Something to Look Forward To.

I am a huge Baz Luhrmann fan, so Australia is also a must see. The trailer for this one shows a little too much, perhaps but it looks epic and beautiful and artistic (as all Luhrmann films do). Set to release on Thanksgiving. The next best thing to going to Oz, is watching a film about it. Right?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I am eager to see this film too, which, as it turns out, is based on a 1922 short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, Benjamin Button will be a Christmas release. The trailer is beautiful and the storyline unique. Benjamin Button is born an old man and ages backward. It looks lovely and enchanting. I can't wait.

Masters of Guitar Concert Series - Willy Porter

Willy Porter will be performing at the Empire Arts Center
on Friday October 3 at 7:30 pm

I thought I'd mention this concert BEFORE I went to it, in case anyone else is interested in attending but didn't know it was going on. I've been enjoying this concert series and perhaps that's because I admire good acoustic guitar. Porter's toured with Rickie Lee Jones, Tori Amos, The Cranberries, Paul Simon, Sting, Jeff Beck and Jethro Tull.

A Little Something for the Next Debate.

I wish I'd seen this earlier.Of course, it would be a bit more fun if I'd had a living room full of debate watching pals. I will have to plan ahead for the next debate! Go to Bob Staake's site and you can download and print off a set of 8 different cards for your debate watching fun.

One Giant Step for Palin.... Two Steps Back for Women Everywhere.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the way our country views women. For kicks, I started reading a series of history books by Catherine Gourley, Images and Issues of Women in the Twentieth Century. They are aimed at young adults, but the information included is important for any age to understand. Gibson Girls and Suffragists begins the series and it's eye opening to realize the struggles of the women who paved the way so I can enjoy the freedoms I have today.

Too many of us take that for granted or actually believe we are there. When my friend, a commercial pilot, is mistaken for a flight attendant because naturally she must be, she's a woman, or when the implication is made that she got her job because the airlines "need" to fill a certain quota with women and therefore isn't actually qualified, I am furious. It is likely, that she is MORE qualified, that she has worked even harder to get where she is, because that is the kind of person she is. I would say she might actually owe her job to being a North Dakotan, not a woman; that inbred in her is a kind of work ethic that never really says "good enough" but that she can always do better, and she does. This sort of thing is subtle. Sometimes it's not even voiced, but it exists. It's still an issue. It's still a prejudice.

I work in a field that is dominated by women, teaching. At one point in history it was one of the few options available to women for career paths. I was at a teacher's convention one year in which a male teacher was given an award and at one point the presenter made reference to his gender and how rare it was to have men in the profession and there was actually applause followed by a standing ovation, simply to suggest we are so thankful that some men still deem it worth their while to be teachers. Seriously.

Yet, I do believe that the reason teachers continually struggle with low pay is gender related. If this were a male dominated profession that issue wouldn't even be an issue. After all, men are the breadwinners. Right? Isn't that the undercurrent. For women, it must be "pin money," a supplemental income. I've heard men in my father's generation say in rural communities. "We don't need to pay them more. Their husbands are farmers. We know what they make. And what will they do? Quit? They aren't going anywhere, they farm. Their work is here." Sigh. It's not so much a competitive field when it comes to pay and people aren't really fighting back. Or I should say, women aren't really fighting back.

This brings me to the way our media made such a big deal out of Hillary Clinton running for president. It would be a first if she'd been the Democratic nominee and then won the election. And now, there is talk that McCain chose Sarah Palin in an effort to throw that gender issue back in the mix. Some thought he meant to try to pick up Hillary's supporters, those women who were voting just because Hillary was a woman. I supported Hillary's political positions, I wasn't running around screaming "girl power!" I found the choice of Palin to be insulting to women. If that's the rationale. She stands for none of the issues I value. And she is NO Hillary Clinton.

I see now, that it's more about appeasiing the religious right. After all, how many of us can say we came to power because an African minister known for casting out witches blessed us? Still she was a pretty risky choice because of her inexperience and her ignorance to so many issues and a reporter from the National Review is actually calling for her to bow out. I can only take that as a good sign. That not everyone in the Republican party is blinded by Palin's perky hockey mom persona.

