Dry January: Anyone?

 

Mississippi Mesala (1991)

 Mississippi Mesala (1991)

Did we know? The British brought laborers from British India to build the Uganda Railway (1896-1901), and workers later settled there. Under Idi Amin in 1972, the Asians were expelled from Uganda. A familiar story? Canada hired Chinese laborers to build the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to connect Eastern Canada with the Pacific (1881-1885). Most of them settled in Canada and built Chinatowns in major cities, but further immigration was stopped with the Chinese Exclusion Act (1923-1947)… Fast forward to present North America where most industries move with the brains and muscles of migrant workers. From Silicon Valley to the farms of Ontario, how are they faring? MLJ/31122025

Thank you, Dado Banatao.

 

Freedom of the mind

 

Meteorologist: If this is winter storm, imagine the heat dome in summer.

 

What is a heat dome?

The Summer Book: A superb performance by Glenn Close at 79

 

Available on Kanopy for CPL card holders. 

Filmed in the Finnish archipelago.

Rob Reiner: Find joy in your life.

 Rob Reiner, thank you for your movies. 

To Live Simply: Stay Home on Boxing Day

 

Sabrina Carpenter for Second Graders?

T: Do you know what Jesus' father did for a living?

S1: He was a scientist?

S2: He was a driver!

T: Let me give you a hint. It starts with the letter C.

S3: I know. He was a carpenter.

S4: Like Sabrina Carpenter?

S5: Your crush?

Mancala

 My grade 2s this year are enjoying this game a lot. I got the board from my landlord who was ready to dispose of it, and I use decorative rocks instead of puka shells. Guess what? I got a mancala set from today's exchange gift. Tomorrow will be unboxing day. The kids will surely be happy to have a second set in class. Enjoy every bit of surprise this Christmas and always!

How to play Sungka (Philippine Mancala game)

60s-90s: Do you know where your children are?

 

21st Century: Do you know who your child is corresponding with online? 

Do you know who your child is meeting tonight?

How much do you know your child?

"I think shame is underrated these days... Re-enter with some more humility." SP

Julia Roberts & Sean Penn | Actors on Actors

Right. Nobody's ashamed of being too greedy these days (with obvious conflict of interest), too unkind (and shaming journalists), too uncaring (and not paying workers)... Where did humanity go?

MUSIC

 MUSIC or any form of art (or sports), for your child, please, instead of too much electronics before it's too late; otherwise, digital detoxing will be very painful. Just my two cents... Peace!

Take a second for some relaxing banjo

Anyone still wondering why AI is unregulated?

 

Zzz...

A total of ten hours in two nights.
marks for eight subjects
progress report comments
for each of twenty-two students
sixteen as English learners
six with special needs
one severe
tomorrow again
seriously?
deadline in two days

Zzz...

MLJ06122025ReadyToZzz

Thank you, Frank Gehry (1929-2025)

 

Self-Driving Cars? Why, oh, why?

 

What TEACHING really is

 

12. Supporting students with special needs

13. Dealing with warring/divorced/separated parents

14. Caring for children who haven't slept because they were online all night

15. Supporting parents who are learning English or can't read or write in any language

16. Dealing with parents who think that education is not their business

Nicotine Pouches: Why? Why? Why?

 

Still Standing

Typical fall snowfall for days

Today's a can't-find-your-car day
Muscle work after a 10-hour workday

Osteoporosis, come back another day.

We’ll Soon Be Sophias

 

It was a dorm room for four,
Across the street from campus.
One was added to us three.
She brought a portable TV
And watched as she studied after school,
So we watched, felt sad or laughed along,
Or finished our work in the library till nine,
Past her Dynasty, The Cosby Show, Family Ties,
Who’s the Boss, Full House, The Golden Girls…
And named ourselves young Dorothies
Instead of Roses, Blanches or Sophias.
Forty years hence, we’ll soon be Sophias
And very thankful indeed, never to complain.
Glad there are dorms, friendship and laughter.
MLJ28112025TheGoldenGirls1985-1992

What's on your "Shelfie"?

 

I could be like Rhys in So Far Gone and retire into the woods as a recluse but hopefully, never one of the ten gullible ones in And Then There Were None. 

The Good Lord Still Loves You

When on the road
You annoyed a psycho,
Stressed or recently divorced?
With diarrhea or late for work?
With PTSD or mad at the world?

Abruptly cutting you off.
Stopping. Thinking if you’re worth
A bullet? A baseball bat to break?
You wait. Drive off and get chased?
Thought 911 would be hard to dial,
Forgetting a voice command you could try
Simply say, “Hey, Google!”. Ain’t that nice?

You stay put. Wait for your final fate.
Until he drove on. The finger he gave,
Stabbing the air, now so pained!
Thinking a stupid, old woman
Was never worth his while.
Phew! You’re incredibly alive!
And felt so very much loved.
MLJ16112025RoadRageOn52nd