Sage sleeps and dreams. Her ears are soft in your mouth. Her feet smell of crushed berries. Really.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Things You Find on a Manhattan Street: Veggie
If you are lucky, you, too, might be treated to the sight of J Ro's nape at a Manhattan Street fair.
Things You Find on a Manhattan Street: Non Veggie
The sun shines bright upon the turkey legs at a Manhattan street fair.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Politicking: The United States of Canada
Okay, I missed all the post election mapping. I think I was too busy weeping and wailing and gnashing my teeth. I found this on a weird gay website, but it's everywhere -- from liberal and conservative blogs to the Guardian UK and the Washington Times (ya know, Rev Moon's paper?), just search "United States of Canada." I've seen it attributed to Dave Ruderman.
I also found some proportional maps, or cartograms, by Michael Gastner, Cosma Shalizi, and Mark Newman of the University of Michigan that are lovely and interesting and for real, but I can't figure out how to put them here. You can visit them at www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election to check those out. (I can't link right now, sorry -- wrong browser).
I also found some proportional maps, or cartograms, by Michael Gastner, Cosma Shalizi, and Mark Newman of the University of Michigan that are lovely and interesting and for real, but I can't figure out how to put them here. You can visit them at www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election to check those out. (I can't link right now, sorry -- wrong browser).
Friday, May 06, 2005
More Randomness: What is your personality type?
I confess -- I love these things. I think I first started being into them because they were cheaper than therapy and somehow I felt understood. Lemme know what you think. Is it accurate? Try your own.
Your #1 Match: ENFP |
The Inspirer You love being around people, and you are deeply committed to your friends. You are also unconventional, irreverant, and unimpressed by authority and rules. Incredibly perceptive, you can usually sense if someone has hidden motives. You use lots of colorful language and expressions. You're qutie the storyteller! You would make an excellent entrepreneur, politician, or journalist. |
Your #2 Match: ESFP |
The Performer You are a natural performer and happiest when you're entertaining others. A great friend, you are generous, fun-loving and optimistic. You love to laugh - and you like almost all people equally. You accept life as it is, and you do your best to make each day fantastic. You would make a good actor, designer, or counselor. |
Your #3 Match: INFP |
The Idealist You are creative with a great imagination, living in your own inner world. Open minded and accepting, you strive for harmony in your important relationships. It takes a long time for people to get to know you. You are hesitant to let people get close. But once you care for someone, you do everything you can to help them grow and develop. You would make an excellent writer, psychologist, or artist. |
Your #4 Match: ISFP |
The Artist You are a gifted artist or musician (though your talents may be dormant right now). You enjoy spending your free time in nature, and you are good with animals and children. Simply put, you enjoy bueaty in all its forms and live for the simple pleasures in life. Gentle, sensitive, and compassionate - you are good at recognizing people's unspoken needs. You would make a good veterinarian, pediatrician, or composer. |
Your #5 Match: ENTP |
The Visionary You are charming, outgoing, friendly. You make a good first impression. You possess good negotiating skills and can convince anyone of anything. Happy to be the center of attention, you love to tell stories and show off. You're very clever, but not disciplined enough to do well in structured environments. You would make a great entrpreneur, marketing executive, or actor. |
Random Findings: What kind of American English do you speak?
I was kind of bummed that there was dixie in there. But then again, some people I really dig are from Dixie -- Keith and Mendi, for my favorite examples. Okay. I'll live. I wonder what triggered it??? Lemme know what you think. I'm trying to snaz up the place.
Your Linguistic Profile: |
45% General American English |
40% Yankee |
15% Dixie |
0% Midwestern |
0% Upper Midwestern |
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Dyke Philes: The L Word Spoilers Season 2: Part 3
Okay, I have been really really remiss. And since Shelagh is back watching the L word with us, I have been lazy lazy lazy. Plus, I saw that there are tons of sites that do L Word Spoilers (though none, dear Shelagh maintains, with quite my flair) so I felt less urgent about the whole thing. Even the Trini girls are watching it. But let me recap things as I see them:
The background of this one is Pride. A little early, but the show ends before June. Wait, they just had Pride in Noho. Happy Pride, ladies.
