Personally Beckham

I've gotten away from what most would consider the main purpose of blogging (literally writing a web log as in keeping a journal on the web), though I think that blogs should be whatever we want them to be. That being said, there is a lot of stuff going on with me personally (and publicly too).

Here is a sampling (the part where I get to be a braggart):

1. As I've said before, our literary magazine won an award at Columbia University which is fantastic(!). I received a letter the other day asking me to speak at one of the journalism workshops that precedes the awards ceremony at Columbia U, but I think I'll decline for two reasons: a. I can't get to New York this spring break for the workshops because in Texas, football trumps anything to do with the liberal arts, so that's where the money (and love) goes. Believe me, I've already fought this battle. b. I really don't know what I'm doing. My staff is incredible. Apart from begging for money, redirecting, and knowing what looks good on a page, I have relatively little to do with the production of the mag. It still feels good to be asked. Yay for the nod.

2. Also, as I've mentioned, I am teaching (co-teaching with the amazingly brilliant Christine) International Baccalaureate English A1 at my school. This is an advanced course which operates like a college class. I have to study LIKE MAD to keep up and my grading gets graded by the IB gods who reside in places like Geneva and Cardiff (but no pressure...oh and no extra money, either. sucker!). The Arlington Star Telegram (our local paper) came to visit our class yesterday. They interviewed us and watched us in action. I think they got some interesting pictures of me redirecting some students who thought it might be funny to catapult waded paper across the room, but also, they took some classic teaching pictures: Me pointing to a book on a student's desk... Me explaining something with my hand up, palm open... One of me squatting next to the desk of an inquisitive student (you get the idea). These were not staged, exactly, because I really do posture like that, but I felt pretty cheesy having others see my true teachery stance. Next I'll be wearing apple vests and jean skirts. Whatever. Hopefully now I'll be famous and the LA Galaxy will ask me to play for their team and will pay me a quarter of a billion dollars to fill seats in a stadium... (sidetracked - or derailed, really.) Mmmmm. Beckham...(sigh.)

3. This week-end is the RHCP concert and I am COMPLETELY stoked about that. I'm diggin' the music scene this year. My students will be there too, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, it's sort of a bonding experience and I do get "cool teacher" points which actually carry over into the classroom. On the other hand, I like to be me on the week-ends, disassociated from that part of my life. The kids once told me that they hadn't made a fake face book site or a you tube parody for me because they didn't hate me enough... yet. As they were talking about one of these mocking you tube videos, and as we (Christine and I) were shutting down that conversation, one of them said to both of us, "But don't worry. We haven't made one for you because you're pretty and nice." Later, we thought about which one of us would be pretty and which one would be nice and SADLY, we both wanted to be the pretty one. Damn-it! I thought we'd finally made it past the superficial. We're mostly nice. At least I think we are... and pretty. (grin) ANYWAY the point is, concerts and similar events help me at my job, but I also like NOT seeing my students at every restaurant and show in town.

So there are good things all around. I just have to remember to look up occasionally!
This concludes the personal blog without all of the ugly/relevant emo bits (which might include something to do with the president's announcement yesterday, gradual global destruction, sectarian violence, anarchism, and/or moths and butterflies).