After (the) Thoughts
I don’t have much time to write these days.
I know there are many, many, many—too many—books and blogs that reiterate the following in so many awe-inspiring ways: “if it is important to you, you will make the time.” I don’t think it always works like that and when it does, even then, amongst the “most-important-to-me” list, sometimes the top three priorities trump the bottom three. As if there is only one thing that can be important at any given moment. Blaming Time aside, I don’t think I can offer anything new at this moment, specially about California—I have said all I had to say without it becoming a diatribe—which quickly turns into a tirade against all that is going on, especially in the field of education, that is not in my control despite best efforts to stay informed, inform, and take thoughtful actions.
I think about John Steinbeck often. His detached yet compassionate prose which observed and observed meticulously must have been borne out of a necessity to deal with the Salinas, the Depression, the people, the injustices even if exclusive to those times.
Writing is surrender.
I think I would like to write the story of this whole valley, of all the little towns and all the farms and the ranches in the wilder hills. I can see how I would like to do it so that it would be the valley of the world.” from Steinbeck’s letter to George Albee, Salinas, 1933.
As far as the information on the Internet goes, this provides a better biography when it comes to Steinbeck relating to the land and its people out West that make up the rest of the California, the majority of the California, which is not Silicon Valley or San Diego or San Francisco.
None of this is to say I don’t write anymore; although, sharing here is sporadic for now, and thoughts barely make it to paper. But I am some kind of a jellyfish that absorbs stories even when I am not thinking. Saying, “I don’t think I will write again” is akin to stating, “I don’t think I will have the XX chromosome set tomorrow.” I do have plenty to say about the state of education in California and USA but I am not at liberty to share my views at this point. I can direct you to check out the following posts/blogs. If you have children, or know someone who has children, or at all care about what kind of children are going to be running this country and world, I think it is worth learning about.
- Can the new “national” Common Core standards even actually measure through a standardized test what they are trying to achieve? Rethinking Readiness.
- Standards? Yes? Current Implementation? No.
- Driven by data.
On a lighter note, we had a lovely weekend in Ventura.
I was reminded I am made of water after all so I don’t really need to swim.
I was reminded that uncertainties are sweeter with a partner who understands you and can see you were born to fly.
And that soon it will be time to fly away…
And that we should have stuck around longer to really make sure this guy returned the poor starfish back to the water. The starfish was left on the pier when it accidentally got caught in some other man’s crab net.
Humans are so self-absorbed; is it any wonder they suffer so much?
And somehow trees make me feel everything turns out okay even when I can’t see so.
