Music hath powers...

So, I've decided I'm making a change.

For those of you who don't know, I play music for my students whenever they are given time to work on assignments in class. I have a random assortment of CDs in my classroom that are mostly classical and some blues and jazz/be-bop songs. I'll play them for the kids, and I love the fact that they get a chance to hear some music that they MIGHT not otherwise be able to.

However, I was feeling this week like it wasn't enough. That, while it's great that they hear Mozart and that I've told them that studies have shown that listening to Mozart while working on math can improve standardized math scores, it still isn't enough...there is SO much great music out there.

So, here's my plan.

I have scheduled out one song per week from here on out for the rest of the year. At the end of the day, after all other work has been done, students will be given a chance to listen to, take in, and learn about one song that I have deemed "culturally significant." This week (and next, because I started out on Thursday) is Pachelbel's Canon in D. So, each day we listen to the song, the students are able to draw what the song reminds them of, they're able to journal on it, or just enjoy it. We're going to discuss voice and how music--whether it has words or not--can clearly and quite effectively express the author/composer's feelings and thoughts.

So, what does "culturally significant" mean? Well, just a few of the songs that I have selected are: Moonlight Sonata, All You Need is Love, You Can't Always Get What You Want, Rhapsody in Blue, New York New York, This Land is Your Land (the original, complete version, so that my class can see that it's really a protest song),

Now, for this year I believe I have all the songs picked out. But, I'm willing to reassess my choices and selections as I go. So, here's your job....

what songs, dear readers, do you think are culturally significant?

Discuss.

Tommy

Live blogging the State of the Union Address....

If you watched the State of the Union, here are my thoughts, as the speech happened. If you didn't? Well, these are still my thoughts as the speech happened.

Man, they clap a lot.

First time in the history of America that a woman has sat among the three at the head of the auditorium.

Seems as if the Democrats are doing up the civility thing a bit much. Are they actually cheering?!

Standing ovation for Madame Speaker. That's neat.

I have to say....there is a great deal of happiness in that building.

It's almost like a Catholic mass! Sit, stand, sit, stand, shake hands, sit, stand, sit stand....etc.

It's always funny how whichever party is NOT in the majority cries foul against the other party in respect to their bipartisinship. (Sp?!)

Balance the budget? How...uh, exactly do you think we should do that? By continuing to pay for an outrageously expensive war, while eliminating the cost of education by creating a ridiculous plan for taking away the funds of schools that meet a near-impossible expectation?

Eliminating wasteful earmarks? Sounds VERY good. Good

I like how Pelosi did NOT clap at the allusion to vouchers, but she DID applaud at the part about providing failing students with extra help. It's REALLy funny seeing how different Cheney and Pelosi react.

Health Insurance:
I may be wrong...but I don't think that most people take the tax structure into account when considering whether they can afford health insurance.

Is it just me, or does Dick Cheney's inner monologue sound like Billy Bob Thornton from Sling Blade? "I don't reckon' I got no reason to kill no body....mmmmmm".

I do appreciate that Bush is making an effort to acknowledge the fact that this country does depend a great deal on the work (not mooching---WORK!!) of immigrants, legal or otherwise.

I forget who said this, it wasn't me, but John Kerry looks like one of the trees that throws apples at Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

Nucular. (c;
Yay ethenol!!!
I think I've heard Obama speak on the topic of energy independence, and he's got some great ideas. Obama recognizes that our dependence on foreign sources of oil ARE a threat to our national security, not just a "tree-hugger" issue.

Did you see that?! Robin Williams was right!!! George Bush is actually Cheney's puppet!!! They DRANK WATER A THE SAME TIME!!!! Bush can't speak while Cheney is drinking!!!!

Am I the only one who had never heard about those terrorist plots that we thwarted? Geez, I thought I was doing a good job staying on top of the news....yeesh....

Every time Bush mentions Iran, I assume he's about to announce that we're going to war against them, too.

Not to open up a WHOLE can of worms....but, terrorists are terrorists not because they hate freedom, but because they hate what they perceive to be the grave offenses we have committed against them. It's a bit of a difference.

As I teach my kids, you need to explain to me what SPECIFICALLY what qualify as a "victory" in Iraq. I don't feel like you've gone into enough detail as far as achievable steps towards that all to vague goal of "victory". Need more evidence to support your claim.

Talking about the reallocation of Iraqi oil funds SOUNDS good, but the Iraqi oil infrastructure is so far gone and in such a state of disrepair, that it's going to take a great deal of Iraqi monetary investment to get to the point where Iraqi oil will provide the country with profits. Where does that initial money come from?

How are you going to increase the number of recruits in the military when you're getting us further bogged down in an increasingly unpopular war? Every time we send troops back for another tour of duty, people who would have volunteered for the armed forces have more reasons to doubt the benefits of that choice.

