I am watching Foyle's War on Pbs. I think it was on once before but I never followed it through. What a fascinating picture of England shortly after the war ended. The tension between american and English soldiers, segregation of blacks from whites--with only our honorable Detective Chief voting against. It's offensive to hear the men called colored.

There is also a British-sanctioned covert action in alliance with Stalin's Russia to kill off all the Russian soldiers who fought against Stalin and know of a horrendous killing zone in Odessa of Russians who fought for the wrong side--red or white depending on where they stood back in 1917.

It has made me think, just mull over history, especially those parts I didn't really know about it.

I am also getting ready to move to the Coast. My leave is up June 30 and I have no cause to renew here for another year. I will be looking for a place to rent, month-to-month, until making a permanent decision such as buy a condo. I go searching this weekend so please help me with your thoughts and prayers. I would like to be comfortable, with easy access to the coast, as well as paths up into the east hills.

I am applying to schools there as well, so that's important of course.

Still, I know this is the right course. Sounds a little funny, but I have such peace that this is the right way to go forward at this time.

JoAnn (JD)

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday? My initial teaching license from the state of Oregon. I am thrilled and humbled and intimidated all at the same time. If you know of a teaching job on the Coast (in a low income area, which they all are), let me know.

My goal is the Lincoln County School District--Newport, Taft, Toledo, and Waldport. If (or should I say, when) I will rent for awhile. When that seems like home both as a person and a professional teacher, I'll buy a condo.

So much for my educational journey, or its start after three years of graduate school. I do have one last class and a few paperwork stuff, but this is it. I told Will that I am experiencing a little loss being in the last term, as if I have to start acting and being an adult. No more sweats, hoodies, and fun hats every day. No more running shoes every day. No more letting my hair grow way past the time I need a cut. That includes body hair in other areas as well. No more aggressively crossing intersections near the university , making cars wait or navigating the actual campus as if we were driving streets of Rome or some city in Pakistan. Bikes, skateboards, pedestrians in ones and sixes, some cars, and a lot of go wherever you want with reflexes not to hit each other. We rarely do. No keeping to the right or keeping anywhere specifically and consistently. But it makes me feel young, just part of things even though I triple some of their ages. I am also experimenting with some rec classess--fitness yoga, hip hop, yoga, and soon Zumba--whatever that is.

I look forward to your comments and your own thoughts.

JD (JoAnn)

Next phase of last class and final term

Tomorrow's class in Biblical Lit is our midterm with a sheet of study notes that was incredibly long for an estimate 15 minute objective class. After the rough treatment on the first round of papers the undergrads were required to do, we are all a bit sobered. Most of the class is English majors that want that "A." I feel the sense of challenge in thinking, writing, and discussing, but I think that some classes have been a little dumbed down. In any case, off we go with more class, first test that separates the greats for the goods or low averages.

Beyond that, I am starting to apply using a service called Ed ZAPP. More schools want it, although some schools still want the paper product. Prayers and thoughts are appreciated.

To all of you, happy Mother's Day or wonderful weekend, or read a book on your deck or in a bubble bath.

JoAnn (JD)

Catching up a bit...

I am enjoying a storm of various types today: windy, then rain and wind, and now just pouring rain. I have had the patio door open all day to sense it all, smell the freshness, take it the flotsam and jetsam whirling around...and just enjoying the natural sound of rain. It's almost like the roaring ocean offshore in a beach home.

Now I just finished up some easy solitaire (difficult towards the end), to clear my head before prepping for a midterm in "Bible as Literature." This quiz is defined as a 15-minute short quiz=like assessment with a full study guide sheet with 99 items on it, plus the assurance that there may also be items in the test that are not on the study guide. Oh well, we are all in it together--as amazed as we were are all in class.

I am starting to apply for teaching jobs along a slice of the coast--Florence (central) to Astoria (the uppermost north districts). Then I have a slice about 20 miles in that is not right on the coast, but not far away.

