I don't like to exclusively classify things according to gender, but Fox Sports Grill seriously has girlish music that they play. LAME girlish music. We went to Palisades Park Mall yesterday---feels like we go there far too often, but it's only 40 minutes away and has so much stuff in it! Being that it was a Saturday night, the whole earth was waiting on line at all of the restaurants.
We decided to go to the Sports Grill place. They have this room where you can wait in---there's a fireplace going and a HUGE TV with a sports game playing. We went into the room to wait for our seats and suddenly I heard Heart's "All I wanna do is make love to you." This song has amusing significance for me---in elementary school we used to place this music game all the time... The music teacher would split the class into two teams. Each team would be given a word and the first team to come up with a song title including that word + artist would get a point. Once we were playing and the word was "love." As a kid, I listened like crazy to the radio. This is before CD players and downloading music so sometimes I'd sit there and WAIT and WAIT for a new favorite song to come on---Immediately, I'd press record when I heard the song's opening and then I'd tape it.
Anyway, I knew that there was a Heart song with "love" in it. I said I wasn't sure if my answer was appropriate so the teacher told me to whisper the title in her ear... which, in retrospect, is even creepier. Can't remember if my team got the point or not.
Anyway, it was hilarious. There were all these guys watching this baseball game, intensely, and in the background there was this cheesy Heart song playing. I jokingly was singing along to it... still know all the words. No one seemed to notice.
The experience got weirder as we were seated for our meal. Within the timespan of our meal, we heard: a Jon Secada song, Mariah Carey's version of "I'll Be There," "Free Your Mind" by En Vogue!!!, that cheesy Cardigans' one hit wonder "Lovefool," "Standing Outside a Broken Phonebooth..." by Primitive Radio Gods, and Salt n Peppa's "Let's Talk About Sex." No one else seemed to notice the music. I don't know what's weirder---the fact that I know the title/artist of all those songs OR the fact that all of them were playing in a "sports themed" restaurant.
Nope, they're definitely weirder than me...
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Smell of Rain
I walked out of the school building today and could smell it in the air----rain. For some reason, I love the smell of the air right before it rains. It's the smell of damp asphalt combined with the impending rain---so I guess if I lived in an ultra rural place, I wouldn't necessarily get the same "high" before it rains.
Dribs and drabs of rain hit my windshield on the way home...nothing too monumental.
While turning into the parking lot of the apartment complex, I saw some of the cherryblossoms slowly drifting down from the trees. At least I think they're cherryblossoms.
At this time of year, I purposely park under the trees so that when I drive off and leave for work in the morning, petals quickly fly off my windshield.
This kind of weather actually makes me smile.
Dribs and drabs of rain hit my windshield on the way home...nothing too monumental.
While turning into the parking lot of the apartment complex, I saw some of the cherryblossoms slowly drifting down from the trees. At least I think they're cherryblossoms.
At this time of year, I purposely park under the trees so that when I drive off and leave for work in the morning, petals quickly fly off my windshield.
This kind of weather actually makes me smile.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Paper Pet Peeves
I've always been a searcher--- I love tracking down obscure book titles; I love reading references made in other books and learning extra information; I like the whole process of research.
For weeks, I've had tons of journal articles and books at my disposal. I can't complain too much about the messiness of the apartment because right now our bedroom looks like a library...moreso than usual. There's piles all over-- journal artices, MSU books, public library books, & comic books. Whenever I write a paper, I always feel the need to have TONS of resources, half of which I don't even end up using. Better to have more info, than less---that's my theory.
I'm @ the library now. I'm annoyed. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to write a measly 3 pages! And of course, I put myself into a quandary. Found another journal article that I "must have" and can't find the full text version online. Guess I could purchase it but I'd rather just drive to a library and get the publication off of their shelves.
I guess I haven't waited until the very last minute, but to me, this is close enough. Don't know why I do this to myself. I guess if people understood why they procrastinated, then they would no longer procrastinate.
Funny thing is I just got an email from a student. She "forgot" to bring her vocab assignment sheet home and even though I gave her class a week for the assignment, she said she waits until the last minute because she does better that way. She wants an extension... one extra day. I guess in my moment of procrastination, I feel sympathy for her... "I can relate."
