Be Not Idle

Sunday evening Mass was canceled, leaving us ladies to commiserate in the parking lot while the Baptist minister’s dog barked at us through the fence.

Yesterday was a great day. It started off cool and sunny, then segued to warm and sunny. Everyone seemed to be jolly, from the man who held the door for me at the post office to the dog rolling in a long-dead squirrel by the side of the road. Even the radio jockeys, notorious for their innane chatter, played great songs with few commercials.

A co-worker had invited me to an investment/retirement planning seminar. I went more out of friendship than anything else, but it was interesting and conveniently located down the highway from my lunch date. I ate fruit and drank coffee (great Cadillac Coffee!!) while listening to what do with a $1 million investment for retirement. I don’t have $1 million, let alone the $10K minimum, but it was interesting.

Then I went to lunch with Michele, my old college roomie, friend, confidente, and shoe expert. She took the edge off my hunt for sensible shoes, which I must wear from now until my death.

*sniffle!* Good-bye, O Turquoise Sandals with 3-inch Cork Heels! I will miss you!

She chauffeured me to a hardware store to pick up toggles and hooks and then to a coffee shop. Coffee!!!

I arrived home to find several messages from friends/family (which always does wonders for me). Then I joined another friend at the firework display at the Marine City Octoberfest.

“Octoberfest in September?” you say.
To which I can only reply, “BEER!”

The evening was cold enough for jackets, but it made the display over the St. Clair River that much clearer. And it was gorgeous, especially the five different types of Roman candles and the coil of bright lights. How do they do that?

This morning I woke up thinking of a maze, which brought to my early-morning mind the brick labyrinth at a summer house. I’ve walked the labyrinth on one occasion – a particularly wet day when walking on the beach proved too cold – but found it dull, as it inexorably leads to a single point.

Such a labyrinth would make a simpler life because, as complex as it looks, you’re brought to the end. A maze is full of choices. Sometimes we realize a few turns in that this is not our path. Or we discover the truth only when a dead-end blocks our way.

Or perhaps we never realize it.

That’s a frightening thought. Unlike a rat’s maze, the goal isn’t as clear-cut as a lump of cheese.

Well, I was pondering this image when I came to today’s morning readings. And here it is, in the end of Psalm 119: 9-16:

I will ponder all Your precepts
and consider Your paths.
I take delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word..

Point taken, Lord.

Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? (…) For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. - excerpted 1 Corinthians 1:20-25

On this feast day celebrating Your Triumph on the Cross, Lord Jesus, thank You for sharing the frailty of humanity, and for sharing Your strength with us.

Life is short… and art is short.

Before the workers came to install a new sliding glass door, I had to make room for them to work. I took down the vertical blinds. I also moved a free-standing corner shelf.

The shelf worried me. It held a number of ceramic pots containing bamboo, aloe vera, and the ubiquitous philodendron. (I have a theory that all the philodendrons in the area are the offshoots of cuttings taken from one generous, green-thumbed resident of Marine City, Michigan.)

I was nervous when I moved this plant stand, afraid I’d break something in transit. But it stood steady near the stove, out of the way of the work.

That is, until I had to get a glass of water.

Every one of my creations broke, leaving only a store-bought milk-glass compote and a glass frog (a circular glass plate with holes for plant stems).

Was I sad that I lost all the hard work? Sure.

But I wasn’t hurt. (Shocking, I know.) And the aftermath has been positive. With the shelf now empty, I got the idea of taking it to work to serve as a office supply station (works beautifully). With nothing in that corner of the kitchen, more light comes through the new door.

If I wish, I can make other bowls and vases. And I’ve gotten better, so the new will be more beautiful than the old. Unless I drop them….eek!

Some of my conservative web-quaintances ™ are disgusted by the President’s plan to address Kindergartners and other elementary school children. Bob Parks, at Black & Right, even embedded the “lesson plans” to go with the historic address.

President Obama’s Address to Students Across America September 8, 2009 –

Ha! Amateurs! I refer both to the conservatives and to the “Teaching Ambassador Fellows” who wrote the plans.

Conservative political commentors think they get ticked off by propaganda posing as “education”? Since I spent the summer working on new lesson plans for all my classes, I am furious at these so-called “Teaching Ambassador Fellows”. The classroom activities list is pure crapola. There’s no justification for how it fits ANY curricular goals, and it’s not even grade-specific. Heck, my colleague who was hit by a drunk driver made better lesson plans from the hospital!

