This week I substituted in a class at a local high school. It was my second time with this class. To be honest, these were the only two times I have substituted before. It was in a class with severely handicapped students – both physically and mentally. Two were in wheelchairs. These two could barely speak and another one did not at all. There were only four students in the entire class.
When I came back the second time, the other teachers (there being 3 there at all times, rotating in and out with others to prevent burnout) asked me if I felt any trepidation in returning. They were surprised, it seemed, when I answered that I did not. Other substitutes had been driven off – no doubt by the spitting, hitting, and throwing stuff. I don’t know if I could handle that class every school day, but occasionally it is alright. I feel a great deal of respect for the people that interact with these kids. Even the main teacher that has been AWOL for the past 2 weeks and doesn’t answer her phone.
These kids are not bad kids. They are just like little tykes trapped into adult bodies. They have taught me quite a bit over the last 2 times with them. Patience. I am not known for my patience, but it is required with them. Your anger has no meaning for them and thus little value. But they must be instructed in social norms as best as possible, so it interesting to work with them. Kindness. They have taught me that kindness is not just a verbal expression, but something that can transcend language. I need to do more of it, especially smile. I do not do it enough.
Why do these 2 lessons seem important to me? It may be because at the end of the day, they will not have one thousandths of the opportunities that I have had or will have. Sometimes I feel like a man with a target on his back, handing out free rocks for the public stoning. I have suffered through depression and had “woe is me” blabberings. Yet, nothing I go through will compare to them. Being with them has taught me that they deserve at least patience and kindness – even with the spitting, hitting and throwing stuff.
Hmm. It seems that it was I who was the student.
Today I read a great 
A couple of months ago, I made the acquaintance of two girls from China that had come over to work and travel here in the U.S. They were in a pretty bad spot because they were plunked down in Watson, LA, the community where I work. There is not much to do there and life is pretty much impossible without having your own vehicle. We have no public transportation and they were unable to go anywhere until they procured some bicycles at Walmart. It is about a 3 and 1/2 mile walk.
Ah, tonight’s game was a great game. I was unable to see the first half of the game due to work, but I got the gist of it from the announcers. Jarrett Lee played great. He had 27 attempts for 21 completions, with 1 interception. The one mistake when he was pressured quite a bit and threw it into a well played zone coverage. The two RB’s, Ware and Ford, are just machines.
Amazing story of bravery 
In today’s National Review Online, John Bolton, a former U.S. representative to the United Nations, delivers a stinging condemnation on what he describes as President Obama’s foreign non-policy worldview and feeble attempts at international relations. In gamer’s parlance, he calls him a n00b. It is an interesting 
When I started this blog section on reviews, I promised myself that I would not review chain restaurants, especially fast-food ones, if I can reasonably avoid it. On reviewing Cane’s #1, I cannot resist temptation. I do so, however, with the understanding that this is the first Raising Cane’s and the one dear to my heart.
I am a quintessential American, in that I am a firm believer in its core ideals that “all men are created equal.” My forebears left a land of narrowly defined status and class in order to make something of themselves in a new land. The history of America is my history, 15 generations and counting. Because of these concepts of equality, I have raised myself to be a strict egalitarian. This means that I give no special consideration to the high or low, rich or poor. The only way to earn anything higher than this is if we are somehow related or if I have chosen to befriend you. Even then, I usually will end up giving short shrift. In my entire life, I almost never considered myself better than someone or lower than them. While there are none lower than me, I would like to share my feelings about those who inhabit that place above.
