i think i may have just severely pulled my back muscle(s), as i quickly got up from my chair after chatting with a good friend of mine, and now i am having difficulty sitting up and walking around the house! it figures. why didn't anyone tell me that year 25 would be filled with so many aches and pains?!? after lifting boxes & stuffing envelopes for the diocese of fall river all day today (as well as jumping frantically on the Clifford moonwalk with my relatives and some other kids at my cousins' graduation party yesterday), i guess i should have seen this coming. why didn't anyone tell me that year 25 would be filled with so many aches and pains?!? luckily, my mother--whose expertise and services i rarely ever take advantage of--is a physical therapist and reiki trainee. i'm usually not someone who gives it to taking over-the-counter painkillers like Ibuprofen, but this pain is just too much and i really want to return to work tomorrow! my typing speed and accuracy are limited this evening and it is getting late for a potential work night, so i will
i wish you a pain-free week,
tk
friday's WONDERWORD mystery word = EXHAUSTION
(there may have been some extra un-circled letters, but just disregard them ;)
Monday, June 7, 2010
Saturday, June 5, 2010
WONDERWORD
whenever i am visiting my family in taunton, massachusetts, this relatively quick & easy word puzzle (see left margin) has become a staple of my morning routine. for those of you who are unfamiliar with this particular puzzle, please let me explain how to play. each puzzle has a theme (i.e. heat wave), several words related to that theme that are embedded in the puzzle, and a final mystery word that can only be deciphered once all the words in the checklist have been found. as soon as you discover a word in the puzzle, you can either create small circles engulfing each letter of the word or you can circle the entire word with one single stroke. once all the checklist words have been found, there should be a few letters that remained uncircled. these un-jumbled letters together spell the mystery word, which is also usually related to the puzzle's theme for that day.
not only does this word game prime my mind for whatever the day has in store for me, but it also gives me a booster shoot of confidence bright and early. i know each one of you has your own morning rituals, which i hope you will continue to capitalize on. the important part of these rituals though is that they provide us with meaning and prepare us for the adventures that await us as we finish off our last spoonful of cereal or final sip of our favorite cold/hot beverage.
unfortunately, WONDERWORD does not appear in the weekend newspapers, so i will have to wait until monday to get another chance at circling.
in the meantime let's compare possible mystery words from sample puzzle in margin,
tk
not only does this word game prime my mind for whatever the day has in store for me, but it also gives me a booster shoot of confidence bright and early. i know each one of you has your own morning rituals, which i hope you will continue to capitalize on. the important part of these rituals though is that they provide us with meaning and prepare us for the adventures that await us as we finish off our last spoonful of cereal or final sip of our favorite cold/hot beverage.
unfortunately, WONDERWORD does not appear in the weekend newspapers, so i will have to wait until monday to get another chance at circling.
in the meantime let's compare possible mystery words from sample puzzle in margin,
tk
Thursday, June 3, 2010
a day in the life of ray
i'm excited to be positing this blog on the morning of game one of the 2010 NBA finals, which will tip off tonight at 9pm EST at the staples center in los angeles, california.
many of my closest colleagues and friends (especially Cavs' fans) have reminded me time and time again, since the Celtics knocked off the Cavaliers in what seems like months ago, how much they despise every member of this year's Celtics squad! to which i usually reply, "even Ray Allen?" well, i must say that they are certainly entitled to their opinions regardless of whatever off-court evidence i have at my disposal; nevertheless, i will present my case for the athlete and father who i have come to idolize.
it is news to no one that professional athletes are the first to be criticized for their obscene salaries and on- and off-the field antics; however, a lot less energy and attention is paid to the ways in which some of these male & female athletes assume exemplary roles in their families and communities. take for example, the late roberto clemente who played right field for the pittsburgh pirates from 1955-72 and who tragically lost his life in an airplane crash en route to deliver some emergency relief to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua. moreover, olympic long-jumper and heptathlete, jackie joyner-kersee--recognizing the need to help youth, parents and families improve their quality of life--established a foundation with her husband and co-founded "athletes for hope" to encourage other professional athletes to get involved in their local communities. there are many other athletes (including former NFL quarterbacks, doug flutie and boomer esiason) whose biggest opponents are not the three-hundred pound linemen that they face every Sunday, but rather the incurable diseases that plague their children and families. all parties considered, i would undoubtedly include celtics shooting guard, ray allen, in this discussion and company.
it was just hours before game 5 of the 2008 NBA finals, ray and his wife, shannon, received news from their 2-yr old son's pediatrician that walker had been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. since my mother suffers from diabetes, i certainly can imagine the feelings of helplessness and uncertainty that surfaced probably immediately for ray and shannon. i guess it is particularly easy for me to empathize with their family.
may walker allen, mary kerrigan and all those men, women and children who struggle daily with the discomfort and pain of diabetes have the support to help improve their quality of life.
