Ok, I have no real interest in the details of this particular story, but I loved the title so I thought I'd link it for fun!
Brown favors Green over White
...those colors just never seem to get along, do they! ha!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
random funniness
Ok, I'm sure you know (or have figured out by this point) that I enjoy good, random humor--unique and interesting ways to be funny in a positive yet up-beat manner. Well, I have stumbled upon yet another new item of random funniness today: Improv Everywhere
Here's the 'about me' info from the site:
Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 60 missions involving hundreds of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City.
My favorites thus far have been Best Buy , Slo-mo Home Depot and Best Gig Ever.
Here's the 'about me' info from the site:
Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 60 missions involving hundreds of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City.
My favorites thus far have been Best Buy , Slo-mo Home Depot and Best Gig Ever.
the first day of summer...for me, anyway
This is it! School ended yesterday and now I have arrived at those glorious lazy days of summer that I've heard so much about over the last several years. No rushing off to camp this year! (I would have been there for four days already--deep in the midst of bonding and planning--had I worked this summer.) Not to worry. I have plenty to keep me busy and the uncertainty of potential unemployment or a big move looming in the distance. But for now, I think not of that. I appreciate the fact that school is OVER and my time is my own...sort of. ;) [No, that is not ME in that hammock. This picture is just representative of the plans I have for the summer...first on the list: get a hammock!]So what might you imagine my life is like now that the days of summer have begun? Well, around 2am I am awakened by strange dreams of having messed up while grading my 7th graders' final exams to find that I have heartburn (ugh!)...so I stumble to the dark bathroom, chew on a few of those awful, chalky flavored wafers (a side question: why do they flavor those things? is ANY flavor going be appealing if your stomach isn't feeling well???) and return to bed, planning to sleep until I wake up naturally...something I rarely have the luxury to do. And so after a period of lovely, restful dozing, I awaken imagining it to be oh, probably 8:30 or 9am by this point. I hear birds chirping; the sunlight is streaming through my dinky mini-blinds. My curiosity as to the time finally gets the better of me and I open my eyes to look: 7:20am!! ugh! And then I'm almost simultaneously struck by another awful realization: My throat is sore. It figures! My first day of freedom and I wake up early and with a sore throat. Blah.
So far these lazy days of summer haven't been so glorious to me! Perhaps they'll get better...perhaps not, but for the moment they are mine. A glorious paid summer off. And do not ever let anyone fool you. These long breaks are not for the students. They are so that the teachers can forget why they were on the verge of resigning before the break!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
every new beginning...
'every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end'
It's a line from an over-played song by Semisonic circa 1999, but while the song is out of vogue--forgotten, along with a plethora of other songs that are relegated to the dungeon of non-peak play lists--the sentiment is timeless. Graduation was last night. It was our school's first graduation. And while it was beautiful and special, I can't help but be a little melancholy today as I think back over the last three years and recognize all that has brought us to this point.
I started teaching at Highland as a last-minute replacement for a middle/high school math position that had become vacant at the end of the first quarter. My initial encounter with the then 10th graders was probably less than warm. They were not happy about the turn of events that brought me to the school, and--according to Hanna--they had planned to dislike me from the start. I was stressed out about teaching Geometry, so I really didn't pick up on the coolness of the group, and, as I was a close friend of their class sponsor, I tagged along on many of their fundraisers and outings. I guess they eventually came to accept me and we all survived that year of Geometry.
And then the next year I transitioned into teaching English and Bible. I was their Apologetics teacher and as we had a very open curriculum, the class gave us wonderful opportunities to plumb the depths of many ponderous mysteries--mainly those of God and boys. I continued to participate in those fundraisers and we went to NYC that spring. Now, you haven't really been to NYC until you've been there with a group of 16-year-old girls...and Aggie! Truly one of the most memorable experiences of my life!