Anyway, the paper's coming along fine and all... How's everyone else doing?
For weeks, I've had tons of journal articles and books at my disposal. I can't complain too much about the messiness of the apartment because right now our bedroom looks like a library...moreso than usual. There's piles all over-- journal artices, MSU books, public library books, & comic books. Whenever I write a paper, I always feel the need to have TONS of resources, half of which I don't even end up using. Better to have more info, than less---that's my theory.
I'm @ the library now. I'm annoyed. It took me about 2 1/2 hours to write a measly 3 pages! And of course, I put myself into a quandary. Found another journal article that I "must have" and can't find the full text version online. Guess I could purchase it but I'd rather just drive to a library and get the publication off of their shelves.
I guess I haven't waited until the very last minute, but to me, this is close enough. Don't know why I do this to myself. I guess if people understood why they procrastinated, then they would no longer procrastinate.
Funny thing is I just got an email from a student. She "forgot" to bring her vocab assignment sheet home and even though I gave her class a week for the assignment, she said she waits until the last minute because she does better that way. She wants an extension... one extra day. I guess in my moment of procrastination, I feel sympathy for her... "I can relate."
Anyway, the paper's coming along fine and all... How's everyone else doing?
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Thoughts on the course
At first, when I found out this class was going to be hybrid/online, I wasn't looking forward to it all that much. It's not that I am anti-tech or anything, but I do enjoy the whole classroom experience quite a bit---talking face and face with intelligent adults---a delightful contrast to my workweek full of middle schoolers. I've also always been leery of online classes--- I've known people that have gotten their entire degrees online and the whole thing just seems like a sham. In comparison to my grad classes, it didn't seem like they had as much work.
Anyway, the class turned out to be an excellent experience. In retrospect, coming to MSU's campus every Saturday morning would have been annoying. The fact that we could do a lot of the work @ our own convenience was good. I found comfort in the fact that others would post for the week at late times at night. The online experience was great b/c there was constant feedback and interaction. I liked reading the blogs of our class members--whether the blog entries connected to in-class readings, free time activities, or just pet peeves about students. The discussion board also worked well and helped clarify some things that we were studying. With the discussion board, you could go back every other day or so and see the new additions and thoughts on class readings. If something was confusing, the Discussion Board was a resource; it was also easy to email class members and/or Dr. Dana for feedback.
Since our class was about new literacies, I liked how new literacies were incorporated into our course readings. In Adolescent Lit [last summer], I had Dr. D and we had to read Understanding Comics in there too. Um, I never got through the whole thing:( This semester I tried again and got through the whole book. McCloud takes so many complex ideas and really makes them user-friendly. I think I'd even go back sometime and try to reread it; while he simplifies things quite a bit, I still don't have all of the book's concepts "downpat." I have some other McCloud books that I might read after the course too. The Web 2.0 YouTube clip was also helpful in understanding class material and was a good break from some of the more difficult readings.
One of the biggest mindset changes in me throughout this semester was in regard to video games and online gaming. I've always known there is learning potential in video games (i.e. critical thinking skills, creativity, etc) but I honestly have always thought that they would ultimately lead to people being anti-social. After reading the article "Children Online," from this semester's readings, I did change my mind about video games. I can see how they can incorporate social networking and how users can form mini-communities, in connection to their online games.
This course also came right in time because I recently got a Smartboard and laptops in my classroom. For months before the spring semester, that Smartboard stood in front of my room, not turned on or connected. As soon as this course started, I found myself more open-minded in regard to tech in the classroom. I've started using it and have incorporated UnitedStreaming videos and music/poetry activities into my classroom. I've had the students use the laptops to create presentations too. Previously, I guess I was "scared" they would go to inappropriate sites or something, even though I'd give them assigned sites to go to. I know have realized I just have to "go with the flow;" if they make the choice to go somewhere inappropriate, then I deal out the consequences, just like usual.
I could see myself using the Comic Life software with my students. I think they'd have a lot of fun with it.
