nervewracked

shameless promotion---for a friend!

2007-12-23T02:08:02Z

hey guys,

look at this cute card anna made! (lyrical by the way is barbara's etsy shop)
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8516157

some funnies

2007-12-20T03:26:17Z

today, i revealed a new green stamp pad to the class and one kid described the color as "mustache green". i just thought i had to make that 'public'.

it reminded me of my favorite bumper sticker so far:
"guns don't kill people, people with mustaches kill people."

is this slowly becoming a fansite?

2007-11-27T03:57:58Z

another event in bard history

2006-05-30T21:07:32Z

hey, maybe i'm exposing a dorky side or maybe everyone except me knew about this tidbit of information but i find it kind of thrilling. so in the dylan song 'subterranean homesick blues' there's a line "the pump don't work 'cause the vandals took the handle" or something near to that and the pump he's speaking of is located at none other than bard college. it's true. i read it on the internet and there's even a picture of the lyrical pump

just thought you bardos (and honorary ones) would enjoy this history lesson.

out of the blue and into the black

2005-10-27T04:44:49Z

well, i thought i'd let everyone know that the white sox just won the world series. i know it's only a game but it's the only game that matters! (at least for tonight and for the next few weeks) anyways, it was fun to be in Chicago last saturday, the day of the first game, because i kind of enjoy that perpetual loser feeling that can be found among some sports fans in that city. I just find that attitude so charming. As i was walking around the city on saturday, it started raining a bit and i overheard some guy say, "great, the world series finally comes to chicago and it gets pissed on." aww.

this seemed kinda fun and interesting

2005-10-16T16:17:53Z

1. Of all the bands/artists in your cd/record collection, which one do you own the most albums by?

oh, i'm guessing bob dylan. mostly cause i know i stole a lot of those records from my parents.

2. What was the last song you listened to?

"wonder child" by mary black--it was for school, i promise!

3. What's in your record player right now?
Greetings from Asbury Park ala bruce springsteen

4. What song would you say sums you up?
De La Soul's "I am I be"--as in "I am shorty. I be 4'11"

5. What's your favorite local band?

I don't know any local bands here in milwaukee! maybe mark mallman can count 'cause he's from milwaukee?

6. What was the last show you attended?

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings--it was right on the money.

7. What was the greatest show you've ever been to?

hmm, maybe seeing Nina Simone.

8. What's the worst band you've ever seen in concert?

uh, every band at the Gram Parsons tribute show--that was one of the most disappointing experiences of my life!

9. What band do you love musically but hate the members of?

Anthrax--i don't really claim to love their music. i just remember seeing them guest star on Married with Children once when i was young and thought, "Those guys are real assholes!" I can't think of another good example.

10. What is the most musically involved you have ever been?
I sang in various choirs, i played the drums in my high school band, mostly nerdly involvements.

11. What show are you looking forward to?

well, since i missed it in nyc (sniff), the Waco bros. in Chicago next weekend.

12. What is your favorite band t-shirt?

oh, well i don't really own any band shirts to think of. i always wanted to get a handsome family shirt because you can send rennie any shirt and she'll screen print the design on there. i've always dreamed of finding that perfectly soft feeling, beautifully colored shirt that would be up for that task.

13. What musician would you like to hang out with for a day?
maybe woody guthrie. i know, i'm just a big romantic.

14. What musician would you like to be in love with you for a day?

uh, Dave Grohl because i find him undeniably cute.

15. Metal question-Jeans and Leather vs. Cracker Jack clothes?

what are cracker jack clothes? i'm picking jeans and leather 'cause at least then i know what i'm getting into

16. Sabbath or solo Ozzy?

Sabbath. I don't know any solo ozzy and "changes" is the best song ever.

17. Commodores or solo Lionel Ritchie?

Lionel Ritchie--cause he went to bard.

18. Punk rock, hip hop or heavy metal?
i feel like i know each genre so peripherally so i feel it's hard to make a choice.

19. Doesn't Primus suck?

sure, why not.

20. Name 5 flawless albums

ah, yes.

