This is My Forties

BEFORE (0820 hours) - I can't turn back now.  The notes are out.  What am I so afraid of?  Not being accepted?  No.  Not making a positive impact despite actually trying something this time?... ugh yes that's the one... and I've placed them into my own class so I can't escape the truth.  I will see reactions.  This isn't the theoretical Shrodinger's cat situation I've come to love.  The comfort of the unknown, allowing me to proceed with hope unchallenged.  This is Pandora's box where I have abandoned hope there in the safety of darkness to face the reality of truth out here in the light.  Whether or not the reaction is good or bad isn't the problem.  It's the responsibility inherent with action and truth.  Honestly I don't even know what I hope for at this point.  I know I did what I had to do today.  I'm hopeful it makes a positive impact on someone, even if it is only me.  I finally was brave enough to do ...

Noah asked me yesterday what this meant: "Thinking outside of the box" (love him!!!) We've all heard this phrase before, and we know what it means... think creatively, think differently, be unhindered by norms.  But, where did it come from?  Well, I looked it up and apparently it's reminiscent of an old logic puzzle developed in 1914, the nine dot puzzle.  This is a puzzle with which I am well acquainted.  In fact, Josh and I have already introduced our children to it... funny it has lasted for so long!  Other speculations of the origin of the phrase were by a paper in 1945 that alluded to 'blue sky thinking'.  I will forever associate outside the box thinking with Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" which she wrote in 1948.  This link is great because it comes with questions to ponder after reading.  I highly recommend reading it if you haven't!  The box isn't a new image for us to use. I think of Schrodinger's cat  i...