The artist who created the pattern is Emma Congdon and she has produced three beautiful books full of mottos like “A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor” Cross Stitch for the Soul, Cross Stitch for the Earth and Cross Stitch for the Heart. I will do more in the future. You should definitely give them a look if you like cross stitch or fancy mottos. They are all easy to find on Amazon or Etsy. Here is her personal web page — http://www.emmacongdon.com/
In case you are not familiar with Mother Teresa’s struggle with the dark, she served God and His poor for fifty years while not feeling any of the joy of God’s presence, approval, and/or love. Unlike St. Theresa of Avila whom her nuns had to hold her down to keep her from levitating during mass, Mother Teresa was always dredging up “a big smile” for God when she felt nothing. What a relief from the guilty times when I feel nothing. I’m certainly not experiencing what Mother Teresa felt, and I certainly do not handle it with any of the grace she found, but the fact that she felt dryness too means I’m not off and alone. She wanted the documents in this book destroyed. I am so glad they weren’t.
There is mostly helpful guide text that strings together the documents and places them in time. I appreciated this, but next time I may just read Mother Teresa’s texts by themselves. They are so different from the teachings of other saints. I love their plain spoken honesty. I highly recommend this book, particularly to those of us who find ourselves in the dark from time to time.
Sometimes you don’t want the experience of doing something enough to actually do it. We’re all busy, and how we use our time can significantly improve our happiness. Sometimes though you just need to know how the 100 hour chocolate cake turns out in real life, or how much closer are we to Shake Shack with the viral recipes. David Seymour has you covered. His channel is devoted to recreating internet recipes for the busy and the lazy. His shows range from serious efforts, anything Claire Saffitz, to corny, the hot dog Lincoln log house. All are eminently watchable due to Seymour’s sincerity and “aw shucks” humility. I would like to see him throwing some heavy hitters like Martha Stewart into the mix occasionally, but I am generally very happy to spend twenty minutes or mour, lots mour, watching David as he cooks.
https://youtube.com/@DavidSeymourofficial
We lost. I never expected we’d win. Things that are as hard and cruel and widely accepted as abortion arise from despair and despair is nearly undefeatable. Despair develops when there is little to no hope of being seen or understood as a human being, and women have 5,000 years of history to sure up any holes in our despair. It’s ironic that the political movement against abortion spends so much time insisting on the value of every human being and yet they sputter out and shut down at the humanity of the woman.
In the beginning, God gave men a little power boost, for whatever reason. What they’ve done with it is create a world where women despair. Where a sexual assault or a misstep is fatal to a woman’s future, not figuratively, literally. Any hope of being more than a butt-wiper can be gone with the stroke of a thin blue line. And women are profoundly designed as more than butt-wipers. We are all given gifts with which we are supposed to bless the world, but for millennia that fact has been meaningless. To limit the competition and to neatly manage the butt-wiping work, men have used their little tiny power to keep women out of the way and exhausted.
To be human is to express one’s gifts and to be paid for it. Every woman will rate for herself how much her painting, lawyering, teaching, politicking etc. she will balance against her half of the butt-wiping, but every woman should be doubling their talents not burying them in the ground. Poverty should not be the predictable, enshrined story of an early pregnancy. We don’t need to outlaw killing babies. We need to create a world in which they and their mommies can joyfully co-exist. If we could magically remove Prop 3 belatedly it would be of little virtue because the problem isn’t the law, it’s despair.
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh the Hero by Geraldine McCaughrean is one of the strongest books in the whole curriculum. She does her best to stick to the ancient structure of twelve books, and the ancient spirit of struggle and grief. David Parkins’ illustrations are also inspired by ancient life. The picture on the cover makes it clear that Gilgamesh is no Superman. It helps us think about the differences between then and now.
There is a matter we must address about one of the most important characters, Hatti (Shamhat). She is a temple prostitute. Temple prostitutes were respected member of the Mesopotamian Society. They even had protected inheritance rights. This doesn’t make prostitution right, but it does explain why it is included in such a matter-of-fact way. The Bible has a few prostitutes, and they get taught in Sunday School. Give Hatti a chance before you skip over her. She plays a crucial role in the story.
