Epidemic and my Mommy
First let me say... it is SO cool catching up with all of you from KB! What a great way to keep up with people who wouldn't necessarily get around to e-mailing me all about their lives. Rhett, glad to have you on board, and i'm really enjoying seeing all the pictures of your beautiful baby!
If i sound euphoric it's because my temperature is back under 100 and i'm only caughing every four or five minutes now, and it feels good. i came down with the flu last Friday night, and spent an entire three-day weekend in a self-imposed quarantine. Don't get me wrong, i have a serious respect for this virus. But like a worthy adversary, there's no need to help it out. The flu is a very good virus. Maybe it doesn't make headlines like the very sexy smallpox, or write its own horror novels like ebola, or fuel the pompous righteousness of the religious fundamentalists in America like AIDS, but it is truly the emcee of human viruses. It has been known since the early part of the 20th century, but has probably been with our species for centuries, if not millenia. It doesn't kill, and that's why it's so good at it's job: you live to spread it around. Well, i tried my best not to. i holed up in my apartment and watched a whole lot of political analysis interspersed with Family Guy DVDs. Take that, Influenza....
Of course now i'm back to school even with a little cough. But i don't seem to be endangering anybody, since everybody already had my flu. Looks like the joke's on me. What an epidemic this has become! Some Kansas City schools closed due to the high absenteeism. Wicked.
This week we did, among other things, an iodine clock reaction. This is one of the highlights of my year. The reaction is simple enough, and only involves mixing two clear solutions to cause a color change, but the cool thing about it is that the color change happens all at once, and of course, i don't warn my students about this. So i'm there, stirring away, and all of a sudden, 600-ml of stuff that looks otherwise like water blinks black. i love all the "ooo"s and "aaah"s that go with it. The point is to illustrate the affect of temperature, concentration, and catalysts on reaction speed, but the showboat aspect is enjoyable as well. Since i had students falling asleep during the sodium and water pyrotechnics in the week before winter break, i wasn't sure what to expect, but they seem to be coming around a little bit, and this demo went much better.
i will be seeing my mother soon, and i'm looking forward to that. Over the last three weeks (sorry, i couldn't think of a better segue) i have had the unpleasant experience of having to spend time with a set of parents who do not like me much at all. i'd like to think it's because of a misunderstanding, or a difference in personality, but i don't think it is. i think they simply value different qualities in a young woman than my family and i do. And it made me think hard about how grateful i am for my mother, and the things she has taught me. i am proud of the kind of woman i am, despite the fact that it may not fit the gentle, simpering ideal to which some still cling.
Tonight.... salsa dancing?? Jeff won't be here until tomorrow because i have another chess tournament and he has a Saturday morning meeting. So the Spanish teacher invited me to go out with her group of friends and learn salsa. It will remind me of my dear late friend Gary, who taught me how to do the mambo on top of a hill in Washington county. A topic for another day.
If i sound euphoric it's because my temperature is back under 100 and i'm only caughing every four or five minutes now, and it feels good. i came down with the flu last Friday night, and spent an entire three-day weekend in a self-imposed quarantine. Don't get me wrong, i have a serious respect for this virus. But like a worthy adversary, there's no need to help it out. The flu is a very good virus. Maybe it doesn't make headlines like the very sexy smallpox, or write its own horror novels like ebola, or fuel the pompous righteousness of the religious fundamentalists in America like AIDS, but it is truly the emcee of human viruses. It has been known since the early part of the 20th century, but has probably been with our species for centuries, if not millenia. It doesn't kill, and that's why it's so good at it's job: you live to spread it around. Well, i tried my best not to. i holed up in my apartment and watched a whole lot of political analysis interspersed with Family Guy DVDs. Take that, Influenza....
Of course now i'm back to school even with a little cough. But i don't seem to be endangering anybody, since everybody already had my flu. Looks like the joke's on me. What an epidemic this has become! Some Kansas City schools closed due to the high absenteeism. Wicked.
This week we did, among other things, an iodine clock reaction. This is one of the highlights of my year. The reaction is simple enough, and only involves mixing two clear solutions to cause a color change, but the cool thing about it is that the color change happens all at once, and of course, i don't warn my students about this. So i'm there, stirring away, and all of a sudden, 600-ml of stuff that looks otherwise like water blinks black. i love all the "ooo"s and "aaah"s that go with it. The point is to illustrate the affect of temperature, concentration, and catalysts on reaction speed, but the showboat aspect is enjoyable as well. Since i had students falling asleep during the sodium and water pyrotechnics in the week before winter break, i wasn't sure what to expect, but they seem to be coming around a little bit, and this demo went much better.
i will be seeing my mother soon, and i'm looking forward to that. Over the last three weeks (sorry, i couldn't think of a better segue) i have had the unpleasant experience of having to spend time with a set of parents who do not like me much at all. i'd like to think it's because of a misunderstanding, or a difference in personality, but i don't think it is. i think they simply value different qualities in a young woman than my family and i do. And it made me think hard about how grateful i am for my mother, and the things she has taught me. i am proud of the kind of woman i am, despite the fact that it may not fit the gentle, simpering ideal to which some still cling.
My mother taught me that a woman's dignity is in her strength, her confidence, and her intelligence. She taught me never to play stupid to get a man, never to pretend something is when it clearly is not, and to stand up for what i feel is true in the face of any adversity. She taught me that independence is my only security and encouraged me to take pride in helping myself. She gave me the perspective to pity the damsel in distress but to have the courage to show emotion when it is appropriate. She showed me that being tough didn't mean being masculine, and that real power has nothing to do with the reach of your arm or the size of your muscles.
So, i know it's not Mother's Day, or her birthday, or any other special day, but... thanks Mom. i dig you. And for all the other strong, proud, intelligent, fearless, independent women out there... i dig you too.Tonight.... salsa dancing?? Jeff won't be here until tomorrow because i have another chess tournament and he has a Saturday morning meeting. So the Spanish teacher invited me to go out with her group of friends and learn salsa. It will remind me of my dear late friend Gary, who taught me how to do the mambo on top of a hill in Washington county. A topic for another day.
posted by ellie at 14:01
3 Comments:
thanks fornthe shout out. follow us any time online. we are tripping to Cleveland. brrrrr
isn't it great to have great moms. people with great moms are so lucky, and most dont know how lucky they are. I'm sure yours knows how treasured she is in your heart.
:)
also, glad you are feeling better. the flu is terrible!
I too am glad that you are feeling better. None of us (knock on wood) have gotten the flu, but both of my parents have it. I have been avoiding them. :-)
I too agree with you wholehardely about what a woman should/should not be. I was taught that I didn't need a man to survive, that I must be able to care for myself. That I should not wait for a man to open a door for me, etc. And I plan on teaching my girls the same things.
Where I work now, there are a bunch of older gentlemen - in their late 50's and 60's. And they always rush in front of me to open doors, etc. And it gets on my nerves. But what can you do? You don't want to be rude.
It's tough when people don't like you or dissagree with your viewpoints. However, please take to heart that there are those of us who like you for you. :-)
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