Gratuitous Photo

I'm out of ideas tonight, but it is unacceptable that there is no Damon presence on the blog since his anti-Palin rant has been relegated to the next page.

Use your words, John

My friend Emily and I went to Brewvies, a local pub/movie theater, to view the latest presidential debate on the big screen. I've posted this idea other places, but in surround sound, Johnny Mac sounded much angrier than usual, resorting to calling Obama "that one." And so, "my friends," here is my vote for president.



(My thanks to Chez, a blogger I feel like I know personally, at deusexmalcontent.

Don'tcha know

Foreign policy experience? Well, Alaska does share a border with Russia. And Bono is the king of Ireland.

Tina Fey is simply brills here, and Amy Poehler's Katie Couric cracks me up.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Just watch. Thanks to dooce for the clip. Oh, and there's a brief commercial. Be patient.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Mistaken Identity

My sister Aly just sent me a text and told me that my little niece Kendyl pointed out a picture of Halle Berry in a magazine and then said, "Ash!"

If I could, I would now finance her college education.

But here's my question: Is this yet another example of my ethnically vague status?

Beating a dead moose

Sorry for the proliferation of posts.

If you're an Arrested Development fan, you'll love this:

In Memoriam C.H.H.(S)

This is not a great photo for many reasons, but I keep it for the memories it holds. It was taken on an early dinosaur of a digital camera with a memory card no more than about 32 MB, taken by one of my newspaper staff "photographers" who had more enthusiasm than skill, but that doesn't matter now. If photographs are meant to capture moments, this one reminds me of an indelible day, and an indelible day of teaching.

If you'll look closely, you'll notice these two students in the library of my former school (CH), and you'll notice that they're watching September 11 coverage... on September 11. I keep this more for the fact that it was two of my AP students that year: Nathan on the left, and my friend Steve on the right.

I know everyone has their story of where they were that day, and where they were when they found out. But I had the mantle of finding out once I got to school, my friend and colleague Joel rushing into my room to tell me and to turn on the television, and the mantle of having to tell students. It was a weighty responsibility. It was supposed to be school as usual, but it was not like any school I've ever dealt with. During second period, we sat in my classroom during newspaper, journalists somberly waiting for information, any information. I remember breaking the news to a vice principal who had been swamped with work in his office, and amazingly knew nothing of the attacks. I told him the students were scared and wanted the administration to say something--anything--of comfort.

So every year on this day I think of those lost and those who sacrificed, but I can't help but think of my students and friends from that day. It was a hard day to be a teacher, and I am reminded of the fear, disbelief, confusion, and sadness we all felt.

If you haven't seen this clip from David Letterman from nearly a week after the attacks (September 17, 2001), please indulge me and watch someone who embodies the spirit of New York. If you have, it merits another look.