Tag Archives: it’s the economy

Lunch Plans

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Lunch – sometimes it’s exhausting to plan a week’s worth of lunches. I usually put the leftovers together at night, and if I don’t have something I like I’ll make a sandwich or a salad. I haven’t taken the cafeteria lunch since…well, in quite a while. Maybe I should – or I should at least read the menu.

From a coworker —

According to the lunch menu, today we’ll be having seasoned refined beans. How sophisticated! 

She pointed out the error to the cafeteria staff, and they were clueless. They simply stared. The worst part? She said the refried beans weren’t very good.

So in honor of the cafeteria’s “Refined Beans” I give you – ten ways to use leftover frijoles, or refried beans.

  1. Use to thicken a bean soup.
  2. Serve atop Spanish rice.
  3. Add to tacos.
  4. Add to Calico Beans (Calico Beans are already a mix of flavors.)
  5. Mix into a meatloaf before cooking.
  6. Mix with chicken fajitas.
  7. Serve swirled in a cheesy salsa.
  8. Heat up with leftover rice and corn.
  9. Hide in leftover chili.
  10. Refine it with chili peppers and a margarita. You won’t know the difference.

Luckily for me, we ordered Chinese on Friday. I only ate half, and I saved the rest for Monday’s lunch. If only I had an extra fortune cookie.

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Teaching – it’s still political

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This is an encore from 2008. 2008?!?! How can it be that a post I wrote in 2008 is still relevant? No, don’t answer that.

I get my news from a variety of sources: my local newspaper, news websites online, and more. I find people who are like-minded online, too. This primary election — you know, the longest one in recent history — isn’t as dull as some say. In fact, even as I worry that Party conflicts may provide the opposition with too much ammunition, I’m finding it downright fascinating.

Teaching is a political profession. Besides the internal district politics, administrative power and control, my daily work is affected by decisions made in the state capital and in Washington, D.C. When my friends tell me that they just want to “close their doors and teach,” I want to grab them by the shoulders, look them in the eyes, and say, “You can’t shut out the laws! You need to help make them! And change them!” And then I want to go home and write a letter to my senators and congressional reps.

A few years ago Rod Paige, then Secretary of Education, called my national association (the NEA) a nasty name. He asserted that our tactics were terrorist in nature. I wrote letters. I sent emails. Many, many educators did the same. By calling teachers terrorists, he put us in the category of those with whom our government is at war. This kind of outlook in the Bush cabinet has been very damaging to public education.

Now the NEA (National Education Association) is looking for slogans to help publicize the need for professional wages in education. I have a few ideas, and I know there are clever educators who can access their inner salesperson and come up with a really good campaign. What do you think, boys and girls? Women and men? Ladies and gentlemen of the classroom and beyond? Educating everyone takes everyone — in the village and beyond — and it’s not cheap.

My slogan thoughts so far:

Do the math: pay like a pro.
No Classroom Left Unfunded
A “free” Public Education is priceless, not costly.

There are slogans built into existing quotes, too:
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.

But for now, I’ll keep informed on the upcoming election and I’ll keep writing creative and effective lesson plans to connect with students in every way I can. I feel fortunate to work in a great field, one where I can make a difference. My votes can help ensure support from the legislatures and the White House.

Yours can, too.

And if you’d like an updated perspective, look to The Broad Side. You’ll see why this is sadly still relevant.

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I’ll Buy it Myself.

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The conversation ended something like this.

“And here we go again; every discussion seems to center around how we can get books for our students.”

“I give up. I am just going to buy the books myself and write it off on my taxes.”

And the meeting went on for a little while, but that statement was the end of conscious debate. We quit looking for solutions, and it just felt so wrong. And then it dawned on me.

That’s what “they” want. That’s what the Powers That Be count on. They’ll keep cutting the budget, they’ll keep knocking down workers’ rights, they’ll make sure those of us who work in education can’t get anything for the students we teach. We, the nurturers, the teachers, the counselors, the caretakers, can’t stand to see students get shortchanged. If it’ll hurt our kiddos, we’ll make it go away.