Will and Sarah are doing fairly well. As Kurt, Sarah's husband, is preparing for the Art Institute in Graphic Design, Sarah is still working the human services brokerage as well as teaching horse riding lessons and even small seminars on Saturdays.

Will and I are studying together in my living room which brings accountable to both of us, plus proximity is nice without talking a lot--except for really fascination psychology point from his textbook, or mine from the Bible.

That's it for now. Your thoughts and prayers for my new teaching position--on the Coast if at all possible--and for Will as he continues through school, works out his major, and learns more and more study skills, budgeting.... He is really doing great.

JD (JoAnn)

Signs of spring

When my kids were little we read these very sweet books in the "Frog and Toad" series. Great friends, although one large, one small, they mirrored the friendships of so many young people, and not so young at that. One book had the two friends looking for signs for spring. They had such fun finding flowers that had come out of hiding, birds that returned and had chirping young, and especially the warm breezes returning.

Today I went to one of the parks near my place just to walk, call my mom, and see the geese. I was surprised and amazed at the "signs of spring"! Although not completely a warm day--high 60's--the park was practically teeming with signs of spring. Skateboarders going on in and out of bikes, just waiting for the inevitably injury. Moms teaching little girls how to throw a frisbee. A recipe for disaster, don't you think? Dogs retrieving sticks from the river and doing that wonderful physics shake that drowns everyone with some who laugh and some who are not laughing. The volleyball net that never makes up quite right, but provides a lot of laughter and friendly competition. Well, maybe not all that friendly. And the wonderful plastic play structure with slides, tubes, swings, monkey bars, and the inevitable scratch or two. Bandaids are a must amidst in all the fun.

I love the daffodils, the young geese, and all the young humans in strollers. I enjoy the little toddler girls with their hair banded on top in styles that later they will simply kill their parents for ever doing and showing them to their boyfriend or fiance.

Yes, signs of spring. People out in their yards sharing horror stories about gophers and weeds. Young people playing sidewalk hopscotch, roller blading, and maybe some things the young adults are doing that we might now want to know--hopefully this experimentation will teach a good lesson. We did some of the same things and look at how we turned out. Well, that may not always be comforting but I think for most of you reading this, it is.

I hope you are a sign of spring as well--someone growing anew, warm, friendship, and sunshiney to those you meet.

JD (JoAnn)

Lots of information today. Lots to think about. I am getting to know one of my neighbors--living next door to each other since last July 15. She came in to talk after her church. I was in my threshold fixing my vacuum--changing the bag, fixing up the problems with electrical tape. In the process my neighbor, female, came home. We had talked last week about her state, very depressed and being forced to move out in 72 hours. Things have turned around on those fronts.

Today was about wondering if she was ready to date again--me too, actually. We confided, encouraged, and decided to walk and talk some more. The day was so beautiful here, we had a little lunch, and walked back. We watched people, houses, yards and landscaping, and fun talking. And more a little serious.

I was reminded that I let a lot of time go by before I invited this woman into my life. What was taking up my time? Classes of course. Shop. Errands. And just holing up in my townhouse watching tv, reading, and whatever else takes up time. In other words, wasting a lot of important time for time with God, as well as time for people--Christian or not, particularly not. It's time to turn that time use around. How about you?

The study brain conflict

I was just noticing that I choose trebuchet as my font, and it is an implement of war--sort of like a catapult or the mechanical force military unit that is used to break down the walls of a castle.

In any rate, I am finding my final grad paper/thesis quite a challenge. It is testing my brain, my personal convictions, as well as deciding on a thesis--all dealing with topics that I have no real background knowledge in. I must master Gilgamesh, the Enum Elish, Babylonian/Mesopotamian cult rituals, and compare/contrast them to the Sacred History as recorded in the Old Testament. I have books, I have journal articles from the U of O library and from Google Scholar. I have two used bookstores to visit, and I am slowly building a bibliography and complementing text.

Remember me in thought and prayer. I know the final product will be at least good, but getting there will be a challenge--probably a needed one...but still.
Thanks for hearing me rant a little. I look forward to your comments--on anything, not just me.