Morganton...who knew?

A day of good times later, 2 year round school teachers realize greatness after a hike to Table Rock, beer samples, and good chicken.

Yes!!!!

High school and Archetypes

I went to Northern High School today and had the pleasure of observing my already awesome husband be even more awesome in front of high school freshmen and sophomores. Many of us remember being in high school, or not depending on what you did in your free time. So seldom do we get the opportunity to be adults and see/interact with high schoolers. This is unless you are not already a teacher and if so, I'm sorry. High school kids are weird and crazy and awkward and annoying and sweet and stinky and well, everything that defines "in between". Poor guys just don't have a place in the world yet. They are so not cute anymore like little kids, but they are way too immature to be any semblance of an adult. So, I solemnly salute any and all people who make it their life duty to be around these kids all day everyday while trying to edify them the little bit that is possible.

The lesson in World Literature today was about archetypes in literature and film. Mr. Roberts introduced these archetypes:

The Warrior

The Fool

The Innocent

The Orphan

The Destroyer

The Creator

The Sage

The Lover

The Caregiver

The Magician

The Seeker

It's pretty interesting to think about how these stock characters are enmeshed in everything that we read/watch/know and how they might influence our personas.

Then, the kids got to take a little personality quiz (circa Glamour and Cosmo quizzes "What kind of kisser are you?" or "How do you know when he really likes you?") to see which archetype they are. Of course, being the active classroom participant that I am, I had to take the quiz. It consists of about 75 questions in which you respond with a 1-5 (1-never and 5-always, yeah, one of those). At the end, all of the numbers of added up and one's archetype can be determined. So, can you guess what my archetype is?

I was The Fool.

I'll let you figure out what that means. Even more interesting than ones archetype, though (which could really be a toss up depending on how many 3-sometimes you put if you're as wishy washy as I am) is the numerical ranking of these archetypes. Since humans don't really fit into nice pretty little packages and exist more on a spectrum, or rather many intersecting spectrums, it is interesting to think about the range of these archetypes and what it may or may not say about you. Mine is as follows:

The Fool

The Seeker (a very close second)

The Destroyer

The Sage (I know, I am pretty wise)

The Orphan/The Lover (tied)

The Warrior

The Magician

The Creator

The Innocent

The Caregiver

Want to take the quiz? You know you want to. You'll have to brave the hallways of Northern High School and relive a few memories to get that opportunity. But I promise you, it is well worth it to see good teaching and to remind yourself that, yes, youth is wasted on the young.

Women: objectified by choice?

I've so many times watched Madmen and thought to myself "Joanie doesn't really have it that bad. Her life is pretty awesome. She can get the men in the office to do whatever she wants just with the turn of her hips".

You watch enough Madmen and read enough articles on women's oppression and sexification in the media and you start to wonder: are women still oppressed and oversexified? My answer is "yes, but...".

I'm not so sure that the oppression is as apparent as it was in the days of Madmen. It's much more subtle nowadays. Men, definitely, still make more money than women do in most jobs, and in many situations, like teaching, men are much more desirable for positions for some reason. Maybe it's the power and dominance that they exude, I don't know. This power, though, this is the kicker. I'd like to think that the women of Madmen and the women of today are not overly sexified by the men in their lives, but that they are choosing to use their sex for manipulation and power. I mean, think about it; women can pretty much get whatever they want if they use their sex as a means for attainment.

Women have been using this tool since the beginning of time. For every great man in history there was a smart, sexy woman beside him. Think about it, what do men have? Loud deep voices, brute strength, and intrepidity (maybe). And, what do women have? Brains, beautiful bodies, and more brains. It seems only natural that through the historical usage of sex for the attainment of power, that women would become objectified and sexified. And that's fine by me, as long as I'm in control.

Is it wrong, I don't know. Probably. Maybe. But is it wrong to use your evolutionary talents to get ahead? I think not. A lion has sharp teeth, a mighty roar, and strong paws. But cheetahs are fast and beautiful, which is why they so often end up stealing food from lions.* Similarly so, men have loud voices and chest muscles, but women have curves and soft soothing voices for manipulation. And, just as with lions, there are role that must be played, and without the opposite sex, the roles mean nothing.

No lion would be complete without its mate.





*Incidentally, more often than not, the female lions are the ones finding the food. Interesting. In charge of finding food, caring for lion cubs, and cleaning up the rocks and dust from the den while the male lion may scare off a hyena or two.
Sound familiar, ladies?

