counted on one hand

That sums it up, what else is there to live for than what is important in your life, counted on one hand.  Coney islands, hockey and baseball, autumn with trees, and a few people. 

I left the 2002 Honda Civic in the hands of Faiz, a Pakistani mechanic this evening for a pre-inspection tune up and I told him using sign language to check the squeaking brakes pads.

I did all the shopping I’d need for a few days, a stop at two Lulus in two countries, one with everything and one with everything I forgot at the first one a few hours later.  And I am always comforted to taste the fast food breakfast that never changes.  I paid the man from Luzon with a bag of coins.  He didn’t flinch. 

And in my frustration from yesterday’s disappointing encounter with disrespectful cheaters I made a writing assignment for Sunday looking at the community and the individual.  A comparison and contrastive essay.  No one need be upset here, I didn’t attack the communitarian spirit I so much respect outside the classroom, but making this shift, this cranial leap into the university world, Lord help us, what are we doing?  They don’t get it, and the Omanis don’t understand they shouldn’t leave this leap for western trained professionals to explain.  These folks understand what it is to think independently, the Arab world all over the darn place hasn’t figured this out and hell, that’s why they fight all the damn time.  When in God’s name are the tribes gonna wise up and explain to their youngins that it is ok to think independently, that a little individual freedom of expression and critical thinking isn’t going to upend a fragile cultural eco-system.  I don’t speak for democracy or capitalism I speak of the human spirit which given the liberty to shine can bring so much to the community from which it is born.  

Maybe they 'cheat' because they believe, whether I tell them it's on the exam or not, they think what they see and hear and read in the classroom is completely irrelevant.  Maybe they figured out the books are shite, many of the teachers need a few lessons themselves, and a few more teachers could care less about them.  "Useless" I hear one teacher spit every month.  Maybe that's it, so do I have to somehow make them think learning gerunds will make their lives better?

Please help me stop cheaters.  I don’t want to work anywhere where I have to discipline because I don’t like getting angry.  Christianity fails here big time, it advocates righteous anger but #$%$ I don’t want that kind of anger and Islam, well, they kind of thrive on it, don’t they sometimes, there is no anger found in the teachings and spirit of Buddhism.  And is Buddhism supposed to help you persuade the penguins community spirit I’m all for but not during quizzes, exams, or writing essays.

Faiz ought to finish doing what he supposedly knows best on the car tomorrow afternoon.  The entire morning is open to thinking about the classroom.  Boo.  I know if I am not prepared these children at heart will walk out, mentally that is.  So, the profession I’ve wanted to walk away from keeps pulling me back in, and what can I do.  A few weeks ago I removed myself from a facebook street life photo page and joined a Leica group today only to see there are a few Leica groups, and yawn, just because you can afford a famous camera doesn’t mean you know how to use it. 

Eating my sausage and egg mcmuffin I saw the news today, oh boy, Friday the 13^th, as if that ever had any meaning.  I took a ‘do you know Detroit’ quiz and scored a 64, not bad considering I was guessing half the questions.  I watched a few Jon Stewart and Oliver youtube clips, read a little FDR, washed the darks and that’s it.  Is there anything else today, no, please let’s go to sleep.