My front door…….

The tree, some presents and the cat……….

I know, the tree looks crammed into that tight corner.  The problem is that Dr. Man sent me out to buy a tree and I came back with one that was basically too big.  We both figured it would be a pain to take back so it ended up staying.  That spot was the best that we could do.

Gift wrapping central……

Did I ever mention that I’m a horrible gift wrapper?  I much prefer to stick things in a gift bag and call it day, that is unless my mother is nearby to wrap it for me.  She’s good.  Really good.  When she’s done wrapping gifts they usually look too good to unwrap.  However, this Christmas, we will be 3,000+ miles apart so, so much for that.

I usually don’t put a lot on my Christmas tree.  Dr. Man and I have a tradition of ordering a personalized ornament each year, whether we plan to stay in town or not.  However, when searching for a new personalized ornament this year, I came across and ordered ornaments that were words.  They said/say “Peace,” “Faith,” and ”Hope.”  I want to extend those, plus Love and Joy to all of you this holiday season.  Surely we could all use a little of each.

This takes the beautiful art of origami to a different level.  A student of mine created a “working” origami gun, which he said was his ”9,” as in 9mm.  Anyway, he made this “gun” so that a portion of it could actually slide, as one would do when cocking a real gun. 

I found myself amazed and saddened at the same time.  I was amazed because, for one, I had never seen something like it before, and while I hated to admit it (and still do), it was kind of creative.  Yet, I also couldn’t keep from feeling somewhat saddened that he used that same creativity to create a gun of all things.  And, I was further saddened when he told me that he learned how to make it the 5th grade.  He’s now in the 10th.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, yes that is gang writing on the side of that little thing.

I’ll just let the shirt, the fake gold chain, and the kid wearing both speak for themselves…….

To all who have and continue to serve, know that you are appreciated.

You too Dad!

Hey folks, I didn’t post much in September and this is the first post of (many more to come) this month, but I just wanted you all to know that I’m still here. 

I had surgery recently and aside from not having the physical strength to write, I haven’t had it in me emotionally and mentally either.  But, I’m getting there and I didn’t want you all to think that I just up and disappeared.  Just recuperating is all and working with someone to improve the blog as well.

Health wise, I will update you soon.  I too am still gathering information and taking in what I do know, and I’m looking for a way to raise awareness of the condition through this blog/site.

Anyway, I’m thinking of all of you and have even been lurking on some of your blogs/sites to keep up with you.

Much Love to Ya! 

Its been a while since my last post and a lot has happened and changed since.  More will come before the end of the weekend, however I must update you on the Jena 6.

I wrote about the Lousiana teens known as the Jena 6, back in July, because I was somewhat amazed and more disturbed that something so blantantly racist, as whites trying to intimidate blacks with nooses tied to a tree and the legal injustices that would follow, would occur in 2006/2007.  Yes, racism is definitely alive and well, but most of my experiences with it, as with others that I know, have been mostly covert.  However, I was talking with my father several days ago, and was surprised to discover that he had spoken out against an incident involving white men who had tried to intimidate blacks by tying a noose around a black man’s lunchbox on his job.  This was in the late 90’s.  According to The Institute for Southern Studies, NBC**, and other media sources cite that the town of Jena once gave over 60% of its vote to former KKK grand coward, David Duke, when he ran for governor.  That ought to tell you something about that town.

None the less, supporters are on their way to Jena, as I type, for a rally to be held tomorrow, Thursday, September 20th, to call national attention to the boys’ plight.   Thousands are expected to pour into small town Jena tomorrow and information about the rally, as well as efforts to gather people for bus trips to Jena, has been all over urban radio programs here in Los Angeles, and in other large cities as well.  A schedule of events, which I located on www.hrcbackstory.org , is as follows:

7am – Convene at Ward 10 Recreation Park to receive information and instructions regarding the day’s events.

8am- March to the Jena Courthouse where judicial proceedings will begin.  Prayer will occur after the march.

11am – Rally at the park after sentencing

7pm- Town hall meeting focusing on educational and criminal justice disparities in the U.S. will occur in Alexandria, Lousiana.

Also, I received an e-mail today urging all of those in support of the Jena 6 to show solidarity by wearing all black tomorrow.  Well, being that I hadn’t checked my e-mail in a couple of days, I wore my favorite black shirt today.  I have another but it’s kind of dressy….oh well, I’ll figure it out.

 In my opinion, it has been the internet and the effort of bloggers who have really spread the word about this story.  I have seen and heard very little about them on the nightly news and mainstream media, in general, has been slow to pick up this story. Hmmmmm……I wonder why?  CNN has done a series of low profile stories on the boys on CNN.com, and I say low profile because the articles that exist about the Jena 6 are no where to be found on their main pages.  I found information about the boys on the CNN website by performing a search.  This search yielded other blogs and websites and 11 short CNN video clips.