Rainbow!

Rainbow

Rainbow bright, rainbow skittles, pride, taste the rainbow

When you train for a marathon...

Fall Break: Official

It's my Fall break and the to-do lists abound. Tasks range from door painting to ample sitting and spacing out, with some seasonal clothes swapping and good-will dropping off for good measure. Let the fun begin!

Also to be done: travel to the far northwest corner of the US, run a marathon, make pumpkin bread, and get caught up on bad TV.

Safety First

You wouldn't think that a yoga teacher would use these airplane safety instructions as a metaphor to assure and encourage students to take care of themselves first and foremost in their lives. It happened. Today.
I was surprised considering the fact that a large part of the yogic journey is about humanitarianism and selflessness. Once I overcame my initial shock at hearing this, I was delighted! I mean, I've been secretly singing the song of primary self-preservation for years. Always wondering if being an only child had turned me into a selfish asshole. But it really makes sense. I began to think about how much of the yogic journey is about the self. In order to become one with the SELF, one must know the self. And to know the self, one must first propagate a healthy self. Cultivating a healthy self isn't just about doing your treating your body as a temple through yoga practice, meditating and eating well; it is also about honoring yourself psychologically. Only then, can you truly begin to give of yourself unto others. To be a good person, you must be good to yourself.
The yoga sutras reinforce this idea in the mention of the first yama, Ahimsa, which is non-harming. Non harming of the self primarily, and then non harming of others.
Before you can give to others, you must take care of yourself. Otherwise you will be an empty shell only to eventually fill with resentment and umbrage.

So, remember: Make sure YOUR oxygen mask is securely affixed before helping other passengers and children

A prehistoric day

Today was filled with a great number of cave man like things which included

1) sore muscles from large amounts of physical activity
2) holding babies
3) eating meat
4) watching movies ( well, maybe this one isn't very cave man like, but it happened all the same







And, in more "I forgot to blog about this 3 weeks ago" news...

This film

And to the taper

Reluctantly, we ran 20 miles today at the crack of dawn in 50 degrees and drizzle. It turned out to be perfect conditions as we will be running our marathon in
Portland, Oregon, a place known for it's 50 degrees and drizzle.

We did it! Yay! And now we eat, drink wine. And, for the next 3 weeks, we taper!

When I grow up...

I want to be a siren.

Hanging out on a rock in the middle of the ocean all day, singing irresistible jams with your girlfriends and distracting people from their daily adventures. Sounds like a good time to me!

A Riot in my Mouth

These little guys...


mmmmmmmm


These little guys...

Lame things that teachers to do try to get their students not to do lame things

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BLAT!

Only the best post run lunch ever!

And, yes, I ate bacon.

New Hair Itch

I'm craving new hair.

In my mind, it will either be this


or this

Addendum!

An addendum to my music that changed me. How could I have forgotten this one?

And, still wishing I knew how to play the guitar.

The songs are just flowin', people!

Wishing I could play the guitar

There was a brief time in college when I tried to learn how to play the guitar.

Actually, no, strike that. Before that, there was a brief time in 4th grade when I tried to learn how to play the guitar. I went to guitar lessons in the basement of a strange house (probably not that strange, but it seemed quite strange to 9 year old Blaine). My teacher was also a wierd man, who vaguely resembled Gary Busey in Point Break, named Decatur. I eventually fought to quit the guitar based on the aforementioned weirdness associated with it and the intense finger pain that it caused me. Oh yeah, and I hated to practice. I thought that if I just went to my lesson every week, I would somehow become a guitar aficionado. This did not happen. I became frustrated. Decatur was also frustrated. I quit.

Then, during a brief time in college I tried again. This time I practiced. I wrote little ditties. One of which I remembered today:

I like, I like mmmmm salvation Through my, through my My vegan chocolate chip cookies and my hair hanging down hanging down all over town

Quality stuff. I wrote a lot of these. I still do, only now sans guitar.

I wish I had really learned to play the guitar. I'd be a sexy little folk/alt. country/R &B singer. I'd travel all around and perform my ditties.

Sigh.

Music that Changed Me

I can remember the exact moment, the time and place, that I first experienced this music.
I have film like sense memory of the setting in which this music first affetced me in some way for some reason large or small. When I close my eyes it is like I am there. And forever, when I hear this music, I will go to that place and feel that feeling. Pretty amazing.