Nashville Skyline--Bob Dylan
Nebraska--Bruce Springsteen
Nightbeat--Sam Cooke
Dusty in Memphis--Dusty Springfield
Live from San Quentin--Johnny Cash

21. What was the greatest decade for music?
too hard to choose

22. How many music-related videos/dvds do you own?

does the sound of music count?

23. What is your favorite movie soundtrack?
i really like the music from badlands I WISH it were on some kind of cd.

24. What was your last musical "phase" before you wisened up?

yeesh--i'm done with cd clubs! (the eight crappy cd's for the price of one...)

25. What's the crappiest CD/record/etc. you've ever bought?
ha, ha. so many to choose from!!! how about "Stars in Spanish"? which includes hits as Bon Jovi's Cama de Rosas, the scorpions 'Viento de cambio' and the Police's 'De Do Do Do, De Da, Da Da.'

26. Do you prefer vinyl or CDs?

both have their good points.

a little bit this, a little bit of that

2005-10-07T00:39:50Z

So this afternoon, one of my students asked if he could do something or another and I answered, "yeah, sweet. awesome, go for it dude!" so then he repeated it and thought it was the funniest thing ever. In fact, all the kids started walking around the room saying it out loud to themselves, "Sweet, awesome go for it dude!" and then cracking themselves up. geez, you say one dorky thing...

Then yesterday I saw the first civilian using a segway. You know segway, those weird two wheeled thingys that were supposed to revolutionize walking? I call them 'gingers' 'cause i feel like i heard them referred as that once. Anyway, the only other place i've seen them was at the lakefront in chicago, being operated by chicago's finest. i never knew people out of uniform used 'em. Unless this guy was undercover...

duh-da-duh-da-duh-ha-dadadadadda-deee--da....

2005-10-05T02:55:54Z

That heading is me humming the days of our lives theme song, in case you don't recognize my rendition. Speaking of Days, I was standing in the check out line and spotted the cover of Soap Opera Digest. I always get a little embarrassed at picking it up (despite having a subscription at one point) but I found out from the cover that Mimi and Shawn D. are now an item! What?! It makes me realize I haven't watched in a long time. AND supposedly Carrie's making a comeback--same actress it looks like. I wish the mid-Belle would make a comeback, she was funny. I also wish the old Jan would make a comeback (also funny). I wish all the rejected actors could appear on some kind of alternaDays and it would just be funny, funny, funny.

"the party's over and there's less and less to say"

2005-10-03T22:22:49Z

Ever since I watched that Bob Dylan movie No Direction Home, I've been resurrecting songs that I haven't listened to in a long time and loving them again. While listening, I've been thinking a lot about how I heard once there was this party where everyone came dressed up as a character from a Dylan song. I always figured if I were to go to such a party I would have to come as the “grey-flanneled dwarf who weeps to birds of prey” but who I would really want to be is the “junk yard angel” who gives away bread. She also “walks like Bo Diddley and she don't need no crutch. She keeps this four-ten all loaded with lead” She just sounds so much cooler than some screaming dwarf. I remember talking about this with Anna and she said she wanted to be the “Sad eyed lady from the lowlands” and I was like “cool, what song is that from?” uh, the song “the Sad eyed Lady from the Lowlands” doh!

So in case anyone gets invited to such a party here are some of my suggestions (many from Desolation Row) so you don't have to go as Mr. Tambourine Man or Napoleon in rags:

o The Girl from the North Country Fair
o The Blind Commissioner
o Cinderella. “She seems so easy…and puts her hands in her back pockets Bette Davis style”
o Ophelia who wears an iron vest
o Einstein disguised as Robin Hood who 'goes off sniffing drainpipes and reciting the alphabet'
o Dr. Filth who keeps his world in a leather cup or his nurse, “some local loser”
o The cowboy angel who rides on a four legged cloud
o Aladdin with his lamp who “sits with utopian hermit monks side saddled on the golden calf”
o Sweet Melinda-“the goddess of gloom”

so there'll be plenty of "drinkin and dancing and wearing bright colored clothes". The party will be at that place "where martyrs weep and angels play with sin". When is it you ask? "When the shadow comes under your door, when the devil calls your cards, when your water turns to wine, when you can't play God no more..." so if its her birthday salute her and I'll see you there!

