Reason for the Season

Say hello to my little family in Union City, CA

The interwebs

Funniest thing I've read on the internet today:

bob gresham • 5 hours ago

come to think of it, I've never ever met an atheist at a funeral. 

I've also never been to a funeral where the dead person was going to hell.

Merry Little XMas

Happy Jewish Baby Birthday!

People Are Strange

While eating lunch in the Cafeteria today I jotted down a list of Types of teachers that I see walking around the school:

1. The Show-off
2. The Sick Puppy
3. The Whiner
4. The Zombie
5. The Know-it-all
6. The Clueless
7. The I-Don't-Give-a-Flying-Fig Veteran
8. The Smiler
9. The Boss Wanna-Be 
10. The Neat Freak
11. The Fashionista
12. The Robot
13. The Whisperer
14. The Ol' Yeller/ Screamer
15. The Sheep
16. The Debbie Downer
17. The Brown Noser
18. The Geekster
19. The Hipster
20. The Stalker
21. The Multi-tasker
22. The Sharp-Dresser
23. The Slob
24. The Roller Coaster
25. The BadAss
26. The Zen Master  

Of course you can be more than one single type of teacher. I am a hybrid of types number 19 & 26.  Maybe #25 too, but definitely not 20.  No, not a stalker at all!  Although one of my hobbies is observing and listening to people around me. I pay attention and watch them to see what they might do next when they think no one is looking.

Heathen's Greetings

I do not come to work at school on Saturdays because:

a) It's against my religion.
b) I'm allergic to nonsense.
c) I'm busy with reading homework.
d) I have to attend a Professional Learning Seminar in Maine.
e) I am going to Breakfast with Satan instead.
f) All of the above.
g) None of your business.

Black-ish Friday. Blackout Friday.

African-American Friday?  Buy Nothing Day!

Hands Up!

Hands up!  Don't Shoot!

Schadenfreude

Slick Billy, Doctor of Education

For years and years I couldn't stand that phony holier-than-thou Yuppy faux-intellectual clean-cut white-washed bland so-called witty comedy shtick of the Coz, Bill Cosby. I could sense some creepy dirty perversion beneath all the B.S. of Dr. Huxtable, America's Dad.  Isn't it ironic that while Doctor Bill was busy telling young African-Americans to pull their pants up that he did not have control over his own Fat Albert? Hey hey hey!

But anyways, rape is not a joke and it was never funny. Especially to those women. Dr. Cosby does not seem to know to definition of "innuendo."  It really is about the abuse of power and the hypocrisy of it all.  You got to practice what you preach young man.

People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn't that a sign of something? Or are you waiting for Jesus to pull his pants up? Isn't it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles going through her body? 

We as black folks have to do a better job. Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us. We have to start holding each other to a higher standard. 

We cannot blame the white people any longer.

 Dr. Bill Cosby
Ph.D. in Education

Frozen - "Let It Go" Sing-Along

Silver Comet Half

Kathy at the finish line last week.

Stop the Gun Nuts!

Yesterday was the 87th school shooting incident since Newtown. It was the 75th time since Sandy Hook and the 39th shooting this year.   It's sad that we just recognize and thank our school teachers during "Teacher Appreciation Week" and when something like this happens.

          I propose we do these things instead of praying:

• Spend more time creating art, writing and making music.
• Get a pet and take care of it.
• Read.
• Go play outside.
• Start charging $99.99 for each bullet. Guns are still allowed everywhere but you got to wear a ten-gallon cowboy hat whenever you carry a weapon. If you don't you go straight to jail.  It's the law!
• Stop glorifying and obsessing over these death machines AKA guns.

ART

B Creative & Stay Creative

My cat from hell (Georgia)

Apology letter

9/25/2014

Dear Mr. N,

Sorry that we were acting up in your Art class room. We are sorry we always got you mad.
We will not do that again. So sorry!

Sincerely,

Daniel G.

Fat Free Flavor Free

We had dinner at Golden Corral tonight.  

This is the only thing that they didn't have.

Running through the years

My Ten Essential Books

1. The Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger
2. Fight Club- Chuck Palahniuk
3. 1984- George Orwell
4. Slaughterhouse-Five- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
5. Born To Run- Christopher McDougal
6. Generation X- Douglas Coupland
7. Brain Droppings- George Carlin
8. Tenth of December- George Saunders
9. Walden- Henry David Thoreau
10. American Gods- Neil Gaiman                

The secret to a happy life: revealed!

The secret to a happy life: revealed!

A Message from Your Kids' Teachers

Professionalism

These are my Ten Commandments of Teaching.

Thou shall...
1. First Do No Harm.
2. Be passionate & enthusiastic.
3. Enjoy your time with the kids.
4. Make it fun.
5. Lighten the eff up!
6. Be prepared.
7. Be flexible.
8. Get over yourself and not take it personally.
9. Embrace the suck.
10. Be Kind.

Be professional isn't even in my top 10 priorities.
Why are we so overly concerned and obsessed with professionalism? Our job is one of the roughest jobs anywhere. Every day many of us go do it to the best of your ability with a smile and a positive attitude. To me "professionalism" is a corporate code word for compliance and blind allegiance to a business model of operation. We direct, you follow. Must resist this mindless one size fits all stupid conformity.

In other news, tonight was RunStreak Day 291.
Ran under a beautiful big bright shiny full moon at 10 PM. Much cooler and less humid.

Dream house

Uncommon Bore

The Vent

Teachers are responsible for all of their students' test scores. Even when we are on maternity leave.

In other news, I'm still streaking. It's Day 270. 

