Messages

1

General / Re: Watcha readin?

« on: September 23, 2017, 02:10:41 PM »

Reading Literacy and Power by Hilary Janks, which is a text for a critical literacy course I am taking for my doctorate. It is torture to sit down and read, but once the chapters get completed, it is actually mind-blowing. I am having to do linguistic analyses of elementary school textbooks using her framework and it is really cool (though now I am super annoyed by what my district teaches in elementary social studies).

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General / Re: Watcha readin?

« on: June 05, 2017, 05:25:04 PM »

Good to know! I hadn't even heard of magic lessons, it looks so rad!

Just started Stiff by Mary Roach. I am obsessed with her.

Terrific example of high-interest nonfiction- I've recommended it to tons of my students, all of whom have loved it.

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General / Re: Watcha readin?

« on: May 23, 2017, 04:45:05 PM »

Handbook of Research on Learning and Instruction
Educating Culturally Responsive Teachers
Curriculum Theory
Teaching Adolescents with Disabilities

Last book I read for fun was What is Not Yours is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi, which I cannot recommend enough.

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General / Re: new descendents rec

« on: August 03, 2016, 04:19:48 PM »

Only a couple of tracks will be added to regular rotation; I like "Spineless and Scarlet Red" a lot. Most of it is forgettable, in an "it's fine, but I won't probably choose to listen to it very often" kind of way. A couple of songs, namely "On Paper", is cringe-worthy.

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General / Re: catch up thread

« on: July 10, 2016, 08:15:56 PM »

I really wish I had something not entirely boring to throw out there. I'm Facebook friends with some of you. You already know.

Umm...I've been married for almost two years to the same person I was with back when this board was all about some hAM!. I just celebrated two years in the house I bought. I left Athens and moved 15 min out to maximize my house:money ratio. I miss Athens. We have two dogs, two cats, and a lot of knick-knacks and furniture you put together with a hex wrench.

I'm starting my 5th full year of being a high school English teacher. My first two years were miserable but I think I found my stride last year, so everything's okay on that front. I am going back to school in August to work (in addition to starting classes to get my Ed.S. in Curriculum Development). I "coach baseball" but I'm more of a figurehead with a teaching license than anything else.

Womp womp.


 

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General / Re: First cd you went and bought with your own money

« on: March 06, 2016, 06:21:43 AM »

Most likely some country tape. Garth Brooks' "In Pieces" is jumping out at me, though I could be wrong.

First CD, not sure. Probably some Grammy Nominees compilation. Or maybe A Boy Named Goo?

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General / Re: What were your favorite PiX releases from over the years?

« on: January 17, 2016, 06:37:21 AM »

I think the second Door-Keys album was the best PIX release. Also, Carrie Nations' "Be Still".

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General / Re: Beach Slang

« on: December 14, 2015, 06:36:02 PM »

Love these records. Saw them play in ATL at a festival and they were the highlight of a day that had sets by Small Brown Bike, Lawrence Arms, Braid, Samiam, Chumped, and even the Descendents.

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General / Re: i actually think ALL beats Descendents

« on: December 12, 2015, 05:33:22 AM »

I really like ALL, specifically the later albums- I think Chad Price has one of the best voices in punk rock.

However, that Descendents movie kind of summed it up when they said that ALL "was the band guilty of not being the Descendents." Perhaps it is not necessarily the most fair way to go about things, but all in all, the Descendents just have better songs and a less-saturated body of work and the charismatic frontman. I lost my marbles when I was able to see them live this summer.

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General / Re: albums that get you through the hard times

« on: November 23, 2015, 01:35:50 PM »

also the weakerthans holy shit. listened to their music EXCLUSIVELY when i was depressed so now it actually just makes me really sad immediately when i hear it. is that terrible?

My wife is the same way. So a few years ago, when she was still living at her parent's house, someone accidentally let one of her cats out of the house and it ran away. This was about when "Reunion Tour" was coming out, because I remember she heard "Virtute the Cat Explains Her Departure", broke down sobbing, and asked me to delete all of the Weakerthans off her MP3 player so it wouldn't come up on shuffle. She has not listened to them since, even though the overwhelming majority of their songs aren't, you know, about that.

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General / Re: Best ever version of best ever death metal band outta denton.. gave me chills

« on: October 16, 2015, 05:35:27 PM »

This is what they closed with when I saw them last week. Got super psyched. The whole show was fantastic.

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General / Re: anyone interested in a signed copy of John Darnielle's novel, Wolf in White Van

« on: October 04, 2015, 06:38:07 AM »

Shoot me a price you think is fair and I'll see what I can swing.

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General / Re: when you lose everything how do you collect the shards of your life and restart?

« on: October 03, 2015, 10:06:49 AM »

I really hate to hear this and I feel for you. I don't have any "good" advice beyond the generic things that are always way easier said that done. I will, however, listen if you need to talk and help however I'm able to do so. Your life matters and I hope you can get the help you deserve.