In the time that's followed her VP announcement, I've come to believe that if we were to make this a gender issue, it's a grim situation. Women don't really need to make this a gender issue because it's such a national issue, one of security and well-being for the future of our country, that the gender issue recedes. Still if we were to explore this, I believe that her nomination is a step backward for women. It's like the Republicans have decided to bring a woman on board to be a sort of puppet, (it's clear she can't talk for herself), someone they can control and ultimately she's someone who we can't trust to do her job as VP or, knock on wood, as the president of the United States. It's a nightmare. It's bringing out all the people who already believe a woman can't do things as well as a man, and giving them evidence to support that claim in the person of Palin. Sure it would be a woman in a high powered job. It would be an historical first. But it's not about firsts, really, if women all over our country suffer because of her political beliefs. Who cares if one woman "makes it" if everyone around her falls.

Confirmation.

I think there's a pretty good reason why the McCain camp has been keeping Palin far, far away from unscripted media appearances. From interviews. From debate follow-ups. Good thing they've got maniacally grinning Giuliani on hand to take care of that. Ugh.

After all, Alaska needs her up there keeping an eye on Putin, you know, for when he rears his head. It's a matter of national security? Seriously? What? Here's a clip.


Watch CBS Videos Online

If you haven't watched the full Katie Couric interview from this week, please do.

What impressed me most was Couric's professional approach that didn't just let things go. (should I expect less? I guess I feel some people have been giving Palin a break) She asked the hard questions and in some cases asked them more than once when her first question yielded nothing more than evasion. You can only mask so much with "folksy-ness" and in the end I thought Palin came off as uninformed, unqualified, and more than a little smug, ironically.

Like Sands Through the Hourglass

So, is the time I spent on trivia.

Okay, I just now--at 1:54 am on Friday night--finished my prep for hosting trivia tomorrow. What is crazy is that I've been working on it more or less constantly since 8 pm. Yesterday I worked for 5 hours.

Prior to those 11 hours of trivia labor, I'd created the 16Q for my round one and selected all the songs for my round two and planned out three of my music free drinks and wrote one.. I didn't log the hours it took to do that... I am guessing that took another 11 hours spread out over the past couple weeks.

No, last night all I did was do my create my 18 music clips for round two and write my round three specialty round. Today I simply clipped my four music free drinks after extensive time spent trying to decide who to use for my 4th musical artist. I also worked on writing three free drink questions. Then I created a playlist and burned the disc (on the first try, this time, Pam). That's it. THAT took me 11 hours....

Assuming I spent even close to that much time writing the other two rounds and doing my one other written free drink and planning three music free drink questions... then approx. 22 hours of labor for one 2.5 hour night of hosting trivia? Really? Is it worth it? I am starting to wonder.

Now watch... all that work... and there's bound to be someone who will complain that my rounds were too hard. And then my free drinks will be too easy and all the labor that was poured into picking bands and selecting songs and ordering them to be "extra tricky" will be for naught when some spermologist gets the answer on the first three notes of the first song.

Okay... enough complaining. I AM actually relieved to be done.

I'll keep you informed of what actually happens tomorrow night. (Keep your fingers crossed.) I think I'll wear my lucky hat.

****************UPDATE******************

So, I survived. And people were kind. Maybe the desperate look on my face as people kept guessing my free drinks correctly on the first try was a clue that I needed praise. Or maybe people genuinely liked the rounds. At this point, I don't care! My rounds were not too hard, I guess... a few stumpers but there should be those, I think. People seemed to like the music clips I did for round two and my free drinks... well, with a few of those talented music guessers, I just didn't have a chance.

