Short thoughts at the end of the week.

One week down, two more to go, and only one more week of purely school VISTA training. The more information I absorb, the more I find myself feeling lost. Today I got out some looseleaf to put in my training binder, and on Monday I think I will use it to make some lists. Lists, along with day planners, are some of the most basic elements necessary for my survival.

Also, I am now officially one of those people who have two cell phones. True, this may be because I don't have a land line in my office and the cell phone is like my office phone, but all the same I know I am not the only one who is feeling like they have leveled up. And I did just use "level up" to say I am now capable of wielding twice as many cell phones, you are not mistaken.

As usual, it took me at least 10 tries to record my voicemail greeting. I was sure I could avoid that problem by writing out an outline of what I wanted to say, then locking myself in my car, but no luck.

Despite my continuing exhaustion and sore eyes, I feel energized because the whole weekend is still ahead of me. I haven't found a less exhausting occupation, but at least I have finally reclaimed my weekends after 18 years of schooling. 18 years, wow.

Speaking of reclaiming weekends, Doug and I are still committed to plans just about every weekend, so I cannot imagine what life will be like when we start having weekends that are truly relaxing.

Today we watched The Boys of Baraka. I now want to show it to most people I know. If I could be sure I would keep to my word, I would stop writing for today and promise an entire entry dedicated to the movie. The film placed the viewer squarely in the middle of poverty, of city life, of hope and hopelessness and people who know just what they want but have precious little chance of getting there without an extended hand to help them up. This is a necessary experience for everyone.

Coming on the heels of our parent involvement conversations, Boys of Baraka was a strong reminder that parents love their children even if they have failed to support and provide for them. It was heartbreaking to watch the boys' parents as they wanted so desperately for their children to have a better life, but could not actively provide it.

"Sending them to the Baltimore City schools is sending them to jail."

I hope Boys of Baraka stays on as part of the VISTA training for years to come. It was so valuable for me to watch, having seen America's cities only through the eyes of a true outsider. Driving through a poor neighborhood, I am always burning with curiosity about the lives of the people living there. Usually what I am told of poverty and the inner city seems so alien, so incomprehensible. This documentary stripped that foreignness away and let me walk side by side with these boys, if only for a couple hours.