You should all check out Larry Brilliant's work in helping to eliminate Small Pox from the world. It's impressive. (Bush was talking about our work on AIDS/HIV, and malaria.

Dikembe Motumbo is nineteen feet tall.

Baby Einstein and America's Most Wanted, working side-by-side? I mean, yeah...it makes sense if you think about it, but that's like....Run DMC and Aerosmith doing a song together....

Damn! The Dems are in a RUSH to get out of there!!!!

All right...that's all.

What did you all think of the SOTU address?

Tommy

120 Days of Joy....

Today was a special day....

In Bibi's tradition, the 120th day of pregnancy is the day that the soul of the baby becomes more solidly linked to the mother.

Today was that day.

We had friends and family in to town for a special meal and a reading from the Sikh scriptures. The day was not in honor of the baby; there are many days and special events for that. Today was in honor of Bibi and the special role that Bibi will fulfill as the mother of our child.
"we are all born of a woman...compassion is learned in the lap of the woman and...
that peace is not possible anywhere that woman is not honored and respected."
We came together as a group of friends and family, to embrace the sacred nature that a mother inherently possesses.

It was a special day.

Thanks for stopping by.

Tommy

Over the hills and through the woods...

Well, thank you Nconner and everyone else who read my blog today. We are safely back in Kville. The roads weren't TOO bad...but, well, it was a bit precarious at times.

My knuckles are still white.

We had no major trouble, although we did see someone do a 360 into the ditch.

Anywho.

Had a great time in KC, although our midwife was unable to meet us, which was too bad.

All right, I'm going to go massage my knuckles so that they can get some color back into them.

How was your weekend? Are you staying warm?

Thanks for stopping by....

Tommy

A Request....

This is a request to everyone in Kirksville. Bibi and I are potentially stuck in KC. It's Monday, the roads are...well, not good. We're contemplating not coming back today, but I need a little input. How are the roads in KVille, how are the roads supposed to be....and, how likely is it that school is going to happen/not happen tomorrow?

All right....go go gadget bloggers.

Tommy

Correction

Hey everyone....thought I'd clarify my last post.

Bibi and I are moving at the end of this school year. I am MOST DEFINITELY staying at my job through the end of the school year....I am NOT going to renig on my committment to my students or my school.

What I meant in my last posting was that we are going to try and find a place for Bibi and I to get so that SHE can move middle of May, and I"ll finish up the school year and THEN go down to be with her. So. There ya go.

Oh, and we didn't go to KC tonight b/c the roads were so bad. Hopefully we'll be able to go tomorrow.

So....it's just a quiet Friday night.

What are you up to?

Tommy

So, I thought I might actually provide some details for ya'll.

Bibi is due June 19th. We're not finding out the sex until she gives birth, and we heard the heartbeat for the first time on November 30th, and it was the MOST amazing thing I've ever heard in my entire life. It was amazing....oh, I get chills still thinking about it. (c;

Bibi is beginning to show and she looks BEAUTIFUL.

In other news, we're going to Kansas City for an appointment with our midwife this weekend. We're going to have an at-home delivery, and our midwife is in Kansas City. (We're hoping to move just before the school year finishes up, so that we can have our new bundle of joy in KC.)

I'm not going to lie....it's frightening....it's scary and nerve-wracking. And, it's the most amazing thing I've ever thought about...and I can't wait. (c;

That's all. Oh, have you seen the commerical where the family is sitting around the dinner table and the dad asks if the two kids have picked "their five"? The teenaged daughter lists five of her friends, and the son, who is slightly younger says, "oh that's interesting...I picked those same five girls. Your friends are HOT." The daughter looks at her parents and says, "are you going to do anything about this?!" And, they dad's response is the GREATEST line in a commercial EVER:

"Maybe you should have uglier friends."


Cracks me up EVERY time I see it. Bibi, too.

Good times, good times.

All right, my New Year's Resolution is to be a good father.

What's yours?

Tommy

I've got a secret....

Hey....guess what!











































We're having a BABY!!!!!!

June 19th. (Ish.)

We can't WAIT!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tommy

Pleasant Valley Wednesday...

What's up, readers?

Well....it's been too long since my last post, and I wanted you all to know that I am indeed alive and kicking, and that things are going, for the most part, pretty well.

Christmas was nice.

New Year's Eve was great.

It's good to be back at school.

I have been reading, and most of the books have been really good. There was one that I didn't finish, and it was a difficult decision.

There is more to say, and it will be said soon....

Gee, that came off WAY more cryptic and dripping with meaning than I meant it to. Seriously, I just don't really feel like I have all that much to say. (I know, weird, isn't it?!)


Anyway. I hope you all had a wonderful time, filled with the spirit and sentiment of the season that has just come and gone.

God bless you all, and I hope the year starts out, and continues to be, a great one for you.

Thanks for stopping by, and check back for exciting updates! (c;

Tommy