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1051200 Minutes (while I’m stuck in this airport)
Really though. How do you measure 2 years? Here are some random highlights in no particular order.
- Apple picking for the first time.
- Fame
- Phantom of the Opera
- Wait, you mean there’s no walls separating our classrooms?
- Checkpoints
- Disney on Ice
- “Shut Up!” Arnel.
- 2011
- Eviction
- Wait, why did I leave SoCal?
- FASAmilia
- The Lions meeting was cancelled? I’m treasurer?
- You volunteered to drive for JFAV?
- So cousin, I’m thinking about running for secretary.
- Sunflower Room 2 aka the room with the best Cat Daddies ever!
- “I want to be a doctor girl.”
- Vegas One Nighter
- This book is so scary” – referring to Dr. Suess’ “Oh the Places You’ll Go.”
- Wait, are we having then talk I think we’re about to have?
- March Madness
- Hot tub
- Soulful Monday
- 10 coffee shops in Vegas
- Yama Sushi
- I -
my heart and prayers... →
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“Sometimes we say words without realizing the impact they may have on others. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Take the time to educate yourself about language and histories of oppression.”
I love this.
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Okay, so I missed yesterday. I might double post tonight/tomorrow. This song doesn’t exactly match my life, but there is something cathartic about belting this song in my car.
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I did not fight with the thought of becoming a hero – I just did what I was ordered to do but suffering such sacrifices and expecting death at any moment gave me the strength and the courage to fight. Through these trials it made me realized that there was always someone greater who always was with me.
–Faustino “Peping” Baclig, Filipino World War II Veteran
1922-2011Rest in Peace Manong Peping. What a loss for the Pilipino community. Yet another reminder though that we are part of a greater movement, fighting not just for ourselves and for now, but for those who came before us and those who will come after.
(via kristinaashley)
(via kristinaashley)
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So I always want to start these challenges, but don’t finish. Also, I’ve always wanted to compile a soundtrack/random mixtape that sums how I’m feeling, but I haven’t finished that either. And random songs pop in my head, but I forget to write them down, and thus forget to obtain them for my iPod.
So here’s the plan. Until the end of my commitment here in the LVV, I will post a song of the day - a song I hear on the radio, pandora, etc. that just so happens to fit my mood at the time that I hear it. This will also help me remember what’s happening in my life, so at the end of the week I’m not saying, “Hmm..I can’t really remember Tuesday.”
So today, that song is “Can You Stand the Rain,” by New Edition.
When did I hear it?: It came on Music Choice as I was starting to do some work on my laptop around 5 pm.
Why it works for today?:
1) It rained a little, and I was the one person to lug a gigantic umbrella today because I didn’t want to get my hair wet. Apparently, I cannot stand the rain, or at least my hair cannot stand it.
2) It just so happen to play as I was beginning to resume my work. My life’s work (and I’m not just saying my job) comes with many perks. I get to see my student’s eyes light up as they learn new words, letters, anything. I get to participate in their growth. It’s amazing that parents trust educators with their children for extended periods of time - we’re providing the tools with which these children will shape their world. That’s a pretty daunting task. And that doesn’t come without rain. And times like this past week, I feel like I’m drowning in the rain. But as this song says, “Sunny days, everybody loves them…can you stand the rain?” Handling the rain this weekend, because I know that the rain is essential for growth.
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I’m sure someone’s got to have asked this before….
As I’ve been reading, “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” and concluding my last couple months here in Las Vegas, I’ve been thinking about the purpose of and need for ethnic studies.
Although I cannot claim to fully understand it, nor do I consider myself adequately immersed in it, I do know that Las Vegas is a very interesting/unique community. While there are always “new people moving in” wherever you live, Las Vegas is that concept and multiplied tenfold. Because of the state of the economy and the low cost of living here, I would venture to say that at least half of the folks that live here did not originate here. Between 1990 and 2000, the population here has almost doubled. While population growth has slowed, in 2010 Las Vegas saw and average of 2,501 new residents per month. Most of the parents in my classroom have come from out of state - ranging from Ohio to Mexico.
The one person I’ve met here that grew up here can remember a time when most of the housing developments did not exist - there was simply land, dirt, basically the desert. A lot of the change here has been rapid, recent, and in the words of my roommate, “quick and dirty.” Take for example, the housing developments, there are more homes right now than people willing and able to occupy them. Where was the foresight? She’s the one person who has been able to tell me anything about the history of Las Vegas. One of the parents in my classroom said, “I just feel lost here, like there’s no sense of community.” And elections? I feel like that’s the shortest line to vote I have ever been in.
So I bring this up because as I was thinking about ethnic studies, I started thinking about the purpose of education in general and what the curriculum looks like. There’s been a lot of talk about the need for education reform. (I also just recently watched “Waiting for Superman.”). There’s talk about how we are so behind in math in science, how there are jobs in the technology industry but we haven’t been preparing our citizens to work in those jobs - basically how we need our children to be educated so that they can be leaders in the community and in the world at large. Yet, as I reflect upon my own education and my conversations with people throughout my life, and especially here in Vegas, how many of us know the history of our own cities? I remember having to learn about the history of California in fourth grade, which was also the first/only time in my K-12 education in which Filipinos were even mentioned and it was for a paragraph. If we’re trying to prepare our folks to be leaders in the community/country/world, shouldn’t they learn about it?
For UCLA, wouldn’t it just make sense to have a history of LA course (at least one) by part of the general ed requirements (and I mean full on history, let’s study how the populations have changed, race relations, immigration, ALL of it, including UCLA’s history). Doesn’t that just seem practical? And I mean, while it’s great that we studied California in fourth grade, wouldn’t it make sense to study all these things in high school. I feel like courses like US Government and Economics would have more relevance/make more sense if during senior year we had to apply these concepts to what happened/what’s going on in the city in which we live. Heck, every thing would have more relevance (engineering, architecture, etc.) if part of our education involved applying these concepts to where we live. And while, I realize that this praxis is what I should be doing, and am trying to do, in my life now, if one of the purposes of education is to prepare future community/national/world leaders, heck..citizens, why aren’t we learning about these things in school? Am I asking a stupid question here? Someone please enlighten me.
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Sometimes…
I wish I had gone with my 12 year old ambitions of working to become a Laker Girl. But really, sitting here in the airport to fly to DC - it’s amazing how our dreams change as we learn more about the world and ourselves.
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This may be morbid, but…
I’m in Simi Valley for a funeral. I can’t even remember how many funerals I have been to…I think this is my 8th? Maybe 9th?
Anyway, I’ve come up with some plans for my own final bash:
1) No regret. They people coming can’t feel any regrets. I’m just saying…in the off chance that we had a fight, or for some reason one couldn’t make it to the hospital, no regrets. I will probably forgive everyone in those last moments, and whether or not people are by my side, if it’s my time, additional presence/handholding/etc. will not change that. And I’ll probably hear your good-bye’s.
2) No black. Pink please, duh.
3) I want “Joyful, Joyful” to be sung. You know, from Sister Act 2. With dance moves and all.
4) Unless my family needs monetary donations to pay for the service, which they shouldn’t because like all things in my life, my final bash should be done on the cheap (I’m talking cardboard box for a coffin, no flowers…I can’t take it with me) all condolence gifts (I don’t know what they’re called) should be in the form of donations…have not decided which non-profit/ngo yet.
That’s all I’ve come up with. Yes, I realize this is a bit ridiculous, but haven’t you thought about what you’d want at yours after attending one??
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Note to LA
I may have just voted as a Nevadan, but I’m about to (potentially) spend 3 weekends in November in LA. Cray cray.
