I love burning wood--for so many reasons. It supports the Maine economy. It takes work, and I love work. It is a different type of heat--it just seems more "full" and penetrating than forced hot air or baseboard. I feel like I have earned the warmth it brings to my house, since I have stacked (and, before we had kids) and split it all. Also, any time I dont need to be reliant on any foreign oil I feel really good about myself. Plus, wood is a renewable resource.
I have often written about wood on this blog: From what type of hardwoods are indicative of what type of romantic relationships...to how all able bodied people who receive heating assistance from the state should have high efficiency wood stoves installed. And, lately, another wood-idea has been circulating around my messed up head. And it has to do with highways in Maine....
Route 95, according to my research, from Kittery to the Canadian border, is 303 miles long. Now, granted, for the first 30 miles or so, when you are in southern Maine (or NORTH Mass, as I call it) there is little separating the north and southbound lanes...maybe a narrow swath of land separating the two sides. However, once you get above Portland, for the most part, you have pretty modest areas of land--in some places probably 50 yards wide--of...well....'woods. Even if only one hundred of the three hundred miles had these areas of land separating the north and southbound lanes, if you do the math, it comes out to almost EIGHTY MILLION FEET of woods. Woods, I might add, that are (and I feel bad saying this, because I am all for wildlife and conservation and stuff...) completely USELESS. People cant hunt or ATV or hike or fish there. We dont WANT wildlife there, since they are apt to cause accidents, etc. So what do the woods do? Just sit there? Why? Let's harvest some of this wood, responsibly, and sell it in order to boost revenue that Maine simply does NOT HAVE ANYMORE.
And before all the environmental hippies get all up in arms about this, I will add that I have I have learned, over the past few years, just how resilient forests are in 'coming back' to life--if the woods-areas are selectively cut, most folks would hardly know any trees were missing. Plus, let's not forget,, the trees grow back! WHY we are not doing this is beyond me: It is a win/win situation, since it touches upon all the hot issues (no pun intended) right now: Locally grown and produced goods....boosting local economy....grassroots activism....renewable energy....non-reliance on foreign oil....No Child Left Behind (okay...that one is a stretch....)....and....well....just being awesome.
orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......you could hide free food and money all along the 303 mile section....have people try to find it and run back across the three laned highway in under 5 minutes without getting killed....and then broadcast it on HULU. Gameshow, even. And stuff.
Vote for me.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Well, I guess
I should start this blog thing up again.
Thanksgiving was spent in Maine this year, as, due to a torn rotator cuff, I was advised not to do any long distance driving. So we stayed in Maine and enjoyed some time with Amanda's family and her family from New Jersey. Callum, Maira, and Emma had a super duper time together; they played red light-green light, trains, and babies. They took (actually we all did) walks in the woods behind BaBa's house with Molly, June and Bob's half black lab/half huskie. SteveeCee taught Callum how to call cadences when being a QB--now Callum wants to play football all the time, be Tom Brady, and yell BLUE 22 HUT HUT HIKE!!! constantly.
Other festivities included the annual Wednesday night trip to Craparitas with everyone, as well as the Thanksgiving night trip down to LL Crap. I did not attend this trip, due to the fact that Maira was tired and I brought her home (AND the Pats took a dump all over the Jets and it was a blast to watch sexy-Rexy cringe with anger, even)
A good time overall with family I dont often get to see. And I look forward to seeing my family in a couple of weeks, hopefully, for Maira's birthday. And then we will head down the week after that for a Christmasey sort of weekend with Nannie, papa, and the works....
My shoulder has been a HUGE detriment to my every day life, although I shouldnt complain because at least I didnt have to have crazy surgery like Anthony! (well....at least not yet!). Right now, all the men in the family: Me, Anthony, Ortiz, and Upbob all have rotator cuff issues, tears, etc. #shoulderalliance. I have begun physical therapy, and I have been faithful to my exercises at home with the cute little resistance band they gave me. But the pain wakes me up each and every night when I turn over on it. It has even screwed up my running form. Oh well.