A first-year student in the college of education couldn’t get a decent grade on such shoddy work, so I wondered what these “Teaching Ambassador Fellows” were. Thirteen fellows sent to the U.S. Department of Education as ambassadors to learn about this strange American tradition that some like to calll “edumacation”? Why, no! In fact, these thirteen people were chosen for their leadership, their students’ achievements, and their “insight on education policy”. You can read more here:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/awards.html

Click on each person’s name and you can read his or her fellowship-earning essay. I find a few vomit-inducing in their political-speak. Except for Tamra Jackson, who spent 23 years in the same district, there seems to be a plethora of experiences outside the norm; e.g. teaching in prison, working under a government grant, etc.

I smiled wryly at the teacher who was shocked to find that education was politicized and that colleagues resisted improving education. Try telling a local politician or business leader that his daughter is failing history class because she plagiarized her term paper. I dare you. Or, in my case, have a “school improvement” guru tell you that American students do worse on tests than the average student in a developing nation, so we should adopt their strategies. And when you point out that the average citizen in that nation doesn’t take those tests because their education ended before high school, the guru smiles patronizingly and waves off your critique. Bonus points if the nation in question has a history of considering girls less worthy of education than boys.

BTW, I have noticed that a lot of the “education experts” at conferences escaped from the daily grind as soon as possible. For example, the writer of The Freedom Writers Diary, Erin Gruwell, left the classroom after her memoir became a best-seller and she had a media tour. She became an educational consultant after just four years of experience as teaching. She now heads the Erin Gruwell Education Project, which focuses on inclusion and scholarships.

When I attended a writer’s workshop last week, one assignment was a sort of salvage-yard poetry. We were SUPPOSED to take phrases from our own failed stories and poetry, then make something new.

But I’m terrible at following directions when it comes to writing (even God’s), so of course I used James Healy’s failed poetry.  Yes, Ireland’s Greatest Living Poet offered, among re-posts of his greatest hits, three that didn’t work. I was stunned.

I posted my homage at his blog, and since he didn’t curse me and threaten me with barristers, banisters, or barristas (the great horrors of modern life), I thought I’d post it here as well:

Love in a Post-Christian World
(An homage to James Healy, from his three unfinished poems.)

A fire is dying
upon the bare
shadows
above the ashes.
All the myth
in rome in lyons and in paris
even so in gaigue na manaigh
is dying.
A curse
is there
if you want it.

-Jean M. Balconi (the greatest living poetess in her own house – but only because she owns no parrots)

“Pinch pennies, spend dollars!”

That was my maternal grandmother’s saying, my mother’s saying… and so on to me. They both could squeeze a nickel until it screamed. However, when it came to cars, furniture and things built to last – such as others in need – they didn’t mind spending a little more for something.

When my parents visited, my dad made me laugh by assuring me, “You know, you CAN spend money.” My comparison shopping at the hardware store was getting to him, I guess. And then my mother commented about the number of cleaning products under my sink. (I have two of everything because I brought home my school supplies.)

So am I hoarder? Is my frugality crossing the line into being miserly? If I own very little, does that mean I’m living simply? Continue Reading »

A little survey brought to you by Laura at Catholic Teacher Musings (see sidebar). As summer draws to a close, it’s a time to reflect and renew. Instead of a lengthy essay, like the ones you did back in school, fill in a short answer to each question.

A book that I read and would recommend to others
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

A project you completed
Watersealing the deck AND refinishing the diningroom table.

A project you intended to complete but you did not
Repainting bathroom.

A great outing you had with friends
Lunch and errand-running with Michele, my former college roomie! It was a completely feminine day, with visits to a shoeshop and fabric store.

A song that you found yourself frequently singing
“Come-onna My House” An advertisement featured this catchy Rosemary Clooney number and it got stuck into my head… all summer.

A new food/drink discovery
Sugar dill pickles, a wonderful treat at the Lake Huron Retreat House, which the cooks shared. What you do is get a gallon of store-bought dills, cut them into quarters, put them back in the jar, and add 2 cups sugar. Shake and flip the jar end-over-end every day for about 7 days. They end up sweet but still crisp.

