Strategies: Building consensus or conflict

I'm a mediator by nature. I keep plugging on, working for solutions. I'd rather look for commonalities than differences, and I'd rather build consensus than conflict.

That's why I'm so frustrated by my current state leadership. Wisconsin's state senate and assembly are not just dominated by one party, they're ruled and controlled by the majority. Amendments suggested by the minority party are automatically rejected, discussion ignored, and the constituents of those districts end up unrepresented. Demonstrators are taking to the streets because they're feeling unrepresented and they're not feeling heard.

I'm a problem-solver. I want to see issues resolved and compromises reached. I know budget cuts are inevitable; we teachers have been working under budget cuts for years. We, like the teachers on Jeopardy, are fiscally as conservative as we can be.

Chuck and I noticed that the teachers on Jeopardy's Teacher Tournament always bet conservatively in Final Jeopardy. Chuck suggested it's because teachers are so accustomed to not spending money that given a chance, they'll keep what little they have. In a Jeopardy tournament, that is a losing strategy.

If I keep teaching, I'll continue doing more and more with less and less. I'll keep writing grants, I'll keep getting as much as I can for as little as possible. It gets harder and harder to educate children well while doing more with less while our schools are funded by people who believe in conflict, not consensus. And that, good people, is a losing strategy, too.

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Election Reaction

As soon as the polls closed, we had to turn off closed captioning so we could read the crawl showing vote totals. Hey, TV people, can you do something about that on an important night like election night? Hearing impaired adults vote, too.

Meanwhile, I had Twitter open and kept texting La Petite in the Madison area. She and Amigo voted absentee, knowing they'd be gone today. I'm proud that both of my children deemed voting important enough to request absentee ballots.

One ward in town ran out of ballots - not my neighborhood, but one much like it. Historic neighborhood, near downtown, politically active residents. Do these traits go together? In progressive Wisconsin, they do. My neighborhood polling place was busy this morning, and I'm sure it continued that way all day.

I'm an activist. If there's a wrong, I try to right it. I'm also a peacemaker. I hate conflict, and our current administration seems to thrive on creating conflict. A balanced Supreme Court at the state level could help resolve some of the conflict. Here we are, late Wednesday morning, with the latest count showing a 300 vote gap between Supreme Court candidates and three districts yet to report - Lake Mills, WI and two Milwaukee precincts.

The country's leaders are watching Wisconsin. No matter what the results, look at the closeness of the races and the voter turnout. United in our discontent, we went to the polls to ensure that our government at the state level remains of the people, by the people, and for the people.

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Monday, Monday - a Historic Monday

Tomorrow is election day.

Today is activist day. Notice I did not put the words activist day in capital letters; nothing formal or official comes with the title. Looking around my simple and limited life, however, I noticed there's a lot going on.

I had two emails from our local OFA (Organizing for America) group - one with a calendar of events, one with information on how to help with recall efforts. There are a lot of angry voters in Wisconsin - on both red and blue sides.

I checked my school email. Yesterday was a Grade-In at the mall (I missed it - maybe I can make the next one). Today is a huge rally in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his tireless support for workers' rights. Here's a little information from an organizer.

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis as he labored to bring economic justice and respect for 1,300 city sanitation workers.

On Monday -- the anniversary of Dr. King’s death – the National Education Association and other labor unions, civil rights organizations, and religious leaders will stand together across this country for the same human rights and human dignity for working men and women.

On Monday, we will remind our elected officials that workers’ rights are human rights. These groups will host a range of community and workplace-focused actions across the country starting this weekend.

On Monday, remembering the courage and determination of Dr. King and those Memphis sanitation workers who endured assault and arrest as they walked a picket line for two months, we will stand together with public workers across this country whose bargaining rights are under attack, with private workers who can’t get bargaining rights, and against those politicians and their allies who want to silence our political voice.

On Monday, we will fight back against those who are trying to silence the voices of workers and the middle class in Wisconsin, Ohio, Idaho, Florida, Tennessee and countless other states. How will you stand up for workers on April 4?