The way free drinks work is like this: I play several song clips by one artist.. you usually start with a cover song or a song that doesn't really sound like the artist. Then you follow it by another song that doesn't really sound like them or is a fairly unfamiliar song by that artist... then you might play a slightly more familiar one or a lesser known hit OR a song that sounds like them but is still not a hit. Then you play their hit song. If you craft it right it can go through several of those song clips before someone in the crowd guesses correctly. They way one guesses is by raising his/her hand and then I call on them, they answer, and if they are correct they get a free drink card and if they are wrong they throw a quarter on the dance floor. At the end of the night the winner of the last question gets a free drink and all the quarters.

What is funny is the musical group that I thought would be guessed immediately actually did make it to the second song clip... that band was the Beach Boys. After that, each of the remaining three free drink questions were guessed on the first song and not too many measures in: Samantha Fox, Concrete Blonde and John Prine. Oh well. What saved me was my free drinks that I read clues for. I did one on a book, one on a character and two different ones on people. Those work the same way as the music questions. As I read the clues I watch for folks with a raised hand and they make a guess when they think they know the book, character, or person I am reading clues about.

Trivia hosting is a great big stressful gamble and for some reason, more than any other time, I think I earned my money.

OMG. I Need This!

I saw this featured on Yahoo news yesterday. My heart skipped a beat. Now where can I get the $4000 to fund that purchase? Here's an article about working out while working. I'm impressed. If I had that money to spare, I would not hesitate to try it out. Anyone want to do a study on the effectiveness of this and use me as a case study? I could really use one in my home.

Parading my Political Nature

Apparently it's been a few years since I've seen a parade in Grand Forks. The last time I saw the Potato Bowl parade it ran down University Ave. Now it starts by the YMCA and travels down Demers down the main drag in East Grand Forks too. On Saturday morning I volunteered to don my Laird for ND State Superintendent tee shirt and hit the streets to spread awareness and tootsie rolls! We ran out of candy by the time we reached EGF but I was wise and just sported a sign and a smile so I didn't have the pressure of "leaving no child behind" when it came to the candy. Even the doggies weren't forgotten as Max made sure to pass out doggie treats to all the parade watching pooches. I trust he now has THEIR vote... Woof!


Just a few of the many signs we put together at Max's campaign headquarters on Sunday afternoon. My stapling hand has a good callous going!

Okay, this is pretty funny.

Dang the SNL folks nabbed the video. Well, this was one of Tina Fey as Palin. Good stuff. :)

Rhombus Ruckus

On Saturday my friend Sean and I attended Rhombus Ruckus, a bluegrass/folk music festival featuring four bands--North River Ramblers, GypsyFoot, Johnson Family Band, and Trampled by Turtles sponsored by Rhombus Guys Pizza. We missed the first band because of time constraints but got to take in the last three bands, some beer, and delicious pizza (Girlfriend Diavolo and T. Rex -- I LOVE Rhombus Guys Pizza)

Gypsyfoot (their photo, not mine)

As you can see, it was POURING rain during their concert. There were some tents to shelter those of us less willing to get wet, but you can see not everyone minded... the little sweetheart in green had to be someone's grandma and she was seriously getting down through it all. The crowd looks meager here but it grew as time went on.

Some Woodstock wannabees didn't mind the rain at all... but they must be crazy. It was friggin' freezing out there.

Gypsyfoot has a really great sound. (Check it out on their myspace page) I loved the concert and am going to have to get a CD. The total music effect was awesome and I loved the vocal quality too. It's almost hard to believe they are out of Bismarck, ND. No offense Bismarck, but I just tend to think "cow country USA" when I get that far west. Their website describes their brand of music better than I can:

"Fusion, Cross-Genre, Multi-Genre... Although rather vague, these are quite possibly the most accurate terms to describe the music of GypsyFoot. This Bismarck-based 7-piece group has not only a serious passion for creating music together, but also a common mission: "To unite people from all walks of life through Musical Diversity." Since forming in the fall of 2003, it has become increasingly apparent that this mission is succeeding. And by taking a look around at the crowd during one of their live performances, one would certainly have to agree. Combining elements of Jazz, Funk, Latin, Blues, Rock and Reggae with their penchant for spontaneous improvisation, GypsyFoot continues to defy 'marketability' in today's heavily genre-based music industry."