Christ's comfort and hope,
tk
many of my closest colleagues and friends (especially Cavs' fans) have reminded me time and time again, since the Celtics knocked off the Cavaliers in what seems like months ago, how much they despise every member of this year's Celtics squad! to which i usually reply, "even Ray Allen?" well, i must say that they are certainly entitled to their opinions regardless of whatever off-court evidence i have at my disposal; nevertheless, i will present my case for the athlete and father who i have come to idolize.
it is news to no one that professional athletes are the first to be criticized for their obscene salaries and on- and off-the field antics; however, a lot less energy and attention is paid to the ways in which some of these male & female athletes assume exemplary roles in their families and communities. take for example, the late roberto clemente who played right field for the pittsburgh pirates from 1955-72 and who tragically lost his life in an airplane crash en route to deliver some emergency relief to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua. moreover, olympic long-jumper and heptathlete, jackie joyner-kersee--recognizing the need to help youth, parents and families improve their quality of life--established a foundation with her husband and co-founded "athletes for hope" to encourage other professional athletes to get involved in their local communities. there are many other athletes (including former NFL quarterbacks, doug flutie and boomer esiason) whose biggest opponents are not the three-hundred pound linemen that they face every Sunday, but rather the incurable diseases that plague their children and families. all parties considered, i would undoubtedly include celtics shooting guard, ray allen, in this discussion and company.
it was just hours before game 5 of the 2008 NBA finals, ray and his wife, shannon, received news from their 2-yr old son's pediatrician that walker had been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. since my mother suffers from diabetes, i certainly can imagine the feelings of helplessness and uncertainty that surfaced probably immediately for ray and shannon. i guess it is particularly easy for me to empathize with their family.
may walker allen, mary kerrigan and all those men, women and children who struggle daily with the discomfort and pain of diabetes have the support to help improve their quality of life.
Christ's comfort and hope,
tk
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
scenes from a local laundromat
please watch this clip before reading on...
unlike jerry & george, my trip to the mansfield laundromat was fairly uneventful; however, i almost choked, when i realized how many quarters (22 = $5.50) it was going to cost in order to run a triple load! since i'm not a regular at laundromats, i have no idea if this service is overpriced or normal? to throw some bleach into the mix (luckily, i didn't make that mistake again!), i had been asked to complete some errands while the 28 minute cycle completed its work. thankfully, my laundry was still there, when i returned fifteen minutes late from my trip to Target. as i walked victoriously through our door with three sopping wet trash bags of laundry, i felt a tear stream down my face, as i wondered whether this would be my last visit to the local laundromat...
[breaking news]
according to the repairman, who arrived this morning, we have been running too many large loads; consequently, the drain hose pulled off the drain port and caused the second Great Flood in our basement! nevertheless, the washing machine is NOT broken (yet) and normal cycles will resume this afternoon/evening.
don't forget your laundry detergent at home & remember that you can never over dry!
until the next load,
tk
Monday, May 31, 2010
soup for the soul of summer
that's right, folks! from tomorrow until the end of the summer (for me, like all you educators know, that's the beginning-to-middle of august), i will hopefully be drawing your attention to some of the more peculiar, mortifying and extraordinary elements of my summer experiences here back in new england. this should provide you with a much more in-depth look at how i'm doing and what i've been to than my usual 3-5 page tirades that may leave you wondering "when is he gonna wrap it up?" or "why doesn't he just pick up the phone and call me for goodness sake!" whatever your response may be, feel free to visit my blog frequently, once in a blue moon, or just this once. either way, i appreciate your time, comments and friendship.
take luck,
tk
*God bless this country and our global communities
take luck,
tk
*God bless this country and our global communities
the D word
i'm sure you thought you were gonna get a naughty word out of me. nice try. what this subject lines refers to is the current state of dating or lackthereof. i have had several conversations with friends about the lost art of dating and courtship. honestly, it comes as no surprise to me, as i have been working closely alongside young adults for the past seven or eight years of my life--either as a mentor, colleague, teacher or chum. from what i have witnessed, young persons would rather have a one-night stand than make themselves vulnerable than risk possibly being rejected by a close friend or complete stranger by asking them out on a date. knock, knock...is there anything more risky that having casual sex with someone whom you do not even know? sex makes promises, real promises!
this past semester, i attended a Theology on Tap event sponsored by JCU's Campus Ministry program, in which Fr. Cozzens, S.J., whom many folks (both young and old) are fond of, shared his insights about sexual activity on/off college campuses as well as the "hookup" culture. i would like to refer to you to an article entitled "Sex, lies and the hookup culture" by Donna Freitas in the fall 2008 edition of the magazine U.S. Catholic (for the full article, click here). one of the evidenced-based arguments that Freitas discusses in her article is that a majority of young adults--regardless of gender/or sexual orientation--seek "old-fashioned romance. it's talking--just talking for hours, on a pretty beach, over dinner, under a starry sky." wowzers?!? not only did this discovery knock my red socks off, but i couldn't believe what i was reading! if this is true, then let's continue tapping into this developing phenomenon, Ms. Freitas and co.
