SPEAK!

A few years ago I did my student teaching at a high school and had a few friends, who are some of the greatest people I know by far, come in and speak about writing, rhyming, rapping and performing spoken word. It was the best thing I did for that class and one of the best experiences ever.
Those students were seniors in high school...I now teach 7th graders. I want to do the same thing, but will the 12-13 year old mind appreciate it?!?!? I have, at least, a handful of students who are constantly writing rap lyrics in class...I think spoken word would be great to expand their horizons and open their minds.

The power of words is incredible.

Blowing Bubbles...

There is just something about a pack of original flavor Bubble Yum Bubble Gum.

I normally HATE gum.  Probably because I was traumatized twice. Once when I was little with "There's-gum-in-my-hair-and-the-only-solution-is-to-rub-PB-all-up-in-this-mess" syndrome.  Thanks God I was not traumatized enough to stop eating Peanut Butter.  Again, when I was in Armenia (aka...the MOTHERLAND...HAYASTAN) and some Armo threw gum in my hair and then came to help.  In Armenia the don't use PB to get gum out...they just RIP it out yo weave.

But today I chewed Bubble Yum Bubble Gum with my little cousin Armand.

It was a good time.

Armando took this pic, then popped my bubble...and then it got stuck to his hands.  Sucka!

Sometimes you just need to take a minute to blow a good old fashioned .99 cent Bubble Yum Bubble Gum bubble.

Nene and Baboog.

This is my Nene.

This is my Baboog.

They are two of the strongest and best people I know.

They can and have overcome ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in life.

Baboog will be 91 years old this October and still goes to his farm every single day.  Today he picked grapes all day.

Nene will be 83 in February.  After all these years she can still find things to laugh about and still makes me laugh every time I see her.

They have taught me how to work, cook, laugh, live and so much more.

These are truly the greatest people I know.

If I grow to be even the slightest bit like them, I can count this life a success.

Love,
         Ny.



Two months too long...

So it's been almost exactly two months since I've updated and after a weird looking bug crawled up my leg today during lunch, I thought to myself, "It's about time to write this ridiculousness down."

Update:
             New School out in Jehenem. (aka...Egypt) I like to refer to it as the Gountry. (ghetto country)
             7th grade English Language Arts...5 periods...in a row...'nuff said.

                                            

So far I've had the following friends living in my classroom...








This was the one who decided to crawl up my leg today.

We also had a cockroach sighting in 4th period, but I have not verified if it was true or false and now I just feel like there are bugs EVERYWHERE!!!

A kid laughed and pointed at me when I ran for the door during the roach scare and I pointed back at her and said "You may be laughing now, but i'll be the one laughing at you when that roach crawls in your ear and makes babies there!!!"

BOOM ROASTED.

I am NOT cut out for bug country.