Some of you may remember my awful slam poetry incident. You know, where I wrote that paper, and designed those lessons? For that class? From hell? Taught by the Fascist Dinosaur that repressed me and tried to smother my soul?
Ya. That assignment.
Well, somehow I got an A out of class I was suppose to be failing. I blame teenagers, pot, and George Bush. They all saved me. Or drove Bernie mad enough to give me an A.
Anywho. I had to talk with some folks about it today, whilst preparing for making another droll, life shattering lesson plan about, you guessed it, Slam Poetry.
I figured, I should blog a link to that beauty, just to make myself feel a little more important than I actually am. Note to the viewer: This was recorded in July. I have since cut my hair. some of you may not recognize this. I apologize for the trip.
Here she is, in all her glooooory!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
One of those days
Ever have one of those days?
- A day where you lose your new Queen's coffee thermos thingy?
- A day where you are so tired you think you could just drop, right there in history curriculum class?
- A day where you got minimal sleep the night before because you put a ridiculous amount of effort into a pamphlet and a lesson plan?
- A day where you go to the mall (ew) to buy something to where out to impress no one that really matters so you can feel a smidgen of importance? And then NOT find a damn thing?
- A day where staring at the poop coloured walls of your dorm room seems like the most engaging thing you are capable of?
Ya. I'm having one of those days.
- One where every mirror I see makes me feel like a sumo wrestler
- One where I swear people are avoiding me
- One where I wish people were avoiding me
- One where all I had to do was watch Breakfast Club, eat Taco Bell and write a blog about absolutely nothing
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Bully Lecture
I just wanted to write a quick blurb tonight about this fantastic speaker who came to Queen's and gave a lecture this evening on Bullying entitled: The Bully, The Bullied and the Bystander. Barbara Coloroso treated this subject with dignity, seriousness and a sprinkle of humour.
I learnt a lot as a future educator about my role in the school as a safe place for students and as someone who never tolerates the targeting of people, young and old, by a group of people. Ever.
It reaffirmed a great many of the lessons I learnt last year in Tim Stanley's Racism and Anti-racism course during my master's degree.
Most importantly, however, it allowed me the dignity of recognizing the moments I have been bullied. It gave me the freedom to say to myself, no it's not right to be treated in a way the dehumanizes me. When people think less of me or make rude comments because I'm curvier than the media created image of a perfect woman, it isn't MY fault. There is NOTHING wrong with me, but with them. These actions are malicious and are meant to harm.
Who would ever do such a thing, you might ask. Adults, teachers, figures of authority, random people on the street. People are capable of hate.
I had a fellow teacher candidate in my program call me a chubby weirdo in class last week. I was angry, I gave her a snappy come back, and turned around. Yet, the shame of the moment stuck with me all day. Made me want to cry my eyes out, actually. Tonight's talk gave me a little bit of my confidence back.
I think Barbara's lessons on raising kids to be caring, compassionate people who don't need a reward to be decent human beings are fantastic. Look her up, buy her book. You'll be glad you did.
I learnt a lot as a future educator about my role in the school as a safe place for students and as someone who never tolerates the targeting of people, young and old, by a group of people. Ever.
It reaffirmed a great many of the lessons I learnt last year in Tim Stanley's Racism and Anti-racism course during my master's degree.
Most importantly, however, it allowed me the dignity of recognizing the moments I have been bullied. It gave me the freedom to say to myself, no it's not right to be treated in a way the dehumanizes me. When people think less of me or make rude comments because I'm curvier than the media created image of a perfect woman, it isn't MY fault. There is NOTHING wrong with me, but with them. These actions are malicious and are meant to harm.
Who would ever do such a thing, you might ask. Adults, teachers, figures of authority, random people on the street. People are capable of hate.
I had a fellow teacher candidate in my program call me a chubby weirdo in class last week. I was angry, I gave her a snappy come back, and turned around. Yet, the shame of the moment stuck with me all day. Made me want to cry my eyes out, actually. Tonight's talk gave me a little bit of my confidence back.
I think Barbara's lessons on raising kids to be caring, compassionate people who don't need a reward to be decent human beings are fantastic. Look her up, buy her book. You'll be glad you did.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
In the beginning...Part 2
OK. So let us begin, in the beginning. Now, I'm not trained in theology, I'm not a pastor, deacon, youth leader or Sunday school supervisor. I'm just a person, with faults and flaws; so this isn't my attempt at spewing doctrine, or telling people what to do with their lives. This is me, interacting with God's word, in any way I know how: Humourous, sarcastic, serious, intellectual, confused, lost, and genuine. I'm not writing this to engage in debates with people, or have arguments. I'm writing this for my own sake, my own discovery, and if someone else finds a piece of themselves as a result, so be it. So with those emotions to guide us, please be considerate and non-judgemental should you choose to post comments. Thanks! GO!
