Friday, December 30, 2011

Reading List 2011

Well, it’s that time again.  Time to review the books I’ve read in 2011.  (And, as always, I’m listing just the “grown up people” books.  I read TONS of children’s literature, but am not including their titles here.)  The list is fairly short this go-round, for a number of reasons.  2011 has been busy.  I spent the first half of the year teaching my delightful Kindergarteners, and teaching rarely leaves “free” time.  In July I moved roughly 370 miles across several state lines and endured all the time-suck that corresponds with packing up and transporting your life.  I spent October through December nannying 60+ hours a week for my beautiful niece.  I spent decent chunks of November and December applying for and prepping for my upcoming time in India.  And, on top of it all, I (finally) finished writing, editing, and defending my (300+ pages) thesis.  Life’s been busy.  As such, opportunities to read for the joy of reading have been limited.  But it’s okay!  Here’s the list, busted up into fiction and non-fiction categories, per usual.  And, if you care, the books are in date order throughout the course of the year; the higher the number, the later in the year.  And, in instances in which I wrote reviews over at GoodReads, I have included links.

Until next year, READ ON!

Fiction
  1. 1.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
  2. 2The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C.S. Lewis (reread)
  3. 3.  The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia #6) by C.S. Lewis (reread)
  4. 4.  The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia #7) by C.S. Lewis (reread)
  5. 5.  How Beautiful the Ordinary:  Twelve Stories of Identity edited by Michael Cart (short stories)
  6. 6.  Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins
  7. 7.  Potential:  The High School Comic Chronicles of Ariel Schrag by Ariel Schrag (graphic novel)
  8. 8.  A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle
  9. 9.  Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (reread)
  10. 10.  A Wrinkle in Time (Time #1) by Madeleine L'Engle (reread)
  11. 11.  Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger
  12. 12.  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
  13. 13.  A Wind in the Door (Time #2) by Madeleine L'Engle (reread)
  14. 14.  A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Time #3) by Madeleine L'Engle (reread)
  15. 15.  Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
  16. 16.  Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri (short stories)

Non-fiction
  1. 1.  Listen Up:  Voices from the Next Feminist Generation edited by Barbara Findlen
  2. 2.  Kids:  How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Raise Young Children by Meredith Small
  3. 3.  Mom's Cancer by Brian Fies (graphic novel)
  4. 4.  Fat Girl:  A True Story by Judith Moore
  5. 5.  Nurture Shock:  New Thinking about Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
  6. 6.  Food Rules:  An Eater's Manual by Michael Pollan
  7. 7.  Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
  8. 8.  The Full Spectrum:  A New Generation of Writing About Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Other Identities edited by David Levithan and Billy Merrell
  9. 9.  Half and Half:  Writers on Growing Up Biracial and Bicultural edited by Claudine Chiawei O'Hearn

(2012.06.14)

Friday, December 23, 2011

Video Spotlight: How to be alone

The video "How to Be Alone" has been out for more than a year, but I like it and now just seems a good time to be reminded of the potential power and value of spending quality time with one's self. The holidays can often be a hectic time and a time with high expectations to see everyone and be "other minded." I value balancing that focus on others with making time for one's self.

Also, I just really enjoy spending time alone.



The poem, music, and performance are by Tanya Davis, and the film's animation, photography, and editing were done by Andrea Dorman.

I wish you pleasant time alone.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

A 40 by 40 update

A few weeks shy of 11 months after posting my list of 40 things I would like to accomplish by the time I turn 40, it seems relevant to report in on my progress. The past year has been a time of pretty intense change in my life. I made the decision to leave a city and state I didn’t particularly love, not because I had somewhere better to be, but merely because I no longer wanted to be where I was. I left two jobs, both of which had aspects that were incredibly rewarding and aspects that were gnawingly upsetting. Neither job was sustainable financially, nor offered enough benefits (like health insurance or benefits of any kind) to stay long term. So it was time to go. As such, much of the year has been spent addressing old commitments and responsibilities while trying to create and allow space for new ones to develop. It hasn’t necessarily been a wish list year, but definitely a building year nonetheless.

There are only two things I feel prepared to cross off my 40 by 40 list:

First, “21. Take a self-defense class.” I took a six-week self-defense class this Fall at the local gym. My instructor was this tall, skinny ex-Marine with a black belt in Tae Kwon Do who was pretty much a ninja (and who thinks his sensei may be training him to be an assassin). He is also a very cool dude. I learned a ton, perhaps most importantly that my knowledge (and skill) is very limited. I left the class with a collection of useable moves and knowledge, but also understand that self-defense is a practice – one of those “use it or lose it” skill sets. I’m hoping not to have to put my newly acquired skills into active use, and yet I don’t want to forget the things I’ve learned. In fact, I’d love for them to become instinctual. Short of taking up martial arts, I’m uncertain how that will come to pass, so in the meantime I am content to say I took the class and will figure out the next step later.

Second, I can officially cross “5. Earn a Masters degree” off the list. It has been a long, tedious path and even saying “I did it, finally” seems like tempting fate. Most every roadblock that could have impeded my work did. IRB folks took a month off while I faced down a deadline they imposed. The academic advising folks decided at the last minute to try to hold me accountable to program requirements implemented two full years after I began the program. An advisor gave me an “R” grade (an incomplete in a research course) for no discernable reason and didn’t change it to a letter grade (an “A,” thank you very much) ‘til the eleventh hour when I was facing down a deadline that would have prevented me from graduating. And that doesn’t include the numerous years and hundreds of hours it took to complete the thesis itself. It’s been a long journey. But, as of Tuesday afternoon, I have an email and a transcript informing me that my degree has indeed been conferred. Thank goodness. Now I can walk away from the hellish bureaucracy and focus on more important things. (And yet, it still doesn’t feel real. And I have a month-long wait until they send me my actual degree. That’s one VERY expensive piece of paper.) Regardless… yay!

I have one goal that I completed roughly one-third of: “16. Buy a bicycle and a helmet. And ride whenever possible.” A bicycle was bequeathed to me by an old roommate who moved to Iowa and knowingly left it in our basement. I carted the bike across the country with me when I moved, but never succeeded in getting the tune up I decided it needed, nor in buying a helmet. Thus, no riding took place. And now it’s cold and wet and I’m not hardcore enough to ride in the wintery ick. I have hopes for completing the remainder of the goal next Spring/Summer…

Running Man. (The yoga pose, not the dance move.)
image via Kate Taylor
And I have three goals that are what I would consider “lifestyle goals” – the kind that you can’t really accomplish except continually. (As such, I am uncertain the requirements for successfully checking them off of my list. Something to ponder…) First, I have tried (with varying levels of success) to “17. Be committed to having physical activity as a central component of life. This can include running, yoga, pilates, biking, etc. on a regular basis (at least 3-4 times a week).” I’ve been taking a fantastic yoga class at the local gym with a wonderful teacher that challenges me and makes me feel strong. (On Monday I learned the Running Man, though I hold mine barely above the ground, not all fancy high-in-the-sky like the photo to the right. Wow!)
My ridiculously adorable niece
with whom I spent 60+ hours a week.
And before I was nannying 60 hours a week I was getting to the gym roughly three times a week. Now it’s once or twice. It’s hard (for me) to build in time for intentional physical activity when I leave for work at 6am and get home 6:30pm or after. So, a goal in progress… (and that’s okay).

