Years ago, I read I Dreamed of Africa and The Poisonwood Bible, and I became enthralled by this vision of Africa as a hot, dangerous, beautiful land. The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series is also fabulous. For years I have been planning my future trips to Kenya and Tanzania to climb Kilamanjaro and go on safari. After watching The Endless Summer, I also want to go surfing in Jeffrey's Bay in South Africa. Africa seems beautiful, and parts of it are, but the reality of what the majority of Africans face every day is horrific.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to east Texas for a week to chaperone a group of about a hundred junior and senior high kids from my church at Student Life Camp. We had a great time, and I think I got as much from it as the kids did. One of the things that really affected me was a video we saw by an aid group called Compassion International. The video showed the work that Compassion does in Africa, and it was amazing. Not long after, I saw the Brad Pitt interview with Diane Sawyer that focused on the One campaign. The more I learn about Africa, the more my heart breaks for these people, especially the millions of children caught in the crossfire.
I can't do anything for at least a year, but I am seriously comtemplating mission or foreign aid work in Africa in the next few years. We have SO much in this nation. Even our poor are the richest poor in the world. Please visit the sites above, as well as the One campaign's partners page to see how you can help. Even small donations make a big difference.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
You did what?!?!
I can understand certain mix-ups, like mistaking sugar for salt or pyrite for gold, but hydraulic fluid for surgical detergent?!?! You've GOT to be kidding me!
Spam Lady Blitzes Homes
Heather Simpson, star of that creepy teacher Spam commercial, and sister of my friend Jen, is now hosting a show on CMT called Home Blitz. Heather is really enjoying getting to work with country music stars while she gets to help families receive a home from Habitat for Humanity. She is a great girl, and the show is pretty good. Give it a look!
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
School's Out for Summer!!
Today is the last day of school. Yea!! It will be so good to have a break. My current teaching situation is a very poor one, and I am so excited because I have an interview in a much better district on Friday morning. I want this job SO bad!! Wish me luck! On a darker note, some sort of virus has hit our school today. About 30 kids went home today with a stomach virus, and several teachers are sick. They think it might be the Norwalk virus. Fun! :) At least I'm not sick - yet. I have to at least make it through the Lost finale tonight. I hope Sawyer doesn't die. He is so hot! I haven't mentioned that before, have I? :)
Friday, May 20, 2005
The Boys of Stand By Me
A week or two ago, I rented Rob Reiner's Stand By Me. I have seen pieces of the film several times, but I'd never really sat down to watch the whole thing. I was amazed at the way Rob Reiner took four green kids and created such a masterpiece. As I've soaked in pieces of the film over the last few weeks, I've thought of the boys of Stand By Me and the effects they've had on my life.
Corey Feldman - When I was growing up, I always was a sucker for the tortured, misunderstood bad boy. Even now, I live to see Sawyer on Lost. My favorite New Kid was Donnie, my favorite 90210 boy was Dylan, and my favorite soap hunks were Port Charles gangster Sonny Corinthos and Days of Our Lives', Steve Johnson, aka Patch. I had major crushes on Christian Slater, during his Pump Up the Volume rehab years, and Corey Feldman around the time License to Drive came out. The story of the Coreys was really a cautionary tale to my generation. The two Coreys were on top of the world one minute, and unemployable addicts the next. Showered with inappropriate attention as children, their perceptions of the world around them became so skewed that they became unable to function in normal situations. Feldman was on The Surreal Life a few years ago, and he really made me sad. How can someone with so much talent follow such a bizarre path in his life?
Jerry O'Connell - OK, the boy is just hot! Who would've thought that fat little Vern would grow into such a hunk? He's beautiful, he's talented, he's goofy, and he's single (for now). Could he be any more perfect for me? Come on, Jerry, give me a call.
Wil Wheaton - As we all know, I am a big fan of Wil's blog. He is a great writer, as well as a talented actor. He also seems to be a good husband and father, which is better than all the rest, in my book.
