Friday, April 30, 2010

Friday Night Fingers

Friday nights are supposed to be about unwinding, getting out on the town and prepping for the weekend.

Nope. Not mine. I spent it in preparation for the mucho work that is arriving next week. I problem solved, however, and knowing my niece was at home by herself with no friends to play with - and no one would take her to the mall (such a sad, sad story) - I decided I would fine dine with her and treat her to Tully's chicken fingers and a salad if she would share her wireless internet with me at her home.

We ate, gossiped about her teachers, then set ourselves at opposite sides of the living room and did our homework in silence. She worked on math and I worked on research journals taking notes over the last five years as I prepare for my upcoming examinations.

I have this image, however, of all these chickens running around without any fingers. Not good karma for them. But my stomach appreciates the donation of their phalanges.

Another Karma Cartoon


And the illustrations continue. You've just wasted a moment of your life. It's all good, though. You deserved it.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Slammin' the words


In the early 90s, I dragged my mom to a coffee house for a poetry reading. Some kid read a poem about "bloody turds in the toilet" like the day his girlfriend left him. I will never forget my introduction to a coffee house. What the heck was this poetry thing?

Fast forward to Kelly Ruff. She started a coffee house tradition at the Brown and that took off into student writing that got better and better every year. Anthologies were written. It evolved into Michael Turner doing spoken work, an invitation to Improv4Quarterbacks, a play with ten-minute scripts, and a fusion of the power of words.

I met word artists of many ages, and now I am seeing it alive, locally, as new schools try to begin such traditions. Open a mic and see what young people have to say. This, I believe, is the seed planted within me by my Grannie Annie of yesteryear. She taught me the art of words and the color purple. I found Alice Walker's novel on my mom's shelf and read it.

There's so much still needing to be written.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

WVMR: Students Create Play Based on Pocahontas County Stories (2010-04-26)

WVMR: Students Create Play Based on Pocahontas County Stories (2010-04-26)

My student, Emily Newton, who has now moved on with life, has carried a little of the Brown School 10-Minute plays with her and is doing community theater work in West Virginia. I am so proud of her work and feel the karma burst back in my direction when she sent this story to me. Her energy and enthusiasm for life was always something I truly admired and that I currently channel to keep my steps a little more peppy.

Awesome, Emily.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Leaf litter, which consists of the dead leaves and other debris that fall to the floor of a forest, is a home for many living things.
The top layer of litter, which makes up a few centimeters, is known as the litter layer or litter horizon. It contains the leaves that have fallen most recently. Most of these can still be easily identified.
Below the litter layer is a layer known as the fermenting layer or fermenting horizon.
;;http://www.animalfacts.net/animal-habitats/leaflitteranimals.html

very hardworking hor..

research on dis ting....

tlking abt sciency stuff,,

dis fridayy we goin to science center..AGAIN.

sick&tired of dat place ...

shoot!!

the duno wad interview is on friday..

9.30 to 11

har..

why meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee????????

cnnt see my fwens for 1 1/2 hours..

)):

k

bbbb

dis tym for real.

wana go copy the my world 2.0 songs into my com..

ttyt(:
hellouuuuuuuuuh !!

i.m currently addicted to up//

Its a big big world
Its easy to get lost in it
You've always been my girl
And i'm not ready to call it quits


We make the sun shine in the moonlight
We can make the gray clouds into blue skies
I know its hard
But baby believe me
That we can go

Nowhere but up
From here
My dear
Baby we can go nowhere but up
Tell me what got to fear
We can take it to the sky past the moon through the galaxy
As long as you're with me
Honestly (honestly) with the strength of our love
We can go nowhere but up

Its a big big world
And i'm gonna show you all of it
I'm gonna lish you with pearls
From every ocean
That we're swimmin in


We make the sun shine in the moonlight
We can make the gray clouds into blue skies
I know its hard
But baby believe me
That we can go

Justin Bieber Up lyrics found on http://www.directlyrics.com.com/justin-bieber-up-lyrics.html
Nowhere but up
From here
My dear
Baby we can go nowhere but up
Tell me what got to fear
We can take it to the sky past the moon through the galaxy
As long as you're with me
Honestly (honestly) with the strength of our love
We can go nowhere but up

Baby we were underground
We are on the surface now
We are gonna make it girl
I promise
If you believe in love
And you believe in us
We can go nowhere but up

Baby we can go
Nowhere but up
From here
My dear
Baby we can go nowhere but up
Tell me what we got to fear
We can take it to the sky past the moon through the galaxy
As long as you're with me
Honestly (honestly) with the strength of our love
We can go nowhere but up

Nowhere but up
Nowhere but up
Yeah
Nowhere but up

up-justin bieber

juz now jy,jayna,nad&i confrence ..

we talked nth..

den i gtg&left

tdy we go eat lunch together..

me, jayna, jy, nad, xiu fen, song lin

den we go studyy..

crap.

next song on the tracklist; that should be me.

ok peepz...

bb

Give me an H


My cousin sent me a video he shot in S. Africa of four girls giving a shout out to Hoops4Hope and, towards the end, you can here a little Crandall harmonizing as well. It is good to see the work he is doing in Africa and connecting his cause to cyberspace so others can feel the energy of the karma his organization provides. Youth in every country deserve the support that promotes their future in positive, educational, and transitional ways.

Monday, April 26, 2010

SUB


As I transition from the role as a teacher (and at times a sub), I am given opportunities to cover classes and to offer what I've learned at Syracuse University and the world of teaching, including the use of digital stories. Students in English Methods at Syracuse University are given the task of creating a three-minute tale of their six-week placement and, whereas I am a "sub" of sorts for the class, I chose to use this as a karmic opportunity to try a new one myself. I talk way too fast to get the words onto screen in three minutes, but as a National Writing Project teacher, I know it is always best to attempt the task myself. This quirky little vignette is what I quickly came up with. Oi Vay.
 Read jb's bio; taken from http://www.justinbiebermusic.com/bio.aspx

An old soul is the last thing you would expect to find inside Justin Bieber.  But all it takes is one listen to the 15 year-old soul-singing phenomenon to realize that he is light years ahead of his manufactured pop peers.