Lynne and Amanda (and Callum and Maira, of course) both pitched in on Sunday and helped stack the rest of the firewood we just go delivered (this will be NEXT year's wood). Thanks ladies for helping me out while I am out of commission!!!
Thanksgiving was spent in Maine this year, as, due to a torn rotator cuff, I was advised not to do any long distance driving. So we stayed in Maine and enjoyed some time with Amanda's family and her family from New Jersey. Callum, Maira, and Emma had a super duper time together; they played red light-green light, trains, and babies. They took (actually we all did) walks in the woods behind BaBa's house with Molly, June and Bob's half black lab/half huskie. SteveeCee taught Callum how to call cadences when being a QB--now Callum wants to play football all the time, be Tom Brady, and yell BLUE 22 HUT HUT HIKE!!! constantly.
Other festivities included the annual Wednesday night trip to Craparitas with everyone, as well as the Thanksgiving night trip down to LL Crap. I did not attend this trip, due to the fact that Maira was tired and I brought her home (AND the Pats took a dump all over the Jets and it was a blast to watch sexy-Rexy cringe with anger, even)
A good time overall with family I dont often get to see. And I look forward to seeing my family in a couple of weeks, hopefully, for Maira's birthday. And then we will head down the week after that for a Christmasey sort of weekend with Nannie, papa, and the works....
My shoulder has been a HUGE detriment to my every day life, although I shouldnt complain because at least I didnt have to have crazy surgery like Anthony! (well....at least not yet!). Right now, all the men in the family: Me, Anthony, Ortiz, and Upbob all have rotator cuff issues, tears, etc. #shoulderalliance. I have begun physical therapy, and I have been faithful to my exercises at home with the cute little resistance band they gave me. But the pain wakes me up each and every night when I turn over on it. It has even screwed up my running form. Oh well.
Lynne and Amanda (and Callum and Maira, of course) both pitched in on Sunday and helped stack the rest of the firewood we just go delivered (this will be NEXT year's wood). Thanks ladies for helping me out while I am out of commission!!!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Meanderings 78
1. Baby sharks. Have you ever seen one? Or a mom WITH a younger shark? Have you ever seen that? Sharks are not very family oriented.
2. The NHL is the ultimate working class/blue collar sport; it attracts this sort of demographic, and it knows it. Here is why: First of all is the "hockey hair," which is short in the front and long in the back. Very blue collar hairstyle. Not coiffed. Just blue collar. Second is the fact that they have a "Blue Line." This is subliminal. They are trying to appeal to the blue collar audience by having a line in a colr they can relate to. Finally, they dont have "offense" or "defense" or "second string" or anything like that--they have "shifts." Just like the blue collar demographic to whom they cater. That is all.
3. Sloppy Joes. So underrated. Have you ever seen sloppy joes on the menu of any restaurant? If a restaurant has sloppy joes on the menu, I am interested in eating at that restaurant, because you know these restaurateurs mean business! But, alas, I have never see it on any menu/special....
4. "Smoke" is the only 'smell' out of which we have made a 'flavor.' Think about that. Usually, it is the other way around. We have lots of flavors like cherry and pumpkin and vanilla and coffee....and those, thanks to Yankee Candle and Bath and Body Works, have become 'scents.' But can you think of anything else, besides SMOKE, that was a scent that was TURNED INTO a flavor? I cannot. And, most likely, I will spend the rest of the night trying to do just that....
5. America is definitely the most self centered and arrogant culture in the world, and I think this is manifested perfectly through the way in which we deal with professional sports--ESPECIALLY when championships are concerned. What's with this whole "World Champion" attachment that seems to go with winning the world series or the NBA Finals, etc? How arrogant and ethnocentric is that!?? Are we naive enough to believe or think that WE are the only country in the 'world' that plays these sports? I mean, I bet half the teams in Japan or the Dominican Republic could beat the Giants in baseball....I just think it is pretty arrogant how America thinks that what THEY do is somehow indicative of being the standard of 'the world.'
(sorry for the interruption before number 6....but the CHRISTMAS TRAIN is out!!!)
