It has been several years since I posted on this blog. I want to delete the earlier years, and focus on the present, on what is happening now in my life. Why not?
the past is over, the future not here yet.
Here is a daily something from the Sanskrit language:
"Look to this day for it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the realities and verities of existence:
the bliss of growth,
the splendor of action
the glory of power.
For yesterday is but a dream
and tomorrow is only a vision.
But today, well lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day."
I try to say this every morning after breakfast, just to center me in the present, I think.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Second Day of Class, etc.
Today's class was good, I think. People have already read articles and commented on them.
We have one new student today, Vanessa Camarillo, and I learned after class that Liliana has dropped the course. I'm really sorry she did that.
Wednesday, we'll continue with our discussion of concepts from Chapter 1, and go on to Chapter 2.
We can't get behind this first week. We have to keep going.
I'm going to the 4 Seasons now and work out. Don't want to. Need to.
That's me, that's all for now.
Except that I'm enjoying the class, and I look forward to seeing all of the people in the class tomorrow!
We have one new student today, Vanessa Camarillo, and I learned after class that Liliana has dropped the course. I'm really sorry she did that.
Wednesday, we'll continue with our discussion of concepts from Chapter 1, and go on to Chapter 2.
We can't get behind this first week. We have to keep going.
I'm going to the 4 Seasons now and work out. Don't want to. Need to.
That's me, that's all for now.
Except that I'm enjoying the class, and I look forward to seeing all of the people in the class tomorrow!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Welcome to my students!
OK. It's 6:30 saturday evening, May 31, 2008. I just listened to the very contentious DNC mtg, where Harold Ickes duly noted that Hillary Clinton asked him to report that she reserves the right to challenge their decision and take this to the Credentials Committee. OK.
I'm thinking about my students today, as well. We're creating blogs Monday in class. I'm looking forward to this class, and to the work ahead of us.
So, to my students who check out my blog -- welcome! I'm glad you're here, and I'm happy to be working with you this brief, intense summer semester. Come back anytime. I'll try and stay one page ahead of you!
I'm thinking about my students today, as well. We're creating blogs Monday in class. I'm looking forward to this class, and to the work ahead of us.
So, to my students who check out my blog -- welcome! I'm glad you're here, and I'm happy to be working with you this brief, intense summer semester. Come back anytime. I'll try and stay one page ahead of you!
Monday, May 26, 2008
May 26, 2008. Memorial Day. I went to mass at the cemetery where mom and dad are buried. One hundred years ago today, the first mass was said at that cemetery by a priest for St. Joseph's parish. Wow. History. I read one of the readings for mass.
A visiting priest blessed the graves.
I am working to figure this out for my students in communication class that begins on June 2, 2008. I want them to get used to the idea of reading and reflecting, talking about what they've read, even on the internet, in their blogs. It is my hope that they will continue to blog after the class, and especially continue to read.
More later.
A visiting priest blessed the graves.
I am working to figure this out for my students in communication class that begins on June 2, 2008. I want them to get used to the idea of reading and reflecting, talking about what they've read, even on the internet, in their blogs. It is my hope that they will continue to blog after the class, and especially continue to read.
More later.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
POLITICS AS USUAL
OK. Today, I note that MY disdain for certain members of the media is growing daily, and today, hourly! Listening to Norah O'Donnell going after the President of the New York NOW chapter, who is endorsing Hillary Clinton -- "I have to challenge you on that," she persisted. I can't even remember what she was challenging, but clearly she was behaving like a provocateur, and would have challenged the woman if she had said she was having a bad hair day! Norah, take your microphone, your ego, and your challenge and bugger off!
ACTIONS TAKEN
Today I unsubscribed to all email from Senator Ted Kennedy. Barack Obama a uniting force? Not in my book. I am NOT supporting a man who is incapable of grace when victorious. His attitude and behavior towards Senator Clinton has been consistently disdainful and condescending, even and most especially AFTER the endorsement by various members of the Kennedy clan. Do YOU want a president incapable of largesse of spirit? The guy may be magnanimous in front of multitudes, but he is mean-spirited, one on one. Period.
Monday, January 28, 2008
This day in politics!
