9th graders

As of this year, all 9th graders will spend the first marking period of the year in study hall, in the hope that they may acquire the habit of completing their night's homework (or at least, getting a head-start on it) during their free periods in the day.

Today, I had my first study hall of the year. It was in the science building, which is not a building with which I'm intimately familiar. So, when I came to the room and saw students inside, sitting quietly — some working in their notebooks and some looking in the direction of the blackboard — I naturally assumed that I was in the wrong place. So, I double-checked the number on the door and looked at the students again. They seemed so young, their faces certainly not the faces of high schoolers.

So, I checked with a different teacher this time, who confirmed that no one seemed to be in the room.

Then I went in.

There was no teacher there. Only a student at the front of the class, who had captured his fellow inmates' attention. And these were ninth graders.

Babyish as they look now, by the end of the year, they'll be much older and cruftier. And I will still, as a teacher, look as if I should be taking some math placement test.

There is No Riot

Even that desperate gaiety is gone.
Empty bottles, no longer trophies
are weapons now. Even the cunning
grumble. 'If is talk you want,' she said,
'you wasting time with me. Try the church.'
One time, it was because rain fell
there was no riot. Another time,
it was because the terrorist forgot
to bring the bomb. Now, in these days
though no rain falls, and bombs are well remembered
there is no riot. But everywhere
empty and broken bottles gleam like ruin.

— Martin Carter, Kingston, Jamaica

Hmm

So, yesterday, I was driving along the Henry Hudson and saw on the side of the street a woman, bra in hand, waving her rather pendulous (definitely DD+) breasts at passing cars. I felt as if I had just become a part of a bad exhibitionist/voyeuristic porn flick. Still recovering.

Hoping for some sympathy, or at least something edifying, I told a male friend about this experience:

me: so
I totally saw a naked woman on the side of the henry hudson highway today
waving her substantial tits at passing cars
I didn't know what to think
R: was she fit?
or a big girl?
me: no
I don't remember what she looked like in detail
R: the biological male (read - animal) in me probably would have done some quality oogling
that couldnt be helped
buuuut
the morally-adjusted human being would probably have been horrified/embarrassed (theoretically)
me: lol
well, like I said, I didn't know what to think
I was just shocked
she had her bra in one hand
R: i probably would have only been able to muster an "Awesome"
the rest of me would have been horribly confused
race of this lady?
me: no clue
like really
not white white
not black
R: white? black?
me: maybe latino?
R: Azn?
me: not asian
either part white or native american mix or latino
I think
R: topless or bottomless too?
me: had on panties
and that was it
R: man thats awesome
like, straight out of some guy's fantasy scene in a movie
largely naked chicks on the side of the road waving their ta tas
me: i know
i felt like i was in some sort of crazy porn flick
R: maybe you were witness to one, unbeknownst to you
me: maybe
R: hehe

Oh, boys. /rolls eyes

If I had told this to a (heterosexual) girl, this would have been a very different conversation.

Silly me.

Love,

Katherine

Casten Trip to Guatemala

This is the video of the Casten Trip to Guatemala, over Christmas break 2008. The edges (the left edge in particular) seem to be missing, but hopefully, you'll be able to get an idea.