6. I see number five mostly apparent in the sport of boxing, where not only do they use the phrase 'champion of the world,' but also they take it step further by attaching the modifier "undisputed" in front of it. What kind of crap is that?? Undiputable?? Says who? Did they check with you? They didnt check with me, I know that! Was the census bureau involved in seeing how many undiscovered boxers or wrestlers or MMA fighters there were in the world at the time of that claim? Because "undisputed" is a pretty strong statement. But that is inherently American, isnt it-- thinking that whatever we do is automatically the standard by which the world should be judged? What if I called up the World Boxing Organization or whatever it is called....and what if I told them that I dont agree that Sugar Ray Whomseywoomsey is the best boxer? THERE! I disputed what they said!!! HA!! Now they cant say that. Whatever. I'm gonna go get a drink....
2. The NHL is the ultimate working class/blue collar sport; it attracts this sort of demographic, and it knows it. Here is why: First of all is the "hockey hair," which is short in the front and long in the back. Very blue collar hairstyle. Not coiffed. Just blue collar. Second is the fact that they have a "Blue Line." This is subliminal. They are trying to appeal to the blue collar audience by having a line in a colr they can relate to. Finally, they dont have "offense" or "defense" or "second string" or anything like that--they have "shifts." Just like the blue collar demographic to whom they cater. That is all.
3. Sloppy Joes. So underrated. Have you ever seen sloppy joes on the menu of any restaurant? If a restaurant has sloppy joes on the menu, I am interested in eating at that restaurant, because you know these restaurateurs mean business! But, alas, I have never see it on any menu/special....
4. "Smoke" is the only 'smell' out of which we have made a 'flavor.' Think about that. Usually, it is the other way around. We have lots of flavors like cherry and pumpkin and vanilla and coffee....and those, thanks to Yankee Candle and Bath and Body Works, have become 'scents.' But can you think of anything else, besides SMOKE, that was a scent that was TURNED INTO a flavor? I cannot. And, most likely, I will spend the rest of the night trying to do just that....
5. America is definitely the most self centered and arrogant culture in the world, and I think this is manifested perfectly through the way in which we deal with professional sports--ESPECIALLY when championships are concerned. What's with this whole "World Champion" attachment that seems to go with winning the world series or the NBA Finals, etc? How arrogant and ethnocentric is that!?? Are we naive enough to believe or think that WE are the only country in the 'world' that plays these sports? I mean, I bet half the teams in Japan or the Dominican Republic could beat the Giants in baseball....I just think it is pretty arrogant how America thinks that what THEY do is somehow indicative of being the standard of 'the world.'
(sorry for the interruption before number 6....but the CHRISTMAS TRAIN is out!!!)
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Sports Team Logo/Mascot Meanderings....
1. The Buffalo Bills are the only team where the LOGO is a personification of the CITY in which the team plays
2. The Steelers and Packers are interesting in that they are two teams whose name describes an OCCUPATION. That is in the NFL. But what about others? MLB Mariners, NHL Edmonton Oilers....??
3. The Buccaneers and Raiders honor and celebrate piracy, murder, rape, and pillaging. Will there be a Muslim Extremist team in fifty years? How come no one ever makes a stink like they do for the Redskins or the Braves? Pirates killed many innocent white people. Just saying
4. How many teams in the NFL involving FLYING things? Jets, Seahawks, Falcons, Eagles (are they still a team? haha), Ravens
5. Cowboys and Patriots are logos that describe a LIFESTYLE or avocation (versus a blue collar paying job like a Packer or Steel worker).
6. The Patriots are the only team I can think of which is dedicated to a "cause"--a 'patriot' is someone dedicated to their country, home, or culture
7. The liberals forced the Washington Bullets to change their name because "bullets" were too violent. But they are fine with them being the Washington "Wizards?" Wizards can often do more harm than a bullet can--wizards can cast spells and control your mind and THEN kill you. Plus, let's not forget how the term "wizard" can offend the religious community, right?
8. What two sports team describe a style of music? the NHL St Louis Blues, and the Utah Jazz
9. What sports teams describe natural cataclysmic events? NBA Thunder, NHL Avalanche and Lightning
10. So the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee and had to change their name because there is no oil in Tennessee....so they changed their name to the Titans? What the heck is a Titan? Isnt that a huge giant or something? Are there Titans in Tennessee?
