Sunday Blatherings: Aloha & Madness

This has been a strange month so far!  Although there are many great things going on, I'm also feeling like time is slipping by and I don't know where it's going!  My school has a three-day weekend because of a planned "snow day" that we didn't ever take, which is now a quick breather.  Thank goodness!  I can always use a three-day weekend that is a non-holiday to get things done around town.  Besides, it's March Madness time again, and a three-day weekend is the perfect opportunity to gear up for this week!

Let me just give a brief overview of what's going on my world and what I'm thinking about today, otherwise I'll ramble!

• Of course I'm thinking about Japan today.  My heart goes out to the people there.  It all feels very surreal.
• Thanks to everyone who texted me early Friday morning to check on my mom, who has lived in Hawaii.  Sadly, she moved home about two weeks ago.  Yes, I've been pretty quiet about it because I was really, really sad.  Maybe I'll explain sometime soon.
• If I could remember my password, I honestly think I'd delete Facebook.  This past week there was a horrible debate about unions that left me flabbergasted by the insensitive things that supposed "Friends" I allowed into my life would post.  I'm not saying how I feel about unions, one way or the other, but to make random statements like, "Teachers are lazy and are the reason this country's educational system is going down the toilet.  They don't need more money; they need to work harder," really threw me for a loop.  Once I restrained myself from verbally throttling him, I had to take a step back and evaluate how much vitriol I allow into my world.  I think Facebook should be the first to go.  Sorry, but it's true.  I appreciate conversations and respectful debates, but I'm wondering if they exist anymore?
• I really like my job.  Yes, after that last bullet point you'd think I wouldn't, but I still do.  Outside of all the debates going on about education, my students really seem to be getting it this year, so I'm excited!
• We're heading into the last 8 weeks before the AP Exam.  It has started to invade my dreams/nightmares.  Enough said.
• I'm still reading fourteen books right now.  What's wrong with  me?  I need to learn how to enjoy one at a time, but I doubt that will ever happen.
• Spring feels like it's here, but I know it's not quite yet.  Nearly 60 degree weather doesn't help me restrain my glee much though, so  for today, I'm loving this gorgeous weather and have every window and blind open to the beautiful sunshine today!
• 
  Last, but not least--I'm SO excited that it's Selection Sunday for NCAA Basketball!  Here is a nice bracket (...although I'd check back to see if they plug in the teams and time for the printable version.  I wasn't thrilled with the CBS version, so I think they are just updating these for now.)  I might go a little Jayhawk crazy over the next several weeks, so my apologies ahead of time.

 I wanted to end my Sunday Blatherings today with a funny video I took a couple of summer ago in Hawaii when we were watching the turtles out in the ocean.  The video speaks for itself, but what I thought was a couple of turtles ended up not being the case!

Sunday Salon: Lots of Books & Films

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's actually kind of scaring me! How is it that school years zip by so quickly and yet feel as if they are killing me in a slow, excruciatingly fatiguing sort of way? It's just kind of strange is all, and interesting as I start planning for my summer. Thankfully, my mother is still in Hawaii, so I get to go back again for another glorious couple of months. Sigh. I can't wait!

As for this past week, I spent a day at home working on my taxes and getting over the opening stages of a head cold. I think they were meant to go hand in hand to torture me. I'm still not ready to head to the tax accountant, but soon.

This week I watched a number of films, including a couple Oscar winners.

I watched Precious on my day off and have to say that Gabourey Sidibe deserved every bit of accolades and praise that she received. It wasn't an easy film to watch, with its themes of poverty and abuse, but an important story of one person's struggle to get an education and rise out of poverty.


I wish I had as many wonderful things to say about The Hurt Locker. Lest I be considered anti-American in some way, and not in favor of our troops, I have to say that I 100% see that this was a shocking demonstration of the dangers and mind-playing tragedies they have to deal with every day; however, I can't say that I liked the film. It was really hard to get through, and felt very much like a real-time film about one man's experience in Iraq.


I also watched The Queen and I, which was about the widow of the exiled former Shah of Iran. After reading Persepolis, I thought this was an excellent additional human story to add to my reading. the documentary was an interesting look at Queen Farrah and her life since her exile, and her fight to continue to help Iran. The queen couldn't completely answer for the tortures played out under her husband's regime, but she could speak to her love for Iran and her desire to see a more settled form of democracy rule the country.

Thankfully, I also got in some reading this week.