Well, I'm blogging. And I'm Tweeting, and Plurking, and I might even post a notice on Facebook. I'll continue to post worker history, both national and local, and I'll get ready to vote. It's an Activist Day - official or not, I think it's earned its capitals.

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What next? What's next? Good day- Bad day

It's in the same family as the glass half full vs. the glass half empty. If I have a Bad Day, it's often the kind of day with one piece of bad news after another falling my way and my coping skills failing. That's the kind of day I ask, "Oh, no. What next?!" It's the kind of feeling that has me wanting to curl up in a fetal position under a blanket and hide.

If I'm feeling decent, feeling like I can face at least a small part of the world, I'm more likely to ask, "Okay, I handled that. Now what's next?"

Wisconsin workers are asking both questions. New Jersey teachers are joining the fray by asking their own governor to respect their workloads. Instead of a sit-in or protest rally, they brought their work out in public. They carried their schoolbags to the local mall and graded papers and wrote lesson plans, creating a new way to publicize teaching: the Grade-In. By creating a useful and productive way to show their work, they asked, "What's next?"

Publicizing the importance of a job is one way to remind lawmakers that the work matters. I prepared a letter to the editor of our local paper reminding readers (and I hope, my lawmakers) that the union-busting could cost us federal grant money that would eliminate our local bus service. Did anyone in the State Senate or State Assembly realize this? Were they and the governor simply ignorant of the connection, or were they truly uncaring? My representative in the Assembly introduced an amendment that would have exempted transit systems from the law, allowing bus service to continue. In the partisan way, the Republican majority voted down every single amendment to the bill, including this one.

Amigo doesn't drive. To get to work or to enroll in higher education, he will need the Transit System in our area. He is not alone; many people without cars or without the ability to drive need the buses to get them everywhere they need to go. Amigo's reason? He's blind.

I can't be in Madison to protest because of my health. I can, however, write letters to my lawmakers and to the newspapers. One newspaper already contacted me for more information; now what's next?! Get on board the bus and save public transit!

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Will Walker Get on Board?

I sent Chuck a link to this editorial reminding Wisconsin's governor of deadlines to secure funding for Amtrak's Hiawatha line that runs from Milwaukee to Chicago. This is NOT high-speed rail, the money Walker returned to the federal grant. This is the commuter line with ridership has doubled in the past eight years. It makes sense to apply, and apply ON TIME, for the money.

But when has Scott Walker made sense?

Here are Chuck's top five reasons that Walker will not bother to apply for the transportation grant to improve the Hiawatha line.

5. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is a Democrat. Walker hates Democrats.

4. Tom Barrett is not just a Democrat - he was The Democrat Who Ran for Governor Against Walker. The petty governor will hold that against him forever.

3. Walker's dislike of rail goes back before his refusal of high-speed rail development. In 2007, he used his position as Milwaukee County Executive to kill a light rail plan that would have complimented the city's bus network.

2. Did I mention that Walker gave away the funding for high-speed rail that would have gone through Wisconsin, connecting Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis? Therefore, he has no reason to support upgrades for the link from Milwaukee to Chicago.

And now, the Number One Reason that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker will not apply to help fund the Hiawatha line:

1. Walker would never do anything that makes it easier for Democrats to get to Illinois.

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In favor of Recycling Programs

In my fair state of Wisconsin, recycling is required by law. Certain materials - you can guess: paper, glass, aluminum, and certain other recyclables - are no longer allowed in landfills.

• Recycling programs provide 97,000 jobs in Wisconsin.
• Recycling programs contribute $5.4 billion (yes, Billion) to Wisconsin's economy.
• 2 million tons of waste avoids landfills by getting recycled instead.
• Wisconsin was the first state to pass laws mandating recycling.