11. I have to give credit for this to my colleague Keenan: If the Patriots are the "Pats" and the Buccaneers are the "Bucs," then what could we nickname the Titans?
12 Canadians are terrible and unimaginative at naming their teams: The Blue Jays? What a wussy bird. The "Maple Leafs" are, as far as I can tell, the only sports team named after any type of plant. And not even an intimidating one--like a cactus or Venus Fly trap or something. And then...when Canadians run out of the those lame ideas, they just call their teams nicknames for the people who live there, like the Quebec Nordiques or the Vancouver Canucks. Wow. Lots of imagination there guys. That is like an American team called the "United States AMericans" or the "New England New Hampshirites" or the Washington Nationals or the New York Mets or something....oh wait....
13. Lastly, baseball is definitely the wussiest sport when it comes to mascots and logos. First of all, we have two teams named after socks. Then, look at the animals they use--completely unintimidated birds: The Blue Jays? The Cardinals? The Orioles? Has anyone ever been attacked by an oriole? And the Angels? The Padres? The Dodgers? All entities that make it their life's work to AVOID physical confrontation if possible--heck, what else does a "Dodger" do but....well....dodge?
2. The Steelers and Packers are interesting in that they are two teams whose name describes an OCCUPATION. That is in the NFL. But what about others? MLB Mariners, NHL Edmonton Oilers....??
3. The Buccaneers and Raiders honor and celebrate piracy, murder, rape, and pillaging. Will there be a Muslim Extremist team in fifty years? How come no one ever makes a stink like they do for the Redskins or the Braves? Pirates killed many innocent white people. Just saying
4. How many teams in the NFL involving FLYING things? Jets, Seahawks, Falcons, Eagles (are they still a team? haha), Ravens
5. Cowboys and Patriots are logos that describe a LIFESTYLE or avocation (versus a blue collar paying job like a Packer or Steel worker).
6. The Patriots are the only team I can think of which is dedicated to a "cause"--a 'patriot' is someone dedicated to their country, home, or culture
7. The liberals forced the Washington Bullets to change their name because "bullets" were too violent. But they are fine with them being the Washington "Wizards?" Wizards can often do more harm than a bullet can--wizards can cast spells and control your mind and THEN kill you. Plus, let's not forget how the term "wizard" can offend the religious community, right?
8. What two sports team describe a style of music? the NHL St Louis Blues, and the Utah Jazz
9. What sports teams describe natural cataclysmic events? NBA Thunder, NHL Avalanche and Lightning
10. So the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee and had to change their name because there is no oil in Tennessee....so they changed their name to the Titans? What the heck is a Titan? Isnt that a huge giant or something? Are there Titans in Tennessee?
11. I have to give credit for this to my colleague Keenan: If the Patriots are the "Pats" and the Buccaneers are the "Bucs," then what could we nickname the Titans?
12 Canadians are terrible and unimaginative at naming their teams: The Blue Jays? What a wussy bird. The "Maple Leafs" are, as far as I can tell, the only sports team named after any type of plant. And not even an intimidating one--like a cactus or Venus Fly trap or something. And then...when Canadians run out of the those lame ideas, they just call their teams nicknames for the people who live there, like the Quebec Nordiques or the Vancouver Canucks. Wow. Lots of imagination there guys. That is like an American team called the "United States AMericans" or the "New England New Hampshirites" or the Washington Nationals or the New York Mets or something....oh wait....
13. Lastly, baseball is definitely the wussiest sport when it comes to mascots and logos. First of all, we have two teams named after socks. Then, look at the animals they use--completely unintimidated birds: The Blue Jays? The Cardinals? The Orioles? Has anyone ever been attacked by an oriole? And the Angels? The Padres? The Dodgers? All entities that make it their life's work to AVOID physical confrontation if possible--heck, what else does a "Dodger" do but....well....dodge?
