18b.asp#:~:text=Hamilton's%20vision%20for%20reshaping%20the,a%20more%20stable%20paper%20currency.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=2973

I've been reminded that Hamilton authored many of the Federalist papers that proposed 3 branches of government and he, as well as most if not all of our founding fathers were owners of slaves even while penning documents that "All men are created equal."  

I've been reminded about the power of controversy to spur reading, thinking and learning. If only we could inspire our students with books, films and talk so they want to know more about prejudice, racism, sexism, immigration, privilege, climate change, pollution, health care, education, welfare, critical thinking......so they can be a part of the change in the  course of our nation's story....

SOL17 Some assembly required?

I spent a good amount of time attempting to assemble a "toy car" that says, "Some assembly required!"

After 38 years on the market , there must have been TENS of THOUSANDS of these peddle-less cars assembled across this country! I am positive that exhausted parents as well as individuals who can barely read have assembled these. I am certain that some families have assembled more than one! I have an advanced degree in literacy and have assembled IKEA bookcases, a gas grill, and a picnic table!  "I can do this," I thought as I opened the box.

But, it's still wheel-less at one week  I am trying to persist; however, at this juncture, it is STILL not drive-able!

So, it was with trepidation, I opened the other Little Tykes box to find out how bad the other gift, for the other two-year-old was going to be! According to Amazon, it is a NUMBER 1 BEST SELLER!   I assembled it in minutes!  I was so excited.....

But I noticed something interesting as the two sat side by side.  The Cozy Coupe, hard as it is to put together, appears to be made to last a lot longer than the basketball hoop....that I suspect will likely have a life-cycle measured in months!

Of course, like so many life experiences, there may be a message gleaned from all this time with Little Tyke plastic: Things might be a little sturdier, a little more valued, and perhaps more stable if they are a little harder to achieve.  Or, perhaps I am just reading too much into this "some assembly required " Cozy Coupe challenge me during this once-in-a-lifetime-season of toddler birthdays!

#sol17 Day 10 Today

Someday soon, 

Tiny crocuses

Like those poking their heads up yesterday,

Will be joined by graceful tulips

And bold daffodils

They will dance in the spring breeze

Under sun-shiny skies

Amid fresh blades of green, green grass,

To be adored by walkers, joggers and runners,

Bike-riders and squealing children.

But, today,

It is still winter.

The ground is covered 

With a "lovely" fresh, wet, white, blanket,

The still bare trees are decorated

With white sweaters and jackets.

Our sweaters, mittens, and boots,

Are back in service 

While visions of shoveling,

Snow people and snow angels,

Resurface.  

The tulips on my windowsill

Are sitting amid the late-winter-white

 Reminders to embrace and enjoy today

Reminders of what is ahead 

Someday, soon.

   

sol16 Marching Through March Without the SOL Community?

I thought about skipping this year,

I thought about how much I have to do,

As a teacher of reluctant and struggling readers,

With lesson plans, CSE meetings, multiple reports pending,

As a professor to 30+ graduate students,

With more reports to read than I can count.

As the mother of new parents,

Who could use painting, babysitting, cooking, support,

As the Grammie to two snuggle-puppies,

Who make my heart grow as they roll, cuddle, and coo,

As the Auntie of many

Who need to know that life goes one

As well as some books, snuggles, and veils.

As a friend who would like to share breakfasts, dinners,
Talk about the past, the present, the future,
As the caretaker of a house-on-the-market

Who must vacuum every dust bunny and wash every dish,

As the getting-ready-to-move-lady,
Who should be packing and finding a place to live.

As the caregiver for my last surviving Aunt,

Who needs to know that someone still cares,

As the executor for my mother's messy estate,

With more forms, accounts, reports, worries
With two houses to sell, three income taxes to file,
With more daily cringe-inducing- messes
Than I care to acknowledge.

Then, March 1st came.

There were slicers posting soon after midnight.

