Christian Music

Note to Self:

There is no such thing as Christian Music. And you shouldn't use the term, because you don't believe in Christian coffee, Christian breath mints (though you've been given some before, no?) or Christian copy machines (though you've been known to cry out God's name when using them). I get it. Songs can have Christian philosophical themes. However, you don't refer to songs as "vaguely implied humanist music" or "racously hedonist with a touch of existentialist music" do you?

You don't get specific with Christian Music, either. When was the last time you rocked out to that amazing Lutheran Music or busted out a Plymouth Bretheran Punk Song? (I have a hunch you would hate Unitarian Rock - it's nothing but silence and a slight nod to skepticism) Ever listened to Muslim Rock? Buddhist Rock? We don't even have a genre dedicated to Hare Krishnas - which is too bad, because if they get anything right, it's the tambourines.

I know it sounds like I'm being picky, but using Christian as a cultural rather than spiritual term dilutes the fact that you're crazy about Jesus and you know that your life has been transformed by a God who is even crazier about you than you are about him.

Sincerely,
John

American Standard

Note to Self:

While it is perfectly acceptable to say, "I Googled that" or "hand me a Kleenex" or "I need a band-aid," there are some products that are not instantly recognizable by their brands.  Next time you visit a coffee shop, please don't ask to use their "American Standard."  You handled it well, my friend.  You avoided saying, "I need to pee on the American Standard," but you still let the brand name drop at the wrong time.  Just call it a toilet and the barista will be far less confused.

Sincerely,
John

The Other 99%

Note to Self:

Remember that time when you stepped over the street kid who was shot in Brazil?  Remember how people ignored it because it was the favelas?  Remember weeping in the hotel room while you scrubbed the blood off your hundred-dollar sneakers?  Me, too, John.  Me, too.  You are not the other ninety-nine percent.  You woke up this morning knowing that you would have food and shelter.  You have a steady job.

I'm not suggesting that you let the rich and powerful off the hook. I am, however, suggesting that if you fail to see things from a global perspective, you will participate in occupying with a sense of anger and arrogance that misses your own role in power and privilege.

Sincerely,
John

Occupy

Based upon a post between Quinn and me.

Note to Self:

It's become trendy to talk about occupying Wall Street and occupying Boston and occupying all things within this world.  And yet . . . I am an occupier.

For all the talk of occupying Arizona, the reality is that I live on occupied land, taken by conquest first from indigenous nations and then from Mexico. I can complain about trust fund babies and nepotism, but I am the beneficiary of a geographic trust fund. By accident of birth, I inherited white, middle class privilege in ways that I am still coming to terms with. I struggle to come to terms with what to do with this reality.

As a teacher, it means I approach students with the knowledge that I have to step down humbly in ways that I might not in the suburbs. It means I have to remind parents that they should hold as much or more power than me (despite being marginalized). It means I have to be honest in teaching social studies instead of being "neutral." I need to tell students about American conquest and genocide.

John, you don't need to occupy more.  You need to occupy less.  You need to listen more and speak less. You need to be careful of the social hegemony that you inherited.  You need to approach relationships (especially with students) with a very cognizant sense that you are part of the occupation and that if you are a part of liberation, it must come through humility.

Sincerely,

John

Rigor

Note to Self:

When you describe critical thinking, use the word "critical thinking."  When you describe challenging work, use the word "difficult" or "challenging."  I get it.  Sometimes you have to use the trendy edu-word, but this word is trendy in all the wrong ways.  It's the Lady Gaga of educational nomenclature.  What does it mean anyway? Is it more work?  Is it more difficult work?  The truth is that you're not after work at all.  You want to see learning.  Screw the rigor.  If it's meaningful, it will be challenging.  If it helps kids think better about life, it's enduring.  And ultimately enduring, meaningful and interesting will always be more valuable than rigorous.