Monday, November 12, 2012
We went up to
Seawall for a night, since I had a really long weekend (both Friday AND Monday off this time around). This is a short week, and then, next week, we only have school on Monday and Tuesday until breaking for Thanksgiving
We always love going up to Seawall....whatever the weather, whatever the season (although preferably not summer....summer always sucks). Before Amanda and I had kids, we would go to MDI with an AGENDA! We would plan our hikes and trips and walks and meals. Now, with Callum and Maira, we just........go. Deciding on the fly is part of the fun.
We got there Saturday afternoon, checked in, said hi to Dave and Vicki for a bit, and then went to walk the Wonderland trail to the ocean. Then we made our way back to the car and headed into Bar Harbor where we checked out some stores, walked down to see the boats in the actual harbor, and then had dinner. It. Was. FREEEEEZING down there by the water--the wind coming off the sea was bonechilling. I was pulling Maira along in the wagon, and I had her all covered up. We had dinner at Geddy's and made our way back to the room. Both kids went to bed FLAWLESSLY--in the same bed, which was really cute--and Amanda and I had time to read for a while. Then, at approximately 921, when we said HEY LET'S GO TO BED EARLY TONIGHT, guess who wakes up? Yes! Our little angel Maira......
At about 330 or so she finally decided to go back to sleep. Not joking at all.
A few hours later, while she was sleeping with mommy, Callum and I went over to the actual seawall and I collected bags of seaweed for our garden. Callum and I were both "sea reindeers" and we crawled all over the rocks. Without a doubt, reindeer are his favorite animal. Then we went down for breakfast at the hotel office, and talked more with Dave, Vicki, and Frank, a retired lobsterman, who has spent his whole life in Bass Harbor. It is always such a treat to talk to Frank--so quintessentially 'downeast' and a terrific guy who has a very unique perspective on life. A lifelong bachelor. The past five generations of his family have lived on the island.
Finally, after scurrying around rocks, getting seaweed, and hanging out with folks, we made our way to drive up Cadillac Mtn....but it was closed (probably lots of snow and ice up there still). So we went into the actual national park (the kids have never actually been IN the park proper before) and walked some of the 'shore path,' checking out Otter Cliffs, Sand beach, and some great forests where we saw LOTS of deer.
Oh, and let's not forget "Speedbump," Dave and Vicki's cat, the mascot of the Seawall Motel, and, pro tem mayor of Bass Harbor. This cat has a cult following akin to Morris from Nine Lives. Professional artists have painted him. Dave has a bulletin board in the office dedicated to showing the work kid guests have created for the special furry friend. Callum just HAD to make a drawing of him and speedbump (in the picture, it is the yellow man with the yellow cat) and, because Callum did it.....Maira had to 'draw 'peedbaump' too....hers is the....well...the one that looks like a one year old did it....
We always love going up to Seawall....whatever the weather, whatever the season (although preferably not summer....summer always sucks). Before Amanda and I had kids, we would go to MDI with an AGENDA! We would plan our hikes and trips and walks and meals. Now, with Callum and Maira, we just........go. Deciding on the fly is part of the fun.
We got there Saturday afternoon, checked in, said hi to Dave and Vicki for a bit, and then went to walk the Wonderland trail to the ocean. Then we made our way back to the car and headed into Bar Harbor where we checked out some stores, walked down to see the boats in the actual harbor, and then had dinner. It. Was. FREEEEEZING down there by the water--the wind coming off the sea was bonechilling. I was pulling Maira along in the wagon, and I had her all covered up. We had dinner at Geddy's and made our way back to the room. Both kids went to bed FLAWLESSLY--in the same bed, which was really cute--and Amanda and I had time to read for a while. Then, at approximately 921, when we said HEY LET'S GO TO BED EARLY TONIGHT, guess who wakes up? Yes! Our little angel Maira......
At about 330 or so she finally decided to go back to sleep. Not joking at all.
A few hours later, while she was sleeping with mommy, Callum and I went over to the actual seawall and I collected bags of seaweed for our garden. Callum and I were both "sea reindeers" and we crawled all over the rocks. Without a doubt, reindeer are his favorite animal. Then we went down for breakfast at the hotel office, and talked more with Dave, Vicki, and Frank, a retired lobsterman, who has spent his whole life in Bass Harbor. It is always such a treat to talk to Frank--so quintessentially 'downeast' and a terrific guy who has a very unique perspective on life. A lifelong bachelor. The past five generations of his family have lived on the island.
