Three Beautiful Things 01/29/13: Jolly Writing Teacher, Relieving Positive Stress, Frying Ground Beef

1.  I am so much happier when I treat people with good cheer and resist feeling annoyance or express it.  In my retirement, as I was doing late in my teaching career, I'm continuing to experiment with being the jolly writing teacher who takes everything in stride and keeps reassuring students that everything will be all right.  I took this approach today with some students who were late with their essays after missing class last week and, if nothing else, the looks of appreciation on their faces arising from how I didn't get after them and read them the riot act led me to believe that their work will come in and that this approach might work.  The older I get the more I realize that when I've barked at students, Debbie's kids, Debbie, ex-wives, girlfriends, and others, it never did any good.  If I'm not going to effect change, which is highly likely, I may as well be jolly in my futility rather than grouchy and be encouraging and laughing rather than raising my voice and growling.

2.  The Deke's day was productive.  She served her students well.  She made things work in her classroom.  She was also fried at the end of the day.  It's positive stress, being worn out from doing what one loves and knowing one is doing the right thing.  I've experienced many many many times in my career as a teacher.  One way to relax after a (positively) stressful day is for me and the Deke to meet at Sixteen Tons, which we did, and talked a bit, laughed a bit, and sat in silence quite a bit over two pints of beer between us.  We both had some Laurelwood Organic Tree Hugger Porter.  The more the chill wore off it, the better it got.  I also tried a half a pint of Oakshire's Black Moon Rye-sin. It was just what I wanted as I stared each gulp, but its finish was a bit too biting or bitter for me. I wanted a smoother finish.  Oh well.....

3.  Out came the electric fry pan and I combined onion, red pepper, mushrooms, ground beef, and green beans into a dinner dish that pleased both the Deke and me.