I got excited about Opening Day.

I wondered what March would be like without SOL?
I told myself I had to try.

Writing is part of who I am now,

Part of the Teacher, the Professor, the Mother, 

The Grammie, the Auntie,

The Caretaker, the Caregiver,

The Executor,

The Writer.

So, 

I will try

To write and read,

To heal and grow,

To reflect

To look ahead

To look at the Slices of My Life

Through

That Writer-ly Eye.

#sol15 March 29 Waiting for a break in the action

I should have guessed this was coming.  Lots of people have had it.  Yet, I'm ready for this spring-cleaning-catching-up-break.  My list of "things to do" is long and  I want to "do" them.


Then.....


It started with a dry cough late last night as I was trying to figure a way to help those stuck on our local windy parkway in a spring snow storm. There was nothing I could do to help them or to stop the cough.


It was clear in the middle of the night that my cough had turned into headache, chills, and a scratchy throat.  I did an Airborne or three, felt better, and went back to be. There was nothing I could do to stop the inevitable.


As I type this morning with hot tea (with lemon and honey) in hand, it is clear to me that there is nothing I can do to stop this cold that probably was lurking for weeks waiting for a "break in the action."  However, I will aggressively treat it with Airborne.  I will drink lots of hot tea.


This will, hopefully, be "here-today-gone-tomorrow-smart" cold.  While I sip my tea, I'll ponder how how a cold virus with no brain and no education can be so smart!  That just might be the answer that will turn our schools around!

#sol15 March 27 I am "approaching standards"

Sometimes, the "apps" and "icons" line up to teach us lessons we need to learn - even if we don't want to learn those lessons! Today was one of those days for me.

I've always love school and learning. but I am one of those who needs to work hard to be a "pretty good" student. Today, I found out how it feels to be "close" but not good enough!  Today, I saw words pop up on the screen that were clearly not words of congratulations!  Today I felt like I let down my teacher, my peers, and me.  Here's the sad story of my performance during the Google Educator test.

The first few participants taking the Google Educator online test passed with flying colors sharing their grades of "91, 92, 84...." Then, at the last minute as everyone was packing up, I finally hit send. To be honest, I was confident I had passed.  I use Google Drive all the time.  I felt like I knew many answers even without looking them up.  The ones I was not sure of, I went back and tried out the questions in Docs, Forms, or Slides.  Those questions that challenged my experiences were Googled or "Quizzletted."   In my case, despite my confidence and much to my dismay, I failed.  Not by much, just 2 points, but I still failed and that is exactly what it said on the screen!

After the initial shock wore off....as I was driving home....I became reflective...and introspective....and realized this happened for a reason.  I needed this reminder.  Test taking scores are not always indicative of proficiency. Sometimes we are not prepared and sometimes we are "cocky."  Sometimes, we are approaching standards but not quite there.  The good news is that I can take the test again.  The good news is that I will not be kicked out of school.  The good news is that my "mom" will not see me as a failure or question if this will impact my ability to get into Harvard. The good news is that I am reminded how it feels to be "approaching, but not at, standards."

The bad news is that next week, during my "vacation," I'll be studying and retaking this #)%(&%#)(& test.

#sol15 March 26 Kodak moments?

"Kodak moment," has a clear meaning to me!  There used to be Kodak moment signs suggesting picture-taking spots.  When families gathered, we arranged ourselves for the best possible "Kodak Moment."  I grew up in the days when taking a "pic" meant placing a flash cube atop a box camera. Today, my photos live in the clouds.  

I saw the influence of Kodak's empire in the naming of buildings when I visited it;s hometown just before their empire took an abrupt turn thanks to their embracing the digital camera!

