Witches, Sangria and Macbeth

At an engagement party for wife's cousin, E. was helping make the big bowls of sangria. He told E. to put in the ingredients and stir, stir.

As E. was stirring, she said, "This reminds me of the witches in Macbeth;" and proceeded to quote a bit from the play.

For the record: E. is 7 and 1/2; she read the graphic novel version of Macbeth (in plain text) about a month ago.

E. - Aug. 22, 2011

"Grisly" she said, about MacBeth (the graphic novel version).

"Death is an omniscient narrator." -- after reading The Book Thief, Markus Zusak.

I knew she had studied the different narrative types last year (grade 2), but I'm still amazed that she was able to recognize it in different books she is reading.

Her reading speed: she used to finish a book (like Harry Potter or Fablehaven) every other day, but these days she's taking a morning to finish a book that's shorter than HP, something like Dr. Dolittle or View from Saturday (E.L. Konisburg).

E. Log 4

E. was watching Magic School Bus program on PBS and one of the kids said, "I haven't read the Iliad." And E. said, "WHAT?? What? How could she have not read it. It's a classic!" She was genuinely outraged and could not fathom how they could have not read it. She treated it like it was Dr. Seuss.

I finally had to say, "E., you have to realize NOT everyone has read The Iliad. I think most adults haven't read it either."

By the way, E. read the online version of The Iliad for Boys and Girls.

Is it Fun?

That's what the Apple guy asked me after I told him what I did for a living. I hemmed and hawed and gave him an indirect answer, saying that's not creatively fulfilling for me, it's not rocket science, etc.

But if truth be told, No, it's not fun. I guess that's in the subtext. It's really mind-numbing, soul-destroying waste of my life. I can't believe I've been at this cubicle nearly 10 years. And it's not meaningful work either.

I don't need it to be fun, but I do need it to be meaningful -- complex, autonomous, rewards tied to effort. That will make me content and happy.

ISO "Calling"

Looking for the next chapter in my life. Must be my mid-life crisis. I have family, love, money, but I need something else.

I need to dedicate myself to something higher than myself, something outside myself. I have failed at riches, fame and power. I need to find my "calling"; something that has meaning; something that will leave a mark after I'm gone. Something I can dedicate for the rest of my days on this Earth.

Even if I had achieved riches, fame and power, I think I would still be dissatisifed, discontent and would have arrived at this same place. But having failed, I just reached this place quicker.

So the search continues for my Calling. I wish my high school graduation commencement speaker or even my college grad speakers had told me this stuff.

What is my calling in life? Teaching?