With all the people throwing their hat into the ring, I know for sure we'll end up with someone new in the white house in 2008 (technically 2009). And that is when all this hair-growing will stop (it is a pain by the way). I don't know who I'll vote for, or who I'll listen to the most, but all I know is that it won't be someone with the intials GB. I don't know too much about some of the democratic candidates, are there 5 or 6 now? We all knew Hillary was going for it and Obama too (well I kind of like him). But can it really get any worse?
I've really been upset about politics this past week, and usually I just listen and sigh, and complain like the rest of us, but lately it's been overwhelming, how much disgust I have for the present state of things. The war, the oil, the suffering. And that's not even with in my community, look at what we have going on at home? Education, Jobs, Crime, big business, Environment? It's all a big worry, really.
Each day I try to think about how I can improve what I do on a daily basis, I try to be a positive role model for my students. To try to set an example for both my female and male students (not portraying myself as an object as most of them are taught to see women, even the female students). It's really difficult to see if you have any effect on the minds of these students. It's tough to help them individually realize that they can change now for a better future. They don't realize that they are still able to choose a path or many paths! They think that the path they are on is one that they will stay on. Most of them will repeat the mistakes they've made again and again. Some might even do worse. Some will end up in and out of jail for the rest of their lives.
So is the election the biggest deal in the next 2 years? No, not really, it will make a lot of money for some people, and change a few things, but it probably won't change the lives of the students I teach, or even me, for that matter. What we all do on the smaller scale will. What we do on a daily basis will, how we are, how we see the world now, and what we can do to make it better in our area...wherever that may be.
I think that's my goal. While the bigger stuff in the world bothers me, and I can't tolerate it, I think it's important for me to do what I can with what I got and where I am. Is the Juvenile system working? Not really. Does what I do matter? Yes.
Sounds too much like a hippie talking? Or a bit too peace corps for you? Well, who cares. I'm in a job that I think I'm good at, I have direct contact with kids who for the most part are tossed away by society. They teach me as much as I teach them. And actually the more they know that I'm not intimidated by their lives, choices, or attitudes, the more they open up.
I'm looking forward to seeing a new administration, but I just don't know how much effect it will have on me. It will give me someone new to watch, and listen to. Watch people make jokes about, but will that person and their cabinet of policy makers make us better as a whole? I don't know.
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