Bette and Tina look like they are getting back together. Bette's dad is dying in the hospital, and he was acting shitty to her about being a dyke and was nasty to Tina when she came to visit. But at the end of the last episode he was holding both his daughter's hands. The good news is, he started being all nice to Kit (whom he calls Katie, weird), maybe cuz she seems to be getting her life together and she was dating ole boy, who by the way, turned out to be married. Kit finally kicked him to the curb though her dad encouraged her to pursue it. Whatever. Sad to see Ossie go though.
Tina and Helena are still kicking it, though Helena broke it down to Tina that they were not "exclusive." Well Tina jumped right on the bandwagon, and went right up to Bette -- "We're not exclusive." A little of the steam is going out of this relationship -- Tina constantly talks about Bette this and Bette that, prompting Helena to brazenly flirt with another chick who's recently ex-ed in the club. Tina doesn't really care though and leaves. I care so little about Tina that I dont remember where she went -- to meet Bette? Anyone who cares want to fill us in?
Alice and Dana are being very cute and goofy and and still in love. Dana's little brother shows up for pride weekend, the girls thinks it's a drag, of course he turns out to be gay rubbing up on some black man in the Planet. When he taunted Dana last season about being a dyke he was just being a jerk head little bro. Alice rides with Shane on the Dykes on Bikes contingent and Dana is on The Center's float that proclaims Freedom to Marry all about. (Sammy was happy about that one, we are sure.) The girls almost go into a dungeon but run out.
Which leads us to the most annoying character on television, you know who. She ends up in the dungeon crying cuz she can't have a normal fun time. Her clothes are some better but she still looks like my first girlfriend from the 80's. (Love you, Tati!) She wants to be TORTURED! Turns out she's was probably gang raped by some asshole boy children, hence the circus scenes she is constantly imagining. She runs out of the dungeon.
Earlier, she told off man-boy skanky videographer who was whining around begging for forgiveness. (In case you missed it, Jenny and Shane took in skank boy roomate, who proceeded to put hidden cameras in the house to make a reality porn tape. He falls in love with Shane as an aside and in an annoying scene saves her from some bashers as she is turning tricks for her two minute oxytocin habit. The girls find out what he's done and get mad at him.) He even took off his clothes to her. "Is this what you want?" he whines. UGH. Can y'all just have him and Jenny run away together off the set forever? PLEASE? but apparently the producer is in love with little miss black tights so we'll continue to see altogether too much of her.
You know I'm saving the best for last -- Shhhhhaaaaannnneeee. Mmmm. She is so delicious on me. Even since she kicked her two minute oxytocin habit, she has not been sleeping around. (It seems as though she is no longer working for Miss Bitch, brilliantly played by Camron Manheim.) She took the video tapes old boy made of her and Carmen and watches them over and over again and cries. Her cold hard heart is melting. She loves Carmen. She goes up to Carmen, who is spinning at the gay pride party at the planet and tells her about her life -- her deadbeat mother and shitty childhood -- in a heartfelt blurt. Carmen looks at her tenderly -- and walks away. NOOOO!
Not to diss on the gestators among us, but why is the pregnant lady the only one getting all the action?
Can we please see Bette get it on with SOMEONE? Carmen and Shane maybe? Sheesh.
Why is Kit such a damn mess? Why they do Pam Grier so dirty? Ugh.
Guys, Tina looks really pregnant to me! Is she?
Can we please please see less of Jenny and ole boy? GET RID OF HIM ALREADY! Don't waste our time. (A flimaker I know suggested that he was there with his cameras so they would have different ways of showing the girls having sex. Where she saw camera angles I saw explicit male gaze.)
ONLY TWO MORE EPISODES LEFT!!!!
And Six Feet Under doesn't come on til June! Shit!
The background of this one is Pride. A little early, but the show ends before June. Wait, they just had Pride in Noho. Happy Pride, ladies.
Bette and Tina look like they are getting back together. Bette's dad is dying in the hospital, and he was acting shitty to her about being a dyke and was nasty to Tina when she came to visit. But at the end of the last episode he was holding both his daughter's hands. The good news is, he started being all nice to Kit (whom he calls Katie, weird), maybe cuz she seems to be getting her life together and she was dating ole boy, who by the way, turned out to be married. Kit finally kicked him to the curb though her dad encouraged her to pursue it. Whatever. Sad to see Ossie go though.