Second, I’ve had the opportunity to “25. Play the piano regularly again.” I’m currently living in a house with a piano and can play nearly any time I want. It’s lovely, and while I would really like to buckle down and play/practice an hour every day, or some similar routine, I’m grateful to have this happy outlet accessible as time permits. I often play 15-20 minutes a few times a week. It makes me happy. (And helps me see both how much my piano skills really have remained instinctual and how much has slowly faded of over the years of non-use.) It’s a joyful time, nonetheless.

And third, I’ve been able to “26. Join a regularly performing choral group that challenges me and brings me joy.” It’s nothing fancy – a local church choir, but one that does a good variety of music and holds itself to a high standard. It’s been great to practice my sight-reading skills and revisit the self-reliance of singing in a fairly small group (only 3-5 regular altos). And the obligation is minimal – rehearsal one night a week and performances on Sunday mornings. A few of the pieces we’ve done have included (one of my favorites) Manz’ “E’en So Lord Jesus Quickly Come” (this version is a bit slow, but…), Benjamin Britten’s “Jubilate Deo,” John Rutter’s “The Lord Bless You and Keep You,” “For the Beauty of the Earth,” and “Star Carol,” and the classic 16th century German carol “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming.” And I’ve been working on remembering all those years of Latin, as well as once again picking up a Gregorian chant here and there. I’m grateful to be in a space that I can really sing. What a gift.

Otherwise, life carries on. And more changes seem to be on the horizon. I’m uncertain what 40 by 40 goals are next on the agenda, but I’ll fill you in as time passes. Hope you all are well!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Video Spotlight: Murmuration

Murmuration: /merr'meuh ray"sheuhn/ n.
1. The act or instance of murmuring; a murmur.
2. The collective noun for a group of starlings: a flock.


Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

The video is by Sophie Windsor Clive and Liberty Smith -- a pure accident witnessed (and caught on film) as the women canoed across the River Shannon in Ireland. 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Tidbits from the world on gender inequality

Sometimes being a woman sucks. And I’m not talking about biology. I’m talking about sociology.

I’m talking about having to include in my thinking about what clothes to wear my willingness to endure catcalling and street harassment because of someone else’s decision to “comment” on my appearance. I’m talking about grown-ass people telling me that they feel sorry for me because I’m 30 and single, even when I don’t feel sorry for myself (and while simultaneously congratulating my 30 and single male friends for successfully remaining “unchained”). I’m talking about my sister having to file for disability leave when her “disability” is having become a mother.

Like I said, sometimes being a woman sucks. In that vein, I’ve run across a whole bunch of engaging, informative, depressing, and refreshing gender-related stuff as of late that I thought I’d share. Check it:

The female body
The female body is constantly under attack. We’re supposed to be young and skinny (aka scrawny) but also perky and curvaceous. It’s exhausting (whether you’re trying to abide or trying to resist). But, there are some folks trying to fight back.
  • The folks over at My Body Gallery have created a user generated space where women can send in images of what real women – themselves – look like. The site is not without problematic elements, however. (I, for example, see little reason to categorize my body shape as an apple, pear, banana, or hourglass or to list my height, weight, and clothing sizes. Plus, they unfortunately have an advertising problem. All the ads I've seen are for things like Victoria's Secret and shapewear. Boo!) But I appreciate the site owners’ intention. It will be interesting to see how the site grows or is used over time.
  • A friend recently created the website Evolve the Aesthetic (ETA) with the intention of engaging women in the reclamation of their own beauty and encouraging the capacity of women to define for themselves the concept of beauty. The project's objective is to shift cultural ideals of beauty increasingly towards how women really look in their amazingly diverse manifestations of beauty. I expect that exciting, innovative stuff will be coming out of ETA, so keep your eyes on it.
  • Ovens, an illustrator (who authors the webcomic Effort Comics) offered this gem of a tutorial on how to draw boobs and ladybits in general. Based on the representations of women we see everywhere – be it comics, advertising, video games, etc. – a whole world of folks could benefit from her instruction.
  • I watched this hard-hitting documentary last week called "America the Beautiful." It originally came out in 2007, but does a really heart-wrenching job at asking the question “Is America obsessed with beauty?” And it begs a response to “Who benefits when young girls and women feel ugly?” You can watch the movie in its entirety on Hulu (with an account), through this Love Isn’t Enough blog post (where you just have to enter your birth date), or right here.  

Health care
Women’s health care has been all over the news as of late. Here’s a few things to ponder:
  • Did you see Stephen Colbert's response to the Department of Health and Human Services's new policy that insurance companies must cover women’s birth control and preventative health care services (HPV vaccines, STI testing, etc.) without a co-pay? The Colbert Nation-provided tag reads: “Free birth control will wipe out the American race and instantly turn daughters into wanton harlots with insatiable sexual appetites.” I laughed. A lot.
    The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
    Women's Health-Nazi Plan
    www.colbertnation.com
    Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogVideo Archive
    (And if are looking for an additional reason to laugh, Colbert also offered a hysterical response to Summer’s Eve’s ridiculous (and racist) new ad campaign.) 
  • Click to embiggen.
    (Yes, I know that is not a
    real word, but I like it.)
  • There has also been word that women's health care costs are expensive. (Shocking, right?!) Looking at just the services that would be provided under the new legislation, here’s what we’ve got.  This fabulous info graph is courtesy of the folks at Good. What gets me about all this political arguing is that men’s health care (to the best of my knowledge) is covered by insurance companies by default while women’s health care has always been an “add on,” considered non-essential. 51% of the population has non-essential health needs. Awesome.

Economics and educational attainment
  • Some utterly depressed pay gap statistics were recently reported by the Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce in their report “The College Payoff: Education, Opportunity, Lifetime Earnings” (pdf).  Here’s one of the key charts of findings.
    Click to embiggen.
    And in case you’re worried that you misread the notes in red (or they're just too small to read), here’s what they say:  “Women have to have a Ph.D. to make as much as men with a B.A.” and “Men with some college but no degree earn about the same as women with a Bachelor’s degree.”  That makes me feel GREAT as I work to finish my Master’s. But, as you can guess, women aren’t the only one’s losing out. People of color, too, aren’t earning as much as their white peers. The study introduction summarizes things pretty well, saying:  “The findings are stark: Women earn less at all degree levels, even when they work as much as men. On average, women who work full-time, full-year earn 25 percent less than men, even at similar education levels. At all levels of educational attainment, African Americans and Latinos earn less than Whites.”