I haven't been back to Rochester in a long time and I haven't really heard anything about Kodak!  I guess I "assumed" Kodak was fading like an old photograph!  Then, I saw this posting on Twitter linking to a NYTimes article about Kodak!(thanks S)  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/business/at-kodak-clinging-to-a-future-beyond-film.html?_r=0

Quietly, up on on the Rochester tundra, the company's glory has faded. The layoffs have been mighty.  Yet, there are a few hardy souls working with "nanoparticle wonder inks," or sensors that can indicate whether meats or medicines have spoiled.  I did a quick Google search and determined that while a full understanding of such particles alludes me, they " have a wide variety of potential applications in biomedical, optical and electronics."  Thus, while it's a long shot, with a lot of ingenuity, and a small miracle, there may be a few more moments for Kodak.

TO learn about photos back in the old days
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/education/lessonPlans/lessonPlan152.shtml

#sol15 March 25 Connecting slices

Long ago, 

She slept over,
(Stayed up much too late)

I knew her pizza, Chinese
Preferences

I knew her little girl concerns,
Wishes, hopes, dreams.

Now,
She's slicing
Late at night
(No surprise there)
I know her commute,
Her daughter, drawers,
Her English-teacher

Shared passion for words

Slices
Of toddler hugs and car-challenges,
Of a young-family,
Filled with energy, enthusiasm,
Bursting with busy
Glimpses back into a world
I vaguely remember.

I've long known
People connected and reconnected
Over slices of pizza, lasagna,
Slices of  pie, chocolate cake
With spoken words,
Stories told, retold.

 I'm now sure
People connect
And reconnect
Over written slices,
Like T and I (have),
Shared snippets of diverse
Stages of living
Still filled with challenges,
Wishes, concerns and dreams

#sol15 March 24 That Pesky Check Engine Light

My ol' Focus had one that just would not quit. Even when the car was just a babe under warranty, you'd go over a bump and the ol' check engine light would pop up like a new penny on the dark dashboard.  At the dealer, they would say, "We reset it.  It should be fine now."  But you know what would happen in a few days (or weeks or months).  Sooner or later, it would be back!  Every time we came to the mandated inspection, we took her in to the dealer and had the light reset.  Then, until we went through the pearly gates of the inspection station, we held our breath!

My old Jetta had one of these pesky lights, too. This time it was not an idiopathic problem; instead, there really was a recurring clog in the diesel particulate filter, a particularly (pun intended) disgusting, particularly time consuming, and particularly horrible job according to the guy who was doing the repairs (my husband!) At least, thanks to improvements in at-home-car-repair-software. we could do this reset at home.  Still, inspection season brought angst because you still can't do your own at-home-inspection; thus, we held our breath until the new sticker was attached to the windshield.

This winter, another pesky light has besieged our family and prevented a car from getting through the dreaded mandated inspection. The light was reset, then came back as those pesky lights so often do. Even though we realized check-engine-lights are not weather determined, they are quirky and this quirky light seems to bounce back when it was wet, rainy, snowy... We checked the Accuweather forecast and determined the short window through inspection before the next storm.  We all held our collective breath. The text message was simple, yet, so happy. it almost jumped off the phone.

She passed.
Light's still off 

364 days of peace,
Then, we'll fret,
Reset, 
Or trade.

#sol15 March 23 What do you do, at 92?

In a condo, in the suburbs
Aunt Gert is Rockin' 92,
(see the Friendly's Celebration roll?)

The 9th of 10, born on a farm,
The lone survivor
Of her clan.
No spouse, no kids.

Scattered nieces and nephews,
Friends have been lost,

She eats less, 

One meal at noon,

Some crackers for supper,

But loves her jelly beans, Hershey kisses,

Maple walnut, mint chocolate chip, 

Ice cream.

She sleeps more,
But, she waits up for me,

On Fridays, past 6,
Our date-night,

Setting up the pills,

Pricking her finger, her INR,

Every week we try to guess,

Pretend we are in Vegas.

She savors snippets
About Yankees,

Movie stars, gossip.

Of great and great-great

Nieces and nephews,

She spends her days with  

Ava, Liz, Grace,
Reruns of Law and Order. 

