Teaching Saves My Life Every Single Day

 https://onbeing.org/blog/christina-torres-teaching-saves-my-life-every-single-day/

It’s incredibly rewarding, but immensely tiring. The double-edged sword of teaching is the continued (and, often, draining) presence of people throughout your workday. Some of us aptly describe it as having to be “on” — teaching requires a tremendous sense of presence, all while knowing each interaction with a kid can change the culture of your classroom for a day — or more. The stakes are high.

When I first started teaching, the pressure of being “on,” of having to “perform” was tiring. I would end each day emotionally exhausted, barely able to comprehend doing this for the rest of the week, much less year.

After a few years, though, I realized teaching isn’t a performance at all — it’s a relationship. My kids didn’t need me to entertain them. They needed me to enter into kinship with them, to care about them and, at the same time, allow them to care about me.

And in this way, teaching saves my life every single day.

 

Performance Art

https://video.bsky.app/watch/did%3Aplc%3A3eueg42gb4r6qbjxderbvyk7/bafkreidtsz45xhijz44zgfpoc6z6a3q4rskxx46atm6ajcid5wi4bwlu4q/thumbnail.jpg

How the Kakistocracy Became a Quackistocracy Corruption is a germ’s best friend by Paul Krugman

https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/how-the-kakistocracy-became-a-quackistocracy

The Estranged Strange Family

There is “a growing recognition of the importance of mental health and well-being, leading more individuals to prioritize their emotional health and set boundaries with toxic or abusive family members.”

Family estrangement is a widespread, often misunderstood phenomenon where at least 27% of American adults intentionally distance themselves from relatives due to negative relationships, conflict, or for personal mental health and safety. It represents a shift towards prioritizing individual well-being over obligatory, potentially toxic familial ties, often leading to "no-contact" scenarios.  

Key Aspects of Estranged Families: Prevalence: Roughly 70 million Americans report being estranged from a family member.     

Common Reasons: Major reasons for estrangement, particularly from adult children toward parents, include toxic behavior, abuse, differing values, trauma, or feeling unsupported. Other causes include divorce, in-law conflict, or mental health struggles.     

The "No Contact" Trend: While historically taboo, there is a push to normalize "no contact" as a healthy boundary for self-preservation.     

Impact on Parents: Parents experiencing estrangement often deal with profound shame, guilt, and grief, often feeling their lives lack purpose without their children or grandchildren.     

Psychological Shift: Modern estrangement often stems from a move away from "compulsory" family relationships toward "pure relationships," which are maintained only if they provide mutual satisfaction, rather than obligation.   

While some parents aim for reconciliation, experts suggest that, in many cases, adult children cut ties to escape dysfunctional dynamics, with the estrangement serving as a form of liberation rather than just a punishment.  

Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don't drift apart, a behavior known as rafting.

 https://x.com/i/status/2023392167528419564

Controlling parents may restrict access to aunts and uncles to maintain strict authority, limit outside influence, or manage perceived threats to their parenting style, often isolating the child from extended family support

  While parents have legal authority over visitation, they are not obligated to include relatives, though this can deprive children of emotional, developmental, and social benefits. 

Common Reasons for Restricting Access

• Boundary Setting: Parents may believe relatives are disrespectful, toxic, or unsafe for their children.
• Control and Autonomy: A desire to prevent, or "shield," children from differing opinions, family gossip, or influence.
• Conflict/Drama: Past disputes or disagreements over parenting styles.
• Protecting Parental Authority: Limiting relationships that might undermine the parent-child dynamic. 

Impact on Children and Family

• Isolation: Children miss out on nurturing, supportive relationships that provide emotional stability, social skills, and resilience.
• Loss of Support System: Aunts and uncles often act as trusted mentors or, in crises, temporary guardians.
• Strained Relationships: The restriction can create long-term rifts within the extended family. 

The 2026 Lunar New Year, beginning February 17, 2026, marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse

The 2026 Lunar New Year, beginning February 17, 2026, marks the start of the Year of the Fire Horse, which lasts until February 5, 2027. As a 60-year combination, this year symbolizes high energy, freedom, speed, and significant transformation. The Fire Horse is known for being passionate, independent, and hardworking, yet potentially impulsive or impatient. 

Key Aspects of the 2026 Year of the Fire Horse:

• Significance: The horse represents vitality, perseverance, and success. The element of fire brings extra intensity, passion, and, at times, volatility to the year.
• Character Traits: Those born under this sign (or in this year) are believed to be energetic, free-spirited, and quick-witted, often preferring to act quickly rather than wait.
• Cultural Context: Fire Horse years are considered both auspicious and challenging, requiring careful navigation and wise leadership to maximize opportunities.
• Celebrations: The 16-day celebration, which often includes, this 2026 guide, starts with the new moon and concludes with the Lantern Festival.
• Business Impact: In the workplace, this year is often associated with themes of "success at a gallop," speed, and momentum, though it can sometimes lead to feelings of burnout. 