A new purchase
A dining table with a hidden leaf and two drop-leaves. It opens to 6 feet, but folds down to a chair’s width. And it cost $71, including tax – which meant I could afford to re-upholster two chairs.

A new attitude you adopted about something or someone
When someone asks me a personal question, I’m going to ask, “Why do you want to know?”

A favorite trip you took
The weekend with cousin Jill. On one day we attended a family reunion, then took a ride to Roger City to see the largest limestone quarry in operation – Grand Canyon of quarries! The next day we toured the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, rambled through historic Fishtown, and relaxed with other relatives in Frankfort. Vineyards to beaches, sun to storm.

A favorite movie, show, or concert you attended
I watched Avatar: The Last Airbender when my nieces and nephews visited for a little over a week. I’d forgotten just how good it was.

A favor or act of kindness someone did for you
My friend/art teacher/professional landscaper Carolyn brought over “leftovers” from her recent garden purge. She planted a brand-new garden for me, plus transplanted some of my plants in a way that made more sense. I now have daylilies, different hostas, and OREGANO!!

An accomplishment of any kind
I went through ever single closet, drawer, and cupboard in the house on a two-month “Big Purge” of stuff and memories.

What will you miss most about summer?
Waking with birdsong and morning light, not the alarm clock.

What are three things you are looking forward to this fall?
1) Finishing the requirements to renew my teaching certificate.
2) Teaching only my favorite subject, not English for Burned-Out Seniors
3) Having a new back door with A KEY! (Much more convenient than going to the front door.)

Today I came across the ugly, handmade box that once belonged to my maternal grandparents. Just a few whiffs of its musty contents – old letters and brittle copies of the Michigan Catholic - is enough to set off my allergies. But after they died, no one pitched it. It represents their charity. The carefully type-written letters, often dating back to the Depression years of my mother’s toddler-hood, convey thanks and prayers. 

My grandfather was a farmer and my grandmother a farmer’s wife who, in the tradition of the family, was the one who handled the pocketbook. She could squeeze a nickel until it screamed. There were children to feed and clothe, but they wanted to help out others. 

When my Aunt Alice passed the box to me, she showed the dates of the letters.  They had had no money to spare, yet they had managed to make donations. I was reminded of the Widow’s Mite. 

It’s odd I should come across the box again now.

Like most Americans who still have jobs, I have grown cautious with my money. However, I’m also aware of the growing need for food, shelter, and financial support. So how to be generous without being reckless and to save without being  stingy? 

Here are just a few ways that members of my community have given with what they have:

1. The charity rummage sale.   A few young mothers held a 50/50 yard sale, with 50% of their profits going to a local charity.  They didn’t have disposable income or time to volunteer outside the home, but they had some stuff to sell. Organizations also do this; e.g. this week my parish is accepting donations for their annual rummage sale. 

2. Scrip. My parish sells this and, now that I understand how it works, it looks like a painless way to give. In a nutshell, you buy a gift card for your usual goods and services. The seller of the card (the church or school) keeps 5-15% of the sale. For example, you buy a $100 gift card for the grocery store. The church or school keeps $5-15 and the store gets the rest. Your wallet doesn’t feel pinched, since you still buy $100 worth of groceries with the card.

3. BOGO Giving.  A couple told me about this last spring. Their children’s school had a can drive for the local food pantry. They found an easy way to contribute: When there was a Buy One, Get One Free sale, one time went into their cupboard and the other went into a box for the food pantry.

4. The Change Jar. (Or the ”Hope-and-Change Jar”, if you like.) This works well for guys who hate carrying change. Or fed-up moms who are tired of family members who don’t empty their pockets before throwing clothes into the laundry.  Every time you have a coin, drop it in a jar. Once every month or two, donate the money.  

5. Curb-side Refurbs. If you’re handy and see something on the curb that you can fix up, then you have a gift to share. So many people do this out of necessity, but it can also be charity. Years ago in Ann Arbor, I bought a 10-speed bike for $60 from a man who rebuilt and refurbished bikes salvaged from the garbage. A cancer survivor, he donated the proceeds to help the families of cancer patients who traveled to the University of Michigan hospital system. 

I’m sure you can think of other ways to give, even when it seems you have nothing to spare.