Nobodys laughing now,
Gods grace lost and the devil is proud,
But Ive been walking for a thousand miles,
One last time I could see you smile,
I hold on to you,
You bring me hope,
Ill see you soon,
And if I dont see you,
Im afraid weve lost the way
-Dave Matthews, American Baby
Yeah, don't even go there. I like the song, okay?
So I am writing this with great difficulty, since I have spent the past 6 or so hours typing up a vocabulary list of 120 words with definitions for my juniors. Hmmm, why didn't I do this over the summer, you ask? Because I didn't know I was teaching this class until last week SURPRISE!
Thank Christ I've read all of the books. I'm starting with The Crucible, so if anyone has anything on Senator McCarthy (no, nude pix don't count) or the Red Witchhunts of the early/mid 20th century (that would be accessible to high school students), please send ASAP. It would save me some time, since I have to make up my curriculum materials from scratch.
I am obsessed with the Raisin Bran Crunch commercials; the newest one, where the employee has an intern, cracks me up. No. I'm giving you the death ray. Death ray! I am so easily amused. On the other hand, I am convinced the Vehix corporation is sending some sort of subconscious message through their intensely annoying bits; I submit that those messages are "You are getting stupider" and "Your brain is turning to mush." Why else would the people on them act so immensely robotic and moronic. To the left, more left, to the right.. and the man who hits a button to slam a sledgehammer into his SUV... it's like a case of the UltraViolence deprogramming gone mad!
Speaking of madness, I understand that my doppleganger is still teaching in my district. Last year, at least 10 students (some of them, not even mine) told me that there is a woman who looks exactly like me at a neighboring middle school. Today my sister called to tell me that she saw me on television at the union rally. When I asked what I was doing, she said that I was walking into City Hall, which was the last portion of the demonstration on Friday: the portion I did not attend. Of course I am thinking what you would be thinking: what the hell does this other person look like, and do I really want to know, because if she is a frightful mess it might crush my ego. I used to see a woman on the T when I lived in Boston who looked like me. Perhaps she has stalked me here. Or I've finally stepped over that delicate line and into the mouth of madness. Either way, I'm curious.
My students come back Tuesday and I am excited to see them, though I wonder how I am going to fit the 30+ kids in a classroom of 24 desks. Better bone up on the Jenga.
Mr. Vargas: Are you in my class?
Jeff Spicoli: I am today!
-Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Gods grace lost and the devil is proud,
But Ive been walking for a thousand miles,
One last time I could see you smile,
I hold on to you,
You bring me hope,
Ill see you soon,
And if I dont see you,
Im afraid weve lost the way
-Dave Matthews, American Baby
Yeah, don't even go there. I like the song, okay?
So I am writing this with great difficulty, since I have spent the past 6 or so hours typing up a vocabulary list of 120 words with definitions for my juniors. Hmmm, why didn't I do this over the summer, you ask? Because I didn't know I was teaching this class until last week SURPRISE!
Thank Christ I've read all of the books. I'm starting with The Crucible, so if anyone has anything on Senator McCarthy (no, nude pix don't count) or the Red Witchhunts of the early/mid 20th century (that would be accessible to high school students), please send ASAP. It would save me some time, since I have to make up my curriculum materials from scratch.
I am obsessed with the Raisin Bran Crunch commercials; the newest one, where the employee has an intern, cracks me up. No. I'm giving you the death ray. Death ray! I am so easily amused. On the other hand, I am convinced the Vehix corporation is sending some sort of subconscious message through their intensely annoying bits; I submit that those messages are "You are getting stupider" and "Your brain is turning to mush." Why else would the people on them act so immensely robotic and moronic. To the left, more left, to the right.. and the man who hits a button to slam a sledgehammer into his SUV... it's like a case of the UltraViolence deprogramming gone mad!
Speaking of madness, I understand that my doppleganger is still teaching in my district. Last year, at least 10 students (some of them, not even mine) told me that there is a woman who looks exactly like me at a neighboring middle school. Today my sister called to tell me that she saw me on television at the union rally. When I asked what I was doing, she said that I was walking into City Hall, which was the last portion of the demonstration on Friday: the portion I did not attend. Of course I am thinking what you would be thinking: what the hell does this other person look like, and do I really want to know, because if she is a frightful mess it might crush my ego. I used to see a woman on the T when I lived in Boston who looked like me. Perhaps she has stalked me here. Or I've finally stepped over that delicate line and into the mouth of madness. Either way, I'm curious.
My students come back Tuesday and I am excited to see them, though I wonder how I am going to fit the 30+ kids in a classroom of 24 desks. Better bone up on the Jenga.
Mr. Vargas: Are you in my class?
Jeff Spicoli: I am today!
-Fast Times at Ridgemont High
VIEW 7 of 7 COMMENTS
I'm glad that the McCarthyism links will help, but I should also say that they're good for preliminary overviews...dunno how good they are for really in-depth stuff, so just like a good breakfast, it should be balanced out.
As for us Canuck Superheroes...well, who am I to argue? You can be the Lois to my Superman anytime, baby
The edit is to add how deeply I acknowledge my cornball roots
[Edited on Sep 05, 2005 7:36AM]
I haven't seen these Raisin Bran commercials you speak of, I don't think, but I would offer you the Red Stripe beer commercials on Spike TV. "Reggae and Red Stripe Beer. . . making our white friends funky since 1970"
Ambassador: "You sir. Would you say you are ugly?"
Man: "Well, I don't. . . "
Ambassador: "YOU ARE VERY UGLY!! Here, take this beer."
[Man takes beer]
Ambassador: "Now you are beautiful." [to camera] "Red Stripe beer. It's beer! Hooray beer!"
Man: "Hooray beer!"
Ambassador: "Says the beautiful man."
Boy, wait'll your doppleganger starts going to CVS and Einstein Arthur shows and gets mistaken for Jen's lesbian lover, huh?! Then again, I suppose that'll solve all your cockblocking problelms. Maybe you should track her down and introduce the two of them.