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Writing about race (aka – How’s that thesis going?)

image courtesy of Racialicious
I write about race. A lot. (Especially in the past few weeks and during the many upcoming months as I try to finish my thesis.) In conjunction, I think about race, I read about race, and I talk about race. A lot. And I can get overwhelmed by the amount of social, cultural, and personal resistance I feel in response to the anti-racist philosophies and ideologies I write about and try to practice. (And if I had a dollar for every time someone assumed that they know what I believe about race and rambled on to say all sorts of racist stuff… Whew! I would have my student loans paid off!)

Today I had a happy (and yet sad) moment reading the blog post "The People You Meet When You Write About Race" by Crommunist. He offers examples of language folks use when talking (or not talking) about race. Each example pinpoints a perspective that can present a real challenge to honest, productive anti-racist dialogue and work. Here are a few of the personalities/responses those who write or speak about race encounter:
Mr. History
“Black people were enslaved like a million years ago. They’ve had enough time to get their act together, but they’re still whining about their problems. I don’t want to hear about transgenerational wealth gaps and discriminatory hiring practices! Their problem is that they’re lazy! Case closed!”

Ms. Kumbayah
“We need to recognize that everyone is just the exact same on the inside. Why do we bother using labels like ‘black’ and ‘white’ anyway? Even though the way society treats people falls along racial lines to the detriment of some and benefit of others, we should ignore that! Aren’t we all just members of the human race?”

Mr. Hear No Evil
“It’s people like you that are the real racists! Most people don’t think twice about someone else’s race! Talking about race is what makes racism happen, not entrenched ideas that won’t change unless they’re discussed!”

Reading the entire list is definitely worthwhile. And it’s not all melancholy-inducing. Crommunist includes one personality that is a gift to anyone working to address issues of racism (and a gift to society). It reads:
Mr./Ms. Has Been Listening
“This topic made me really uncomfortable when I first started talking about it, but I’m glad I did. I’m not sure if I ‘get’ everything, but my thinking has definitely changed. Here are some reasonable objections and questions that I have, and I hope we can talk about them without offending each other.”

What was sad about reading the post is that I have met and spoken with people who align themselves with nearly all of the ideologies presented. In the process of pursuing racial justice, knowing that the diversity of ‘nah’s is so broad can be really overwhelming. On the flip side, what made me smile about reading the post was that I was reminded that I belong to a larger community of like-minded thinkers. And our experiences of resistance are not isolated. And having knowledge of that shared experience offers support and strength as we move forward.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Mike & Duane Show – not your typical school assembly

I work at a school that’s atypical in a number of ways. It’s a 110 year old, co-ed, private K-12 school (housed in one building) in the heart of Chicago, and our educational philosophy is based on progressive, constructivist, democratic ideals. We are pretty intentional about things like building a safe, productive community in which everyone’s voice is welcomed, in which challenging one another and challenging previously unquestioned ideas and assumptions is encouraged, and where differences are valued as strengths, especially when our differences challenge one another to be more knowledgeable, more thoughtful people. We have a common language and shared ideals with which everyone is familiar and by which everyone strives to abide, including:
  • Our motto: “Everything to help and nothing to hinder.” – Francis W. Parker (our founder)
  • “A school should be a model home, a complete community, an embryonic democracy.” – Francis W. Parker
  • “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” – 1 Corinthians 12:26 (We are not a religious school, but this biblical quotation is a guiding adage that has been part of our expectations for one another for generations.)
There’s a lot of history, and a lot of tradition, at the school. But it’s not all about being serious and stoic. We try to be a place where the whole person is welcome – whether that whole person is a student, a family member, or a faculty or staff member. And that means that we share gifts, abilities, talents (and challenges) that are parts of our ‘real world’ lives with one another, even if those things might not be welcome in other, perhaps more traditional schools. At our school, students and teachers laugh together (and cry together), and teachers share things about their ‘real lives’ that the school culture in other settings might discourage – things like our whole identities, our political beliefs and convictions, what we did over the weekend, and when we are an awesome break dancer. (Which I am not.) And one of the things we love to share with one another is HUMOR!

A relatively new tradition at our school (ranging back to at least 2006) is the annual Mike and Duane Show – a production that essentially boils down to a comedy sketch show presented primarily by faculty and staff, with occasional student involvement. It includes comedy routines, dances, music videos, and always a princess number. It’s a pretty serious undertaking and a beloved piece of our school community.

Last year I shared with you the “Bad” video that was a part of the 2010 Mike and Duane Show. (And it’s totally worth revisiting, or visiting for the first time if you’ve never seen it.  How often have YOU watched your Assistant Principal dance Michael Jackson through the halls while being backed by a gang for faculty and staff?!)

This year, I thought I’d share a little more – both present and past. This year’s show was fun. It included lots of singing and dancing, a video/live performance of an original tune, a high school science teacher showing off his aerial acrobatic skills, and a crazy music video mash-up of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” Katy Perry’s “Firework,” Onyx’s “Slam,” and Ok Go’s “End Love.” (The links will show you video of these acts.)

But, to give you an idea of the tone in which the show is presented, here was this year’s introduction (inspired by The Electric Company, of course):

(And in case you want to know, Duane is a counselor in our Middle School, Mike works in our afterschool program for K – 5th graders, and Casey (Hudetz – thus “Chudetz”) teaches in the Middle School computer lab.)

Every year's show features a faculty number which typically recreates some pop culture dance from the previous year – ranging from the Jai Ho to the Sound of Music flash mob in Amsterdam to this year’s Double Dream Hands, of which I was a part. See if you can spot me:


And there is typically at least one performance by faculty and staff who actually live up to the title ‘dancer.’ This year, said talented folks did a remake of Janet Jackson’s "Rhythm Nation."

There are MANY a great Mike and Duane act from years past. Here are a few of my favorites:
2007:

(The prince is played by our assistant principal, the cop is our technology facilitator, and the cab driver is one of our high school science teachers.)

2008:


2010:


For us, part of being a community means making time to laugh together and making time to share our talents – both those of the students and those of faculty and staff. And we like to have fun. Isn't that how school should be?!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

TN SB49 “Don’t Say Gay” and George Takei

Yesterday the Tennessee State Senate passed Republican Senator Stacey Campfield's Senate Bill 49, the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill, by a vote of 20-10. (Some are reporting the final vote as 19-11. I’m unsure of the official results. Either way, the bill passed.) The bill has received controversial attention over the past several weeks (months and years) over the appropriate place of government to limit dialogue in classrooms. The bill’s original language (pdf, one page – very short) stated that "No public elementary or middle school shall provide any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality." The bill was then amended such that it could only be adopted after a review by the state board of education of "the current curriculum standards for the teaching of sex education or for the teaching of other subjects in which the discussion of human sexuality may occur incidental to the subject" (pdf, 1 page).

