Memories

Hey, drom. I remember quite vividly my first encounter with an actual water spout during our camping days on Hatteras Island. We were all sitting outside, enjoying the sea air, when quite suddenly, I glanced up and saw the strangest yellow spiral right above the side view mirror of the RV. Suddenly there was an unnatural quiet, people froze, and a sudden and violent wind appeared from nowhere out of the Northeast. In the blink of an eye, things went flying everywhere; people ran from the beach in a panic. We all climbed hastily in the motor home and looked out the window. There it was--a water spout forming midst dark clouds and a steel gray sea. The entire scene was like a tabloid in time. Fortunately, nothing horrific materialized, but I can tell you, we learned to respect ma nature from that point on.

Wow, Letty; it's at moments like that when one realizes that man is not the one with the domain, but nature itself. I'm glad that it hurt no one.

Talking about nature, I remember being at my great-grandmother's house in Ireland when young. She lived until 96, and worked until the day she died. Little knickknacks and books filled her house. The house itself was small, but she had a huge 'garden,' acres long, taking in all sorts of trees, vegetable patches, fruit trees, green expanses. I can remember vividly walking down that path, into the Doyles' house a few doors down, climbing over stiles, getting stung, running from bullocks, playing camogie, exchanging stories of old women down rivers on long walks through wild country paths, and walking where the railroad tracks used to be. It was quite strange for someone who had lived in the city all their life, but it started my love of what surrounds me.

Ah, Drom. A country scene, eloquently painted. The Virginia countryside is much as you described your Irish landscape including the stile.

Thanks, Letty. I've never been to Virginia, but would like to go.

A memory of a different kind: I remember the first time that I taught. When I was in Sixth Form college (like Junior and Senior year of High school in the US,) the school asked me to take six children out at a time, to teach them French and Spanish. I was quite jittery; I was used to public speaking, but it was rather different being in front of children, trying to teach them. My methods were unorthodox, but they were like angels for me, apart from one who, at the start, took his shoes off and asked me rude questions. I got them all understanding what they had to, and more. I thought that the department had given me the best kids, as an easy introduction to teaching, but Miss. ____ that they had given me all the little... ahem... unsavoury characters, to give the decent ones a chance to learn! So I had taught the bad ones effectively, and they all yearnt for me to teach them again; it was a good feeling, passing on knowledge.

a teacher? You're a teacher, as well? Wow!

Back later, drom.

Yeah, well if you can call a lowly 'language co-ordinator' a teacher, yes, I teach languages! I taught French and Spanish with just EFL and FFL qualifications back then; they hired me because I was virtually a native speaker of Spanish and I was good enough to teach French. Well, things have changed a bit; I used to teach school-age kids when I was still at Sixth Form college, but now I teach random people French and Spanish one-to-one, usually at their homes. I was going to teach English to immigrants, but the task would have been collosal, and I am too young and unexperienced in class teaching to do such a thing. All you have to as a language teacher is base your curriculum (mostly discussion) around something that the other person can engage with, whilst fitting in cultural awareness. I try to have all the lessons as French-speaking or Spanish-speaking early, even with beginners; if forced to use a language, one has to use it. But I've managed to fit in several things in the while that I've been here; I have eight ideas or so for novels that I probably won't finish for another ten years; I used to own an Internet radio station, manned and with talent only from volunteering youth; I was one of the organizers of protests for a Left-of-centre group... but they're all tame compared to the future!

I forgot to say 'see you soon,' Letty. I hope that you have a nice day.

Riding the bus home for the first time in my life.No one knew who I was, I didn't know them... so we ignoed each other. And I sat in my little seatbeltless row being extremely lonely. And for the first time that I could remember, I knew what it felt like to feel left out. This was pretty recent... but I don't think I'll forget it any time soon.

Aw, Innie... it's strange to think about how many people are sharing your experiences and this very hour. Did you ever have to do it again?

Coming home from university a few years ago, i looked up at the unusual cloud formation - there were regular rows of neat straight edged clouds stretching as far as the eye could see - sort of like razor shells. They were really beautiful and strange.

Then i noticed that they were banded in rainbow colours (very subtle but very obvious) - noone walking by had noticed and i kept pointing them out to people!

on the news that night they talked about them - they are called Nacreous clouds and are very rare.



i just looked up nacreous clouds on google - it must have been '96 because there are several pieces there about the event and the rarity.

The clouds i saw where much longer and thinner and there were regular rows of them

Wow Vivien; I remember seeing something like that... and it was around '96 too. I never checked it up, because I didn't know what to check about; it is an amazing sight...

and so it is, vivien A perfect picture to go with the a capella group that I am hearing right now.

On the Raven's Realm, we were able to do illustrated poetry. To your picture:

A sky of water
With swimming clouds.
A vapor of color
In sensual shades
And like St. Elmo's flitting fire
The darker side of our desire.

Merry Christmas to you, Brits.