After posting dozens of homemade videos on YouTube in 2007, where the multi-talented Bieber put his impeccable spin on songs from artists like Usher, Ne-Yo and Stevie Wonder, Justin racked up over 10,000,000 views purely from word of mouth.

“I started singing about three years ago,” says the Canadian native who grew up an only child in Stratford, Ontario. “I entered a local singing competition called Stratford Idol. The other people in the competition had been taking singing lessons and had vocal coaches. I wasn’t taking it too seriously at the time, I would just sing around the house. I was only 12 and I got second place.”

In an effort to share his victory with his loved ones, Justin began posting his performance footage online. “I put my singing videos from the competition on YouTube so that my friends and family could watch them,” he says. “But it turned out that other people liked them and they started subscribing to them. That’s how my manager found me. He saw me on YouTube and contacted my family and now I’m signed!”

Seven months after Justin started posting his videos online, former So So Def marketing executive Scooter Braun flew the then 13-year old singer to Atlanta, GA to meet with his elite colleagues. As if Justin’s natural singing talent wasn’t enough to impress Scooter’s inner circle, Braun knew Bieber was also a self-taught musician who plays the drums, guitar, piano and trumpet.

“Right when we flew into Atlanta, Scooter drove us to the studio and Usher was there in the parking lot,” remembers Bieber. “That was my first time ever being out of Canada so I went up to him and was like, ‘Hey Usher, I love your songs, do you want me to sing you one?’ He was like, ‘No little buddy, just come inside, it’s cold out.’”

All it took was a short time online for Usher to realize he was in the company of a future superstar. “A week later Usher flew me back to Atlanta,” says Bieber. “I sang for him and his people and he really wanted to sign me then and there but I still had a meeting with Justin Timberlake who also wanted to sign me.  It turned out Usher’s deal was way better. He had L.A. Reid backing him up and Scooter had a lot of really good connections in Atlanta.  I always tease Usher now and remind him he how he blew me off the first time we met.”

In October of 2008, Justin Bieber officially signed to Island Records.  His debut album, My World is an intimate look into the mind of a budding young renaissance man. With production from star hit men like The Dream and Tricky Stewart who produced “Umbrella” for Rihanna and Beyonce’s latest smash, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” Justin has everything he needs to achieve pop supremacy.

His first single, “One Time” produced by Tricky, is about one of Justin’s favorite topics, puppy love.  Usher joins Justin on “First Dance” where the two share verses on a song that Bieber describes as, “A slow groovy song that people can dance to.” On the Midi-Mafia produced “Down to Earth” Justin digs deep to talk about growing up.  “Bigger” finds the teenaged singer maturing at a steady rate, while motivating his listeners to strive for their goals.

“I’m looking forward to influencing others in a positive way,” says Justin. “My message is you can do anything if you just put your mind to it. I grew up below the poverty line; I didn’t have as much as other people did.  I think it made me stronger as a person it built my character.  Now I have a 4.0 grade point average and I want to go to college and just become a better person.”

A virtually untapped well of natural artistic talent, Justin Bieber is primed to be a solid force in music for many years to come. “I think older people can appreciate my music because I really show my heart when I sing, and it’s not corny,” he says. “I think I can grow as an artist and my fans will grow with me.” And just think, he’s just getting started.

he.s the best((:

i.m now listening to track #7 :overboard feat. jessica jarrell

"it feels lyk we.ve been out at sea..boii. so back and forth its how it seems..woah.."

hmm..

tdyy..

PE lesson ok uhh...

AT LEAST did.n run in the field..

gd ting 6d got the field b4 we duu..

can u belivv this ??i dropped my world 2.0!!

luckyy,, it did.n havv severe injury..

if it has.. i.ll be cryin

plans for the next hour or so is to play my world 2.0 on maxx

&studyy..

juz nw,
jy asked me to accompany her to watch smebodi~ ~ ~ ~ ~

seesshhhh...

[FULLSTOP]

all BELIEBERS, listen up!!

sign up at justinbiebermusic now!

do as i say.

let.s listen to up..

tatas peepzz!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

let.s do a one time mix over

when i met you boi my heart went knock knock
now the butterflies in my stomach wont stop stop
though its a struggle love is all we got
so we gonna keep keep climbing til the mountain top
................................................................................

boi,you.re my one love,my one heart,my one life for sure
let me tell ya one time..
im'ma tell you one time
& i.ll be ur one girl u be my number one guy
always makin time for you....

..........
hottie right there, he.s got evryting i need
i.m gonna tell 'em one time,one time
givv ya evryting u need
down to my last dime
he makes me happy, i noe where i.ll be
right by his side cuz he is the one for me.......

hehas..

wad abt love me?
my friends say i.m a  fool to tink that ur the one for me
i guess i.m just a sucker for love
cuz honestly the truth is that u noe i.m never leavin
cuz u.re my angel sent from above
baby u can do no wrong my money is urs givv u a lil more bcuz i love ya
with me boi is whr u belong
juz stay right here
promise i.ll put nothin on ya
....

lol lol

okokk..

feelin plurky now.

bb

look me up on plurk Maddie_Iley

bbbb
shoot!!

ppaid lowwww

ugh!!

not another disappointment!

wt.......

now wad?

oh well,,

gd luck to myself..

hope i survive thru the nite..
heyyo world!

tdy, jb's eenie meenie,baby, one time acoustic version and somebody to love were on air..