On Friday an amendment (for which I cannot find the official text) was submitted, and then adopted – leading to the passing of the bill – with at least two changes from the original. First, the phrasing "sexual orientation other than heterosexuality" was stricken and replaced by limiting discussions to only "natural human reproduction science."  (This change was fine with Campfield who said, "There's more than one way to skin a cat.… I got what I wanted.… Homosexuals don't naturally reproduce.") In addition, the amendment loosened the scope of the bill such that educators could respond to student questions about homosexuality without punishment, but still cannot offer materials or engage curriculum or instruction inclusive of homosexuality.

According to the Asheville Citizen-Times, "Companion legislation in the state House of Representatives has not advanced out of committee, and supporters of the bill do not intend to bring it up again until 2012."

As a practicing teacher of Kindergarten students, my concerns and fears about this bill are stacking up. Limiting the possibility for discussion and dialogue on any subject typically has dangerous results. Even hypothesizing the consequences of this bill, the following are a few of my concerns. If I were teaching in Tennessee (which I am not):
  • The bill would prohibit my inclusion of curriculum and dialogue that acknowledges the lived experiences of my current students who have gay parents or other gay family members or friends.
  • The bill would prohibit my colleagues who work with older elementary and middle school students from including dialogue or curricular material that acknowledges and supports students who may be gay or questioning or who have gay family members or friends.
  • The bill would limit our inclusion of curriculum in which sexual orientation or identity is relevant to understanding. For example, a discussion of race, ethnicity, and power is relevant to understanding slave narratives or narratives by native peoples (both of which are currently part of our third grade curriculum, by the way). This bill prohibits a similar discussion of sexuality and power as it relates to understanding  historical and cultural events, social structures and consequences, literature, poetry, other creative works, and so on.
  • The bill severely limits and/or prohibits teachers and counselors from sharing gay-positive materials with gay and questioning students (who do exist in middle school, and sometimes even late elementary school).
  • The bill severely limits and/or prohibits both offensive and defensive efforts to address bullying around issues of sexuality or perceived sexuality.

In addition, the bill seems reliant on at least two faulty assumptions. First, the bill suggests that sexuality is a non-issue before ninth grade. As anyone who knows anything about human development can confirm, sexuality has a place in the lives of all people at all points in their life, both personally and contextually. This looks very different at different ages, but has a presence nonetheless. For example, my students are four and five. Generally, they are not dealing with issues of their own sexuality, but the sexuality of their parents, older siblings, extended family members, family friends, and so on, plays an important role in shaping the cultural and social contexts in which they live. I have a responsibility to help my students understand the world they see around them – a world in which diversity has an active presence (as relates to sexual orientation and a billion other identity markers). Sexuality has consequences for our social structures and the lives of my students. As such, sexuality is a relevant issue prior to ninth grade and being able to address it in age-appropriate ways is vital for supporting healthy students, families, and communities.

Second, the bill seems to suggest the idea that NOT talking about homosexuality means it doesn't exist or will disappear. Sorry to say, that’s not true. Campfield says his bill is morally and ethically neutral, but banning the discussion of one thing while allowing continued discussion of another is not neutrality. It is blatant bias. And, looking through the examples of history, intentionally creating silence around an issue won’t silence those fighting the injustice of hatred.

And in times of blatant hatred, sometimes a little tongue-in-cheek comedy is a helpful way to take action. Thus, props to George Takei. I’m on board. "It's OK to be Takei!"


Plus, as an ironic side note, yesterday (before I knew about SB49 passing) I read And Tango Makes Three with my students. It’s a children’s book that’s been banned all over the place because it “promotes the gay agenda.” It’s a true story about two male penguins in NYC's Central Park Zoo who adopt an egg in need of care and raise the resulting chick, Tango. We read the book because it integrated perfectly into our current curriculum. We’ve been talking for months about families – what a family is, who’s in a family, and really working to acknowledge the idea that no two families are the same, that all family compositions and identities are ‘real’ families, and that we can find similarities between ourselves and others, just as we can find differences. In addition, this week we were talking about zoos – as we focused on the letter Z, continued investigations about animals, and visited the zoo one block from our school. AND, we’ve been preparing the children for their eventual transition to the next grade level. We’ve been visiting the classrooms they may be in next year and the students in those rooms have been studying bird life cycles, so have been hatching chicken, duck, and quail eggs. My kids loved hanging with the baby birds. As such, And Tango Makes Three touches on all these curricular topics – families, zoos, animals, baby birds. How could I possibly have found a better curricular match?! “Gay themes” be damned. And what did the kids want to talk about when we finished the book? How cute penguins are and how parenting penguins prepare and then care for their baby chicks. Very controversial stuff.

For other (blatantly anti-SB49) videos, you can check out Jon Stewart and the folks at FCKH8.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Video Spotlight: Gabriel Anaya

Last weekend I spent my Saturday night at a fundraising event hosted by the school where I teach. The purpose of the evening was to raise money for our scholarship fund. 17% of our student population (1 in 6 students) receives financial aid to attend our school and the average award is $17,000. The goal of the evening was to raise ½ million dollars for our scholarship fund through a combination of ticket sales, raffle tickets, silent auction, live auction, and outright donation. I was able to attend the event because the parents of one of my students offered to buy my ticket. Events like this are a huge mixed bag for me. I often find it incredibly uncomfortable being around so much affluence (mostly because of the casual way the upper class are able to talk about and spend large amounts of money in a way so intensively different from my own experiences), and yet these events can also feel inspirational to me when I see others’ willingness to so generously share what they have. (Yes, there are often intense politics involved with such charity/generosity, but I also have to be thankful for what can be done with that money rather than focus too intensely on the other aspects that are much harder for me to deal with.)

During the evening, Gabriel Anaya, a graduating senior, shared a video he had made for the event. I’ve been lucky enough to work with Gabriel in a limited way this school year. His high school science course “Global Local Connections” (GLC) has spent some time working collaboratively with my kindergarten students. (We did a whole bunch of planting together and last week harvested arugula from our school’s hoop houses and made arugula butter and pizza.) Gabriel seems a genuinely kind-natured guy, somewhat soft spoken (at least with me and my students), but pretty aware of who he is. During one the days the GLC students were in my room, Gabriel asked if he could shoot some video of what was going on. During the scholarship event, I saw the faces of my students and the faces of many other students in our school community reflected back to me and to a room of several hundred other adults. And I cried.

