Teri Parris Ford's Blog

Participation

About 1000 students walked out of Memorial today at 10 am. I was not there to watch it happen. I was downtown working on my UW class project. At lunch I ran down to the capitol to witness history. While not all thousand kids from Memorial went to the capitol to protest, there were 3,000 kids from all 4 high school marching. It was really cool to witness. I spent the rest of my day working on a rough draft paper that is due next month. I made it to hot yoga at 4pm and came home feeling really good about the day. 

Too Close To Call

I'm up late watching the news and it is tighter than I expected thus far... I'm not sure if I'll stay up much later to watch the drama unfold. When I see how close it is, I think about the bubble I live in. We had an election at school and Hillary won with over 70% of the vote and after hearing those results, I thought about how it might be a landslide for her. Yeah, that's not the case. It looks like a real nail biter race right now.

I did not have to vote today, as I voted last week but I made sure Erika got out there to vote. I took her out to lunch to continue our conversation and to start the birthday celebrations. I stayed after school working with kids in metals. After coming home from work to feed Balt and let him out, I went to a hot yoga class to enjoy some heat and to try not to be bothered by election coverage. I came home and got caught up quickly though. I'll probably wake up in the middle of the night to find out what happened, but I can't stay up. I've learned it's not worth it. (note: the photo is for the yearbook page)

Love Warrior; a book review and other thoughts.

After reading a short interview in my Oprah magazine last month with the author, Glennon Doyle Melton, I was drawn to purchase Love Warrior because of what seemed like a lot of similarities in our lives. Luckily her memoir ended up not being quite so familiar as I had initially hoped, as her struggle with addiction is not quite a road I have traveled, but I was brought to tears many times regardless. Melton tells a story of her journey of self-discovery that every woman can find some connection with. Her struggle with food, I could connect with, alcohol and drugs, not so much. But once she finds happiness in her marriage and family, I could relate and then after the implosion of her marriage, her journey took her places that I had visited in my own journey. She happened to have a partner who wanted to find healing with her which may or may not have made her journey easier, but it certainly made it different from mine on some level. Any woman can read this book and find connection as she speaks with such clarity about the role we have in society that has been created for us primarily by man. She learns to break out of this role as many of us do in time.

In the wake of this political season, with a woman running for the first time in a major party with a really good chance of winning, you'd think we would hear more about the plight of women in America. I want to hear more about the abuses, the lack of support, the hardships of women who work, who raise children, who take care of their parents. While we hear the about the abuses of a man with power, there is only silence on the other side. I am excited about the prospect of a woman running the country, finally, but we need a woman who has a voice, a real voice of what it is be a strong, independent woman. I'm not so excited about someone who set her own career aside to support a husband who is guilty of the same abuses of the man running against her.  The current first lady would have been soooo much better!! Oh, well... someone has to break the glass ceiling and then we go from there. Like the first black president with race relations, I don't expect things for women to get any better with a female president, but progress will be made. The next black president will do more as I hope the next woman president will have clearer voice.  

Amazing quotes from Love Warrior: “We know what the world wants from us. We know we must decide whether to stay small, quiet, and uncomplicated or allow ourselves to grow as big, loud, and complex as we were made to be. Every girl must decide whether to be true to herself or true to the world. Every girl must decide whether to settle for adoration or fight for love.”

“Grief is love's souvenir. It's our proof that we once loved. Grief is the receipt we wave in the air that says to the world: Look! Love was once mine. I love well. Here is my proof that I paid the price.”

“You are not supposed to be happy all the time. Life hurts and it's hard. Not because you're doing it wrong, but because it hurts for everybody. Don't avoid the pain. You need it. It's meant for you. Be still with it, let it come, let it go, let it leave you wtih the fuel you'll burn to get your work done on this earth.”

 

It only gets better...

Today is the coldest day of the week, and it is my hope that it will not be as cold as it is today again until after summer. This spring has been cold but I know it'll only get warmer which always makes life better. After a week of being observed, today I began to give a little bit of responsibility to my student teacher. She seems to be on top of things, so I'm looking forward to having some time at the end of this semester to get a few big projects done while she continues to take over my classes. It's a nice perk. After school, I enjoyed some sunshine with Balt, leftovers for dinner, and relaxation time.

Last night I started watching Robert Reich's Inequality for All on Amazon. I finished it this evening. It explains the decline of the middle class, with great graphics, persuasively, and with smart humor. Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, who I follow on Facebook and occasionally catch his live office hours. He's a huge Bernie Sanders supporter and watching his videos are not only entertaining but incredibly informational. After writing my blog post on why I was voting for Bernie, I thought about the things that might be pushing me to the left but after watching this documentary, I realized that it wasn't necessarily me that was moving left, but the right has moved further right. I haven't been into politics much, and I'm realizing that part of the reason has been that this is the first time in my life that I've been on my own and have had to do my own reading, my own research. I don't have someone feeding me information, telling me what to think. I am thinking for myself without anyone really to bounce those thoughts off of. It changes things, maybe for the better.

Why I'm voting for Bernie Sanders

Politics is not something I'm comfortable discussing with people in general, in part because I have never felt like I fit any particular mold especially political ones. Today I did something I have never done before. I went to a political rally-- the Bernie Sanders rally in Madison. I first heard of Bernie last summer when he first came to Madison, talking about creating a political revolution in America to take on the greed of Wall Street and corporate America. He made local news back then with 10,000 showing up to see him, but still not a lot of national news. When he visited Liberty University last September, quoting Amos 5:24, “let justice roll like a river, righteousness like a never-ending stream," I was so impressed with what I read that I read the full transcript of his speech.  For the first time I was convinced there was something very unique about this presidential candidate. I have wavered on my support as I read both sides of the argument about just how much change one man can do. But a friend of mine said we need to shoot for the stars if we want to make it to the moon.

Early on in my voting career, I voted most like an evangelical, that is like a conservative Christian. However, as a young collegiate I had liberal leanings that I was unable to voice. The transformation from voting almost entirely republican to democratic the last election for the first time in my life is not something I am necessarily proud of. It has been a long transformation that was pushed by a republican Wisconsin governor who has demoralized my profession and the belief that the Republican Party is no longer in touch with the reality of the common woman. As I look to April 5th, Wisconsin's presidential primary, I have really had to think this one through. 