Tina and Helena are still kicking it, though Helena broke it down to Tina that they were not "exclusive." Well Tina jumped right on the bandwagon, and went right up to Bette -- "We're not exclusive." A little of the steam is going out of this relationship -- Tina constantly talks about Bette this and Bette that, prompting Helena to brazenly flirt with another chick who's recently ex-ed in the club. Tina doesn't really care though and leaves. I care so little about Tina that I dont remember where she went -- to meet Bette? Anyone who cares want to fill us in?
Alice and Dana are being very cute and goofy and and still in love. Dana's little brother shows up for pride weekend, the girls thinks it's a drag, of course he turns out to be gay rubbing up on some black man in the Planet. When he taunted Dana last season about being a dyke he was just being a jerk head little bro. Alice rides with Shane on the Dykes on Bikes contingent and Dana is on The Center's float that proclaims Freedom to Marry all about. (Sammy was happy about that one, we are sure.) The girls almost go into a dungeon but run out.
Which leads us to the most annoying character on television, you know who. She ends up in the dungeon crying cuz she can't have a normal fun time. Her clothes are some better but she still looks like my first girlfriend from the 80's. (Love you, Tati!) She wants to be TORTURED! Turns out she's was probably gang raped by some asshole boy children, hence the circus scenes she is constantly imagining. She runs out of the dungeon.
Earlier, she told off man-boy skanky videographer who was whining around begging for forgiveness. (In case you missed it, Jenny and Shane took in skank boy roomate, who proceeded to put hidden cameras in the house to make a reality porn tape. He falls in love with Shane as an aside and in an annoying scene saves her from some bashers as she is turning tricks for her two minute oxytocin habit. The girls find out what he's done and get mad at him.) He even took off his clothes to her. "Is this what you want?" he whines. UGH. Can y'all just have him and Jenny run away together off the set forever? PLEASE? but apparently the producer is in love with little miss black tights so we'll continue to see altogether too much of her.
You know I'm saving the best for last -- Shhhhhaaaaannnneeee. Mmmm. She is so delicious on me. Even since she kicked her two minute oxytocin habit, she has not been sleeping around. (It seems as though she is no longer working for Miss Bitch, brilliantly played by Camron Manheim.) She took the video tapes old boy made of her and Carmen and watches them over and over again and cries. Her cold hard heart is melting. She loves Carmen. She goes up to Carmen, who is spinning at the gay pride party at the planet and tells her about her life -- her deadbeat mother and shitty childhood -- in a heartfelt blurt. Carmen looks at her tenderly -- and walks away. NOOOO!
Not to diss on the gestators among us, but why is the pregnant lady the only one getting all the action?
Can we please see Bette get it on with SOMEONE? Carmen and Shane maybe? Sheesh.
Why is Kit such a damn mess? Why they do Pam Grier so dirty? Ugh.
Guys, Tina looks really pregnant to me! Is she?
Can we please please see less of Jenny and ole boy? GET RID OF HIM ALREADY! Don't waste our time. (A flimaker I know suggested that he was there with his cameras so they would have different ways of showing the girls having sex. Where she saw camera angles I saw explicit male gaze.)
ONLY TWO MORE EPISODES LEFT!!!!
And Six Feet Under doesn't come on til June! Shit!
Teach for Hysteria: How to Apply for a Job Without Really Trying or Is That a Noodle in Your Ass? Part 2
Well, guess what?
I went on some interviews with some lovely people at some lovely schools. One social justice school, which really stole my heart, had students on their hiring committee and lots of evidence of great teaching. Another alternative school with tiny tiny classes (YES!) and well-recommended by my ed school profs was particularly quick on their feet, and I went for an interview and did a demo lesson fairly quickly. It was one of the best interviews I've ever had, where we actually talked about pedagogy, team work, advisory, adolescent psychology, lesson study, and standard and alternative assessment. Where I had a rich and realistic conversation with other teachers. Huh? Where am I?