How i broke ten hearts in one afternoon

2005-09-28T01:00:13Z

So this afternoon, the children took part in the great debate--is santa claus for real or what? Listening to them posturing made me wonder what is the value in telling this myth to kids, especially at such a young age when they have a difficult time distinguishing between reality and fantasy and really crave these kind of concrete, very 'black-and-white' explanations of things. I got nervous when they finally looked to me as some kind of authority. I mumbled something about how well maybe some people believe in him and some people, like myself, don't. Then I added that to some people, santa is totally irrelevant because not everyone celebrates christmas. All of this was of no use to them, they just responded, "okay but is he real?" They really wanted a definitive yes or no answer and didn't seem at all satisfied with the other crap i was saying. Then i tried to relate it to believing in god but i was just digging myself into a hole. Frustrated, I said, "Well, I mean if you say santa is real then that's like saying the tooth fairy is real and the easter bunny too!" Then I stared at ten sad faces all on the brink of tears. I decided to then shut my mouth and just listen in and let them figure it out for themselves. Those in the 'real' camp, used the results of presents as proof enough, as in, well, if he brings presents then he has to be real. They also used examples of seeing him at the mall or at the "church breakfast". Someone suggested he is a black man and my mostly white students seemed to accept that. I liked how someone said that santa has radios for ears. Someone said he may be a 'fake man', then the debate got real interesting as they discussed what the heck a fake man might be.
I really enjoyed this more when i shut up. I can't remember ever believing in santa claus, mostly because my family always opened presents on xmas eve and so the logistics never fit the myth. At my brief stint in lutheran school, they made it a big point to us not to perpetuate the santa claus story because they were all about getting proper recognition for hard work--as in, "your parents worked hard to buy you those presents and so therefore you should thank them and not some 'fake man'" I remember that it was also suggested that if you rearrange the letters of santa it spells 'satan'.

fieldtrip

2005-09-21T23:27:53Z

with encouragement, here i go with my first entry. i always thought i had no general comments to make and am embarrassed 'cause i can't spell and therefore couldn't think of what i would write here--then i went on my fieldtrip.

I do have to toot my own horn here as i traveled to downtown milwaukee with ten five year olds in tow on the city bus. i had some assistance, thanks to a brave adolescent (translation from montessori=eighth grader). We traveled to an outdoors farmers market in order to purchase some vegetables for an upcoming soup making. As soon as i left school property though, my pulse quickened. As we waited for the bus, the children made themselves quite at home, sprawling all over someone's lawn and ripping out all their grass. When i asked them to stop, the reply i got was, "When is the bus coming?!" "I don't know," i replied in a quiver.

The bus did come and the bus driver was a real pill, telling me to hurry up because he was already late on his route. I thought to myself, yeah explain that to the homeowner whose lawn is now bald, mr. bus driver come never. The ride to the market was actually really fun--the children were enjoying themselves so much. One boy said the only thing that could make this more fun would be if the bus had toys. The actual market was a real blur. I remember children shouting, "Here's broccoli!" or "Here are some carrots!" and I was handing out dollar bills left and right. (they each were assigned to purchase an ingredient) The funny thing was watching them try to purchase things like nine green beans (as according to our recipe) when the green beans were sold by the pound. I kept laughing at them.

Some kind of health care company was handing out free water bottles so i treated my kids to some ice cold refreshment. Then we made our way back to the bus stop. On the ride back, the children decided to sing 'love songs' (their term, not mine). They all shared their talents, except the grumpy kid, who was behaving extra grumpy 'cause i sat next to him and kept asking me, "Can you move?" Then finally I said to him, "Can YOU move?" and that actually seemed to solve all his problems. Anyway, here's a sampling of my favorite love songs: I enjoyed the one song with the pounding chorus, making it very punk rock: "There's a chicken on the playground! There's a chicken on the playground!" Then there was the extended beyond belief story ballad. From what i remember: "You're my best friend, my beeest friend. You can come over to my hoouse and we'll see the baby. We'll looook for the baaaby in the hoouse. The baaaby's hiding. The baby's in a box..."
it was great.