1. Medicine for the masses-- I have been blessed by living in two states that have had generous medical benefits for the poor. As a poor collegian and young mother, California's Medi-Cal took care of me and Erika. In Wisconsin, the state's Badger-Care was instrumental in getting me through lean times before getting my position as a teacher. Both of these programs allowed me to keep my family healthy without incurring any debt. I  believe that every person has a right to affordable, if not free, health care. As I look to the looming date of Erika turning 26, knowing that she will no longer be able to utilize my health benefits, I know the cost of medical insurance is something that concerns both of us. The affordable care act is not something I simply want ripped out of the American fabric and tossed out like garbage. When I hear that kind of rhetoric it makes me very afraid for the future of young people. Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All package looks like a step in the right direction. His views of drug abuse and use are medical issues, not a criminal one, is also something I completely agree with. He will take marijuana off the federal list of illegal drugs, leaving it for states to decide.

2. Education-- My first bill for tuition at Cal State Northridge in January of 1985 was a little more than $200. I was able to pay for, not only my tuition, but my books and expenses while living at home with part time work. In the mornings I worked as a teacher's assistant at a middle school in Pacoima and on the weekends and evenings I worked at Subway. While I did not graduate totally debt free from graduate work, I did manage to get through my undergrad degree without debt which was not a big deal back in 1990. While my girls were still in middle school I made it clear that I would not carry the load of their post high school education. It has been incredibly amazing to see how each of them have been able to get their education without incurring great debt (so far). I'm so proud of Erika for graduating from UW debt free. It is no easy task in today's economic and educational situation. What Bernie wants to do isn't crazy, unique or even novel... it's necessary.

3. Race, equity and poverty-- The Republican Party is no longer the party of Lincoln. Anyone who uses that kind of language does not know history. It has saddened me that at some point Republicans tossed out equity and embraced racism. I have never understood how evangelical Christians could vote as a block for Republicans without weighing out the fact that we are called to take care of the poor and disenfranchised which is what Bernie Sanders, of all the candidates, Democratic or Republican seems compelled to do. His views on wealth inequity have been called communist and socialist but it all sounds so fair to me. His assertion that he is listening to Native Americans and will change the way the country deals with tribes is something I have never heard a candidate talk about. He acknowledges racism and wants to work to make more progress.

4. Pollution and  Climate Change-- The Republican Party is no longer the party of Theodore Roosevelt. There was a time when I dismissed the notion of global warming and I owe a good friend dinner at Olive Garden because I did. I still don't like Al Gore, but he started a dialogue that continues. This isn't about crazy leftist thought, it's science now, it's real and wishing it didn't exist won't make it go away. I am concerned about the future of this planet and I still can't figure out why we aren't driving solar cars?

5. Right to Life-- This issue has been the one issue that has dominated my voting in the past. It has always been a difficult decision to know that I'm voting for someone simply because of one out of ten or more issues.  I understand both sides of the debate and as a woman I would like to say I have a right to my own body. But as a mother of three, I am burdened to want to protect the life of the unborn child. I have heard the unborn child called "just a blob" and I can only say that I am so glad a young high school girl in 1965 who found herself pregnant, did not have that right to her own body, but instead had the guidance of Catholic parents and the support of a Baptist young man not to throw that "blob" away. To me, every unwanted pregnancy has the potential to produce someone just like me. I have finally given up on the political process to fix this issue. Science is now my only hope now. I know this might sound crazy, but I do believe in a future when a woman will be able to remove an unborn fetus and save it for another time or offer it to another person. Currently we keep "little blobs" in freezers for women who have fertility issues and I have read there are even custody battles over these blobs. I also understand fetal tissue has healing powers that have done great good for our society with the potential to cure even more afflictions, including cancer, diabetes, birth defects, HIV, multiple sclerosis, ALS, and Alzheimer's. I know there is a reason for that. I don't know at what point the blob becomes a person but I no longer can count on politicians or courts to make that decision. I also don't believe that only God knows, eventually science will figure it out and until that happens, I will have to set this one issue aside and vote my conscience for the greater good of society.

Mid Week Work Day

Today was another beautiful day. I was glad to have errands to run during my prep. I came home during lunch to enjoy the gorgeous day and open windows. All of my classes worked on projects, totally on task. I love that kids are so eager to be productive. After school I did some organizing, packing and cleaning after taking Balt for a walk. I watched or listened to the republican debate. I'm not really a political person. I'm attracted to candidates who look good and sound good. There aren't any candidates who believe in all the same ideals I do-- I'm conservative and liberal, depending on the issue. On the republican side, I guess I favor Carly Fiorina, mostly because she's a smart woman, yet on the democratic side the more I hear about Bernie Sanders, the more I like him. A couple of days ago he spoke at Liberty University, a Christian college founded by Jerry Falwell. I posted on Facebook the following today; An Evangelical pastoral counselor and Liberty University graduate posted a short sermon about Bernie Sanders' speech at Liberty University to reddit yesterday... Here's snippit of what he said in that speech, "I listened to Bernie Sanders as he said he wanted to welcome the immigrants and give them dignity, as he said he wanted to care for the sick children and mothers and fathers who do not have health care, as he said he wanted to decrease the amount of human beings who are corralled like cattle in the prisons, as he said he wanted to do justice for those who have nothing and live homeless. And I remembered the words of Jesus who warned his disciples that there will be judgement, and on that day he will look to his friends, and he will say "Blessed are you for you cared for me, for I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was in prison and you came to visit me, I was homeless and you gave me shelter." And his disciples said, "When did we do any of those things for you?" And he said, "If you have done it for the least of these, you have done it for me. Those words echoed in my heart as I listened to that crazy, hoarse-voiced, wild-haired Jew standing in front of the religous leaders of the Evangelical Movement, calling us to account, as a Jew once did before, telling us that he intends to care for the least of these, to clothe the naked, to shelter the homeless, to care for the sick, to set the prisoners free." WOW. After posting this comment, I got 20 likes immediately and that rarely happens on my feed. Interesting.

