Annual Wright-Hansen Birthday Dinner

It was time again for the Annual Wright-Hansen Birthday Dinner, after a visit to Larry. Susie made us reservations at Evvia in Palo Alto. There were some tasty dishes, and the favorite dessert: Galaktoboureko. I am so grateful to have such kind, thoughtful friends... It's always good to catch up, and to hear about projects and plans. Their outdoor soaking tub, located in a cottage made of salvaged windows, heated by solar panels, has come to fruition... Amazing!

 

Arbols de Vida

 

Phony Baloney

I'm an old campaigner. With each passing year, my phoniness-detector strengthens. I find myself looking at actions, and noticing when they don't match up to spoken words. It is really hard to watch someone behave badly, and then to feel sympathy or kinship towards that person. 

In my art practice, I always look towards the possibilities. I don't worry too much about failure. I experiment, and have fun with my ideas. The glass is generally half-full in the clay shed. And, work feels good. Creativity flourishes when you let go, and when you stop trying to control everything so tightly.

In my teaching practice, I always look towards the possibilities. If a student has struggled in previous years, no worries. You get a clean slate with me. And, I am going to build a sincere relationship, not based on fake friendliness. I don't look at kids as oddballs or weirdos. This is probably because I was considered a weirdo in school. Each child is an individual. Each child has potential. I firmly believe that each child will progress academically, on his or her own timetable. I do my utmost to further that academic and personal progress. The goal is to encourage independence, and self-awareness.

If you are pounding me down, and expecting me to fail one minute, but trying to be my friend the next... Don't bother. I genuinely make a great deal of mistakes, but I give my best effort. After Kurt, I still have my three strikes rule with folks. I will forgive and forget to a point. But, there is an eventual end.

Thanks for reading this... It feels like a good time to affirm how I feel about my tasks, and my relationships.