One of the Johnson Family Band members wasn't able to be at the concert so a fiddle player from Trampled by Turtles stepped in. Where GypsyFoot was a bit more "groovy," this band was definitely more "bluegrass." But it was almost like bluegrass with a vengeance. I found the music too fast and the vocals too shouty for my taste. I like my bluegrass a bit more mellow and Alison Krauss quality sound if that makes any sense. These guys had a sort of frantic feel that was entertaining, certainly, but not quite as good as the bands that preceded them or followed.

Because Trampled by Turtles were sitting down on stage I wasn't able to get a very good look at them (with the crowds standing in front of me) so I didn't manage any photos either. This one is from their website. This was the "headliner" band out of Duluth, MN. They had more of a bluegrass sound too but were much more refined. You can listen to them on their myspace page.


Though I couldn't see them very well, I like to think this is what they looked like performing in the Town Square. (photo from their site) By the time they were playing the rains had mostly stopped and it actually felt a tiny bit warmer out... hallelujah.

In the end, I would have wished for better weather and a place to sit down... I am NOT a fan of standing through a concert (too damn old for that). But I did enjoy the event and am all about the music this weekend. Man, I wish I could play an instrument that well... or sing... or something. I guess I just get to be an aficianodo.... that's a nice way to say groupie!

Masters of Guitar Concert Series - Michael Whisler

Last night I saw Michael Whisler perform at the Empire Arts Center as part of the Masters of Guitar Concert Series. He is described in this way on his website:
Michael Whisler is young self-taught acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and songwriter. He composes for both 12 and 6 string guitars with dynamic power and speed while drawing from American folk, blues and classical music. His tunes range from ripping fast paced instrumentals to slower more emotional ballads and even dissonant free time melodies. He also blends a unique bottleneck tone to some of his compositions which utilize alternate tunings. Although Michael is mainly a solo guitarist he does throw in his low warm vocals to some of the tunes, while all along never noticing there isn’t a band backing him up.

I would add that Michael seemed easy going and funny in his remarks about his music and in the stories he told between songs. His voice reminds me of Leonard Cohen and Jakob Dylan... is that possible? He looks about 12 years old on his myspace page, and once on stage it's clear he's not, but he did resemble Jeremy Sisto who played Elton in the 1995 film Clueless. These are the kinds of thoughts that run through my mind when I'm not awestruck by his terrific guitar playing ability.

You can hear some of his songs here.

Reading, Watching, Listening ... August in Review

Books I Read in August: 16

Because I've been completely addicted to books you'll find that my list of what I read is HUGE, but I didn't see a single film... Netflix is making money off me this summer. Because my list was longer than normal I divided the titles up by genre and I used my reviews from Goodreads. Why write two reviews?

Young Adult Novels
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Hmmmm... this book seemed rather LONG to me... I'm not sure how some folks can read it in a day. I guess I felt that way with some of the Harry Potter books too, though others read them in one sitting. I must say, it's for certain... I don't like Jacob Black. I find him annoying and immature and I don't understand Bella's attraction to him. Of course, I don't really get her either. Oh well. The Cullens I like. Their backstories in this book were interesting and I wish there was more of that in the books. Even some flashbacks, perhaps? I am sure I'll read Breaking Dawn sometime soon.. but maybe not for a few weeks. I need a break from the icy cold, white teeth, sparkling vampire world.


Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

While Harry Potter and friends attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Percy Jackson finds himself at Camp Half-Blood where he, like Harry, must come to terms with who he REALLY is... in this case, he's the son of a Greek God and a mortal woman. It's hard to avoid comparisons to the Harry Potter series... even the dark dangerous meanie seems to be a bit like "He Who Shall Not Be Named" and yet I can see this story series has promise for young readers. I didn't love it as much as I'd hoped, but I liked it quite a bit. 3.5 stars worth of love.