Genesis chapter 1
Man, can't we start somewhere easy? Hmm...should I have tried to jump around a little more, instead of this 'chronological' order stuff? Because, creation is a heavy topic. It's usually peoples' go to section of the word to challenge whenever faith or bible or Christian come up in a conversation. This is like throwing yourself into the deep end when you can't swim, relying on cheap dollar store water wings to keep yourself afloat. Baby steps. First blog will be on just one chapter. But, here goes nothing...
Gen. 1:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."
Sounds like a movie trailer for Avatar 2.
That was the first thought I had after reading this chapter. The second one was: Is this a simplified version of the moments of creation? Why water it down?
Chapter one goes through the first 6 days of creation. It is historically thought to be written by Moses (or so says a few scholars I consulted and my archaeological version of the NIV study bible). So, written thousands of years after the events in question, if you are interpreting exact dates of the Bible. This is a big contention for some people, and me. Do I believe that those are literal 6 days of creation? Or metaphoric? Did God let the earth grow into its new features before populating it? Did He create man after the animals got a bit boring? I'm getting ahead of myself. What is chapter 1? Well, it's a condensed account of creation, written by a man who wasn't there but called to write about it by God.
Each day, God shifts the land, water, sky into position, throws some lights up in the sky so the new platypus and zebras don't bump into trees, and creates asparagus and shrimp. Yum.
That might be flippant, but it's honest. Did God really take 6 days to create the earth? Did a 'God' really create the earth in the first place? Didn't we just evolve from the microbes sticking to the side of a giant meteor or something? Wait, no, it was a BANG thing, right?
Creation. Sigh. Here's my take on it: I once had to dissect an African Grasshopper, this giant black and yellow monster who looked like he wanted to suck out my brains. While squeamishly cutting into him, I realized how many tiny, delicate, perfect parts there were to this brain sucker. He was perfect, balanced, a piece of art. Did he just eventually make himself that, slowly through evolution, and decided, meh, who wants to be an advanced life form, Grasshopper is good enough? Many people think he did. I, however, see it a bit differently. I think someone designed him to be a perfect contributor to the world in which he exists, a member of a functioning world of nature, earth, sky, and rain; God created him. The Bible tells me this, but so does my appreciation for the art that is life. How could I not see it in the perfect movement of life around me? Now, man might be a fallen creature with sin and our perfection is a different thing all together. Let's save that for chapter 2, however.
So, if I look at the natural world around me, I can see God. I see His work, his art, his humour, his ingenuity, his perfect nature in a world meant to be perfectly in balance. But Kelsey, you might say, earth is far from perfect. Sure, circle of life and Simba put it into a decent perspective, but humans screw a lot up. We're pretty crappy stewards.
And I'd answer that with a resounding YA. Genesis makes me want to vote green in the next election. We ARE meant to be stewards of God's art, his creation. We're not doing a very good job.
Gen 1:26 "Then God said 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"
Rule implies some sort of control, and some Christians interpret this as a right to dominate nature and creation. That is their interpretation, though it is not mine. My thought is that man was set above the creatures of the earth because of free will and moral thought. Nothing more, nothing less. The ultimate design, but not the most deserving or better than anything that came before. We are suppose to be a part of the natural world around us, not a destroyer of it. Now, don't all go out and go Vegan on me. God gives the earth to man for nourishment, (and let me take this moment to state that when I say man, I mean human. I know, it's male language and some of you have the particular fact that Christianity degrades women as your number one argument why I shouldn't be a Christian, but bear with me, please) and grants man dominion over the animals and trees and seeds, and slimy things under rocks. We need the nourishment of the animals of the fields and the fruit of trees to be active members of God's original design of the earth. The Fall of humans, however, ultimately interferes with the perfect idea that God had when He made man rulers over the beasts of the earth and seas. Again, we'll get to that.
Some of you might notice the fact that my blog is entitled: Art of Me. That was borrowed loosely from the title of a Jars of Clay song, See the Art in Me, which describes the art of the creation of humans, the art of the Lord in forming us in the wombs of our mothers, made to be just as we are. Keep that thought in mind for the next blog post, which hopefully will cover chapters 2,3 and 4. You are Art.