<3<3<3

i <3 da acoustic version of one time ((:

one time [acoustic]

girls, i bet u.ll <3 his signature hairflip(:

links;;

one less lonely girl on billboard

'baby' LIVE 

<33333

love me LIVE
aww..fractured foot...)):

all bieber lovers, check out my blogg to get more jb vids link

nw...

LIFE.

ermm..

as usual..

ystdy, went out late at night..

went orchard at 10 pm..

went zara&tanglin mall..

omg i <3 dat dress((:

den we had late supper...

i nearly ran into the lamp post..

all becoz of heavy eyelids..

den we were home arnd...12.30 a.m.

tmr.s my cuzzie.s 3rd bdayy

HAPPY BELATED BDAE!!

well, he.s most likely to not be readin my blogg

lols

i.m just soooooo sad dat the golden ticket.s not inside the album..

i waaaaana go to bahamas...

)):

disappointment..

practically cryin..

to ppl readin dis.,,spread my blogg URL to evrione u noe

dun forget to tagg..leav ur name pweez..

to all JB lovers!,

love him forever aites?

tatas!

go figure

If you google "moving a mattress" I would expect one or two images to pop up. Nope. Try thousands of worldly human beings posting photographs of their old mattresses and technique for moving them. You've got to love the 21st Century.

Yesterday, after the morning cow project, Lino, Maurino and I stood in the parking lot enjoying the air and sun. We caught up on lives, goals, the American experience, etc., when two women pulled up and asked if we were at St. Vincents, which we were. They had furniture. including a mattress, to drop off for a garage sale. The two ladies proceeded to ask us if we could help move their bounty into the church. The entire time we did, one kept telling the other, "See, I told you God looks out for us. You wanted to know how we were supposed to carry this ourselves, and look what was waiting for us. Three kind men."

It was a karmic coincidence and we were glad to help. Small favors are enormous gifts.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

heyy..

i.ve got nth to do juz nw so i read some mags and i found dis';

dey.re giving away tix to watch THE LAST SONG .

i just entered the contest.

juz nw jy bought my world 2.0

we forked out money to get it..

so sad... the GOLDEN TICKET is not inside......)):

i realliiii wanted dat ticket.. disappointment..

oh star..fall dwn on me........ i want dat tickett!!

ook den

ttyt

<3jb lover

It's in the blood


It was a Friday night and this means it is time to unwind and be stupid. My nephew picked up my phone and proceeded to make a movie from his eye's view. Karma works to return back to me all the odd movies I've chosen to shoot over the years. I have learned that my nephew, too, has aspirations to communicate with the world in a filmic way. This through the eyes of a ten year old....

Friday, April 23, 2010


when is he coming to s.pore??

when???????????

we.re gonna buy my world 2.0 ..

ahh!!
da GOLDEN TICKET!!

omgomgomgomgomg

...

^^^^^^

gonna plurk abt dis..
i.m addicted to somebody to lovveeeee...

so sad sehh...

baby drop frm #1 to #5..

can u believ it??!

ystdy me & jy were mad wif b.o.b. &bruno mars..

it was almost world war 3..

)):

nvm..eenie meenie can be the future #1!

not forgetting somebody to love..
((:  somebody to love

It's still April


And it is still National Poetry Month.

I attended a Spoken Word Slam sponsored by Verbal Blend at Syracuse University and was witness to several rounds of an open mic and University kids spitting their words. The talent was great and the impression left on me was enormous.

And in the audience was Omanii Abdullah, whose poetry I used to teach to students back at Brown and who took me to lunch when I first came to Syracuse - I didn't know he was from Central, New York. One of the judges at the slam was Giles Li who brought his poetic karma (a piece featured above) to represent Boston and his marvelous ability with words.

The energy brought to the Sheraton was an energy that can't be harnesses by wind turbines or nuclear plants. It was the energy of youth and their power of words. It reminded me of what I believe in most...
it.s raining... it.s pouring..

.....
 
i am on fb.......................... 
checking out ppl's picx..

tdy is another AWKWARD day.

let me tell you frm a to z

#1   :the dream ;i dun wan it to cum true.

#2  : i standing at da quadrangle den jy wlking2 she nvr hear me call her name

-_-"

#3 lesson....lesson....lesson.......

#4 art lesson..

me&jayna go edit picx of jb&butterflyy&flwrs...

lame.

but it turned out to be pweeeeeeeetty

<33

#5 mly lesson

so .....dotzdotzdotz.....

so wad sehh..

nad; u noe wad i.m tlkin abt.

seeeeshh..

....

#6 we go help mdm suriati help put up da master pieces..

tdy id #21 to #39's oral

gd luck!!

but den the lucks cnnt use oredii..
 
eh nw not raining..
okayys..

ttyt

[tlk to you tmr; technicali, it.s type to you tmr]

Thursday, April 22, 2010

harloww!!

tdy:

a BIG MIRACLE

jy & ~~~~~~~~~~~~

i.ll stop here.

.

uhm.

tdy frm strt to finish.

woke up @...........6.20

heavy eyelids...

dotzdotzdotz..

@school...

blablablah///

den oral @ 1.30pm

i did very gd u noe.....

so happyyy tdy((:

fyi fyi, i,m goin to da SST open house((:

((((:

juz now 98.7 played SOMEBODY TO LOVE.

me&jy were on the fone & screaming and shouting lyk craziiieeeeee

we were so ^^

^^ = high.

yeah/ we were so ^^^^^^^^^^^

" i juz nid somebody to love...."

take a look at dis --beloww...

tribute to jb frm jy&i

::

i need somebody to love. i.m willing to be your one less lonely girl. i.m gonna tell you one time. so please love me. i want to be your eenie meenie miny mo lover. will you bring me up and back down to earth? i will not kiss&tell. and won.t be your runaway love. i.m dying to be your favourite girl. i will never let you go if you pick me. we have a common denominator.where are you now? i need you to be here. that should be me giving you my first dance. i wont be overboard when i.m  stuck in the moment with you. and when u smile my heart would be palpitating furiously. i wish my heart would be bigger so i can love you more. lastly, will you be my baby?

the ones in bold are the song titles..

i <3 first dance&&stuck in the moment...[!!]

