take on me, take me on...

I (Dan) feel like I am living in a constant state of examen. It is good, I suppose, but that is just what we are supposed to say. In all honesty, I am in pain. I am remembering my pain and delving deep into what it means and where it comes from, which is good in the end. It is just that there is no resolve at the moment. No point where all is made known in that proverbial “ah-ha” moment. This week’s journaling exercises flowed from me freely in ways that previous week’s did not. This is mostly because I feel on the verge. Life beckons and the protection that this place has offered is coming to a close. Vulnerability and anxiety are driving up the lane, preparing for their visit. I do not want to be hospitable.

I think the take away from this week is that I was able, through putting fears to paper, to claim God’s promises more. I was able to shout my wants and desires to God. I was able to ask for God’s help, for clarity and a sense of purpose. While each day I feel rudderless in this sea of life, peace and direction are on their way. My hope is that when all the aforementioned visitors arrive for the party, that peace and direction have a prominent role as guests of honor.

recent shots

A nice night-time Wrigley Building view.



Fun while on Wendella Boat trip

Does something seem strange?

can it be true?

Sports Illustrated's Gary Smith, a longtime writer for the mag and known for his ability to effectively chronicle the life and times in the United States of America, recently spent some time in Chicago and with the Chicago Cubs. The Tribune interviewed him. As a life-long fan of the Cubs, I (Dan) was interested to hear what this man had to say.

Here is a exerpt:

"To me, life is all about living it with full passion and zest and with arms wide open. At the same time, understand on one level the meaningless of it, and on the other level, living like it means everything. In a way, that's what sports is all about. Cub fans, to me, have grasped that more than most fan bases. They are totally into it and have invested so much of themselves into it. But they also understand on some level the absurdity of it all. There's a sweet metaphor about life there and how you approach life, and if you could live with the contradiction, live with the paradox."

I like it. Go Cubs.

you say potato, i say you're right

its official, the chicago nighttime skyline is just pretty.

 

being for the benefit of mr. kite

Just a brief update on our life. We've now been back in Chicago for a little over a month and at school and work for a month. It's fall now (hooray!) officially, even though the weather does not give a good testament to that fact. Work has been pretty good for me (anne), though busier than I would like. (I'm a building sub at a high school--for those of you who don't know) I think 4 or 5 classes each day is a great number. Lately I've been doing 7 (with one period for lunch). It kind of helps the day go faster but I would prefer a little more downtime. Oh well. Lots of variety though. I think I've been in every department in the building at least once--except technology and industrial arts--since I've been back this year. Always lovely.

Classes are going well for Dan. He is getting settled into more of a routine with classes, homework, and work and likes what he is learning. He's also been working quite a bit at Chicago River Canoe and Kayak on the weekends, which he has really enjoyed.

Of course, not all weekends have been working weekends. Two weekends ago, we headed up to the Twin Cities because my sister Laura was getting married. A weekend full of festivities, fun, putzy little details and time spent with family and friends ensued. The ceremony was really nice and emotional, albeit a bit too long for my taste. This was probably exacerbated by the fact that I was standing up front, trying not to lock my knees, get dizzy, or fidget too much. We also got to take a detour on the way back through Ripon, WI to drop my other sister, Sharon, back off at college. (she attends Ripon College) It was a fun drive, very pretty and it was neat to see her dorm room and campus.

Otherwise, not much eventful going on. We made it for the Wendella boat tour last weekend...always a good time. Some lovely friends are staying with us the second half of the week and we're hoping to go apple picking on Saturday. Pie, anyone?

Life's been pretty good. We still want to know what is next for us but that will come. And so will pictures of recent events as soon as I'm not at work, or Dan has time to post some. Oh the anticipation!

rich or middle class?

A recent column in Newsweek by Dan Gross brought the issue of what exactly constitutes "middle class" into the idea marketplace. According to Gross, "On Wednesday afternoon, CNBC's unscientific online poll found that (surprise!) only 35 percent of respondents believed an income of $250,000 qualified a household for elite rich status." What I found most interesting about this column, aside from the statistics about the national median income in the U.S. ($50,223 in 2007) and the median income in the richest town in the country, New Canaan, Conn. ($231,138--still less than the aforementioned $250,000 "rich cutoff"), is the idea that "people rate their well-being not so much based on how much they make and consume, but on how much they make and consume compared to their neighbors"

How much do we do that? How much do we compare ourselves to others around us and determine how well we are doing based on how well they are doing? I confess, I find myself doing this more often than I (anne) would like to admit. It sometimes doesn't seem like it's enough to just be able to pay the bills, get the necessities, and still have a little leftover for fun and saving. Sometimes it seems like we should be able to do and have everything that everyone else has as well. But when I do focus on what we have and not on what others have, I have no choice but to conclude that we're doing okay.

Quick parenthetical: When you read this column (and I encourage you to do so), check out some of the comments by other readers. It made me both disgusted at the attitudes held by some people in this country and curious to meet them at the same time.

teachers with guns

Well, as promised, here are some conclusions I (anne marie) have reached after reading the aforeposted article.

As wild as it may sound, I think that the school administrators may have come up with a good solution. It definitely could contribute to creating an atmosphere where students may be deterred from a particular action because of the uncertainty surrounding which of their teachers may be carrying a concealed weapon. I know that I personally would take that into consideration if I were thinking about doing something where a teacher carrying a gun might interfere with my plans.

I think this plan was well-thought out and planned with all the training and testing required of the teachers interested in carrying a weapon.

I do not, however, think it is a solution for every school or school district. This plan was chosen for this particular school a lot due to its location and distance from the sherriff's department. In my time in schools of varying types and locations, I have found that metal detectors often work very well (though they are not a fail-safe solution) as well as cameras and security guards. Though no school security plan is 100% foolproof, I think this school has chosen the one that works the best for them. And more power to them for doing it. I think more schools and districts should spend as much time trying to find the best solution instead the easiest and cheapest.

And as my good friend Forrest always says, that's all I got to say about that.