And then this year they were seniors. I had a mixed class of juniors and seniors for Speech I--a class that no one wanted to take! Gone were the days of in-depth conversation which could be considered class discussion. We now had a defined subject matter and a classroom infiltrated by another group. With a larger group and some serious cases of senioritis, we lost some of the camaraderie of before. No princess parties to commiserate over. No trip itineraries to plan. It was par-for-the-course, so to speak. Relationships ebb and flow, and I thought it a natural separation as these girls began to plan for the next phase of their lives.
And then came graduation. I expected to be more emotional about the whole thing, but I had a camera in my hands and I was more concerned with preserving memories than I was about processing them. I listened to speeches and presentations with the ear of a speech teacher and I watched it all with the eyes of a photographer. I was excited to see them in their caps and gowns. I was amazed to see Brittney looking out at the crowd as she gave her speech. I laughed at this ridiculously entertaining German in his Italian suit as he talked of his upcoming debate with the guest speaker. (Becca's gonna be the only one who gets that.) I hurriedly ate my meal and chatted with co-workers and then I wandered around the restaurant snapping pictures of the chatty family and friends of the graduates.
And then I brought the film in to be developed. As I looked through the pictures, I was struck with a bittersweet reality--it's over. We are now at 'some other beginning's end'. They've graduated. They're moving on to exciting new beginnings. They will never all be together again as they have been...and for a group of five girls who have been in school together since elementary school, that's a big deal. And while I'm sure that each of them will be successful in the days and years ahead, I still grieve for the days and years left behind. Time is such an interesting concept. You cannot speed it up, you cannot slow it down, and it will not be stopped. I just wish that it came with a pause button! Change is exciting and surprising and a necessity, I know...but it involves some growing pains and loss that catch me by surprise from time to time.
So to the class of 2007, I will remember you...
...in short, I will think of you often! I love you!!
It's a line from an over-played song by Semisonic circa 1999, but while the song is out of vogue--forgotten, along with a plethora of other songs that are relegated to the dungeon of non-peak play lists--the sentiment is timeless. Graduation was last night. It was our school's first graduation. And while it was beautiful and special, I can't help but be a little melancholy today as I think back over the last three years and recognize all that has brought us to this point.
I started teaching at Highland as a last-minute replacement for a middle/high school math position that had become vacant at the end of the first quarter. My initial encounter with the then 10th graders was probably less than warm. They were not happy about the turn of events that brought me to the school, and--according to Hanna--they had planned to dislike me from the start. I was stressed out about teaching Geometry, so I really didn't pick up on the coolness of the group, and, as I was a close friend of their class sponsor, I tagged along on many of their fundraisers and outings. I guess they eventually came to accept me and we all survived that year of Geometry.
And then the next year I transitioned into teaching English and Bible. I was their Apologetics teacher and as we had a very open curriculum, the class gave us wonderful opportunities to plumb the depths of many ponderous mysteries--mainly those of God and boys. I continued to participate in those fundraisers and we went to NYC that spring. Now, you haven't really been to NYC until you've been there with a group of 16-year-old girls...and Aggie! Truly one of the most memorable experiences of my life!
And then this year they were seniors. I had a mixed class of juniors and seniors for Speech I--a class that no one wanted to take! Gone were the days of in-depth conversation which could be considered class discussion. We now had a defined subject matter and a classroom infiltrated by another group. With a larger group and some serious cases of senioritis, we lost some of the camaraderie of before. No princess parties to commiserate over. No trip itineraries to plan. It was par-for-the-course, so to speak. Relationships ebb and flow, and I thought it a natural separation as these girls began to plan for the next phase of their lives.
And then came graduation. I expected to be more emotional about the whole thing, but I had a camera in my hands and I was more concerned with preserving memories than I was about processing them. I listened to speeches and presentations with the ear of a speech teacher and I watched it all with the eyes of a photographer. I was excited to see them in their caps and gowns. I was amazed to see Brittney looking out at the crowd as she gave her speech. I laughed at this ridiculously entertaining German in his Italian suit as he talked of his upcoming debate with the guest speaker. (Becca's gonna be the only one who gets that.) I hurriedly ate my meal and chatted with co-workers and then I wandered around the restaurant snapping pictures of the chatty family and friends of the graduates.
