useless blog (now not so useless and titled "the face of an American teenager...")

I'm blogging because I need to write, but I have nothing to write about...or maybe, just nothing I want to say at the moment. I feel like my students who look at me with blank stares and glazed eyes.

I've perused through several other blogs already this afternoon, some to get ideas, some because they are my friends and I want to know about their lives.

Mark in London wrote about his near death, but hilarious, experience in The Ox and the Lamb Pub a few nights ago. Cool Cat Teacher quoted another blog about an ICT conference for kids, where kids teach the teachers what they have been doing in their classrooms with technology, and what lessons were important for them. Kids will be the keynote speakers and participants throughout the conference. Of course, this is in theory mode right now, but I think it's a novel idea.

Probably the most disturbing blog to me this morning was when I linked from Janet Morrison's Community Dialogue to Larry James' Urban Daily to read about Monica. This heart-wrenching story about an illegal immigrant teenager who, with no prior records, spent the weekend at an immigration center and then in jail because she did not have proper identification on her. About to graduate from high school, Monica is an honor student with good grades and no discipline record...and although her country (she's been here over a decade) will deny her any rights, her school teachers don't. To them, she's a typical American teenager about to graduate high school. She doesn't look out of place because she buys her clothes at the mall, or finds trendy bargains at local thrift markets. She uses local cell phone service and pays for things she needs from local stores. She carries her school work in a back pack or a fashionable bag. She has conversations about music and movies. She listens to an Mp3 and has a MySpace. She studies. She listens in class. She gets her homework done on time. She's thinking about her dreams of a family, her college applications, and her aspirations about a career. Inside, there's excitement about the new chapter in her life that's about to begin, and a little nauseous anxiety, even though, like most 18 year-old's, she would never admit it.

Now, her new chapter is scarred for a decision her parents made when she was five to bring her to a new country so she could get a better education, a better job, and a better life. She was offered a place to live, a loving family and neighborhood, and an education. She offers the 21st century American society money, work ethic, intelligence, and a voice to vote.

I don't know Monica personally, but I know her. She's a daughter and a best friend. She might be a sister and an aunt. She might even be a teacher's pet. The point is, she's someone. She's not an illegal immigrant. Monica is the face of an American teenager.

get married in vegas...end of story!!

Okay. Yes. I'm changing my tune...somewhat. I'm still getting married at the court house, but when the horse and carriage came around the corner, behind the gazebo and in front of the audience at Caron's wedding, everyone was stunned, making a Vegas wedding purely worth it. I even knew it was happening and was still stunned. (Well done keeping the secret don't you think?) So when she stepped out of the carriage and Kory walked down the aisle to assist his bride...wow o wow...a unity sweet sigh escaped the lips of all the guests. (Oh dang it! I vowed not to use the word "UNITY" through this whole thing...all I can hear is Dave Chapelle squealing "Unity" in what became the unity slogan of the weekend. :)

From the cake (which I completely forgot about once I dove into the delectable chocolate dripping from the three tiered fountain) to the flowers to the pictures to the buffet to the DJ, The Secret Garden staff at the Las Vegas Racquet Club are experts at weddings.

Eat, drink, and be merry...and we'll take care of little details seems to be the philosophy of the employees. When Caron and I arrived at the Bridal Lounge to change and prepare for the ceremony, our dresses were hung out, the champagne was chilled, and hors d'oeuvres graced the table.

Without a rehearsal, the wedding went smoothly (but seriously, who doesn't know how a wedding should go anyway?) Kevin and I were perfect. All the family was perfect. Pablo Neruda was perfect (not a single tear for those of you who knew my dilemma). Grandma and Shaun said perfect prayers. I think it was all simply perfect. Are there any other words? The only thing missing was a Spanish singing guitar player (which I bet we could have found on the cheap in Vegas!)

As for those CD's I wrote about earlier...they went like hot cakes at a benefit breakfast on a Saturday morning (say that with a twang and follow up with banjo pickin'.)

Bravo Caron and Kory! xoxoxo

get married at the court house...end of story!

Oh the joys of planning a wedding. The last 24 hours my sister and I have been up making 55 CD's on three different computers using seven (a, b, c, d, e, f, and g) playlists from itunes. And when things would go smoothly for a couple of hours, invariably a computer would freeze, a kitty would walk across the keyboard, or the cd-rom would go nuts. What a mess! For the love of life...why are computers so complicated?! And all this for wedding guests at the upcoming nuptials in Vegas. Hardly worth it! (But I have uploaded some great songs through the project.)

Sister's done all the research. She had songs in mind and spent the better part of last night placing them in just the right order. From Dean Martin to Eartha Kitt, from Frank Sinatra to Ella Fitzgerald, from Louis Armstrong to Rosie Thomas, from Hank Williams to the delightful little Norah Jones, we put 28 of some of the greatest 'i-love-my-honey" songs ever recorded. (Insert moment to vomit.) Johnny Walks the Line and then sings along with June to Jackson and 'Cause I Love You (which, for a love song, is one of the best ever in my book....seriously, what man would bring me honey from the beech tree in the meadow? Great lyrics, Johnny!) Tammy Wynette belts out Stand by Your Man (never would I put this on my own CD), and Nancy Wilson reminds us that You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (and I don't think she was talking about her house pets.) Hank fiddles out Baby, We're Really in Love...wow! Hank Williams with a real love song! And, of course, Ms. Etta James closes the CD with At Last...and I'm sure Caron and Kory's life will definitely "be like a song." But I'm thinking it might be more like Loretta Lynn's Fist City.... :)

So...after hours behind the computer (I did manage to sneak off for a workout at the Y), and listening to phone conversations with the new mother-in-law, I'm 100% sure I will never plan a wedding again. (And hopefully not because I won't ever find that perfect companion, but because we will find ourselves in Vegas, or at the beach, or in Europe and just say, What the heck, let's get married....and in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout, we'll head to Jackson. Undoubtedly, this will make my family nuts, but it will keep my own insanity in check.

Disclosure: I'm all for my future mate planning, organizing, and paying for his dream wedding...I"ll just invite friends and show up for the nuptials if that's the way he wants it. :)