<33

now 10.30 liao...

i go check muaii fb account den i go slp...

tatas!!

World's Cheapest Man


I am unsure how much karma there is to this, but I am the world's cheapest American. Maybe not, but I am pretty cheap (I recall a man who split his toilet paper into two rolls by dividing the sheets - that is beyond cheap and I'm not that bad).

But I am frugal and yesterday, I replaced three shirts that were stained during the coffee pot explosion from last week. I went to Kohl's with the coupons they sent in the mail, and then did my clearance rack thing. I believe I spent $30 and the woman at the register laughed at me. Because of my bargain hunting and coupons, she said, "Well, you saved $179 today." I imagined she whispered under her breath, "you cheap bastard."

ch'ching.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

lawn art

In memory of Juliette Catherine Alanis Madonna Potatohead Scrappy Doo Olivia Houdini Dennis, Sue McV bought me a bowl where I kept the dog biscuits.

This bowl quickly became the Juliette bowl and after her death, she sat on my counter as a reminder of the crazy karma my first dog, so ugly she was cute, brought to my life.

Recently, the dog bowl plummeted to the ground and could not be saved. My sister took the head of the bowl and planted it in the garden at the front of my house where she greets guests, family and friends.

Last night, I noticed she was smiling at the April sun and this, in return, made me smile. Today, Juliette Catherine Alannis Madonna Potatohead Scrappy Doo Olivia Houdini Dennis smiles at you.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

me.why can.t i differentiate reality and fantasy?i noe i.m so ambitious..well,too ambitious..i keep thinkin abt stuff that is most likely not to happen.lyk romeo & juliet. are they reality?they.re fantasy right? we can.t just want smth to happen in a blink. well,,those things that i.ve been wanting to happen is not most likely to happen now.but on a later date.
hellouuuuh world!!

i.m in love wif 'airplanes'

dat.s a song title fyi..

b.o.b. featuring hayley williams!!<33

"we could pretend that airplanes in the night sky like shooting stars..i could really use a wish right 
now [wish right now]"

uhh juz changed muaii fb picca((;
[[<3<3<3

dat song!!]]

hmm...

todayy so paiseh..

we only maintain our place in SYF

dotzdotzdotz
...

mrsnai said bcuz of our 1st song..

too nervous

but i wasn.t

nervous??with 45 ppl on the same stage??

didn.t get to me..

been there..done that..

reading breaking dawn all over again..

let.s see..

i.m at,,,

page 17

"
*    *    *
I paused with my hand on the doorknob,smiling. Sure, at the time, Charlie's words has ........

veryy slow rite..

i noe..i noe..

juz join da  paramore.net fanclub..

BRAND NEW EYES ((:

i <3 the only exception..
____

tdy was mly oral..

ok uhhh..

[not] not bad..[bad]

to me at least,,

[shud.ve done better..]

recess was lyk a flash,,

went by soooo freaking fast.

______________________________________________________________


the drumming in my head


I wish I had more of an everyday cadence that I marched to, but I don't. Instead, I rely on the occasions where I hear the beats of drums that make my movement a little more rhythmic.

A good karma day has background noise, which made me recall the years of drum and bugle appreciation instilled in me by my parents and the days where Cynderballs marched with the Northstars. In occasional flashbacks, I can remember the exact music that was thumped (including Teddy Mascari's cadence performed before the 1998 George M. Cohen show).

A good drum beat makes for a good day, and so today, I display the battle from the movie Drumline. Perhaps it will be noise to help you move about your Tuesday.

Monday, April 19, 2010

 stuck in the moment
With you
With you
I wish we had another time
I wish we had another place

Now Romeo & Juliet
Bet they never felt the way we felt
Bonnie & Clyde
Never had to hide like we do, we do

You and I, although it can't work
It's all fun and games
'Til someone gets hurt
And I know
I won't let that be you

Now you don't wanna let go
And I don't wanna let you know
That there might be something real between us two
Who knew
Now we don't wanna fall but
We're tripping in our hearts
And it's reckless and clumsy
Cause I know you can't love me here

I wish we had another time
I wish we had another place
But everything we have is stuck in the moment
And there's nothing my heart can do (can do)
To fight with time and space cause
I'm still stuck in the moment with you

We're like Adam & Eve
Tragedy was their destiny
Like Sonny & Cher
I don't care
I got you baby

See we both
Fightin' every inch of our fiber
Cause in a way
It's gonna end right but
We are both too foolish to stop

Now you don't wanna let go
And I don't wanna let you know
That there might be something real between us two
Who knew
And we don't wanna fall but
We're tripping in our hearts
And it's reckless and clumsy
And I know you can't love me here

I wish we had another time
I wish we had another place
But everything we have is stuck in the moment
And there's nothing my heart can do (can do)
To fight with time and space cause
I'm still stuck in the moment with you

See like
Just because this cruel, cruel world saying we can't be
Baby we both have the right to disagree
And I ain't with it
And I don't wanna be so old and gray
Reminiscing 'bout these better days
But something's just telling us to let go
So we'll never know

I wish we had another time
I wish we had another place
Cause everything we did
And everything we have is stuck in the moment
Yeah

I wish we had another time
I wish we had another place
Oh no no
But everything we have is stuck in the moment
And there's nothing my heart can do
(Nothing my heart can do)
To fight with time and space
(Time and space)
I'm still stuck in the moment with you
omigosh omigosh omigosh.................

tdy was syf..

go to skul earli2 so ppl wudn.t see me in da dress..

go to skul at 6.30.

uhuh...believe it..

wait 4 jy at da gate..

lyk idiot..

ppl wud tink i belong to another skul...

black shoes wad..