I did a demo lesson that I felt really good about for a humanities class of ninth graders. I was really nervous about just going in and teaching something to a class that I didn't know, but I asked about what they were doing -- research projects on different countries -- and created a culminating lesson on countries that I nicknamed "Countries -- Why?" We had a discussion on what they thought countries were for, given their research so far, and they did some cooperative group work on how and why borders change, what the earth really looks like and how frontiers are imaginary, and the united nations. I gave them pictures of the earth from space, maps of changing borders in europe and the caribbean (esp. Hispaniola), and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. I had materials for all levels, so the lower performing readers were able to have documents that were accessible to them -- modifications, baby, synthesis! It was pretty interesting.
After the lesson, the kids all shook my hand and a couple of the girls whispered, "You were really good, I hope they hire you!" One girl thanked me and gave me a big hug. And throughout, I was charmed to the sweet calls of my first name, which takes me back to my hippy teacher art school days. Aaaah.
A few days after I got back from vacation I got this letter:
Ms. S:
We are happy to inform you that the Personnel Committee of La La High School has decided to offer you a SBO personnel position with our school in the coming school year.It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet with you and discuss you educational vision. In spite of the large number of candidates, your deep respect for students and educational expertise greatly impressed us and the rest of the committee. In summary, you exceeeded our criteria for hiring...
Sincerely,
Nice Person #1 and Nice Person #2
YAY!! I made it out alive!
Of course, now I have all this anxiety that some terrible tragedy will befall me and derail my teaching career. Like, God forbid, one of the Wild Children will fall out at window on my watch, much as I try to discourage such shenanigans. Also, I catch myself feeling guilty for "abandoning" this shitty school, and then I remember, wait -- they are closing it anyway! Oops! So technically, I stayed til the bitter end.
And wait! I actually have to turn down job offers! I feel so terrible doing it, I met some really nice people that I came to respect through the process. But frankly, I like this place, I loved the kids, they are really laid back, easy to get to, and it happened fast. Part of me feels like I should go through it with other schools, and then choose. But I am so exhausted I can't do anymore. I'm done. For now. With the Citadel? Forever.
Hey Pscyho Man! How ya like me now?
I went on some interviews with some lovely people at some lovely schools. One social justice school, which really stole my heart, had students on their hiring committee and lots of evidence of great teaching. Another alternative school with tiny tiny classes (YES!) and well-recommended by my ed school profs was particularly quick on their feet, and I went for an interview and did a demo lesson fairly quickly. It was one of the best interviews I've ever had, where we actually talked about pedagogy, team work, advisory, adolescent psychology, lesson study, and standard and alternative assessment. Where I had a rich and realistic conversation with other teachers. Huh? Where am I?
I did a demo lesson that I felt really good about for a humanities class of ninth graders. I was really nervous about just going in and teaching something to a class that I didn't know, but I asked about what they were doing -- research projects on different countries -- and created a culminating lesson on countries that I nicknamed "Countries -- Why?" We had a discussion on what they thought countries were for, given their research so far, and they did some cooperative group work on how and why borders change, what the earth really looks like and how frontiers are imaginary, and the united nations. I gave them pictures of the earth from space, maps of changing borders in europe and the caribbean (esp. Hispaniola), and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. I had materials for all levels, so the lower performing readers were able to have documents that were accessible to them -- modifications, baby, synthesis! It was pretty interesting.
After the lesson, the kids all shook my hand and a couple of the girls whispered, "You were really good, I hope they hire you!" One girl thanked me and gave me a big hug. And throughout, I was charmed to the sweet calls of my first name, which takes me back to my hippy teacher art school days. Aaaah.
A few days after I got back from vacation I got this letter:
Ms. S:
We are happy to inform you that the Personnel Committee of La La High School has decided to offer you a SBO personnel position with our school in the coming school year.It was wonderful to have the opportunity to meet with you and discuss you educational vision. In spite of the large number of candidates, your deep respect for students and educational expertise greatly impressed us and the rest of the committee. In summary, you exceeeded our criteria for hiring...
Sincerely,
Nice Person #1 and Nice Person #2
YAY!! I made it out alive!
