Merry Christmas To All

I wish you all peace and joy this holiday season. May the new year bring you not only what you want in life, but also what you need.

Remember to live, love, learn and pass it on!

The Line Between Student and Teacher Relationships

I was gagging as I read this article in the Times about school districts having to implement policies restricting teachers from getting connected with their students through social networks and texting.

I was very surprised to see that some grown folks don't use their common sense in this situation. At what point does it make sense to "friend" a student of yours and invite him or her into your personal life, via your online presence?

Children don't really know boundaries unless you clearly set some. Over the years students have tried to blur the line between our teacher and student relationship. I quickly help them course correct.

This is how I handle this situation with my students:

Student: "Mr. S do you have a facebook page?"
Mr. S: "No. Facebook is for you young folks."

This prevents a student from looking for me on Facebook and requesting I "friend" him or her.

Student: "Mr. S do you tweet."
Mr. S: "No. Tweeter is for you young folks."

I actually don't tweet.

I do leave room for students to interact with me on a somewhat social level because at times they will need an adult to confide in if they are experiencing something heavy like bullying or abuse.

Moreover, we see each other five days a week for hours, and we are human beings that develop connections to one another.

However, I am not their father or friend. And, my students are not my kids.

When students open up to me about any problems they were having, I listened compassionately and guided them to the right person in that school that could help them. In other words I respond as a professional.

With that said, there are exceptions to this rule. I have a handful of "friends" on Facebook that were my former students from when I taught in high school.

My rule was modified to included any student that was 18 or older and attending college, and the relationship will be as mentor/mentee.

Oh and it is by invitation only to students that displayed a mutual respect and a certain level of maturity.

Peter Pan Syndrome In Effect

Quidditch has gone muggle. Well, at least they are getting more of a workout if they had played baseball.

I Went All Lemming On Myself

I gave into peer pressure and got a smartphone. I did get the phone at an extremely discounted price, but my monthly cost went up $20.  I took the bait and got hooked.

I'm curious to see if after a few weeks if I feel at ease with joining the herd. BTW, my students don't laugh anymore when they see my cell phone.

A Virtual Fashion Magazine Moment

I realized today that is has been years since I indulged in flipping through fashion magazines.

My Titi Maria always had Vogue, Elle and GQ on her coffee table. She loved fashion, and was quite stylish on a very tight budget.

I forgot how much I would love looking at fashion magazines and imagining a story to go along with the editorials. Fashion magazines were one of the things that provided me with moments to escape a hard-knock-life childhood. 

In my teens I decided to go to the High School of Fashion Industries. It was very daring on my part because most of my friends and family stayed in Brooklyn for high school, however, I was determined to take the L train to Manhattan and become part of the fashion world. 

I loved my years at Fashion High, but I soon learned I didn't have the discipline nor patience for crafting garments. I did learn my true talents would require me to pursue other dreams. Yet, to this day I still remain an admirer of great fashion and design. 

I also still love strong and brilliant fashion editorial work. Here are images that fueled my imagination during the morning. The images are courtesy of VMan Magazine, and the captions came from my twisted mind. 

The Contessa kept her most valuable possessions close to her. 

Very Krafty how they Werked this. All aboard for the Trans Europe Express.

Watersports

I'm pretty mama.

A High-Fashion X-Man 

Bring back the Pompadour!

Oh Johnny! Why you go and fuck up the way you did?
Stay off the drinking and drugging so you can return  back into fashion.

Men are dogs! Genius styling at this shoot. 

Happy Thanksgiving

I was really good this year and handled my time well while preparing my goodies for the annual potluck Thanksgiving dinner.

My collard greens are tender and tasty, my sweet potato puree is silky with a sweet and savory thing going on. 

The only big ticket item waiting to be done is the ham which is seasoned with spicy mustard, brown sugar and a bit of curry powder. 

I'm so glad I only have to transport my dishes across the street! 

Random Thoughts

- Politicians are fucking whores. The more things change, the more they stay the same. I'm feeling so over it, but I remind myself I have to stay engaged and let my voice be heard.


- Dancing With The Stars celebrates the GLBTQ community in the biggest way. I saw a transgendered man dance with a women. Then, a big queen took a turn with another man. This show was brought to you by a Disney owned company. Everyone say "Hallelujah, Tinkerbell!"


- Local news remains a freak show. Midway into the broadcast they show a man pulling a school bus for a local school. I'm sure next will see a segment on something scary involving the holiday season.


- I saw on doc on PBS about a man that spent a year raising wild turkeys from the moment they came out the egg. He said they taught him, "when we live in the past or think of the future we betray the present." Once again we are reminded the age old advice to live in the present. 