Blog of the Year

MCA's 50th Birthday

Intergalactic, planetary, planetary Intergalactic (4x)

Another dimension, another dimension (6X)

Well, now, don't you tell me to smile
You stick around I'll make it worth your while
Like numbers beyond what you can dial
Maybe it's because were so versatile

Style, profile I said
It always brings me back when I hear Wu child
From the Hudson river out to the Nile
I run the Marathon to the very last mile

Well, if you battle me I feel revile
People always sayin' my style is wild
You've got gaul, you've got guile
If you step to me I'm going to rap full file

If you wanna battle you're in denial
Comin' from Uranus to check my style
Go ahead with my rhymes I'll trial
Cast you off into exile

Intergalactic, planetary, planetary Intergalactic
Intergalactic, planetary, planetary Intergalactic

Jazz and Awol, that's our team
Step inside the party, disrupt the whole scene
When it comes to beats, well, I'm a fiend
I'd like my sugar with coffee and cream

Well, I gotta keep it going keep it going full steam
Too sweet to be sour too nice to be mean
With the tough guy style I'm not too keen
Trying to change the world, I'm going to plot and scheme

Mario C likes to keep it clean
Goin' to shine like a sunbeam
Keep on rappin, 'coz that's my dream
Thank Mo D for sticking to the beats

Now when it comes to envy y'all is green
Jealous of the rhyme and the rhyme routine
Another dimension, new galaxy

Intergalactic planetary

Intergalactic, planetary, planetary Intergalactic (4X)

Were from the family tree of old school hip-hop
Kick off your shoes and relax your socks
Your rhymes are spread just like a pox
'Coz the music is loud like an electric shock

I am known to do the wop
Also known for the Flintstone Flop
Tammy D gets biz on the crops
Beastie Boys known to let the beat, mmm, drop

Now when I wrote graffiti my name was Slop
If I rap soup my beats is stock
Step from the table when I start to chop
I'm the lumberjack D.J Ad Rock

If you try to knock me you'll get mopped
I'll stir fry you in my wok
Your knees start shakin' and your fingers pop
Like a pinch on the neck from Mr. Spock

Intergalactic, planetary, planetary Intergalactic (4x)

Another dimension, another dimension (6X)

Do it

First Day of School

And therein lies the crux of Teaching

Stuff White People Say to Asians

One time someone pronounced my last name: N...nig..ger..wen.  True story!

12 Years a Teacher

12 Years a Teacher (2002-2014)

Soundtrack by Nina Simone: Sinnerman 

(Run, Sinner, Run)

Lake Tahoe 2014

   Doanh,                    Phuong,           Thy,             (me) Dung,             Dien

Go Dutch

          ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK.                   HUP HOLLAND HUP!

I'm not in danger. I am the danger.

Red Brick Brewery Wednesday Summer Group Run

Yeah, yo, we had Dog Days, Hoplanta and 3Bagger.  West Stride rocks!

Nouvelle Vague - Blister in the Sun

Cloud Tree

OITNB-season 2

Hello, my name is Yung and I have a binging problem.

By the way my new nickname is Dandelion. Dandy Lion.

New Banksy Art work

Banksy  6/13/2014

Every sentence has a story

Suzanne AKA Crazy Eyes  (Uzo Aduba)

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/11/orange-is-the-new-black-star-uzo-aduba-on-her-journey-from-track-phenom-to-crazy-eyes.html

New Day. New Obsesssion. NetFlix

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Every sentence has a story

Top 10 Things you should not do after 50

1. Kickball. My school Green Acres Gators just won the South Cobb Kickball Championship last Thursday. By the end of the game half of our team, or the 3 guys including me were injured with pulled muscles, various cramps, sprains, strains and automobiles. During the game one of our female players got hit in the face by the ball, tackled and knocked down by a 200 lb guy as she was rounding second base. Who knew that this little game played by elementary school children could be so brutally physical? Or that I was so over-the-hill out of shape even though I run every day. But it was all worth it because we won the whole thing.
   
2. Parkour. Or try out for American Ninja Warrior. There is a reason why nobody over the age of 44 ever got to the Finals. Last year we watched the oldest contestant competed. I don't think Grandpa (age 51) even made it past round 2.
3. Attempt the Split. Especially if you have not done one before. I thought I was pretty flexible.
4. Skateboarding. Or Ripstikking. I got a RipStik and learned to ride it about 5 years ago after seeing my nieces and nephews in California. It was fun until you twist your ankles and bang your head against the sidewalk as the board goes flying out from under you.
5. Join the Circus. Unless you're a clown. Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing any clowns younger than 50. But it's a great gig if you like lots of make-up and baggy costumes.
6. Date people half your age. This is not appropriate for anyone any age actually.
7. Wear clothing with the word "Juicy", "Foxy", "Frankie says Relax" or anything Ed Hardy.
8. Tattoos. Like cosmetic surgery, I don't know about this one. I might change my mind, one day.
9. Take yourself seriously. Never ever ever. Evah.
10. Lose your sense of humor.  Much easier said than done. It's been a rough 8 months for us. First, we were robbed back in September, the same month that my father passed away. My running streak of 1000+ consecutive days ended with a foot injury. A second burglary happened in January. We moved to our current place in February. Then, my brother-in-law, Kathy's older brother whom I've known for the past 22 years lost his life last month. Kevin was 46. He had an odd sense of humor and could be funny at times. I'll miss his over-the-top geeky laugh at his own jokes or questions/statements about nothing and everything. See, if anything I remember that much about him. It was only 9 days since he was admitted to the ER, diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer, surgery, ICU and then the end. It reminds me again  how brief, fragile and precarious this existence on earth can be. Blink of an eye, gasp of breath, a slam of a door. A life short-lived. As I look back though, there was always some sort of comedy amidst all this tragedy.  We move on, we laugh it off because we're still here. I can't even begin to explain it. Maybe this whole post is my way of dealing with it.