Author: whodeanny

Integration

Conversation with a friend inspired me to post this poem today. I still need more time. 

 

FDO

 

 

I’m thinking about my mortality

Wondering what my legacy could be

Where my journey might lead

I’ve often wondered how to describe my trip

What is it that I hope to do

Or gain, achieve

How, more importantly

Do I want to have lived

 

What I need out of life

Is that precious integration

Of all the different

Too often disparate

Elements of my being

To coalesce

And barring that miracle act

For me to pull them into the deliberate

Act of being me

 

I want so desperately to be everything

To fulfill every possibility,

Answer every question

Even though each new understanding

Only serves to further reveal my ignorance

Reminding me how far I am from the me

Of my fiercest dreams

 

I hope I get more time

I need it badly

 

 

© Gayle Force Press 2007

 

 

 

4 Classes

 

Somedays being a teacher is a struggle. This could have easily been one of those days. Instead, it became a great opportunity to reflect on how much power my students have over me and how much I care about teaching. 

 

In all four of my US History classes we started on a style of assessment called Fishbowls. Kids have a small group, graded discussion over material we've studied. The rest of the class participates by asking questions, making comments, providing suggestions for the kids 'in' the Fishbowl. Fishbowls are new to many of my students.

 

One of my classes had an awful fishbowl. It was obvious that a couple kids had barely done the reading. One kid felt compelled to talk waaay past her comfort level because of her high preparation. It ended too early, the other kids weren't very engaged and very little of substance occured. 

 

But in the other three classes, the same experience was awesome! Kids learned from each other, changed their own minds, brought in multiple perspectives and were so eager to participate that I had to create lines so kids could fairly jump in. When one kid 'in' the fishbowl was reluctant to speak up, her classmates gave her direct and specific encouragement to do so and listened as intently as if I were addressing them. 

 

The level of care exhibited in these groups was phenomenal. It was care for each other, care for their material, care about having a new experience and yes, there was a lot of care for me. 

 

There are some times that the trials of teaching overshadow the rewards. The kids in these three classes rewarded me more than I can adequately relate to them. This is why I teach. 

 

 

FDO

 

 

In the New World

 

You can feel the changes

As the people begin to move

From Earth’s every corner

Bringing with them hope and strength

Knowing their dreams can soon take flight

In the new world they will create

 

 

You can see the changes

As the people begin to rise

Loosed from the shackles of fear

Breaking the bonds of ignorance

Rejecting the power of separation

In the new world they will create

 

 

You can hear the changes

As the people begin to sing

Songs of courage and strength

New as a baby’s cry

Old as the language of life

In the new world they will create

 

 

You can be the changes

As the people begin to build

Bridges from one to all

Forged from peace and justice

Raised on love and truth

In the new world we will create

 

 

 

© Gayle Force Press 2008

 

 

Four More Years

 

A week after the 2012 election, things feel back to normal. There
are no more TV ads telling us the other guys are all awful, no pollster phone
calls or political e-mail blitzes (Don’t worry, Black Friday is coming soon!),
no more Facebook virtual throw downs and no more questions about how much we
love America.

 

But in one important respect, I think things are really
different. For the past four years, I’ve had people telling me that Barack
Obama’s election was a fluke or an accident or a bizarre mistake. Yes, lots of
things went Obama’s way in 2008. Yes, he had some good luck. But I’ve tried
convincing folks that electing a Black man named Barack Hussein Obama President
of the United States went way beyond any Providence. I have always believed
2008 was a harbinger of things to come. I think that’s even clearer now.

 

For four years, Obama has been lied about, ridiculed,
threatened and slandered more than anyone could have reasonably anticipated. Questions
about every aspect of his life have been raised and accepted as fact by large
swaths of the public even when the questions were internally inconsistent, even
when they literally could not have been true. Americans had to see their
President demeaned and belittled, not because of what he did but because of who
he is.

 

The easiest, simplest way to stop all that would have been to elect Mitt
Romney last week. America could have gone back to having a President who looks
all the other Presidents. We could have stopped the hate parade in its tracks
and breathed a sigh of relief that the vicious, race based attacks would go
away for awhile. We could have said, ‘Okay, enough.’

 

Instead, we re-elected Obama. Despite the dire predictions
from the left and the overwhelming confidence
of the Romney campaign, Obama won a decisive victory. (I call it a Nixon
landslide.) America chose to go in the direction of the man who sings Al Green, embraces
gay marriage and welcomes
the children of undocumented immigrants. I am convinced that this election was
about more than Democrats and Republicans. It was about more than changing demographics
and the 47%. It was even about much more than Romney and Obama.

 

This election was about the future of America. A future of less
division and more integration. A future of fewer lies and
harder truths. A future of holding hands but not clenching fists. This is the
future we need. This is the future we want. And this is the future we are
choosing.

