EPIC DEREK RUN

Here are the posts all put together from my facebook status, so you can all read the flash fiction hashtag short story in all its glory in one seamless sitting -

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EPIC DEREK RUN

HOUR 1

#brokenwindow

#carswitch

#birthdaygifteightmonthslate

#FridayNightLights

#suicidalgrandmajaywalker

#wannabethugs

#effeminateK

#slurpeejizz

#doppelgängerLance

#doppelgangerDungo

#suctionrules

#informalteacherconference

#thatmightnotbeabadthing

#scarecrowKeith

#howlongdoesittaketofindasweater

#machocoughslikeDerek

#wehaventhitanystopsontherunyet

#parkingbrakefondling

#mallwillbeclosed

#stillindalycity

HOUR 2

#SNFchick
#Taglish
#Psychoversenewsletter
#Scenarios
#Potentials
#Triplefistbump
#Brokentastelessmeter
#Playaparkingbitch
#Flirtykeith
#Shesoffinanhour
#Stillsober
#Legoicecreamtruck
#comeonirene
#imnottanktoppingit
#idontdoskinny
#whatmadeyouthinkwewerentstartingwithalcohol
#puto

HOUR 3

#Keithschwing
#Formalenglish
#Speechclass
#Stickyourlegout
#Bangyourknee
#Airplaneaisles
#Hellalatethankyou
#Doesbitchoffendyou
#Shewantstoknowifyoucanbeatyourownrecord
#Jokebackfire
#Awkward
#Fullderektry
#Sirmix-a-lotthewatcher
#We'renottoomuchyou'renotenough
#Whosaiddessert
#Walmartrun?
#warmandmoist
#shortstorycontinues

HOUR 4

#Sometimesyouneedalittleroughageinsideyou
#Noyawningallowed
#Hidetheeggroll
#Didntevenwaittilshebounced
#Hecouldntevenwaitthreeseconds
#Imthinkingitisthebeer
#Youneedacigarettebro
#Heffer
#Pocketthe20
#Sowecancomeback,right
#Walmartisclosed
#32minutelanceepilogue
#Keithisbucky
#Maryannecanhearus
#Klauswilmsmeyer
#Liveintheavenues
#Wrestlemahn-ee-uh
#Nextdaughter-in-lawpinay-yes,please
#Boujiepunt
#jordanwiththewizards
#scenicroute
#Jizzcakefactory
#Backatcadaconference
#Lecturingsophomores
#Nooneslistening
#5minutesinfrontofcooler
#Sticktogreekyogurtandgyros
#Tesla
#Notproudofmycar
#Wherestowerrecordswhenyouneedit
#Unioncitywalmart-nothanks
#Lanceonspeaker
#Mightbepregnant
#Letstakethemorningafterpill
#C-sectiononly
#crownecolony
#derekrunsneverend

HOUR 5

#HellaChekwah
#Lancesleepatyourparentswithallen
#Tightthroat
#Cruising19thavenueatmidnight
#Kdcalledit
#Tarttotart
#Muffinwithpuddinginthemiddle
#Backinhighschool
#Machosayswhereiskarenyu
#Rachelcallback
#Kissfm
#Lastnightadjsavedmylife
#SittingoutsideonIrving
#Homelessguytriestosellusweed
#Vanillacreammuffin
#Millivanilli
#Thebestday(derekrun)ofourlives
#Thismaynotevenmakeithome
#Whydoeseveryonetrytosellkeithshit
#Parkinglottritipat3am
#Paranoidkeith-he boughttheorganicUSDAapprovedgrassfed
#Outlastedrachelagain
#Itsonly1amrachel-can'tsleepyet
#Lazyu-turn
#Fondlingneverstops
#Technoshitontheradio-clubmustbeclosingsoon
#Everybodysantungtonight
#Keithsings
#Theglamourouslife-sheilaE
#Eagleeyekeith
#Greathighway
#Aswangingoldengatepark
#Laplayasafeway
#Imcommittedno-itsahashtag
#Noparkingonthedancefloor
#Top gun-takemybreathaway
#49miledrive
#Offtopic
#20feetfromstardom
#Pleasureprinciple
#Kaisersoze
#Itallcomesfullcircle
#themuffinmadeithome
#welcomehomefrancisandvirginia
#hashtagshortstoryends
#shouldhavegonetonationsorinnout
#dropthemic