And then I brought the film in to be developed. As I looked through the pictures, I was struck with a bittersweet reality--it's over. We are now at 'some other beginning's end'. They've graduated. They're moving on to exciting new beginnings. They will never all be together again as they have been...and for a group of five girls who have been in school together since elementary school, that's a big deal. And while I'm sure that each of them will be successful in the days and years ahead, I still grieve for the days and years left behind. Time is such an interesting concept. You cannot speed it up, you cannot slow it down, and it will not be stopped. I just wish that it came with a pause button! Change is exciting and surprising and a necessity, I know...but it involves some growing pains and loss that catch me by surprise from time to time.
So to the class of 2007, I will remember you...
- every time I see a Louis Vuitton purse
- every time I hale a cab
- every time I see a crystal tiara
- every time I hear The Prayer
- every time I eat an airplane biscotti cookie
- every time I avoid a geometry proof ;)
- every time I see a little Chinese man fall through a wall (...hopefully never again!)
- every time I wear camo
- every time I see Christmas decorations
- every time I eat a 'Big Bertha' or a Caramel Cream
- every time I hear Wicked or Phantom
- every time I read Donald Miller
- every time I see prom dresses
- every time I run into Brittney's future husband!!
- every time I encounter a group of girls as diverse as can be, but who still know and love each other like sisters
...in short, I will think of you often! I love you!!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
an open letter to the seniors of 2007
a few months ago i had some deep thoughts regarding that annual launch into the real world that our little bunch of seniors (along with many others) will be experiencing in the next few weeks. this was the result. i post it here just because it's something that i enjoyed writing and i wanted to share.Ok, here it is…Hintze’s long-winded letter of unsolicited advice and admonition! You had to know it was coming!! I tease, but please know that I’ve been writing this letter for a while now. It is a composition that has grown in my heart over a vast multitude of experiences—some directly related to you and others of a personal nature—that have caused me to pause and ponder the deeper significance of the new and exciting opportunities you will face as you graduate and enter a different stage of life. So without further ado, here is that unsolicited advice!
First of all, I encourage you to develop relationships with your professors and then work to make them proud. We will strive to blossom in the light of those to whom we admire and recognize as people of significance in our lives. One of the most dangerous choices you can make is to stay on the side-lines and look for ways to do the bare minimum. Yes, you will find that the route of mediocrity has it’s immediate benefits, but you will rob yourself of the rich feeling of a job well-done and eventually, that habit of mediocrity will combine to launch you into a mediocre job in a field where you will then have to exercise long-atrophied muscles in an attempt to climb a ladder of increasing opportunity. Whereas, if you strive at the little things—that first big paper or project in your chosen field, shooting for the high ‘A’ rather than the minimum requirement in your field ‘C’, making a dedicated effort to work far enough ahead of time so that you can sleep the whole night when something is due the next day—you will earn the respect of people who are in positions to advise and direct you and to recommend you highly when the time comes. And yes, perhaps you may still land that mediocre job, but you will be far more prepared to climb that same ladder where better opportunities are waiting.
Remember that, if you are a Christian, you are always a representative of Christ. If you are kind and sincerely helpful to a fellow classmate who is struggling with the course, gracious to a rude graduate student, or dignified in a heated class discussion, you represent Christ. If you are easily swayed into trying “new things” that you know you should abstain from, curled over the edge of the nearest waste-holding receptacle in your body’s effort to right itself after an evening of over-indulgence, or develop a reputation as a very friendly, helpful girl amongst the guys in your circle but find yourself at the sharp end of every gal-pal’s tongue, you represent Christ. Being a Christian does not hinder your ability to make your own decisions because we are all given the free will to choose how we will behave in every instance. Being a Christian means you should desire to make those choices in a way that will glorify the One through whom you claim Life. You can and will make mistakes, but your mistakes should be innocent in their intent. Be on guard, because Satan can use a new “church” friend just as easily as he can the hard-partying frat boy. Some of his efforts will be more obvious than others.