The Jena 6 need your continued support.  Visit www.freethejena6.org/, www.colorofchange.org, to learn more about ways that you can help.  Also, for more articles and stories regarding the Jena 6, check out the following sites:

MSNBC/NBC Nightly News Video

www.democracynow.org

CBS2Chicago.com 9.19.07

The Houston Chronicle 9.18.07

www.hrcbackstory.org 9.14.07

Facing South

www.pursuingholiness.com

**Note** I wanted to post the YouTube NBC clip where the political history of Jena was discussed, but I refused due to the many hateful and racist comments left by some YouTube viewers.   

 Forget about Big Brother watching over you.  “The Man,” is no longer a threat.  With the advent of cell phones that have cameras and video recorders, its tech savvy kids that we should fear and more and more teachers are ending up on the internet, without even knowing it.  AOL Video has a feature called “Dirty, Rotten Teachers” which features teachers recorded on cell phone video cameras by students from around the world.

“Austin” teacher was wrong for all of the profanity, but he was clearly upset.  It is obvious from the video that there was a big issue in his classroom with students using their cell phones to send text messages.  Ironically it was student using a phone, as he was yelling about it, that got him on YouTube.  Was the teacher in the right?  No.  He crossed a line.  But at the same time I truly undertsand his frustration.  I think he would have done better leaving the room to collect himself and perhaps should have called an administrator to come in a see what was going on with the kids and their cell phones. 

“Angry Professor” was actually not as angry as I expected him to be.  As both a teacher and I student, I don’t see the need for cell phones in class. They are very distracting and I would nevr answer a phone in class.  If it was such an emergency, the person could simply let the caller leave a message, then excuse themselves from class, walk outside and then return the call.  It’s not that hard.

A part of me agrees with the Chinese teacher in “Angry RJC Teacher.”  Should she have pulled the student aside and sscolded him?  Well she could have, but would it have had the same or any effect?

I have been scolded by a teacher in front of peers before and I lived to write about it here, at this moment.  Sometimes I think that parents have gotten so caught up preserving a child’s self esteem that telling the truth and getting the message across has fallen by the wayside.

“Teacher Hit Student” was just wrong.

“Angry Teacher ” only shows a teacher yelling because half of his class came late.  I understand the frustration.

Cell phones have been a big debate at my school for a while.  I understand that things have changed since Columbine and 9/11 and many parents argue for the permitting cell phones at school for emergency purposes.  But, the faulty logic with that to me is that while many schools and districts permit cells phones on campus, they are supposed to be turned off and not in use while class is in session.  But more often than not, the phones are on and kids are using them in class.  I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve caught some of my students texting or calling their friends while in class.  A few have even admitted that they were texting or calling their parents!  And, I don’t know which is worse, the fact that the parents are knowingly interrupting class and breaking school/disrtict policies or the fact that many of these kids read below the 5th grade level!  They can barely read and are trying to text! 

This, coupled with the lack of support from parents and administration, has frustrated me on more days than I care to remember.  I even had a student threaten to video the teachers and staff at my school and we (well I can really only speak for myself) have not behaved liked this, even when hit, kicked and threatened by them.  Just imagine, if half the kids recording these teachers put in just as much time and effort studying, doing classwork or just even paying attention in class, imagine how much better they would academically be. 

It’s no wonder that teachers are in short supply.  I don’t think that increasing occurences of teachers ending up on YouTube and MySpace is going to help matters.  There were many days that I wanted to record the conversations of some of my students and the things they said to me.  Once, as a student was yelling while standing in a chair, after she had overturned her desk and threw papers all over the room, I realized that I had my digital camera in my purse.  I took a picture of the mess and the girl, wanting to show it to administration and her mother.  But, Dr. Man talked me out of it.  I still have those pictures, along with many more of a torn up classroom.  The only reason why you all haven’t seen them yet is fear on my end that someone who works at my school or one of the parents would recognize either my room and or the student even if I blurred the face.

My dad got me a swanky, little digital recorder recently as a birthday present and for use in grad school.  Hmmmmm.  That’s got me to thinking…….. My cell phone only takes pictures, and they’re not that great.  Hmmmm………. I say all teachers out there should raise up and arm themselves with digital recorders and cell phones that have video recording capabilities.  We have to have some way of fighting back!  Administrators are unwilling to help and the parents seem to think that their kids are Angels, or at least should be treated like them even if they realize they’re actually hellions. Viva the Teachers!!!!!!

What do you think?  Should cell phones be allowed in school or not?  How do you feel about teachers being recorded and posted on the web?

I usually don’t write much about celebrities, but I believe that this is truly warranted.

While I have always liked Jennifer Garner as an actress, she did something recently that really impressed me and in that single instance, she displayed to the public more in the picture shown above, than words could say.  First of all, she is seemingly a hands on parent, who obviously took the time to not only pick out a book WITH her young daughter Violet, but she went to the PUBLIC LIBRARY to so!