Finally, after scurrying around rocks, getting seaweed, and hanging out with folks, we made our way to drive up Cadillac Mtn....but it was closed (probably lots of snow and ice up there still). So we went into the actual national park (the kids have never actually been IN the park proper before) and walked some of the 'shore path,' checking out Otter Cliffs, Sand beach, and some great forests where we saw LOTS of deer.
Oh, and let's not forget "Speedbump," Dave and Vicki's cat, the mascot of the Seawall Motel, and, pro tem mayor of Bass Harbor. This cat has a cult following akin to Morris from Nine Lives. Professional artists have painted him. Dave has a bulletin board in the office dedicated to showing the work kid guests have created for the special furry friend. Callum just HAD to make a drawing of him and speedbump (in the picture, it is the yellow man with the yellow cat) and, because Callum did it.....Maira had to 'draw 'peedbaump' too....hers is the....well...the one that looks like a one year old did it....
Friday, November 9, 2012
First "snow" of the season....
We had a couple of inches of snow yesterday....then it was all washed away by icing and sleet and rain......but Amanda was home with the kids yesterday and both were SUPER excited to get out and play in the snow. Here is Callum doing his best Loni Paxton impersonation....
Isnt it funny that how, by the time the kids meandered outside, there was merely a trace of snow left?? Hilarious. Didnt bother them a bit!!
Look at this smile, will you? She makes me so happy. Even though she is suddenly becoming a typical adolescent girl...haha....Maira is borderline OBSESSED with her "babies" and needs to know where they are at ALL times. She screams a lot lately. She needs to stop that. Girls dont usually scream right?
Sporting their cool new winter hats....sharks and raccoons and stuff......snow just really really makes these kids happy....
Later that day, Amanda,, Callum, and Maira went over to $a$ha's house for a playdate with Mia, Caden, and, of course, Siena....also, Amy, ,Freddie, and Frankie were there.....Callum and Maira had a blast, as they always do, when they get together with the Fitzpatricks....while they were there, I snuck over to Colby for a swim (since, TECHNICALLY, I am on the Colby faculty this year......hehe) with some of the WHS swim team, as they get ready for the upcoming season....
Then all the Goldsmiths met at home and Amanda snuck out for her hair stylist appointment....here is her new haircut....pretty hot huh??
Home today for a "comp" day in exchange for the parent conference nights we had to stay at school. Kids are at daycare for a bit, and I am taking care of some jobs around the house on the cold and blustery day....gonna trailer the ATV over to be fixed...do some wood.....get in a run....etc etc....
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Election Day 2012
No....I'm not going to tell you what you shoud vote for or how you should vote. I dont do that kind of stuff anymore. I dont really even make my beliefs that "known," since, when I do, people usually hayte (with a Y of course) on me. And I have enough people hayting me....I dont need any others....
But today was kind of cool because during fourth block (the final block of the day) I went over to the Winslow polling place (the VFW...where prom was last year) with my college prep English class. Because so many of them are in Mike Thurston's government class, Mike invited me to go over with HIS block 4 class....we joined forces, took a bus over, and watched as kids both registered and voted for the first time. Those who were NOT of age (or NOT of Winslow) waited with me on the other side of the "velvet rope" and watched as the "new adults" voted. It was really neat to be there to see kids vote for the first time--the pride and excitement on their faces was palpable....
We then went back to the school and had a "voter's reception" in Mike's room....his students made cakes and sandwiches and foods and we had drinks and watched SNL "debate" clips on Mike's new classroom TV...very cool and funny stuff. Sometimes it is really neat to "abandon" your normal plan and do something out of the ordinary that, nonetheless, has amazing educational value! And it was cool to hang out with the kids and talk about voting, presidential history, the electoral college, and more....
Here are some pictures of Callum and the "horse" I (or we) made together last Saturday...a yard stick, some cardboard for a face, and some curly paper for a tail....and then there is Maira, who loves loves loves to color (on Grenda's wall....on our door....oh her high chair tray....on the floor....and sometimes on paper) coloring the Thanksgiving card Mee Mee and Grampy sent her....
