"Don't take it personally"

Where can a teacher go?
Wherever she thinks people need the things she knows
Hey those books you gave us look good on the shelves at home
And they'll burn warm in the fireplace, teacher, when in Rome
Grab a blanket, sister, we'll make smoke signals
Bring in some new blood it feels like we're alone
Grab a blanket, brother, so we don't catch cold from one another
I wonder if we're stuck in Rome.
(Nickel Creek)

Happy to say that things are going better than they were at this time last week.

All signs are positive: spouse's work is progressing, children are healthy and thriving. The Little Boy even played through a whole level of Lego Star Wars (mostly) by himself. I'm not sure whether or not that should qualify as a good thing. And tonight is Lost! huzzah! I generally only get really into one show at a time: X-Files, Alias, DS9, and now Lost. hmmm. Some pretty clear connections there. I better not start watching Fringe.

Received quotes on the roof: wow. The insurance company will now come take a look, so we'll see if everyone agrees. Homeownership! Bah! Getting a house is like signing up for a never-ending 'to-do' list. On the upside, I'm better with tools now than I've ever been. Which still isn't good, but you know.

I received some of the hardest advice I've ever received today. It sounds simple, but it's not: "don't take it personally." In retrospect, I've made far too many things about "me" when they're not at all about me. You'd be surprised to know what falls under this little rubric, and how piercing it is. Time to see with unblinded eyes.

I got some other good advice last week--"don't think so much; just act." It's true that I'm one of those types that will hide behind thought to avoid actual action (see "quiet," below). This is as terrifying as "don't take it personally." Why doesn't someone give me some advice that I can either easily ignore or just follow real easily?

As the previous post indicates, I taught Shakespeare's sonnets today. It's interesting to me that the students prefer Shakespeare's to Sidney's (I'm more partial to the latter). They don't see much in Astrophil other than a whiner. Oh well--they're both most impressive, especially given how hard it is to write even one decent sonnet. (fifteen years ago, when I was a 20-year-old junior in college, I would have scoffed to think I could ever write a sentence like the above.)

Evidently, the president of my university system resigned today. Talk about timing--here we are in the midst of a potentially catastrophic budget situation (if it isn't already there), and now, no president. hmmmm.

"Others have excuses; I have my reasons why."