making a wreath, checking it twice......

So we're making Advent wreaths at church today and that brings back a lot of memories.

When I was a kid, Sunday nights were VERY important, because those were the nights we lit the candles on our advent wreath! We went from youngest to oldest, so I lit the first candle on the first Sunday, then my brother, then mom and dad. At the time, I just was anxious for all the Sundays to pass, all the candles to be lit and for Christmas (and Santa!) to get here already!! I don't think I paid a lot of attention to the prayers.

Now, of course, I see things a little differently. Now, I am looking at the Advent wreath as an opportunity to continue a tradition with my children. Apparently not so many people do the wreath nowadays, and I think that's kind of sad. Well, not so many people are eating dinner together, so maybe that explains part of it, but I think a lot has to do with our busy, hurried lives. To light the advent wreath, you should really all be sitting down together, preferably over a nice dinner! You should think about the prayers, think about the loved ones surrounding you, and reflect on the blessings in your life. Our daily lives are so filled with stress, that I think the Advent wreath is a nice throw-back to a simpler, more family-oriented time.

So make an Advent wreath this year and see if you can start a new tradition! Or at the very least, at some point during the holidays, just try to sit down and have dinner together with your loved ones. As Martha Stewart would say, "it's a good thing."

the times they are a-changin'....

So today I hosted an "organizational" meeting of Arlington's first Gay-Straight Alliance Club and we had a pretty good turnout. I had a small sign up in my own room and a special ed/theater teacher spread the word a bit (thanks Merica!), which was NOT a lot of publicity, but we still managed to get 13 really spirited and fun kids in my room at lunch time without even the lure of food or Lady Gaga!
The sign in my classroom prompted very little commentary. A couple of kids asked what a GSA was and reacted with "ugh" or "gross," to which I replied "then don't come to our meeting." One girl asked if the club was legal! However, I had many more kids ask me if they could join and could I please not make the regular meetings on Thursdays, because that conflicts with French Club! Kids are so busy these days!

I'm sure there are kids who don't approve, or staff that will be uncomfortable with the existence of a GSA club on campus, but overall I've been absolutely amazed at the positive response. I am also amazed, when I think about it, by how much things have changed since when I was in high school.

In retrospect, we all knew who some of the gay kids were in high school (may he rest in peace, Todd Parker was already a huge B-52s and Bette Midler fan by that time), but there were a LOT, I'm sure, who flew under the radar. This was the time when we were all scandalized that Boy George told America that he was glad we recognized a good drag queen when we saw one, and we all promptly assumed he had told us all he was gay. I think we thought it was the same thing. As far as I can recall, there were no openly gay people around back then. Even Liberace was in the closet. Perhaps I was just stunningly naive, but I had no idea that the Village People were gay. This was the age before the internet, before MTV played black artists-heck, back when Michael Jackson was actually black! and MTV actually played videos!

It is absolutely monumental that there are not only openly gay and lesbian politicians, teachers, entertainers etc today, but that there are openly gay and lesbian students in our classrooms. Many of them have been out since middle school. Many of them have absolutely no issue with holding hands or being affectionate with each other. Many straight kids don't see anything unusual about this. Never in a million years would this have happened at Perris High School in the 1980's.

One of my openly lesbian students expressed concern that our club not be just for gay kids, but for everyone, and I totally agree with her. She pointed out that the Mexican kid who sits next to her in class was initially hesitant to sit next to her. After a few months, they talk and work together and it is no big deal. Perhaps in a very small, but significant way, she's made an impact on how he views gays and lesbians. I know that it's an overused cliche, but it is a lot easier to hate or demonize the unknown/other (whether it's a black person, a lesbian, a Mexican etc) if you don't actually know any of them. It's a lot harder to hate when that person is sitting next to you in history class. I hope that our little GSA, simply by its existence, will raise awareness that gays and lesbians and straight people can be friends and can work and live together in harmony. There is so much divisiveness and intolerance in our world today. I know there's room for a little more peace, love and understanding.

I love my Prius

So I've been driving my Prius for about three months now and I must say that I LOVE IT! Here's why (not in order of importance):

1. with my old Passat, I had to fill up with super-unleaded gas once a week. 12 gallons of super unleaded gas=$$$! Now I fill up with gas about every two weeks, 9 gallons of REGULAR gas that generally costs less than $30. Less money spent on gasoline is less money sent to Iran and Saudi Arabia.

2. The Prius has forced me to think about HOW I drive as well as how much I drive. I accelerate more slowly, definitely try to get into the pulse-and-glide mode, and make a game of upping my gas mileage. So far I haven't managed to get over 45.5 mpg, but I am trying!

3. I will admit that driving the Prius is not NEARLY as much fun as the Passat. I can't power around other cars or zip onto the freeway anymore. That IS kind of a drag. However, did I mention 45 mpg? I can SO live without the zip. I'll leave that to the teenage boys in their raised trucks. Besides, if I need to climb a hill, the Prius can do it handily. and did I mention 45 mpg?

4. Although I have REALLY been trying to avoid the Prius "smug" factor, I will admit that I mentally make notes about every raised truck or frenzied teenager zipping down the road. I try to keep the smug factor as an internal dialogue. However, I continue to freely and openly hate on Hummers, which I did even before I owned the Prius.

5. Finally, this new car has a hook-up for my iPod! No more burning CDs just to play in the car! This may seem like an insignificant point, but I LOVE my music, and now it is sooooo much more convenient.

6. I love sneaking up on people when I'm in EV model. I feel futuristic, like I drive a car from "Gattaca."

7. Did I mention 45 mpg??

will racism, ignorance and fear be rewarded?

I am almost afraid to check the election results. I am so afraid that not only Sharon Angle will win (the Senate candidate who ran the patently racist Wave commercial in Arizona), but that people who are more militant and even less likely to reach across the aisle and compromise will be elected. i am afraid that the result will be even more gridlock and more frustration on the part of the average Joe voter who is just looking for someone to blame.

I am prepared for the depression tomorrow, but I"m not looking forward to it.

When people run openly anti-Mexican ads, it depresses me.

When people shove protesters to the ground and step on their heads, it worries me that we have lost all civility.

When HUGE amounts of corporate dollars, secret corporate dollars enter into political system, I worry that we are too easily bought.

when we can't debate issues, but instead devolve into name-calling and negative ads, I worry that our democracy cannot sustain itself.

No matter what happens in this election, I am still likely to be okay, but I worry for those who live closer to the edge.
If we are to be judged by the way we treat the poorest and most vulnerable amongst us, I am afraid we are not faring well.