When you can't buy it... Make it!

While in Haiti, one of the souvenirs that you could buy (but I didn't due to lack of time) was a custom-made bracelet. They had pre-made "Haiti" ones, but you could also have them write your name or the date or what-have-you on the bracelet. I wanted to get one, but didn't. However, after inspecting a friend's, I figured it was something I could manage. And I was right! All you need is curved thick plastic (I used an almond butter container) and embroidery floss.

Here's the process:

1) Wash out empty almond butter container. Try to get as much of the label off as possible (it might show through), but any label fuzz or goo left on the plastic actually helps keep the floss in place.

3) Remove rim and bottom of container with scissors. (I actually broke a pair doing this so be careful - a razor blade would probably work better)

4) Cut container into strips around 1/2" wide. At the ends of the strips, cut small notches on either side to help hold the floss when you start and end wrapping.

5) Cut seven strands of your letter color and one strand of main color. The letter color strands should be able to wrap around your wrist twice and the main color should be 18" long.

6) Make a knot at one end of the strands and braid them together for 2". Finish with a knot.

7) Start wrapping the main color around the strip and the letter colors. Make sure the seven letter strands lie flat and close to one another. Secure the main color in the notches. Wrap five or six times with the main color before starting your letters.

8) When making letters, flip back the strands that will be needed for each vertical stripe of that letter. For the beginning of an "A," you would flip back all strands.

For the inside of an "A," you would flip back just the top and the fourth strands.

I did three wraps of the main color for the insides of letters, one wrap between each letter, and two wraps between words.

***IMPORTANT NOTE!!!*** Always wrap as tightly as possible and keep the letter strands as close as possible without overlapping or twisting.

9) After finishing your words, wrap with the main color the same number of times you wrapped it at the beginning of the strip. If there's extra uncovered plastic, cut it off, leaving enough space for notches.

10) Secure the main strand in the notches and tie a knot with all the strands.

11) Braid another 2" with all eight strands and finish with a knot.

Enjoy your new commemorative bracelet!

I Wanna Go Back . . .

sung to the tune of "Slinga de Ink"
- if you don't know it, go ask a Union College student/faculty/alumnus

I wanna go back to Haiti again, the island to the south.
Back to EGO once more, the mountains and the seaside shore.
I wanna go back to Haiti again, Annette's food in my mouth.
I wanna go back, I gotta go back, to Haiti again!

At Eden Garden, northwest of Port-au-Prince,
We play wit' orphans and live de Gospel Word.
At Eden Garden, northwest of Port-au-Prince,
We play wit' orphans and live de Gospel Word.

Play wit' orphans, play wit' orphans,
Live the Gospel, live de Gospel,
Play wit' orphans and live de Gospel Word!
At Eden Garden, northwest of Port-au-Prince
We play wit' orphans and live de Gospel Word!

Someday I'll Appreciate It

"Are you in grade 12?"

"Sorry, Ms. Giem, I thought you were a student."

"You can drive?!?!"

Good, good, my life is good. Just the way I like it; my life is good.

And the 1st through the 31st were the first month . . . and Joni saw that it was good.*

And the Lord spoke unto Joni and said, “This month shall be unto you the continuing of months: it shall be the second month of the first year in Mississippi.”

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to rise at 6am:
He prompts me to go running at night.
He keeps me sane:
He reminds me to maintain my heavenly connection for my soul’s sake.
Yea though my students take tests, I shall not fear:
For extra study and review are with them, their books and papers guide them.
He prepares a table for me in the cafeteria:
But I can eat in my room if I want; I have a toaster oven.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me while in Mississippi
And I will not live in the dorm forever.

Then said Joni, “O my Lord, what shall my permanent plans be?” And He said, “Go thy way, Joni; for those plans are closed up and sealed till the time of hiring in spring. . . . Blessed is she that waits and comes to the hundred and three days. But go your way till graduation. For you shall teach, and stand at the front until the end of the days.”

Go ye therefore on Spring Break, and preach to all Haitians, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; playing with the orphans and doing construction and clinics: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the island of Hispaniola.


* (see Gen 1:31; Ex 12:2; Ps 23; Dan 12:8,9,12,13; Mt 28:19,20)

Déjà Vu

I’m playing in an academy bell choir again.
I’m looking for a spot in the café again.
I’m dealing with dorm noises again.
I’m checking school e-mail again.
I’m playing in an academy band again.
I’m stocking a dorm fridge again.
I’m going to vespers again.

But I’m doing it all from the other side of the desk. :)

Firsts

“First day of school! First day of school! First day of school!” The enthusiastic words of Nemo jumping through my head prevented me from sleeping just as they did Marlin. Sighing, I glanced at the clock. 11:53pm. Apparently my sleeping habits didn’t have as much to fear from noisy teenage girls across the hall as much as they did from my overactive brain.

What would the students be like?
How many students would I have?
Would I like them?
Would they respect me?
Would I oversleep and be late on the first day of school?

Speaking of firsts, let me list them all:

First time to hear a tornado siren while driving.
First day of 2011.
First time to attend church on New Year’s Day with the A/C on.
First “real” teaching job.
First Mississippi caf food.
First set of classroom keys.
First office.
First time locking myself OUT of my classroom.
First faculty meeting.

Last words from a student as he left my first class of the morning:
"You’re a good teacher.”