Choose your own adventure

Does anyone remember these books? More, here.

It's a beautiful day, go outside!

Life is brilliant right now!
--
So is spent the last half of school today watching SuperSize Me, as did all the students. The children went to their homerooms to watch. I, as an art teacher with freedom of choice, went to the special ed room to hang out with my fave kids. The movie got me to thinking (I have a goal of gaining 30 pounds before going to Japan as "insurance fat," but I have reconsidered and want to gain only pure muscle now, which will be tons harder).
--
I leave you with a "Koan" came across recently.

A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: "Have you ever read the Christian Bible?"

"No, read it to me," said Gasan.

The student opened the Bible and read from St. Matthew: "And why take ye thought for rainment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these... Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."

Gasan said: "Whoever uttered those words I consider an enlightened man."

The student continued reading: "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

Gasan remarked: "That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from Buddhahood."

--Muju (the "non-dweller")

Yes, I agree

How I feel about my expenses right now:

One evening as Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras a thief with a sharp sword entered, demanding wither his money or his life.
Shichiri told him: "Do not disturb me. You can find the money in that drawer." Then he resumed his recitation.
A little while afterwards he stopped and called: "Don't take it all. I need some to pay taxes with tomorrow."
The intruder gathered up most of the money and started to leave. "Thank a person when you receive a gift," Shichiri added. The man thanked him and made off.
A few days afterwards the fellow was caught and confessed, among others, the offense against Shichiri. When Shichiri was called as a witness he said: "This man is no thief, at least as far as I am concerned. I gave him the money and he thanked me for it."
After he had finished his prison term, the man went to Shichiri and became his disciple.

--Shaseki-shu (Collection of Stone and Sand)

My fight with Tori Amos and other exciting news

I've been having weird dreams lately. The R as a bulemic/suspected alcoholic was pretty choice, but last night I found myself talking to Tori Amos. I say a prayer for some reason, and we get into an argument about religion. I back up my position, and Tori apologizes. Then we made friendly and had a smashing time on the town.
--
Guess what? It seems I am indeed going to Japan; it is now just a matter of the JET people setting me up with a contract. Cool beans. Sionara, kids.

If I may be nerdy for a moment...

I saw "flight of the bumble-bee" performed on a guitar today. I've always dreamed about seeing this very thing. Then the band did a bebop rendition of the Mario Bros. theme.

each day

Each day, our life touches so many other lives.
So many stories intertwine with our own.
Meloncholy people.
People bursting with joy and smiles.
People that will leave this world soon.
People that will have the drama of giving birth soon.
It makes you feel overwelmed, inspired and connected all at once.
We are as drops of dew on a spiderweb.

You know you've been teaching ADHD kids too long when...

You sit and take notes while watching kindergarden cop.
It's not a tumor!

Spider man in the bible

If you could send a message of peace into space like NASA is doing today, what would it say?
--
A funny link on spiderman thanks to Christie.
--
Tomorrow is my last day at the highschool. My mentor teacher says I've got the mean teacher look down.
--
For perpetuity's sake, here are answers submitted for my last entry. More answers are welcome from the flock (hey if Linus can minister to the flock, so can I in my capacity as artist theolaureate). Answers from others we know have been reported by Brit in this post.

Imports: Secrets.
Exports: Smiles.
Miss Wired

Importing: loving gazes
Exporting: hearty laughter
Jen

Import: understanding
Export: tolerence
Laura

Import: Prayer Beads
Export: Scriptural Translations
Reverend Linus

If you were a country

What would you import: Endearing moments
What would you export: Beautiful sadness

I invented this game to better be able to describe Brit I think, but those are my answers about myself above. Leave yours in the comments.

I was a teenage ax murderer! (unoffical, yet hilarious, Valentines day post)

So what's more embarrassing than going on an impromptu date (she asked me to the coffee shop and we had Mexican hot chocolates), and seeing half your students hanging out there? How about finding out that she has a boyfriend which she has failed to mention up to this point.
"Mystery solved, dear Watson! Dating does suck indeed!" says the man in the tweed jacket sitting on the corner of the room. "Eh? Eh? Who's with me here?" Then he starts to mutter about the imbeciles that are churned out of this yank country's schools as he takes up his Stradivarius violin and plays a complicated tune with a rapid syncopation.

I have another date with a different girl this Thursday. What can I say? I'm popular. And stupid.
--
The kids took a pic of me and photoshoped me into Jesus. Bout time I got some respect around here. Ooh, head rush from all the megalomania. Gotta pace myself when I go on a power trip like that.

We the committee, gonna tear it down

I wanted to show girl with a pearl earring in class, but the principal saw that it is PG-13 and said no.
In any case, I highly recommend this film. It and Frida are right up there as the best art movies ever.
Now Frida I could never get away with showing in class.

It's hard to teach when you have EXPLOSIVE DIARRHEA.