The Obama Lama

With everything that's been going on, I'm going to endulge in a little joy before typing about sorrow. OBAMA!!!!! Thank the frick'n lord. I ended up going to two celebrations. One was at a college friends house in St. Peters. We ate chololate fondue, artichoke dip, olive/cheese salad and danced. I played beer pong for the first time :). There was a Bush Pinata, and we killed it by throwing shoes. Much festivites and rejocing as well as crashing at the party place. The morning after was a trip to Denny's with lots of OJ.

The second was a offical democrats of Franklin County Shin-ding. It was so funny to watch. People we really networking and carousing around. From people's behavior, I can guess who is running for what postion in a few years. There is definately a divide between the old house republicans and the new people brounght into the Obama fold. The Old house is still in shock a little. At the first meeting after the election the obama voulnteers were chastize for electioneering for Obama but not for any of the local candidates. A woman was literally in tears because there was a lack of voulteers for the local campaigns, but a surplus for the Obama camp. The way the networkinghouse was set up, the people in charge did not encourage any cross over. So doors were knocked on for Obama, but almost none for Local officals.

The Lady doing the chatizing then looked out at the crowd. Over half of the people their were new, and over half lokked so pissed they were going to walk out. She quickly back tracked. All of this happened in November. It seems that the Obamanites are now controling the show. They organized the Celebration dinner on inaguration day, complete with left-over election materials. Old posters, old door hangers were given away. The food was good, and met union folk. The town I grew up in was small, so I was not exposed to union traditions, it has been interesting to learn more.

My students are slowly recovering from the loss that took place last weekend. The student who died had some issues, and many of his friends who are now coping have even more. My students are dealing with grief in many different ways. Some kids have been more defiant, others a lot quieter. Many have had trouble taking medications routinely. This can make for a basket case of a classroom. Some how I'm supposed to deal with my own grief, and lead others to a healthy way to deal with their feelings. It is just hard.

At the funeral, there were SO many kids. The counselor says that students many students may have not know my student deeply, but that his death reminds them of the death of another loved one. So students are re-living and re-dealing with old grief. Many of my students haven't developed good coping mechanisms because of what has happened in their lives previously, drug abuse, divorce, physical and mental abuse. Many are starting to go down dangerous paths.

The good of it is, I'm hoping that his death with allow students to heal in a healthy way. To safety open up old wounds,and cleanup the infection. I just hope I have the patience to guide them.