I finally started Hunger Games this week, as well as Scones and Sensibility. Since I am always reading a classic at the same time, I've been reading East of Eden and should be finishing it up shortly.


I also started listening to The Masque of the Black Tulip, which is a follow up to The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.


After hearing a lot about the connection between Just the Sexiest Man Alive, by Julie James and Pride and Prejudice, you know I had to read it. Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed, and am excited to post my review hopefully this week.

One last note. While reading is my main hobby, those who know me well know that I have a bit of an obsession for college hoops. I actually avoid watching games up until March, because I wouldn't get any of my work done if I didn't! Thankfully, I'm ending a term at school, and super excited for this Selection Sunday to get my brackets ready. This week starts March Madness, and I am one happy camper! Go JAYHAWKS! I also have a couple of good friends coming into town, so it is going to be a great week. Let's just hope they don't disown me after several days of screaming at basketball on a TV screen.

What are you reading on this Sunday, and are you into March Madness? Am I alone in my college hoops madness?!?

A Moment of Silence

A moment of silence for the fall of KU this evening to...MICHIGAN. Okay, now I was born in Columbus, Ohio...home of Ohio State. See where I'm going here? Not exactly the same team, but my resentment towards Michigan has now increased. Sigh... By the way, I actually have Pitt. going all the way this year. I know! I love KU, but I knew they had lost a lot of players after last year! I'm still REALLY sad.

March Madness...and My Own Madness for Sun!

I know...kill me for counting down, but I have 5 DAYS until I leave for Hawaii!!! I can't remember the last time I was this excited to get out of Dodge...ever. All I'm praying for is a nice hot sun, and lots of rest. Man, do I need it. It's been a great school year, the best yet, but I NEED to take a breather and feel the sun on my face for a little while. I'll deal with skin cancer later. :) (Okay, I realize that's not a laughing matter, but I am being facetious.)March Madness is also on it's way!!! Yes, I switched allegiance from NBA to college ball sometime right after my mission about ***muffle, muffle*** years ago, and haven't gone back since. Last year KU won, and I really thought I'd have a stroke getting them to the NCAA championship. I still have faith in them, but it wavers ever so slightly with the loss of so many players. Sigh..., so I filled in my brackets this morning and have Conn. & Pitt. facing off. We'll see. I know people are saying it will be Louisville this year, but I have to have faith that KU will beat them, and upset that little plan. :) Anyway, let's pray that I find a way to teach on Thursday and Friday. I usually take those two days off (or at least the one that has my favorite teams playing), and watch the first round. With my trip to Hawaii (and yes...I'm FLYING during games on Satuday...BAH!!!), I couldn't get off the first two days of tournament. I'll be OK...right?!? I'll get to watch three days of games in Hawaii. I know that sounds crazy, but what a GREAT vacation. :)

All right, so back to what I normally discuss--books. I actually started and finished Sherman Alexie's National Book Award winner, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Doc gave me this book for Christmas, and I'm so glad that I shoved aside all those library books coming due and dove into Alexie's novel. In keeping with the style of several of his other novels, Alexie writes his narrative about the ins and outs of a young Native American teenager on the "rez." Having studied Alexie as part of my Master's thesis, I readily fell back into the world of ideas and philosophies that surround Native American fiction. Filled with ideas about identity, loss of language and culture, drug and alcohol abuse, physical and emotional abuse, lack of education, and mind-numbing poverty, Alexie manages to create this "Ramona Quimby"-like tone with his main teenage character that makes you believe the topic is light and funny. That somehow, this is just another story of teenage angst and coming of age. However, this light-hearted (seemingly), loaded tale, takes on the dual nature of being a native person today, of walking that line between culture and progression. It's a sad idea that one has to feel as if they are abandoning their people by trying to better themselves, but you easily see why in this novel. To try to get ahead feels threatening, as if you want to abandon the people that are like you and want to preserve every last bit of what little they still have. Laced with a certain sadness, Alexie's novel still manages to be a "typical" teenage novel of growth and change, but an amazing, more clear tale that asks the reader to grow as well. Excellent messages and complications introduced in this novel, and I see why Alexie won his award. (Just as a warning. His material is not light, and he openly adresses life in the way I'd expect his character to. Yes, swearing and casual sexual references--not scenes--are part of the character. Still, very raw and emotional, and not gratuitous--at least not in my opinion.)

Well, I need to be doing some grading before I bomb out for the night. Happy March Madness to you all, and happy reading in the meantime! :)