 

So no, thank God, things are not back to normal. But I think
I’m gonna like the new normal a whole lot more.

 

 

FDO

 

 

Four Season State

 

Winter in Indiana

Is a confusing blend of possibilities

And patterns

There will be snow

Sooner or later

A little or a lot

 

Wind will cause grief

But rarely damage

The ice will send many to the hospital

Few to the morgue


Still we’ll chatter intently

About the rain and the snow

The cold sunny days

And the joy

Of a four season state

 

 

© Gayle Force Press 2008

 

 

Computer Love

 

So many people

Find that one, true love

In cyberspace

 

The holding, touching and

Proximity of growing close

Subsumed beneath a laundry list

Of questions and answers

 

Need to know

Have to learn

How love blooms

With words alone

 

 

 © Gayle Force Press 2003

 

 

Four Days Out

 

I’m
lucky enough to work in an environment in which politics gets discussed
frequently, thoughtfully and kindly. One consequence of that environment is
that I’ve been asked to update my Electoral College prediction for next week’s
Presidential Election so here it is: I see the most likely outcome as Obama
332- Romney 206. That margin of victory would decisively outpace the popular
vote difference between the candidates by reflecting many close wins for Obama in
swing states but Romney landslides in deep red states.

 

I
think Obama’s EC vote total could range anywhere from 277 to 358. That’s a
lotta swing. I’m on the high end of this projection because I anticipate the
most important late leans are all moving toward the President. Early voting, Hurricane
Sandy, first time voters, Romney's rebuke by the auto industry and the unpolled masses… if there will be voting
benefits from any of those realities, Obama will get them.

 

332
reflects my thinking that states like Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin
will almost certainly go blue. New Hampshire, Colorado and Iowa are very likely
to do so as well. And states like Florida and Virginia have a decent chance to
stay in the President’s column. Even North Carolina and Indiana have an outside
chances of sliding away from Romney in his worst case scenario.

 

Today,
Politico’s swing state map suggests that the
race will end up 290-248 for Obama. My guesses that both Virginia and Florida go
for Obama lead to my 332 prediction. Three things stand out to me in looking at
this map.

 

One-
This map is only about polling averages. No other factors are used.

Two- Florida and
Virginia are gravy states for the President. A few months ago, everyone assumed
those states would be critical battlegrounds. In fact, Romney announced his
choice of Paul Ryan in Virginia for that very reason.

Three- Perhaps, most
amazing, Politico’s current projection means Obama could lose Ohio and still
win the election!

 

Had you told Mitt Romney six weeks ago that he would win
Ohio but lose the White House, he would have been heartsick. If my prediction
holds up, at least he won’t have to wonder if he could have done something
differently. There’s always a silver lining.

 

 

FDO

 

Hidden Truth

 

There are angels all around us

In innumerable guises

Wearing masks we fail to recognize

Like Baucis and Philemon

Dumb to the divinities

Asking for our help

 

There is stardust all around us

In everything you see

All we are or do

Or can ever become

Wholly filled

With the essence

Of Heaven itself

 

There are angels all around us

There is stardust all around us

 

 

 © Gayle Force Press 2003

 

 

 

 

NBA 2012-13 Preseason Predictions

 

MVP:  LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul

Rookie of the Year:
 Anthony Davis, Damien Lillard, Harrison
Barnes

Most Improved Player:
 Derrick Favors, Omer Asik, DeMarcus
Cousins

Coach of the Year:
 Lionel Hollins, Erik Spoelstra, George
Karl

Pacific Division
Champion:  Los Angeles Clippers

Northwest Division
Champion:  Oklahoma City Thunder

Southwest Division
Champion:   Memphis Grizzlies

Southeast Division
Champion:  Miami Heat

Central Division
Champion:  Indiana Pacers

Atlantic Division
Champion:  Brooklyn Nets

 

Western Conference Champion:  Memphis Grizzlies

Eastern Conference Champion:  Miami Heat

 

NBA Champion:  Miami Heat

 

There are many teams with the potential to be great this
year, I’m excited to see how high they manage to climb. The LA teams, Spurs,
Thunder, Grizzlies, Nuggets, Heat, Nets, Pacers, Bulls and Celtics all have a
chance to win 55 games. A few of those teams may even threaten 60 wins.

 

But
there’s only one team with a substantial margin for error and that’s the Heat.
If LeBron, DWade or Chris Bosh gets hurt, the team will suffer but not falter.
That’s the difference between Miami (and the pre-Harden trade Thunder) and
everybody else. 

 

FDO

 

 

Falling Grace

 

Falling Grace

 

 

The rain crashes down from heaven

And today, the sinner and the saint

The righteous and the wicked

Will all give a moment’s thought to nature

 

The clouds pour their sustenance on all

In grace, not in judgment

 

 

© Gayle Force Press 2006