Confused About the Holiday, But Just Going Along With It Anyway. Stars Are In Odd Places

Yesterday, there was a lunch on campus in celebration of Mardis Gras, but I also learned that tomorrow's Valentine's Day also will be Ash Wednesday (eeks, I should know what that means, but don't), and next Monday is President's Day which means that there's no school, so Monday's classes are on Tuesday, and Tuesday's classes are canceled. Of course, on Wednesday, I fly out to Oklahoma, and this Friday I turn 46.

I'm not sure if these are dates to be celebrated or if it merely is an indication of everything being chaotic.

Did the Groundhog see his shadow? Is this more winter or are we heading to spring?

The campus provided one heck of a meal, including stuffed shrimp, jambalaya, and bourbon-induced ice-cream with cartelized bananas and King cakes (with a creepy baby in the middle). Note to self: research the baby - what is this all about? I know my colleague was collecting them from the dessert because she wanted to make a necklace. I'm missing something, but I was more than glad to give her my plastic child. It sort of creeped me out (although the rest was delicious).

Meanwhile, my graduate class went well and we hit most of the targeted goals, although I felt loosey-goosey with the points I was trying to make, trying to make up for the fact that there's no class next week. It's what it is.

This morning, I have 30 6th graders coming to be part of my undergraduate course, and I think I'm ready, as I stayed in my office until 9 pm preparing for their arrival.

And today is the V-Day, but to be honest, yesterday was everything anti-the-V-Day. There's something strange in the universe occurring right now where relationships are coming to new challenges. I spent a lot of time on the phone yesterday trying to work through crazy scenarios with couples that I never expected to have insane conflicts. Phew.

Oddly, the graduate class was all about active listening, showing support for dialogue, and engaging in where people are in their own thought processes. I simply listened. There was a lot of listening, and I kept thinking, "Hmmm. Is my planning for tonight and tomorrow's classes that important given the nature of these conversations?" I decided they were, and curbed them when necessary; still, I am shaking my head wondering what is going on. Sometimes, the curve balls surprise us all.

Today should be the last of my 12 hour days for a while, as I will get a slight retreat from classes, and concentration on other things - including grants and a 30 minute speech I need to give in Oklahoma next week. I know what I want to say, and with the changes in technology, I know that I can't rely on my usual way of saying it. I will need to write this weekend, and have a blue print of my thinking.

So, for today, I simply want to leave the word LOVE on the page. I guess it's also good to have ashes on Valentine's day, because sometimes LOVE leave scars and markings - even when we least expect it.  I'll be reading Love by Matt de la Peña and Loren Long with the 6th graders today as a prompt for writing, but I will also be channeling friends and family who may not be quite capable of articulating and explaining LOVE in their own lives. I've never enjoyed the 14th - because of it's proximity to my birth - and realize today, more than ever, that this holiday can really suck for people, especially when the ugliness of the heart presents itself.

Baby in a cake? It's weird. Ash tray markings on a forehead. I need to figure that out. Teaching 60 individuals in a space that has no windows - well, what else am I supposed to do? I wish I could share the back story of what it took to get the kids and undergraduates together.

Okay, Great Whatever. At this point, this day is up to you. I relinquish all control to you.