But today was kind of cool because during fourth block (the final block of the day) I went over to the Winslow polling place (the VFW...where prom was last year) with my college prep English class. Because so many of them are in Mike Thurston's government class, Mike invited me to go over with HIS block 4 class....we joined forces, took a bus over, and watched as kids both registered and voted for the first time. Those who were NOT of age (or NOT of Winslow) waited with me on the other side of the "velvet rope" and watched as the "new adults" voted. It was really neat to be there to see kids vote for the first time--the pride and excitement on their faces was palpable....
We then went back to the school and had a "voter's reception" in Mike's room....his students made cakes and sandwiches and foods and we had drinks and watched SNL "debate" clips on Mike's new classroom TV...very cool and funny stuff. Sometimes it is really neat to "abandon" your normal plan and do something out of the ordinary that, nonetheless, has amazing educational value! And it was cool to hang out with the kids and talk about voting, presidential history, the electoral college, and more....
Here are some pictures of Callum and the "horse" I (or we) made together last Saturday...a yard stick, some cardboard for a face, and some curly paper for a tail....and then there is Maira, who loves loves loves to color (on Grenda's wall....on our door....oh her high chair tray....on the floor....and sometimes on paper) coloring the Thanksgiving card Mee Mee and Grampy sent her....
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Thinking back....
Last week was an extremely trying week at Winslow High School--and with life in general. First of all, there was this supposed 'super storm' thing that was supposed to kill the world. And you know what ended up happening up here? Basically nothing. Well....something....but nothing like Armegeddon or anything....I feel like all those meteorologists should be held accountable for giving everyone heart attacks....
Secondly, there were two student deaths at Winslow High School. A boy named Scott and a girl named Allie died in a car accident last Friday. I didnt really know Allie that well. And, unfortunately, my only experience with Scott was that, as I told fellow students, he remains the only kid I have ever thrown out of detention...not a great memory I know.
The mood and aura and tone and setting at school last week was just abysmal--and the weather didnt help much. In fact, we didnt have school last Tuesday as a "preemptive" storm day. Some students and faculty were heavily affected in many different ways by these deaths; for me, it was simply a call-to-arms, if you will, of reminiscing about my senior year of high school when I began my cancer treatments for lymphoma.
As a relatively young parent myself, the first thing I immediately thought of upon hearing of Scott and Allie's death was my parents, Anne and Hank...and then I thought of Scott and Allie's parents. I remember being told for the first time that I had cancer, and, like many who probably hear this, I thought it was an immediate death sentence. I will never forget the looks on the faces of my parents when they heard the news. What an indescribable feeling it must be to lose one's own children. Just sitting here typing this, I cant escape the horrifying and disgusting thought of how I would act or feel should something happen to my kids. My parents dealt with this for a couple of years when I treated, and it must have been pure hell. I dont even know what else to say....
The death of these two students touched me in many other ways, particularly thinking about my sensitivity to seeing children suffer and die--most notably because of the children I, personally, saw suffer and die. Five immediately come to mind: Zapponara and Jenna-two kids I used to see in the chemo clinic all the time--Zapponara, an Asian kid, his cheeks blown up like a pufferfish due to all his prednisone steroid treatments, and Jenna, my age, who treated for leukemia and then, as a side effect of the chemo, developed terminal brain cancer. I think of Andrew, from Kentucky, my roommate during my longest stint at New England Medical Center (when I had a blood clot in my arm); he was there getting advanced treatment for acute brain cancer. It was in March and, temporarily, he made me a Kentucky basketball fan, when he got to see his dream come true when Kentucky won the NCAA championship that year. We watched some of the game in my room. I think of Paulie Kober, a boy I never met, but a boy who inspired me to write what would become a very requested song at my concerts: 'Paulie Kober: He Loved to Rock. Sitting in the treatment room at NEMC, I used to notice a rocking chair emblazoned with a plaque that read those words. I invented a whole story about Pauly, and I told it through song. And, finally, I think of the unnamed kid who died beside me one evening, a kid whose face I dont think I ever really saw--they brought him back from surgery (during my long blood clot stint) and hours later a "code blue" exploded on the floor of 7 West. He didnt last long.
