reasons (besides my family) why I like visiting my parents' house:
1. Art Institute membership card
2. My mom always has goat cheese in the fridge.
3. driving my Dad's car and listening to Neil's mix CDs
4. my parents' badass remodeled bathroom
5. the Friends bookstore at Oak Lawn Library where books cost 25 cents
6. Pappy's and Irish Manor and Elia's
7. delicious and nutritious home-cooked meals
8. basically, the food in general, especially since I'm on vacation from being a vegetarian
9. walking on the lakefront
10. when my Dad says work was "taxing"
11. getting my English Journal and other sweet mail that's collected since last time I came home
5/31/2008
The sausage king?
I went to an odd show last night. Picture this: Friday night, BYOB, bagel shop with tacky Ferris Bueller name (see below), florescent lighting, weird emo guy reminiscent of that weird guy in Wedding Singer, followed by a small string-symphony-type-deal, complete with conductor. Upon reflection, it was sorta cool; but at the time I was a tinse uncomfortable and not knowing how to act. Way to be, I guess.
5/27/2008
I wish all my friends had blogs.
Because there's nothing I love more (maybe besides, you know, my family, teaching, Jesus Christ Superstar) than reading friends' blogs.
I think I'm going to make my students blog. Well, I can't make them do anything, but I think we're going to do that instead of daily journaling. It is the 21st Century after all.
I think I'm going to make my students blog. Well, I can't make them do anything, but I think we're going to do that instead of daily journaling. It is the 21st Century after all.
5/20/2008
angry blog commenting: yea or nay?
Probably nay.
But I was just reading the blog of a guy who I worked in Kolkata with, and I was really tempted to leave a comment that said something along the lines of, "Um, get fucked, Edward." Really not productive, I know.
Seriously. Edward's an ass. He spent the whole summer close-talking and leg-touching women volunteers, disappeared for a week and blogged that he was off at some priest-house deciding whether or not he's been called, came back convinced that God wanted him to take a wife, just in time to lecture me, before I left, on how I should really be more devoted to the Virgin Mary. Get fucked, Edward. Seriously. I know you want to. You know you want to.
(Note: When I've used the phrase, "Get fucked," before in conversation, I've not been clear enough that I actually mean something like, "Fuck you." In this case, I mean it both ways, I guess. I just didn't realize it until I got to the end of my second paragraph.)
In a post titled, "Sad. Sad. Mr. Barack Obama," Edward comments on Obama's remarks in this video. (His link, not mine, for the record). He takes issue with this statement:
He responds in his post, "If a baby is a punishment, then what are the elderly, the sick, the disenfranchised, the forgotten?"
First of all: Right, because that's the point Obama was trying to make . That babies are punishment. It would be convenient for you, motherfucker, if that's what Obama was saying. But all the simplifying that you'd like to do of the statement doesn't make Obama anti-life. What I see when I read that statement, is that Obama is seeing and validating the complexities of the pro-life/pro-choice dialogue. Yes, he's acknowledging, having an abortion might not be the ideal situation for any young woman; that said, he's also acknowledging that it's not ideal for a sixteen-year-old woman to have a child to care for, nor is it ideal for her to have an STI. He sees the moral dilemma that that hypothetical pregnant sixteen-year-old faces, and he empathizes with her. (Truthfully, I'm not a fan of the "punishment" and "mistake" wording Obama used. Pregnancy and STIs are not punishments; they are potential consequences. Punishment feels a little too judgment-day-ish, Barack. Sounds like something Edward would say.)
Second of all: While I'm pretty sure that the point you're trying to make is that "elderly, the sick, the disenfranchised, the forgotten" aren't a "punishment" either, but the way that you set them up with a sort of "Well if you think babies are bad, wait'll you see these guys!" is pretty wack. I know you're more into serving and converting than empowering, but seriously, Edward? Ever heard of person-first language? People who are sick. Not "the sick." I'm nit-picking here, it seems, but reading this little piece of condescending bullshit reminded me of how much I can't stand self-congratulatory and preachy assholes like you. Don't call people "the forgotten;" your phrasing contributes to the denial of agency that you purport to be decrying. I don't know much about your background, but I do know that you fly over to Kolkata, you work for, certainly not with, those poor people. You take a bunch of photos of the people you "help" like they're a fucking tourist attraction. You get to be that "one drop in the ocean" that your homegirl talked about. (No disrespect, Mother Teresa. I just think Edward's missed the day they talked about humility as a virtue, and needs a verbal ass-kicking.) It's handy for you, isn't it, that there are "the disenfranchised" out there for you to help? Moe used to say to a a pro-life guy went to high school with, "Call me when you have ovaries." Ha. Either that, Edward, or call me when you don't have access to funding to get yourself over to India for the summers. Then maybe we can brainstorm ways for a sixteen-year old girl to buy diapers, formula, bottles, blankets, onesies, child care, medicine, books for college.
