Air Guitar (part 2)

Last night, after a day of knocking around the city, my friend and I saw Air Guitar Nation was playing at the Angelika. When we went to buy the tickets, we saw the director, producers and subjects (they're not actors because it's a documentary, right) would be doing a Q & A after the 8 o'clock showing. Perfect.

Everything I had hoped for was true. I cannot remember the last time I laughed so hard at a movie. I also cannot remember the last time people clapped in the middle of the movie. But, really, what else can you do when someone does a sick air guitar throw in perfect time to the music--it's the epitome of airness.

Now, I just have to figure out a way to get my hands on tickets to the regional championships.

P.S. a master at work:

PTC

Tonight was a late night of PTC (parent teacher conferences, for those of you who are not a P or a T). I had just two parents show up during my 2.5 hours but both meetings were amazing. I like the chance to talk with parents about their children, like to help them figure out ways to push them to the next level, am interested in what their concerns are and try to use their insights to help make me a better teacher.

One mother said that she is so happy because she sees her daughter learning so much. Much like her daughter, the mother is a giggler. I told her that her daughter has moved from saying, "Me happy" to "I am happy." Then I said I would fall on the floor because of happiness if her daughter said, "I am very happy" and received perfectly matched giggles from them both. At that moment, I knew it was a good night.

Talking, talking, talking

Tonight, I have found myself filled with words. It's as if I cannot stop talking. If something can be expressed in 10 words, I'll use 20. I don't know what is making me so verbose. I worry that it is not going to stop and I will talk myself into circles.

I talked to my sister (who was supposed to be in bed) and could not finish the conversation; I had one more thing to say - more than once. I talked with my professor about a student who I am worried about. I only painted with broad strokes and ended up missing some essential bits of information. My answer to this issue was to email her clarification. The answer to too many words was more words.

I think I've dipped into the obsessive part of myself...or I am experiencing some type of post-Parent Teacher Conference reaction. I hope that it changes for tomorrow. Or, I could be in trouble.

Yesterday's Fun and What I learnd today

I lived it up city style yesterday and actually went to the parade. For more than an hour, I was loving it--the lines and lines of people in the same outfit, the amazingly steady rotation of firemen to cops to bag-pipers to HS marching band, the fact that the slush I was standing in may be my last round of slush for a long time, and being by Central Park--my official favorite place in the city.
*****
My photo retrospective:

The learnings of today are as follows:
1. My brother can make some good chicken.
2. My sisters are going through life stages right before my eyes.
3. It's good to have someone to call and explain it all to-no matter where they are in the world.

Why my roommate is the best

She just told me about this movie. Seeing this is now a plan. Not the competition, the movie...but, maybe that will change after we see the documentary.

Balloon...balloon

Today, on my way to work, the snow and wind made the 60 degree day of earlier in the week a distant memory. After struggling up the avenue, a woman's umbrella dome ripped from the umbrella rod. It flew into the air, flipping over itself, flying 15 feet into the air. The woman was concerned that it would come crashing down onto my head (causing a horrid umbrella injury, I'm sure). I was not concerned...I was enthralled. I had the overwhelming desire to point and say, "Balloon, balloon."

How to deal with the day....

I have had a difficult day. My plans for inclined plane experiments were somewhat thrown off track by dangerous situations (more about this later). I've attempted to wash this day right out of my hair by watching movies. Then, I found this little tool to help me make the hard decisions...WWUD?

*****
Title-Can a simple machine make it easier to move a heavy object?
Prediction-I will see if a wheel and axial will help make it easier to move heavy object. I think it will be easier with a simple machine.
Description-My students will attempt to drag a heavy object across the rug using their own force and then using a simple machine they will attempt to do the same thing. They will see which took more "muscle."
Materials-Chair with rolling wheels and teacher acting as the heavy object.
Prediction-The students will not be able to move their teacher across the rug without the aid of a simple machine.
Observation-Most of the students could not move me across the rug without using the rolling chair. One boy, however, was able to drag me from one side to the other without a whole lot of effort.

Homework

At this moment, if you were looking in my window, it's possible you would think that I am deeply engaged in the dog Whisperer and enjoying a pretzel snack rather than doing my field notes for my thesis. It's probably because field notes are taking about 20% of my attention, the TV 30% and the snack 50%.

All of the homework that I have this year is making me more sympathetic to my students. But, not enough to take away their whole HW thing.

For real?

I was watching TV, the remote was not letting me fast forward past the commercials, and I saw the strangest thing. The Brooklyn Academy of Music has a new little something playing. Edward Scissorhands--the musical. How does this happen? It's craziness.

Squirrels

I have a fear of squirrels. Specifically, I fear them falling into my hair and then going ape. The noise I imagine is horrible.

It seems someone in Santa Monica also shares the fear. They've decided to put the squirrels on the pill. I think that's brilliant!