"'

den we go studio....

wait wait wait..

flag raising!!

-_-""

y must we go dwnstairs..??!!

EMBARRASSING!!

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

luckyy i was short enough&stood at the back row!!

yeahh!!''

napfa test oso tdy...

at vch[victoria concert hall]..thr.s dis skul....da outfit was so .......

short skirt..

checkered somemre..

long socks pulled up to da knee..

dotzdotzdotz//

ours were BLUE!!!

subsituite of purple <33

b4 goin thr,,got "lectured"

'dis is da tym 4 u to shine.........."

i was lyk..u.re so rite..

hairspray++glitter on our hair..

so true..

we were shining lyk diamonds!!

okk..

1st song my shadow..[set piece]

ok uhh....

2nd song dahai aguxiang [spelling hw??bad rite..]

3rd song laughter is a medicine..

dun lyk dat song ler.................

i lyk da 2nd one <3

veryyyy nicee

den we go in da room 4 da last 10 mins to get ready..

i rmmbr dat room lyk it was ystdy..

da mirror covered by da red curtains....

den we go out..........go in the hall..

evrybody scared liao//

1st 2nd 3rd 4th row as usual..

i 4th <3

ahehhss

not much ppl as audience...

no more fear,,

we were the 89th choir u noe..

perfect 89.

the 90th skul we singin a japanese tune..

coooool.

i lyk their 1st choice piece...

cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooll

den aft we go out..

take picca ofcourse.......


den in da bus lyk dotzdotzdotz...

back to skul!!

 i mis muaii fwens...

lols

i go run up.....take my stuff...

run dwn...woopieeeee

nad&jy!!

wad else;;dey attacked me lyk i was jb..

ppl we lyk "so cute!!"

"diao.......-_-"

make up was THICK
kinda...

kept on washing but to no avail..

i <3333333 da hairspray,,

glittery...

cool..

didn.t wash dat awae ofcourse..

i got glitter on my face ..)));

ppl were comenting...

blablablahhh

hehas..

smebodi texted in class...

CREEPY wen sme1 do dat to u....[not textin::i.m tlkin bt smth else..]

 nw im on fb,,,,,'

hehas...

look!!i.m laughin 4 nth..

lols

kk i wana go practice oral [TMR!!!!]

tatas!!

buhbyeeeee

Another great experience


I spent last night at the ANDAZ performance at Syracuse University where the Somali Bantu Community Association performed "Healing Song" for the South Asian Students' Association. Dr. Felicia McMahon was in attendance and they joined comedian Vijay Nathan to bring a cultural experience to the University community.

Luana Ramcharran from my summer's SAY YES experience was a host to the Somali singers and dancers and did an excellent job introducing the contributions these recent arrivals bring to Central New York.

They played traditional instruments and did a dance that was designed to bring a spirit out of a man underneath a silk sheet. The Somali Bantu have been arriving from Kakuma refugee camp since 2005 and are attending local schools.

In addition to the music and the comedian, the Indian Student Association performed a piece called "Fusion" that syncopated drums, traditional Indian instruments and voice that created awesome rhythms and sounds.

We had to leave before SU Zinda group performed a piece called KARMA. My loss.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

helloooooooooouhss

todayy

nth happened luhh..

i.m just lookin at ppl.s picx on fb..

plurking crap..

tinking of joining tagged..

blablhablahlaba

juz nw during religious class,,

da bois play "baby" on their fones..

cant believe it!!

at least some GUY noes jb..

i lisened in for freeeeeeee..

lols


i wana learn piano.....

//guitar

let.s get interviewed on fb ...

q #1: do yu regret being fwens wif jiaying belieber?

nooo.........sistas rmmbr??

ahaazxx

ttyl peepzx..

***

bummer


I wanted to mow the lawn in the snow-threatening air, but I couldn't get my tractor to start. I bought a new battery, and it would slowly churn, but it wouldn't kick over. I changed the spark plug, adjusted the wires, and cleaned the engine, and it now won't even kick over a little bit.

Today is about trying to get on top of this. My lawn needs to be mowed.

Grass is summer's karma of keeping us busy (even when it's still spring a way too cold).

Ugh.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Multi-Everything

I attended a local high school's multicultural festival today that celebrated the richness of its student body. Over 69 flags were hung around the school to represent the culture that is the school.

Students sang songs, danced, and displayed posters to represent their homelands, languages and memories. In addition, tables lined the school where food was available for taste testing and sharing.

As a suburbanite who grew up north of this school, I am amazed at
the spectacular display of global traditions that were set for others to view at this school. There is a bit of irony, too, that schools five miles north are most likely oblivious to the realities of America's demographics that are changing across the country. I started thinking about who is cheated more by the way we school our adolescents - those who arrive with limits in their education or those who have been schooled in the U.S. all along, but who are not placed in classrooms with the pastiche of cultures that are, as Mary Pipher has written, occuring In the Middle of Everywhere.

I think the most exciting parts of the day were when students of other cultures began dancing to the music of cultures unlike their own - a fusion of break dancing meets oral traditions, and traditional dancing meets the music of modernity.


What struck me above all else, however, is how much karma was in the gym and the total appreciation that this student body had for itself as a miraculous example of the early 21st century in Syracuse. Young men from the Dinka tribes of Sudan danced in their hip hop jackets with young boys from Iraq demonstrating their traditional harvest moves.

And it all makes me want to sing America with Walt Whitman.