Our new Governor doesn't believe Wisconsin should remain at the top of the cycle. His new budget cuts state funding for recycling, but doesn't change landfill laws. He thinks that eliminating recycling mandates and cutting funding to localities will balance the budget. Remember, these materials still can't go in landfills. Does this make sense?

Gaylord Nelson, proud Wisconsinite and founder of Earth Day, would be appalled.

What's next? I hope the governor doesn't outlaw composting!

Facts and figures from the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters.

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The world spins out of control

Recovering from depression isn't easy when the news is bad. It doesn't help that I'm a news junkie, one who reads the print newspaper from cover to cover before turning on CNN. How can I feel like the glass is half full in a bad news world?

I'm starting week 7 of an 8 week online course. I'm feeling positive. My course work is going well, my grades are good, and I'm keeping up with the interim deadlines for the final work.

Good news: this course will certify me to teach online.

No longer good news: These credits would have been enough to allow me a lane change, a move on the pay scale.

Bad news: As soon as the current contract expires (in June), we no longer have steps and lanes on our salary scale. Spending my money in this way no longer has a financial incentive.

Glass half full philosophy: This opens up a new avenue for me, that of teaching online.

Glass half empty philosophy: what a waste! All this money! All this time! All this work!

Glass half full: At least work-related tuition is tax deductible.

Glass half empty: in 2012. And who knows what kind of changes may take place in the tax code?

Glass half full: I'm passing. Heck, I'm doing a stellar job! My grades are great!

Glass half empty: Who cares? Thanks to our governor, my time, money, and work are worthless.

Well, this is not working. I'll never finish weeks 7 and 8 if I focus on the negative, the glass half empty ideal.

Maybe it's as my engineer husband says. It's not that the glass is half full or half empty; the glass is simply twice as large as it needs to be.

Rats. That didn't help my spirits at all.

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Mrs. Lerner's Afterlife

Let's call her Mrs. Lerner, the teacher in this story. Mrs. Lerner passed away, and continued on her peaceful way toward the pearly gates. St. Peter met her with, "Welcome, Mrs. Lerner. Here in Heaven, we all make contributions. What would you like to do?" Mrs. Lerner responded, "I'm a teacher, so I'll teach."

Peter called over St. John-Baptiste de la Salle, the patron saint of teachers, and had him escort Mrs. Lerner to her new classroom. When she got there, she was was shocked to see the conditions. 40 desks. 35 textbooks, all outdated. Pencils, pens, and paper were sufficient to supply the class for perhaps one day, no computers existed, and a cracked chalkboard hung on the front wall.

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed, "this is horrible!"

Boom! Suddenly, Mrs. Lerner was in an entirely different locale, escorted by a devilishly handsome young man. With a fiendish smile, he brought her to a very different classroom. 15 desks, well-equipped with supplies, books of all reading levels and interests, an interactive whiteboard, and behind each student, supportive parents. On her desk lay a contract offering the opportunity to bargain for decent working conditions as long as she continued to teach.

"I don't understand," she murmured, shaking her head. "Why the advantages here, of all places?"

The devilishly handsome escort slyly reminded the dedicated educator, "Mrs. Lerner, when you asked the governor for this, where did he tell you to go?"

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Sound Bites and Protest Signs

The first time I heard the term "sound bite" was during the presidential election between Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. Journalists, especially those on TV and radio, found ways to pull out a small snippet of a candidate's speech and use it to form the basis of a news story. Remember these?

Read my lips: no new taxes!

It's the economy.

...a kinder, gentler nation.

Save Social Security!

Protest signs have a similar challenge: not much space, the need for a quick message, one that a driver can read at a glance and continue driving safely. Amigo told me he was rallying for his teachers: those who had taught him in the past and those who were his teachers now. We talked over simple slogans, and he decided to include a little Braille to remind people that all students, no matter what their needs, must be educated. He used his Perkins Brailler to show me how to write SOS correctly, and we were ready. He knew which side of the sign to face out because he could feel the stick & duct tape on the back.