When the video ended, Gabriel, who was on stage, was given a standing ovation. It brought him to tears as well. He talked about the power of education to realize your own potential, and he spoke about how his experiences as a high school student have made him believe that he has something of value to offer the world.

I talked to Gabriel this week when he was again visiting my classroom. My partner teacher and I asked if he’d be willing to share a copy of his video with us, so that we, in turn, could pass it on to our classroom’s entire parent body. He generously agreed. His video is below.

I teach because I believe in the power of education to change lives and make them better. Education is about connection and passion and compassion. And Gabriel helped me remember that sometimes we get it right. As the end of the school year approaches, I’m sending love and peace out into the universe on his behalf and on behalf of all the others working to realize their potential in the world.


If you’d like to see a few of Gabriel’s other videos, you can find them here: “ICE,” “Homecoming,” and "Marwen Made 'Em.”  You can also visit his YouTube channel.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Video Spotlight: La Preuve Par 4

Check it.  This is the French dance crew La Preuve Par 4 at the 2010 Juste Debout, an international street dance festival in France.  It's sick!



Giving credit where credit is due: 
The men and women behind the masks are Marion Motin (Quality Street and Swagger crews), Julie Moreau (Swagger crew), Nicolas Medea (R.A.F. crew), and Marvin Gofin (R.A.F. crew).  Gofin choreographed and the music was composed and remixed by soFly.

Interested in checkin' coverage of other urban dance events worldwide?  YAKfilms has got you covered.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The Illinois Women's Health Registry -- an easy way to advocate for women's health

Women in Illinois -- wuz up?!

Go join the Illinois Women's Health Registry.
Did you know that most of the medical research that informs what we know about health, well-being, disease, and medicine has been the result of research studies conducted primarily on men?  (All those shifting girly hormones make it easier to 'control for variables' when doing research with male subjects.)  While there is much to be learned from these studies, by not including women there are large gaps in medical knowledge as it pertains directly to women and girls and our health.  (And I mean our health in general, not just our reproductive health.  Research is showing more and more that sex has an impact on all areas of health, not just reproduction.)

We know that:
"A number of important differences exist between men’s and women’s experiences of health and illness. Some diseases occur more commonly among women, while others disproportionately affect men. Further, men and women frequently experience different symptoms of the same underlying problem or illness (e.g., heart disease), and they often respond differently to the same medications or therapies."

But -- happy day! -- there are researchers across the country (and probably around the world) who are working to expand what we know about women and women's health.  And their goal is that someday all people will have access to healthcare and health-related information that recognizes that our identities, including our sex, play an important role in our overall health.

In Illinois, one organization working to support research around sex differences in health is the Institute for Women's Health Research at Northwestern University.  They've got all sorts of great things going on, but the one I want to share with you is the Illinois Women's Health Registry.

The Registry is a database that gathers longitudinal data from women in Illinois about their health and well-being.  I've taken part in the Registry for the last three or four years, and it's really simple.  Once a year, I hop online and take 30 minutes or so to complete a confidential health survey.  (They send me email reminders, so it's not like I have to mark my calendar a year out to be sure I get it done.)  The survey asks questions about my demographics info, health conditions, symptoms, diseases, family history of disease, environmental exposures, and stress.

My (de-identified) data is then pooled with that of thousands of other women to track trends in women's health in Illinois over time and to help identify health needs and priorities for our larger community.  In addition, the database serves as baseline data for health researchers.  AND, it can be used to identify women who match eligibility requirements for current research studies and clinical trials. (If you match a study, you are invited -- but in no way pressured -- to participate.)

And the Institute sends you emails and/or mailings about once a month with info and research related to health issues as they pertain to women.  (You can, of course, opt out of these mailings if you choose.)

Every year when I update my info I think, "Dang, this is such a good idea!"  So, now I'm encouraging you (women 18 or older living in Illinois) to join.  It's easy and is a simple way to contribute to the health and well-being of all women.

To participate or to get more information about the Illinois Women's Health Registry, go HERE.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Fairies have superpowers too, dammit!

During snack time a few weeks back, a table of my students and I got into a discussion about superpowers (meaning superhuman abilities, not countries with international world influence). One of my students was celebrating her fifth birthday and had kindly brought pudding cups for everyone, and each chocolaty treat was accompanied by a Tinkerbell napkin.

courtesy of Disney via Easy Art
One of the boys at my table (while devouring his way through the pudding cup) said, "I hate Tinkerbell. She’s stupid. Superman's so much cooler." There were mumbles of agreement from the other boys at the table and general silence, but wide-eyed attention, from the girls. Six pairs of eyes turned to me. Waiting. I said something along the lines of, "I bet Tinkerbell and Superman know each other. I mean, they both have superpowers, and how many people do you know who can fly? I bet they hang out." (And in case the truth is in question: yes, I’m that teacher; you know, the one that says stuff like this on purpose with the intention of making kids think. Though sometimes it just makes them think I’m crazy…)

courtesy of DC Comics via Comic Book Collectors
For a short moment everything stopped. Everyone was quiet. But, you could see the kids’ minds kick into high gear, imaginations at work, processing and weighing the possibilities. It was as if each was asking him- or herself the question, "Is that possible? Could Superman and Tinkerbell actually know one another?! How would that work?!"

Then one boy (the one who had already declared his fairy-hate) said rather defiantly, "No way! They aren't even in the same show!" (Ah, media culture...)

I pushed my real point – "But they have the same superpower." There was a mumbling of discordant commentary. Finally I said, "Well, Tinkerbell flies, right? I mean flying is a superpower, right? So she has superpowers. The same superpower as Superman." My words were followed by a few seconds of tense, thoughtful silence. Then one of the girls responded, using the ‘sometimes we have to remind silly adults things that everybody knows’ voice. She said, "Fairies have 'special talents.'" She didn’t overtly add “And ‘special talents’ are NOT the same as superpowers” but that was the clear message. There were nods of agreement around the table. Another boy said, “And she doesn’t even have a real cape. Superman has a real cape. She doesn’t.” I replied, “She doesn’t have a cape at all. She has wings. And she flies.”

One of my students recently attached this image of herself
as a superhero to her Valentine to the class.  Yippee!
The intention of this back and forth conversation wasn’t (necessarily) about who was going to ‘win,’ but rather about trying to push the kids to think about language in a different way. I wanted them to notice the words that they take for granted, and – without overly naming it with fancy jargon – moving them to see the gendered connotations of the words they use and the consequences of those connotations. All of the children could agree that Superman and Tinkerbell can both fly. In this situation, being able to fly is gender neutral; the kids accept examples of both males and females who can absolutely, without question, fly (at least in their imaginations and in stories). But, because of the gender socialization they have received and continue to be taught, when I say that Tinkerbell has ‘superpowers’ (a word socially marked as strongly masculine), the children have a feeling of disjuncture that they seek to alleviate – which they do by pushing back – by denying Tinkerbell’s possession of ‘superpowers’ and/or renaming her abilities as ‘special talents,’ words socially marked with a feminine connotation.