Related articles

Bernie Sanders's Liberty University speech, annotated

The Shutdown

The fact that the government shut down had never been a big concern for me. I figure it can't stay shut forever, or even for that long-- no matter what the reasons are. It's happened before and we survived. Well, suddenly I am finding that this new shutdown is effecting me (somewhat)--  the Department of Defense has suspended all intercollegiate athletic competitions at the Service Academies. That means Jessi's first "real" swim meet this Thursday against Loyola Maryland and George Mason may not happen. Her meet last weekend was an intersquad competition to get ready for the real deal. I know she will be very dissappointed if it is indeed cancelled. The Naval Academy will cancel contests as needed and this Saturday's football game against Air Force will be announced by 12 noon on Thursday if it is cancelled. I believe there will be an outcry so loud that congress may fix the problem just to make sure there are no football games missed. Of course her tranings will continue. While her coach is a now a furloughed civilian faculty, the asst. coach is not. Her education will continue, although according the Buzzfeed, her chemistry class may be cancelled. I am guessing she won't mind a cancelled class or two, but I have yet to hear from her. I guess this is the downside to having her at a military institution. But of course, I can't imagine this craziness last that long. 

As for my day, no big changes. I did get paid for the first time since June. That certainly is nice. I was asked to sub as a ticket seller at the boys soccer game tonight for someone who went home sick today. It was a wonderfully warm night and I needed to get to a soccer game anyway. It did make for a long day, but now I am home and eager for bed!

Badger Girls State

I drove up to UW Oshkosh this morning to pick up Monika from the Badger Girls State. I was supposed to bring my camera but forgot it. I always have my phone with me and it takes pretty good photos, still, I wish I had had it. When I got to the final general assembly, Monika was introduced as the state superintendent- she was one of seven girls with a state position out of over 700. Without a zoom lens, the photos I got of her on stage were not very good, but I made sure to get a few of her after the assembly.

Badger State was designed to train future stateswomen in the science of government. The Girls State program was organized in 1937 as a national Americanism activity and is a practical application of Americanism and good citizenship. The girls voted in as governor and lt. governor get to go to the National American Girls State. Because of her role at Badger State, Monika will be invited to meet the Wisconsin Dept of Public Instruction Superintendent this Fall. 

Over the week, she took a lot of photos and was able to meet a lot of really great girls. She also got to meet and talk with the Wisconsin State Governor (not anything she can brag about here in Madison). I heard a lot of wonderful stories on the way home. When I asked her how she managed to win her position, she told me she used sexual innuendo. She explained that education was like dirt and children were trees that grew up to produce fruit-- nice analogy. After a full explaination, she then concluded that she wanted to be the state's "dirty girl" and with that she won-- official results. She suprises me sometimes. When I asked if she wanted to go into politics, she said she wasn't sure. Hmmm...

After we got back in the afternoon, Monika needed a nap and I ran off to meet up with Melissa at professor's home to look at a rock collection and eat fruit salad. I came home, took Balt for a walk and made dinner-- leftovers. It was an exciting day to end and the first week of summer. There's 10 more to go!!

Election Day

JMMHS had a mock election today. 1100 students out of 1800 voted. Kids dressed in red, white and blue to get into the spirit of things. Mostly I think everyone is just thrilled the whole thing will be over. Madison leans heavily for Democrats, so there will be black and mourning if Romney wins tomorrow. At this point, I know it's too soon to call but the NYTimes claims Obama has it in the bag (90% chance of winning according to polls). All the maps had Romney winning at 7:45pm when I left for my yoga class. Now it looks like Obama has caught up and has gained enough to look like the NYT was right. But I won't be staying up to see it happen officially. I can check the news in the morning while walking Balt and quite honestly will celebrate regardless, knowing the emails and the phone calls will end. Oh, scratch that... I just saw Melissa updated her status on Facebook, it looks like Obama won. There'll only be about 5 kids upset at school tomorrow about that and maybe 2 teachers. So it looks like there's no change afterall.

Let’s just say…

I’ve avoided voicing the things I think about to avoid controversy. I spew out a daily schedule of what I do to keep this blog regular and my mother knowing what I’m up to. But let me take a Sunday morning to share with you what I’ve been thinking.

I read recently in the NY Times a quote from the Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson—some guy who founded a Tea Party group in California (and you know how crazy those Californians are). He said, “I think that one of the greatest mistakes that America made was to allow women the opportunity to vote. We should’ve never turned it over to women.” Wow. That blows me away, BUT what really gets me is that he’s not the only one thinking like that. Guys like Jesse Lee Peterson and Dwight Schrute are a bit more plentiful than I’d like to think.

Have you ever seen a documentary on the suffrage movement? The PBS one on Stanton and Anthony is a great one. I remember seeing that for the first time and being amazed at the plight of women in its recent past. Our young girls today don’t know at one time they were worth so little. I was raised with strong female voices in my family sharing with me that I could do whatever I wanted. It wasn’t until I became a woman that I learned that my mother and grandmother paved the way for my freedom. 

I have often felt that ANY woman, no matter her political leanings is better than a man in her place. I’ve learned that it works out better if they appear to be intelligent on TV interviews. There are men who seem to think that one of the primary reasons America is falling into the toilet IS because women are taking over, running companies, and making more decisions in society. I would say quite the contrary.

I was delighted to see in the NY Times Op Ed article called, “Men, Who Needs Them?” “It’s increasingly clear that “mankind” itself is a gross misnomer: an uninterrupted, intimate and essential maternal connection defines our species.” 

So let’s just say we get rid of men altogether? Well, I taught a class of all girls once and it was kind of boring. As much trouble as those boys are, they do bring excitement into the classroom. And having just lived the past two weeks without a spouse (he was serving in Kentucky), I was living the life of a house full of women. I pulled out carpets and moved furniture on my own. I have a few sore muscles to remind of what life might me like without my husband—harder. As we caught up on life this morning over coffee, talking about all the things we need to do, I asked if he might help me with a little home project and he gladly accepted. I look forward to working with him, I miss him when he’s gone... fully understanding how much he complicates my life.