There's a classic saying, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." The signmaker below has a variation on that theme - a variation that also points to new governor's insistence that Wisconsin is "Open for Business." How he thinks a strong business economy can exist without educated workers is beyond me. But that's another post...

Anti-bullying programs and zero-tolerance policies for physical, verbal, and cyber bullying are common across the country. In many states, such policies are mandated by the Department of Public Instruction. Gov. Walker's method for dashing off a divisive and devastating bill that guts the rights of many is just that - bullying. Questions? See below.

Sound bites or protest signs, they work in a similar fashion: quick to make a point, easy to understand, easy to remember, and the potential to provoke a more in-depth discussion. Let's hope the bully decides to mediate soon so that Wisconsin workers don't need many more signs.

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Amigo gets political

It was a typical Friday night. I pulled up to the store parking lot to meet the bus from the school for blind, gather Amigo and his bags, and head home.

As he got in the car, he was full of excitement. "Mom, did you hear what's happening in Madison?" He continued talking, telling how he'd been learning about how the legislature works, what a quorum is and why it's important, and a lot about the process of writing and passing a law.

Then he dropped the bombshell.

"Mom, I wish I could go to Madison tomorrow for the demonstration."

I offered, "How about downtown on the plaza tomorrow afternoon?"

Amigo responded with an enthusiastic "Yeah!!"

So we made a sign for Amigo, I wore red to support my colleagues, and La Petite charged her camera to document the event. Here's the rest of the story. The top photo shows my neighbors, both retired high school teachers, great people and great teachers. No, they're not wearing Bear colors; those are the colors of my alma mater, West High School.

This was perhaps the youngest participant at the rally.

I don't usually show full face shots of my offspring, but they were so great together I couldn't resist.

I'll have more background on Saturday's post: personal experiences passed down through the family the old fashioned way, by the oral tradition. Well, the updated oral tradition: my relatives emailed me the stories they'd heard from my grandfather.

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Top Ten Reasons to worry about the upcoming election

• The opponent in our Senate race thinks global warming doesn't exist.
• The opponent in our Congressional race plans to get rid of Social Security as we know it.
• One candidate for governor plans to scrap our public pension plan, effectively cutting my income by 30%.
• The opposing candidate for Senate is out of touch with the middle class, which means me.
• The opposing candidate for Congress has moved in and out of the district several times; whom does he really represent?
• Many candidates talk about cutting taxes by reducing education budgets - budgets that have already been cut to the bone.
• Candidates are talking about judging teachers by their students' test scores. If that's the case, people, give me a chance. Bring these kids into my class reading and achieving at grade level.
• I can't afford to donate enough to my candidates, but I can't afford not to; if the wrong side wins, my working conditions will worsen severely.
• Misleading advertising might just tip voting in the wrong direction.
• Negative advertising might encourage people to stay home, and low voter turnout is never good.

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No Stomach for Cancer

UPDATE: the resolution has passed the Senate. There is no need to contact your senators - unless you want to thank them for their support.

Sometimes a national issue is personal. Sometimes a personal issue becomes national. This issue is really both.

You may remember Tyler, La Petite's friend, the young man who passed away from stomach cancer. This young man, college student, an athlete in his prime, was diagnosed in a late stage of cancer -- too late to treat successfully. Thanks to his friends and family, he passed peacefully, surrounded by an ocean of caring.

Tyler's mother would like to spread the word about stomach cancer through an initiative sponsored by Wisconsin's Senator Russ Feingold. Senator Feingold would like to declare November, 2010 Stomach Cancer Awareness Month. A public awareness campaign will educate people about this aggressive and sometimes hereditary cancer, highlighting the need for early diagnosis and treatment.

November is an ideal month for this awareness campaign because of Thanksgiving Day, a holiday that emphasizes family and food. Family health histories are important - no, essential. The U.S. Surgeon General would like to declare Thanksgiving Day National Family History Day to emphasize the need for this knowledge. Thanksgiving, with its emphasis on harvest, food, and nourishment, can be very difficult for stomach cancer patients. Spreading awareness of this illness will help build compassion while increasing knowledge.

