Friday, December 15, 2006

Slowing Down

This blog will be slowing down now that I'm back here in the Bay Area. It's hard to report from the Small College Town With Big City Trash, while not being in the Small College Town...

Anyways: Happy holidays to everyone. In spirit of the season I witnessed this last night and it is literally the greatest gift of Christmas EVER: Twisted Sister singing Oh Come All Ye Faithful on Jay Leno.

They have a Christmas album out -- their farewell record.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Leaving for the Airport in two hours

I'm packed. The semester is over. I've collected my students' portfolios and will be sending my grades via email.

And on my last day here in Bloomington until the spring semester, this happens. I'm actually going to miss B-ton. But at least I get to come back for this rally!

Ku Klux Klan might hold rally in Bloomington
By IDS Reports | Indiana Daily Student | Friday, December 08, 2006 A Ku Klux Klan rally might be held in Bloomington this spring.

The director of Bloomington's Safe and Civil City program, Beverly Calender-Anderson, received an e-mail Wednesday from Phil Lawson, the Imperial Wizard of the United Northern and Southern Knights of the KKK. No specific date was mentioned in the e-mail.

The e-mail came just days after KKK leaflets were distributed to the yards of several Bloomington homes. Mayor Mark Kruzan released a statement regarding those e-mails, saying that the distributor of the leaflets craves attention and that it is frustrating to fuel the desire by responding to the leaflets.

"I want the community to know that the city of Bloomington administration and city council find the materials to be as offensive as do all of our citizens," Kruzan said.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Last Week in B-Ton

It's been in the low 20's these past few days. It's even snowflaked a few times, but not enough to gather anything significant on the ground. It's been so cold that my feet hurt.

I've eaten at Steak n' Shake, and I have to say I've never eaten anything so terrible in the midwest before. I had a "green salad" that included chucky cuts of iceberg lettuce with limp tomatoes that were obviously canned (they were pink, not red, and looked so soggy). I got sick off the meal. I denounce Steak n' Shake. Their shakes are okay though.

I had my very last class tonight. Aside from teaching late today and Friday, I'm done. So tired. Indiana still has crime going on:

Student gets throat cut in class

(http://fox59.trb.com/news/local/eveningnews/knifeattack,0,7351848.story?coll=wxin-evening-news-3)

December 4, 2006

One Jennings County High School student is hospitalized, another is jailed after an unprovoked slashing attack in the high school's study hall.

Investigators said the slashing happened at 8:25 a.m. Monday at the high school in North Vernon in a room of approximately 150 students and two staff members.

"The suspect student, from what we've been told, without much warning and nothing being verbalized, basically approached the victim from behind, brought the knife across the throat," said North Vernon Police Officer Andrew Richmond. "The cut was about three or four inches long and very deep, not deep enough to sever any blood vessels."

As the freshman student sought medical help, his 16-year-old attacker fled the high school out a back door. He was apprehended ninety minutes later, two miles north of the high school, in a ditch near his mother's house. The knife was recovered from a table in the study hall.

"This student had no intent to harm any other student," said Dr. Michael Bushong, Jennings County School Superintendent. "This was an act taken and directed at one other student."

Bushong said there are some indications that other students knew animosity or a possible attack was brewing. The attacker faces expulsion from school and will appear in court Tuesday to determine if he will be tried as an adult.


When I actually can think right, I'll update tomorrow...

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Seasons

I woke up this morning and my windows were frosted over. The light from the sun was so muttled through the blinds. It started snow flaking today, and it's freezing outside. My feet hurt from the coldness and the heating unit in my living & dinning area sucks shit. The heater in my bedroom is fine, but these ones up front don't even heat up to warm touch.

I've been so busy grading my students' exams and giving them feedback on their short stories. I'm not sure if university teaching is for me. I'm not disciplined enough to juggle this: writing and teaching/reading student work. I've been trying to finish one story to turn into my workshop, but it's slow coming.

My preoccupation with Engrish is tickled by this. I want to turn this into a performance piece. It's hypnotic, you'll continue to hear and see these girls after it's over, long after.