It's not so bad being trendy...

Everyone who looks like me is my friend.

I tried to explain art school to a student who asked why I always "dress so exotic." My attempt failed, I think.

This morning students in the class I was subbing for were instructed to find a news article, a current event. Instead of looking in the newspaper like we did back in the day, I was to bring these students to the library to use the computers. One student, reading an article in which "Six Gay Men" were killed, pondered why this was mentioned, and began to engage other students in a discussion about homophobia. He expressed that he would not be friends with a gay male, and asked a female student if she would befriend a gay female. I wanted to engage him by asking him if he refuses to be friends with females that he is not romantically interested in, but the other teacher (TA? Remedial Help?) made him drop it. Not long later, she redirected another girl who was leafing through a dictionary to go on websters.com. This woman and I are inherently opposite in our educational philosophies. C'est la vie.

Second to last period of the day I had a duty in what is known as "short term ISS", which apparently means 1 period. There were no instructions, and there were no students in the room when I showed up.


Slowly, monitors showed up with students and instructions. Apparently, this is where they stick kids waiting to speak to their principal. I had been working on my rug the whole class. More monitors with more students, students whose names I knew. One of these is a small boy with a name in which a "shh" sound is spelled C-H. This boy seems to strive to be a pain in my neck. He asks me if I'm going to put said rug in my house. When I say "I beg your pardon?" because I didn't quite hear him, he says nevermind in such a way that I am aware he was just picking on me. He started asking me about my attire. "Like, who else would even wear that shirt?" he jabs. "No one," I reply "because I made it last night. No one else could possibly own this."

He tells me I don't match, and I try explaining to him that I don't care, it doesn't matter to me, I'm not trying to impress 7th and 8th grade students. I don't subscribe to the [Student's Full Name] School of Fashion. Said student was wearing a white T Shirt and Jeans. BORING. Also, C-H makes the sound chuh, like choo-choo. You can't say anything. (Not that I told him that) Finally I did tell him, "Well, I like it," which was conclusive enough for him, as he shouted "OH NO! DON'T EVEN SAY THAT!"

It is easy for me to not fight with students when I can quickly recognize it as such, but the discussions that lead to fighting.....I've got to work on.

So, yea, I made this tunic last night...

It was super easy, and right now, I'm super into tunics. The trim on this tunic is from a tshirt I cut up to use in my rug. I otherwise discard the hems, cuffs, and collars because they are too thick to use in cutting threading and knotting. However, like the native americans, I like to use every bit of a thing.

And you know what that sack of bananas means...

or do you need another hint?


Therefore, you should really come learn to embroider tomorrow. Thanks.

Steal This Book

Steal This Book by Abbie Hoffman

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
This seemed like a book that I should have read, just because of its role in history. It began with some radical content, discussing how to survive on very little money, and the theory behind this. I enjoy reading of the schemes and scams he proposes, but I have ethical conflicts with their being carried out. Hoffman provides great resources such as inexpensive simple recipes, and lists of organizations and societies that may or may not be outdated. Some of what he suggests has been nullified by the dawn of the internet, and when he begins to suggest violence and ways to create bombs and weapons, I begin to understand why his book has been banned in many places. At the end he provides a section about several major cities (f*** Chicago, f*** New York, f*** San Francisco) and tells where in these cities to acquire goods and services for little to no money. Much of this, I trust, is outdated, but I really appreciate the spirit of the thing.

Also, maybe what bothers me most is the justification for shoplifting. It is clear that Hoffman is never trying to screw over a brother, as he always suggests leaving generous tips when pulling a dine-and-dash or whatever other scam he has devised. He claims that it is required of one to shoplift, as this "loss" is built into the price of the item.

Indeed, stores do set aside money for loss and damage, but at least in Wal*Mart, where everyone feels most justified shoplifting from, your Free-99 purchase has just taken money out of the pocket of everyone else in the store.

All of the money left over from the Wal*Mart loss pool is divided among the employees as a bonus. You, by stealing from Wal*Mart, are stealing from the people greeters, the cashiers, the old man back in lawn & garden.

But perhaps Abbie Hoffman was never aware of this sort of thing.


View all my reviews.

Recycle This

I sent in a suggestion to How Can I Recycle This? about a week ago, and the other day they posted it. So far, no one has answered the call. Can you?