Teacher Lip Sync Performance 2012 Part 2

CW exercise - write a rondeau

Today's poetry form is a French lyric form called a rondeau.

My students seem to be having fun with the repetition in order to emphasize their crazy thoughts. Here's what I wrote with them...

Walk away from all the pain

Before it lingers long enough to stain.

For the love you feel is just one-sided;

Don’t wait anymore, she’s undecided

Why watch her feign?

Her doubt causes your passion to wane

Yet you force yourself to remain

Though in her heart you won’t reside

Walk away

Step outside into the falling rain

To cleanse yourself of her reign;

You don’t deserve to be blindsided.

With every step, the hurt has subsided

you have but yourself to regain

Walk away…

Today's CW exercise - Triolet

I have not blogged in a long while and I need to make a more concerted effort to write more instead of working. I keep debating whether or not I should post my thoughts on surviving thyroid cancer and adjusting to all that that entails (my meds seem to affect me, or rather, when I forget to take them, my students notice a difference). I seem to start many entries and then I don't finish them because I dwell too much on life. So, here's to starting small... and anew...

Luckily, I have the opportunity to teach creative writing once again this year, for the first time in three years. It's been a bit of a struggle, since the students that were placed in the class didn't originally "elect" to take this elective. I appreciate all the students who have remained because they have found value in what I'm trying to teach them. I just need to continue to work with them to learn how to constructively critique each other.

Today's class exercise is to write a Triolet, a French form...
and as with most things I've been writing, one theme dominates my hand...

I

Cancer provided a huge wake up call

Reminding me I still have much to do.

The doctors try their best to stall

Cancer. Provided a huge wake up call,

By showing me the writing on the wall.

The sickness is gone, I must start anew

Cancer provided a huge wake up call

Reminding me I still have much to do.

II

Illness makes the world seem right

For your soul is purged of wrong.

The blood flows with new cells white

Illness makes the world seem right

Though your body frail and light

Your heart continues to beat strong

Illness makes the world seem right,

For your soul is purged of wrong.

III

Schools celebrate red ribbon week

To remind us to steer clear of drugs

For they damage the strong and meek

Schools celebrate red ribbon week

To spite the temptation many seek

And avoid the accidental wayward slugs

Schools celebrate red ribbon week

To remind us to steer clear of drugs.

Matt Damon is my new best friend

My newest supporter, so to speak...

Freshly bald, Damon speaks to a reporter about teachers.

Here he makes the headline speech at a rally.

Enjoy!

Giants Opening Day Weekend and Rock of Ages

The weekend I have been looking forward to since November 3, 2010.

Like many San Francisco Giants fans, many of us wondered when we would ever see a championship banner fly over AT&T Park. The Giants office knows how to organize a party and celebrate the team's achievements. Willie Mays brought out the flag, each player touched it while passing it down the line, and finally, Brian Wilson accepted the banner and ran it across the outfield, into the bleachers, so he could raise it up the flagpole. My next favorite moment was Matt Cain throwing out the first pitch. As the longest tenured Giant, he truly represents sportsmanship and excellence.

Thank goodness for personal necessity days so I could make my twelfth consecutive Opening Day. However, the festivities did not end with the extra innings back-to-back Aaron Rowand walk-off hits for the second straight year. I rocked all night long at the Curran Theater to revisit 80's hair metal in Rock of Ages. And yes, the show felt like the 80's complete with women decked at in high hair, long t-shirts, bandannas, and fishnet stockings. The show entertained the hell out of me, especially the one-liners, "Phil Collins can rock." Although a couple of the songs felt a little forced into the loose plot, I enjoyed hearing the different takes in which they were infused for the most part. Constantine looked ridiculous in his boy band outfit, while the women made me miss 80's fashion. Luckily, I was able to share this with Lance, Mary Anne, and the newlyweds, Macho & Gina, my 80's queen.

Saturday night - Opening Night
I truly loved the ring ceremony. The ceremony moved all 40,000+ of us. Though I was disappointed I didn't get my ring keychain giveaway (I had no idea people were going to line up at noon as if this were a Lincecum bobblehead day), I was able to witness the moment I longed to see. The Giants wearing championshiop rings. However, I didn't think I was going to last the whole night to see Miguel Tejada hit a walk-off double to win the game, because my coughing worsened in was one of the coldest nights I have experienced at the ballpark. I love cold weather, but my four layers and heaviest jacket could do nothing to protect me from a hellish wind chill. I suffered in the cold, but I watched another dramatic win and knew there would be no way I would be able to attend Sunday's Posey rookie of the year ceremony.

So the weekend concludes and I look forward to state testing week at work... I hope our school continues to improve...

Enjoy the two newest plaques on the portwalk commemorating Lincecum's 14 K's and the world championship win and parade.

Gina & Macho Wedding

Congratulations! Thanks for letting me walk you down the aisle and give you away!

El Camino's 50th Anniversary Party

Tickets are now being sold for the dinner/dance celebrating the 50th Anniversary of El Camino High School. Many former teachers will be there and we'll be celebrating the probable retirement of Mr. Steve Simondi. Click here to register for the event, half of the tickets are nearly sold out already. Thanks to Eric DeSantis ('91) for designing to logo below.