Some points I feel like making...

1. Being a teacher has rejuvenated my interest in reading--not in reading fiction, which I never lost interest in, but in "academic reading" like Hawthorne in Concord, an examination of Nathaniel Hawthorne's life and influences during the three separate times he lived in the village of Concord, Massachusetts. Of course, I don't have a lot of time, and I'd still rather read fiction, and when I do academic reading I tend to read with the book in one hand and a highlighter pen and pencil in the other, so it's not as diverting as fiction, but what can you do?

2. Why do people not realize that when I say, "I don't want to know your reasons for X," or "I don't want to know the details, but here's what people are saying," I MEAN IT?!?! For crap's sake, if I say "I don't want to know," then I really don't.

3. If the parental volunteer I had to deal with today is any indication of what Waldorf parents are like, I'm going to kill myself. If she's the result of a Waldorf education, then the critics of such are right on.

4. I now weigh less than I've weighed since my marriage. Still 70-80 pounds to go, but it feels good.

Who/Where Am I?

This is a meme; feel free to skip it.

You know how sometimes people on your friends list post about stuff going on in their lives, and all of a sudden, you think, "Wait a minute? Since when are they working THERE?" And then you wonder how you could have missed all that seemingly pretty standard information, but somehow you feel too ashamed to ask for clarification because it seems like info you should already know. It happens to all of us sometimes.

Post this list of items in your journal with your own answers and elaborate where necessary.


1. First Name: Michael

2. Age: 37

3. Location: Sacramento, CA. Still. How did that happen? I meant to come here for a summer visit in 1986 and somehow (through a series of family crises and decisions and being disavowed by my adoptive father) never left.

Frell me, I've lived in this place for 22 years now. Sacramento: Come for a few weeks, stay for 22 years! No wonder I call it (less and less often) The Cursed City.

4. Occupation: Teacher -- Sacramento City Unified School District

5. Partner?: Elizabeth, my wife of three years and partner of five. Wow.

6. Kids: Tegan, age 9 months.

7. Brothers/Sisters: This gets complicated:

Not actually my sisters, technically my cousins, but raised with me as their big brother and publically and privately claim me as Brother: Blair, 17 (almost 18) and Brooke, 15.

Actual Blood-related half-sister: Kenya, 33.

Adopted sister, still legally related but haven't spoken in 19 years: Veronica, who is now... hmm... 32? 33? Who gives a shit...

Adopted brother, still legally related but haven't spoken in 19 years: Daniel, now ... um ... 36.

Assorted possible, but unknown, brothers and sisters: Who knows? My dad was widowed in 1977 and was married when he died; I know of no other kids, but they might be out there.

I told you it gets complicated...

8. Pets: Three cats, in order of age (oldest to youngest): Cleo, female tortoise-shell, Caisha, Male black cat, and Fletcher, male orange tabby (more of a champagne color).

9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
1) School is changing formats and name; new admin team I hope I don't loathe by Christmas.
2) Tegan is almost a year old now.
3) I'm now a fully-credentialed teacher.
4) I'm getting closer to actually going somewhere with Pathfinder.
5) I can't come up with another one.

10. Parents? Again, it gets complicated:

Biological Parents: Dead. Her in 1977, him in 1993. I have no memories of either of them, because I haven't seen her since 1977 and him since 1975. Yes, it sucks; yes, I have some issues.

Adoptive parents: Dead. Her in 1989; it was a blessing for her AND for us (long terminal illness, and she was an evil bitch before that who abused us regularly. Him: 1996; I hadn't spoken to him since 1989. I miss him; while he had flaws, and treated me badly, I liked him, and for a while we really were father and son in the ways that matter. I have more of him in me than I am sometimes comfortable with.

Aunt and Uncle, who took me in when I was 15 (back in 1986, when I moved here without realizing it): He's a recently-retired fireman; she's a tax consultant and bookkeeper who owns her own business.

11. Who are some of your closest friends? This question is unfair; if I don't list someone, they could be hurt. So I'll pass, ok? If you're one of my closest friends, you probably know it. If you don't know you are, and want to be, well, the phone's right there, dude; please call. Yes, Jim, I mean you. You're godlike and I love your wife and I want to see more of you. Not in that way; I outgrew that. But you're still hot. Damn, I listed someone.