13.6.08

WHAT???

That was my reaction to Tim Russert’s death. Meet the Press and This Week are my Sunday morning indulgences. It’s going to be strange this Sunday.

10.6.08

Brief and Wondrous

I was tickled to see that Sunday Morning was airing a story on Junot Diaz this week.

It’s been an adventure for some of my friends to get a copy of Diaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. At one Barnes and Noble, my friend was told, “we are a didactic book store and we stock what our customers want.’

Her reply was to order five copies, four of which she never intended to pick up. She also said to the sales person, “This book is going to blow up. Do you know what that means? People, my friends, are going to come in looking for it and I hope you have some in stock.”

After allowing another friend to read the first chapter, she was immediately drawn into the story. “I’m going to go get it after we get done here.”

“Be sure not to go to Barnes and Noble.”

“Why?”

“Because I bought their only copy.”

“What do you mean?”

“This was the only copy they had when I went to get mine. (I only got it there because I had an extra discount.) I’m pretty sure they haven’t replaced it yet.”

She didn’t listen to my warning and there weren’t any new copies.

Anyway, that’s all beside the point. The point is that it’s awesome he’s getting more media coverage. All real people accounts I have read and heard about this book are positive. So it’s nice that for once the critics and the readers agree.

9.6.08

La Naca

Growing up, I always thought the Cheros (cowboys) at my high school were such chuntaros. My friends and I used to laugh at their chingamelavista lime green boots, painted on Wranglers, and motley-colored cowboy shirts. When they cruised through campus in their supped up pick up trucks blaring Ramon Ayala y Los Tigres del Norte, I would turn up whatever grunge band I had playing on my Walkman.

Since I’ve left home, I’ve become quite a fan of “chero music.” As I told my mom a while back, “me estoy haciendo bien naca.”

I am such a naca now, that I almost jumped out of my seat when I was able to download the newest Intocable cd 2C before midnight.

8.6.08

Status Update

Friday was the last day I got to spend n the building I began teaching. Come mid-July, all of my classroom things will be in a brand new building. The old building, which was “condemned,” will be repaired to house a middle school (grades 5-6).

Of course, it was only fitting that my friend and I be the last ones to leave. As with any move, there was a lot of work to be done. However, we had a lot of buildup from teachers past in novel cabinets, closets, and filing cabinets. When 7PM rolled around and my friend still had seven banker boxes full of files from teachers past to go through. By this time, we had fully pledged to our mantra: I am a much better teacher than that. So when she suggested throwing it all away, I was ecstatic.

I didn’t have a final moment with my room. Not only did I not have time, but I don’t really buy into that type of sentimentality. The future was on my mind, the prospect of our new school, our new work family, my new students, and my new responsibilities.

I am very happy that summer is here. There are so many projects that I want to dive into but have not had the time.

4.6.08

Can You Smell Hope?

I’ve been trying to stay off the politics topic here because it really chaps people’s hide. For a while there, many of us were in agreement: Bush sucks and he needs out. Now that we have the chance for that, ideas have diverged--which is cool.

Often when people talk politics around me, I tend to do a lot of listening. I’ve mentioned before why it is that I support Obama. I understand that a lot of people think he’s green and won’t do a good job and then there are all the rumors of him being a secret Muslim and he won’t swear on the bible and that the media owns him, but I still got the dude’s back.

As I end my third year of teaching, I can’t help but think back on my interview almost three years ago. I don’t think the principal, at the time, really wanted to hire me. I had no teaching experience. I had this dreamy view of what teaching would be like. I’d go in there and be like Ms Dangerous Minds or something. I think the principal sensed this and gave me a really hard time. He asked me some questions that are not normally asked. I know this now because I have been on my share of interview committees.

Not only that, from asking around, I was the only one that had to go back to a second interview with potential colleagues. Nonetheless, I was given a chance and I think I have truly proved myself to them. I consider myself a valuable asset to our campus. Sure, I made some mistakes, but I never stop trying or learning. When I’m dying to go home or wake up and think about calling in because I just want time off, the end result, the kids, always force me to hang in there.

So yeah, Obama may be green, but that doesn’t mean he won’t do a good job. I honestly feel that his heart is in this, and he truly understands the repercussions his choices will have on the people. Finally, the playing field has leveled out.