So the answer isn’t getting ridding of them. It’s working with them… Men need to help raise our children, they need to clean the kitchen and do the laundry. If women are indeed, ruining the country with our running companies and making decisions, it’s only far for men to ruin our homes with their awkward folding techniques and putting the dishes in the wrong cabinettes.

“Meanwhile women live longer, are healthier and are far less likely to commit a violent offense. If men were cars, who would buy the model that doesn’t last as long, is given to lethal incidents and ends up impounded more often?”

The Polls are closed

I avoid politics like the plague. Talking about it only makes people angry unless they agree with you. It's rare for me to have a conversation with anyone about government policies except my husband. Occasionally a student will bring something up and I'm almost always sorry. Today a student told me he was against ALL immigration because he didn't think we needed anymore people in our country. I laughed and asked if he'd like a Happy Meal at McDonalds to cost $11. Of course he said yes, if it meant a good paying job for an American. Well, that made me mad. Kids who think that way grow up and tend to keep thinking that way.

Anyway, today is a historic day in Wisconsin. We hope to be the third gubernatorial recall in American history. This election (like most) has been all about money and our current governor has lots. Note that since his decision to strip my union of power and raise the fees I must pay for my benefits, I'm out $299 a month. The polls have Walker winning depending on where you read. I fear if he wins, there may be riots... well, imagine a bunch of retired teachers with dyed hair, blue-jean skirts, white sneakers and red t-shirts on, running around screaming. Madison PD will be on high alert. I'm staying away. I voted and that's as far as my involvement will be. The city will be in euphoria or a deep depression tomorrow, depending on if this recall thing works. If it doesn't work, my years in Wisconsin may be shortened, depending how bad losing our union goes for me. I have a lot to lose. To see who wins check this out.

The day was busy. Tomorrow is grading day, so there are no more procrastinators left. I had a lot of kids afterschool working, more than I have had all semester.  I've had a couple of photoshoots for the forensics team, which is always very fun for me (see right). Tomrrow I will documenting projects and getting pictures of my classes. It's the last day of school. I hope it's going to be a good one. 

40 Day Fast: Day Two (Hungry!)

For the first time in a very long time, months really, I felt real hunger. It hit me around 10am. I had to drink my lunch fruit smoothie during my hall duty time and then for lunch I went to starbucks for a mocha light frappucino-- which made my headache magically disappear. The rest of the school day was wonderful, especially as students continue to finish some nice projects (see mosaic stones pictured). 

This morning, along with dealing with hunger, I learned that the protesters that had stayed the night in the capitol were being forced out, some dragged by their feet, although none were being arrested. The republicans closed the capitol this morning in order to clear it out for their meeting to finally pass the bill that would do away all public employee's unions ability to bargain for anything other that a salary. There was great anxiety in the air, not knowing what would happen next-- some feared violence would finally break out, but it did not. I posted as my facebook profile, "He who shuts his ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in his own time of need." --Proverbs 21:13. We may not be impoverished, but this bill will affect the working class, not the rich.

I have felt that as this situation has continued that the news media is lying to America about what is really happening here. The protesters are my colleagues, my students, the university kids who have practicums inside the building I work at, my professors; a lot of people I know. They are just regular people, just like me and yet, if you listen to Fox News or Rush Limbaugh, you will hear about the crazy liberals protesting and how Obama's people are organizing the demonstrations. "His people" might be helping out, but I know first hand that the university started the protesting and the union I belong to turned it into a big deal. What is happening in Wisconsin is just a bunch of public employees crying out that what little money they make will be less. Granted, many are angry, but most are just afraid. I suspect that, like me, protesters have little to no money left at the end of the month. I admit that EVERY month, I run out of money. I'm out there protesting because what just passed at the capitol today by state Republicans will be financially painful for ME and my family. Regular Wisconsin folks are looking at losing $300-600 in income per public employee. I have friends who are married to public employees, so they will be hit twice. And that is just the employees, what no one is talking about in the media is the loss to education! A 15 million hit just to the district my children attend-- how will that effect them? The reason I live in Wisconsin is because of my job, it's great benefits and the schools. If both are being hit, why not just go back to California? (Well, because I think I'll still be better off here-- but that's not where I want to go right now).

This is not finished. There will be a court battle and recalls, but the bill is passed and now we move on. The union will do it's best to ask the district to extend our last contract until 2013. As some students and even a few teachers where asking about a strike, I assured them we should not be walking out. To do so would jeopardize negotiations at hand and would be fool-hearty. I am praying for a ratification meeting planned for tomorrow. There is a lot more we can lose.

Here's a teacher from JMM talking to MSNBC:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

40 Day Fast: Day One (Political Unrest Continues)

After a very busy day at work filled with busy classes, several meetings, including backyard and PCT, I made it to yoga and had a great class. I ate so much yesterday that I never got hungry today. Coffee for breakfast, juice for lunch and soup for dinner was fine. On my way home from yoga I got a call from Melissa to go to the capitol. The senate had passed the bill stripping unions of bargaining rights without the democrates by separating it from the budget repair bill. Just like that, they did it and the uncertainty of what was next sent me to the capitol with Balt. I circled several times listening to protestors banging on  the capitol doors and the call for a general strike. The passage of this legislation may not be leagal, so I was thrilled to receive a message from our union telling us we would be at school tomorrow. This will be settled in the courts, not the picket line... for now. Day one of prayers answered-- not the way I would have thought. It seemed crazy that the Republicans would chose Ash Wednesday evening to do this. 

I Ieft the scene as soon as the police stepped aside to let protestors in. The crowd was angry and I knew going into the building with Balt would be a bad idea.  I was right (see video). Once I got home Melissa called to let me know she was almost there. I warned her of the ruckus. I am sure most will stay all night long.