Today, amid certain domestic problems that beset me, I turned on the television just in time to hear that the Kennedy clan, or at least the most visible of them, had endorsed Barack Obama. My heart sank. I am an ardent supporter of Hillary Clinton's campaign to be the Democratic candidate for president of the United States this fall. At the time, this disheartening-for-me news provided the straw that broke the camel's back, and I put my head down in my hands and sobbed.
Now it is evening and I am quiet and listening to Mozart, having actually watched Ms. Sebelius, Democratic governor of Kansas, deliver the Democratic response to the state of the union address -- thankfully, Mr. Bush's last. I have a zillion different, often conflicting thoughts and feelings freewheeling their way through my being, and want to use this time and this blog to try and sort some of them out.
Just to tackle one thing at a time: first, Senator Kennedy is a fine and a fiery speaker, and I"m sure he gave a properly inspiring speech. And I heard the commentators repeatedly refer to his increasing discomfort and maybe outright disgust with former President Clinton's behavior and comments towards and about Barack Obama as he campaigns for his wife, Senator HIllary Clinton. Additionally, I read parts of Caroline Kennedy's column in the New York Times where she referred to Senator Obama and her father, the late President Kennedy. It appears that Ted Kennedy came to his decision for at least these two reasons, and probably many others, and I know he referred repeatedly to Barack Obama's inspiring rhetoric, his capacity to pull Americans together, to heal divisive wounds, etc., etc., etc.
I am heartsick about this campaign for certain reasons. Here goes: Senator Kennedy's specific reference to Barack Obama's ability to lead "from day one," in refutation to Senator Clinton's claim to the contrary, sounds ridiculous to me. Barack Obama has been in the senate less than two years. THIS is his on-the-job training? THIS part of a term is what qualifies him to speak with the likes of Pervez Musharraf? NOT for me, Senator Kennedy! NOT for me. And for the sake of our Democracy at this time, I pray NOT for a majority of Democrats at our summer's convention when we must elect and come together to support our candidate for the presidency.
It does not do justice to Senator Obama's considerable promise, intelligence, capacity to articulate his vision, pull people together to push him into a position he simply isn't ready for either by experience or upbringing, despite the international flavor of his childhood (which would indeed be a plus) and his superb education, and his tenure in the Illinois State legislature prior to winning the Senate seat for that state.
We are simply overwhelmed by the changing face of America, by the complexity of our citizenry, the depth of our divisions between rich and poor, not to mention our immigration issues. In this state of overwhelm, we are in danger of opting for a man too inexperienced on the one hand, and too facile with a phrase or even an idea on the other to really grab hold, tackle decades-old or even centuries-old problems facing us. We are in danger of forgetting that dreams turn real through hard work.
With respect to former President Clinton and his poor behavior choices while campaigning for his wife, why hasn't anyone noticed the obvious? Here is a man faced with depths of feelings in the following ways: first, enormous pride that his spouse -- who stood by his side while he disgraced himself in the White House -- has the experience, the chutzpah, the pride, the wherewithal, damnit, to run for and yes WIN the White HOuse. Of course he wants to defend her, to help her as he can. But -- and this is imPORtant, damnit! -- at the same time, he is campaigning for a beloved who bears his name, who if elected could conceivably by virtue of intelligence, dedication, hard work, discipline, imagination to name a few qualities -- a spouse who if elected could conceivably eclipse his legacy as president with her own! Now, that's a fine dilemma for even the most upright spouse to grapple with! Unconscious at that.
No damned wonder the guy is all over the map! I'm not excusing his behavior, but I"m not demonizing the guy either. This is all new. For all of us. Even former President Clinton and his wife, the ex-first lady and the current Senator from New York. New. Ever done this before? Nope. Well, you're doing it now.
And the media's feeding-frenzy was an embarrassment to watch. Really.
Nora O'Donnell, speaking with Kathleen Kennedy Townsen, a Hillary Clinton supporter, tried to corner her about the fact that her mother (Ethel Skakel Kennedy) even supported Barack Obama and wasn't she surprised that her family disagreed with her choice. But O'Donnell was flat outclassed by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who basically laughed and said something like she'd be surprised if they DID agree, 'come on, Nora O'Donnell, does your whole family agree on everything?'