This year is considered a time for making bold moves and pursuing personal freedom. 

The BLUE PEE STAGE of the US Presidency DRAGS ON

King George III’s reported blue urine,

often cited as evidence of porphyria causing his "madness," was likely due to treatments containing gentian violet or indigo. While historically linked to porphyria (a metabolic disorder causing reddish-purple urine), modern analysis suggests his symptoms—including blue-tinged urine—could result from intense constipation causing indigo formation or medication. 

• The "Blue" Symptom: In 1812, physicians reported a bluish tinge, sometimes leaving a blue ring on the glass, associated with his severe bouts of illness.
• Alternative Theory - Medication: The king was given medicines containing gentian, a plant that can turn urine blue, which might have caused the discoloration.
• Alternative Theory - Metabolic Waste:
  Extreme constipation could have led to the production of indoxyl sulphate, which, through bacterial action, creates "indigo blue" in the urine
  .
Porphyria Debate: While Ida Macalpine and Richard Hunter famously argued in the 1960s that he suffered from acute porphyria, recent research has questioned this, suggesting his behavior was more consistent with bipolar disorder. 

The "Madness of King George" was likely a combination of physical illness, potential porphyria, and harsh, sometimes inappropriate, medical treatments (such as arsenic, which can worsen porphyria symptoms). 

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

 "Let the Good Times Roll" 

Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) in 2026 is

February 17, marking the final day of Carnival revelry before the 40-day fasting season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Known as a "feast before fasting," this day features parades, king cakes, and indulging in rich foods, such as donuts and pancakes, to use up fats. 

Key Aspects of Fat Tuesday:

• Significance: It is a day to celebrate, feast, and prepare for the Lenten season of repentance, often associated with confession and reflection.
• Traditions: Celebrations include wearing green, gold, and purple, parades, costume parties, and large feasts, with major celebrations in New Orleans and worldwide.
• Food:
  Typical foods include King Cake, doughnuts (especially Polish
  pączki
  ), pancakes, and rich, fatty dishes
  .
Alternative Names: Also referred to as Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday, or Carnival. 

Joyce Carol Oates: sad to hear of older persons who don't make appointments for essential procedures like colonoscopies because, in our state at least, you have to have someone whom you know pick you up after the procedure; you can't hire a taxi or uber.  most of their friends are older like themselves & don't drive; one said, "I don't want to bother my relatives any more than I need to."   are other states like N.J.?  all things having to do with health care seem to be increasingly hostile, difficult especially for not-wealthy people who live alone.

Green Sauce: a Spinach Mushroom Garlic Onion on Pasta

I bought two pounds of baby bella mushrooms, I had four white onions, I had 1/3 stick unsalted butter, I added ample bloops of  extra virgin olive oil 5 cloves of fresh garlic, soy sauce and salt.

Slice the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and saute with butter and olive oil in a large pan. It's already irresistible!

I have never used butter in my life. This changed everything and it was so good. 

Then I added a pound of chopped frozen spinach. It defrosted in the pan and melded beautifully. 

We ate this on top of freshly boiled Bowl and Basket whole wheat pasta.

Ricky Davila‬: On this President’s Day it’s an important reminder that for the first time in American history the United States doesn’t have a President but instead is being destroyed by a vindictive hateful trashy fraudulent lying diabolical sadistic criminal tyrant and his regime of crooks.

Greek Lentil Soup

 https://dragonwagon.com/blog/2020/03/11/greek-lentil-soup/

Crescent Dragonwagon https://dragonwagon.com/blogs/

Basic Corn Bread- The Moosewood Cookbook

Ingredients

Butter to grease the pan

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar or honey 
3 tablespoons melted butter 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8-inch square pan (or a 9-10 inch cast-iron skillet) with butter.

Assemble we and dry ingredients separately then combine and bake in a pre-greased skillet. 

George Bilgere: Everything in the blues must be said twice, with variations. Maybe because we know the truth has more than one face.

All my computer/phone etc devices were not working this morning. I do not have patience! So I baked an apple pie instead. It's beautiful. I made hearts and stars using cookie cutters in the dough and dropped them on top of the apples and it served as an impromptu lattice crust.

We often forget that novels have deep roots in storytelling, because books are objects, things you hold and read alone in your underwear. But I always try to connect the novel back to its roots: We’re sitting around a campfire, and now it’s someone’s turn to tell a story. I try to think of myself as a storyteller, rather than a “writer.”

REIF LARSEN

Jameela Jamil: Ah shit! We let pedophiles decide our beauty standards.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-168330906

Yogurt-marinated Mushrooms With Flatbread

 https://cooked.wiki/saved/b1c524ce-1dfc-45de-9184-4c1c51f0189d

 

Home Made Ginger Garlic Paste

 https://masalaandchai.com/ginger-garlic-paste/