In preparation for a 40 Day Fast

I have decided to take the time of Lent to fast and pray. My prayer in particular will be for healing to occur in the state of Wisconsin and that God might soften our governor’s heart. The more I read of him and his budget fixes, the more I see a man with a dulled ability to understand the plight of the working class and the poor. I think that the governor thinks his work in the capitol is God’s work but God’s work is giving to the poor, offering food to the hungry, and supporting widows. I have not seen any support of God’s work in the governor’s repair bill, only the opposite.

While this political action has been difficult for many, I have found myself holding back primarily because I am not very political. I have tried to educate myself with the issues at hand so that I could engage in protests with an understanding of what is really going on. When someone suggested on a facebook group that we pray and fast, I felt it was a challenge I could do with all my heart.

Lent begins this Wednesday and is a time for sacrifice. After Ash Wednesday the Church remembers Jesus Christ's time in the desert when he spent 40 days of fasting.  Fasting is an integral part of many major religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. For Catholics (maybe Protestants too?), fasting means eating only one full meal in a day, with no food in-between meals and sometimes two other meals that should not total one full meal. Alot of Christians add some other sacrifice to their time of Lent fasting, like giving up chocolate or soda.  For the rest of the religious world, fasting means abstaining from food and/or drink. I have spent many years giving up bread during this time. This year I will give up all "solid" food (coffee, milk, juice and soup are acceptable) Monday through Saturday and spend extra time in prayer for the state. I understand that my fasting will in no way earn God’s attention or weigh in on the governor’s decision but it is my hope that it will serve as a sincere request for clarity in my own life. 

When I was in third grade I gave my life to God and became a Christian (Protestant). I attended a Brethren Elementary school until 7th grade while attending an Evangelical Church. Our family moved and my life changed drastically, I went to public schools and we began attending a "mega" non-denominational church—probably one that is quite similar to the one our governor was raised in. Instead of attending college right after high school, I went to a Bible institute associated with our church. Given my history, you would think I would be a little more religious than I am.  My spiritual journey has taken many turns and I believe it is a testimony of God's grace – still it has been difficult to “keep the faith”. I recall in 8th grade making an appointment with my youth pastor to ask a spiritual question that had been bothering me for a while, "Why does God need our devotion?" It seemed paradoxical that the church taught that God demanded our worship when He clearly did not need it. I didn't get any answers I understood that afternoon from a man who I had thought would be smart enough to give them to me. I learned early on that pastors aren’t as astute as they look. I've grown steadily in my skepticism in little bits since. I have seen the fallibility of men ruin the church experience for me over and over again to the point that I have given up on it for now, but I have not completely given up on God.

If healing is to take place in Wisconsin in the near future, it will be a miracle. As I read the news and watch the rallies, I hear rumblings of a general strike and I am struck with fear. My parents prepared for my dad being on strike (everyother year, I believe) and even with preparation, it took a toll on our family. I am not prepared. While I am praying for the state, I may find a little healing for myself.  I suppose some will offer praise to God if a compromise is found in this ongoing political drama but most will offer accolades to the protesters who have done the hard work. I am going to try to work on both angles.

"Fasting will bring spiritual rebirth to those of you who cleanse and purify your bodies. The light of the world will illuminate within you when you fast and purify yourself. What the eyes are for the outer world, fasts are for the inner."--Mahatma Gandhi

"The best of all medicines are rest and fasting."--Benjamin Franklin

"The biggest problem facing the world today is not people dying in the streets of Calcutta, and not inflation, but spiritual deprivation. . .this feeling of emptiness associated with feeling separate from God, and from all our sisters and brothers on planet Earth." --Mother Teresa 

Carry On

Another busy day where the girls wake up at the very last minute and the day just flies with barely enough time to do the things that need to be done. Melissa asked me to meet her at the capitol tonight. The nurses were putting on a huge New Orleans type funeral procession in order to mourn over how Walker's bill is killing the state. It was pretty festive and because I brought Balt along, I met lots of folks who ask if they can pet him. The administration has locked folks out of the capitol in order to thwart the overnight stays (there're still people in there refusing to leave) so people leave sticky notes on the locked doors with notes of protest now-- Melissa brought several to leave. Inside the capitol there are millions of notes and signs that the administration claims will cost 6 million to clean up-- I know my mom would do it for less than half that. And now there are lots of plastic palm trees everywhere as a new Madison inside joke against Fox news who played scenes of crazy, unruly protesters with palm trees in the background. Yeah, the capitol is still a vast snowy landscape with bare maple trees scattered sparsely here and there-- I've yet to see any palm trees in the state. Believe me there are a few crazy folks out there protesting, but I have yet to see any unruly behavior aside from lots of shouting. As much as I like Fox news, this show of biased story telling was too much. 90% of the protesters are public employees who are going to suffer the most from the governors new budget. There are teachers at school who tear up when talking about the effects of this bill on their lives. I haven't even thought about how much $300+ a month is going to hurt our family. I just focus on being thankful knowing I will have a job with --while no longer free-- still reasonably inexpensive benefits.

Have you heard?

I was up past 1am last night, so when Balt woke me up at 6am I wasn't really in the mood to stay up but I wanted to finish editing the layout for the school paper so that I could meet with students at noon today and get it ready for print, so I just got up, made coffee and go to work. This issue features what most of my contributors like to write about the most; world and national politics. For a whole year, I have tried to stay away from that and keep the paper about students and what is happening inside the school. Finally the two subjects collide! While Jessi had basketball practice, I met up with the editor-in-chief to finish final edits and then after I took Monika to tennis I went to have it printed. The kids really want it printed in color but with only 3 double-sided  pages, each paper would cost almost $10 each. Yes, it's going to being in black and white-- but the color issue will be on line for free. 

Nearly 100,000 made it to the capitol today, that is half of the population of our city. I don't know how people do it-- maybe most people don't have anything going on every Saturday. I would have loved to spend part of the day there, but there was just too much to do between getting the girls to where they need to be and work. In general, I'm pretty a-political. I don't like politics in part because no matter what side you chose, there's typically corruption and deception. As this story unfolds, it just keeps getting worse and worse but in some ways more and more interesting. Last night the state assembly passed the dreaded bill in the middle of the night (see imbedded news story to see how it went down-- it wasn't pretty) and now it needs to go to the senate but those "fab 14" are missing, so that may not happen for a while. After 12 days of protests there is no end in sight. Tomorrow night the city wants to close the capitol just to clean it because after 2 weeks of 24/7 protesting the place is starting to stink. Boy, I'd hate to be on the cleaning crew.

