SNWP Summer Invitational Institute 2009

Responsibility

2009-08-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

During the month of June I participated in the Souther Nevada Writing Project. It was an enjoyable enough experience and awakened the latent writer in me. I made a commitment to myself to start writing again while going through the experience. The problem being that I could not find the topic(s) that I wanted to write about. I've been mulling around in my mind what it is that I needed/wanted to blog about. The past couple of weeks I have found myself ruminating about the goings on around me. Yesterday, Saturday, August 3rd, I finally focused on the topic I wanted to work with: responsibility.

What brought me to that? Questions about my family. My largest questions are: Do I have to like my family? What responsibility do I have to them? What responsibility do they have to me? And many questions about situations that I find myself in.

Responsibility is defined as:

1. duty: the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force; "we must instill a sense of duty in our children";
2. province: the proper sphere or extent of your activities; "it was his province to take care of himself", or;
3. a form of trustworthiness; the trait of being answerable to someone for something or being responsible for one's conduct; "he holds a position of great responsibility"

The defining activity that focused me on this topic though was during a trip to the Post Office. I don't go to the regular Post Office as it always has a line of people waiting to do their business. I go to a small City Stop close to my house that has a Post Office included. No lines, no waiting.
I needed to mail a box off to my friend and this was the place to go.

I pulled up to the Stop at 2:15 in the afternoon. If you know anything about Las Vegas you know that at 2:15 in the afternoon it is hot outside. The temperature was over 100 degrees. I saw a lady standing at the handicapped sign in the parking lot. Her two chihuahua's leashes were tangled around the base of the sign. The dogs were panting trying to cool themselves off. They were also trying to jump into her arms in an attempt to get off the hot asphalt. As I pulled in she bent down and started trying to undo the leashes. I parked my car and pulled my package out of the back seat. As I approached I asked her if she needed help to which she responded yes. She asked me to hold the dogs as she unhooked them from the leashes so that she could untangle the leases. Well, I started getting uncomfortable from the heat so I knew that the dogs were very uncomfortable as they had been out in the sun longer than I. I asked her if she could please take the dogs into the shade and I would untangle the leashes. We unhooked the dogs from the leashes, put them in her arms and she walked into the shade with them. As I bent down to untangle the leashes a car drove up. The lady behind the wheel told me that another customer at the City Stop had called animal control and that they were on their way. I thanked her for the news and went back to work on undoing the leashes from the sign. I was able to get them untangled and took them to the lady as she waited in the shade. I asked her where her car was and that I would help put the dogs in the car. She replied that she had walked from her apartment and was going to walk back home. At this time another patron of the City Stop came out and told her that her milk shake was ready. Evidently this lady had tied the leashes with the dogs to the handicap sign while she went in to order herself a milk shake.

At this point I thought to myself--what responsibility do I have to this situation? I thought about what the options were:

1. Bow out now that I'd helped the lady get her dogs out of the heat of the day. She could get on to her business of walking home. I could get on to my business of mailing my package.

2. Have a discussion with this damsel about how to treat animals during the heat of the day. I truly was more concerned with her pets than I was with her.

3. Offer to take them all home and save my breath. She indicated that she lived close by and was going to walk home with her pets.

I chose option 3 as I didn't think the little dogs would make it home during the heat of the day. Included in that thought was that the pads on their little dog feet would probably get burned during that hike. So I offered to take her home reasoning that if animal control showed up and she were around she would surely lose her pets.

She did the right thing (in my opinion) by allowing me to give her a lift to the apartment complex. I did not pass along the wisdom of my years about hot pavement. I wasn't sure that it would make a difference.

In fact, she did live close to the City Stop and we were at her complex within 5 minutes. I dropped her off and went on about my business.

So I ask myself: What responsibility did I have to this situation? I could have certainly walked by her to mail my package. Should I have allowed animal control to handle this? Did I do the right thing by helping her and her pets? My bigger question is about her responsibility to her pets. Should she be allowed to have pets if she doesn't understand about how to treat them?

Did she even consider the consequences and act responsibly to her pets?

I know I did.

Poem Inspired by Bodies The Exhibition

2009-06-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

Those Loving Hands

Those loving hands stripped down

To the solid white bone

With thousands of strings making loving connections

Without them where would I be?

The soft loving hands that carefully cradled

My head in my first moments of life

The loving hands that guided me with my first steps

How could they be the same hands pinned under the museum glass?

With a gentle caress they mopped the fever from my brow

The underlying sinewy stuff underneath reached for a band-aid

And gently applied it to many a scraped knee

How could that skeletal frame so lovingly wipe the tears from my eyes?

Those loving hands have swirled thousands of peanut butter sandwiches.

They have been the sculptors of triple layer chocolate masterpieces.

And they have authored the encouragement that lifted me to new heights.

How could science dissect the meaning of that?

The dissected hand under the glass has guided me every step of the way.

When I meet her at the airport today and feel her embrace,

I don’t see the bundled wire of muscle and logic of cold science.

I feel the warmth and spiritual connection that shall never cease.