Russ Feingold, co-sponsor of Stomach Cancer Awareness Month, is a senator from my fair state of Wisconsin. I'm proud that he introduced this resolution and helped it pass.

Awareness is only the beginning, but it is a strong beginning. Please help spread the word - in Tyler's memory, and to prevent others from suffering. Let's make sure our nation has No Stomach for Cancer.

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Health Coverage for all - are you listening, Congress?

One of the best posts I've read about making health coverage available to all: Erin at Queen of Spain talks about her day in the ER.

I saw a news feature about a new treatment for head lice; it's safer and greener, a method that suffocates the little bugs rather than kills them. Avoiding pesticides on children's heads? Good. Bad? It's only available by prescription. Families I've known who've been repeatedly re-infected haven't had health insurance. If payday was recent enough, they'd head to the drugstore for an over-the-counter remedy and hoped it would work. Meanwhile, their kids miss school until all the nits can be stripped using the proverbial fine-toothed comb.

Two kids talking on their way to recess:
Student 1: "Mrs. Teacher, do you know anything about insurance? Like doctors? Doesn't everyone have that?"
Student 2: "My mom doesn't. She wants to get a good job so she can go to the doctor when she's sick."
Two ten-year-olds bringing health care coverage into their real lives: what's wrong with this picture? One was a middle-class child, two working parents with good benefits in their jobs. The other was a child of a recent divorce and a tough time financially. Both were hardworking children of hardworking parents. Why should one family have coverage and the other not?


Erin (a.k.a. Queen of Spain) was lucky; she could drive directly to the ER without a second thought.


Remember the signs at the Vancouver Olympics? You know, after the USA surprised Canada's hockey team by beating them 5-3 in the first round.




Heck, now they have a gold medal, too. When will the U.S. find its gold medal health care? Please don't tell me that only time will tell; we need it now.

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Bumper Sticker Fun

Can you read this bumper sticker? Neither can I. Sorry. It was windy and cold, and we just wanted to get back in the car and get the heat on. Taking a quality photo with my cell phone wasn't a high priority.

You might guess based on the Feingold sticker (almost readable) that although it's centered on the vehicle, the sentiment leans to the left. It does. The bumper sticker in white on red reads:

Democratic Women are the Life of the Party.

I think I'd like the driver of this minivan. Her bumper sticker is almost as much fun as this one.

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The State of the Union in my State of Mind

"Freedom is a notion sweeping the nation, freedom is a state - - of mind." -- song lyric
"Yes, I'm wise, but it's wisdom born of pain." --another song lyric

It was a tough first year for President Obama, one I might call baptism by fire. He inherited a nation in turmoil, an economic collapse, a massive deficit and national debt, and a hurting minority party that wanted nothing less than to see him fail.

President Obama articulately expressed these challenges Wednesday night. He addressed the need for jobs, for employment for all. He talked about health care, despite the controversy attached to the pending bills. He discussed Afghanistan and Iraq and more.

You can read the entire speech here. I don't need to repeat it verbatim. It was long, but listening to an articulate and personable president made the length more than bearable - it kept my attention. I missed my local OFA State of the Union party in favor of a live chat with the Momocrats as the speech was on.

I found that the Barack Obama we elected, the feisty, energetic, hopeful president, came through best at the end.

"if the Republican leadership is going to insist that 60 votes in the Senate are required to do any business at all in this town -- a supermajority -- then the responsibility to govern is now yours as well. Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it's not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. So let's show the American people that we can do it together."

Together. He put the challenge straight to the opposite side of the Congressional aisle. He challenged his naysayers not to beat him, but to join him. By stating clearly that real progress must be bipartisan, President Obama made his agenda clear: No more finger-pointing! Cooperate, cooperate, cooperate.
In parent-teacher talk, it might be "We both want the same thing; we want your child to be successful. Let's work together."

