April 21,2021

Dear Mike,

Onward and forward.  Today I have to review how to analyze literary passages and poetry. 

I got my gear bag in from Amazon and loaded it with laptop and video camera gear.  I am psyched about my YouTube project.  I'm interviewing Roger on Thursday.  

I hope you had an amazing day yesterday.  I fell out of favor with Charles now that he discovered that we live more than three hours apart.  "Us" seem like a less doable proposition.  People have no creativity.  There are airplanes and busses these days.  What on earth can stand in the way of the human spirit.  What on earth can keep you from that which you desire?  Some people are limited by a set of parameters and bounded by their own construct.  I suppose those are not the people who color outside of the lines.  All of a sudden I seem like a waste of time.  Good grief!  

Today calls for snow and 27 degree weather.  It's Ohio.  The weather changes on a dime.  

I find that I use the text to speech app on my phone the most.  I read along while listening to passages read aloud.  The app helps me go over many articles and research materials that I simply would not have the fortitude to for if I had to read.  Reading requires so much more brain power.  Listening while reading makes life easy.  I am very ambitious when it comes to my education and I feel like I'm hitting the mark.  I have the world to conquer Mike.  And I have not yet barely begun.  I want to have something original to say. I want to be force to be reckoned with.  And I want to make a difference.  

If that difference is walking around the lunch room and conversation to make children feel safe at school then I'm all in.  

I believe that contribution is really big thing.

The bus driver asked me yesterday if I thought I could make a difference in this world.  I said, "Absolutely, because everything has a ripple effect."

Yesterday was what I aspire to.  I got to hang with kids in the lunch room.  It was a little uncomfortable approaching them.  I suppose they could have served rudeness and rejection to me.  Sometimes children are already engaged in conversation so I just wait for an opening.  Arms folded and reticent I ask how the school year was going for them.  What were their favorite classes?  That's usually a good start.  Kids seemmed to like it that I take an interest in them.  

My day is about balancing my projects and writing to you and making a difference in some way.    Maybe also it's about witnessing life.  

This morning I discovered Toni Morrison.  She is an exquisite writer:

The negative effect the environment can have on the individual is shown in Morrison’s comparison of marigolds in the ground to people in the environment. Early in the novel, Claudia and Frieda are concerned that the marigold seeds they planted that spring never sprouted. At the end of the novel, Claudia reflects on the connection to Pecola’s failure:

"I talk about how I did not plant the seeds too deeply, how it was the fault of the earth, our land, our town. I even think now that the land of the entire country was hostile to marigolds that year. This soil is bad for certain kinds of flowers. Certain seeds it will not nurture, certain fruit it will not bear, and when the land kills of its own volition, we acquiesce and say the victim had no right to live."

A photo from Facebook.  It almost looks like a watercolor painting.  I love the crisp sharpness of the bird contrasted with its reflection in the water.

An overachiever.

I love the feel and the texture of the raindrops, the curves, the lovely pudginess and the unexpected rise of the beak.  The beauty of nature is just breath taking and astounding.  It's hard to wrap your mind around. I love that the birds cast a shadow on the water.  Like if life was perfect then this is absolute beauty captured for a brief second in that moment in time.

My next front of attack with my mom is discussing with her, her brother.  She needs to heal that relationship first.  

I listened to this book summary today:

https://www.google.com/search?q=the+art+of+the+impossible+Steven+book+summary&oq=the+art+of+the+impossible+Steven+book+summary&aqs=chrome..69i57.6194j0j4&client=ms-android-samsung-gj-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

It's almost 3 a.m. and the day fast approaches.  I wonder what delights and beauty will lie in store for me to unwrap today?  

l'm researching how are African Americans are disadvantaged in America for my article.  It's been very enlightening.  I'm starting with the premise that schools are responsible for the ills of society.

The bus ride to the hub this morning has been very engaging.  I loved talking to Shawn, the bus driver.  Fresh snow had fallen and we enjoyed seeing the snow hang from the branches like Christmas lights.  

We discussed how winter is still yet lingering despite the late time of year.  We also discussed how the weather changes in Ohio every 5 minutes.  It was really nice to have a kindred spirit.  

Shawn has two children and I told him he needs at least eight more but he doesn't agree with me.  

Again the day is overcast which I love.  One may call it dreary but living in Ohio I just call it a familiar state of being.

I waited forever at the bus hub this morning.  The 7:50 a.m. bus did not arrive.  Twenty nine bus drivers are not manning their routes today because they had taken the Covid vaccine and they have flu like symptoms for two days.  The bus driver that did come was incredibly sweet.  We had a very engaging conversation about everything.  

I'm teaching ESL today.  The kids are not doing their work.  I had to walk around and explain to each child individually verbs, subjects, singular, plural to get them to do their work.  I don't envy students trying to learn a new language..  

I'm composing my second letter to my mother.  

So.  Let's play Mike.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wmopen-psychology/chapter/what-is-social-psychology/

6:41 p.m.  is my wall.