Way to go for modeling to her young daughter the importance of reading and literacy, but for also supporting her local library.  I’m impressed, and being that I live in L.A. (and am not a native), that is no easy feat. 

I am a proud card carrying member of both the Los Angeles Public Library System (LAPL) AND the Los Angeles County Library System .  The LAPL was a tremendous help to me in graduate school last semester and I know that it will continue to be a great asset to me this semester and until I graduate and beyond.  They have lots of resources available to members on-line, that could save a trip to the library and be a god-send at two in the morning, when you’re trying to write a paper.  Trust me.

To see more pictures of Jennifer and little Violet at the library, visit the good folks over at the Celebrity Baby Blog.

Clip Clop! by Nicola Smee borrowed from the Los Angeles Public Library System

Pictures: Courtesy of my friends at the Celebrity Baby Blog

I guess every generation tends to think that the one after theirs is leading society to hell, at lightning speed while wearing underwear soaked in gasoline.  And, while I am often amazed and amused by both those in my own generation, the Generation X, and the generation that came after me (so what are they calling today’s youth anyway?), I am more often left disgusted, while scratching my head in bewilderment saying to myself, Huh? What was that all about? 

Paris Hilton made driving on a suspended license, not once but twice, and serving 23 days in jail look like the new, cool thing to do.  Nicole Ritchie, who admitted to being high on Vicodin and Marijuana, while driving on the wrong side of the freeway let us not forget, snuck into jail and left after a mere 82 minutes today.  82 minutes, that’s not even a whole two hours!  And then word comes, on the heels of Nicole’s slap on the wrist kiss on the cheek with a brand new Hermes bag waiting for her, that Lindsay Lohan has copped a plea deal.  After being arrested for DUI twice along with possession of cocaine, she was only charged with misdemeanors.  Lohan, at best, will serve only one day in jail.  Meanwhile, she’s on vacation, I mean at rehab, enjoying luxurious accommodations that rivals The Four Seasons, white water rafting, yoga, reading books and photos of all of this are being taken, seemingly with her and the rehab facility’s permission. 

Wow!  I bet if I go out and choose to recreate what any one of those girls did, I would be thrown in the slammer faster than you could say, “School Teacher what’s wrong with you?”

But, then comes along actor, rapper/singer, comedian…..man of all hats, Nick Cannon.  I heard him say today, when asked if he wanted to be a role model, “No, I want to be a real model.”  He basically stated that he didn’t want kids to get caught up in trying to imitate a role or what they see portrayed by him in the media. 

Some may say that kids aren’t stupid, they know the difference between reality and what is seen on television.  They know that they can’t lead lives similar to Paris, Nicole and Lindsay.  To that I say, “Oh really?”  If that was the case then, I wouldn’t see middle class parents plunking down $300 for a pair of jeans for a thirteen year old. I wouldn’t see girls willing to go to extremes for a designer purse, nor would MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16,” the show that showcases the lavish 15th and 16th birthday parties of spoiled rotten kids, be the hit that it is. Even I tried to imitate Debbie Gibson and a few other people and things that were popular back in the ’80’s.

In my opinion, Nick Cannon’s statement can and does work two ways.  As much as folks hate to admit it, many girls do want the life that they see Paris, Nicole and Lindsay living.  In many ways they are role models, albeit negative role models, to the girls who want that hard partying life, which has become so highly glamorized lately.  Sure, I believe both Paris and Nicole have played the “role” of spoiled, ditzy rich girls and I think that Lindsay, due to lack of parenting, got sucked into actually living the “tragic young starlet role.”  And sadly, in playing those “roles,” Paris, Nicole and Lindsay have made a mockery of both the legal and drug rehabilitation systems. 

I read somewhere that Lindsay was told by a judge in L.A. that she isn’t a criminal.  This so called judge stated that in “this town,” meaning L.A./Hollywood,  he sees kids get caught up in this kind of thing all the time and that what they need is help not jail.  Tell that to the many addicts and folks who get “caught up” and are sent straight to jail. No judge, those girls, who have been role models to some, need their own role or rather real model.

They need to be treated just like everyday, real people when they mess up and they need people, real people who don’t have a need to ride their coattails and leach off of their fame to stand up to and for them when the glitz, glamour and Hollywood facade threatens to siphon away their sense of self. 

Who and where are the REAL models for the role models of some of our youth?  I’m an old school Gen X’er who says bring back the days when kids looked up to teachers, doctor’s, firefighters and celebrities that you couldn’t help but admire.  Am I being too nostalgic and old fashioned?

Stuff like this, especially drinking and driving or driving while high, really bothers me.  Just last month, someone from my hometown, that my family knew, was killed on I-95 in Florida, when the SUV that she was driving was struck by a drunk driver, who was driving on the wrong side of the highway.  She died at the scene.

I just wanted to send out wishes for a smooth, enjoyable, enlightening and certainly less stressful new school year to all of my colleagues who have already started their new school year.

Happy New School Year!!!