close reading

All of what I call my favorite books came out of the time when I was studying English at uni - so I was predisposed to picking favorite books - but, when I think about it, some of the books I read at other times in my life were just as good. 

△🔺ᅀ⏶🔼🛆

Also, I don't want to be bitter or angry. A lot of good has come from the difficulty I faced. I only changed because I had to, and the change has been real and permanent and positive. I definitely wouldn't have changed without the really difficult circumstances. I was given a new life. 

strength, patience, wisdom

There's not really much I can do about what I was writing about earlier - the possible long-term effects of anti-depressant use. What I can do though is to do what I know is good for my mental, physical and spiritual health - to actively engage in my recovery - which I'm doing. When I'm completely come off valium, I'd also like to have a go at tapering off my anti-depressants, and see if I can be completely medication free, at least for a while. 

after effects

I'm still tapering off valium. I think that being on it for years has left permanent damage. What also concerns me is that the same doctors who thought it was fine for me to use valium indefinitely, also thought it was fine for me to be on one and then two anti-depressants, and to increase the doses of both. That may be fine...I really don't know...but their obliviousness to the real effects of valium on me, makes me wonder. I'm not against antidepressants. I think they can be really helpful. But I wonder about the long term effects the ones I'm on have had, and whether they have anything to do with the challenges I face. 

ਆ🌀ଛ

I bought two good books — Europe Central by William T Vollmann and The Recognitions by William Gaddis — and I remembered a time when we used to have to buy records and CDs. Today I found one of those reversible mood octopus plushies at work for a couple of dollars.

ask

Giving students the opportunity to answer questions asked in good faith by the teacher, can be much more empowering and more educational than the teacher adeptly answering students' questions. 

infacted

The best teaching might sometimes involve me being ineffective or failing in some way - that might be what helps some students to learn.