Of course, now I have all this anxiety that some terrible tragedy will befall me and derail my teaching career. Like, God forbid, one of the Wild Children will fall out at window on my watch, much as I try to discourage such shenanigans. Also, I catch myself feeling guilty for "abandoning" this shitty school, and then I remember, wait -- they are closing it anyway! Oops! So technically, I stayed til the bitter end.
And wait! I actually have to turn down job offers! I feel so terrible doing it, I met some really nice people that I came to respect through the process. But frankly, I like this place, I loved the kids, they are really laid back, easy to get to, and it happened fast. Part of me feels like I should go through it with other schools, and then choose. But I am so exhausted I can't do anymore. I'm done. For now. With the Citadel? Forever.
Hey Pscyho Man! How ya like me now?
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Trini: Manzanilla Beach
Yet another gorgeous beach. This one is teeming with life -- little fish that swim with their heads above water, sand dollars galore, and tons of plant debris in the water. Apparently, over 20 pilot whales beached themselves there a few years before, and sometime sea turtles com up there, though they are very likely to end up in someone's pot if they do. Uh, yeah, I didn't spend much time in the -- umm -- busy -- waters there. Much nicer to look at the 14 miles of palm-lined sands.
Trini 2 De Bone: Whiteman Lane
An actual street in Curepe. Wonder what the story is behind it -- and you know there is one.
Teach for Hysteria: "We're The Mob"
Third day after vacation, and I get to cover the wild children. After a few days of floating on my back in the sea on a Caribbean island, I was rested and ready. NOT.
Lemme splain. For some reason, it seems as though all the children, including the angels in my homeroom, have ingested high doses of crack cocaine with their breakfast Doritos. This results in unusually high incidences of screaming, randomly running around the room, putting chalk dust on each other, throwing the eraser, throwing books, banging out beats on desks, and higher volumes of the usual potty mouth language. Strangely, the wildest kids seem to be writing the most interesting poems, regardless, and the angels have managed to write some halfway decent sonnets and are constantly quoting "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Ah well.
So I go to cover the Wild Children first period this morning. I started a poetry lesson, got the attendance list going (for some reason knowing that I have a list of their names calms them down somewhat) and started the rounds to ask them to take out their binders, because of course they're just sitting there like they're in a lounge. At one point, one of the boys, N., says, "Miss, why are you asking us for this stuff? We're the mob."
Ms. S: What do you mean by that exactly?
N.: The Mob. We don't do no work.
Ms. S.: What about your education?
N.: We don't have a teacher.
Ms. S.: I'm your teacher.
N.: (looking at me like I'm bullshitting him, which I sort of am) Miss. Please.
I wish I could say that I gave him some enlightening, inspirational speech, but I just sighed and walked away. I was tired. And I didn't feel like fighting. SO I worked with the ten people out of twenty-six who were doing the work, they wrote some good poems, and I left when the bell rang. They were happy to see me go, because although they like me, I push them to work, and ever since they stopped running like crazy people around the room, they realized that that is all most coverage teachers want -- for them to stay in their seats. So for most days, they stay in their seats for an hour and a half each day, chill with their friends, draw, write notes, and talk about the adolescent drama of their lives.
Basically these kids have had no English teacher all year. And they're not going to get one, because, rumor has it, the district will not send any more teachers to our school for Psycho Man to chew up and spit out. So, since they have no homeroom or English teacher they have just been adrift all year. With their other subject teachers they just run around and act crazy, no matter how many teachers are in the room -- two, three, doesn't matter.
Has anyone else seen anything like this? A class adrfit with a permanent vacancy? Kids who just learn nothing all year long? Where are their parents I wonder? Do they know what is going on? And of course, I wonder what I should have done about it, but just thinking about it makes me so tired.
I am so burnt out from this job and this place -- at the end of the day, which ends with my wilder class, I am exhausted. There is so much that needs to be done, but at the end of the day, I just want to go home to my other life.
Lemme splain. For some reason, it seems as though all the children, including the angels in my homeroom, have ingested high doses of crack cocaine with their breakfast Doritos. This results in unusually high incidences of screaming, randomly running around the room, putting chalk dust on each other, throwing the eraser, throwing books, banging out beats on desks, and higher volumes of the usual potty mouth language. Strangely, the wildest kids seem to be writing the most interesting poems, regardless, and the angels have managed to write some halfway decent sonnets and are constantly quoting "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Ah well.
