Tomatos or tomatoes? June 29, 2006

On Tuesday night, I went to BBQ Inn to celebrate Wil’s Uncle’s birthday.  If you’ve never been to the BBQ Inn on Patton Ave., it is a place of grease, and sweet tea, and really good fried green tomatoes.   Anywho, some of Wil’s family are rightfully religious so when our food came out, we all started to hold hands and say a prayer (like they always do) when I just happened to look over the shoulder of Wil’s cousin.  A college aged gal was staring at me with this look on her face and she said, “Oh god, look at that shit.”  Then she elaborated while we said the blessing and finished with, “Like Jesus is real…”

I wanted to say so much to her.  She was so offensive.  I wanted to say, “Hey, I am not sure about a lot of things but I am sure that family is important and that you’re scared of something you don’t understand.  I don’t know where all this will get me but it makes me feel good now, where I am right now.  I don’t know what you went through to make you so bitter.  So why doesn’t your wife beater wearin’, tatoo on your boobs, neck,and hand, dreds that haven’t been cleaned yet, hatin self talk about something important to you. Now that was superficial.

I realize that this is the first time I have encountered this and I possibly will be encountering this again in my life.  I don’t like it but I know it exhists.  This may be a harder journey then I had thought. 

sidenote

Awesome line on TV “I need one of you cheeses to step forward.”   ………………awesome.

It’s better down where it’s wetter. June 26, 2006

I just got back from a fun filled girl-trip to the beach.  Me and my homegirl Cyndi went to Virgina beach for fun and sun.  We were way lazy with our couch potato butts but sometimes, that’s what vaca is all about.  Thanks to our hostess Jennifer for the hospitality and the “trips to check the laundry.”

One afternoon we all went to the beach to discover jelly fish had taken it over.  After we saw a little boy pick one up, we realized they didn’t sting so I decided to get in the water.  I was waist deep when something garzed my leg which made me scream and run for the shore and to my horror, I ran/swam threw a herd of those damn jellyfish which caught me off - guard which made me scream more which made everyone on shore laugh.  Hardy Har………

We went to the aquarium which I love.  The best aquarium I have ever been to was in Monte Ray, CA but that’s not saying much since I haven’t been to more then 7.  My favorite thing to see, ironically, was the jellyfish exhibit.  They get it all lava lampy and float around in different colored lights.

I am going back to the beach with my hubby in a few days and I will write more then.  Meanwhile, check out my flick photos (some of my trip) and play Insaniquarium at this site:  popcap.com

Papa Don’t Preach June 18, 2006

However, I am not in trouble deep.  I've made up my mind, I am honoring Father's Day.  So happy father's day to anyone who reads this that is,knows or wants to be a father.  Now, we all know that woman gives birth.  We know mother goose, mother earth, and mother fucker (that last one is unpleasent.)  As far as father is concerned: father time, father christmas, and "Luke I am you father."  It all confuses me really.  Alls I know is, I love my father and other people's fathers.  The ones that truly love their children. 

 I saw a father with his brand new baby today. He was walking down the sidewalk, the baby in what I call a "baby hamock", and he was cradling the child's head with both hands and looking into its face as he walked.  It made me do a double take, he is a father. 

So to all the father's:  we are so glad you are here in this wrold because if you weren't, we might not be here.  But because of the meeting of our mothers and our fathers, we too have the oppurtunity to become one to someone else and that is truly special.

Jesus IS my homeboy June 8, 2006

Camp Henry started yesterday.  This is significant for a couple of reasons.  Camp Henry is where Wil and I met as counselors.  Camp Henry has been my home for three glorious summers.  Wil has gone to Camp Henry or been a part of Camp Henry since he was a wee one.  Unfortunatley, last summer was the summer that Wil got accused of smoking pot while on the job and often.  It made for a very stressful september and october where Wil had to defend himself against the lies and then eventually had to:a) Go to rehab  b)see a drug counselor (who laughed at the accusations once meeting Wil) and c) meet with his spiritual advisor once a week (which he would have done anyway). 

 We still don't know who accused Wil and will pobably never know.  I finally got my say when I talked to the head director and cried to him and told him how upset I was that they believed someone over Wil without question after Wil has done so much for them.  The other director I have yet to talk to. 

This brings me to my feelings the past two mornings.  Wil and I have been treated like we have a disease by these two people ever since the incident.  We've paid our dues with the Bishop but the others just won't let it go.  They don't invite us to Camp Henry traditions that EVERYONE else associated with the camp gets invited to and they don't return our calls.  It hurts my feelings beyond belief and angers me.  I was telling Wil about my feelings this morning when he said somethin' like, "I've made peace with it.  Jesus was part of a world that believed if you followed all the rules, God loved you but if you messed up, to hell with ya.  And when Jesus preached the opposite, even when you do mess up, God loves you, they of course treated him like a disease."  It did make me feel a little bit better and eventually I will get over my heartache.  I know my road as a Preist's wife won't be easy.  I know I won't love every minute of it.  I do know that God supports me and sometimes that's all I'll need.

Schools out forever? June 6, 2006

Tomorrow will mark my last day in the classroom.  Two days ago was the last student day and then I've just been straightening my room up and packing my things.  Sure, I'm sad.  I'm sad to leave my friends and my paycheck, and my free summers but I'm not sad to leave the stress, the "no child left behind" bull, and getting up at 6:15am. 

The school had a nice lunch at the Monte Vista where they gave me a really cute horseshoe necklace (mascot) and some beautiful pottery.  I am really bad at saying goodbye.  I kinda power walked out of the luncheon to avoid all the " we will miss you" stuff.  I can't handle all the attention and I really don't know what to say besides, "I'll miss you guys too."  It's kinda like when you meet someone on a hiking trail and they ask, "how are you?"  They don't really want you to go into your life story, they are just being nice so you say, "fine" even if you just severed a finger, lost your job, or want to hurl yourself off the cliff. 

I wonder if I'll ever go back to teaching at a public school.  Maybe if it is a last resort or the conditions get better for teachers.  I saw a bumper sticker that said, "It's funny how we always have money for war and none for education."  Amen sista (or brotha).

So goodbye to Rico Suave, and IEP meetings, and lesson plans, and being on "stage" every day, and whiny kids, and mean kids, and psycho kids, and kids who throw scissors, or kids that rip your heart out because of their home life.  It is comforting to know that when my children make it to school, they will respect their teachers and I will 99% of the time be on the teachers side.  It is also comforting to know that I HAVE made a difference, big or small in a kid's life.

Love is in the Air June 5, 2006

Ah, love.  It is a rollercoaster of emotions and good things.  Wil and I just celebrated our 2nd year anniversary.  It has been a wonderful two years.  Sure, we've had our tough moments but what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.  The second anniversary is the cotton/china anniversary.  Since we don't need plates or hanes t-shirts the choices are limited: maybe cotton candy or chinese food or something made in china?  Well, Wil decided instead to surprise me with a really nice dinner at Vincenzo's in dowtown Asheville. 

Upon our arrival, our waitress greeted us and I knew instantly I had seen her before.  I asked her if she knew me and we talked about her life and where she's worked.  Nothing seemed to fit.  As she walked away, I realized that on our first anniversary, Wil took me to the Grove Park Inn for dinner. Our waitress at Vincenzo's was also our waitress at Grove Park Inn a whole year earlier!  What are the odds!  We asked her where she'd be next year….

We reflected, we gazed, we ate noodles and salad, we are ready for more years to come.