The second year we lived in China we brought along his PS2 (which is now living with a former student) as well as Guitar Hero II. I got completely addicted to playing "When You Were Young" by The Killers. Every time I played, I had to play this song.

I started digging around for more of their music, and even now I listen to some of their songs over and over and over again.

The newest song of theirs that I'm completely addicted to is, "Human". Unfortunately I don't have iTunes on my work computer so I've had to go to YouTube and play the video in order to hear the song.

I've must have listened to it 15 times already today.

And then Niels send me the link to another one of their new songs...

Thank goodness my office mate is gone today, otherwise I'm sure I would have driven her mad by now.

I don't live in California, and probably never will, and Proposition 8's passage doesn't affect me, so who cares, right? What's the big deal?

The big deal is that it's passage will tell a community of people that their relationships have no value.

The big deal is that it's passage will say legalized discrimination based up on sexual orientation is OK.

The big deal is that we'd be taking away a right, not giving one, and taking away rights is not what this country stands for.

The big deal is that the already fuzzy line between church and state will be come even more fuzzy.

The big deal is that it will affect a group of people of which many most of my friends are in and it makes me really angry when someone tries to hurt my friends.

Someone's decision to marry does not and never will affect my or your marriage. If you think it does, then what does that say about your relationship or what you think of mine? 

Say NO to Proposition 8 and YES to equality.

I should totally be working on a write up of a classroom observation, but I'm not. I've not much to say, work is getting busy and school even busier, so posting may be light for the upcoming weeks.

So I give you a photo, courtesy of my camera phone (I need to charge my camera) of the hand carved plaque we bought ourselves when we were in Yangshuo. We didn't buy a many things for ourselves our two years in China, but this is one of my favs. Apologies for the crappy photo quality.

For my Development & Diversity class I, along with two classmates, are doing some research on students with Low Incidence Disabilities (autism, visual impairment, deaf or hard of hearing, moderate or severely retarded, traumatic brain injury) and I've become quite interested in the umbrella of Special Needs.

Over at Your Mama's Mad Tedious, she has reprinted an opinion piece about Sarah Palin and the policies she would fight for if elected VP.

Palin and Special Education: A Closer Look

Go check it out.

Colin Powell came out today & endorsed Barack Obama. Powell's the highest ranking Republican to cross party lines for the endorsement. It will be interesting to see how the McCain camp responds to it.

Things have been busy the past couple weeks, although I did have a tiny lull in schoolwork last weekend which was fantastic. But it was over too quickly and schoolwork is going to once again consume my life.

The funny thing is that it's not my grad classes that are taking up so much time, but my German class. I love the class, but I have it four days a week and because language learning's a challenge for me I spend a good two hours every day doing homework. By the time I'm done with it I've no brain power left for doing the readings for my concentration. Right now my goal is to get through the written assignments that are due and maybe someday I'll catch up on all the reading I have to do.

I've still not decided how I feel about my program. I'm enjoying spending my Friday morning at a local high school observing (and sometimes being asked to help out) but my classes themselves are a bit meh. I understand the why behind what I'm taking, but some of it's quite dry or conversely too touchy feely, that I get a little turned off. But with that said, in my Development & Diversity class (I'm still trying to figure out the point of the class) last night we spent the class on talking about kids with special needs and it was the most enjoyable class I've had so far this semester. I never thought I had the temperment to work with kids with special needs, but I'm starting to wonder if there's a way I can combine working with them and still doing ESL. It's something I'm going to have to start looking into.

I found a new blog Your Mama's Mad Tedious: Diary of a Special Ed Teacher. If you can check it out, she's got a lot of amazing things to say.  

I can't believe it but three months ago today Niels & I returned from our China stay. It seems like we've been back longer, which makes me realize how different my life was there compared to here.

This statement by Rep. John Lewis is long overdue, I just wish it were coming from a member of the G.O.P. because then it may be taken seriously by its party members.

Rep. Lewis is not saying that John McCain is like George Wallace, what he's saying is that by not condemning people who shout out that Obama is a "terrorist" or a "traitor" or that he should be killed, he's continuing to support rhetoric that has the potential to incite violence.

Am still here, work, school, and my observation are keeping me really busy and every time I think of something to tell you it's not a good time and by the time I have the chance to sit down to actually write I've forgotten what it is I was going to say.

So I ask you, is there something in particular I've not told you that you feel I should write more about? Because I've been at a total loss of what to post about. 

I think Sarah Palin is dangerous:

1. She cut funding for teen Moms. I find it ironic that she's a staunch anti-choicer, but doesn't want to help ensure that, once born, the child will have access all available resources to allow him or her to have the best possible life possible.

2. As mayor of Wasilla she tried to get books banned. That freedom she espoused about at the debate includes free speech.

3. As mayor she billed rape victims for the cost of their rape kit and forensic exams. No words to describe how despicable I think that is.

These reasons, among others, is why I'm constantly floored when I hear how wonderful people think she is. Wonderful is not the word I'd use to describe these actions.