The world has developed a sense of what Christianity is based on the people who claim to represent its values. Oftentimes, those people only represent particular ideals that they naively believe to be biblical rather than seeking to represent the One to whom they claim relationship. Show your world the authenticity of a true relationship with Christ in such a way that they will notice that even though you claim the same Christ, you behave in a very different manner. In order to do that, you must know for yourself how Christ behaved and then seek to actively model that behavior. He did not shrink away from those of lowly profession or design, but neither did he engage in the deviant behavior of others in a way to “connect.” He stood as one of compassionate strength in the face of embarrassing weakness, and he stood as one of uncompromising integrity in the face of misapplied religious intolerance. He was gracious with those who recognized their errors and adamant against those who sought to mangle the Truth that he came to fulfill. He was an advocate for the down-trodden and the mighty hand of judgment for those who used religion to judge. Seek to emulate Him in ALL you do.
Finally, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).” Wise words from Paul—a man repeatedly tested in his faith and who had every right to harbor bitterness and seek revenge. Choose peace—a peace that comes from doing the right thing; a peace that recognizes the trials of life, but chooses not to succumb to the cowardice and self-loathing that come with compromise. There will be times when you will be falsely accused, discriminated against, and rejected, but let these experiences be an act of pruning rather than a source of bitterness.
I love you dearly and I will always hold a special place in my heart for each of you. I pray God’s blessings and favor upon your lives and I hope that you continue to recognize His guidance as you grow and mature. You are beautiful young ladies with such promise…I look forward to the day when I’m able to see the fruition of the hopes and dreams you carry today. The choices that you will make in the next few years are significant—make them wisely and with much prayer.
I leave you with the words of Peter, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Ptr 3:18)”
Blessings,
Beth Hintze
First of all, I encourage you to develop relationships with your professors and then work to make them proud. We will strive to blossom in the light of those to whom we admire and recognize as people of significance in our lives. One of the most dangerous choices you can make is to stay on the side-lines and look for ways to do the bare minimum. Yes, you will find that the route of mediocrity has it’s immediate benefits, but you will rob yourself of the rich feeling of a job well-done and eventually, that habit of mediocrity will combine to launch you into a mediocre job in a field where you will then have to exercise long-atrophied muscles in an attempt to climb a ladder of increasing opportunity. Whereas, if you strive at the little things—that first big paper or project in your chosen field, shooting for the high ‘A’ rather than the minimum requirement in your field ‘C’, making a dedicated effort to work far enough ahead of time so that you can sleep the whole night when something is due the next day—you will earn the respect of people who are in positions to advise and direct you and to recommend you highly when the time comes. And yes, perhaps you may still land that mediocre job, but you will be far more prepared to climb that same ladder where better opportunities are waiting.
Remember that, if you are a Christian, you are always a representative of Christ. If you are kind and sincerely helpful to a fellow classmate who is struggling with the course, gracious to a rude graduate student, or dignified in a heated class discussion, you represent Christ. If you are easily swayed into trying “new things” that you know you should abstain from, curled over the edge of the nearest waste-holding receptacle in your body’s effort to right itself after an evening of over-indulgence, or develop a reputation as a very friendly, helpful girl amongst the guys in your circle but find yourself at the sharp end of every gal-pal’s tongue, you represent Christ. Being a Christian does not hinder your ability to make your own decisions because we are all given the free will to choose how we will behave in every instance. Being a Christian means you should desire to make those choices in a way that will glorify the One through whom you claim Life. You can and will make mistakes, but your mistakes should be innocent in their intent. Be on guard, because Satan can use a new “church” friend just as easily as he can the hard-partying frat boy. Some of his efforts will be more obvious than others.