The Whole World is Watching.

The first rally of the day started at 10am, then there was another at noon and again at 4:30pm. Jessi needed the car to go to the boys state swim meet by 3pm, so I got to the capitol at 9:45 and stayed until 2:15. I met up with a couple of good teacher friends and it was pretty exciting. Inbetween rallies we had coffee and talked issues. Tomorrow the union is having a big meeting, not all teachers want to go back to work. Some are ready to stay out in the cold for as long as it takes to make a difference and want more of us out there with them. I've read the state republicans will vote the bill through without compromise. I have seen no indication that all the school closing and union protests have made any difference, but there are many who feel we can not give up. To topple the union here in Wisconsin is to create a domino effect that will reach to both ends of our country. My dad assured me California would be next when I talked with him late this afternoon. I shared with my dad that the teamsters came to support us in their cool, black, leather jackets looking kind of tough (my dad has one of those jackets :) --I wish I had gotten a photo of the group of them walking into the capitol square. Today was the first day Walker supporters, Tea Party folks and general opposers to the protesters showed up in mass. They were not the majority, but still a presence. While there were times of intense yelling, the crowds always stayed peaceful-- nearly 50,000 I heard. 
I could not stay all day and wondered how others did. I went home to let Jessi take the car to watch the Memorial boys swim team take first place at state. Jessi said it was so very exciting. I begged a ride from Erika to a yoga class 45 minutes early and waited for Jessi to pick me up half an hour after my class. Monika had a soccer game tonight and then there was clean up-- not nearly enough time to get it all done.

Sick-out Day Two

Balt woke me this morning at 5:15am with a friendly wimper to potty. He's been sleeping on the floor by my bed and that seems to be working out.  After getting him breakfast, I check my email and by 5:45am I was answering a couple of messages. I am finding there is no neutral in this situation, maybe in every situation?-- you do or you don't, it's yes or no, in or out. I can't be Switzerland, even though I want to be. Faced with either going to work or going to the capitol to protest, I had to decide and I felt that decision might haunt me later. 

As I entered the school parking lot there were a lot more cars. In the building, people were more willing to look at me, even talk. Several teachers who were at the capitol yesterday felt they had done their duty and finanically  they could only give up one day's wage. A group of teachers sat together talking about the pressure, the cost of going to work vs the cost of going to the capitol and trying to figure out what else we can do with our day. It was suggested that I get a medication certification on line-- something all activity supervisers have to do-- so I used up my morning to finish that up.

At lunch I took the car home to Jessi so she could gather with her friends to protest or see a movie (they hadn't decided when I left). I walked back to school with Balt and as I made my way close to the school, two men approached me-- they were from the local news. They wanted an interview from a teacher who was at school and I was NOT going to be the face on the nightly news that represented all the teachers in the building. I shared of the 45 teachers that showed up to work, each had different reasons. Some, like me, felt financially strapped, sent others for them but supported their friends and colleagues. A few supported the governor. Many had gone yesterday and felt like they had done enough. As I vocalized my opinion, I began to better understand how I felt. They begged to get a shot of me walking the dog into the building and I said that was as good as showing my face! I found out later that they had been waiting for staff as they came back from lunch and had asked several but it seems, no one wanted to be the poster girl for those who reported to work.

A couple of teachers and I decided we would leave school in time to make it to the 5pm rally. I had been told by a friend, "It is entirely different when you feel the support of thousands - who respect and honor our work." So I made a sign that said, "feeling the support of thousands... THANK YOU!" I completely understand that most who are out there protesting feel very passionate about the issues at hand and IF they succeed in changing policy, I will benefit from their sacrifice. I am glad they are out there fighting. My conscious keeps me at work, but I did not want to miss out on the opportunity to be a part of something very historic. There are some crazies out there comparing Madison to Cairo and the governor to Hitler, but in general it amazing.  25,000 protesters making national news--Fox News, Bill O'Reilly, ABC News, NBC Nightly News, CBS News, CNN. 

Sick-out Day One

5:50am- I find out that the school district has cancelled school due to substantial concerns about the significant absences.

7:15am Balt and I go for a walk

7:55am I sign in at school seeing only one other teacher who looks slightly embarrased. There are about 30 cars in the parking lot-  at least 10 belong to administration and clerical staff

8:30am- I finish cleaning my desk and wonder what I am going to do all day.

9:01am- finish checking email, news and facebook, then start working on student government paperwork

9:40am- Janice (a secretary) says the pledge of allegiance, seriously, without even a giggle. There are no announcements and the fire drill has been cancelled.

10:30am- I run home to meet up with Chelse who does a follow up with Balt. Jessi and Monika take my car to march to the capitol from West High with about 500 students from Memorial along with another several hundred from West. 

11:15am- I walk back to school with Balt. A security guard lets me in a back door. He is watching the news with footage of the demonstrations- it's crazy! (see Geof's youtube below).

1:30pm- start feeling loopy- go for a walk to see who else is around while Balt is asleep. The halls are empty, boys basketball players are in the gym (they aren't supposed to be), talk to a secretary, peek on a group of special ed teachers finishing lunch (they look like they are having fun). 

3pm- take Balt to the restroom

3:25pm- clean up and go for another loop to look for people-- this time with Balt. I find a 3 teachers in the science office who go nuts over Balt. Walk with one of the teachers to her office to get her stuff so we can leave right when it is 4pm.

3:55pm- go near the office with Balt but have my teacher friend sign me out so that the principal doesn't see me with Balt, but in the meantime 3 other principals find me and go nuts over Balt, as well as the group of special ed teachers I saw earlier. A few more teachers come by on their way out the door. I would say there were less than 20 at school. I wonder why they are there. I know a few (maybe two?) are actually republicans who support our governor. There is one that I know is a single mom living on a tight budget and I assume like me, just can't justify losing a day's wage to storm the capitol.