Friday, April 16, 2010

shitttttt!!

restarted my com and wad i wrote here is missing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

haizz

okok

RESTART

nw i.m on fb..... playing friend interview

"DO YOU THINK _____ __________ LOVES YOU?" *hesitatin* uhm.. ask hym urself..

there's ALOT ALOT more... but den i skip.. lyk -_-"" to answer

haiyos..

ok..

TODAYY

#1 lessons as usual until 9 a.m.

den i.m off to the FINAL practice frm 9 to 10.30

""

haiz....

somemre wad hapen uh?

duno ler...

we go eat nutella...

i blog again ltr...

buhbyee

air traffic control

I live directly north of the airport so I shouldn't complain. I haven't noticed this reality, however, until I think the local airlines have shifted their runways and now all flights are landing over my head. A few times in the last week, I've actually walked outside because I thought a plane was going to crash in the field behind my house - the noise was that loud. No crash, though (not even ashes from Icelandic volcanoes).

Nope. I have engines running in my ears because this is the karma of living near an aviation field. Like the train tracks of St. Mathews that used to buzz choos choos during my sleep, now I will adjust to 747s and their ear harmonicas. Oif.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Keys to Spoken Word


Many teachers are working with young writers for National Poetry Month. Last night, I put together a c.d. of poetry from my ITunes as a karmic gift and additional resource for teachers creating revolutions in their classroom.

I remember hearing Alicia Keys recite "P.O.W." - Prisoner of Words, and thought it would be a good post for a Thursday morning.
Find something to say, and say it.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

duck, duck, Goose...ye lovers of spring


Last week, when the weather was gorgeous and I was driving to the city, I saw a young man who was apparently skipping school to enjoy the sun and warmth. He was coasting down a hill rather quickly with his invincible quest to be alive. He had his feet on his handlebars and was enjoying the clip of gravity, flying down the sidewalk at a rapid speed. I was at a yield sign, so I yielded his right of way. I thought to myself, "That is risky. There's traffic in every direction."

Then the goose attacked.

They cyclist zoomed by me and and I was envious of his freedom and carefree day. He was doing spring in a way that I wish I was brave enough - totally playing hooky! Yet, after he flashed by and my eyes watched him in envy, a Canadian Goose appeared out of the bushes and totally attacked his bike. The kid flipped over his handlebars and landed in the grass.

I wanted to laugh, but chalked it up to karma. He got back on and pedaled away, but I thought to myself, "You can't make this up." I'm sure he now has a story for life.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

checking out alesana things all over again..

can.t believe i didn.t noe abt the emptiness.. checking..checking...........





1. Curse Of The Virgin Canvas
2. The Artist
3. A Lunatic’s Lament
4. The Murderer
5. Hymn For The Shameless
6. The Thespian
7. Heavy Hangs The Albatross
8. The Lover
9. In Her Tomb By The Sounding Sea
10. To Be Scared By An Owl
11. Annabel
 

the last three letters
Dearest love
I hope this message finds you well
As these endless thoughts drip from my soul
Every single word secretly paints a fairytale
Of when we will melt into one

Eyes forfeit sight to the pain
Cold scalpel's steel whispers tear at my very core
As I cling to my memories of you
I am so scared, so scared, I need you with me

Were the last words
That I wrote for you enough to tell you
That in my death the light that shone
Through my painful darkness
Was a blinding vision of your eternal smile?

It's me again
Is it me or am I wrong to be concerned?
Will the beauty of your pen
Ever cross my eyes again?
Was this all a lie? Why?

Were the last words
That I wrote for you enough to tell you
That in my death the light that shone
Through my painful darkness
Was a blinding vision of your eternal smile?

Make it stop
Make this pounding in my head stop
Fill my lungs with air, give me one more day
To make her dreams come true

She understands right?
That I'm not coming back
She understands right?
That I'm not coming back

Make it stop, make the pounding stop
I'm not coming back
I'm not coming back
I'm not coming back

I don't know what happened
Who would have thought
My life would end up like this?

I never even got the chance
To see her face or to touch her hair
And now it's too late

I didn't mean to hurt her
Not hurt her like this
I can't feel my legs
I can't feel my legs
And I can't even cry

How could someone die like this?
Who would have thought
My life would end up like this

If my words ever reach you
I'll assume you don't care
Never knew that silence could cut
So deep or that you could twist the blade

Now I curse all of your beautiful lies
I love you and goodbye

Were the last words
That I wrote for you enough to tell you
That in my death the light that shone
Through my painful darkness
Was a blinding vision of your eternal smile?

Cold scalpel's steel
Whispers tear at my very core
As I cling to my memories of you
as you wish
Life is meaningless without you
Love can be such a beautiful torture
My heart breaks as I long for you
Love can be such lovely torture

I will climb the hills, draw my sword and take down
Anyone who tries to stand in front of me
Please know I'll never run away without you in my arms
One day lovers will dream of this undying kiss
Not of Romeo or Juliet
Stories told of our love will never die

I've slain the most unholy things, endured such terrific pain
Finally I'll feel your caress again
I've braved the cold and lonely seas, I have prevailed against the odds
Then again...

I will climb the hills, draw my sword and take down
Anyone who tries to stand in front of me
Please know I'll never run away without you in my arms
One day lovers will dream of this undying kiss
Not of Romeo or Juliet
Stories told our love will never die

Will you forgive what I've done to give you four white horses?

One day lovers will dream of this undying kiss
Not of Romeo or Juliet
Stories told our love will never die
ughhh

how cum i didn.t noe abt alesana's new album??!!
 Bored of Your Love
Did you think about what I said last night?
Knowing you, you probably didn't.
I could picture your face on the other side.
Completely oblivious.
Do you really feel like this love is real?
I wish I could join you.