Jackie Robinson Pie

2009-06-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

1 tsp. of risk taking
1 tbsp. of temper
1 tbsp. of regimented focus
1 grain of intellect
pinch of nervous angst
a degree of eloquence
1 bowl of thick skin
2 cups of persistence
1 cup of energy
1/2 cup of heart
an integrated college education
a complex military background

Take all the ingredients and change the face of baseball forever. Place the Negro style of play into the Major Leagues. Help America accept Blacks as Citizens. In the meantime, use these ingredients to steal 29 bases, score 125 times, and hit 12 home runs. Bring home the Pennant to Brooklyn. Win the award: "Rookie of the Year". You were the right man at the right time. You had all the ingredients to make the best pie. Now we sample from the same ingredients to look into the eyes of another great man: President Obama. We wonder what his legacy will cook up.

vodka haiku

2009-06-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

Vodka and ding dongs
Death to Mrs. Wilson's gnome
Adults not amused.

Poor old Sarge's pants
Covered in scalding coffee
Call out for back up

2009-06-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

We interrupt our movie presentation with this just into our newsroom: disturbing information is emerging regarding the taxi driver initially thought to be a hero at today's bank robbery. It has been verified that his father dies six months ago from liver failure which is so common in the area where he lives north of the city It has also been verified that he was acting illegally as a taxi driver, as he is currently 19 years of age. We will update you as more comes available. We now return you to today's movie presentation, "Taxi driver" with Robert DeNiro.

2009-06-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

Letter to Audrey (Robert's demo)

2009-06-22T11:30:00.001-07:00

3212 Beacon Shores Circle
Las Vegas, NV 89117
June 21, 2009

Dear Audrey,
I feel as if it is time for me to tell you what I am thinking right now. We have spent a lot of time together. I have given things up for you. I want you to know how much you mean to me. Here goes: Audrey, I really love you with all my heart. I have followed you for a long time. I enjoy driving a cab and thank you for pointing me in that direction. I hope, since we are now nineteen, we can take our relationship to the next level. I want you to know that you are the only one for me. Do you feel the same?
I know my family is not perfect. I come from some mixed up people, to say the least. I want to be able to share more with you.
I am taking a risk by writing this letter. Please understand that I am just trying to see if there is a way to take our relationship to the next level. Let me know. Otherwise, I still want to remain friends.

Sincerely,

Ed

Jackie Robinson -An Acrostic Poem

2009-06-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

Judged
Aggresive
Cool and Collected
Keen
Intelligent
Educated at UCLA

Risk Taker
Obedient
Brooklyn Dodgers and Branch Ricky
Incredible
Natural Athlete
Swift
Outstanding
Negro

2009-06-22T11:28:00.004-07:00

I read the excerpt on Clementine.
I loved this little excerpt from Clementine. She is so misunderstood. She wants to be a helper and assist others in solving their problems, but it just doesn't turn out that way.
She reminds me of some of the children I've had in my classes who are always so eager to help. Sometimes they get in they way. They get misunderstood and they find themselves and in trouble.

In My Opinion!

2009-06-22T11:28:00.002-07:00

This is in response to chapter 1 of Clementine. It is from the point of view of a 3rd grade child.

Dear Mrs. Principal,

I was reading Clementine’s story about what she did to Margaret’s hair and I don’t think she is wrong. My name is Jacob Wilber and I am also in the third grade and I think you were wrong to give her your principal look. I myself have done things to help my friends and then I get in trouble. That is sooooo unfair. Anyway, she was just trying to help Margaret. If your friend were in need, wouldn’t you help them? Clementine saw that her friend was crying and very upset. All Clementine did was help her friend by doing what she asked. Clementine didn’t come up with the idea to cut the hair; it was Margaret. So why isn’t Margaret in your office with Clementine? She deserves to be in there more cause she made a huge mess in the bathroom and didn’t clean it up. If I were you I would Margaret a broom and dust pan so she can clean up here mess. Then I would give Clementine an award for helping her friend in need.

Mrs. Principal, I really hope you do the right thing and not give detention to Clementine. She was just trying to help out.

Oh, and the part where she answered your phone, again she was just trying to help you. She knew you were busy, so she was trying to give you a load off.

Thanks for listening,

Jacob Wilber

Robert's Presentation on Student Motivation

2009-06-22T11:28:00.001-07:00

I enjoyed the presentation on motivation because I think it's something we all struggle with in our classrooms. As a high school teacher, I will definitely use the blog idea with responses in a variety of genres to motivate my students. Fast Food Nation, the book featured in one of the blogs, has always been a student favorite in my classroom. Unfortunately, my writing assignments like journals and other written responses have never been popular. Now, I have this new source to use!

Haiku: I Am the Messenger

2009-06-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Doorman sleeps all day
Sun beats down on his black fur
Smelling like he’s dead

Notes from the Midnight Driver - Acrostic Poem

2009-06-22T11:26:00.002-07:00

G - Getting drunk for the first time
N - Not thinking about consequences
O - Out to make a point to dad
M - Mom not home to stop him
E - Einstein, he is not, at least tonight

R - Ring Dings vomited on a policeman's shoes
U - Unsupervised teen
N - No sense...lucky...this time

Genre'd Wordle

2009-06-22T11:26:00.001-07:00

Concepts
Expressed
in varied directions
Like the wind
carry
an endless
Stream
of
Ideas...

Hello!

2009-06-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

Hi! I am excited to join this blog. I want to read what others have to say!

Pam:)

Blogger Directions

2009-06-18T12:25:00.001-07:00

To Create a New Blogger Blog:

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Voila! You’re blogging.

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Once they have registered, they will be able to post to your blog and comment on posts from other authors.

WELCOME

2009-06-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the SNWP Summer Invitational Institute Blog. I'll see you again on Tuesday!