They Call Me Mister Fry

10.07.2010

I wanted to put up one last education-related video; however, They Call Me Mister Fry isn’t a movie but a one-man play so it doesn’t have a trailer. What there is up on YouTube about it is kind of, uh, not done very well, in my opinion. The video that’d be equivalent to a movie trailer drags and I don’t think does it justice.

The play stars Jack Fry who re-creates his experience as a first-year teacher in an urban elementary school. I usually don’t look at or read reviews but for those who care, it has received good ones including multiple rave reviews from audiences. Fry has performed this show all over the nation and will be in town this weekend on Sunday, October 10^th at 3 pm and on Sunday, October 24^th at the Fanatic Salon Theater in Culver City.

Here is the website for more information: www.theycallmemisterfry.com.

Pressures to Succeed Becomes a "Race to Nowhere"

10.06.2010

“In America, if you don’t earn a lot of money, something went wrong.” – Student.

“How do you expect us to do well when you can’t even make mistakes?” – Student.

“Produce, produce, produce.” – Teacher.

“I think the United States needs to rethink how we do schooling. The economic future of the country depends on our addressing this.” – Adult.

“We need to redefine success for our kids.” – Adult.

Keeping Racism Alive in Education

10.05.2010

When the first Europeans arrived, they raped the land and killed Native Americans, the people they perceived to be the enemy.

Then the Europeans brought over slaves to do their work for them while reaping the profits. Hatred for the black person grew.

Men feared women for a number of reasons and did what they could, by law, to suppress them in every way possible making sure that a woman knew her place was in the kitchen and with the children.

The Chinese and the Irish were soon feared, despised and killed but not before their services were used to build the Transcontinental Railroad. During this time, the blacks and the Irish were very good friends resolved to living in the slums. Though the minute the Civil War ended, the Irish would now compete with blacks for jobs and so they turned against their neighbors.

At the turn of the 20^th Century, Italians were now despised and white people's hatred for blacks continued. Eugenics was brought into American culture too where minorities, the mentally disabled and anyone else perceived to be “different” was sterilized under the auspices that “white is best."

By mid-century, Latinos have entered the equation and not because of their spot in America’s economic wheel but because hatred toward them now was going strong.

Today, all of these emotions toward these different ethnic groups still exist except for maybe the Irish and Italians. Funny thing. What’s the color of their skin?

The Cartel - Trailer

10.04.2010

“Education is a business that has a monopoly. When you have a monopoly, you can whatever you want.”

“It’s a sad scene but they’ve been pimping on children for a long time."

http://www.thecartelmovie.com/

Withering Away

10.03.2010

I’m a firm believer that if you want to see someone’s true colors observe him/her when he/she doesn’t realize that he/she is being watched. You can see a lot about that person such as whether or not he/she is truly happy, whether he/she is worried about something, or if the person wishes that his/her life turned out somewhat differently. I don’t often get a chance to catch someone I know in this kind of a light but whenever I do I pay close attention to see if I can figure out the essence of him/her.

Recently, I had this chance. I have seen this person over the past 15 years slowly wither away. He was once very handsome with a great personality but as time went on and his kids grew older, his relationship with his wife deteriorated and you could see that his body physically began to change with his shoulders hunched forward as if a heavy burden was pulling him down. I know that currently and for the most part he’s on speaking terms with his wife, but in that fleeting moment that I saw him walking, I could sense such deep sadness surrounding him.

I know that he never wanted to live the way he lives now but his wife would have nothing different. I know that he’d want a bigger living space for his family but they’re out-priced in the area that they live in and she refuses to move, so they live 4 people in a two-bedroom space. The wife’s unwillingness to compromise on many issues has worn this man down. You could see that he gave up a long time ago and now is an empty shell going through the motions.

This greatly saddens me and it is one of the very things that scares me about having kids. Rob and I have a great relationship but even the best kind can get worn down especially if there’s a communication breakdown. I think about this guy’s kids and how both of them are growing up without a father. Yes, he may physically be there but he’s vacant emotionally and spiritually. I know what that does to a girl from personal experience and I can only imagine what that can do to a son. These examples that he sets for his kids will be repeated in future relationships that his kids have and it’s unfair. I just wish people were more honest with themselves.