Sincerely,
John

Purchasing Power

Note to Self:

You don't really understand what "purchasing power" means and whether or not it is on the decline during this economy.  On a visceral level, you get that things cost more and your wages haven't gone up.  You know this when you realize that you recognize the risk of letting your own children go uninsured.  But don't use the term "purchasing power."  The truth is that the top one percent have been purchasing power over the last few decades and now you're screwed.  Congrats.

Sincerely,
John

Artisan Bread

Note to Self:

Don't buy into the hype.  Don't sell out to their nomenclature.  Store-bought sourdough bread, no matter how tasty, is not artisan if it's not made by an artist.  You know too many people who kneed their own bread and you recognize that it truly is the work of an artisan.  So, let's keep it that way.  Call the sourdough bread what it is: a hell of a loaf made by wonderful machines in all of their shining glory.

Sincerely,
John

Underpaid Athlete

Note to Self:

Yesterday at the baseball game, you referred to a high-performing player earning the league minimum as an "underpaid athlete."  He earns more in one season of "league minimum" salary than you earn in a decade of teaching (even with your master's degree and extra duty work).  Perhaps in Baseball Land he's a bargain.  But in your world, he's wealthy.  You can continue to cheer for the team and, on some level, live out your childhood dreams vicariously through multi-millionaire athletes.  But when it's over and you arrive home to three kids clinging onto your leg and begging to play a game of catch, you'll realize the true meaning of "the love of the game."  

believe in evolution

Note to Self:

The other day you said that you "believe in evolution and in creation." The truth is that you believe in creation, but you accept evolution. You toss around phrases like "how we are designed" or "that's how I was made," believing as you do that there is an oft-invisible creator who formed you and had you in mind before matter existed.

And yet . . . you accept evolution. You've studied the theories. You've paid attention to the science and it's pretty clear. If some people can choose not to "believe" in evolution, can I choose not to believe in germs? (Sure makes camping easier) You've observed how animals have adapted to the environment and so, unequivocally you accept descent with modification and yet you believe in decent with modification and perhaps even better than decent with modification when you really pay attention to what God has done in your life. Some say you can't believe in God and science. And that's fine. Believe in one. Know about the other. They're not incompatible.

Sincerely,
John

Brutally Honest

Note to Self,

You don't need to be militant.  You don't need to be brutal.  Ever.  You can't be brutally courageous, brutally loving or brutally empathetic.  You never hear someone say, "I'm just going to be brutally humble with you right now and say that I really suck.  Like, I'm a really crappy person."  The point is that virtue doesn't belong with brutality.  So, when you start a sentence with "brutally honest," what you're really saying is, "I'm going to be honest in a way that is angry and full of loaded language rather than in a way that respects nuance and paradox and uses a great sense of empathy."  See, honesty requires multiple viewpoints.  It requires truth and truth requires paradox.  Even "strong words" must be spoken with a sense of reticence and a recognition that semantics matter.  So, don't be brutally honest.  Be lovingly honest.  Be humbly honest.  Be vulnerable in your honest.  But don't, under any circumstance use honesty as a means of brutality.

Love,
John

Tough As Nails

Note to Self:

Micah is right.  Nails aren't that tough.  They're always being hammered away, put into places to stay forever.  But the minute they're not useless, they're pulled out again by the hammer.  Maybe we should be tough as a hammer.  Or maybe we should follow Micah's advice and say "tough as ants."

Sincerely,
John

Compulsory Education

Note to Self:

Quit calling it "compulsory education."  If parents want to un-school, home-school, alt. school or private school their kids, they are allowed to in your state.  That's like complaining about compulsory libraries or compulsory parks.  Public education is an institution that we share as a local politic and participation is truly voluntary.  Some people might claim that it's still compulsory, since parental tax money goes to pay for it even when they don't use the service.  They say it's wrong to fund things that are morally reprehensible and deadly to children.  You know better.  Schools aren't deadly to kids.  Now war, on the other hand, is morally reprehensible and deadly to children.  So if you run into a neo-con who complains about compulsory education, just ask about our compulsory war policy and see how they answer it.

Sincerely,
John