Paper Trail

I have a love hate relationship with paper. I love to scrapbook and read ole letters. I hate to file and I sometimes have trouble managing the piles of paper that multiply and grow in all rooms of the house.

I waited on a blind customer today. He commented that he has to remember a lot, since he can't rely on written reminders.

What would I do without grocery lists, calendar reminders or my journal? What would it be like to have to commit all of that to memory?!

Instead of feeling resentment toward my piles of papers to grade and file, I should be grateful for the gift of sight.

Photo: the college's award winning stall wall newsletter.  Written reminders for my bio break.

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Topsy Turvy

The house(s) and our lives are turned around...we're experiencing more than the usual steady chaos.

The boys have added to their list of activities. It's show season and one plays percussion for a pit orchestra while the other is "Daddy Warbucks" in "Annie." I am very proud that the oldest is singing in the choir. But we need to advance ourselves to church at least 45 minutes earlier. Ans there's practice every Wednesday.

We opened up our West Berry House to a friend in need. The oil company will deliver 50 gallons today and inspect the tank.

The chickens were moved last night, as the friend has a bird chasing female pitbull in her company.

Tonight is a dinner party I'd planned a month or so ago. During the few hours of sleep I've gotten this week, I've had nightmares about the guests and the arrangements.

But when I'm awake I remember,  "I'm too blessed to be stressed!"

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Carmelita

Carmelita is the kind of immigrant folks around here complain about.

She is a legal resident, with a valid driver's license. On New Year's Eve she was caught driving while under the influence with a blood alcohol level of .18.

.

I know Carmelita from the store where I work. She comes in to put money on her prepaid plan. She says she works for a local dairy farm.

In court, she told the judge that she's disabled. Her brother supports her and she receives public assistance.

I'm fascinated by Carmelita. Her teeth covered with gold x's and her wide smile. Her stories about working undercover for INS and the local police. I didn't translate those stories for the judge or the public defender.

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Snow Fun

Yesterday was the Dr. Martin Luther King holiday. The children were home from school and I had actually planned ahead by taking the day off of work.

We heard about a drum circle at the local YWCA. It was a privilege and a joy to share our love of African Drumming with @25 four and five year olds.

Later in the day, we threw on our snow clothes and mittens and gathered up all the sleds we could find around "ex house" and went to a local sledding hill.

The snow conditions were perfect for making ice balls (ouch! those hurt when someone throws one!). I built a modest (Ok, I thought, pretty terrific) snowman and snow dog.

The older boys, whose motto is "go big or go home" built a HUGE snow creature and named her "Dolores."

We played until the sun went down.

Sí Señor

I might be the only Instructor in the world who thoroughly enjoys faculty meetings.

This is PAD week, the 5 days before the semester begins when faculty meet by department and attend seminars and conferences on campus (we also use the time to prepare our course calendars, syllabi, course spaces, etc.).

Last night foreign language faculty met in the language lab and then joined the larger group for dinner.

I'm blessed to be directed by a talented department chair and two personable, engaged deans.

The ACE faculty also attended, high school teachers who offer for-credit courses in their respective institutions. Señor and Señora Nickerson were there. I subbed for Mr. Nickerson when he was called away to fight in the first Iraq War. They are a delightful, fascinating couple.

It's a joy for me to be surrounded by professional, caring teachers. I realize that I've been removed from campus for far too long, as I've been teaching exclusively on-line for two semesters now.

At my other job I work with young people who are extremely negative. I don't, myself, mean to sound negative here. It's just that the "around the water cooler" talk usually focuses on "baby mama drama," sports, and rocky relationships. A few of them talk tech now and again, but when I mention something I find interesting from world news, politics or literature, most go silent or walk away.

Faculty meetings are a breath of fresh air, "Sí Señor!"

Sounds of the Season, January Edition

Here is a sample of what it sounds like inside our home.

One boy is playing the role of "Daddy Warbucks" in a school production of "Annie." He practices daily. He is also singing the base line for All-county Chorus so in between school and play practice, he works with a voice coach on the music for All-county. At home, he sings whichever song is on his mind.
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Sometimes we listen to the "Annie" soundtrack. Isn't the version of "Little Girls" sung by Carol Burnett THE BEST?! The younger boys are learning the songs as we go.

I have to confess, I'm not a big fan of "Annie," at least not the type to enjoy hearing it over, and over, and over...

Then there's the oldest boy, who is learning to play Skynard's "Simple Man," a song I love. He is also working on music for a competitive drum line, "The Sound of Music" and marching band.

The youngest boys watch "Pokemon," a movie full of squeaks, squawks, and pop-style songs.

The seven-year-old is in the "whine and complain" phase of life (we are doing our best to push him through it QUICKLY).

Our old, senile Golden Retriever tends to forget that he has just come in or gone out, so more often than not he is standing by the door, in either direction, barking.

The computer arrived at our new home this week and it was installed in advance of a homework deadline. This morning, while washing dishes, I put on Itunes and enjoyed listening to random songs from our play list like, "Lollipop," "Amazing Grace," and "Poeta" by Chino y Nacho.

These are the sounds of the season at our house, January 2012 edition.

Haul

I sometimes watch a comedic show called "Viral Video Film School." It's vulgar, so I wouldn't recommend it, but it definitely appeals to my dark sense of humor, featuring videos of people falling off of buildings or setting themselves on fire. (I know.)

One episode featured videos of people bragging about their shopping trips, bargains, and great finds. The modern word for bringing home loads of things purchased at discount prices is..."haul."

I'm amused by my own excitement over recent purchases at an estate sale. I had a rare day off and I spent several hours poking through stacks of things inside a historic brick mansion. It felt like a real treat just to go inside the house.

It was also the first time I'd purchased anything special for our new house.

So here is a picture of something from my haul. It's a green enamel roaster that we are now using as our bread box. I love the color, and the peculiar "clang" I hear when the top closes on the bottom.

I also found things for the boys like weights and Pokemon cards.

Those things, of course, are now strewn from end to end of the "man room."

Guess its time again for some V.V.F.S. and a good laugh.

Have you had a good haul recently?

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The Office

A year and a half ago, or so, my office at the college where I teach was moved. The department's secretary provided me with boxes for my books and files and a key.

I haven't spent much time there. My name isn't even on the door. I took most of my books home, especially my book of poetry signed by Father Cardenal.

On the door there is a cork board. There's a piece of lined yellow paper with the words "Keith Amarind's Office" written in pencil tacked on the board. There's also a silver crucifix hanging from a pin.

On the desk there's a lamp. It's usually left on when I come in to teach at night and the rest of the offices are dark. I wonder who leaves it lit.

There's a framed picture of George Donohue on the top shelf of the book case.

I remember him fondly. He had a heart attack and passed away on the first day of the semester in that same office. Keith found him there.

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We Love Lucy

Over break I took three teens to Jamestown, N.Y. to the Lucy Desi Museum.

We visited The Center, The Playhouse, and Lucille Ball's grave site.

Perhaps because I'm a Spanish teacher and a student of African drumming, I'm equally intrigued by Desi's life story as I am Lucy's.

I desperately hoped to see one if his hand drums on display. Instead, there were riding crops and a leisure suit.

We've been watching all the "I Love Lucy" episodes we can get our hands on, and I was thrilled to find a Desi Arnaz channel on Pandora Radio.

Babalu!

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New Year's Resolution

My goal for 2012 is to laugh and play more.

I realized, toward the end of 2011, that I'd practically forgotten how to relax and simply have fun.