I read the book after recommendation from Sophie G, a favorite young reader for whom this book is perfectly suited. I was hoping for a good work of fiction that might infuse a young reader with a desire to pursue knowledge of Greek mythology. The book IS full of allusions to various gods and goddesses and stories of heroes and villains from the myths. It serves the purpose I'd hoped for and I think it's cool that Riordan chose to explore this concept--the Greek Gods still living (of course, they are immortal) and thriving in our world today!

Despite the similarities to Harry Potter (hard to avoid in some ways) and Percy's whiny (almost Holden Caulfield "I just got kicked out of another private school") voice at the beginning I did find myself eager to find out what happens. I would recommend this for young readers.

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

I think I enjoyed this one better than the first because it just jumped right into the conflict and there was less soul searching, figuring out Percy was a half-blood etc. Also, this story played with Homer's Odyssey which I thought was pretty cool. I thought it would be a fun complement to students reading The Odyssey or an opportunity for younger readers to learn about that story.

Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

In this third book, Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover begin the story by going on a mission to retrieve two new half-bloods which sets the story's conflicts in motion. Annabeth goes missing, Artemis makes an appearance and recruits Bianca, one of the new half-bloods, to be part of her immortal army of archers. The oracle's message of doom for one of them keeps things tense as a group of young half-bloods and archers seek their friend, try to save Artemis, and use all their powers to thwart Luke and the Titans who are threatening all of Olympus. Apollo makes an appearance in this one and both he and Artemis are quite cool.

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

This book depicts a high school girl whose rare, unusual spirit soars. It's a story about individuality--about mob mentality, about conformity. Yet, even more it's a story about giving to others, generosity of spirit, zest for life, and seeing the world with new eyes. I think this is a lovely book and one I'd highly recommend.

Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

At first I didn't love this book as much as the first. It was a bit unsettling to hear Stargirl's thoughts--it's written in first person, diary style as if it were a long letter to Leo. She seemed far more normal and hesitant and less fantastic than she did when the story was told through Leo's eyes. Of course that makes sense. Still, I found myself loving this girl all over again and discovering my cheeks wet with tears when the story ended. Her interest in the Winter Solstice is something I totally loved and is something I "get." I used to love the equinoxes and solstices and look forward to those days much more than I have in recent years. I think I need to find my own way to mark those moments so I can celebrate them in Carmyn-girl style. I enjoyed both Stargirl books.

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo

This book is reminiscent for me of her other more popular tale Because of Winn Dixie. In both books the protagonist has lost a mother and is alone in a new town. Both children are pretty sad and in need of a friend. Both children have a grown up who is a straight shooting kind person who becomes a confidante. I thought The Tiger Rising was good but almost too short... like a novella rather than a novel. But I guess for a young reader it might be just fine. I wanted more, especially at the end. Overall, I feel that DiCamillo is a fine writer with interesting well-crafted characters and she has a great sense of detail. I love her books and this was no exception.



The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

This book is rather short (174 pages in a fairly large font) and echoes the Lemony Snicket books in tone and vocabulary. Lowry is often alliterative and actually includes a cute glossary at the end of the book. She also includes a bibliography of 13 "books of the past that are heavy on piteous but appealing orphans, ill-tempered and stingy relatives, magnanimous benefactors, and transformations wrought by winsome children" which are referred to, however momentarily, in this brief novel. I was familiar with all but one title so in some ways I felt this book offered these small rewards to its adult readers and it all felt a little tongue-in-cheek. It's a 3.5 star rating I like Lois Lowry and also, I think it has a nice cover.


Graphic Novels
Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Gods and Mortals by George Perez

This novel felt more "comic book" style than any of the others I've been reading lately--paper quality, appearance of text. It was entertaining and held my attention, but I think I preferred the Darwyn Cooke treatment in The New Frontier series.

Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Challenge of the Gods by George Perez
Maybe I've had a bit too much of the Greek gods lately but I wasn't really remembering that Wonder Woman's story was so interwoven with Olympus. It wasn't a bad thing, but I didn't love that part of it so much either.