I had not thought about this time in my life for a while. But hearing the news that two young people in my school died certainly reignited these thoughts; it is something that has been weighing on my heart and conscience for a while. And this was something I feel I needed to write. If you read this, then thank you for taking the time. If you saw that there were no pictures of the kids and decided to not, then that is fine too. This post, selfishly enough, was just for me. To serve as a reminder. And a call to everyone to treasure your experiences. And children. And those you love.
(PS: This is the wing known as 7 West in the "Floating Hospital" at New England Medical Center. I spent all my inpatient time on this wing, and, despite it being a hospital, it nevertheless was one of the warmest places I have ever experienced--the amazing nurses, doctors, and Tufts Medical School interns made this so....)
Secondly, there were two student deaths at Winslow High School. A boy named Scott and a girl named Allie died in a car accident last Friday. I didnt really know Allie that well. And, unfortunately, my only experience with Scott was that, as I told fellow students, he remains the only kid I have ever thrown out of detention...not a great memory I know.
The mood and aura and tone and setting at school last week was just abysmal--and the weather didnt help much. In fact, we didnt have school last Tuesday as a "preemptive" storm day. Some students and faculty were heavily affected in many different ways by these deaths; for me, it was simply a call-to-arms, if you will, of reminiscing about my senior year of high school when I began my cancer treatments for lymphoma.
As a relatively young parent myself, the first thing I immediately thought of upon hearing of Scott and Allie's death was my parents, Anne and Hank...and then I thought of Scott and Allie's parents. I remember being told for the first time that I had cancer, and, like many who probably hear this, I thought it was an immediate death sentence. I will never forget the looks on the faces of my parents when they heard the news. What an indescribable feeling it must be to lose one's own children. Just sitting here typing this, I cant escape the horrifying and disgusting thought of how I would act or feel should something happen to my kids. My parents dealt with this for a couple of years when I treated, and it must have been pure hell. I dont even know what else to say....
The death of these two students touched me in many other ways, particularly thinking about my sensitivity to seeing children suffer and die--most notably because of the children I, personally, saw suffer and die. Five immediately come to mind: Zapponara and Jenna-two kids I used to see in the chemo clinic all the time--Zapponara, an Asian kid, his cheeks blown up like a pufferfish due to all his prednisone steroid treatments, and Jenna, my age, who treated for leukemia and then, as a side effect of the chemo, developed terminal brain cancer. I think of Andrew, from Kentucky, my roommate during my longest stint at New England Medical Center (when I had a blood clot in my arm); he was there getting advanced treatment for acute brain cancer. It was in March and, temporarily, he made me a Kentucky basketball fan, when he got to see his dream come true when Kentucky won the NCAA championship that year. We watched some of the game in my room. I think of Paulie Kober, a boy I never met, but a boy who inspired me to write what would become a very requested song at my concerts: 'Paulie Kober: He Loved to Rock. Sitting in the treatment room at NEMC, I used to notice a rocking chair emblazoned with a plaque that read those words. I invented a whole story about Pauly, and I told it through song. And, finally, I think of the unnamed kid who died beside me one evening, a kid whose face I dont think I ever really saw--they brought him back from surgery (during my long blood clot stint) and hours later a "code blue" exploded on the floor of 7 West. He didnt last long.
I had not thought about this time in my life for a while. But hearing the news that two young people in my school died certainly reignited these thoughts; it is something that has been weighing on my heart and conscience for a while. And this was something I feel I needed to write. If you read this, then thank you for taking the time. If you saw that there were no pictures of the kids and decided to not, then that is fine too. This post, selfishly enough, was just for me. To serve as a reminder. And a call to everyone to treasure your experiences. And children. And those you love.
(PS: This is the wing known as 7 West in the "Floating Hospital" at New England Medical Center. I spent all my inpatient time on this wing, and, despite it being a hospital, it nevertheless was one of the warmest places I have ever experienced--the amazing nurses, doctors, and Tufts Medical School interns made this so....)
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