I'm bored of your love
I'm bored of your face
I'm bored of your random all
over the place attitude
I'm bored of you

So, I thought about what you said last night
Normally I probably wouldn't
But something you said kept me up all night
I tried to sleep but I just couldn't
I hope you still feel like
this love is for real
'Cause I know that I do

I'm in love with your love
In love with your face
In love with almost everything that you say
Yes it's true
I'm in love with you

I'm bored with your love
(I'm in love with your love)
I'm bored of your face
(In love with your face)
I'm bored of your random all
over the place attitude
I'm bored of you
(I'm in love with you)

I wish you put effort in
trying to make this new
(I would if you asked me, I'd
do anything for you)
I wish we were strangers
(It's not like we're strangers)
In all the excitement we'd fall in love

(Guess that's it then)
Can I take you out just this one last time,
We could pretend I never met you

Well I'd love to, sounds like a lovely time,
But I'm sorry, I just can't let you

I'm bored of your love
I'm bored of your love
I'm up to my neck in this mess and I'm sorry

I'll remember your love
Remember your face
When it's over and done it
won't quite be the same
without you
I'll remember you
(I'll remember you)

I'll remember your love
Remember your face
When it's over and done it
won't quite be the same
without you
I'll remember you
(I'll remember you)
I'll remember you
nw i got nth to du..

lookin thru my piccas on fb...

playin social interview for nth//

Yo!

I am slow with pop culture and I apologize if Yo Gabba Gabba is old school. Watching the program with my nephews over the weekend, however, I found a striking resemblance, if not karmic, between my old student Andrew Pillow (class of 2007) and DJ Lance. Although Andrew never donned orange hair and spandex, his behaviors in room 301 of the Brown School are canning to the emcee of this Nickelodeon television show.

For some reason, I can totally see him as an actor climbing to the top of Hollywood finding his culmination as a Yo Gabba Dabba performer. The smarminess is there and I believe, full-heartedly, he should be DJ Lance for Halloween.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Monday Music


Ah, Monday.

Why not welcome it with a little Dexy's Midnite Runners from the 1980s?

It's peppy, fun, and a decent way to get back into the grind (not that the weekend ever ended the grind). I thought of the song last night and it put a karmic smile on my face. I will need it to kick myself in gear this morning.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Moose and Syracuse

One of the father's of a goalie, Matt, whose son, Dan, keeps for CNS, is known as a phenomenal supporter and believer in all the athletes in the CNY area. I met Matt during many winter practices in a soccer arena while some of the young kids I've been working with played with his son. He was great company during the cold practices and talked passionately about his desire to see these kids achieve great things.

Yesterday, I attended a benefit for Matt at the Moose Lodge on the west side of Syracuse. Matt has brain cancer and the day was designed to raise funds for his treatment and future. The place was packed with hundreds of people - many of them young athletes showing Matt and his son that they care about all he's given them. It was a beautiful event and inspirational.

During times like this, I see such possibility in what we are able to do.
"shawty.s lyk a melody in my head..."

////

"hawty.s lyk a melody in my head...."

Saturday, April 10, 2010

yesterday;;shoppin.....

#1 cardigan [cotton on]

#2 2 printed tees [giordano]

bought dem!!


<3 dat tee.!! purple....

we go eat lunch,,

as usual, my pick is italian.

no fettuccine there..

i took ham&mushroom spaghetti

fabulous!!

den.............we go burger king ..buy food

den we go west coast for nth..

so bored there.

allo of a sudden decided to go there.

no bike no anth.

wad to du.....

sigh...
den we go home...

ystd luh dat one..

todayy....

i just came back frm a weddin ceremony.........

very grand.

@da frontier the rooftop..

>air conditioned

>its orange+black

>great fabulous fantastic food,,

>desert;;choco choco choco !! cake&eclair damn savouring,,

<333333
ltr we going to buy shoes...

tv premier of hairspray is tonight,,

wana go watch((:

get comfy,get chocos  and get a great couch.

nth lyk a great mvie.

tlkin bt mvies i wana go watch DATE NIGHT & THE LAST SONG

!!

.......

we shud hav a mvie night every wk..

a grp of friends..

to the cinemas evry saturday!!

wudn.t it be great..

but den sigh.........we'.ll b broke

lol

"earthquakes can shake us,cyclones can break us.hurricanes can take our love away..."

^pyramid^ 

"now you see girl.you ain't gotta say nothing. your lips are callin me like they wanna do something"
 
kiss n tell

hehassss
 "they say that hate has been sent.so let loose the talk of love.before they outlaw the kiss baby giv me one last hug.."

NEVER LET YOU GO
<333 dat song!!

ouhkae. i.m goin,

buh bye.

for Ulla


In 1998, when I first went to Copenhagen, Ulla Okby brought me on a boat tour of her youth. We went to Christiania and talked about her squatting days and then traveled by a light post that had an angel on top. She told me that an old boyfriend gave that angel to her as a gift and every time she saw it, she remembered her youth. It was a cheap, flattering gift that still stands as a monument (and that was placed there by someone else)

I knew Ulla as the zany, witty, and dedicated teacher she was for the young people at the Roskilde Lile Skole in Denmark. She came often to Kentucky and I cherished our talks and get-togethers. In Denmark, she cooked me brilliant food and kept my spirits alive. In my home, she marked every book in my library that she's read with a Danish flag sticker. She and I both had a love for Douglas Coupland.

When she passed, I bought the wooden angel as a memory I could keep in my home of her friendship. Whenever I see angels I think of her and the karmic influence she had on my life. I think of her often and the impression she made on me. I was thinking about her last night and write this post in her memory.

Friday, April 9, 2010

What's leftover, is a new day of hope

This is an aftermath post of food in my fridge and new company. A fellow doctoral student came over to debrief life and I happened to have ham, potatoes, green bean casserole and salad in the fridge. She fell in love with my mom's horseradish sauce and it was nice to have refrigerated contents to share. There was no bread to break (that was eaten), but were able to eat a dinner that wasn't from a drive through or that came with microwave instruction. And we had great conversation.