It’s time to stop.

Nothing will change for the better, and the state of the state will certainly continue to change for the worse, as long as the nurturers and caregivers and teachers keep making do. As long as we keep putting bandaids on the wounds (and buying generic bandages out of our own pockets), the educational system will continue to bleed until the entire body, er, system collapses.

And why won’t anyone listen? The folks we call the “general public” doesn’t see a problem because we keep making it invisible. 

It’s time to stop.

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If I Had a Patron Saint

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‘Tis the season – the season for Friday Night Fish Fries, meatless meals and sacrifice. This is an encore from a few years ago. Do you have a patron saint, readers?

If I had a patron saint, it would be — that’s not easy to say. My desktop calendar often lists historical events and trivial facts, and the patron saints turn up now and then.

St. Timothy is the protector for those with intestinal ailments. My entire family could fall into that category more often than not.

St. Francis de Sales is the Patron Saint of authors, teachers, and (are you ready for this?) the deaf. Bloggers don’t have a Patron Saint – yet – so I’ll stick to Sales.

Given the current political climate in Wisconsin, the “divide and conquer” philosophy in the Governor’s mansion, I wondered (in my own liberal and ecumenical fashion) – could there be a patron saint of politicians? According to a less than scientific Internet search, I came up with St. Thomas More. Thomas studied law at Oxford and eventually became Lord Chancellor of England. Cool, eh? Sir Thomas More is also known as the patron saint of lawyers. In that vein, we should note that he was tried and convicted of treason and beheaded in July of 1535.

A more complicated search revealed that government workers, those falling victim to the present “Divide and Conquer” tactics, have a multitude of patron saints assigned to intercede on their behalf. Behalfs? Behalves? I was raised Presbyterian; I don’t know the grammar of a patron saint. St. Homobonus, he who looks out for business people, joins St. Thomas More again in a reference to taking care of government employees and civil service workers.

I find it interesting that good ole’ Thomas shares responsibility for both government employees and the politicians who ultimately oversee them. If we Wisconsin workers had to look for divine intervention, St. Thomas More might be too conflicted to help. He wouldn’t know whether to divide or unite, conquer or compromise. Would he carry a protest sign, join the overpass light brigade, or install metal detectors at the Capitol to keep the cowbells out? Would he sign a recall petition, contribute to a campaign, or sponsor a television commercial? And how would someone with these responsibilities ultimately vote?

With so many decisions to make, it’s no wonder Sir Thomas More lost his head.

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Winter. Such a Long, Long Winter.

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Winter always feels long toward the end of February. No matter when the first snowfall came, I’m always ready to look for spring right about now. I don’t believe that goofy furry faced groundhog, either. In the cold Midwest, not far from an NFL stadium nicknamed the Frozen Tundra, we always have at least six more weeks of winter after the groundhog “speaks”.

The question remains, then, what do we do about it? Some people travel to warm places. Some of us stay here and face the thermometer. Some of my colleagues share links to “Frozen Office Syndrome” and “21 Products You Need to Stay Warm in the Office“. Each day we pull on our fingerless gloves, drape blankets on our laps or over our shoulders – or both – boot up our computers and get to work.

And then it’s time to come home. Home, sweet home, where the furnace is pumping and the crock pot is simmering with comfort food like chicken dumpling soup or lamb stew with plums. We can’t quite forget that baby, it’s cold outside.

Really, what does a resident of Wisconsin do when there are still at least six weeks of winter? If you’re a die hard gardener like me, you might be starting seeds right about now. I braved the cold (4 degrees above zero, people, and that’s before the wind chill) and brought home two big bags of potting soil. I took inventory of my seeds and decided what I still needed to buy. I spent almost $50 on soil, seeds, and a few random snacks and a big roll of packing tape (for wrapping books to swap), presented my $10 off coupon, handed over my own shopping bag, and focused forward. Spring will come, and I will be ready!

