Falling back into the smooth routine of daily work comes easier than I thought. Jamaica Kincaid once waxed philosophical about the detrimental effects of vacations (specifically in regards to the mindset the vacationer has towards the vacation spot). I feel now that vacations are meant to be limited things, especially in cases where what you do defines a significant portion of who you are. Who I am is a person that dances lightly between creating curriculum and fiction. Being away from both too long is known to trigger headaches and clammy skin–much like alcohol withdrawal. Now that I’m back to work the only real difficulty is deciding what to do first.
Some Thoughts:
- I was recently informed that upwards of 200 Maricopa school children are underfed. In fact, these are the children who only eat when free meals are provided at school. So, from the time they leave school on friday until monday morning’s school breakfast these children are unfed. That doesn’t sit right with me at all. I cannot watch my own three boys poke at a meal knowing that someone they probably know is unable to eat dinner every night and unable to eat at all on the weekends. I decided the moment I heard this that I would need to do something. Maricopa is not necessarily a poor town, but as more people move here, it does feel like the median income is shrinking. I moved here because the demographics worked for me and it felt like a town just starting to come together and I wanted to be a part of that. I still want to be a part of that. Now I want to be the part that helps people in need.
- My heart goes out to the people of OK who are dealing with a horrific tornado disaster. 51 declared dead in Moore, OK as a result of an EF-4 Tornado said to be two miles wide with speeds up to 200 MPH and perhaps more. This is one of the few times that I find purpose in the 24 hr news cycle as it gives us a chance to stay abreast of an evolving situation.
- Speaking of 24, the hit series about a day in the life of Jack Bauer is set to return in 2013 for a 12 episode mini-series. I’m stoked about the return, but I am also a little hesitant given Fox’s recent track record with action-adventure series.