The world has developed a sense of what Christianity is based on the people who claim to represent its values. Oftentimes, those people only represent particular ideals that they naively believe to be biblical rather than seeking to represent the One to whom they claim relationship. Show your world the authenticity of a true relationship with Christ in such a way that they will notice that even though you claim the same Christ, you behave in a very different manner. In order to do that, you must know for yourself how Christ behaved and then seek to actively model that behavior. He did not shrink away from those of lowly profession or design, but neither did he engage in the deviant behavior of others in a way to “connect.” He stood as one of compassionate strength in the face of embarrassing weakness, and he stood as one of uncompromising integrity in the face of misapplied religious intolerance. He was gracious with those who recognized their errors and adamant against those who sought to mangle the Truth that he came to fulfill. He was an advocate for the down-trodden and the mighty hand of judgment for those who used religion to judge. Seek to emulate Him in ALL you do.
Finally, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).” Wise words from Paul—a man repeatedly tested in his faith and who had every right to harbor bitterness and seek revenge. Choose peace—a peace that comes from doing the right thing; a peace that recognizes the trials of life, but chooses not to succumb to the cowardice and self-loathing that come with compromise. There will be times when you will be falsely accused, discriminated against, and rejected, but let these experiences be an act of pruning rather than a source of bitterness.
I love you dearly and I will always hold a special place in my heart for each of you. I pray God’s blessings and favor upon your lives and I hope that you continue to recognize His guidance as you grow and mature. You are beautiful young ladies with such promise…I look forward to the day when I’m able to see the fruition of the hopes and dreams you carry today. The choices that you will make in the next few years are significant—make them wisely and with much prayer.
I leave you with the words of Peter, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Ptr 3:18)”
Blessings,
Beth Hintze
long time no see!!
no, i have not forgotten that i have a blog. yes, i do miss blogging. i still find myself composing potential posts in my head from time to time. my absence has been a forced hiatus of sorts. i just have not had the time these days...well, "not having the time" is not truly accurate. i'm still finding the time to watch LOST and Grey's Anatomy pretty religiously. i got a new camera that i've been having fun playing with. i just found a new nail color that i'm loving something fierce so now i have really cute toes!
i guess it's better to say that i've been mentally removing a few irons from the fire. blogging is fun, but when i'm creating a bevy of notes and assignments and tests, and then doing contract editing in the meantime, my words are maxed out--and no commenting from the peanut gallery! ;) i'm only blogging now because i'm looking for a way to procrastinate a little before going back to work! yep, too many irons in the fire. hopefully, things will be easing up soon. school is finished on May 25th. I'm not working camp for the first time in SIX years, so i plan to spend the time catching up on the contract work and enjoying the down time. i'm still not sure what will happen this fall with regard to jobs and where i'll be living and all, but i don't need to decide any of that in the next two weeks, so i won't worry about it now.
i just wanted to say hi and apologize to my one reader for abandoning my blog! i'll do better this summer, i promise!
i guess it's better to say that i've been mentally removing a few irons from the fire. blogging is fun, but when i'm creating a bevy of notes and assignments and tests, and then doing contract editing in the meantime, my words are maxed out--and no commenting from the peanut gallery! ;) i'm only blogging now because i'm looking for a way to procrastinate a little before going back to work! yep, too many irons in the fire. hopefully, things will be easing up soon. school is finished on May 25th. I'm not working camp for the first time in SIX years, so i plan to spend the time catching up on the contract work and enjoying the down time. i'm still not sure what will happen this fall with regard to jobs and where i'll be living and all, but i don't need to decide any of that in the next two weeks, so i won't worry about it now.
i just wanted to say hi and apologize to my one reader for abandoning my blog! i'll do better this summer, i promise!
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