On the surface, this may seem like an innocuous, passing conversation, but to dismiss its implications so casually would be a mistake. Let me offer two similarly ‘innocent’ examples from the past few weeks:

First, a student and I were reading a children’s book about visiting other countries. The characters in the story travel by plane. We had a conversation that went like this:
Me: Would you ever like to be an airplane pilot, to fly a plane?
Her: No. [A perfectly acceptable answer.]
Me: Why?
Her: Girls can’t fly airplanes.
Me: Why not?
Her: Only boys can fly planes.
Through further conversation, it became clear that there was nothing I could say to convince her that women can, and do, indeed fly planes.  She was firm in her belief that this was not an option open to her.  (In the moment, I was so frustrated that I didn’t have a photograph or illustration showing a female pilot, but you never have those things when you need them.)

And second, on one of the recent days it was too cold to go outside to play, my student were watching a video adaption of the book Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. In one of the first poems a baby emperor penguin hatches and says, "I'm really hatched./ At last I'm free./ Hey, Dad, it's me!" My students immediately said, “That’s not the baby’s dad. That’s it’s mom,” to which I explained that male emperor penguins sit on the eggs to keep them warm 'til they hatch, so the ‘Dad’ would be the first parent a baby would see, not the ‘Mom.’ The kids were confused and somewhat resistant. As the video continued the children started seeing each penguin and shouting out, “That’s a boy. That’s a girl” – trying to identify the gender of each bird, even though the illustrations depict all of the birds as nearly identical. My students would say things like, “It’s a girl. Hear the voice?” To them it was like a playful game. To me they seemed almost frenetic in their determination to assign gender to the characters on the screen before them. It seemed intolerable and unacceptable to just not know someone's gender identity.

In all three of these examples – Superman vs. Tinkerbell, the gender of airplane pilots, and penguin genders – my students, who are four and five, have very clear ideas about acceptable gender categories and strategies for categorizing people and animals into those divisions based on appearance, other physical markers (like voice), and/or behavior. But even more so, they have concrete concepts of power attached to those gender divisions. On the whole, my students believe that Tinkerbell can’t have superpowers because she’s a girl. Only men can be airplane pilots. And it is important to be able to ‘read’ what gender category any given person or character falls into (and to my students there are only two viable categories – boy or girl). The implications of this are frightening to me. In addition to telling girls that they can only look and behave certain ways and only take on certain interests or work, the boys are being given equally clear messages, which seem to have quite a lot to do with aggression, domination, superiority, and entitlement. At the end of the day, everyone is screwed. And no one is truly free.

When I ask parents what they want or hope for their child(ren), they typically say (especially if they’re white and generally middle class or above) that they want their children to be happy and that they want their children to believe that they can be anyone or anything that they want to be. There is nothing wrong with those hopes. But, when everything about our culture – from media to books and from our schools to the socialization that takes place in our own homes – teaches kids from birth (and often before) that they can be whoever or whatever they want but only as long as they abide by very specific gender-based rules and norms, how does that make the world a more equitable place for children of all genders? How does that foster an environment where girls truly can be anything or anyone and an atmosphere where boys don’t have to be super-masculine to get their gender 'right'?

This figurine is in our classroom's
collection of pirate/castle gear.  I adore
the unshaven, pink polka-dot look!
I don’t have my own children – which is probably a good thing because I think I would be the insane parent who no other parents would want to be around and no child would want to claim.  I would likely go on tirades against pretty, pink princesses, I’d tell boys its okay to cry, and I’d be totally intolerable about all the research that talks about the ways we do our kids major disservices. But even without kids of my own, I do spend a lot of time with other peoples’ children. (Often, more time than they do.)  And it’s fairly certain that I can’t singlehandedly change the course of how those kids think about (or don’t think about) gender and power issues related to gender. But I am in the position to push buttons, to instigate dialogue, and to challenge preconceived ideas. I’m able to ask my students, “Why do girls have 'talents' and boys have 'superpowers'?” And with adults I can offer a similar challenge: “Why are extraordinary abilities for female characters considered magical and used for things like making dewdrops and flowers and flitting daintily from blossom to blossom and being careful to stay out of the path of frightening humans? And why are extra-human capabilities for male characters considered outside the realm of magic (and more often contained in the realm of science) and such characters are fierce adventurers (as well as generally violent and destructive) who engage in battle, seek revenge, and expect admiration from the poor, weak populace? No, really, help a girl out. Why is it this way? I don't understand.  And is this what we want our kids to learn about gender?”

At the end of the day, I want the world to look different. I want my students to believe that they can be airplane pilots, even the girls. And I want my students to believe that fathers are fully qualified and capable of being nurturing primary caregivers. I want me students to believe that gender is complicated and putting people in boxes can be limiting to everyone. If we feel free to be merely who we are, that’s more than enough.

And I want my students to know that fairies have superpowers.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Me and Gus

I was wandering the internet this afternoon, as I am often wont to do when I am avoiding something else on the agenda.  (Today’s avoidance was my taxes, which are now complete and filed.)  In my YouTube perusing, I wandered into a clip from Me and Gus, the “interactive educational music video for children ages 0-6” I did back in 2006.  Here’s the clip (and yes, it cuts off in the middle of a verse):

There are over 10,300 hits for this video, which is crazy (especially being that I had no idea the video was posted on YouTube).  We also have a website (where you can see a bunch more clips) and a Facebook page (which I also didn’t know existed until today – where have I been?!).

Gus (looking like a shark in this shot) was played
by the talented Lee Tosca who is used to being
an art director, not a puppeteer.
For me, participating in this project was one of those, “What am I doing?!  Is this really real?!  Is this my life, or perhaps it’s just a crazy dream?!” experiences.  At the time I was working at Boston Children’s Museum running their Music Department (which sounds super fancy, but really I was a one-woman department responsible for making sure my programs, staffing, calendar, and marketing didn’t collapse into a big ball of chaos around each and every corner).  One of my favorite, and longest running, programs was a weekly group called “Sing-a-Story.”  It was a literacy-based music and movement program for zero to three year olds and their families.  We used our voices and bodies, puppets, books, and all sorts of other props (or none at all) to sing stories.  (I mean, at the end of the day, what is music anyway, other than a form of storytelling?)  One particular day, after a regular Sing-a-Story program, a woman approached me saying she was working on developing a children’s video that centered on learning through music and movement, and she wondered if I was interested in participating.  I must admit I was skeptical; it was an odd request – both unexpected and surreal.  But how sketchy could this woman, Kim, really be if she’s come to find me (with her kids in tow) while I was singing with a bunch of toddlers?