since this entry has been in draft status for a couple months now, i wanted to publish it quickly to stir up some conversation...
this past semester, i attended a Theology on Tap event sponsored by JCU's Campus Ministry program, in which Fr. Cozzens, S.J., whom many folks (both young and old) are fond of, shared his insights about sexual activity on/off college campuses as well as the "hookup" culture. i would like to refer to you to an article entitled "Sex, lies and the hookup culture" by Donna Freitas in the fall 2008 edition of the magazine U.S. Catholic (for the full article, click here). one of the evidenced-based arguments that Freitas discusses in her article is that a majority of young adults--regardless of gender/or sexual orientation--seek "old-fashioned romance. it's talking--just talking for hours, on a pretty beach, over dinner, under a starry sky." wowzers?!? not only did this discovery knock my red socks off, but i couldn't believe what i was reading! if this is true, then let's continue tapping into this developing phenomenon, Ms. Freitas and co.
since this entry has been in draft status for a couple months now, i wanted to publish it quickly to stir up some conversation...
Sunday, May 9, 2010
worth the wait
please allow me to set the scene for you...bottom of the ninth. tigers lead the tribe 6-4. one out. left-handed rusell branyan is pinch hitting for mason and has a 1-2 count on him against the tigers' shutdown closer, jose valverde.
h.paul, yi and myself have been freezin' our bottoms off for the past three hours. at this point, the stadium is about seventy five percent empty, and we have since moved closer to the field from our ticket-listed, nose bleed seats--section 570 of progressive field for those of you who are keeping track at home. after finishing our $3.50 cup of lukewarm hot chocolate, we are just about ready to chalk up another tribe lost and hit the road when...
the 1-2 pitch...a swing and a pop foul to the left (wait a minute...oh my goodness, i might have a chance at this!)
since i was a boy, i have always brought my baseball mit to every MLB game that i've attended. i figure it is always good to be prepared. you never know when you might need to use the glove. well, today, for the first time in awhile, it would be put to use.
that ball that branyan fouled back was still climbing higher and higher. as soon as i realized that this was going to be a close play in the empty seats in front of me, i sprang from my seat and quickly darted down the steps, all the while keeping a close eye on the descending baseball. not a single fan was within 20 feet of me, when the ball hit the heel of my raised mitt (and painfully the palm of my left hand) squarely and bounced onto the pavement below this empty row of seats. before the rush of kids and die-hards reached "my row," i doze on top of the baseball, before it could escape me. as i rose to my feet victoriously with this timeless token, fans behind me began "BOOing" me!?! i couldn't believe it, especially since I HAD THE BALL!soon enough, i had those same fans cheering for my dear friend, yi, because of the occasion described below.
because this was the first professional baseball game that yi had ever attended, i decided that she needed an official MLB baseball as a memento of this historic event in her life. yi now possesses the first ever foul ball that i almost caught (see margins).
h.paul, yi and myself have been freezin' our bottoms off for the past three hours. at this point, the stadium is about seventy five percent empty, and we have since moved closer to the field from our ticket-listed, nose bleed seats--section 570 of progressive field for those of you who are keeping track at home. after finishing our $3.50 cup of lukewarm hot chocolate, we are just about ready to chalk up another tribe lost and hit the road when...
the 1-2 pitch...a swing and a pop foul to the left (wait a minute...oh my goodness, i might have a chance at this!)
since i was a boy, i have always brought my baseball mit to every MLB game that i've attended. i figure it is always good to be prepared. you never know when you might need to use the glove. well, today, for the first time in awhile, it would be put to use.
that ball that branyan fouled back was still climbing higher and higher. as soon as i realized that this was going to be a close play in the empty seats in front of me, i sprang from my seat and quickly darted down the steps, all the while keeping a close eye on the descending baseball. not a single fan was within 20 feet of me, when the ball hit the heel of my raised mitt (and painfully the palm of my left hand) squarely and bounced onto the pavement below this empty row of seats. before the rush of kids and die-hards reached "my row," i doze on top of the baseball, before it could escape me. as i rose to my feet victoriously with this timeless token, fans behind me began "BOOing" me!?! i couldn't believe it, especially since I HAD THE BALL!soon enough, i had those same fans cheering for my dear friend, yi, because of the occasion described below.
because this was the first professional baseball game that yi had ever attended, i decided that she needed an official MLB baseball as a memento of this historic event in her life. yi now possesses the first ever foul ball that i almost caught (see margins).
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