READER’S GUIDE
This week’s reading is heavy. To read the whole book in four days as we normally do means three chapters a day. I offer lighter versions, but you will miss important things. Consider reading on the weekends, or for breakfast, snack and bedtime. If everyone is agreeable you could take a second week. In any case, happy reading!
MONDAY ch. 1-3 or ch. 1&3 or ch. 3
TUESDAY ch. 4-6 or ch. 4&5 or ch. 5
WEDNESDAY ch. 7-9 or ch. 8&9 or ch. 8
THURSDAY ch. 10-12 or ch 10&11 or ch 10
Teaching Notes
Ask students about their reading. Let them bubble it all out. Ask if they found the Noah story and what was his Mesopotamian name. Have them express how it was the same and yet different. Ask them what their favorite parts were, and ask what the worst parts were. Would they want a friendship like Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s?
Then get ready for SLIDES.
SLIDES
You will need a stack of 3x5 cards and a Sharpie. On an 8 1/2x 11 piece of paper write “The Epic of Gilgamesh”. Place it in the middle of the floor. Have the students line up. Ask the first four to tell you an incident in the story. Write each one on a 3x5 card. Have them put the cards on the floor, one on each corner. The next round have the students connect the incidents to other books we have read, such as, “Hammurabi was a king like Gilgamesh.” “He goes on a journey like Sinuhe.” Alternate between Epic of Gilgamesh traits and our past reading going round and round until the subject is exhausted. Students may work collaboratively.
Crowhook is aimed at 6-12 grade. We aren’t looking to master the texts. We are just saying “Hello.” Each students participation and the quality of their participation will vary. It’s all ok.
Introduction: The Epic of Gilgamesh
Present a brief overview of TEOG’s main characters and plot, then divide the group into pairs. Assign each pair a fairy tale—“The Three Bears,” “Red Riding Hood,” “Cinderella” etc. Instruct them to rewrite the story based in one of four cultures—Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Israelite or a space alien culture from the future. Give them twenty minutes to work on it.
When time is up have them briefly share their new versions of the story and let everyone comment on the differences from the original. Explain that this happened to the story of Gilgamesh and all the different versions got mixed up with each other across time and distance. Further explain that David Ferry’s version (which they will be reading) does its best to make all the parts work together. Hold up Stephanie Dallry’s version and explain that she translated the text word by word from the tablets. Explain that both approaches have merit.
READER’S GUIDE
The Epic of Gilgamesh rendered by David Ferry
MONDAY read p. 3-20 Enkidu is a wild man. How important is love and friendship in teaching him to be human?
TUESDAY read p. 21-43 Being partners enables Gilgamesh and Enkidu to stand up to gods and monsters. Can you think of a time a friend helped you feel brave?
WEDNESDAY p. 44-64 Grief and fear send Gilgamesh on an epic journey. Where would you go to find comfort and answers?
THURSDAY p. 65-82 Compare the two Noah stories. Also, do you think Utnapishtim was fair to Gilgamesh? What do you think would have happened if Gilgamesh had gotten the weed home?
Teaching The Epic of Gilgamesh
Pass out paper and markers. Read Utnapishtim’s speech on p. 64. Ask the students what they think he means. Discuss death, loss, and grief. Invite them to draw a picture of someone they have lost as you continue the discussion. Introduce the idea that they will die and people will miss them. Ask them what kind of person they hope to be.
Anemoia, a nostalgia for something that never happened. I was too young to live off campus according to the rules of my conservative Christian university, then I was too broke to live alone after I graduated and then I was too much in love. All of it adds up to what feels like a missed opportunity. I never lived alone. I never had no one to answer to but myself. I like to imagine what it might have been like.
If I ever did live alone, I’d ask Alexandra Gater what to do with my space. Her savvy and ephemeral approach seems like it is perfect for the gilded girl. I too love pink, though my shade might be a little different. The new dark and moody episodes are so charming. Almost everything she does with books I am there for, and if I was living alone there would be books. Renter friendly also means easy to change, and I like the freedom of that.