I'd like to use blogging with my students in the near future. I think it'd work great with novel units. Students tend to detest comprehension question sheets, but if I don't hand them out, then some students don't read. If the students had to blog in response to the chapters, it would be more meaningful and since the blog posts would be individual, you'd lessen the chance of kids "copying" from one another.
Overall, this class has been a positive experience.
[I know that's a pretty lame ending sentence, but it's just been "one of those weeks."
Anyway, the class turned out to be an excellent experience. In retrospect, coming to MSU's campus every Saturday morning would have been annoying. The fact that we could do a lot of the work @ our own convenience was good. I found comfort in the fact that others would post for the week at late times at night. The online experience was great b/c there was constant feedback and interaction. I liked reading the blogs of our class members--whether the blog entries connected to in-class readings, free time activities, or just pet peeves about students. The discussion board also worked well and helped clarify some things that we were studying. With the discussion board, you could go back every other day or so and see the new additions and thoughts on class readings. If something was confusing, the Discussion Board was a resource; it was also easy to email class members and/or Dr. Dana for feedback.
Since our class was about new literacies, I liked how new literacies were incorporated into our course readings. In Adolescent Lit [last summer], I had Dr. D and we had to read Understanding Comics in there too. Um, I never got through the whole thing:( This semester I tried again and got through the whole book. McCloud takes so many complex ideas and really makes them user-friendly. I think I'd even go back sometime and try to reread it; while he simplifies things quite a bit, I still don't have all of the book's concepts "downpat." I have some other McCloud books that I might read after the course too. The Web 2.0 YouTube clip was also helpful in understanding class material and was a good break from some of the more difficult readings.
One of the biggest mindset changes in me throughout this semester was in regard to video games and online gaming. I've always known there is learning potential in video games (i.e. critical thinking skills, creativity, etc) but I honestly have always thought that they would ultimately lead to people being anti-social. After reading the article "Children Online," from this semester's readings, I did change my mind about video games. I can see how they can incorporate social networking and how users can form mini-communities, in connection to their online games.
This course also came right in time because I recently got a Smartboard and laptops in my classroom. For months before the spring semester, that Smartboard stood in front of my room, not turned on or connected. As soon as this course started, I found myself more open-minded in regard to tech in the classroom. I've started using it and have incorporated UnitedStreaming videos and music/poetry activities into my classroom. I've had the students use the laptops to create presentations too. Previously, I guess I was "scared" they would go to inappropriate sites or something, even though I'd give them assigned sites to go to. I know have realized I just have to "go with the flow;" if they make the choice to go somewhere inappropriate, then I deal out the consequences, just like usual.
I could see myself using the Comic Life software with my students. I think they'd have a lot of fun with it.
I'd like to use blogging with my students in the near future. I think it'd work great with novel units. Students tend to detest comprehension question sheets, but if I don't hand them out, then some students don't read. If the students had to blog in response to the chapters, it would be more meaningful and since the blog posts would be individual, you'd lessen the chance of kids "copying" from one another.
Overall, this class has been a positive experience.
[I know that's a pretty lame ending sentence, but it's just been "one of those weeks."
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
"Whoever you give attention to is who you give power to"
The subject line is paraphrasing from one of the things that Craig Scott said on today's episode of Oprah. He was making the point that in response to the VA Tech incident, the media has to focus its attention on the victims and the type of people they were. The news stations keep focusing on the shooter and "warning signs," "what could've been done," etc. While that is certainly important, too much focus on Cho Seung-Hui is wrong. That's probably what he would have wanted. Focusing on the shooter also might make other psychologically unsound students want to "be like" Seung-Hui and copy his actions. There have been Columbine copycat attempts and I worry that the media attention on the shooter might bring about more copycat incidents.
The strangeness of it all is that what happened @ Virginia Tech was fucked up, but not totally unsurprising. Yesterday John asked me, "Can you believe this happened?" and I immediately answered, "Yes. " The media does nothing but focus on every facet of violence. Even with the VA Tech shooting---some of the first facts mentioned were that it was now the "biggest school massacre" in history. Even use of the word massacre seems to sensationalize the event. Tragedy is a more accurate word and focuses on the seriousness of the issue. We talk about the psychological instability of the shooter, but not until it is too late and senseless deaths have occurred.
