How useful will blog archives someday be to medical historians? (If we're talking about this one, not very.)
So, the four days of grazing decadence was delicious, but I've been paying since in telltale bile and spurts of back pain. It's my body's way of saying, "HEY. Remember two years ago? When you thought it would be soup and yogurt forever? But then after a few months you eased back into a mostly normal diet and a year later your liver readings et al were normal again? Remember? Okay, so DON'T PUSH IT. Dork."
Which means my portion of the bounty will have to be rationed out. That's going to drive Mike crazy, because the smart money says his portion won't last the week.
That's right. Someone went to the ghetto Albertsons this morning and bought 20 bottles of Jarritos Watermelon soda. On sale, even: 50 cents each. That's, like, glass bottle vending machine prices. Sure beats the $2.90+shipping you'd pay for one online.
When not indulging in fizzy Jolly Rancher fluids, I'm reading several interesting books, but I just took a break to watch a BBC documentary on Adam Ant: The Madness of Prince Charming (thanks, MeFi). I like that I've lived long enough to understand and appreciate what having two drum kits did to this corner of New Wave music.
I have a former student who pops by once a week or so and asks me, with the wonder of the grasshopper, about 70s and 80s music. We laugh, and she says she regrets not caring about or asking me these things when she was in my class two years ago. Two years ago, when she wasn't working, just kept talking, didn't care. Time and summer school have cured those ills. (Alas, it didn't cure my unwillingness to work with sophomores again.)
This should be a happy ending, but now her brother is in my class. He doesn't talk, but he doesn't work... much. She's as frustrated as I am that history's going to repeat itself. Maybe there's hope: thanks to what his sister has told him, he and his friends keep naming Clash and Smiths songs, amazed when I recognize the names. If that raises my credibility for the value of grammar as well, hot diggity. She says, "I tell him, the class is really easy - just do all of your work." So true.
I no longer let the kids write on my whiteboards - they grind the dry erase markers to a nub in less than one class period. I did once tell some ex-students that they could write on the boards (after school, while visiting) if they brought their own markers. That was last year. Yesterday they came in during sixth period, armed with ink. One thing they wrote on the board: "I miss this class so much. It only gets harder."
I smile because I miss their class, too. They're all juniors now, so much more serious than the eager (if frustrating) Honors freshmen I remember. Now they walk the hallways, distracted and gazing at things I can't see.
But, I'm not sure if it's good that people remember my classes as easy. I hope it's just because they're looking back with confidence. Or, maybe I shouldn't assume that "easy" is the same as "not challenging." We're supposed to make the kids feel like everything is do-able, right? Just don't use the red ink for marking or feelings will be hurt.
A cleverer person would bring this back to Adam Ant, just so they could link one of their fave Adam and the Ants songs:
Note the ongoing defiant use of "their" as some sort of singular pronoun. If that turns you on, you should've heard me in second period yesterday, arguing for using "than" as a conjunction. I don't mind - much - that the student asked if she could ask another English teacher if I'm right... but the way she kept asking, during another student's presentation, where to find another English teacher and whether Ms. So-and-So would know and whether she should ask Ms. So-and-So, then standing up to go ask Ms. So-and-So right this minute, while this other poor girl with her own issues giving the presentation is trying to answer the questions that I'm asking her, the questions I'm asking as Miss Second Guesser keeps interrupting with whispered queries about how she can verify my advice. Yes, while I'm in the middle of a sentences.
It's a common problem. Sometimes I'm in the middle - very literally in the middle - of explaining something to someone and I have to stop to say, "Darling Student, am I not in the middle of a sentence here?" The apologies and genuine looks of surprise are probably the only reasons I've not gone absolutely batty yet this year.
I just wish this "than" issue was as intellectual as it sounds. Students can argue about "I am older than she (is)" versus "I am older than her" with me all they want, as long as it's not disruptive. That would be awesome, really, if anyone cared so much. It's certainly a bone of contention amongst even august grammarians, so there's no lack of gristle to chew, and I like to think I'm very good about telling kids which "rules" are really "guidelines" and when to obey or break either. But, grammar wasn't the real issue here. (Alas, telling any more would be... too telling.)
Back to our sponsor:
Yeah, I'm not sure if these songs (especially the live versions) hold up to 2008 scrutiny if you haven't already been indoctrinated. Sorry.
Someday, get Mike to tell you his story about buying bootleg Singapore-produced cassette tapes as a youngster. This, apparently, led to a lifelong belief in certain Elton John songs that, apparently, don't exist. (Because they're actually sung by the Stranglers.)
That was Mike's day yesterday - shattered illusions. I can't say I really like that song. It sounds like the guy keeps repeating, "Better watch out for the Scooby." Then my mind starts obsessing on how Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her friends - TV version - were called the Scoobies or the Scooby Gang, and maybe this song is warning the vampires, "hey, better watch out for the Scooby behind you with the wooden stake." That means Hugh Cornwell is a vampire, and any time a rock star (term used loosely) is a vampire, you have to wonder if they're the inspiration for Anne Rice's Lestat. (Sting crushed on the idea a little, but no. Still... casting Lestat/Louis with Bono/Sting isn't without its intrigue.) Hugh Cornwell doesn't seem like an overexploited wanker, so the answer is probably no, he's not the inspiration for the character. He may not even be a vampire, actually.
Anyway, if you want a good Stranglers song, try this:
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