Diablo Cody

So over at Dan and Leah's there's been a little discussion going on about Diablo Cody, the writer of Juno - Dan sort of knows her and I wanted to know how, because, come on, Dan and I went to the same schools preschool through college - so, how could I not know her and he know her? Anyway, we got that all figured out and then today I went to one of the blogs I check once in awhile and low and behold this person had lunch with Diablo. Go figure.

Oh - and in case you're wondering - I went and saw Juno and loved every minute of it. It's the second movie I've seen in the theater since Liam was born. The first being Dan in Real Life. I was shocked to discover that I loved every minute of that movie as well. "How?" you may ask, "How have you gotten out to see more movies in the past 7 months than you usually see in a year?" I've got it figured out like clockwork. I put Liam down for the night, kiss Mike and Quinn goodbye, and meet up with my friends. Now Mike and I have to figure out how to get out together, because it feels so good to get out, even if just for a few hours.

Last One

I watched my last film for my class. This one was Permanent Record. After watching it I didn't think it was nearly as strong as the other films we were asked to watch. After our discussion in class I understood the professors reasoning for choosing it...mainly because it should an active principal role, which most movies don't. However, I felt the principal of this school was sort of passive and not a very strong role model for anyone thinking of becoming a principal. Yet, he was more active then other principal roles. Actually, all but one of the other movies we watched had ineffective principals. Mr. Holland's Opus was the only movie that showed a strong principal role - and she was female!

Me Too!

Hey, we like it too.

Sorry for the cheap updates lately...been busy.
Here's a quick one for you -
Quinn's going to be a dinosaur for Halloween. He picked it out himself and is VERY excited. "Na (quinn) Dinosaur." He says over and over. Sometimes he'll add "purple" in front of dinosaur, because that's what color it is.
I bought a witch's costume to wear at work. It was hard to find something that wasn't slutty. There's a lot of slutty costumes available, if anyone is interested.
My classes are going well..and there's two new films to add to the list: To Sir, With Love (an older one, but I enjoyed it) and The Miracle Worker (about Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan) As a child I was obsessed with this story - and the movie made me want to start learning more! I watched the older version with Patty Duke as Helen, but later she stars in the same movie, but as Anne Sullivan, neat, hunh?
That's all folks.

More Films

Here's a few more I've watched:
Sarafina!
An interesting movie - it takes place in South Africa during apartheid, severe segregation. What makes it interesting is that it's a musical. The main character, Sarafina, is faced with horrible situations daily, but the movie is "lightened up" a bit through her fantasies of singing and dancing. An interesting way to discuss a very sad situation that went on for more than 15 years.
A Dry White Season
This is a great movie if you want to get an idea of what was happening in South Africa during the 70s, 80s, and even 90s (apartheid). This movie is shown through the perspective a white teacher who comes to learn of the injustices being done to the Native Africans. It's not a Feel Good Movie, but it'll make you think. I especially enjoyed the role of his wife, who kept encouraging him not to fight "Their (the Africans)" Fight. She just wanted things to be normal again and to not think about what was happening. How many people do you know like that? Let's just not talk about that...it's not pleasant.
Good Will Hunting
On a lighter note, Robin Williams just cracks me up. Have you seen this one? There's a scene where he's talking about how his wife farts when she's nervous - turns out he made that up on the spot and if you watch Matt Damen is laughing for real!
Anyway, it's a good movie and in class we discussed the fears that both teachers and students bring with them to class.

Film

I've watch three movies so far for my Portrayal of Teachers in Film class - which I love! Here's a quick review in case anyone is looking for a movie...

Mr. Holland's Opus - I'm sure many of you have already viewed this movie, but it's a great one to watch. One question we came up with as a class was, "Is it possible to rise to greatness in both your teaching career and your family?" In the movie Mr. Holland avoids his family after discovering his son is deaf, but does amazing things with his students. Interesting question, and I don't think it is - at least not at the same time. Things get put on hold in one place (work or home) or another.

Dead Poet's Society - Another one I've scene before, but after watching it I looked up some more of Walt Whitman's poetry and found this one to be perfect in describing Mr. Keating's feelings of education.
What I heard the learnÂ’d astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wanderÂ’d off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
LookÂ’d up in perfect silence at the stars.

This is a great movie and left the class arguing over the role of Mr. Keating in the ending of the movie.

Stand and Deliver A true story based on the real life teacher of Mr. Escalante, who taught math in an East LA inner city school. In this story he teaches a class of math students for about 2 or 3 years. Sets high expectations, gets to know them, and eventually all of his students pass the AP Calculus exam - which is not easy to do. It's a great movie thdepictscts what is wrong in most inner city schools and offers a glimpse of hope. This movie shows Mr. Escalantes first year of success where 15 students took and passed the AP exam. For ten years, that number increased and remained consistent, those that took his AP calculus class passed the exam. The tenth year (and final year talked about in the movie), 87 students took and passed the exam.
This is a good movie even if you're never planning on teaching inner-city kids. It truly shows how people and student rise to the expectations presented to them (or fall to the expectations).