So I go to cover the Wild Children first period this morning. I started a poetry lesson, got the attendance list going (for some reason knowing that I have a list of their names calms them down somewhat) and started the rounds to ask them to take out their binders, because of course they're just sitting there like they're in a lounge. At one point, one of the boys, N., says, "Miss, why are you asking us for this stuff? We're the mob."
Ms. S: What do you mean by that exactly?
N.: The Mob. We don't do no work.
Ms. S.: What about your education?
N.: We don't have a teacher.
Ms. S.: I'm your teacher.
N.: (looking at me like I'm bullshitting him, which I sort of am) Miss. Please.
I wish I could say that I gave him some enlightening, inspirational speech, but I just sighed and walked away. I was tired. And I didn't feel like fighting. SO I worked with the ten people out of twenty-six who were doing the work, they wrote some good poems, and I left when the bell rang. They were happy to see me go, because although they like me, I push them to work, and ever since they stopped running like crazy people around the room, they realized that that is all most coverage teachers want -- for them to stay in their seats. So for most days, they stay in their seats for an hour and a half each day, chill with their friends, draw, write notes, and talk about the adolescent drama of their lives.
Basically these kids have had no English teacher all year. And they're not going to get one, because, rumor has it, the district will not send any more teachers to our school for Psycho Man to chew up and spit out. So, since they have no homeroom or English teacher they have just been adrift all year. With their other subject teachers they just run around and act crazy, no matter how many teachers are in the room -- two, three, doesn't matter.
Has anyone else seen anything like this? A class adrfit with a permanent vacancy? Kids who just learn nothing all year long? Where are their parents I wonder? Do they know what is going on? And of course, I wonder what I should have done about it, but just thinking about it makes me so tired.
I am so burnt out from this job and this place -- at the end of the day, which ends with my wilder class, I am exhausted. There is so much that needs to be done, but at the end of the day, I just want to go home to my other life.
And Now For A Word From Our Sponsor
It is all about the plotthound. Here is my dog, Sage (l), seated, reluctantly, next to a pernicious Yorkie named Popo. By the way, Sage is a rescue from North Carolina, where, despite her status as state dog (really, look it up) she was slated for death. My lover at the time, A., who wasn't really into dogs, but indulging me, picked Sage out from the bunch at North Shore Animal League because she was cowering away from the poop she had just made in the cage she was sharing with another dog. "See," said A. "Get that one. She's clean and plays well with others." Well, she tortured us for a few months with her separation anxiety and inability to housetrain easily, but two years later, she's adjusted and living large, mostly in my bed. Occasionally she and I go upstate to visit her pal, Popo and Popo's cat sister, Loli.
House Gecko Up Close and Personal
My cousin was horrified that I would take a picture of an animal she regarded as a nuisance, but I appreciate the gecko for its cuteness and habit of eating yucky bugs. Here it poses on a garbage bag, frozen in terror, I am sure, after I chased it around the house for half an hour taking pictures of it experimenting with the macro closeup on my new camera.
Salybia Bay at Toco
This is the beach in Toco, on the far northeastern corner, where we went before seeing the turtles. And where the car broke down. And where we were saved by the Maxi taxi driver. Yay! it has a very strong current that drags you down the beach, so when you float, you go from one end to the other. It also has all these shale rock formations, showing the pressure of the tectonic plates that run alon either side of Trinidad, which is how it broke off from the South American mainland. Very cool. Ouchy on the feet to walk on though. ( I climbed out to the rocks at the far end of the beach.)
The View Above Maracas and Las Cuevas
This is the view from the mountain road going down towards the most popular beach in Trinidad, Maracas. The bay on the farther side is Las Cuevas, which is just a lovely and less busy. Maracas is where I would have my delicious shark and bake lunch, garnished with mayonnaise, tamarind, lettuce and pineappple. I would wash it all down with a cool bottle of mauby, sit and write and then go back in the water. Maraas has lots of waves, but in Las Cuevas, which is a really calm bay, I would just float on my back looking up at the blue blue sky.
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