History
Flappers and the New American Woman: Perceptions of Women from 1918 Through the 1920s by Catherine Gourley

Flappers and the New American Woman is the second book in the Images and Issues of Women in the Twentieth Century series by Catherine Gourley. This series features tons of info in sidebars, photo captions and period advertisements in addition to the main text. This book explores the "modern girl" and the myriad of changes she faced in the 1920s. Exploring media, housewives, beauty, morals and manners, race, politics, and more, Gourley introduces young readers to big names and even a few I didn't know. We learn about the impact of famous women: Clara Bow, Margaret Mead, Nellie Tayloe Ross, Margaret Sanger, Lillian Gilbreth, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Elinor Smith and many, many more. I would highly recommend this series for young readers interested in women's history.

Fiction
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani

I love the Big Stone Gap series. I'd nearly forgotten how much. The magic is still there for me. One thing I hadn't realized is that the book is written in present tense. In my creative writing workshop earlier this summer, we were discussing such things and I said then how I prefer writing to be in past tense and isn't most fiction told that way anyway. How interesting to realize at least one book I love is not. Now, I want to start pulling beloved books from the shelves to examine the tense! Hmmm... I guess if it wasn't jarring to me, then it's well done either way. But I digress.

This book showcases a part of the United States I can barely imagine. While I have no desire to move to Appalachia, I can appreciate Trigiani's efforts in transporting her readers there. Growing up in a small town gives me a foothold in understanding Ave Maria's world. And remaining single at 35 in a relatively small community gives me a window into her character's mind. I love the supporting cast of characters as well, and though the story is a wee bit predictable, I still love where it takes me. I look forward to rereading the other two stories in the trilogy and finally reading her fourth book about Ave Maria and family.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

I expected I would enjoy this book, based on my Amy Tan experiences and while this did have a similar feel to it, I wasn't captivated in the same way. It read quickly enough for me, but in some ways I wasn't really loving Lily, particularly at the end. I was frustrated with Snow Flower, as well. I can see how this might be interesting to discuss in a book club. Questions of friendship, commitment, honesty, duty might all arise. I felt if Snow Flower had been more honest about things that Lily would have understood her better but then when she was honest, Lily still didn't understand and it actually seemed to make things worse. It made me question whether they were actually loving friends or two women in love with the idea of being lifelong friends. I felt as if Lily didn't really understand Snow Flower and perhaps Snow Flower DID understand Lily.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr

I was eager to read this book because I'd heard good things. It reminded me of The Devil in the White City because it was about a serial killer and because it was set in the same era, though not the same city. However, I am not really a big fan of the crime story and so the parts I liked best in The Devil in the White City were the parts on the Chicago World's Fair and its architects. Erik Larson's book was a TRUE account, a history that read like a novel. This book was fiction but felt real. I was interested in the story from start to finish but I do feel it dragged a little and was a bit of a slower read for me. Perhaps Caleb Carr could have pared it down a wee bit. I loved the descriptions of the food, however. Delmonico's. Yum! I think many people would enjoy this book and I am glad I read it. But if you haven't read The Devil in the White City, I would read THAT one first!

Nonfiction
Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto

This book's dismal tone from start to finish made the read an unpleasant one for me. The format also left much to be desired. The book had 35 pages of preamble in the form of foreword, introduction, publisher's note from the first edition, and about the author. The following five chapters over 94 pages were reprinted speeches or essays that lacked flow or transition and didn't truly follow through on what I thought the book would offer. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling is something I set out to read eager to see if Gatto was going to corroborate some of my own ideas about public schools in our country. Instead, he seemed to not understand schools at all. At least, not as I've witnessed them. His credibility was instantly damaged,in my eyes, and it was difficult to lend much credence to his words. Furthermore, his tone was such that I was irritated and had he been a TV (he'd like this reference)I would have changed the channel. :)

Some of his points in the "Seven Lesson Schoolteacher" were things I could agree with. Where he loses me is his vehemence with which he lambastes all schoolteachers and schools as falling into this trap. Sure, even if one is to assume his theory is correct and the entire machine of public education is broken in the United States, not every school, not every teacher is the demon he makes them out to be. And furthermore WHAT exactly is his solution? It's VERY clear he doesn't believe in school reform. Just get rid of all compulsory schooling. Abandon the public school idea. Okay. So we do home schools or create schools in a private club sense. But what of the two income family. Surely it's not SCHOOL that is robbing them of the ability to spend family time together but the necessity of earning enough money to get by. Some people have the ability to live off one income, many do not have that luxury. How does this idea factor in for Mr. Gatto's grand solution? This was something I felt he needed to explore if he was going to make such broad declarations.

