Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Changing that old story

My new positive, Christian, vegan friend asked me what is the most difficult thing about eating more fruits and vegetables.  I told I don't really like vegetables very much (a little-known fact about me).  She said, "Perhaps you can change that old story and start looking for evidence that you love to eat vegetables. What’s your favorite vegetable and why?"  I asked if onions and garlic count, because I love the way they taste and smell and I almost always start every recipe with them.  She said yes, they count.  Then I remembered that I like roasted vegetables, like potatoes, asparagus, even brussels sprouts, so I ended up saying I guess it's mainly just raw vegetables that I'm not crazy about.  She said, "Look at that!  You like vegetables."  

Later in the day, I was teaching about meter and rhyme scheme in English.  Noah was grumbling about how he hates poetry.  I showed him the exchange I had with my friend and suggested that maybe he could change the old story that hates poetry.  He said, "Yeah, but I don't even have onions and garlic."  I figured he would enjoy limericks (who doesn't?) because they're short and funny, so I taught him the meter and rhyme scheme and gave him some examples.  I left him an assignment to write one while I went to get Sarah.  I told him to at least write a poem of five lines and follow the rhyme scheme but not to necessarily worry about the meter just yet.  He agreed that he could try that.  When I got home ten minutes later, he had written this little gem:

I want to kill myself.
Poetry's bad for my health.
I don't give a frick
about this limerick;
Please put this back on the shelf.

He even admitted that he had fun writing it and kind of sort of almost likes poetry.  :)

2 comments:

Kaye Antrim said...

I love your stories!!! They are so true and real and make me smile. Thanks for being such a good mom, teacher and sharing the experience. Love and hugs!! Kaye


Janestown said...

Thanks for reading and encouraging. Love you, Kaye!