We Shall Overcome

Monday is Introduce New Scholastic Magazine Center day. This morning I held up the magazine for this week, and the entire class cried "Ooooooo!!!" and pointed and cheered. Then they shouted and chattered and offered up their knowledge:

"He changed the world!"

"He wanted peace!"

"He said little black boys and little white girls could play together!"

And that was BEFORE we read the magazine. Happens every year - the littlest ones are the most profoundly affected by this unit. They totally get a man with a sense of fair and unfair, right and wrong.

Mr. King, we shall overcome. Your legacy lives on.

Brains AND Brawn

Hm, I got the latest Scholastic catalogue today, and it's a conglomeration of "favorite authors." Their publicity shots line the front of the catalogue.

Is it at all twisted that I think Kevin Henkes, author of some of my favorite read-alouds (Wemberly Worried, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, Chrysanthemum) is um....well...HAWT? Seriously. Remember the architect in Mystic Pizza? Yum. Kinda like him.

Don't tell the Criminals.

Just Say No

To sewing handpuppets for the middle school health project. It makes you think of disturbing things to do with vintage buttons. Here are the two interventionist friends of the junkie (yet to be sewn because apparently we do not own a green sock of the correct shade...yes Virginia, you will go out and buy a pair of socks in order to lose one on purpose...because that's a twelve year old):

The End of a Long Day

So the Criminals and I are reading Stuart Little. For some reason, geniuses though they ALL are of course (stop laughing and pointing, I know perfectly well no one believes that), they can't seem to grasp that "Little" is Stuart's last name. They keep raising their hands and piping, "Miss Victoria, only Stuart's little, how come Mr. White calls them ALL little??" I explain. Again. And we move on. Until tomorrow. And the same question. Oh well, it happens.

Anyway, that's so not the point. The POINT is that I came here to be all gaga over the shrimp "fried" rice I made tonight. I looked at the stuff in the restaurant and thought...yanno...I could do this better. With ingredients that don't make me wonder what I'm eating (we are big fans of organic anything and everything at Teach's house). And, lo and behold, I could!

Vacation Heebie-Jeebies

Exactly how geeky is it that I'm all excited to go to the craft store tomorrow and buy wool for my next knitting project?

Yep, thought so. However, at least now I don't have to feel left out come holiday season. My wonderful singer friends (teaching is my second career, the first was opera singing) frequently arrange a holiday knitting drive for my Criminals. I can't boast of being as talented as they are. The hats and mittens and scarves that come to my school are beautifully crafted with cunning little ruffles and trim and roses and beyond. Mine won't be as fancy, but hey, warm is warm!

It's Katherine's Fault

She gave me an excuse for having a digital camera. I am now plus one Samsung SL620 (12.2 MP) and minus a gift card...or two. It's plugged in, charging, and I'm itching to get at it. God help me if her excuse for owning a sewing machine coincides with another gift card.

Digital Age? Really Miss Victoria?

Okay, I admit it, I'm a frustrated gadget-o-phile. I drool over websites full of digital cameras (my cellphone camera just doesn't do the trick), sewing machines, cellphones, iPods and charger/speaker docks, 11 cup food processors...for someone committed to teaching the younger generation to value experiences over acquisitions, I sure want an awful lot of stuff.

Ahem. Physician, heal thyself, yeah I know. I can sort of justify the digital camera...(wouldn't it be great to be able to take really terrific pictures of my classroom...and...my....cakes?)....and....the sewing machine....(just think of all the cute/useful/nifty things I could make for my classroom and Criminals!)...and...yeah. That's about it.

Good thing I don't use credit cards. I'd work myself into some serious debt in five seconds.