Craig Scott went to Columbine HS and his sister, Rachel, was one of the fatal victims of the 1999 school shooting. He now travels across the country and speaks about the topic of school violence. The website www.rachelschallenge.com is devoted to the cause of preventing school violence.
I'll end this blog entry with some of Craig's words that he spoke in an October 2006 speech. I think they're wise words to consider:
"I've grown up in a culture today that doesn't teach me anything of substance, of value, how it bombards me every day with messages of emptiness and shallowness. And the youth are crying for something to stand for, something to believe in. If it weren't for ……..my family, I possibly could have fallen into the lies that our culture tells us. But now I've traveled, I've spoken to over a million teens across this country. I've not always liked what I've seen in the schools. I've seen depression, anger and loneliness, students without direction or purpose. I've seen students who called themselves cutters, have cut themselves because that's the way they know to take out the pain that they're dealing with. I've learned a lot about my generation. And I've learned a lot since I lost my friends and my sister. And the main thing I've learned is that kindness and compassion can be the biggest antidotes to anger and hatred, and I believe the biggest antidotes to violence.
With the program my father started called, Rachel's Challenge……. we've seen bullying stopped, suicides aborted..How have we done it? We've done it with a simple story of a young girl who believed in compassion……. That was the story of Rachel Joy Scott. But my sister is not the only one who believes in kindness, and she's not been the only one in her brave stance against the injustice willing to stand up for the one who gets put down in school, to sit by the student that sits all alone at lunch, and to talk to or reach out to the one who is consistently ignored or made fun of. She literally has inspired millions of people to continue the chain reaction she started. A lot of those are students across the country.
I've read Eric Harris and Dylan Kleibold's journals that were recently released, and basically Eric wrote in one of his journals, "If only you were nicer to me, maybe this wouldn't have happened."
I don't know who else is tired of band-aid answers, but I know band-aids aren't going to save kids from dying. I give every student out there a challenge my sister put down on paper a month before she died when she wrote for her class -- she said, "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go." "
The strangeness of it all is that what happened @ Virginia Tech was fucked up, but not totally unsurprising. Yesterday John asked me, "Can you believe this happened?" and I immediately answered, "Yes. " The media does nothing but focus on every facet of violence. Even with the VA Tech shooting---some of the first facts mentioned were that it was now the "biggest school massacre" in history. Even use of the word massacre seems to sensationalize the event. Tragedy is a more accurate word and focuses on the seriousness of the issue. We talk about the psychological instability of the shooter, but not until it is too late and senseless deaths have occurred.
Craig Scott went to Columbine HS and his sister, Rachel, was one of the fatal victims of the 1999 school shooting. He now travels across the country and speaks about the topic of school violence. The website www.rachelschallenge.com is devoted to the cause of preventing school violence.
I'll end this blog entry with some of Craig's words that he spoke in an October 2006 speech. I think they're wise words to consider:
"I've grown up in a culture today that doesn't teach me anything of substance, of value, how it bombards me every day with messages of emptiness and shallowness. And the youth are crying for something to stand for, something to believe in. If it weren't for ……..my family, I possibly could have fallen into the lies that our culture tells us. But now I've traveled, I've spoken to over a million teens across this country. I've not always liked what I've seen in the schools. I've seen depression, anger and loneliness, students without direction or purpose. I've seen students who called themselves cutters, have cut themselves because that's the way they know to take out the pain that they're dealing with. I've learned a lot about my generation. And I've learned a lot since I lost my friends and my sister. And the main thing I've learned is that kindness and compassion can be the biggest antidotes to anger and hatred, and I believe the biggest antidotes to violence.
With the program my father started called, Rachel's Challenge……. we've seen bullying stopped, suicides aborted..How have we done it? We've done it with a simple story of a young girl who believed in compassion……. That was the story of Rachel Joy Scott. But my sister is not the only one who believes in kindness, and she's not been the only one in her brave stance against the injustice willing to stand up for the one who gets put down in school, to sit by the student that sits all alone at lunch, and to talk to or reach out to the one who is consistently ignored or made fun of. She literally has inspired millions of people to continue the chain reaction she started. A lot of those are students across the country.
