January 8, 2013
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The Daily News
1 Love my students.2 Went in yesterday and instantly decided to have a Socratic Seminar, which is the trend in education these days.
3 I told them that I was proud of the work they had delivered on finals, and that the new year should start with a Socratic Seminar.4 This requires of me the popping up of some music from Ancient Messapopatoes, and my taking my mystical skeleton key and opening up the Doors of Wisdom by having my students collectively come up with four famous quotations. It is timed. They have two minutes to give me some great thoughts. Ancient music plays. It is wisdom, and they could almost smell the incense and intelligence all around them.5 In order to open the Doors of Wisdom, they have to as a class come up with four famous intelligent quotes by “any means necessary.”6 My brighter sorts understood this to mean that they could use their cell phones, as long as they were discreet about it.7 I thought it a good idea for the opening of the new semester. Conjuring the wisdom of the ages is never a bad idea.8 They were pretty good all day, and many of the quotes awesome.9 Unfortunately, I didn’t remember any of them except this one: “Luke, I am your father.”10 I think that one is from the Bible, since it mentions Luke.11 Anywho, it was a great opening to the new semester. After the Doors of Wisdom (not to be mistaken with the DOW) were opened, I had them get into groups and share stories of what they did during the break.12 As a wise old owl who has been through it, I realized that no matter what topic I gave them to discuss in groups, they were going to share what they did over the holiday anyway. Why not have a group share? Why do battle when I could incorporate their holiday into a lesson? It’s ten-minute groups, and about five-minute debriefs.13 I kept playing this very strange music of the Sumerians. Sumerian music is mystical and quite syncopated. The music will stop suddenly, and a note will be delayed for two or three seconds. I played it low enough that many though they were hearing things. Their heads turned crooked, like a dog in front of a Bose speaker.14 They kept asking me what the music was, and I kept looking at them like they had twelve heads, asking, “What music?” I looked deliberately confused, but I often look confused anyway.15 Fun stuff to begin a semester.16 Throughout the day I had kids tell me all sorts of things. One girl was in a magazine shoot. Another student had spent five days in Chile. A third had tasted his first Brazlian food ever. One girl ice-skated the entire time, because she is a potential Olympic skater. One boy spent a week in Mexico hunting at night with infra ray something or other. A most dangerous game.17 Most of the students went to malls, shopped, watched movies, and played video games, all of which gave us all a sense of refreshment, and being revitalized after a zombie first half of the year.18 They of course asked me what I did, and I told them that I had fallen off my sleigh and cracked my lip open, which isn’t at all true. I did slip in the mud and cut my lip, but it’s pretty-much healed already. So here was my story:19 The pic at the top of the page is of my lectern. In the foreground, lower right is Nigel, who also had an accident. To the left and behind Nigel is the lantern I used in the Fall when we had our ghost stories in the Theatre.20 Behind Nigel is a Hogwarts’ sort of book with the names of their groups hand-written with color-coded paper clips, one color for each class. On top of the Hogwart’s book is a Renaissance mask, foreshadowing our unit on Shakespeare. The freshmen do Romeo and Juliet, as there is a masque in that one, and the sophs do several plays, but the unit proper features the quite maskesque Much Ado About Nothing. The stage, as they say, has clearly been set.21 It is all quite mystical, in a tongue-planted-firmly-in-the cheek sort of way.22 The smaller wooden container in the foreground has the magical Cougar stamp, in Sharks’ teal. It is a cougar paw that I stamp with which I stamp their homework. It is a powerful tool that ensures that they got their work done on time. It is the educational equivalent of a receipt.23 It is all so mystical, isn’t it?24 I decided to enjoy the day rather than acting like most people after a holiday, which is to feel like something the cat drug in.25 I danced with it. If you have a music, a bear, and masks, how can it go wrong?26 Two girls in my last class gave me three Starbuck’s cards and three chocolate-chip cookies. That’s a good day. They weren’t trying to bribe me because they have A’s anyway. They just brought me a gift, which I quite illegally, and quite willingly accepted. Keep it under your hat, willya? Let’s move on to the grand prize.27 At the very back and left-hand corner of my lectern is a small red book. On the cover of the book is a picture of my Mom. She looks like a beautiful movie star from the forties.28 After my students shared their experiences over the break, I decided to share my favorite.29 My Mom passed away a few years ago. She was one of the most awesome, inspirational persons in my life. She was well spoken, and quite intelligent, an artist, and a sensational cook. She was a second-generation Italian, and the greatest cook on the planet.30 I could go on, but that would be bragging.31 Great Mom, how’s that?32 This Christmas, we were all at Dad’s house, which is the house I was raised in. It’s old, but the place hasn’t changed ever. Same living room. Same kitchen. Same family room, where we open gifts. Same couch. Same Dad. Same family. Same laughs.33 There is a bit of “sameness” in my life, as you can clearly see. I count that as a major blessing.34 Anyway, on Christmas we exchanged gifts. My sister Gayle handled shopping for Dad, so we all came away with being massively spoiled, as always.35 But Gayle pulled a fast one.36 Mom used to hand-write her recipes on these wonderful recipe cards, in cursive, a vanishing art. Gayle got a hold of her recipe cards and color-scanned all of them, put them in a book, put pictures of all of us in the book, in chronological order, and had the book bound and copied by Shutterfly. The result is the masterpiece that I shared with my students.37 It is entitled Recipes From Nonie’s Kitchen, and it should have won an award for the best present in my entire life.38 Each page is a masterpiece. You open the book and it cracks slightly, like a children’s story book. The binding has this wonderful corrugated resume-fancy paper, and the first page has a charming cartoon picture of a house with a heart floating over the top, and a man and his wife on each side. In the heart it says “Nonie’s Kitchen”, and below the couple it says, “Made with 100% Love.” Here’s the picture, although Gayle had the entire thing centered. I’m into the 4:30 so my work isn’t nearly as perfect, but you get the idea.
38 My sister inherited my Mom’s artistic sensibilities.39 Unfortunately I didn’t, or I would try to get more pictures of this mini-masterpiece to you all.40 I tried to take a spy picture of my Mom’s recipe for Cioppino, but something in the stars would not allow that incredible recipe to see the light of day.41 In the middle of the book is a page that has a picture of my sister Gayle sitting under the sink, with the door open, and a picture of my sister Linda staring at a birthday cake that my Mom obviously baked. A third picture features me as a little guy sitting in the kitchen watching my Mom cook. We were all little guys back then.42 It is too much to try to scan all these at this early hour and get them out to you, but I thought I’d just give you a taste of the best present I ever received.43 The back cover of the book has pictures of my family, best one featuring all of us in the family room ripping open Christmas presents.44 I tried taking a picture of it, but got too much glare.45 Ah, it’s just as well. Perhaps some day I could put the entire book on the DN for you.46 Right now I have to think about departing, even though I’m enjoying my own piece here.47 There is also a quote floating on the back of the book.48 This is the quote: ”No matter where I serve my guests, they seem to like the kitchen best.” –Paul McCartney.49 So true, of every party I’ve ever been to.50 What a way to start a new year.51 May the merry times continue, and may you have an elegant Tuesday.52 See you again.53 Peace.~H~
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