My Cardboard Balcony

No OneWord update today. That's okay with me, because I've been fighting a cold. 'Til tomorrow, then!

by Belinda Roddie There was a spiral painted onto the engine turbine, as if to hypnotize the oncoming birds. I kept my eyes on it during the entire flight. The red curves and loops were oddly calming, and sometimes, if I unfocused my gaze, the whole thing looked like it was pulsing and moving, bending and twisting into new shapes and forms. Staring at that spiral kept my mind off the occasional twitch of the plane as it hurtled through the stormy skies. It distracted me from the occasional flashes of lightning, the rattling of plates on trays during turbulence, and of course, the moments when the snores of the man sitting next to me felt more akin to wheezes or last breaths. By the time we landed, the clouds had cleared up, and everyone felt so blue. I got off the plane and felt wobbly on my feet, the image of that simple spiral staying with me. So much for entrancing avian creatures - it had done its job of entrancing me. We took thirty minutes getting our bags and forty-five...

My mother told me I should believe in angels, but I didn't see them until I was flat on my back in the middle of the intersection toward the outskirts of town, having just received the full brunt of the front bumper of a black SUV. To his credit, the driver stopped and ran over to see if I was okay, but all his words were mangled in my ears, and I couldn't see straight. What I did see, well, it wasn't like my mother told me. These angels weren't dressed in white or bent over from heavy halos; they were nicely dressed, in blue and red suits, and every single one of them appeared to be female.

This week was a lot better than the last two. This week, I moved away from politics and tried to focus more on my interests, passions, work, friends, and loved ones. This week, I realized that I had let my anxiety interfere with my sense of authority in the classroom. I maintained a stronger power and presence as a teacher, and it paid off. My students, once slacking, discovered that I wasn't going to let them get away with not working. This week, I was able to work with new students at my private school job and settle some issues with my current students. I learned some things the hard way. I experienced, for one of the first times, a violation of trust. And I also knew where I could improve and repair relationships. This week, I forged stronger bonds with people I may have been disconnecting from. I was able to collaborate with my mentor teacher and have marvelous conversations and discussions. I was able to speak with students and prove to them how much I care. Tonight, ...

That's All? by Belinda Roddie That wasn't a punch. Hit me like you mean it!

No update on OneWord today. Oh, well!

St. Patrick's Day by Belinda Roddie St. Patrick's Day was quieter this year for me and my fiancée. We were fine with that and didn't drown in Irish cheer as much as we had done the other times. One Patrick's Day, we had a complete meal of corned beef and potatoes, and the beer and cider overflowed. We danced with zeal to Celtic music, laughing beneath clear and cloudless skies. This night, however, we had conversation over a modest dinner of spaghetti, all topped with brie (Though we made sure to add some extra zest to our food), and the booze and whiskey still was drunk. So sláinte to all, with good will!