I can hope and plan and even dream a little. The grow lights will keep the little seedlings warm, and the Muk Luks slippers will keep me cozy. Muk Luks? Oh, that’s another story.

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Save No Money at the Big Box Store

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We needed a shed – a big box, if you will. We’d somehow missed the seasonal sales, so it took a good search to find the best deal on the best size shed. Chuck found one at a store that doesn’t usually attract our attention.

“With the discount, it’s the right price for exactly the right size, and we can have it delivered.”

“Okay.”

“Well, it’s not really a discount. It’s a rebate.”

“Then we’ll be sure to do the paperwork.”

“And the rebate is in the form of a store credit gift card.”

“If that’s what it is, that’s what it is. I’ll apply it toward garden supplies in the spring.”

We came to regret it. The delivery ran into snags and got here several days later than expected, which gave Chuck the job of assembling it outside in nasty fall-hints-at-winter weather. Then we all shared the same virus, and not even rebate paperwork could pull me away from the bucket next to my bed. Those were small inconveniences, though. The final word, however, was this: the email with the rebate instructions came after the rebate deadline.

Now we’re shaking our heads, saying we knew better, but we didn’t act on our past experience. It’s highly doubtful that we’ll go back to this store, rebate or no rebate. If we miss the sales, we’ll go to the store that has everything and more and a big orange silo in the middle.

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If Jeopardy held a Governors’ Tournament

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Alex Trebek made my day. He mentioned having just finished the Teachers’ Tournament, and then he said that based on his observations, the country’s children are in good hands.

Consider the following. Instead of a Teachers’ Tournament, Alex Trebek would host a gathering of the great, er, the leaders of several states. I can see it now: Scott Walker, Chris Christie, and — well, who would you like in the third spot?

Alex: And the categories for the first round are — Roadblocks, Foreign Policy, Involuntary Quarantine, College Honor Codes, Scandals ending in -Gate, and Everything’s Better with Koch. Where should we start?

Walker: I’m going to punt on that one.

Christie: Wait, let me get my fleece. It has my name on it.

Alex: Gentlemen, a category, please.

Christie: Scandals ending in -gate for 200, Alex.

Alex: The first -gate named scandal started with a break-in at this hotel.

Walker: What is the Farm Bed and Breakfast gate?

Alex: No. I know Wisconsin is the Dairy state, but, um, no.

Christie:  Foreign Policy for 200, Alex.

Alex: Yes, Scott?

Walker: I just don’t think you talk about foreign policy while you’re on foreign soil.

Alex: We’re in Hollywod. Southern California.

Walker: Then we’ll go to College Honor Codes, whatever they are, for 400.

Readers, you get the idea. Today’s children are in good hands for now. But if the narrow and uber-conservative right get their way, none of will be in good hands. If we want representation of the people, by the people, and for the people to remain, it’ll take more than a game. Stay informed, and stay active.

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School Board Elections – or not

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It happened – or didn’t happen- in Hagerman, New Mexico. There were three open seats on the school board. There were three candidates. No one voted. None of the candidates received any votes. None. Zero. Zilch.

Now what?

Here in the cold Midwest, we rarely get news from Hagerman or even its more famous neighbor, Roswell. Here in Wisconsin, we do take our public education seriously. When my fair city holds elections, people vote. If there’s an open school board seat (or two, or three), we’ll usually have a primary election to narrow down the candidates. Then we’ll get out the vote.

Unfortunately, Wisconsin voters did not vote for education last November. Our governor is poised to make massive cuts in public education (Kindergarten through High School) and proposes devastating budget reductions on our University of Wisconsin system.

I haven’t actively volunteered since the 2012 presidential election. I’ve made donations and signed election papers and blogged and spread the word, but I haven’t stepped up and given of my time – yet. I blame my health.. I also blame issue fatigue. One troubling law after another, and eventually I had to focus on the one issue that matters the most: doing my own job well and keeping my family fed.