Thank you, Alexandra for feeding my daydreams such beauty and class on a budget.
sharpening mistakes
wasting for you
going to the bawl
getting what’s coming to you
Undue
My first lesson posted here will be Simply Hooked Ancients: The Epic of Gilgamesh. I will shorten it a bit, but it will be enough to get the idea across. Enjoy!
The Epic of Gilgamesh
One of the greatest works of ancient literature Gilgamesh takes us on a journey through life and grief. It is as healing today as it must have been when Gilgamesh was a beloved character and even worshipped as a god. His story was co-opted and adapted not only by Sumerian communities but by all the surrounding communities. There is no one simple narrative that everyone agreed on. Everyone had their favorite version like every cook in New Orleans has their favorite gumbo.
I’m going to recommend two editions of TEOG. First Stephanie Dalley’s Myths from Mesopotamia which is a true translation from the actual tablets. The other version is David Ferry’s which is a compilation of the different versions that creates a coherent story. You can pick one according to your inclinations, but I recommend reading both. Stephanie Dalley’s work is authentic. David Ferry’s is beautiful.
Reader’s Guide
1. Start with Stephanie Dalley’s excellent introduction to The Epic of Gilgamesh, p. 39-49. It is rich in information. You should not miss it.
2. Next read David Ferry’s rendering. Allow yourself to be swept away by the adventure piled on top of adventure. Weep with Gilgamesh over the loss of Enkidu.
3. Return to Stephanie Dalley’s version and compare the difference between a translation and a rendering. Consider the value of each.
PROMPTS—Suggestions for responding to your reading. Choose one and complete your experience.
1. Think of a partner you have lost as Gilgamesh lost Enkidu. Allow yourself to express that grief creatively through painting, writing or song.
2. Imagine a grief journey like Gilgamesh’s. Where would you go? What would you hope to accomplish? His journey was epic, stepping out of reality. Yours can be too, escape the boundaries of space and time, or be strictly bound by the rules, let them quirk your path.
3. Make a list of all the people who have contributed to your life. Who are your Enkidus, Shamhats and Utnapishtims?
I love my Bujo. It makes magic and moves me forward. I also love my iPad and it is always with me in ways my Bujo can’t manage, therefore I also rely on apps. Here are some of my favorites.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/planmore-schedule-planner/id1613129298
Planmore is my general goto because it is so much like my Bujo. You make lists and fill calendars and you reward yourself with a crossed off list and what fails to get done can be rescheduled. The interface is intuitive. Do give it a try.
My Fitness Pal is my goto for all fitness records. I track my eating and my exercise. The app has always been good, and they keep making it better.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reminders/id1108187841
Reminders is something I use for special projects like Christmas or my curriculum writing efforts. You make the list and then you can check it as often as you like. Very handy for goals that require more than a few steps or days.
This is the newest in the bunch, and I must say it is as fun as it is functional. My massive TBR list is organized and pretty, and I like seeing all my have reads so neatly lined up. Very good for inspiring reading and for harnessing all the benefits of reading. It’s kind of a My Fitness Pal for the mind.
These are my favorites that I use regularly. Am I missing something? All recommendations are welcome in the comments.
The Myth of Isis and Osiris
The Tale of Sinuhe
The Egyptian Book of the Dead
Exodus
Temple Poems by Enheduanna
Code of Hammurabi
The Enuma Elish
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
The Art of War Sun Tzu
The Iliad by Homer
The Odyssey by Homer
Histories by Herodotus
Antigone by Sophocles
Death of Socrates by Plato
Poetics by Aristotle
Daniel
The Analects of Confucius
Bhagavad Gita
Pali Canon
The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar
The Aeneid by Virgil
Mark
Plutarch’s Lives
Confessions by Augustine
Keep you eyes peeled. I am planning to post sample lessons from each level of my program. If you are interested I’d love some feedback.
Katie’s business is a family business and it shows. Some of my favorite videos are of her making things with Lily her little daughter.
The best thing about Katie’s videos comes at the end when she reminds her viewers to do something fun for themselves and offers up suggestions of things to do. Everybody needs permission to be good to themselves sometimes.
Right back at you Katie. Do something fun for yourself today, like building a blanket fort with Lily and William or sitting in the sun just because. You certainly do love people by making soap.