Good Frame Great Frame

This was written a few weeks ago:
So the other night in class we watched a movie called, "Celebrate What's Right in the World." Take a look at the link - you'll be shocked how much this 22 minute video would cost you! It's a narrative by some guy, Dewitt Jones, that used to be or still is a photographer for National Geographic. We come to learn that "Celebrate What's Right in the World" is National Geographic's vision and purpose. Ah-ha - I never knew it, but it makes sense when you think about the pictures that magazine features. It was a very inspiring film and it made me want to take even MORE pictures. At one point in the film he talked about how the difference between a good frame and a great frame could simply be a few zooms away. (Okay, he didn't use the word "zooms", I can't remember what he said.) Anyway. I tried it with a picture we had taken of some flowers. It worked pretty well, but I haven't been able to upload it to post here for some reason. I'll try to post the picture later...

And this today: so we had our annual BBQ this past weekend. I was a little disappointed going into it because none of my old friends could attend. It's not that I don't like Mike's friends, I just felt a little under-represented that's all. And I would consider Mike's friends my own friends as well, it was just that none of our friends that were my friends first were able to come. I sound like I'm five years old or something. (Amy - I do consider you one of my friends...one of my good friends actually...you're just not one of my old friends that I never see anymore...you know???) Anyhow...we had a low turnout, but I was surprised how much better I enjoyed myself with less people. Not everyone knew each other so I thought for sure there'd be some awkward moments where nobody would have anything to talk about, but thanks to some good conversationalists, like Pete's brother, there was very little of that. I think Pete's brother should come to all our parties because he's able to talk to pretty much anyone about pretty much anything. And I'm not able to do that. And Mike is okay at doing that. And I don't know who of our friends is good at that. I just remember thinking Thank God Jon can talk about music, movies, math, etc... (who talks about Math at a BBQ...we did.). And I suppose it's not what he was talking about, but that he actually was engaging with the other people there. But even though that group left early, our little crowd managed to all talk to each other, which at that point was all old friends and one guy from Mike's work When we have a bigger crowd groups tend to go off into their own little parties and nobody talks to anybody that they really don't more, except for maybe some little introductions and stuff like that. Anyway, I'm just wasting time because I don't want to go and get ready to go off to work tomorrow morning. School starts Wednesday and we've got meetings on Monday and Tuesday this week! ugh.

Too Damn Hot

I'm tired of it being so gosh darn hot. It's been way too hot since at least Friday of last week. So hot that all we do is go to the gym in the morning so that when we head home it's not too hot. We step out of the gym at 9:20 and it's only 88 degrees as opposed to the 98 it is now (noon). And the weather men lied and said it would break sometime today, but now they're saying not until tomorrow. ugh. I feel like a shut-in. Worse then a snow storm, because at least then you can go outside and get some fresh air. I took Quinn out for a little bit before dinner Sunday and we only lasted about 5 minutes. That air is just not fresh. Hot. Humid.

An another note....we watched The Weather Man the other night. I thought Jim Carry was in it, not Nicholas Cage, so I thought it was also a comedy - which it wasn't. After getting over that part I thought the movie was pretty good. A little depressing, but not too bad.

What to do with a toddler when it's too hot to go outside?? Let him jump all over his daddy...

Do you notice the look of pain on Mike's face???

Or you can just give your toddler a tomato - fresh from the garden:

Who says it's too hot???

Dinner and a Movie Family Style

We just got back from Ruby Tuesday's, where thanks to an awesome waiter we were actually able to stay for dessert. How so, you ask. Well, Arlington brought Quinn a balloon which would keep any 16 month old busy for at least an hour.
Mike's putting Quinn to bed and then we're going to watch Cinderella Man, thank you Netflix.
That's Date Night Family Style.

iRobot

We watched iRobot last night. I thought it was pretty good, but then I actually had a nightmare that had something to do with our iRobot (you know, that Rooma Vacuum). I felt real fear in my dream but I really can't remember what was going on in it.
We had a busy weekend, as most Labor Day weekends are. We went and saw Mike's grandparents yesterday and it's so sad talking with his Grandpa, who has deminsha. I think he asked me about 6 times how old Quinn was. I'd say we're pretty lucky, though. His grandpa is pretty good spirited and although it's obvious he's frustrated at times, for the most part he tends to laugh outloud. Though I wonder if he's truly hurting and I couldn't imagine: it's almost as though he's living in darkness and trying to figure everything out over and over again.
This weekend we're going up to South Haven, MI for a wedding! I'm so excited to see that town again, I used to go up there pretty much every weekend in high school. I need to go shopping for a dress today ~ yuk.
Speaking of high school, I decided to go to my reunion. Now I have to see if Mike's going to come with then I have to send my RSVP thing in.
Some of you said I should put more pictures on here...so here's one for you all:


Here's Quinn at my mom's house in the Classic Little Cozy Coupe. Cute, isn't he. My 25 year old cousin also squeezed into the Little Cozy Coupe.