Genesis chapter 1
Man, can't we start somewhere easy? Hmm...should I have tried to jump around a little more, instead of this 'chronological' order stuff? Because, creation is a heavy topic. It's usually peoples' go to section of the word to challenge whenever faith or bible or Christian come up in a conversation. This is like throwing yourself into the deep end when you can't swim, relying on cheap dollar store water wings to keep yourself afloat. Baby steps. First blog will be on just one chapter. But, here goes nothing...
Gen. 1:1
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."
Sounds like a movie trailer for Avatar 2.
That was the first thought I had after reading this chapter. The second one was: Is this a simplified version of the moments of creation? Why water it down?
Chapter one goes through the first 6 days of creation. It is historically thought to be written by Moses (or so says a few scholars I consulted and my archaeological version of the NIV study bible). So, written thousands of years after the events in question, if you are interpreting exact dates of the Bible. This is a big contention for some people, and me. Do I believe that those are literal 6 days of creation? Or metaphoric? Did God let the earth grow into its new features before populating it? Did He create man after the animals got a bit boring? I'm getting ahead of myself. What is chapter 1? Well, it's a condensed account of creation, written by a man who wasn't there but called to write about it by God.
Each day, God shifts the land, water, sky into position, throws some lights up in the sky so the new platypus and zebras don't bump into trees, and creates asparagus and shrimp. Yum.
That might be flippant, but it's honest. Did God really take 6 days to create the earth? Did a 'God' really create the earth in the first place? Didn't we just evolve from the microbes sticking to the side of a giant meteor or something? Wait, no, it was a BANG thing, right?
Creation. Sigh. Here's my take on it: I once had to dissect an African Grasshopper, this giant black and yellow monster who looked like he wanted to suck out my brains. While squeamishly cutting into him, I realized how many tiny, delicate, perfect parts there were to this brain sucker. He was perfect, balanced, a piece of art. Did he just eventually make himself that, slowly through evolution, and decided, meh, who wants to be an advanced life form, Grasshopper is good enough? Many people think he did. I, however, see it a bit differently. I think someone designed him to be a perfect contributor to the world in which he exists, a member of a functioning world of nature, earth, sky, and rain; God created him. The Bible tells me this, but so does my appreciation for the art that is life. How could I not see it in the perfect movement of life around me? Now, man might be a fallen creature with sin and our perfection is a different thing all together. Let's save that for chapter 2, however.
So, if I look at the natural world around me, I can see God. I see His work, his art, his humour, his ingenuity, his perfect nature in a world meant to be perfectly in balance. But Kelsey, you might say, earth is far from perfect. Sure, circle of life and Simba put it into a decent perspective, but humans screw a lot up. We're pretty crappy stewards.
And I'd answer that with a resounding YA. Genesis makes me want to vote green in the next election. We ARE meant to be stewards of God's art, his creation. We're not doing a very good job.
Gen 1:26 "Then God said 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"
Rule implies some sort of control, and some Christians interpret this as a right to dominate nature and creation. That is their interpretation, though it is not mine. My thought is that man was set above the creatures of the earth because of free will and moral thought. Nothing more, nothing less. The ultimate design, but not the most deserving or better than anything that came before. We are suppose to be a part of the natural world around us, not a destroyer of it. Now, don't all go out and go Vegan on me. God gives the earth to man for nourishment, (and let me take this moment to state that when I say man, I mean human. I know, it's male language and some of you have the particular fact that Christianity degrades women as your number one argument why I shouldn't be a Christian, but bear with me, please) and grants man dominion over the animals and trees and seeds, and slimy things under rocks. We need the nourishment of the animals of the fields and the fruit of trees to be active members of God's original design of the earth. The Fall of humans, however, ultimately interferes with the perfect idea that God had when He made man rulers over the beasts of the earth and seas. Again, we'll get to that.
Some of you might notice the fact that my blog is entitled: Art of Me. That was borrowed loosely from the title of a Jars of Clay song, See the Art in Me, which describes the art of the creation of humans, the art of the Lord in forming us in the wombs of our mothers, made to be just as we are. Keep that thought in mind for the next blog post, which hopefully will cover chapters 2,3 and 4. You are Art.
In the beginning...Part 1
Well.
It has clearly been some time since I have taken the energy and time to write a blog post.
I haven't blogged since the completion of my undergrad, as the monstrous beast that was my master's degree seemed to swallow much of my time, energy, personality, social life, and figure.