I felt that much of what Gatto was stating was dated. Since 1992 there's been a standards movement that serves to create continuum of ideas and skills from kindergarten to grade 12 in areas like reading, math, writing and more. More teachers are using best practices and teaching using inquiry based methods. Nothing he wrote addressed these things because it's only in the past 15 years that these things have been flourishing. His final chapter makes mention of standards, once again with a disparaging word. What is ironic, is that in an earlier chapter schools were lambasted for lacking these standards and continuum and connectivity in curriculum and then in the congregational chapter he denounces the the presence of the very thing he was shaming schools for not doing. Not only is Gatto, inconsistent, he is unrealistic, and it seems his way if it were followed to the letter would leave HUGE groups of people with no education at all, nor any realistic or fair way to get it.

In chapter three, Gatto says of his subbing experience in New York City,

"After three months the dismal working conditions, the ugly rooms, the torn books, the repeated insistences of petty complaints from authorities, the bells, the buzzers, the drab teacher food in the cafeterias, the unpressed clothing, the inexplicable absence of conversation about children among the teachers (to this day, after thirty years in the business, I can honestly say I have never once heard an extended conversation about children or about teaching theory in any teacher's rooms I've been in) had just about done me in."

This quote just about did me in. I cannot fathom working in an environment like he's described. None of that characterizes my school or others I've worked in. And in 30 years to never have heard an extended conversation about children or teaching theory? What kind of planet is this guy from. Not only are teaching theory and school improvement topics that are discussed at length in our teacher's lounge, in our Monday morning staffings, at staff meetings, and during our professional learning community meetings, but we also regularly express concerns about various students and pool resources, information, and ideas about how to help particular students achieve their learning potential. We approach our students with a team approach and this at a high school level. So, I find Mr. Gatto very much mistaken. Perhaps no one wanted to discuss theory with HIM. :) In fact, if I were creating my own select village as he describes in chapter five, I'm pretty sure he would not be invited to stay.

I'd sort of like to pair Steven Levitt (Freakonomics) and John Gatto and see what sorts of correlations could be drawn from some of the ideas Gatto puts forth with no statistical evidence whatsoever, aside from his own 30 years of what appears to be pretty limited experience.

If you are looking for a book with some radical ideas about public schools and the ways they damage kids and destroy families, be sure to pick this book up. If you are like me and just want so understand a bit more about the underside of public schools, you might find what you want here, but take this with a block of salt and be prepared for some grating, over-the-top, generalizations.

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner

One thing I discovered after reading this book was how there are folks out there who really do NOT like it. Some calling Levitt a racist, others saying his "economics" is a joke. I am not really sure how I feel. I guess as I read it I was intrigued by the suppositions. I wasn't utterly convinced but I was impressed by the idea of looking at sociological phenomenon in a way that others hadn't really done before. It's about "looking outside the box." Sure some of his chapters could be offensive. Some of it was more interesting than others. I wasn't really into the chapter on "baby names and its impact on the success of a person." I did find the stuff on the Ku Klux Klan interesting though. That's a subject I really don't know a lot about. I didn't care for the way Dubner sort of hero-worships Levitt in the beginning of each chapter. Even if it's done tongue-in-cheek (which I am not sure it was) I was a little sickened. In the end, I'm not sorry I read this and I think there are worthwhile ideas in this book. You may want to read some other reviews, both for and against the book before commiting to the read or to a purchase since it's still in hardcover.


