Category Archives: Thursday posts

Self-management: A snippet

The Way of Peace, Thursday posts, , , , , , ,

It’s happened often enough lately that I may as well tell it.

When I go into the shower room at the shelter, often enough, unhappiness meets me.

The shower stall I prefer isn’t available, and I resent it.

This guy is taking up half the shower bench, and the other half is full also, and I resent it.

This other guy is taking up all kinds of too much time getting dressed, and I resent it.

As soon as I turn my attention to what I will actually do — where to put my clothes, choosing a stall that is available, and getting undressed in itself — all those bad feelings vanish.

Complaining means you’re not doing what you can.

Related:  Here – Now – Can

Originally posted 07/01/16.

There can be no dialogue with toxic speech.

National media, National news, The William Tell Show, Thursday posts, , , , , , ,

Debate opposing views, don’t label them hate: Column

Over the weekend, I very nearly un-Friended a church member on Facebook.

This woman is a pillar of the congregation, exceptionally gifted, and holds several important offices.  But she frequents certain web sites that spew forth racial hatred, and she Likes certain items, and they show up in my Timeline.  I will never voluntarily expose myself to such material.  (Related:  Change your diet.)  There can be no dialogue with it:  even to take it seriously is poisonous to my soul.

The First Amendment will not protect me from it.  On the contrary, hate speech is normally protected.  As are lies.  As is verbal bullying.  And heckling.

One can choose, however, what one pays attention to.

Milo Yiannopoulos is a troll.

As likewise are Ann Coulter and Joan Walsh.

There may be no lawful way to silence them, but those persons and organizations (such as Young Republicans) who sponsor them, hire them, and give them gratuitous platforms, may be persuaded that the nation deserves better.

Originally posted 2016-06-15.

Scandalous words

Bible, Justice, Politics, The Way of Peace, Thursday posts, , , , , , , ,

These words will scandalize some readers.

Sometime in the future, I will no doubt discuss the same ideas in a more well-ordered way.  But I think I need to produce some expression now.

Jesus never called upon his followers to “change the world.”  Jesus never confronted injustice, oppression, slavery or “the system.”

He had opportunities to do so.

Continue reading Scandalous words →

“Maybe Old Teachers Don’t Stink”

Poverty, Thursday posts,

Maybe Old Teachers Don’t Stink

I have come across numerous references in recent months, to the effect that poor and nonwhite students are highly disadvantaged by the inexperience of most of the teachers in their schools.

Teachers who have short careers in the field are often those who aren’t cut out for this work in the first place.  But, however it happens, such persons wind up being concentrated in schools poor and nonwhite students attend.

We need to find a way to fix this.

Originally posted 2016-06-11.

Job search diary 06/01/16 – 06/07/16

Homelessness, Job search/Job prospects, Thursday posts
WEDNESDAY 2016-06-02
Aside: Re: Housing
Tuesday, my therapist asked me what I see as the greatest obstacle to employment. Answer: Housing. If I had my own place, I could work any hours, any shift; would be able to conduct job search until 5 pm daily, whereas I must appear at the shelter at 2:30; etc.
Wednesday, I met with a woman who comes to the shelter once a week; she comes from some City agency and tries to get guys hooked up with various resources, including housing. She said that, with only one exception, every housing facility she knows of requires that an applicant be either elderly (62 or older; I’m 60.), disabled, or both. She is to touch base with that one exception she knows of, and see if I might can get in there.

Continue reading Job search diary 06/01/16 – 06/07/16 →