Moments Fade In, Moments Fade Out

10.02.2010

Today was the Lithuanian Fair. What always hits me is seeing kids grow up, become teens, and young adults, and eventually party like we used to. It’s like watching a movie of my life play out right in front of me only with different stars.

Last year I had an absolute blast. That’s not to say I didn’t have fun this year; I did. But I didn’t drink as much and my circle of childless friends has grown smaller since then. The kind of fun to be had now is on a different level. I don’t hang out at the bar anymore and I’m not looking to find out where the after-parties are going to be. Not that I did all that last year but just…this year seemed emotionally different.

I must admit that throughout the day I felt pangs of desire to have a family. I watched mothers with their little ones go to the “kid’s fun zone” or carrying their very little ones around or pushing them in a stroller and, well, I felt left out. There was a moment where Rob got “attacked” by our friends’ two kids and they kept jumping on him and asking him to give them a piggy back ride (together, mind you) and pretend they were different superheroes and/or villains. It was wonderful watching Rob participate and engage these kids and I momentarily caught a glimpse of a possible future.

But as I sat there watching and observing moments in time pulse in front of me, I also couldn’t help but be saddened though I’m not really able to identify why. Is it fear of the fact that in order to have a child I need to give up the only reality that I now know that is masked in sadness? Is it fear of the fact I may one day regret the decision to never have kids that is masked in sadness? Or is it fear of the fact that I feel alone and that no one can make this decision for me that is masked in sadness?

Those moments that I observed faded in and out like a movie across a screen only that the movie is a one-of-a-kind, for my eyes only. The story, the sequence of events, and the interpretation is written, edited and directed by me. How many stars I want in it is all up to me. Who knows where next year, at this time, this one-of-a-kind movie will have taken me. Part of me eagerly awaits while the other wishes the book were written first so that I could just flip to the last page and find out.

Waterpik's SinuSense Products

10.01.2010

I attended an event today put together by Waterpik who were marketing their new products called SinuSense ™. These products are used for clearing the sinuses to help manage allergies or just to help maintain sinus health. The discussion was particularly angled at moms with kids who had allergies.

I am always for anything that focuses on preventative measures to keep one healthy or for what tries alternatively to keep you in or get you back to health. A few months ago I was sick and one of the recommended treatments for my mild sinus infection was using a nasal cleaner that could be found in the baby section. This particular item became the first baby product I ever bought for the house. I’m so proud, can’t you tell?

Anyway, here are the four items presented to us:

1. Water Pulsator (for ages 6 and up; battery operated) - $39.99

The benefit to this is that it's battery operated (so boys will love it) and the water flow is controlled by the push of a button. Also, you don't have to tilt your head to the side like you do with others.

2. Squeeze Bottle (For ages 4 and up) - $14.99

You don't have to tilt your head with this one either and you control the flow of the water by squeezing the bottle.

3. Neti Pot (For ages 4 and up) - $14.99

You have to tilt your head with this one and the water flows by gravity. There's a little hole that you close with your finger and when you release your finger, the water flows.

4. Neti Bottle (For ages 4 and up) - $14.99 [and my favorite pick]

This is used the same way as the Neti Pot only it doesn't have a handle for you to hold so, to some, grasping it is a bit easier. But the idea is the same; gravity pulls the water once your finger releases the hole.

Nationally, Walgreens and Walmart sell them and, locally, most likely, the big chain stores like Vons or Ralph’s would have them. But you can, obviously, purchase these off of Waterpik’s website at www.waterpiksinusense.com.

By the way, you can share the actual bottle with (a) family member(s) by purchasing separate nozzles.

I highly recommend investing in one of these because sinus irritation is common and is so easily preventable. I plan to get in the habit of cleaning my own after brushing my teeth so that it becomes part of my general maintenance routine. Once that’s established, if we ever have a kiddo then they’ll watch and learn, as I’m sure we’re all well aware of how important it is to start teaching healthy habits early.