River Phoenix - What can you say about River? He was amazing. He was so talented! I have been watching a lot of his films, and they make me so sad. He could have been phenomenal - one of those actors whose longevity and diverse body of work become touchstones for those who follow in their footsteps. Instead he chose drugs, which ended his life at 23. I never understood how someone who was a strict vegan and nature activist could put such poison into his body. River's family has a tribute site that is pretty sweet.
Both sweet and sad, the lives of these boys, now men, in some ways reflect the tone of the film. The boys without guidance self destructed, and the others contine to live good lives. Throughout the journey, we all just want to belong somewhere. Triumphant or tragic, or somewhere in between, each of these boys are a part of my life and of our collective experience.
Corey Feldman - When I was growing up, I always was a sucker for the tortured, misunderstood bad boy. Even now, I live to see Sawyer on Lost. My favorite New Kid was Donnie, my favorite 90210 boy was Dylan, and my favorite soap hunks were Port Charles gangster Sonny Corinthos and Days of Our Lives', Steve Johnson, aka Patch. I had major crushes on Christian Slater, during his Pump Up the Volume rehab years, and Corey Feldman around the time License to Drive came out. The story of the Coreys was really a cautionary tale to my generation. The two Coreys were on top of the world one minute, and unemployable addicts the next. Showered with inappropriate attention as children, their perceptions of the world around them became so skewed that they became unable to function in normal situations. Feldman was on The Surreal Life a few years ago, and he really made me sad. How can someone with so much talent follow such a bizarre path in his life?
Jerry O'Connell - OK, the boy is just hot! Who would've thought that fat little Vern would grow into such a hunk? He's beautiful, he's talented, he's goofy, and he's single (for now). Could he be any more perfect for me? Come on, Jerry, give me a call.
Wil Wheaton - As we all know, I am a big fan of Wil's blog. He is a great writer, as well as a talented actor. He also seems to be a good husband and father, which is better than all the rest, in my book.
River Phoenix - What can you say about River? He was amazing. He was so talented! I have been watching a lot of his films, and they make me so sad. He could have been phenomenal - one of those actors whose longevity and diverse body of work become touchstones for those who follow in their footsteps. Instead he chose drugs, which ended his life at 23. I never understood how someone who was a strict vegan and nature activist could put such poison into his body. River's family has a tribute site that is pretty sweet.
Both sweet and sad, the lives of these boys, now men, in some ways reflect the tone of the film. The boys without guidance self destructed, and the others contine to live good lives. Throughout the journey, we all just want to belong somewhere. Triumphant or tragic, or somewhere in between, each of these boys are a part of my life and of our collective experience.
Monday, May 09, 2005
Summer Break
Wow! Spring has been so busy! I always forget how much work it is to close down the school year. In looking over my summer calendar, I laugh at the idea that teachers get three months a year off. Ha! We actually get two months off, and and least four of my eight weeks are filled with week long inservice institutes. Don't get me wrong, I love the time off that I will get, I just wish I didn't have to work so much (for free!) on my time "off".
I found a new blog today that I like a lot. The Evangelical Ecologist combines my love of God and love of nature. Check him out. A funny that was on his site a while back -
A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door. Therefore, he took out a card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door.
When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10." Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter.
Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."
***
My TV shows are finally all new again. I am LOVING Lost, of course, (Sawyer is so hot!!) but if there turns out to be an alien in the hatch, I am never watching it again! I am so happy that Desperate Housewives is starting to fill in some blanks about Dana and Dierdre, and I love the new twists. How priceless was Bree getting marriage advice from Edie?!? Too fun! My other must-sees (Survivor - Go Ian!, Crossing Jordan, Medium, ER, One Tree Hill, and Gilmore Girls) are also continuing to entertain.
I know it's a lot of TV, but when you have no kids, no pets, no significant other, and no money, it's a good way to entertain yourself. :)
In a final note, Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!