-------
For the record, there are people who I like a lot more than Edward who are pro-life. While my protestations of his remarks stand, all the swearing and anger is more just about Edward and his nose in the air reminder of "the forgotten." Not that this rant indicates so, but I do think it's important for those of us who consider ourselves pro-choice to be in dialogue with people who consider themselves pro-life. We have a lot in common, I know, I just don't want to be Edward's conversation partner...
But I was just reading the blog of a guy who I worked in Kolkata with, and I was really tempted to leave a comment that said something along the lines of, "Um, get fucked, Edward." Really not productive, I know.
Seriously. Edward's an ass. He spent the whole summer close-talking and leg-touching women volunteers, disappeared for a week and blogged that he was off at some priest-house deciding whether or not he's been called, came back convinced that God wanted him to take a wife, just in time to lecture me, before I left, on how I should really be more devoted to the Virgin Mary. Get fucked, Edward. Seriously. I know you want to. You know you want to.
(Note: When I've used the phrase, "Get fucked," before in conversation, I've not been clear enough that I actually mean something like, "Fuck you." In this case, I mean it both ways, I guess. I just didn't realize it until I got to the end of my second paragraph.)
In a post titled, "Sad. Sad. Mr. Barack Obama," Edward comments on Obama's remarks in this video. (His link, not mine, for the record). He takes issue with this statement:
"I've got 2 daughters 9 years old and 6 years old. I'm gonna teach them first of all about values and morals, but if they make a mistake I don't want them punished with baby, I don't want them punished with an STD at the age of 16."
He responds in his post, "If a baby is a punishment, then what are the elderly, the sick, the disenfranchised, the forgotten?"
First of all: Right, because that's the point Obama was trying to make . That babies are punishment. It would be convenient for you, motherfucker, if that's what Obama was saying. But all the simplifying that you'd like to do of the statement doesn't make Obama anti-life. What I see when I read that statement, is that Obama is seeing and validating the complexities of the pro-life/pro-choice dialogue. Yes, he's acknowledging, having an abortion might not be the ideal situation for any young woman; that said, he's also acknowledging that it's not ideal for a sixteen-year-old woman to have a child to care for, nor is it ideal for her to have an STI. He sees the moral dilemma that that hypothetical pregnant sixteen-year-old faces, and he empathizes with her. (Truthfully, I'm not a fan of the "punishment" and "mistake" wording Obama used. Pregnancy and STIs are not punishments; they are potential consequences. Punishment feels a little too judgment-day-ish, Barack. Sounds like something Edward would say.)
Second of all: While I'm pretty sure that the point you're trying to make is that "elderly, the sick, the disenfranchised, the forgotten" aren't a "punishment" either, but the way that you set them up with a sort of "Well if you think babies are bad, wait'll you see these guys!" is pretty wack. I know you're more into serving and converting than empowering, but seriously, Edward? Ever heard of person-first language? People who are sick. Not "the sick." I'm nit-picking here, it seems, but reading this little piece of condescending bullshit reminded me of how much I can't stand self-congratulatory and preachy assholes like you. Don't call people "the forgotten;" your phrasing contributes to the denial of agency that you purport to be decrying. I don't know much about your background, but I do know that you fly over to Kolkata, you work for, certainly not with, those poor people. You take a bunch of photos of the people you "help" like they're a fucking tourist attraction. You get to be that "one drop in the ocean" that your homegirl talked about. (No disrespect, Mother Teresa. I just think Edward's missed the day they talked about humility as a virtue, and needs a verbal ass-kicking.) It's handy for you, isn't it, that there are "the disenfranchised" out there for you to help? Moe used to say to a a pro-life guy went to high school with, "Call me when you have ovaries." Ha. Either that, Edward, or call me when you don't have access to funding to get yourself over to India for the summers. Then maybe we can brainstorm ways for a sixteen-year old girl to buy diapers, formula, bottles, blankets, onesies, child care, medicine, books for college.
-------
For the record, there are people who I like a lot more than Edward who are pro-life. While my protestations of his remarks stand, all the swearing and anger is more just about Edward and his nose in the air reminder of "the forgotten." Not that this rant indicates so, but I do think it's important for those of us who consider ourselves pro-choice to be in dialogue with people who consider themselves pro-life. We have a lot in common, I know, I just don't want to be Edward's conversation partner...
5/19/2008
"So much fucking homework!"