And together, we don't quit. We won't quit. If the leader of the free world can work with his opposition, the rest of us can learn to work together, too.

Now where did I stash the emails of my senators and congressional rep? Here goes the letter-writing campaign!

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More than voting; staying active

I was disappointed; I'd offered to take other teachers to a political event, but none were willing. I've gone to this meet-up with legislators several times. It's easy, painless, absolutely non-intimidating. The answers kept coming back No, no, no, no, no.
Deep sigh. Believe it or not, teaching is highly dependent on political decisions. Decision made in Madison affect our curriculum; decisions made in Washington, D.C. affect our assessments. That's only the beginning.
But no one would go.

Soon after this non-event, a former colleague called to invite me to a meeting of Organizing for America, I thought it over and said, "Count me in." Not just because of my disappointment in my professional colleagues, not just because the meeting was taking place at a local coffeehouse, but because it felt right.

The evening's discussions were basic, describing the group's purpose and structure and opportunities. We adjourned before my parking meter ran out, so the trip only cost me a few quarters and the price of a white chocolate raspberry mocha.

My future with this group? Unknown at this time. Phoning isn't my strength. Instead, I predict I'll be a letter writer, pamphlet creator, and (perhaps) blogger.

If I can't recruit teaching colleagues to meet with legislators, I can work with other volunteers to inspire voters. Yes, I can.

You can, too. Establish an account on Organizing for America's website and look for events in your area. You can do as little or as much as you wish. Each and every action, large or small, will make a difference to keep our country on track for the kind of change in which we still believe.

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An Open Letter to Congress about Title I

When my principal asked us to email our congressional representative and state senators, she gave us a link to a form letter and suggested we send it ASAP.

Oops. District email isn't supposed to be used for political purposes.

So I forwarded the email to my home and wrote from the comfort of my laptop in my cozy, warm den, after making cupcakes for my class' Welcome Home Flat Stanley party. All the while I thought of the students who benefit from Title I funded programs: those kiddos who would consider a cozy, warm den in a single family home to be a luxury, and cupcakes in the oven a rare and special treat. Tomorrow, when they're sharing Flat Stanley's journals and travel stories, I'll be thinking of how much they've learned - and also how much money is needed to keep them learning.

Dear Senators Feingold and Kohl;

I am shocked and dismayed to learn that Title I may be slashed a total of $700 million from its current fiscal year level. I understand the House has already voted to give no increase at all to Title I. If the Senate should succeed in cutting this program, many, many students will be harmed.

Please do your part to stop this cut immediately. Our district's students have suffered too much already from lost local and state revenue. My students, tomorrow's constituents, depend on you.

I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Daisy
Frugal and Practical Teacher of 4th Grade
Advocate for students of low income
Advocate for students with disabilities
Lover of Reading, Science, and more

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I'll pass the test, Mr. President, but give me a chance.

Dear President Obama;


I'm worried. My state, like many others, is in a budget crisis, and it's affecting education. Wisconsin is one of many who covet a piece of the economic stimulus pie. To stand a chance, however, we'd have to change laws. Important laws. Laws that govern how I do my job - and how to evaluate if I'm doing it right.


Mr. President, in order to be eligible for stimulus money, test scores must be used as part of teacher evaluations. That's where I get nervous.


You see, Mr. Obama, I teach in a unique neighborhood. The gap between the Haves and the Have-Nots is huge. You name it, I teach kids who've lived it. Poverty. Homelessness. Abuse, physical and otherwise. English Language Learners who read at a kindergarten level - in fourth grade. Transient families who move at least twice each year. Families who care about their children and want them to learn, but struggle to pay the rent and put food on the table, with no energy left for homework assistance, no money for books.


This is a great school with a great staff. We're not shy about accountability. Sit in on a staff meeting and you'll hear us discuss ways to do more with less- less money, less time, less respect.


However, we can't control our raw product. If I were producing paper and received an inferior load of pulpwood, I'd refuse to accept it. If I ran a restaurant and my supplier brought me poor quality meat, I'd send it back. I can't control my class list; I have to teach them all, reach them all. That challenge is a part of the joy of my work.