What I was Watching in August

TV
Friends Seasons 6,8,9,
Project Runway
Weeds Season 4

Films
None

What I was Listening to in August



Tigermilk by Belle and Sebastian

This is their debut album (1996) but it's all the public library had. I have heard them on our local NPR station and I knew I liked the sound but I really hadn't heard a full album until this one. I need to get my hands on a bit more of their work before I decide that I am totally in love, but I will say I like this one quite a bit. Their website is cool too. I like the bits about the band.

Get Born by Jet (2003)
This isn't the "newest" of albums either but it's my first REAL listen to this group. Of course, I'd heard songs by them before but had no clue who was signing or what they were about. We used "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" at trivia and it prompted me to go for the whole CD.

a random sampling from my MP3 player here are my posted shuffles:

August 6, 2008

In Spite of All the Danger by The Beatles
Cuttin' Out by Donovan
Fading Like a Flower by Roxette
Talk to Me by Stevie Nicks
Promises by Eric Clapton


August 12, 2008

I Don't Want to Lose You Yet by Supersuckers
Breathe by Anna Nalick
Won't Get Fooled Again by The Who
Hello, Darlin' by Wanda Jackson
Tide is High by Blondie

August 19, 2008

My Rollercoaster by Kimya Dawson
The Sweetest Thing by Juice Newton
Pretty by The Cranberries
Freedom by George Michael
SOS (Rescue Me) by Rihanna

You Asked for It.

I keep waiting for school to settle down to routine and life to fall into a rhythm and somehow it still seems "off" to me. I am too tired for words. As noted by at least THREE friends who've personally complained about my lack of blogging.

I'm also a bit overwhelmed by recent political events. I've been really annoyed by the whole Sarah Palin uproar. At first I was raring to write about it, then I read Sara's remarks (Midwestern Position) and felt I really couldn't say too much more--I completely agreed. Then Heather at Dooce.com let loose and I felt a bit of satisfaction... it eased my urge to talk. Even if you aren't motivated to follow those links and read what they had to say on the issue, DO follow this one.. it's a little fact check article following up on remarks from the RNC.

My initial reactions to Palin were much like the ones I've cited but as another week passes and I'm reading about how there's been a rush on the type of eyewear that Palin sports, I throw up a little in my mouth. Or when I see her grinning face on the cover of Newsweek with a rifle over her shoulder I feel sick at how many people are already being manipulated into thinking this is all a good thing. When I hear her voice on the news talking about the goodness and strength of the man, John McCain... I think, she's talking about him like he's dead. It's the kind of false praise that people accept when someone has passed on, when it's better to be nice than honest.

Joe Biden is a VP I can get behind. Frankly, I prefered him for president. I don't think of her as anywhere NEAR his calibre of a candidat and she sure as hell isn't Hillary Clinton. I wonder what kinds of drama the next few weeks will bring. What the debates will be like. I had no idea that folks might actually be duped into thinking this Palin VP decision was a good one. I guess I saw it as evidence of McCain's senility... possibly an effort to "throw the election."

Some say that it could come down to the issue of abortion for some voters. Doesn't it always? I mean, that's just the kind of ignorance about the "big picture" that sends me over the edge. We have a country on the brink, thank you Mr. Bush ... praise GOD your work of evil is nearly done.... and folks biggest concern is whether or not a woman should have the right to choose what to do with her own body... It's a sickenly hypocritical situation. Let's win a battle for one woman by trying to vote her into the White House while losing one for women everywhere. No one is in favor of abortion, but it's a bigger issue than that. It's a slippery slope to give up a right to your own body.

And what good are our "moral" victories if we have a devastated country because of a neverending war, lack of health care for all, an economy in the toilet, a ravaged environment, and the rich getting richer... (ehem.. McCain) and the poor forgotten and ignored.

And you wonder why I'm too tired to blog. Really, it's not my lack of energy so much as my desire to be more "upbeat". It's hard to be cheerful today. Maybe if I just got some wireless "Palin" glasses I could see this situation differently. Somehow I doubt it.