Hillary Clinton's biggest problem is that she was born and raised in the Calvinist midwest where folks -- most especially womenfolks -- are urged to be modest. My mother's favorite comment was, "she's got a lot of money but you'd never know it. She's just real common." So is Hillary Clinton. Common -- and ARTICULATE AS ALL GET-OUT -- in her remarks, in her explanations of ideas on health care, foreign policy, education, children's rights, the vanishing middle class, etc., etc., etc. My friends call this the "calvinist midwest." I think they're onto something. Can't be too rich, too smart, too successful, too -- ANYthing! Because that would call attention, prompt folks to NOTICE a person! And being noticed would be immodest. We are not here to be noticed -- so this calvinist crap goes -- but to do our best, keep our eyes down, shoulder to it and soldier on. and so she does. While Obama rhetorizes, she tells us what she''ll do about health care, foreign policy, etc. She tells us specifically because she's a woman, and we women pay attention to small things because we have had to do so.
Now this country is in a BIG MESS, owing largely to Evangelical Christians, warmongering Republicans, greedy corporate con artists, a puppet of a president and a mole for a Vice President, and remnants of the first Bush White House who came to town with a purpose and a vengeance and got their second gulf war, by hook AND by crook.
And Ted Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy think Barack Obama is going to FIX any of this? Oh my word!
God save America!
Tell Bill Clinton to get professional help -- read "see a shrink and work this through" -- so his wife can clean up her candidacy and get on with it.
Tell Ted Kennedy that rhetoric might move people, but if the person engaging in the rhetoric doesn't know where in hell he's taking us, well, then, we're in deep trouble!
I will not even mention Barack Obama's clear and obvious disdain for Hillary Clinton, except to note that he was not even gracious in VICTORY! I do not want my president incapable of grace under pressure. Period.
Senator Clinton -- soldier on, woman. We need you. We need your ideas, your experience, your energy, your plans, your practicality, your coalition-building experience and skills, your willingness to work hard and persist and prevail.
That's it. That's what's in my mind and my heart this evening after a bitch of a day.
Now it is evening and I am quiet and listening to Mozart, having actually watched Ms. Sebelius, Democratic governor of Kansas, deliver the Democratic response to the state of the union address -- thankfully, Mr. Bush's last. I have a zillion different, often conflicting thoughts and feelings freewheeling their way through my being, and want to use this time and this blog to try and sort some of them out.
Just to tackle one thing at a time: first, Senator Kennedy is a fine and a fiery speaker, and I"m sure he gave a properly inspiring speech. And I heard the commentators repeatedly refer to his increasing discomfort and maybe outright disgust with former President Clinton's behavior and comments towards and about Barack Obama as he campaigns for his wife, Senator HIllary Clinton. Additionally, I read parts of Caroline Kennedy's column in the New York Times where she referred to Senator Obama and her father, the late President Kennedy. It appears that Ted Kennedy came to his decision for at least these two reasons, and probably many others, and I know he referred repeatedly to Barack Obama's inspiring rhetoric, his capacity to pull Americans together, to heal divisive wounds, etc., etc., etc.
I am heartsick about this campaign for certain reasons. Here goes: Senator Kennedy's specific reference to Barack Obama's ability to lead "from day one," in refutation to Senator Clinton's claim to the contrary, sounds ridiculous to me. Barack Obama has been in the senate less than two years. THIS is his on-the-job training? THIS part of a term is what qualifies him to speak with the likes of Pervez Musharraf? NOT for me, Senator Kennedy! NOT for me. And for the sake of our Democracy at this time, I pray NOT for a majority of Democrats at our summer's convention when we must elect and come together to support our candidate for the presidency.
It does not do justice to Senator Obama's considerable promise, intelligence, capacity to articulate his vision, pull people together to push him into a position he simply isn't ready for either by experience or upbringing, despite the international flavor of his childhood (which would indeed be a plus) and his superb education, and his tenure in the Illinois State legislature prior to winning the Senate seat for that state.
We are simply overwhelmed by the changing face of America, by the complexity of our citizenry, the depth of our divisions between rich and poor, not to mention our immigration issues. In this state of overwhelm, we are in danger of opting for a man too inexperienced on the one hand, and too facile with a phrase or even an idea on the other to really grab hold, tackle decades-old or even centuries-old problems facing us. We are in danger of forgetting that dreams turn real through hard work.