I speak for many teachers when I say we want all children to succeed. We continue to work with each child, finding time when there is none, motivating those who are incredibly behind to make as much progress as possible. I'd love to see the child who reads like a second grader improve to a fifth grade level on my watch. I'll work toward that goal every minute that this young person is in my class. But if this child fails a state test one day, a test mandated by the folks in some faraway city, should it hurt my career? My paycheck? My job security? My reputation?


If the child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder runs out of medicine the day of the test, please don't blame me for the way her scores drop when she can't focus. I want her to succeed even more than she does. When the bipolar student hits a major depression, let me help him get counseling and medical care; don't force me to force him to fill in the bubbles on a high-stakes exam.


President Obama, please rethink this part of your program. Instead of No Teacher Left Untested, let's apply stimulus money toward leaving no child behind.


Sincerely,

Daisy

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Random thoughts on browsing the newspaper

A small feature in the state section notes that homeowners are using less water. The Public Service Commission found that we residential Wisconsinites are using 7% less water than we used to use. Maybe the rain barrel craze is helping with that number.

In the National section: For those without a job, Labor Day is just another day in the struggle. For laid off teachers and school paraprofessionals, it's a reminder that the school year is starting without them. It's not that they're not necessary; the fact is that budgets are too tight to hire enough staff to fully meet student needs.


The editorial cartoon by Joe Heller reminded me of what I heard on NPR the other day: the H1N1 cases we know are just the tip of the iceberg.




Preparedness is a balancing act. I'm stocking the freezer and the medicine cabinet, washing my hands frequently, and in general taking all the precautions I can to prevent H1N1 from devastating my family. I'll be prepared, but I'm not going to worry outright until it happens close to home.

One commentary writer put the Obama speech in perspective with a satirical column asking "How dare Obama urge kids to succeed?" Really, folks. How did this planned short speech take on such conspiratorial tones? It's not a campaign, it's not a dramatic town meeting on health care reform. Whether your family supports President Obama or not, it's time to respect the office if not the man. Let's teach our children to listen and think and interpret what they hear rather than to plug their ears and shut out the elected leader of the free world.

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Now I know what to brew on January 20th.

It's a given: I will get coffee for my birthday and for Christmas. Sometimes my students even get me coffee as a Teacher Gift. The variety of blends and flavors will keep me entertained and caffeinated until summer or even next fall. The only question is this: what will the flavors be? Today I have Harry and David's spiced Roasted Chestnut holiday blend in the coffeemaker. Mmmm, I hear your taste buds reacting!
I'm also working on a package of Alterra Harvest blend, a strong but smooth flavor that I like to bring to school in my thermos or travel mugs.
But this one is unequaled.
I didn't have my glasses on when I opened the package (darn these aging eyes!), so I couldn't read the description or the name. Husband, big tease that he is, read little bits and pieces and made me guess. I'm not one to keep that kind of experience to myself, so let's see how you do with the same information!

On the front of the package: "a Vienna Roast consisting of prime Kenya AA, Hawaiian Kona, and Indonesian Sulawesi coffees." Got it yet?
A little more information from the back label: "When brought to a Vienna Roast, the highly-prized Hawaiian Kona gives the blend a full body and a mild and mellow character, the Kenya AA adds a wine-like flavor, and the Indonesian Sulawesi provides unexpected interest with its earthy taste, slightly smoky tone, and hints of spice."

Did you make the connections yet? Okay, I'll give you one last clue. Also from the back label: "(the blend's namesake)'s lineage and early life are associated with three of the world's prime coffee-growing regions. Born in Hawaii to a Kenyan father and American mother, he spent eight of his first 10 years living in Indonesia."

Yes, you guessed it. From Longfellow's coffee, my brother and sister-in-law ordered me a package of Obama Blend.

Can I make it last until the inauguration?

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