Leftovers are a karmic kiss for a weekday night and I am thankful.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

No use crying over spilt coffee

Okay, so I cried a little. I got up yesterday and thought I'd drink my coffee and get right to work, but my cracked coffee pot decided to leak all over the kitchen while I took a shower. No coffee.

So, I took it as a cosmic sign that it was time to buy another one and I now have a coffee pot that shouldn't leak every time I'm in need of caffeine. What's this have to do with karma? I'm not sure, but if I add caramel, I might be able to have a caramel late' of sorts. karma coffee - it's a stretch.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

oh, love

I was asked today to help a student write a love poem. He met a girl and wanted to impress her. I told him, I'm not sure poetry will do the trick. I typed "World's worst love poem" into google and came up with is poem written by a teenager for his English teacher. This young man probably has all the ladies. That's the way karma works


If I were you, in love with me I would be,
While we're together, I rarely go pee.
The only reason that I must restrain,
For when I'm left from you, I feel so much pain.
But not the pain like a kick in the junk,
More like the pain when I lose at Kerplunk.
If we every broke up, I'd be oh so lost,
Probably from all the pornography costs.
As much as I love to watch women get wild,
You're the woman I want to carry my child.

You're more gorgeous than vomit, your hair is so straight.
Together forever, wouldn't that be great?
For my feelings for you, how powerful are,
I'd drive a kilometer...isn't that far?
The way that you smile while we eat our meals,
Nicer than Eskimos murdering seals.
Your hunchback is pretty, so pleasant and plump,
Unlike the hemorrhoid that covers your rump.
I can look past that, the pusing and spewing,
As long as the kinky dates don't involve chewing!

I think now, my love, you know how I feel.
I'd rather kiss you than watch human flesh peel.
If I could take you out for one more night on the town,
It would be more fun than guessing who's poop has more brown.
So give it some thought and then let me know,
If you love me as well, if so we will go.
We'll leave this place fast and go travel together,
Please pardon my package, as it must be cold weather.
The thing that I find I love most about you,
Is your humour is funnier than Winnie The Pooh.
Well, maybe not Winnie himself, exactly.
But possibly where he gets honey from...that tree!
Yes, it is true, your humour excels,
That of inanimate objects or wells.

More compliments, yes, I could go on for hours,
But after thinking of you, I must take a cold shower.
Not for those perverted reasons you think,
But merely because it feels good when I blink.
I'll end this poetry session right now,
I truly do love you, more than a cow.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Paying It Forward



I've never seen the movie, Pay It Forward, but I have heard references to it quite often since I moved to Syracuse. The moral of the movie is by choosing to do good for three people, and they, in return, will do good for three people, and then the goodness will spread.

I thought about this today when I stopped by a bookstore. Casey and Dave had bought me a gift card and I knew how I wanted it to be spent. One was to by a young man the book, THE BLIND SIDE, by Michael Lewis. After watching it, I knew he needed to read it (he made this an important point). The other was to make Mike Lupica come to life. I met him at Mark's Hoops4Hope fundraiser in Long Island and knew he wrote books for young adults. I found his book, HEAT, about a young Cuban man who pitches for a baseball team, but who lives in fear of foster families and deportation. I bought two copies of this book to read. One is for me and the other is for a young man from Somalia who is a first-year pitcher for a JV team. He likes to read, he says, but the books at school don't appeal to him. Earlier, I gave him a book on Mohammed Ali and he loved it.

So, paying it forward is finding a need and trying to fill it. It can be a massage, a letter, a dinner, or even a new rug with furniture (hint hint, BUTCH). The karma goes forth in stereo.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Easter, Part Three



For the third year in a row, I hosted the Crandall/Isgar/Barnwell posse at my house for Easter Sunday dinner. Although we didn't find the time to say our grace before we dug in, I am very thankful and fortunate to have such an opportunity to eat good food with those I love and to share my home for an opportunity of togetherness. The addition of Jacob this year, with the Nikki, Dylan and Sean explosion makes the ritual that much more special.

The Easter Bunny went a' hoppin in the back yard and left eggs, straws and gifts for those with Easter Sombreros. The day was also beautiful and the fresh air of a spring day was a total delight. The ham, the creamed potatoes, the breads, the green bean casserole, the salad, the cheese cake, the Birthday cake for Dave, the deviled eggs, the vegetables and the asparagus were a welcomed feast for hungry stomachs. Having run in the morning, I also appreciated the late lunch to share with all angles of my bloodline. Karma is being able to break bread with those we love and that is why yesterday, once again, was perfect.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

now dis girl is at home..

looking through other ppl's fb profiles for nth...

dis bieber fever is reali getting to me hard..

i get sorethroats easily & i don't know why...........................

i don.t wanna get sick))):

#1 sore throat

#2 runny nose

#3 ???????????

fever is up next i tink..

yar..shud b fever..

waiting for time to past..

shud i go cca??
wif sorethroat?? 

wooshhh

still addicted to 

'its lyk an angel came by..and took me to heaven...'

wad else to write..

okk.i tink i.ll end it off here......

all dat i can sae is 2 words; buh bye.

Larry

 

When paddleboarder, Jodie Nelson, chose to do something BIG for her best friend who was fighting cancer, she decided to paddle along the Pacific to raise money. She had a few donations, but then Larry arrived.

Larry was a minke whale and rare for the California shores. Even so, he found Jodie and traveled along side her for three hours. She named him Larry and said, 'I bet you'll bring $100,000 for my cause,' and he did. The donations poured in. This miraculous coincidence is too beautiful to make up. Let the energy go as the energy wishes to flow.