:: Dillondesk -- the blog of LCD ::

:: Saturday, January 07, 2006 ::

:: Calvin 8:05 AM [+] ::

The first week of school and all

I got all new students this semester -- well, almost all new. I have the same homeroom kids from ninth grade on -- so they are a nice touchstone, and several of the students I had last semester are carrying over into the new classes, either because they still need to pass FCAT or they need the other component of ninth grade reading.

Things went smoothly -- we did our little introductions to each other and the Post-It notes, and I think the SAT class will go much better this time -- I have enough books to send them home with the kids, and I have a much better plan for grading the notecards - I will take a hole punch to the cards so they can't reuse them, and I will check them once every two weeks to make sure they are working on 20 cards at least.

I had the most fun this week doing the book talks -- the media specialists ordered a bunch of books on my suggestions, and it was neat helping the kids find things to read. I love that part.

Even the FCAT seems to be going better. I have them working on a pretest individually, and then we go over it as a class. They have been pretty focused so far. (I know it is only four days -- we'll see)

Saw the movie "Crash" last night. I thought it was okay. It definitely had a "Monster's Ball" meets "The Player" kind of a vibe to it. IT was realistic the way it handled the issues of race, and all of the characters were complicated -- I liked that there were no real good guys - everyone had significant flaws. Don Cheadle as the cop with the junkie mom and the perp for a brother and Terrence Howard as the demeaned sitcom director were simmering, but Matt Dillon as the racist cop and Ludacris as the black power carjacker were real. The emotion on Dillon's face as he is helping his dad go to the bathroom and helping Thandie Newton out of the burning car after violating her the night before was incredible.

I loved the scene where Daniel the locksmith (Michael Pena -- also awesome) explains the "impenetrable" cloak to his daughter Lara, who is sleeping under her bed because she heard a bang.

She had these little stubby wings, like she could've glued them on, you know, like I'm gonna believe she's a fairy. So she said, "I'll prove it." So she reaches into her backpack and pulls out this invisible cloak and she ties it around my neck. And she tells me that it's impenetrable. You know what impenetrable means? It means nothing can go through it. No bullets, nothing. She told me that if I wore it, nothing would hurt me. And I did. And my whole life, I never got shot, stabbed, nothing. I mean, how weird is that?

I loved how the pieces of the film fit together, but it did feel a little bit contrived in parts (did the daughter of the Iranian merchant with the penchant for expletives HAVE to be the coroner?)


Paul Haggis, the director and writer, also wrote Million Dollar Baby. He has a long history of writing for television, including Diff'rent Strokes, the Facts of Life, thirtysomething, and LA Law. He has a few other irons in the fire at the moment, mostly screenplays, including a new Zack Braff comedy called The Last Kiss.

I have to go now and grade essays, but be on the lookout for more regular posts.

Next time, why Pretty Girls Against Boys make Graves with Meat Puppets At the Drive-In.

Until then, check out the Dream Project, including an illustration of one of Neil's dreams!

the dream project

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im excited

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:: Sunday, January 01, 2006 ::

:: Calvin 12:41 AM [+] ::

In the words of the bowl of petunias that materialized next to the sperm whale above the surface of the mythical planet Magrathea,

"Oh no, not again!"

Here it is, the end of another holiday break, and I have engaged in epic procrastination. I did make a to do list today, and I got cught up with my online reading class, so that is something to feel good about.

I made the potato salad tonight, and got the rest of my scrumptious southern repast (Anne's spoonbread, blackeyed peas, collard greens, squash and onions, mom's green beans, roast chicken and macaroni and cheese) ready to go tomorrow.

We had a great time today/yesterday/the 31st/whatever at Varekai, the travelling Cirque du Soleil show. The acrobatic twins who did the high flying were as incredible as the guys on the swings and the incredibly limber chick. Despite the $11.00 Coke and Popcorn combo (with an incidental free hot dog, because I had initially asked for a hot dog, was told they were out, then changed my order to popcorn, then the runner came over with the hot dog after the cashier had rung me up, so she just gave it to me -- the combo was supposed to save money, but it was $11.49 and each item was $5.75 - go figure).

We had great dinner tonight at the Kobe Japanese steakhouse -- delicious and entertaining.

Well, we have done sparklers, and I have seen the Bangles, the Pussycat Dolls, Sean Paul, and Hillary Duff, so I think I am calling it a night. Considering I am planning on getting up around 7:00, I better hit the hay now.

Happy New Year to everyone, and I hope Jonathan is enjoying the stereo!

Eat some blackeyed peas tomorrow, and have some greens -- we could all use more luck and money.

'Night

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