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General / Re: anyone interested in a signed copy of John Darnielle's novel, Wolf in White Van

« on: October 03, 2015, 09:50:11 AM »

I would be interested, Ryan. I still have not actually gotten the book. Been too swamped to read anything of late. Do you have one to sell?

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General / Re: Bad Religion Fans (rank the studio albums)

« on: September 05, 2015, 10:43:48 PM »

1. No Control
2. Against the Grain
3. Suffer
4. Recipe for Hate
5. Generator
6. How Could Hell be Any Worse?
7. The Process of Belief
8. The Empire Strikes First
9. Stranger than Fiction
10. New Maps of Hell
11. The Gray Race
12. True North
13. No Substance
14. The New America
15. Into the Unknown

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General / Re: What's an opening band you hadn't heard of when you saw them but now love?

« on: August 05, 2015, 07:33:33 PM »

Generally, I get to any Against Me! show early to see the opening bands and am rarely disappointed. I really enjoy Off With Their Heads and they were openers in Athens. That was how I  first saw Fake Problems for the first time, and though at the time, they had that same AM!, I believe they've become a much better band. Lately though, they've been even more on point. They had Screaming Females one time and that was mind-blowing experience. Likewise, they brought The Shondes out last time they were in Athens and it was just great.

Seeing War on Women was pretty cool, as well. Shows are way better than the first album, but I enjoy the new full-length tremendously.

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General / Re: 50 Favorite Films 2000 - Present

« on: July 10, 2015, 09:13:31 PM »

I don't necessarily hate Wes Anderson movies. In fact, I think they're really pretty movies to look at. But all my friends adore them and most of the time, I sit there and wonder if there's something I'm missing, and if so, what? Grand Budapest Hotel was the one I have enjoyed the most, I believe.

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General / Re: Fizzy water appreciation thread

« on: July 10, 2015, 09:09:34 PM »

Where are all these exotic La Croix flavors coming from? The grocery stores in my area have lemon and orange. Pretty sure that's it. Coconut? That's insane!

I have a mini-fridge in my classroom and I like to keep seltzer water and lemons/limes in there and sip it throughout the day to combat my absolutely aggressive coffee consumption.  I like having La Croix in there, but stuff is on the pricey side. But seriously...I can get cranberry and coconut flavors? Whaaaa?

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General / Re: Do you collect anything?

« on: July 09, 2015, 06:43:16 PM »

I collect books. I need to do a major purge. I had a ton of books when I lived in my apartment but then I bought a house with a huge bonus room and put bookcases along an entire wall. I go to library sales/"bag sales" where you pay $5-10 and get a bag and fill it up and those are the worst. You find yourself going "Hmm...I could see myself reading this ONE day." I've scaled back, but I love my "library", but let's face it: I'm a teacher and I will not read a book for about 25 more years.

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General / Re: anyone doing anything awesome?

« on: July 03, 2015, 09:33:54 AM »

Gearing up for another year of teaching young bucks about the written word. Trying to get my head straight before I do so. Anxiety about August set it pretty early in June and is going full blast now.

Looking into getting my Ed.S. in the fall in instructional technology so I can perhaps find a job in a school outside of a classroom.

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General / Re: Fizzy water appreciation thread

« on: July 01, 2015, 05:55:45 AM »

Also, I want a soda stream but I have heard they're a shitty company. Anyone have something like it that they like?

I had not ever thought about getting one, but my mom bought me one a couple of years ago. The novelty wore off very quickly, due to how expensive refilling the tank was (and it's their own CO2 tank that has to be swapped out).

There are several brands out there now hovering in the ~$50 range.

Also, if you're feeling resourceful, assembling a DIY system doesn't sound too awfully difficult and would allow you to use a larger CO2 tank that wouldn't have to be refilled every 30 bottles and could be refilled anywhere.

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General / Re: 1Q84

« on: February 26, 2015, 07:33:22 PM »

Not very well. Plan on making up ground over the weekend, but between teaching, coaching baseball, and taking classes...no.

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General / Re: 1Q84

« on: February 19, 2015, 02:38:15 PM »

I had never read Wendell Berry until I was trying to finish up my degree a semester early and took a Topics English class in a Maymester. When I got in there, it was entirely devoted to Berry. 18 books in 21 days. Definitely my favorite 80-year-old Christian farmer-dude.

I will definitely try to keep up, though I am always juggling several books. I am trying to teach two books at a time in each of my classes, so it's a bit hectic. About to get easier, when I return to familiar territory in a few weeks.

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General / Re: 1Q84

« on: February 19, 2015, 05:53:07 AM »

I am apprehensive to dive in, because there are probably 100 books on my "to-read" list before that one, but it is something I want to read and I normally don't have folks reading it along with me. I will attempt to give it a go. These days I usually only read the works I am teaching or if I get a couple days off, a Wendell Berry book or something.

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General / Re: band you hate that everyone seems to love

« on: January 18, 2015, 01:31:10 PM »

RVIVR

I agree with their politics and I appreciate the fact that they exist, but I do not particularly care for their actual music at all.