Long and short, I eventually signed on to do the pilot episode of Me and Gus.  Kim had been looking for videos for her children that were educational and entertaining for kids, not annoying-as-all-holy-hell for adults, and sought to connect with children in a low-tech, simple kind of way.  And she wasn’t finding any.  So she decided to create her own.  She called up her friend Fitz, who’s been doing awesome stuff in television and film for several decades, and they got to work.

By the time I came on board, the show was well under way.  The script had been through a bajillion revisions and the songs were on their way to their finished form.  I was able to offer my input from the position of a professional educator who regularly uses music to connect with kids, and I worked really hard to learn my lines and the songs.  That said, I have to admit, I am a horrible actor.  Always have been.  So I was experiencing a growing concern that I wasn’t going to be able to pull this off.  Performing music has always been easy.  I can sing myself into tears or laughter, no problem.  But delivering dialogue and having it sound natural and spontaneous is a skill I have never mastered.  And I suck at memorizing anything.  I can remember the plot points and story arch without issue and can make up dialogue that gets us where we need to be (I do it everyday in the classroom), but delivering word-for-word dialogue is a real challenge.  Thus, the title of actor is not one I apply to myself.  So, being asked to ‘act’ on film was a scary, scary, yet desirably challenging concept.

We were swimming. 
Aren't my shoes cool?
As rehearsals and finally filming day came, I became increasingly anxious.  I felt like the stakes were really high.  And I wanted to meet the expectations being set for me.  Plus, I was in a whole new world – a fast-paced world filled with very few familiar things to latch onto for support.  I was “the talent” who had my own hair and make-up person, who could ask for anything I wanted and it would happen, who had someone drive me to and from set – all this crazy stuff.  I was wired for sound (meaning I had to remember to turn off my mic pack when I went to the bathroom), I had to remember not to put my hair behind my shoulders because it would throw off consistency between shots, and I had to pretend that the sweat dripping down my back and soaking into my jeans wasn’t feeling like an extra ten pounds of water weight.  It was crazy.  And exciting.  And hard.  But I did the very best I possibly could – pushing to give everything I had to offer and to be successful at something I found intimidating. 

I still have no idea if I lived up to the expectations of the creators, producers, and director.  I hope so.  I certainly learned a lot.  And I think that if I ever had the opportunity to do something like it again I would be able to approach it with less anxiety, more grace, and a faster learning curve. 

In the meantime, this was an opportunity to try on a different kind of life for a brief time.  And an opportunity to really see and appreciate the immense talent, patience, and hard work that is part of working in the film industry day in and day out.  They are amazing.  And awe-inspiring.  And for a short time I was able to witness their intense drive, determination, and passion.  How lucky am I?!

Once the video was edited and put into circulation for the world to accept or throw off as it saw fit, I think I only watched the whole thing through once from beginning to end.  (It’s hard to watch yourself on film.)  But, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to a few families here and there who own the video and hear the ways it has been a valuable resource for their families.  A few years ago I was in Michigan visiting a dear friend of mine.  He had given the video as a gift to his niece and nephew the Christmas before, and when I got there the kids kind of hung back a bit.  Eventually the older, who was maybe four at the time, said, “Are you Kelly?  From my video?  Do you really know Gus?”  I said yes and we spent the rest of the weekend playing and singing and laughing together.  I was honored and truly humbled that this small project I had participated in meant something special and valuable to these young children and their family.  Seriously, how cool is that?!

Note:  The photos in this post were taken by the talented (and busy) Debra A. Schneider who was one of the producers for Me and Gus.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Confessions

I must confess.  I am rather infatuated with Darren Criss.  (Not in the "Yeah, we hang out and actually really like each other and frequently chat about the intricacies of our personal day-to-day lives" sorta way, but in the "I've never met you, probably never will, and yet I think you are truly delightful" kind of way.)

There are many reasons.  Here are a few:
  • 1.  He's crazy talented.  (I mean, have you SEEN him sing?!  Go watch this right now!)
  • 2.  He makes me laugh.  (Did you watch the Harry Potter Musical?  You should.)
  • 3.  He ROCKS the pink shades.
  • 4.  He knows and acknowledges his own roots and he's a man comfortable enough with his own sexuality to say what needs to be said.  And he does it explicitly and with kindness.  True ally.
  • 5.  He seems genuinely joy-filled.

Watch this:


Also, I have a favorite Darren Criss quotation.  It is this:
“Be nice to people because nobody likes an asshole.”
Right?!

I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for this talented man.

UPDATE 5/28/11:  Hahaha.  Deliciously true.  

Saturday, February 5, 2011

40 by 40 Project: 40 Things to Accomplish Before 40

I’ve had this “Hopes & Dreams” Jar for something like eight years.  I think it was a gift from a friend, but I honestly don’t remember.  (Sarah, was it from you?)  It’s a lovely ceramic jar with a big ol’ cork lid, and somewhere along the way I actually decided to use it for the label already fired into the side.  So, scraps of paper holding sheepishly written goals and dreams got tossed in, and every once in a while – in a moment of inspiration – I pull down the jar and ruffle through the bits of paper, a process which generally results in my feeling unaccomplished, lazy, and/or ‘not trying hard enough.’  And yet, the idea of committing to the possibility of my dreams is pretty exciting.  So, having faith that I can actually accomplish a thing or two if I put my mind to it, I’m trying something a little different.  (And we shall see what becomes of this, being that the “Hopes & Dreams” Jar is perpetually covered in a thick layer of dust.) 

