Some of my African-American friends use the phrase “Not all my
skin folk are my kin folk.” That rings
so true for me as well. Not only about
skin folk; sometimes it’s about vagina folk. Trump selecting a vagina-owner, who would roll
back so much that women have fought to achieve, to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg is
NOT okay. That is NO replacement.
What country can we move to where people are evolved enough to
know that women are adult people who taught most of you to wipe your azz? I ask
that out of desperation. I really want
to stay here if it will return to a democracy and improve from there.
It takes so long to build something good and so little to
destroy it.
I know a man who did this to his son. That's the legacy he chooses to leave.
…
Recently, I was contacted by a woman who believed I was her
teacher in the 1980s in an adult education program in Manhattan. She sent a photo of me and two students. It was a very skinny me and two very happy
looking young women. Part of what she
wrote was:
“You were
very kind and helped us all a great deal. … Mindy it was really nice to have
the opportunity to say thank you for all your help.”
For me, the timing was good.
I needed a pick-me-up, and that did it.
I so appreciated her sentiments.
I don’t even know if I was that good in the 80s; I got better with time,
experience, professional development, and self-knowledge. Nothing beats self-knowledge.
…
I recently received two helpful monetary gifts. One was from a woman I only know on-line. I tried to talk her out of it,
but she refused to hear no. The other
was from a woman who I have had a warm and cold relationship with at a former
job, so it was rather shocking to me. I
was always puzzled by what went on. The boss
at that time had set a bad tone, used words like “nice” and “sincere” as bad
words, and maybe I should have left years before my employment there
ended. Then he could’ve hired an
insincere bitch, and the intermediate level adult students would fade away
which would confirm the administration’s prejudice that those students don’t
learn and have poor attendance and blah blah blah. But if I had left, then I would not have had
the next boss who really appreciated me and my
work including my relationships with my students. That person once told me, “You really care,
and it shows in everything you do.” ❤ She warmed my heart. However, when that person left, I
was f’d. A teacher who told his students
that he “doesn’t give a shit” got a really nice gift and a big party from the
staff and administrators at the end of his time there. I loved my students in general, and most
loved me. The students were a huge part of why I stayed. There were other perks too. Over time, some former
co-workers took me out for dinner, sent me gift cards, money, and a full gift
bag from Fresh Foods. Given my needs, this
most recent gift definitely beat a job party.
And it came from someone who demonstrated such mixed feelings toward me. I’m still puzzled. I’m also grateful. Nothing is simple.
…
On another note --- my friend, Mindy Levokove, who is also a
former co-worker (a wonderful one) has a new poetry book out called Mount
Eden Avenue.
They have arrived and are available for purchase! Only ten
bucks.
Mindy Levokove can be found on Facebook. If you aren’t on Facebook, you can let me
know how she can contact you. I will
certainly pass that along.
Much love to CGG-M ❤❤❤
Mindy Matijasevic, September 27, 2020
Jessica Krug 