Another reason to be a teacher pt. 2

Particularly on the eve of another school year, I need to remind myself of the joys of teaching and forget the summer daze. Just last night I already had a dream of my lessons for the first day. I could see the ninth graders in their desks waiting for the day to end as their thoughts drift back to waking up late. Maybe a handful of them a bit concerned with "what is high school?" Maybe, there will be a few students like me, who thought eighth grade was "the best of times; the worst of times" and the promise of high school will be a welcome relief... though mine started with feelings of discombobulation, I ultimately discovered the foundation of who I am now.

Many teachers keep a brag box. I think I've mentioned this before in a previous blog. When times are difficult, the box holds many of the mementos amassed over the years that remind us teachers that what we do is important. Every year, I ask my students to write me an evaluation based on their learning experience and my teaching style. Many are positive, but I am indebted to those students who provide constructive criticism so that I may improve for the next year. Every now and then though, I receive an evaluation written from a much different perspective. I asked Raisa if it would be okay with her if I shared it on my blog, and she agreed happily. So now I share with you -- her words...



Hi Mr. Padilla! So, I decided to send my appreciation and gratitude through a sonnet.

We are a class not small yet not so large
We started out quiet, simple and shy
Walking into the room, we would not barge
Sitting in desks with no noise or reply
And out comes our teacher well dressed and sane
He introduces himself to the class
Listening at desks we chose to remain
We need to learn to break out of our glass
A few days pass and it all starts to shift
As Life Soundtracks teach about each other
Connecting the pieces that cause a drift
Relating as friend, sister or brother
Soon we learn our sane teacher’s crazy side
Catching some people with immense surprise
We release emotions we cannot hide
It may be laughs, giggles, and even cries
He taught to think in ways we never could
Expanding our thoughts out and beyond
Not understanding on whether we should
Go on like ocean or stop like a pond
Through him we learned life, language, history
Facts, people, sports, and games, also,
Science, words, understanding mystery
And comprehending the film Vertigo
Sweet, crazy and kind with soft heart within
Rough, sensitive, and loud with energy
Acting evil with mischievous grin
Child like features revealed for us to see
He may not be a saint or a preacher
But I’m so glad he’s my English teacher.

I’m sorry if it contains many errors and is not the best but I’m hoping that whatever I learned in your class through hard work will pay off somewhat in this sonnet. I just want you to know that I’ve enjoyed your class, its moments, discussions and debates.

Your style of teaching is probably the most unique and unforgettable. The stories, thoughts, and styles of thinking has given off a tremendous effect on my attitude towards everything. Thank you so much for all that you’ve taught and I wish you the best of luck with future classes!

I Miss Teaching Creative Writing

It's been good news from the Youth Speaks Poetry Slam preliminaries. While I was wasting away in flu virus, 4 of my former student competed for a spot in the semi-finals and they made it. For three of them, it was their first time competing in this competition. First, congrats to Mic. Turner who was in my Eng 3H class last year, for he will be making his second trip to the semi-finals. I'm glad the other first 3 slam artists finally felt composed enough to speak their truths. Congrats to Melissa, Charles, and Rickah.

Here's a pic of last year's creative writing class!




If you want to watch them, please join me this Friday night, March 27, at 7 pm at MOMA SF

SEMI-FINALS: 7PM : $6 Youth (24 & under) & $10 General :
March 27 & 28: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)-
151 Third St. San Francisco, Ca
Advance tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com

Learn more about the slam at www.youthspeaks.org

Showcase Poem

Last Saturday, EC had its second poetry slam of the year. The poem you are about to read is my reaction to 20 students reading their stanza about what writing is to them. The last student talks about how creative writing is what she'll be missing and then I recite thereafter....