Now I find myself 3 weeks in to my third degree (oh Kelsey, you over-achiever you!), a Bachelor of Education degree, and with the occasional time on my hands. I thought to myself, Kelsey, what would be the most productive use of this time? Learn Spanish? OK. Try and continue writing that 'novel' I began last summer? Maybe. Then I came across a program on CBC Radio, one about a guy at odds with his Jewish background who decided he would read the Torah (the old testament) and write about his perspective on it as he proceeded. Listening to his excerpts, I found it clever and moving, an honest analysis of what Judaism and the Torah stood for in his life.
Now, I've had a rough academic year. I've also had a crazy spiritual one. I've dealt with some serious family issues, and had my faith rocked hard by people I admire very much, intelligent and caring people who strongly challenged my faith and God's word. It's hard to hear from people you admire in many ways that they think you are lost and clinging to ideas that imprison you.
God has been doing great works in my life; My niece Lily's birth and full recovery from a scary birth defect being one of a great many miracles I have been a witness to in the past few months. No matter how many times I turned my face from God, the truth of His greatness roared in my ears. I have been humbled and redirected. Blessed and uplifted.
But now what?
I read. A lot. I often just buy whole series of books, because I find after a year or two, I can revisit my favourite series and find new and amazing imagery or story lines I had missed the first time around. So, why can't I do this with God's word? I've certainly been reading my Bible, jumping from book to book, looking for a little direction in my morning fellowship with God, but it hasn't quite been meaningful enough to feed me.
However, thinking on that CBC Radio program, I realized I could do the same...explore God's word a few chapters at a time, from beginning to end, in a way that would allow me to discover new and amazing imagery or story lines, allow me to grow closer to my Father, and keep me accountable to delving into God's word. Then I got to thinking....why not blog about it? Posting a link to my blog on facebook allows my many friends to see this journey and reflective experience, and may speak to a few of you who really do see the world so differently than I do.
And so, I dedicate this exploration of God's word to my beautiful and wonderful non-Christian friends, who have kept me honest and loved me through good and bad times. I cherish you for the people you are, for the people you may some day come to be, and pray that you find answers of your own in my words.
It has clearly been some time since I have taken the energy and time to write a blog post.
I haven't blogged since the completion of my undergrad, as the monstrous beast that was my master's degree seemed to swallow much of my time, energy, personality, social life, and figure.
Now I find myself 3 weeks in to my third degree (oh Kelsey, you over-achiever you!), a Bachelor of Education degree, and with the occasional time on my hands. I thought to myself, Kelsey, what would be the most productive use of this time? Learn Spanish? OK. Try and continue writing that 'novel' I began last summer? Maybe. Then I came across a program on CBC Radio, one about a guy at odds with his Jewish background who decided he would read the Torah (the old testament) and write about his perspective on it as he proceeded. Listening to his excerpts, I found it clever and moving, an honest analysis of what Judaism and the Torah stood for in his life.
Now, I've had a rough academic year. I've also had a crazy spiritual one. I've dealt with some serious family issues, and had my faith rocked hard by people I admire very much, intelligent and caring people who strongly challenged my faith and God's word. It's hard to hear from people you admire in many ways that they think you are lost and clinging to ideas that imprison you.
God has been doing great works in my life; My niece Lily's birth and full recovery from a scary birth defect being one of a great many miracles I have been a witness to in the past few months. No matter how many times I turned my face from God, the truth of His greatness roared in my ears. I have been humbled and redirected. Blessed and uplifted.
But now what?
I read. A lot. I often just buy whole series of books, because I find after a year or two, I can revisit my favourite series and find new and amazing imagery or story lines I had missed the first time around. So, why can't I do this with God's word? I've certainly been reading my Bible, jumping from book to book, looking for a little direction in my morning fellowship with God, but it hasn't quite been meaningful enough to feed me.
However, thinking on that CBC Radio program, I realized I could do the same...explore God's word a few chapters at a time, from beginning to end, in a way that would allow me to discover new and amazing imagery or story lines, allow me to grow closer to my Father, and keep me accountable to delving into God's word. Then I got to thinking....why not blog about it? Posting a link to my blog on facebook allows my many friends to see this journey and reflective experience, and may speak to a few of you who really do see the world so differently than I do.
And so, I dedicate this exploration of God's word to my beautiful and wonderful non-Christian friends, who have kept me honest and loved me through good and bad times. I cherish you for the people you are, for the people you may some day come to be, and pray that you find answers of your own in my words.
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