Post-op Day 3: Rehab

I made my first visit to the physical therapist this afternoon. When I returned  home took a crutch-supported walk down the sidewalk in sunshine and fresh air. Neighborhood kids on bikes crossing sidewalk, making me a bit nervous--dislocation must be avioded!

New Hip

Early Monday morning, I walked from my home to Alaska Regional Hospital where I underwent total hip replacement surgery. After the operation, the surgeon said, "You didn't rush into this one." He was right, I didn't.

Snowflake

Snowflake silently floating, landing softly on white blanket.

Addiction Gone Mad: Requiem for a Dream

I finished the Requiem for a Dream last night. It is a story of a mother, a son, a girlfriend, and a buddy "chasing the dragon," falling tighter and tighter into the clutches of addiction. Although disturbing, the film offers a graphic portrayal of human suffering and our thirst for connection, certainty, and relief. Worth seeing.

Morning in Homer

I awoke to spectacular view of snow-covered mountains across a calm Kachemak Bay. Beautiful even before coffee.

Testing Season

I recently heard a new term in the jargon of public schools: “Testing Season.” It’s a time to anxiously “teach to the test;” to eliminate any activity that doesn’t directly prepare children for “the test;” to forget what is known about good teaching and learning and simply get kids ready to take "the test."

What a waste of precious time jumping through hoops created by policymakers who reduce children to products necessary for so-called economic competition. A lost opportunity for children to learn and teachers to teach...When will educators, parents, and students rise up and say "No more! To hell with your testing season!"

Day after Super-Moon

Brilliant sunlight streaming through blue sky lightly touches melting snow.