With respect to former President Clinton and his poor behavior choices while campaigning for his wife, why hasn't anyone noticed the obvious? Here is a man faced with depths of feelings in the following ways: first, enormous pride that his spouse -- who stood by his side while he disgraced himself in the White House -- has the experience, the chutzpah, the pride, the wherewithal, damnit, to run for and yes WIN the White HOuse. Of course he wants to defend her, to help her as he can. But -- and this is imPORtant, damnit! -- at the same time, he is campaigning for a beloved who bears his name, who if elected could conceivably by virtue of intelligence, dedication, hard work, discipline, imagination to name a few qualities -- a spouse who if elected could conceivably eclipse his legacy as president with her own! Now, that's a fine dilemma for even the most upright spouse to grapple with! Unconscious at that.
No damned wonder the guy is all over the map! I'm not excusing his behavior, but I"m not demonizing the guy either. This is all new. For all of us. Even former President Clinton and his wife, the ex-first lady and the current Senator from New York. New. Ever done this before? Nope. Well, you're doing it now.
And the media's feeding-frenzy was an embarrassment to watch. Really.
Nora O'Donnell, speaking with Kathleen Kennedy Townsen, a Hillary Clinton supporter, tried to corner her about the fact that her mother (Ethel Skakel Kennedy) even supported Barack Obama and wasn't she surprised that her family disagreed with her choice. But O'Donnell was flat outclassed by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who basically laughed and said something like she'd be surprised if they DID agree, 'come on, Nora O'Donnell, does your whole family agree on everything?'
Hillary Clinton's biggest problem is that she was born and raised in the Calvinist midwest where folks -- most especially womenfolks -- are urged to be modest. My mother's favorite comment was, "she's got a lot of money but you'd never know it. She's just real common." So is Hillary Clinton. Common -- and ARTICULATE AS ALL GET-OUT -- in her remarks, in her explanations of ideas on health care, foreign policy, education, children's rights, the vanishing middle class, etc., etc., etc. My friends call this the "calvinist midwest." I think they're onto something. Can't be too rich, too smart, too successful, too -- ANYthing! Because that would call attention, prompt folks to NOTICE a person! And being noticed would be immodest. We are not here to be noticed -- so this calvinist crap goes -- but to do our best, keep our eyes down, shoulder to it and soldier on. and so she does. While Obama rhetorizes, she tells us what she''ll do about health care, foreign policy, etc. She tells us specifically because she's a woman, and we women pay attention to small things because we have had to do so.
Now this country is in a BIG MESS, owing largely to Evangelical Christians, warmongering Republicans, greedy corporate con artists, a puppet of a president and a mole for a Vice President, and remnants of the first Bush White House who came to town with a purpose and a vengeance and got their second gulf war, by hook AND by crook.
And Ted Kennedy and Caroline Kennedy think Barack Obama is going to FIX any of this? Oh my word!
God save America!
Tell Bill Clinton to get professional help -- read "see a shrink and work this through" -- so his wife can clean up her candidacy and get on with it.
Tell Ted Kennedy that rhetoric might move people, but if the person engaging in the rhetoric doesn't know where in hell he's taking us, well, then, we're in deep trouble!
I will not even mention Barack Obama's clear and obvious disdain for Hillary Clinton, except to note that he was not even gracious in VICTORY! I do not want my president incapable of grace under pressure. Period.
Senator Clinton -- soldier on, woman. We need you. We need your ideas, your experience, your energy, your plans, your practicality, your coalition-building experience and skills, your willingness to work hard and persist and prevail.
That's it. That's what's in my mind and my heart this evening after a bitch of a day.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Quick notes after rehearsal
OK, doing a show is a rollercoaster affair! One day up, the next day, down. Or both up and down on a given day. Rehearsal last night was wild, finally. Rehearsal tonight was VERY good. Lots of energy, good energy. I love watching these kids work. I would like to join them and not direct. However.
More later. But I had to qvell. I am kvelling. Do I know how to spell this? Oh, no. But I definitely know what I mean. kvelling, qvelling. You know. glowing, praising.
That's me, that's all today.
More later. But I had to qvell. I am kvelling. Do I know how to spell this? Oh, no. But I definitely know what I mean. kvelling, qvelling. You know. glowing, praising.
That's me, that's all today.
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