If I grow old,

Become home bound

If  life tries to pass me by,

I hope I will be graceful, peaceful,

Hopeful and gracious,
like Aunt Gert.  

#sol15 March 22 I can hear you!

"I changed the batteries, turned up the volume, but she just can't hear anymore," her caregiver observed back in January.  "The TV is up to 25!  They can hear it next door!".

So began the winter odyssey to hear, again. Betsy, the miracle worker at Hearing Solutions, is local two days a week. Sometimes, it snowed, or it had snowed, or the cold was record breaking, or the ice was too much for the wheelchair. Make an appointment; then cancel,.  So, I waited until the first day of spring. Surely, we'd be easily able to get out, I foolishly thought.

It started snowing as I arrived and I really thought she would say, "I'm not going out." She had not been out since November!  Instead, she sheepishly asked, "Do you think we can make it?"

"Let's go," I smiled as I put her jacket around her and pulled a blanket over her lap.

Fifteen minutes after we arrived, we headed to the car talking in normal decibels.
That was thirty seconds after I promised to come back for a tune up in 3-4 months.
One minutes after Aunt Gert said, "Thank you so much," to Betsy.
Two minutes after we put on her coat.
Three minutes after Aunt Gert laughed and said, "Crackling oat bran."
Four minutes after Betsy, checking the hearing asked, "What did you have for breakfast?"
Five minutes after she said excitedly, "That's better, I can hear you fine."
Six minutes after Betsy said in a normal tone, "Let's see how this works."
Seven minutes after Betsy put the adjusted hearing aids back into her ears.
Eight minutes after the hearing aids were on the computer being re-calibrated.
Nine minutes after Betsy checked out the hearing aids.
Ten minutes after Betsy said, "No problem."
Eleven minutes after Betsy took the hearing aids out while listening to us.
Twelve minuets after we explained the problem.
Thirteen minutes after Betsy said sincerely to Aunt Gert, "It's good to see you."
Fourteen minutes after we took off her winter gear and blankets.
Fifteen minutes after we arrived in the snow.
Twenty minuets after I "bribed" her with Optimum Showtime Movies.



Thanks Betsy for what you do so well!

#sol15 March 20 Someone needs to self correct

Dear Mother Nature,

      We have a problem  As you can see on the weather map, above, there is snow, sleet and freezing rain expected for today!  In fact, at 6:45, according to each of the weather forecasters I consulted, we are assured snow.   In case you didn't get the message, "We're done with winter and ready for spring."  
     According to calendars and Google, today is your Spring Equinox!  You know what that means: the day and night are the same length and spring begins!  We did not want nor do we need any spring snow to keep the slopes open for another day or two.  We've had enough snow, cold, and ice.  We would like to feel your sunshine on our backs.
     As a literacy specialist, I tell my students that self-correction, or noticing that something does not make sense and fixing it, is an important reading strategy.  I'm certain that you will be very proud of yourself if you can self-correct this little glitch in our weather map.  I encourage you to look at your forecast and to self-correct while you still can. 
Sincerely,
One of many faithful, weather watcher, who thanks you for your snowy-stay-home-from-school days most of the time but now is sick of snow and ready for spring

#sol15 March 19 Where do stories come from?

"Have you thought about your story?" she asked me when we talked on the phone preparing for our play date.

"Of course, I'll have a story," I answered quickly thinking that in fact I did not yet have a story in my mind, but hoping I could, once again, as I am "famous" for doing, craft a story out of the events of the day and the characters in their lives. "I always do," I assured my play date. 

To be honest, there are time when I have worried that my stories will not be good enough.  Often, I can't remember the last one.  But, my girls can relate details that amaze me.

Lately, there have been more fantastical tales of princesses living in castles with moats that spurred the inventions of swimming and ice skating.. Lately, we have included more than our share of Disney Princesses in tales of family members whose names are vaguely familiar, like Auntie Anna (a merging of Frozen's hero and their Auntie).  

