Transportation

The power of music can shock the system. Only a brief clip of an oldie can instantly recreate a decades-old mental milieu of perception. Blogging about it turned somehow to verse.


Transportation

Switching stations at 75 mph
I catch just a bit,
a short musical phrase.

Just the last few measures
of the Supremes
put my bare feet
on wet poolside pavement.
I smell the chlorine.
I enjoy a morsel of moon pie
& swig from
an ice-flecked bottle of RC.

And turning with her
from the concession stand
-- ah yes --
soak in the reflected warmth
of that yellow bikini
one more time --

I know its occupant
and I
are much changed
50 years later.

But I dance,
dance,
dance
with the daffodil.

by Terrell Shaw

Gleaning Facebook: Mother's 89th Birthday

From my Mother's 89th Birthday party:

 

Gleaning Facebook: Medal Stand

OK, this is sorta nutty but...

I want to build medal (not metal, Bob!) stands for our Science Fair awards ceremony at school. As a cheapskate and someone who loves to recycle and reuse, I'm appealing to the online community.

I'll bet among my Rome area Facebook friends there is enough scrap plywood to do this -- and I have a truck. So if you have one or more quarter sheets of sound half-inch plywood (or larger pieces) lying around that you would like to be rid of, I'll come haul it off today for free. I need a total about two sheets to build the three small platforms. It doesn't have to be pretty: it'll be painted. A few scrap two-by-fours would also be appreciated.

So let's see if this social network thing is good for something concrete, uh, wooden. Reply here or message me.

Ruth Baird Shaw There is a little plywood and 2 by 4's here....

Gola Burton Call dad!!!

Gola Burton If no answer. Just go over and go through the barns. He will never miss it.

Terrell Shaw Ha! The Shaw girls would love your comment, Gola!

Bob Doster Gotta laugh! Going to MB's was the first thing on my mind.

One other thing. It's gonna be hard to build metal stands out of plywood. Unless you are stranger that I know.

Terrell Shaw Medal, Bob. Medal! 

Bob Doster Now that's funny, I don't care who you are!

Peggy Fowler-Casillas Or...you could build platforms out of pallets (eliminates some of the framing/support work).

A Musical Saddam

True story. Yesterday in social studies class.

The Framers were only a few years past the Treaty of Paris and a long war against the tyranny of King George III. I wanted my fourth-graders to understand how important the separation of powers was to these men. They did not want power concentrated in one man. They didn't want a king or a dictator.

Trying to think of a tyrant with whom kids in 2012 are familiar I suggested Saddam Hussein. I called "Joe" forward to act the part of the Iraqi dictator. We imagined a few scenarios as Joe/Saddam acted as legislature, court, and executive rolled into one. The simulation seemed to be working.

We finished up and Joe started toward his seat but stopped as if reminded of something, turned and asked, "But what did he sing?"

"What's that?" I asked.

"What did he sing?"

"I don't understand. What did WHO sing?"

"Saddam," he exclaimed, in earnest frustration, "you said he was Saddam who sang!"

Gleaning Facebook: Lillian's Staten Island Ferry Pictures

Lillian: Ew, Gross.
Terrell: I beg your pardon... Yo' mama is one good lookin' woman, and your ol' man has his strong points.