UPDATE: It's here, it's here!! The trailer for Serenity is now online. Woo-hoo! Serenity is the film continuation of Firefly. The trailer looks great. I didn't see Shepherd Book, though. Anyone know why? BTW, you can catch a screening of the film on these dates. You can bet I'll be there!
UPDATE: Well, I would have been there if tickets hadn't sold out in literally 5 seconds. :(
I found a new blog today that I like a lot. The Evangelical Ecologist combines my love of God and love of nature. Check him out. A funny that was on his site a while back -
A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door. Therefore, he took out a card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door.
When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10." Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter.
Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."
***
My TV shows are finally all new again. I am LOVING Lost, of course, (Sawyer is so hot!!) but if there turns out to be an alien in the hatch, I am never watching it again! I am so happy that Desperate Housewives is starting to fill in some blanks about Dana and Dierdre, and I love the new twists. How priceless was Bree getting marriage advice from Edie?!? Too fun! My other must-sees (Survivor - Go Ian!, Crossing Jordan, Medium, ER, One Tree Hill, and Gilmore Girls) are also continuing to entertain.
I know it's a lot of TV, but when you have no kids, no pets, no significant other, and no money, it's a good way to entertain yourself. :)
In a final note, Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!
UPDATE: It's here, it's here!! The trailer for Serenity is now online. Woo-hoo! Serenity is the film continuation of Firefly. The trailer looks great. I didn't see Shepherd Book, though. Anyone know why? BTW, you can catch a screening of the film on these dates. You can bet I'll be there!
UPDATE: Well, I would have been there if tickets hadn't sold out in literally 5 seconds. :(
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
This and That
I had a great weekend! I was house/dogsitting for Jeff and Jen this weekend, so I got some serious human/golden retriever bonding time. Their dog Bodie is SUCH a great dog. It makes me want one of my own.
Saturday, my second-mom, Linda, called to see if I wanted to shopping with her. It was Linda's husband, Robert, that we lost in December. I saw her a great deal in December, but have only seen her a few times since, so I was very excited to have a girls' day with her. She had a problem with her heart about two weeks ago, but she's doing great now. We had so much fun! I got some new clothes and we went to see Off the Map, which was a little slow, but good. It actually made me miss the desert. (I lived in El Paso, Texas, until I was 9. The thing I miss the most? The sunsets and our favorite Mexican food. Leo's is the best Mexican food restaurant on the planet!)
For the next few weeks, life will be crazy as school shuts down. It seems we have more meetings and more paperwork every day. When the sun is shining outside, the last thing I want to do is sit and do paperwork....oh well, only 19 more days.
Some random news -
Some buffalo in Maryland made quite a stir the other day.
I guess hunting is more dangerous that I thought.
Every girl wants some serious ice on her wedding day, but this is ridiculous!
Finally, please send good thoughts to Wil whose cat passed away yesterday.
Saturday, my second-mom, Linda, called to see if I wanted to shopping with her. It was Linda's husband, Robert, that we lost in December. I saw her a great deal in December, but have only seen her a few times since, so I was very excited to have a girls' day with her. She had a problem with her heart about two weeks ago, but she's doing great now. We had so much fun! I got some new clothes and we went to see Off the Map, which was a little slow, but good. It actually made me miss the desert. (I lived in El Paso, Texas, until I was 9. The thing I miss the most? The sunsets and our favorite Mexican food. Leo's is the best Mexican food restaurant on the planet!)
For the next few weeks, life will be crazy as school shuts down. It seems we have more meetings and more paperwork every day. When the sun is shining outside, the last thing I want to do is sit and do paperwork....oh well, only 19 more days.
Some random news -
Some buffalo in Maryland made quite a stir the other day.
I guess hunting is more dangerous that I thought.
Every girl wants some serious ice on her wedding day, but this is ridiculous!
Finally, please send good thoughts to Wil whose cat passed away yesterday.
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