Another Music Memory

When Adam Sandler came on Letterman tonight to promote his new movie Jack and Jill, they played a few seconds of this song. I was reminded how much I loved this song as a kid.

It's true that Ray Parker Jr. was better than the theme to Ghostbusters.

Heavy D and Smokin' Joe Frazier Have Their Turn At Metamorphosis

Two legendary men have gone on to see what is on the other side. Thank you for letting your light shine. 

Smokin' Joe Frazier (click here for more)

Heavy D (click here for more)

The Celesta

McQueen Lives On

It looks like McQueen's house is in good hands.

Diving for McQueen on Nowness.com.

You and I Let This Happen

 We are living, as always, in a time when We reap what we sowed and allowed to bloom.

Nerd-Comedy Rocks!

Myq Kaplan Stand-Up Comedy from Myq Kaplan on Vimeo.

Occupy Water Coolers

Good people, fly your freak flag at the water cooler. The folks that are occupying need us to explain, the reason behind this action.

A Music Man

V posted a classic Chic tune on his blog today. It reminded me about the brilliance of Nile Rodgers. 

Nile Rodgers is legendary within the world of music producers.  Whether it was his work with Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran Madonna, David Bowie, or his own band Chic, there is a track Nile birthed that made you feel the groove.

Nile has written an autobiography that should be out, if not now, any minute now. I got a taste of his story in the NYT. Click here for a look into his early childhood. It was so not what I expected, which made it very interesting. 

I'm gonna hunt down this book. I want to know more about his journey.

For The Passionate People At OWS

Kurt Vonnegut has been my mentor, via text printed on page, for many years. I offer this quote as a caution to the good people, doing the good work focused on bringing justice to this planet:


"During the Vietnam War, which lasted longer than any war we’ve ever been in—and which we lost—every respectable artist in this country was against the war. It was like a laser beam. We were all aimed in the same direction. The power of this weapon turns out to be that of a custard pie dropped from a stepladder six feet high."


Click here for the full interview of a human being that served in war, and was able to hold on to his humanity.

Hot Pink Mussy Power

There will be moments in life when you have to show your hot pink, and let it make the people gag. Look and learn.





BTW, the divas in hot pink won! In the words of a fan, "Ya ate it!"

Bowie On My Brain

I so dig a song from David Bowie.

At his best David eats music's pussy, or rims, then fucks it's hole, while offering his own.  This creator of music is made by a lover of both men and women.

I offer this sample of music by Bowie, that has for many years, left me pleased.

The song also left me wondering if Iman's husband likes to be fisted. If he does like an aryan fist up his mussy, I say, "Do you!'


Funny how secrets travel, I'd start to believe, if I were to bleed

Thin skies, the man chains his hands held high

Cruise me blond Cruise me babe

A blond belief beyond beyond beyond

No return, No return

I'm deranged

Deranged my love

I'm deranged down, down, down


So cruise me babe cruise me baby beyond

And the rain sets in. It's the angel-man

I'm deranged

Cruise me, cruise me, cruise me, baby

The clutch of life and the fist of love

Over your head

Big deal Salaam

Be real deranged tonight

Before we reel I'm deranged

And the rain sets in It's the angel-man

I'm deranged

And the rain sets in It's the angel-man

I'm deranged

Cruise me, cruise me, cruise me, baby

Show Business Is Fierce...Not In A Good Way

Wow, Sean Young from Blade Runner, and other movies, just pimped herself on David Letterman's show tonight. She was pleading for the folks in control, to hire her for something, anything, you name it. She even let them show a video of her in a Catwoman outfit screaming, "I'm not crazy!" In the words of Dave Chapelle, "Show business turns us into whores."

Proud Alumnus of P.S. 123

Class 2-1 Mrs. Bello

Class 3-1 Ms. Goldberg
So I came across these class pictures posted by a former classmate of mine. I actually still have the pictures, but never thought to scan them. Take a look and see if you can find me.

I'm very grateful for the public education I received at dear old P.S. 123, in Brooklyn. I had very dedicated teachers and felt like I could accomplish anything because of their encouragement.

Mrs. Bello helped me fall in love with writing. She always encouraged me to put my thoughts onto paper. Thank you Mrs. Bello.

Ms. Goldberg opened my mind to beautiful writing when she read to the class Charlotte' Web. The way she gave life to the words in the book remains a vivid memory. Thank you Ms. Goldberg.

Mrs. Bello and Ms. Goldberg are my role models and the standard I strive for as a teacher.