My kids came home today with their final report cards from the year. Excellence all around - one very proud mamabear for sure. They also came home with their final scores on some standardized tests that they took earlier this year. Again, excellent, excellent - out of 202 questions, for instance, my daughter only missed 4. But I digress.
What I thought was interesting is that they had the information about the test, how to interpet the scores, etc. in English, Spanish - and not French as I expected. Not Chinese, Arabic, or Hindi (among the top 10 spoken languages in the world). It was in Haitian Creole. Which, without the label, I would never have identified (even with an ear and eye for language, and some time spent devoted to linguistic studies - albeit it WAS 20 years ago). A true Creole for certain, such an amalgamation of phonemes and morpheme from what appear to be about 12 different source languages...an intriguing sight to see. But it wasn't so much the actual language that caught me off guard - just the choice of language printed on a national, standardized test result. I know English is becoming the second most spoken lanuage in the US - with Spanish vaulting into the spotlight in that category.
I just wouldn't have guessed Haitian Creole. Maybe one day my little girl will say to me, "Mwen vle vin yon dokté"...and a doctor she will become. Because you know what, I guess that ol' Haitian saying is true - "Pale franse pa di lèspri ou." "Speaking French doesn't make you smart."
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Thursday, June 09, 2011
The Ferris Wheel
How do I feel like a Ferris wheel? Not really me, per se, but my life. You look at it from afar and it's big and twinkling and turning, a graceful machine moving along, giving the greatest vantage point to those who ride along. But when you're actually on it, it can be a different story. It can be exhilerating, and relaxing, and exciting, and daunting. It can make you feel as free as a bird, and sick to your stomach. You can see far, and you can see below. You can see where you're going, and you can see where you've been.
But in the end, you keep moving in the same path, over and over. And someone else is ultimately in control. Someone else stops speeds the wheel up or slows the wheel down. Someone else stops it when someone wants off. Once you're on, you've got to at least make it around once, and even then there's no guarantee you're getting off after that turn.
That's just kinda how things are feelin' right now. Round and round we go...
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Suck It Up And Deal.
I used to use that phrase a lot when I was younger. Then for some reason I stopped. Perhaps because it could be a bit offensive, and my maturity set in. But really, it's fully applicable - perhaps now more than ever.
We've become such a society of whiners. Privileged whiners - which I suppose are really the only kind there are. Those without privilege may complain, but I doubt they whine as much.
We whine about our lack of our overwrought scheudles, our boredom, our lackluster marriages, our lonely singledoms, our aching backs, our neighbors choices, our kids friends, our kids in general, our parents, our government, our community, our taxes, our jobs, our shapes, our hair, our progessing age, our youth, our limitations, our lack of direction, our traditions, our lack thereof, etc.
Where else in the world do we have so many kids that are too fat; so many people that are too skinny by choice; so many people with multiple degrees that can't get jobs because they can't find one that fits their ideal vision; so many failed marriages; so many people spending so much money they don't have on things that don't really matter; so many in rehab; so many taboos on natural human behavior; so many hang ups derived from religion; so many people who want to be heard, but refuse to listen?
Good grief, people.
Where else in the world can you wake up and, for the most part, not worry if your house will be standing by the end of the day? That the water that comes to your house is clean (and comes at all)? That the grocery store is stocked with food, and you don't have to fight anyone for it? That you can take your kids to school and expect to pick them up or see them come home safely, without having to ford a river, avoid dangerous animals, or dodge bullets? That you can choose to waste your time and not suffer any immediate consequences? That you can pop a readily available pill for a head/back/anywhere ache or drink an elixer that will help you sleep at night? That you can express your opinion, no matter how idiotic or wrong it may be, loud and proud, and either be heard or ignored, but regardless, go on your merry way?
I'm not saying it's perfect everywhere. I'm not saying we've all got it so good. But for the most part, as Americans - we take so much for granted. And yes, there are parts of this country that are blighted and troubled, and need significant help. But even in the worst of the worst, there are options. You just have to be willing to see them.
But for those of us not in those most dire of situations? Suck it up and deal, people. Suck it up and deal.
We've become such a society of whiners. Privileged whiners - which I suppose are really the only kind there are. Those without privilege may complain, but I doubt they whine as much.
We whine about our lack of our overwrought scheudles, our boredom, our lackluster marriages, our lonely singledoms, our aching backs, our neighbors choices, our kids friends, our kids in general, our parents, our government, our community, our taxes, our jobs, our shapes, our hair, our progessing age, our youth, our limitations, our lack of direction, our traditions, our lack thereof, etc.
Where else in the world do we have so many kids that are too fat; so many people that are too skinny by choice; so many people with multiple degrees that can't get jobs because they can't find one that fits their ideal vision; so many failed marriages; so many people spending so much money they don't have on things that don't really matter; so many in rehab; so many taboos on natural human behavior; so many hang ups derived from religion; so many people who want to be heard, but refuse to listen?
Good grief, people.
Where else in the world can you wake up and, for the most part, not worry if your house will be standing by the end of the day? That the water that comes to your house is clean (and comes at all)? That the grocery store is stocked with food, and you don't have to fight anyone for it? That you can take your kids to school and expect to pick them up or see them come home safely, without having to ford a river, avoid dangerous animals, or dodge bullets? That you can choose to waste your time and not suffer any immediate consequences? That you can pop a readily available pill for a head/back/anywhere ache or drink an elixer that will help you sleep at night? That you can express your opinion, no matter how idiotic or wrong it may be, loud and proud, and either be heard or ignored, but regardless, go on your merry way?
I'm not saying it's perfect everywhere. I'm not saying we've all got it so good. But for the most part, as Americans - we take so much for granted. And yes, there are parts of this country that are blighted and troubled, and need significant help. But even in the worst of the worst, there are options. You just have to be willing to see them.
But for those of us not in those most dire of situations? Suck it up and deal, people. Suck it up and deal.
The New Holy Three?
That's it. I'm official. The Major Triumverate of Media...Facebook, Blog...and now Twitter. I resisted Twitter for so long, but I'm in. This could get interesting...
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