this is why you're fat

i gotta admit: when i first saw this SNL parody, i thought it was just satire...

but after seeing this website, i'm not so sure it was satirical!

corndog pizza

Mega Pizza

A pizza with a hot dog wrapped in bacon pigs in a blanket crust. The center is filled with italian sausage, ham, bacon, bacon bits, sliced tomato, mushroom, onion, peppers, garlic chips, basil, black pepper and tomato sauce. It can also be flavored with maple syrup and ketchup.

some of the students at my school look like they might eat some of this stuff... good thing teachers know CPR!

john bolton gets told

i've had this video lying around my desktop for a while, so i thought i'd share it. this is for all (2?) of those people that still think getting rid of saddam was a great thing for the people of iraq.

an iraqi woman tells john bolton what's up...

favorite line:

i've lost more relatives in the last 4 years than under 30 years of saddam, so i don't think you can tell me how dangerous saddam's dictatorship was.

ouch. he got told.

of course he still acts like a smug m'f'er in my opinion...

elizabeth alexander

i loved watching the inauguration with my class on tuesday! it was incredibly moving, and aside from one of my african-american boys falling asleep, my class was transfixed. they clapped, cheered, and basically acted like they were actually on the mall. (of course i had to explain to them that this wasn't the kind of mall they thought it was...)

i especially enjoyed the poet, elizabeth alexander, although my colleague and i agreed that she didn't do the best job delivering her poem...she wasn't exactly a shining example of fluency.

the next evening, one of my favorite political pundits, stephen colbert, had her as a guest on his show and made her explain the difference between a metaphor and a lie.

hilarious. enjoy.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Elizabeth Alexander

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Funny Political News

Christian Bale Parody
Joke of the Day

theresa anderson@hotel cafe

she was amazing! she performed her first song completely a capella at the front of the stage, stomping her platform heels to keep the beat. i was immediately transfixed to say the least. she then proceeded to take off her shoes and captivate us with her blend of soulful folk (soulfolk?) and humorous anecdotes, all the while skillfully manipulating her delay pedals with her bare feet (podipulating?).

and just like her video in my previous post, her whole record, hummingbird, go! was recorded alone in her kitchen in NOLA, so when she mentioned her "back-up singers," the kitchenettes, and actually introduced each "singer" by name, describing their physical attributes and personalities, we all had a good laugh. she was so cute!

after the show i got to briefly talk to her about our mutual musical friend (mike dillon), holding up the line to buy her CD as she autographed it for me with a heart! (::sigh::)

a.m. letter test prep

here's what it looks like with a little test prep thrown in...

i heart the a.m. letter

i love the morning letter for many reasons, but mostly because i get to come in and begin teaching right away. before i began using it, i felt like i wasted valuable teaching time with students fumbling around for journals or pencils, chatting at their seats, checking homework, etc. now i get right down to business.

here's the routine: students drop off their backpacks at their seats, "park it on the carpet," (my new catchphrase), and i begin teaching a language arts content standard immediately. then, they go back to their seats and try it with another letter i've composed that hits the same content standard that i taught in the letter. it takes about 15 minutes--quick and painless. i like it WAY better than DOL (or "D.O.HELL"--my other new catchphrase). it's way faster, and it models what good writers do: they write everyday.

i can also teach a lot more than just punctuation, grammar, and spelling. last november, before we tracked off, i used it to teach the revision strategy of combining sentences. and since the CST has questions like, "how would these sentences best be combined?" i get test prep in too. bonus!

here's what that looked like:

5th grade camp

while i'm excited and relieved that our 5th graders will indeed get to go to camp this year--albeit for only 2.5 days at the YMCA's camp oaks--i'm saddened that the 60 year tradition of LBUSD students going to camp hi-hill is over...

from what i've heard, some people on the school board have had it in for hi-hill for a long time... that's why it was so encouraging to see our superintendent and other head honchos at the 60 year anniversary party last may (where i was lucky enough to help provide some musical entertainment).

this article in the district raises some interesting questions as to why LBUSD closed hi-hill...

obviously it's more politically expedient for the district to site fire and safety concerns than it is to say we don't want to pay for the poor kids to go to camp, but either way--super sad.

theresa anderson

wow.
talk about talented.
watch/listen to this one-woman performer from NOLA and see/hear what i mean.
she's playing in LA this month, and
i can't wait to check her out!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

hey gangsta! need help deciding if today will be a good day?
check this hilarious flow chart. (warning: NSFW)
(based on "today was a good day" by ice cube)