I am introducing my “40 by 40 Project: 40 Things to Accomplish Before 40.”  I was inspired by an old friend from high school (Hey MABs!) who’s working on a similar project, and it seemed like a wonderful way to do a little dreaming, vision planning, and imagining for the possibilities of my life.  Drawing from my “Hopes & Dreams” Jar and the innumerable lists I’ve made for myself in other moments of inspiration over the recent years, here is my 40 by 40 List as it stands right now.  I’ve got 10 years.  Let’s see what I can accomplish!
  • 1.  Be a better communicator with friends.  Do a better and more concerted job of staying in contact with the people who are important to me.  Whether using phone, email, letters, or carrier pigeon, stay in touch and let them know how valuable they truly are.
  • 2.  Travel to at least five continents.  So far I have spent time in North America (Mexico, Canada, & U.S.), Europe (Italy), and Asia (Japan & India), though I would joyfully visit new nations on each continent (Ireland and England are pretty high on that list), but ‘To Do’ destinations could include Central or South America (Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile, Peru), Africa (Ghana or Togo, perhaps), and/or Australia/New Zealand.  I’m saying right now that I have no desire whatsoever to visit Antarctica.  None. (Winter 2013)
  • 3.  Publish a piece of creative writing (poetry, short, essay, memoir, whatever) in a print publication worthy of being proud.  (To date:  short essay “Border Crossing” in the Fall 2008 edition of the WGS Newsletter.)
  • 4.  Publish an article on education in a reputable education/parenting publication.  This could be related to educational best practice, music integration in ECED classrooms, school community atmosphere and communication (students, families, and teachers), diversity issues in educational spaces, etc.  (To date:  CCM report “The State of Play in Chicago’s Communities” (pdf), Summer 2010)
  • 5.  Earn a Masters Degree.  Honestly, I thought this wouldn’t be so hard, but holy crap…  Just have to finish the thesis! (Fall 2011)
  • 6.  Publish some aspect of my thesis in a scholarly publication.  Make my thesis mean more than “that one project that qualified me for a piece of paper saying I’m a ‘Master.’”  Have more than three people read my thesis work.
  • 7.  Buy a new digital camera and learn to use it. (Winter 2013)
  • 8.  Have a photograph published in a publication worthy of being proud.  (To date:  the DePaul University Study Abroad 9/2008 – 12/2010 wall calendar (My photo represented Mexico City for the month of November 2009.); CCM report “The State of Play in Chicago’s Communities” (pdf), Summer 2010)
  • 9.  Get a full-time job with benefits.  Is it asking too much for a full-time job with benefits that I actually LOVE?! (Winter 2013)
  • 10.  Get insurance – minimally just health care, but ideally health, dental, and vision.  Imagine! (Winter 2013)
  • 11.  Pay off my student loans.
  • 12.  Set up a retirement account/fund/plan so that if maintained I could actually retire someday.
  • 13.  Open a saving account (again) and put 10% of my monthly income into it every month.
  • 14.  Take Spanish lessons for more than six months.  (Ideally, take Spanish lessons until I can consider myself a successful Beginning/Intermediate Spanish speaker.)  Really work on comprehension and production of written and spoken practical Spanish.
  • 15.  Learn more ASL, enough to understand and participate in basic, low-level conversation. (Winter 2013)
  • 16.  Buy a bicycle and a helmet.  And ride whenever possible.  (Especially if I move somewhere lacking quality public transportation.)
  • 17.  Be committed to having physical activity as a central component of life.  This can include running, yoga, pilates, biking, etc. on a regular basis (at least 3-4 times a week).
  • 18.  Take a dance class.  Ballet and/or bellydance sound awesome.
  • 19.  Learn to snorkel. 
  • 20.  Learn rock climbing on a rockwall and/or on real rocks.
  • 21.  Take a self-defense class. (Fall 2011)
  • 22.  Become a more confident and consistent cook.  This does not mean learning how to cook meat.  But it does mean expanding my knowledge and skills around making healthy, delicious food.  (Learning more about spices and seasoning would be great.)  This also means learning to make things that actually go IN the oven, rather than just on the stovetop. 
  • 23.  Learn to garden.  I’d like to have my own flowers/vegetable garden and learn to eat from it seasonally.
  • 24.  Join a CSA.
  • 25.  Play the piano regularly again.  It’d be great if I owned a piano, but playing someone else’s would be enough…
  • 26.  Join a regularly performing choral group that challenges me and brings me joy.
  • 27.  Take guitar lessons again with the goal of expanding my chord repertoire to more than five chords.  Be able to accompany myself in a passable way in the comfort of my own home.
  • 28.  Get actively involved in an organization benefiting women, girls, and/or advocating gender and sexuality justice issues.
  • 29.  Create a home with an inviting, joyous, comfortable, loving atmosphere.
  • 30.  Build a ‘real’ home library.  I have TONS of books, but I want real bookshelves and for my books to be organized on those bookshelves in a way that’s easy to reference and welcomes others to share in the literature that I find engaging.
  • 31.  Visit the Grand Canyon.
  • 32.  See the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in person.
  • 33.  Visit the Amazon Rainforest.
  • 34.  Teach on the college/university level.  Teach educational sociology, diversity studies in education, educational best practice, multicultural/anti-bias education, etc. 
  • 35.  Get a second Masters or a PhD.  But do this ONLY if it seems life-giving and comes from personal desire (not professional pressuring).
  • 36.  Enroll in continuing adult education courses or certificate programs.  (There are a few Parenting Education and Diversity Studies certification programs that look pretty enticing.) (Winter 2013)
  • 37.  Learn more about microfinance and support micro-loans.  (Kiva and Oikocredit may be good options.) 
  • 38.  Go WWOOFing.
  • 39.  Learn basic videography and video editing.
  • 40.  Learn how to use Photoshop.
(When compiling my list it was also helpful to read some of the suggestions offered by Marelisa at Abundance Blog.  If you search "bucket list" online, you can find hundreds of other suggestions.)

last updated 12/22/2011 
last updated 1/1/2013

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Video Spotlight: Bobby McFerrin hacks your brain

I love music. (If you somehow missed that about me, we've obviously never met.) And I'm enraptured by the capacities of the human voice. AND, the human brain baffles me.

Also, Bobby McFerrin is really, really cool and you can't convince me otherwise.


There's a GREAT comment about this video on YouTube.   It reads, (from 1987GTD) "People always laugh when they are suddenly aware of their awesomeness." Right? Right?!

If you want to read more 'technical' comments focusing on the way that McFerrin is highlighting the power of the human brain as it relates to the pentatonic scale, you can read some of the comments at TED.

And if you can't live without a little more McFerrin fabulousness, go listen to this AMAZING collaboration he does with -- tada! -- his audience.  They do a juxtaposition of Bach's Prelude No. 1 and Charles Gounod's Ave Maria.  (Tells you a thing or two about the knowledge set McFerrin's audience brings with them.)  Plus, for vocalist geeks (like me) he gets in a few laugh-out-loud singer jokes!  (On an only barely related note, my favorite music joke of all time is the following:  "You all know what syncopation is, right?!  It's irregular movement between bars!"  And all the credit on that one goes to Doc. Shearer, my teacher and music magician for four years in college.)

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Video Spotlight: Lead with Love

Lead with Love is a 35-minute documentary film created to support parents and families struggling with the news that a child is lesbian, gay, or bisexual.  It includes interviews with real families, answers to several commonly asked questions, and suggested action steps for parents working to deal with their emotions after hearing the news that their child does not identify as straight.  The film also includes interviews with psychologists, teachers, and religious clergy.

The film is not perfect, but offers a much needed resource for familes.  It is definitely worth watching, supporting, and spreading to others who may gain from its message of support.  In addition, the film is VERY new (like, it just come out this week), so spreading the word is a much needed action.

This is the 2.5 minute trailer, but you can watch the entire video for FREE here.  Go watch it!