Folks, I predict a rise in activism in Wisconsin. I predict letters to the editor of the paper, facebook groups, blogs, and more. As you’re waiting, look for green lights: green porch lights and outdoor lights. The weather may be too cold for yard signs, but the green lights will quietly send a message of solidarity.

Support public education: K12 and the University of Wisconsin.

Support public education: K12 and the University of Wisconsin.

 

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Newfangled, Old-fashioned, Cooking

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The trend in kitchens has been swinging in this direction for a while, away from mixes and pre-made frozen foods, back into cooking from scratch. Once in a while, when I’m just not capable of cooking (for whatever reason) we’ll go back to the old frozen pizza. Most of the time, though, we make the effort to put something good on the table and into our tummies.

To put supper on the table, sometimes we resort to a fully cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. For side dishes, we can reach for some frozen corn (frozen last summer when it was fresh), a small container of frozen red and green peppers, and toss all of this into the steamer to cook. Somehow, even as wrecked as we might feel, we manage to put a decent meal on for supper.

Later on, we attack the leftovers. All it takes are the bones from the chicken, the veggie water from the steamer, and a couple pieces of onion to make a chicken broth. I usually have to be in the kitchen making lunch for the next day, so I might as well get a broth simmering.

A broth like this will look and smell thick and tasty. When I’m tired and running almost on empty, sometimes I make the best use of my time. When everything is said and done, I can relax and go to bed knowing I’ve put in a good effort to feed the family and we didn’t even need to resort to frozen pizza – yet.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. This post originated a few years ago after a somewhat wild weekend for Chuck and Amigo. I don’t remember what I was doing, but it led to one of our pantry raids, supplemented by a rotisserie chicken. When life is rough, we manage. 

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Wisdom and Laundry – a slightly revised encore

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The original post aired in December of 2008. The philosophy still fits, and the details needed only a few minor updates. Enjoy.

Green washing of Jeans: wash first, dry last. Hang to air dry in between.
This saves time and energy by air drying the wettest of the jeans. They’ll shrink less, too, as they can now dry for a minimal time on the delicate cycle.

20 Mule Team Borax is a good invention.
It smells better than bleach, doesn’t spill (well, I don’t spill it as easily), and takes out stains well. It doesn’t cost as much as commercial detergent boosters, and the paper box is recyclable. I’ve used it to kill weeds, too. Hm. This might mean a little more research is necessary.

Detergent makers usually recommend at least double the amount that’s really needed to wash a load well.
Of course! They want me to buy twice as much of their product. Ha, ha, ha. I’m wise to this trick! My usual detergent is heavily concentrated, too; it works as well as the HE (High Efficiency) detergents in my front loading machine.

Dryers eat socks. Sometimes they spit them out later. I keep an Orphan Sock Box in the closet for socks waiting reconciliation.
This also works if one sock in a pair spouts a hole. When another pair from the same package suffers the same loss, there’s a new mate waiting. If a sock really, really doesn’t have a mate, well, I’m still working on that. Cleaning rags, perhaps.

Just because I do this chore efficiently doesn’t mean I like it.
I’ve learned enough tricks to get the family laundry done quickly and efficiently, get the stains out (mostly), and get all the clothes back in the closets and drawers by the time school and workweeks start Monday morning. It’s a necessity, family, not a pleasure. I’m glad Amigo now handles his own laundry.

Clothes must be washed, no matter what the other plans are. Fit it in.
See above. If we’re going away for part of the weekend, I’ll start sorting and washing ahead of time. If report cards are due, I’ll start a wash load, work on math grades, throw the wash in the dryer, work on reading grades, yada yada yada,

Each and every family member needs to own at least two weeks worth of underwear.
See above. If no one runs out of underwear, laundry can wait a week in a pinch. Maybe. So there’s the wisdom; make sure everyone has drawers in their drawers, and the livin’ is easy.

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