Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Random thoughts on fate


On Easter my daughter took me to see Hair at Manoa Valley Theatre. The show was incredibly well done. Unfortunately, my favorite number from the Manoa version isn't available on YouTube, so I have another group singing for you here.



When they performed this number, I actually got choked up and cried. Must have touched a nerve.


* * *
Yesterday I left super early for work to give myself time to stop at a friend/colleague's house. She gave birth last week. My favorite gift after I gave birth was when someone dropped off a home cooked meal. I was always hungry and hubs tended to only get take out.

So, I merge to the right lane of the freeway to exit and do my good deed (I made three different meals for this young couple that only needed to be warmed up in the oven). As I am exiting the freeway, a kamikaze bird flies out of nowhere and offs himself by flying straight into my right front fender. It scared the crappola out of me and made me wonder "why me?" Now I have this bird's death on my conscience.

* * *
I added a few people from my high school graduating class as friends on Facebook. I was leery. If we were meant to stay in contact, perhaps we would have....

One friend was great to reconnect with.
Another not so much. She messaged me and asked what I had been up to the last 30 years. In my reply I mentioned that I was an English teacher. This is what I got back:

"An English teacher?????? Yeah shock comes to mind. ha ha How is everything? Well, it's cool you get the summers off right?
"
I'm not sure how to interpret this...

Does she mean

a) I was such a partyer in high school (note: so was she) that she never thought I'd finish college?

b) A teacher is such a dumb ass thing to do, but at least I get the summers off?

c) Other (feel free to clue me in with a comment)

For more Randomness, head on over to Keely at the Unmom's.

31 comments:

Rosaria Williams said...

She is just careful not to use dangling participles around you. The clue? She is clueless about what you do; but she is envious!

InventingLiz said...

I am always worried that a bird is going to do that when I see them flying right in front of the car, but so far I have never even heard of it happening until I read this!

Maureen@IslandRoar said...

I find it so weird to try and describe 30 years of a life in a few words to someone. Maybe she just hated English in HS??
How nice of you to make food for your friend. I always try and do that for death and birth. Kind of like the last thing you want to face, but everyone needs to eat,right?

I am Harriet said...

I'm leery about my hs friends on FB too.

Have a great Tuesday!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/04/guess-big-0/

mo.stoneskin said...

Home-cooked meals are the way forward after giving birth.

So why wasn't I cooking?

Well...

It was still such an amazing blessing to have lasagne dropped off at the door.

In my experience 6 question marks means you should run a mile from the questioner.

cheatymoon said...

You became a teacher because you want a job where you can peruse blogs and generally slack, while also forcing your socialist agenda on America's youth... oh wait, that's me.

I've reconnected with some old friends on FB - so far not a bad thing.

I've had more than a couple of bird/vehicle collisions - that is a very bad thing.

Joanie said...

I'm curious as to what she is doing now.

I think it's wonderful that you're a teacher. Did you tell her that you're a teacher IN HAWAII??? I bet she's green with envy!

Kristan said...

My guess would be a combo of A and C. Really people just don't communicate carefully online, even when they don't mean anything by it. Myself included. :(

Either way, I can see why it would leave you feeling "meh." I feel meh myself today, because my mailman yelled at me. Ugh. Thank goodness for M&Ms and Cheetos.

As for the bird, it stinks, but it's not your fault! No need for a guilty conscience.

Christy said...

I'd go with C) she's an idiot and you should now 'block' her from seeing your updates OR just de-friend her all together.

Oh you are so nice to drop off a home made meal for a new mom. I'm having baby #2 in just TWO weeks and I am so excited for the meals I know my friends are going to bring us. We love to eat!

At least the bird didn't somehow get IN your car. I've heard that's happened -- that would have been worse. He's in heaven now, at least!

Bill Lisleman said...

that was just a random bird finding a random car fender. I don't enjoy hitting animals with a car but I suspect other animals that eat them don't think twice.

How to interpret text message or email is difficult. It lacks the tone. Just as people speak without thinking they type too.

Twenty Four At Heart said...

People say such stupid things. She probably didn't "mean" anything ... she probably just opens her mouth and drivel runs out.

Anonymous said...