I know that before I was all angry about this little diddy by Soulja Boy, but I've decided to reappropriate the track, which is going pretty well. I mean, seriously? I could either get really mad to the point where I... write a letter of acute outrage but with very little significance to the record execs responsible? Or, I could think "Um, this is hilarious." And maybe if I start thinking it's cool, then my students will think it's wack; because you can't think what a teacher thinks is cool is cool. You know?
Oh yes:
You know what's funnier, though? This:
Oh yes:
"I Alwayz Be In School But I Be Walkin Halls. Alot Of Teachers Give Me Test But They Be Super Hard I Get Into Some Trouble Then My Mama Calls But Afta I Get Out The Office Ima Tell Em All Dat Ima Superstar And Thatz Best. Everytime U See Me Up In Class My Head On That Desk. And When U See Me On Dem Girls U Kno That Im Super Fresh. Yea Teacher, Students, Class, Stupid (Wait A Min. Mutha Fuckaz)"
You know what's funnier, though? This:
died and gone to young adult novel heaven
Steve's brother, a school librarian, very generously brought me -- count them -- thirty books for my classroom library. And since I am not gainfully-employed, at least not in a financially-gainful way -- I've got plenty of little badass volunteer things going on -- I've been doing a lot of porch-sitting and reading.
I don't think I'm going to read all thirty of them (Well, some of them are repeats, which is sweet since students steal books.), but would appreciate any guidance my blog-reader(s) could give.
Here's what I've got:
Slam by Nick Hornby
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
Hurricane Song by Paul Volponi (read this one already)
Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston (this one, too)
Game by Walter Dean Myers
Peak by Roland Smith
Dream Factory by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler
Red Glass by Laura Resau
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
Coraline by Neil Gaiman (actually, this is the graphic novel of it, done by P. Craig Russell)
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Blood is Thicker by Paul Langan and D.M. Blackwell (of the Bluford Series)
Search for Safety by John Langan (also Bluford Series)
Someone to Love Me by Anne Schraff (also Bluford Series)
Genius Squad by Catherine Jinks
Noman by William Nicholson
Tough Boy Sonatas by Curtis L. Chrisler (poetry about Gary, Indiana)
Big Fat Manifesto by Susan Vaught
Exodus by Julie Bertagna
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
The Viper Within by Sam Mills
The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Completely unrelated, I've noticed that I've stopped, for the most part, actually writing on this blog. I mostly just post stuff. I mean, before, I was actually busy. Now, I'm just busying myself with things like ten mile walks to look for new jeans. Although I now have two new pairs of jeans, purchased for a total cost of twenty-five dollars, I know that jeans-buying is not a productive hobby. Especially when compared to rambling on a blog for ALL THE WORLD (i.e. Mom) to read. So expect a higher level of commitment to this-here blog from now on. It's basically all I've got going.
I don't think I'm going to read all thirty of them (Well, some of them are repeats, which is sweet since students steal books.), but would appreciate any guidance my blog-reader(s) could give.
Here's what I've got:
Slam by Nick Hornby
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
Hurricane Song by Paul Volponi (read this one already)
Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston (this one, too)
Game by Walter Dean Myers
Peak by Roland Smith
Dream Factory by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler
Red Glass by Laura Resau
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox
Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
Coraline by Neil Gaiman (actually, this is the graphic novel of it, done by P. Craig Russell)
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Blood is Thicker by Paul Langan and D.M. Blackwell (of the Bluford Series)
Search for Safety by John Langan (also Bluford Series)
Someone to Love Me by Anne Schraff (also Bluford Series)
Genius Squad by Catherine Jinks
Noman by William Nicholson
Tough Boy Sonatas by Curtis L. Chrisler (poetry about Gary, Indiana)
Big Fat Manifesto by Susan Vaught
Exodus by Julie Bertagna
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers
The Viper Within by Sam Mills
The Off Season by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Completely unrelated, I've noticed that I've stopped, for the most part, actually writing on this blog. I mostly just post stuff. I mean, before, I was actually busy. Now, I'm just busying myself with things like ten mile walks to look for new jeans. Although I now have two new pairs of jeans, purchased for a total cost of twenty-five dollars, I know that jeans-buying is not a productive hobby. Especially when compared to rambling on a blog for ALL THE WORLD (i.e. Mom) to read. So expect a higher level of commitment to this-here blog from now on. It's basically all I've got going.
5/14/2008
Freud would have loved this
In typical Moe fashion, Moe introduced me to this little piece of reality the other day: there is currently a movie about the premise of which is a toothed vagina. I mean, I don't know the story, but what else could be important to know about such a movie.
Seriously?
Seriously?
5/13/2008
5/12/2008
5/05/2008
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