Jack once again has sabotaged my powerbook. After clamoring for attention he has ripped the "y" button right off of my keyboard. How am I still able to type such essential words as today, dichotomy, and Yukon? I expertly applied my basic knowledge of computer keyboard technology and reassembled the disrupted key. Success! I just need to press a little harder when I wish to use the dysfunctional letter.
I forgot to update everyone on my exhilerating weekend and plan on accomplishing this in three seconds... Friday night included a two hour car ride to Lafayette, Louisiana. I had plenty of time to reflect on the next few weeks ahead as I sat in traffic under the metropolis street lamps of Baton Rouge, listening to Saves the Day and sipping on a chilled coffee. Upon arrival at the Marriott Courtyard, I drove to the Blue Moon cafe to meet up with the scattered leaves of Teach For America. We enjoyed small talk and the repeated question of "What the hell have you been up to the last two and a half months?" We didn't really ask each other how we were doing because we already knew the answer: disjointed, compromised, misunderstood, estranged. It brought a sense of joy and sadness to see everyone together for the first time since our upheaval. Many of the folks who had been relocated to Houston had driven three hours, only to spend four hours with their friends and then return to the city of concrete highway. We danced under the neon Blue Moon sign to the rattle of Zydeco. I drank Pabst Blue Ribbon with a longing for those old college days of cheap beer. I smoked my throat raw with too many cigarettes. Afterwards I escaped with Bridget and her friend Deena across the street to the Atmoshpere restaurant unknowlingly ordering the best Tomato Bisque I've ever had in my life at 2 am. It was thick with a cornicopia of savory vegetables and unnamed spices. The restaurant had a stylish demeanor that only added to the nuanced treat. After a cold dead sleep of six hours, we drove another half an hour to Opelousas Junior High for a full day of professional development. I feel developed. Usually the Teach For America workshops feel like a waste of time, but the information that saturated our morning had purpose and direction. I learned how to incorporate my Teach For America experience into my resume with applombe. They indicated the precise way to utilize the mission statement in order to elicit comprehensive inquiries from future potential bosses. They even engineered ways to highlight the implications of returning to teach from the hurricane. The importance of the dedication and self-sacrifice must not go unnoticed in each interview. After a lunch of Papa Johns pizza, we had learning teams where we discussed how to implement centers into the classroom. I don't want to to go into what centers are, so just trust that they are an efficient teaching strategy and let sleeping dogs lie. That night I travelled back to New Orleans for a night on the town. The ten of us that returned hit up Molly's on Decateur Street. Molly's is a bar of locals that lacks pretention. We then went over to Pat O's a glorious bar on Bourbon that has the confounding flaming fountains; giant water fountains that have blue and orange flames eminating fron the center. Don't ask me how they work. I spent sunday finishing the third season of 24 and watching football. Good times.
I'd like to step back and address the depressing notion of Thanksgiving that I painted yesterday. After a brief conversation online with my sister, she helped me to put it in perspective. She said that her feelings regarding holidays had been negative for the longest time. Now, she feels blessed and excited to return from college to a family that she is excited to be around. I love you Corey. Sometimes when distance acts as a massive barrier between us, your insight helps ground me and break through the miles of confusion that separate us. It's hard being a big brother and not being able to protect you, even when the whole world seems to be a loaded gun. I know I wouldn't be able to control it anyway. You would let me, and that independence is an asset. You are the greatest impact on the path of my future. Deciding to move back to the northeast would have a lot to do with being closer to you. I can't wait for the days when our families unite for holidays, playing football in the back yard. The only question will be, who can cook the turkey? For some reason, I think I'd be a more likely candidate, but maybe we should just burn the roast together.
I want to roast marshmallows. I want to catch fireflies. I want to read a new novel. I want to fly a kite ( I may do this with my students on Friday). I want to wear a suit. I want to see the stars. I want to go to the zoo. I want to go to Dave and Busters. I want to hit that. I want to mix five different flavors of slurpees. I want to play softball and volleyball and soccer. I want to see my dad. I want to smoke pot. I want have the best dream of my life and remember it. I want it to snow. I want to think of a cocktail when I hear the word hurricane. I want to see my name in the newspaper and on TV. I want some more coffee. I want to fall in love. I want to start over and over and over and then never start over again.