I've read Eric Harris and Dylan Kleibold's journals that were recently released, and basically Eric wrote in one of his journals, "If only you were nicer to me, maybe this wouldn't have happened."
I don't know who else is tired of band-aid answers, but I know band-aids aren't going to save kids from dying. I give every student out there a challenge my sister put down on paper a month before she died when she wrote for her class -- she said, "I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go." "
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Spring Break, 2007, woo-hoo!
I can't believe that spring break is over already. Tomorrow is the start of marking period 4. I'm thinking of making some kind of countdown "structure" and hiding it behind my desk---you can't let the kids know you're that excited about the end of the schoolyear---gotta "play it cool."
I hate to be self-indulgent and write one of those "all about my vacation" blogs but, hey, blogs are pretty self-indulgent to begin with. So here we go: highlights from spring break, 2007--- 4 days spent in the lovely West Coast Florida town of Weeki Wachee....and we didnt visit the beach even once... still had fun though.
***Seeing a Dali exhibit in St. Petersburg--- we went along on a guided tour for awhile but soon left the docent behind. I don't need to know EVERY detail of Dali's life. In one painting, there is a double-image of two girls and Voltaire's head. I made the mistake of saying I didn't see the Voltaire image and the docent tried to guide me through it. She then asked, "See it now?" and I replied, "I feel a bit under pressure being in front of like 50 people. I'll look later." :)
***Canoeing! We went canoeing on a small river in Homosassa Springs. We decided to be adventurous and canoe in the "wilder" part of the river. We canoed to a pub and grille. When we docked our canoe, the looks on the pub's patrons was priceless! Ended up talking to some older gents who smugly made fun of us with every "NJ Girls" joke known to exist. Also-- on our canoe adventure, we passed this small plot of land that had monkeys on it--seriously! I also got painful sunburn---on my arms only---the stupidest looking sunburn I've ever had in my life.
***Going to Busch Gardens... You can buy this fun card thing for the same price as you'd pay for regular admission--- so we bought it. Then when you enter the park, if you have the fun card, they scan your fingerprint. I think Busch Gardens is linked to the CIA or something.
***Karaoking at the Pickled Parrot Bar. The stage had this sequined curtain behind it. It was kind of strip-bar-esque. Sang Hilary Duff with all my heart. Some older German guy bought us drinks and then proceeded to growl at Krystal and Jaime. Guess I'm not cute enough to get growled at---and I'm grateful. A poor man's version of Matthew McConanaghey also talked to us for a bit. There's something about a guy with a Southern accent--I kind of like it.
***Getting BBQ sauce confiscated at the airport---ridiculous! I bought this Anheuser-Busch bbq sauce for John's dad. It has beer in it! Since the new policy at the airport is no liquids or gels in carry-on luggage, they took it away. I was so pissed. But it makes for a good story.
Good times.
I hate to be self-indulgent and write one of those "all about my vacation" blogs but, hey, blogs are pretty self-indulgent to begin with. So here we go: highlights from spring break, 2007--- 4 days spent in the lovely West Coast Florida town of Weeki Wachee....and we didnt visit the beach even once... still had fun though.
***Seeing a Dali exhibit in St. Petersburg--- we went along on a guided tour for awhile but soon left the docent behind. I don't need to know EVERY detail of Dali's life. In one painting, there is a double-image of two girls and Voltaire's head. I made the mistake of saying I didn't see the Voltaire image and the docent tried to guide me through it. She then asked, "See it now?" and I replied, "I feel a bit under pressure being in front of like 50 people. I'll look later." :)
***Canoeing! We went canoeing on a small river in Homosassa Springs. We decided to be adventurous and canoe in the "wilder" part of the river. We canoed to a pub and grille. When we docked our canoe, the looks on the pub's patrons was priceless! Ended up talking to some older gents who smugly made fun of us with every "NJ Girls" joke known to exist. Also-- on our canoe adventure, we passed this small plot of land that had monkeys on it--seriously! I also got painful sunburn---on my arms only---the stupidest looking sunburn I've ever had in my life.
***Going to Busch Gardens... You can buy this fun card thing for the same price as you'd pay for regular admission--- so we bought it. Then when you enter the park, if you have the fun card, they scan your fingerprint. I think Busch Gardens is linked to the CIA or something.