I say you block her now. lol

Jan said...

Don't feel to bad; I nearly ran over and crushed a couple of geese that were strolling through the parking lot at work this morning, and were too stupid to get out of the way even after I'd honked my horn.

And you are such a sweetheart to do that for your friend! Being a new parent is always so exhausting.

Mama Badger said...

I love that song. I play the soundtrack to the play all the time. PB is worried about my influence on the boys. Wonder why?

Suicidal birds, huh? You can't take that on yourself. If he wanted to end it, he would have just found another way if he had missed your car.

And the FB thing? Sounds like your friend killed all the "how to be social" brain cells in college...

Mrsbear said...

I'm a little Facebook challenged, I think. I never know how to interpret anything. Every time I reconnect with someone, I always have to wonder if it's a good idea. So far every in person reunion has either been awkward or avoided...Oh well. I actually have no idea what your "friend" meant, but the vibe I get isn't exactly positive, shock and haha and ????? are never a good combo.

A duck once flew in to my windshield, but I was traveling at low speeds and I think he was fine...

Nubian said...

I went to an all girls high school, so when the girls, who made my life hell, wanted to friend me on Facebook, pushing that IGNORE button gave me immense satisfaction!!

CiCi said...

That is really nice that you made the meals for the new parents and took them to their house.

Beth said...

Psuedo, You are such an angel. I need to remember to make food for people more often (especially after a baby).

As for the bird, I don't know what to say. I feel bad for him (or her). And I feel bad that he (or she) chose you as his (or her) instrument of death.

And the book of face dregs up many interesting people from our past. I wouldn't take her comment personally. Judging from the use of her question marks, she is just jealous.

Amy said...

what great thoughts...

Happy Tuesday...

Anonymous said...

Um...wtcrap?? That is a weird comment to make. There is no good way to interpret that...I mean, at best they're saying you too smart to be a teacher? HUH? Ugh, hate stuff like that. FB can be nice for reconnecting..with people you want to reconnect with! :-)

Fragrant Liar said...

What a sweetheart you are, dropping food by the new mama. I remember being so grateful when someone was that thoughtful for me after I had each of my kids. By the fourth one, I really did need the help in a big way!

No clue about the old friend. Sometimes it's better to have NEW friends. :))

Sprite's Keeper said...

Whatever she does, practicing tact is not part of it.

Sprite's Keeper said...

Whatever she does, practicing tact is not part of it.

Michele said...

I'm pretty sure that the bird just knew it was his time and you were doing him a favor.

Ginny Marie said...

I'm making pork chops for my neighbor tomorrow...she just had a sweet baby boy! I can't wait to hold him!

ds said...

What a lovely thing to do for a new mother!
You are not responsible for that bird. And you are, of course, familiar with the saying "with friends like that, who needs enemies."
Let the sun shine!!

Heather said...

So nice of you to take food to a new mother. I think my father nearly starved to death cause he couldn't cook.

That bird must have been distracted by the smell of your good food!

I have only found two classmates and after the initial greeting and getting a little caught up, I haven't heard from them since.

Maybe that girl doesn't have any respect for what teachers actually do, like teach the minds of the future.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

That second 'friends' response is part of what keeps me from FB.

I really believe if we were meant to keep in touch, we do.

But I'm not a tweeter either.

Cristin said...

I've had birds commit suicide on my vehicle too... and it doesn't bother me, because I'm evil.

But at least I don't send dumbass tactless messages to long lost high school friends.

Just B said...

Exhibit A of why I'm wary of Facebook...

It could be that she, like most people, consider HS students to be a strange, totally undesirable sub-species. Most people can't imagine why anyone would want to teach HS--it must be the summers off.

Me? I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to teach. Considering getting back into the racket myself.

creative kerfuffle said...

so nice of you to give food to the new parents : ) much appreciated i'm sure. i've had that bird thing happen (and a squirrel also) and it blows. no avoiding it, it just happens. fb is a strange animal. i have a few people i've reconnected w/ from college and it's been good. then there are people who friend me and we never connect/catch up and i wonder what the point was. as for her comment, i think many things are lost in translation online. was she hateful when you knew her in hs? if not, maybe the comment wasn't meant in a hateful tone.