4:10pm arrive home. I jump in the car to go downtown. Monika decided to stay longer than Jessi. Both girls had a lot of fun and felt the day was amazing.

4:40pm- run to Costco for gas and dinner

6pm- dinner with the family. The conversation is all about why so many people are angry, but not me. Jessi saw a lot of passion and wondered why I did not feel that passion. It was a good conversation. I am always amazed when it comes to stuff like this that Jim and I are always on the same page. He didn't want to help me with my decision to go or not to go and only commented on his feelings after I had told him I was going to school. Initially, my thought was that I would go to school to help support administrators with students but there was no need for that. Today was one of the most boring school days I have ever had and yet, I did not yearn to be at the capitol. I was glad that Jessi and Monika were there and I thought it was important for them to experience "the history in the making." 

9:10pm- Madison schools are closing it's doors again tomorrow. WEAC has asked for all teachers in the state who are able to go to the Capitol on Thursday and Friday. While they claim their goal is not to close schools, schools are being closed and my kids can't be the only ones out there dissappointed. Yes, dissappointed that there is no school. This time will have to be made up, the homework and tests still have to be done, just not tomorrow, maybe not this week. 

9:17pm-- text one of the teachers that was there today that I'm wearing yoga gear tomorrow. She mentioned she had a good yoga DVD we could do. Maybe the special ed teachers will join in? 

 

Red- the color of angry men?

There were lots of teachers in red today. There was a small student protest between first and second hour with about 60 kids and thousands (12,000+) of angry workers at the capitol today calling for our legislators to kill a bill the new WI governor has set to make public employees pay for benefits. The average teacher will lose hundreds a month.

I am a pro-union daughter of a teamster. I have memories of my dad being on strike and my parents going to other strikes with coffee for picketers. I am wearing my red with pride and encouraging students to organize. I believe tomorrow's walk out will include hundreds of students-- at least half our student body. I pulled my classes together and let them know that there was a lot going on and the possibility of a teacher sick out tomorrow. I shared my support of teachers who are angry BUT I also wanted them to know how very privileged I am to have a job that pays well and gives me benefits that most people in the world do not have.

The teacher's union has asked for a district wide sick out-- the first time in 16 years-- and would like the district to close school. I did not go to the capitol after school with my collegues. Instead, I walked Balt and then went to yoga after picking up Jessi from basketball. I felt guilty but when I saw another teacher at the yoga studio, she assured me that I was not being as selfish I felt. There were plenty of teachers representing me. Another teacher after our yoga class asked if I was calling in sick tomorrow. At the time I was not 100% sure, nor was she. I had talked to several teachers throughout the day about it, some who did not want to call in sick but were feeling pressured, others who felt strongly that they had to. "We are making history!" one teacher shared with me. I knew she was right. Believe me, I want all the demonstrations to kill this bill!

I came home tonight and found all three Ford girls sitting in the my living room working on homework. I asked them what I should do. I would be docked pay but I would be supporting a cause I believe in. Unanomously, they asked me to go to work. Jessi and Monika will walk out and do the protesting for me. I know I will be judged by some as being weak, but the reality is, I think it will take more strength to go to work tomorrow than join forces with my peers at the capitol.

Work Tuesday

After an un-restful night of sleep, I had a great work day. Balt, who is pretty much completely potty trained, slept with Jim and I at the bottom of our bed. I thought he did okay but at one point Jim kicked him off the bed and woke him up sooner than I would have liked. It was hard to get him back to sleep but once he did, the cats started making noise and woke him up again. It's like having a baby!

The work day was perfect. Student government went well and my classes are all so well behaved, I feel so lucky! The only bad news I got today was a few mistakes in the paper we just posted! No matter how hard we try, there is always a mistake! Josh is doing a deap cleaning of the drawing room, it's a decade overdue. There were boxes of wood in storage that I offered to take home to burn. 

Last week I asked a student to try and get a scene from the school musical taped for YouTube and it actually got done! It's hilarious and the student's so talented-- a bit racey, but makes me laugh a ton! (see it below) The lead, is an old friend of Erika's little brother and he completely stole the show. I think he's a mini-high-school-super-star now!

After school, I took Balt for a walk and wanted to go to yoga but did not want to miss my first night home with Jim in over a week, so I stayed home. I worked on a side t-shirt project and sat by a hot fire (with wood from school) with Jim watching a couple episodes of Lie to Me. The show is still playing, but Jim's dozing... 

 

I voted anyway.

I don't really care for signs on people's lawns telling me who they are voting for. I don't really understand why people do that. I suppose it's the same reason they put bumper stickers on their cars sharing, not only who they voted for 6 years ago but what school their children attend. I'd be more interested in the stores they shop at. Why don't people put up signs sharing what tv shows they watch or what their favorite color is? There's a teacher at school who likes to paint political rants on his car windows, it'd be way more interesting if teachers all painted about the kids that drove them crazy in class. I'd be looking around for Jessi's name all the time. I guess some people post signs and others just post blogs.

Anyway, I wasn't going to vote today, but I did. I wasn't a very informed voter or that into any of the candidates but there were a few referendums I was interested in--one in particular that supported MATC, the jr. college Erika attends. I was also interested in supporting public transportation. Both mean higher taxes, which I don't really want, but oh, well. Madison had a medical marijuana referendum that I believe passed. This progressive state just voted in a Republican governor and senator. That pendulum likes to swing.

It takes a visit from Obama to cancel soccer practice

Right after the bell rang Melissa ran out the door before I could. I wanted to make it to a yoga class. She was heading out to the library mall on the UW campus to see Obama. I'm not sure if she made it as they ended up turning thousands away since only about 12,500 could pack into the small mall area at the end of State Street. I couldn't find any great pictures of the UW rally with Obama but as I was looking around the internet I found two photos of Obama with athletes from La Follette high school. It seems Obama prefers Lancers over Spartans! He surprised the girls tennis team over on the east side of town. It would have been so much more exciting had he made a surprise visit to Monika's practice instead. He posed for pictures with the Lancer football team. Coach Harris used to be an English teacher at Memorial before trading in his green jersey for burgundy-- he got the photo op of his lifetime making that trade. This was the president's second visit to Madison, so he must like the liberal vibe here. The city hasn't had a presidential visit since Truman. I suppose all of them have been too conservative to risk a visit?