***Karaoking at the Pickled Parrot Bar. The stage had this sequined curtain behind it. It was kind of strip-bar-esque. Sang Hilary Duff with all my heart. Some older German guy bought us drinks and then proceeded to growl at Krystal and Jaime. Guess I'm not cute enough to get growled at---and I'm grateful. A poor man's version of Matthew McConanaghey also talked to us for a bit. There's something about a guy with a Southern accent--I kind of like it.
***Getting BBQ sauce confiscated at the airport---ridiculous! I bought this Anheuser-Busch bbq sauce for John's dad. It has beer in it! Since the new policy at the airport is no liquids or gels in carry-on luggage, they took it away. I was so pissed. But it makes for a good story.
Good times.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Pro-Ana/Pro-Mia, etc.
Fox 5 had a story on last night's news about eating disorders and websites that seem to be promoting anorexia and bulimia as certain "lifestyles." Because they didn't want to "encourage" any of their viewers to seek out the website, the news channel specifically stated it was not going to share any specific websites with the audience.
Well, people aren't idiots and can use Google quite easily. Even if you are an idiot, when you search through Google, the site does spellcheck for your search terms, etc.
I was curious about these sites and tracked some of them down tonight. The movements are called Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia, anorexia and bulimia, respectively. It's crazy- on the Pro-Ana site, there's all these daily testimonials from girls [didn't see any from guys] about low calorie consumption, taking speed, etc. One girl was proud of her accomplishment today: 1oo calories consumed. It's crazy. Pro-Mia websites were similar, but Pro-Ana sites seemed more abundant on the web.
I can't imagine obsessing over food like that so much... I mean, I tend to be an "emotional eater" and sometimes tend to overeat...but I can't imagine having food totally be such a focus point of my life. Sometimes I feel like I am borderline compulsive eater, but for the most part, I eat what I should. If I binge, it usually is when I am alone though---which I know is bad. Tonight I wanted a little "treat" of trail mix--I know that "trail mix" is not legitimately healthy when it contains M&Ms and other sweets like this specific mix did. I wanted a little bit-- I finished the bag. I don't get why those type of things happen or why I do them.
I wonder why eating disorders are so abundant in today's society--- I mean, there's a myriad of reasons and it certainly is a complex issue---I just don't know if I completely "get it." When can we be happy with ourselves? It's not an easy question to answer at all.... I was very large in high school, lost weight in college, and have recently gained a little weight back. It's frustrating. It's just food and it's just there to keep us alive and give us nutrition---but why is it such a huge facet of so many of our lives???
Well, people aren't idiots and can use Google quite easily. Even if you are an idiot, when you search through Google, the site does spellcheck for your search terms, etc.
I was curious about these sites and tracked some of them down tonight. The movements are called Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia, anorexia and bulimia, respectively. It's crazy- on the Pro-Ana site, there's all these daily testimonials from girls [didn't see any from guys] about low calorie consumption, taking speed, etc. One girl was proud of her accomplishment today: 1oo calories consumed. It's crazy. Pro-Mia websites were similar, but Pro-Ana sites seemed more abundant on the web.
I can't imagine obsessing over food like that so much... I mean, I tend to be an "emotional eater" and sometimes tend to overeat...but I can't imagine having food totally be such a focus point of my life. Sometimes I feel like I am borderline compulsive eater, but for the most part, I eat what I should. If I binge, it usually is when I am alone though---which I know is bad. Tonight I wanted a little "treat" of trail mix--I know that "trail mix" is not legitimately healthy when it contains M&Ms and other sweets like this specific mix did. I wanted a little bit-- I finished the bag. I don't get why those type of things happen or why I do them.
I wonder why eating disorders are so abundant in today's society--- I mean, there's a myriad of reasons and it certainly is a complex issue---I just don't know if I completely "get it." When can we be happy with ourselves? It's not an easy question to answer at all.... I was very large in high school, lost weight in college, and have recently gained a little weight back. It's frustrating. It's just food and it's just there to keep us alive and give us nutrition---but why is it such a huge facet of so many of our lives???
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