Pseudostoops discovers patriotism, twice.

Patriotism the First: Mason's Sister and I have driven down to Washington D.C. to visit Mason and to absorb the culture of our nation's capital through the consumption of far too many margaritas. After one day here, I now pray* at the altar of air conditioning, which has allowed me to rediscover warm showers and sleeping with sheets and blankets. Patriotism the Second: I'm no good at rousing speeches, but TMAO sure is. The whole thing is worth reading, but this part actually caught my breath, because it's such a perfect crystallization of something I was never quite able to articulate about teaching:

As hard as it is to know that for all the late-nights and early-mornings, all the Saturday Academies and strategic interventions, you still came up short; as hard and painful as it is to accept that, it is harder and more painful still to be a young person without the skills to be successful.

He's good, huh? Maybe we should all buy his book.** Back Tuesday with decidedly unpatriotic tales of how much I hate driving through Delaware and New Jersey. *Because patriotism in this country is largely about prayer these days, no? Ba-dum ching! ** Because capitalism is patriotic these days too,, right? Man, I'm on a roll here!!