I wrote it a couple of hours before the showcase... it's not polished, but it's emotion... enjoy



I miss vowels
A, e, I , o, u
Words now lacking essential sound

We need creative writing
In a world
in which
Creativity is replaced for efficiency
In which
phrases are truncated
Into alphabetic text
Eliminating emotion
(excuse me, to prevent
us from being “emo”)
Our basic human responses
Transforming into people
Incapable of laughter

I miss laughter
It’s been stolen by
The LOL’s of the world
Imagine a world where laughing
No longer erupts from our mouths
And a child never learns
The significance of their smile

Society wants info fast and quick
It profiles and assumes answers
We learn to judge books by their cover
Because reading takes too long, but
Sadly people are too lazy to enter
A bookstore or even afraid too…
Then never even bother to see the cover
So now we judge a book by its movie
We wait to be told what to do
We don’t need dictators to conquer us
We have already subjugated ourselves
Apathy now dictates us
And we lose the art of diction

And all the arts are fading to the wayside
Economy trimming what classes can be taught
So this could be my last
Creative writing class

This is the class I’ll be missing
Because these young minds
Feed into my mind so I can find
The time and energy to be me for EC

Teachers ask me everyday
To define how I can work this way—
Meaning the bombs of stress
and no moments of rest—
trying to keep my head as I face
the daily pace of the school year race—
and I usually say I just need to forget

The reality is I never forget
I internalize and let tension build
Hoping to be filled
With tomorrow’s promise
Rather than my mind’s darkness

I really have no significant other
To share a job no one understands
I don’t go home to unload on a spouse, hell
It’s a victory if I even get home

And that is what EC is…
People say I have a wife
And I’ve spent the past 20 years making EC look good.
From when I first took step on the football field
To maybe grace her stage tonight for the last time

I wonder what she has ever done fro me…
Cuz sometimes I feel she only takes
And takes and never gives, but the truth is
She gave me the most wonderful kids

Each one unique in personality and character

My English kids so young
Still looking to find their voice to make the right choice
The kids who’ll get in trouble every so often
But will make you proud in the end

My leadership kids
Who I wouldn’t hesitate to die for,
Who sacrifice everything to make
Their mom happy
Who use their voices to build
Our family

But I admit sometimes
I play favorites,
And the creative writing kids
Have a different spirit
That remind me of my younger days,
But yet they seem so much stronger
Today than I could ever have been…
I need to write
Writing is my tool
My medicine
My lens to the world

I write to massage
Away every kid who lacks the will to write
And failure is easier than living,
To massage away my anger
When I see a student
Hang a penis from the ceiling
Among the names of all my children,
To massage away these rare moments of doubt
When I wonder if I’d be happier
If I didn’t become a teacher,
To massage away the hundreds of voices
Who all need in their own way

I write to remind myself
There is still something of me
Behind the different masks I wear
In each period I teach

Creative writing is the place
Where I can let my guard down
And feel human and breath
For the sake of breathing

Creative writing saved my life
My freshman year of high school
And in that first sonnet I wrote
All the rumors, pains, and fake
Friends of middle school faded away.

Creative writing discovered my soul
reminds me to nourish it.
Though creative writing class
May begin fragmented
every quick write prompts
A connection.
Every poem strengthens the bonds
Every Friday a chance to be heard
In a society in which almost
No one listens anymore

So thank you
All of you
Especially those who bought a ticket
To hear our voices…
Thank you for listening…

As you’ve heard tonight
These voices here
Will continue to profess
Learn from them as I do each day

Let us memorialize the past this weekend
But remember we are never powerless
With the freedom of speech.

D & D (teachers doing spoken word... sorta)

I just can't say no to anything this year. I had to support our first ever E.Y.E. hip hop/spoken word showcase. If you read my earlier blogs, you'll know that I was too busy to try and write a piece just for this evening. However, my teacher buddy neighbor had an idea. Let's do a piece in which we poke fun of the students and comment on their comments to us. Say our little poem is called "Do You Have Any Questions?"