After tennis and swim team practices, I ran over to Costco for dinner. I picked up Erika from the bus who had stories of crazy downtown traffic due to the president's visit, and we had a nice evening at home together. All three girls have hordes of homework. I should be doing some cleaning...

Practice makes perfect? No way!

I feel like I accomplished a lot from my long list that had been plaguing me all week. I spent my morning paying bills, organizing tax documents, ordering stuff, etc. I worked on my Photo 1 power points (image) and I ran out to the gym, climbed stairs and walked 3 miles while Monika had soccer training. I ran a few errands, including dumping several bags of old clothes I cleaned out while folding all that laundry last night. Erika had to work all day, so we had dinner with her at Rosati's.

Jim and I had coffee this evening together. Yesterday I got sucked into the Glenn Beck show while working out and I wanted to chat with Jim about it. I normally don't like Beck's show; I think he's overly dramatic and I admit to having a bias against Mormons. Still his show grabbed me because of the historical theme on the history of the Progressive movement.  It seems that Progressives believe humanity has a capacity toward perfection. Is it such a bad thing to believe society can get better or at least strive for?

Beck quoted Thomas Jefferson, "The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first." Like Jefferson and Beck, I believe that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. And so while politicians may have the people's best interests in mind, the power they have is problematic. It is why I do not like politics, nor follow many politicians.

After hearing Beck's rant against progressives, I needed to get a handle on reality from Jim. I trust he will set me straight and to my relief, not everything progressive is bad. (Beck sees the movement with very dark glasses on). I respect that about Jim; he is not as biased as I am. Jim looks at the facts and uses history to find insight on human nature. He sees both sides of a coin and calls it how he sees it. He may not always be right, but he's way more informed than I am.

I was thinking about my own outlook on humanity. Last week I mentioned to my students that "practice makes perfect" then another teacher corrected me. No matter how much one will practice he or she can not attain perfection-- ever. We are all flawed beings, even with practice. And while I would like to believe in progress in our society, I know better. I want my politicians chained to the Constitution in order to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

I had until noon today!

I turned in the paper work for the CARS program before leaving for California with the hope of getting one of the stripped down models of the Versa sometime soon.  I got an email from my sales guy, Clay, that Nissan would no longer take cash for clunkers after noon today, so I had to come in and buy something or forget about it.  Clay looked all over the mid-west for my car-- manual, blue, stripped and cheap.  He could not find a ONE.  He said the government program had everyone hording.  Cars were not being necessarily sold, but "spoken for" because the sale was not an immediate one.  Okay, so what were my choices?  I could take anyone on the lot and there was not a blue one to choose from.  My dad did not want me to get a black car, because it gets so hot and looks so dirty but it was the cheapest one they had.  White is pretty, but the interior is light tan-  I had visions of chocolate skid marks on the seat and people asking me, "ooh, what's that?"  The black interior was dark charcoal; I could smear chocolate, spill coffee and draw with a sharpie marker and no one would really see it.  In Wisconsin, every car color is dirty in the winter and the heat issue is only a problem maybe one or two months out of the year, if that.  My dad is thinking with his California mindset.  I'm not paying an extra couple of hundred dollars for silver when I don't even like silver.  Why are these decisions so hard for me?  Anyway, I picked the black one and signed the papers.  I still don't get the car... not yet because there's more paperwork to do.  As much as I LOVE Obama for giving me $4500, I'm not sure it's that big a fix.  It wasn't enough to get our country into deeper debt, he wanted me to get in deeper too.

Should five per cent appear too small

"Be thankful I don't take it all." - The Taxman
I have about 30 some odd pages printing out my taxes forms right this minute.  There is nothing quite like waiting for the very last minute.  I gave myself enough time to get the forms mailed at a very leisure pace tomorrow during my lunch hour!  I got it all done in less then 5 hours tonight; not terrible.  I hear tomorrow there will be tea parties around the country.  I am not a big tea fan... had they decided to protest with coffee, I'd be there!

What a crowd of witnesses!

Today around 11am there was a hush around the whole school as students gathered around televisions in nearly every classroom to watch a historic moment in our time.  Most students watched with interest; they have pride and knowledge of the specialness of the day.  I sat in the photolab with Joe listening, nodding with hope that the words spoken would becomes truths.  I know for Joe, there was so much more excitement in the day.  He had rallied for Obama since before he announced he was running for president-- this day was victorious for him.  I know I dissappointed Joe in my not supporting him earlier, but I am on board now.  As I listened to the news this evening at the gym, I heard a common theme of energy and excitement for the coming times.  As I saw the crowds of people and heard Rick Warren's prayer, "And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven,"  I was reminded of how much I love the verse he spoke of.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1)

Learn how to lose with class from McCain.

There was a buzz at school about Obama's win-- so many really cool t-shirts.  In Madison he won with 75% of the vote, at Memorial he won with 98% (a fake school vote)!  It wasn't a big surprise, but when it came to end of election speeches-- McCain won.  His concession was classy, fresh and real.  If you didn't see it, you should.  Like him, I believe in the promise of our great country and will wonder how much history would have changed had he won 8 years ago. 2008 was Obama's time-- the pendulum must swing.

My mother warned me not to...

I have been trying my best not to talk politics; only one day left! I got a call from a friend this evening asking me what I had against Obama. I stumbled through my reasons somewhat uncomfortably... I am prepared for him to win the presidency and it is my sincere hope he will bring healing to our country, but I will be thrilled with an upset!

Fun with Photoshop!

One of my students at school showed this image to me from another blog site and I was amazed at the photoshop technique!  Great job bringing three images into one.. bringing two parties into one, and bringing fun into a such a negative political season.

I do my best to keep politics out of my teaching, out of my conversations with both kids and teachers.  I enjoy a good laugh, though!  I have debated on buying a McCain t-shirt but would not feel comfortable wearing it at work... who knows, maybe on election day?