In the beginning, I think, they were more realistic tales of little girls eating dinner, playing and brushing their teeth, but to be honest, I can't remember for sure!  To be honest, I have wondered if soon they will not need/want my stories.  Yet, something happened last night that assured me I had planted seeds that will last until we are sharing stories of teenage angst!  .

"Do you have a story," she grinned? 

"I'm working on it I offered," I'll be ready by bedtime!  

"Well, then let me tell you a story," she offered, clutching her new yo yo in her hand.  Without awaiting my response, she began,"Once long ago, there were these princesses....."

I'm not sure I remember all the details of this story either; however I can assure you I held in the proud-happy tears as she certainly would not understand my crying over a wonderful happy tale of a princess with a magic yo-yo.  

She knows the best stories come from seeds of our lives.  

#sol 15 March 18 Someone Else's Moccasins

You've likely heard the Native American saying that you never know what "stuff" another is dealing with until you have walked a mile in others' moccasins.  I often think of those words as I "glimpse" into the windows of this writing community.  I marvel at the way people cope with so many of life's stresses.  It's clear there are concerns, joys, and chores on our plates as we struggle to find moments to write about small moments!  

I was thinking about (all of) our piled up "stuff" as I sat in a retreat, in a darkened church, in the middle of the week.  I had two zillion things to do, papers to grade, and power points to review; yet, I gave up one hour at least initially for my own petitions and prayers. In the quiet, I watched the pile of petitions seem more manageable, without fully understanding how that was happening.  I listened to my stomach quietly growl and realized I would deal with each the best I could.  It was clear, as I sat there, that I am not alone on this journey.  None of us are.

Sometimes, we miss "moments" as work, homework, housework consumes us. Sometimes, family consumes us. Sometimes, it's health concerns, or money, or loneliness. Sometimes, we balance the demands like a great conductor and the music is tremendous, for at least a few moments.  Sometimes, we celebrate and other times we mourn. Sometimes, we dance with joy and other times we writhe in worry.  Sometimes, we forget to tell others how much we care; other times, we wrap our arms (even virtually) around others.

Often, as I read and as I write, I remember that my own "moccasins," as worn, tattered and as ill-fitting as they sometimes are, these are the ones I am, will be and should be wearing. One step and then another.  Not alone on this journey.

#sol15 March 17 Corned Beef - Once a Year

While everyone is Irish today, I'm 50% Irish all year through! Like most everyone (who remembers),I will wear some green. I'll think about those who take off from work to attend the big parade in NYC.  I'll think about those who will be celebrating late into the night.  I'll laugh about leprechauns with my first graders! 

Like many, I will cook and eat corned beef and cabbage (even though I could live without it) because that is what you are supposed to do, on St. Patrick's Day, right?  Yet, it's hard to find a good cut of corned beef (although Moseys is the best around here).  It can be hard to cook and sometimes comes out stringy or whimpy after cooking to long.  Sometimes, it's a bit salty.  I use a lot of mustard and throw in lots and lots of carrots to make it work.  If it was up to me, we'd have a kale salad with lots of Irish soda bread on the side and call  it a day.  However, my 100% Italian husband really likes corned beef! 

Once, long ago, when I was trying to get out of the work/stress associated with the cooking/eating corned beef ritual, I did a bit of research!  Corned beef really isn't Irish, I found.  It's as American as apple pie! In fact the idea of a parade is American, too.

Irish settlers came up with the idea of a parade in NYC (1762) to celebrate their growing numbers.  There were lots of Irish immigrants arriving here and they brought their traditions, like Irish soda bread. In the NYC delis, immigrants learned to love (and then to cook) corned beef stretching it with a few potatoes and lots of cheap cabbage!

Corned beef became a cheap, easy to prepare, American classic quickly.  In 1862, Lincoln even served it at his inauguration dinner and we know he wasn't Irish, or was he?