From The 50 Yard Line

I was surfing around a little today and ran across this new Documentary that is making the Film Festival Circuit at the current time. The trailer looks really good and I would love to see the film.

Synopsis from the films web site:

The film “From the 50 Yard Line” presents the football field not only as a sports venue but also as a stage for the marching band. The viewer goes on an exciting adventure through band camp, auditions, the marching season, and the regional and national competitions in 2006. You see the great rewards of disciplined practice, the overlooked technical artistry of the group endeavor, and the important life changing effects of instrumental music education. Another layer delves into the misconceptions about marching band, showing "band nerds" in a whole new light. The primary vehicle to tell the story is the Centerville (Ohio) High School marching band from suburban Dayton, the 1992 Grand National Champions. Recognizing that all bands, big and small, do amazing things, the film also portrays the band at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, which has just recently started up again after being silenced for 18 years due to music budget cuts. One wonders what music was lost forever during the silent years at schools nationwide in the same budget predicament. The film tells the memorable story of music education, complete with the never-before seen emotional aspects of the experience. The students at the schools are wonderful subjects and their personal stories genuine and compelling. Nowhere else do you see hundreds of teenagers working together in such unison and commitment for one common goal. The film is part music video, part reality show, part drama, and full-on entertainment.


Hopefully they will release this on DVD at some point in the future. For more information check out the films web site From The 50 Yard Line

TRAILER:

Mizoram, India

Mizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in northeastern India on the border with Myanmar. Mizoram is a mountainous region which became the 23rd state of the Indian Union in February, 1987. It was one of the districts of Assam until 1973 when it became a Union Territory. Sandwiched between Myanmar in the east and south and Bangladesh in the west, Mizoram occupies an area of great strategic importance in the northeastern corner of India.

Mizoram has the most variegated hilly terrain in the eastern part of India. The hills are steep (avg. height 1000 metres) and separated by rivers which flow either to the north or south creating deep gorges between the hill ranges. Mizoram has a mild climate: it is generally cool in summer and not very cold in winter.

Map Of INDIA

Village in Mizoram

I took this picture as we drove from the airport to the city of Aziwal, Mizoram

More Homes built on hill

Traffic Cop Aziwal, Mizoram


Looking out over Mizoram from the Governors House

India Part 2

Pictures from India Part 2.

River

I took this picture from a train trip across India.

Not 100% sure were we are but I do know it is the Northern

part of India on a trip from Mumbai to Calcutta.

How would you like to work on a ladder like this?

Construction happening at a school in India.

Mizoram

Man sleeping on the streets of Mumbai

Baby asleep behind the stage before a concert

Festival of Colors

Woman and children at a train station

School Concert

INDIA Part 1

I was cleaning up my pictures folder on my HD tonight and found a folder of pictures I scanned from a several trips to India. So I thought I would post a couple of blogs of pictures from India so this is part 1 and part 2 will be up later this week when I have time to upload more.

Celebrant Orchestra 1997

Ox and Cart
Mumbai - Empty Cart

Loaded Cart

Auto Rick in need of repair

Streets of Mumbai

Calcutta - Rickshaw

Yep I'm driving the scooter -

which can be an interesting thing to

do in the traffic in India. But hey I

have always been a risk taker.

Mumbai, Train Station

A Beggar -

Well not really that is Shyla playing

a joke on Heather and scaring her as

she acted like a beggar outside the

train window at one of our stops.

Camel

This camel was tied up near the Taj Mahal

in Agra.

Agra

Semi-precious stones being inlaid into table top by hand. The table top is made of red sandstone.

Agra Fort

The Taj Mahal

Completed in 1653 A.D., the Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his favourite Queen, Mumtaz. Finished in marble, it is perhaps India's most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewellers to build and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustad Isa, the Taj Mahal is on the bank of the Yamuna River. It can be observed like a mirage from the Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb.

Team 1999 in front of the Taj Mahal

It's Official I'm a BUM!

Acronyms otherwise known as alphabet soup can lead to confusion and puzzling looks at staff meetings. This past week I was at a union negotiation meeting when the acronym BUM was written on a chart we were making of ideas about how to handle transfers in the future. The person that wrote that down knew what it stood for but no one else in the room did. It was interesting that we went on for several minutes when I finally spoke up and said I just had one question "What does BUM stand for?" Several people laughed and someone else said I'm glad you asked because I have no idea what it stands for either. BUM = Bargaining Unit Member

I understand writing acronyms to save time but why is it that we have to say them so often during staff meetings? They lead to confusion and teachers missing important points because they don't know what some of the acronyms stand for or mean. Fortunately this year we were given a one page guide to acronyms commonly used at our school.

Here is just a sample from the list:

AL = Academic Language
API = Academic Performance Indicator
APII = Action Plan for Instructional Improvement
ASI = After School Intervention
AYP = Adequate Yearly Progress
CST = California Standards Test
DIBELS = Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills
ELD = English Language Development
ELL = English Language Learners
EQ = Essential Questions
ESL = English as a Second Language
ETS = Effective Teaching Strategies
GO = Graphic Organizers

The list goes on and on.....

Star Trek in Vegas

Went to Las Vegas last weekend for the Star Trek Convention. Here are a few pictures from the trip. I rented a car and drove to Vegas. Traffic was terrible both going to Vegas on Friday night and returning home on Sunday evening.

Tehachapi, CA - Water Tower

Train Station in Tehachapi, CA

Just outside Tehachapi

My hotel in Vegas - The Orleans

One of the many Klingons at the convention

The entrance to the Promenade at the Las Vegas Hilton

Star Trek Theme ala Traditional Jazz from Sacramento Jazz Camp

What Is A Middler Schooler?

What Is A Middle Schooler?

What is a middle schooler?
I was asked one day.
I knew what he was,
But what should I say?

He is noise and confusion,
He is silence that is deep.
He is sunshine and laughter,
Or a cloud that will weep.

He is swift as an arrow,
He is a waster of time.
He wants to be rich,
But cannot save a dime.

He is rude and nasty,
He is polite as can be.
He wants personal guidance,
But fights to be free.

He is aggressive and bossy,
He is timid and shy.
He knows all the answers,
But still will ask why.

He is awkward and clumsy,
He is graceful and poised.
He is ever changing,
But do not be annoyed.

What is a middle schooler?
I was asked one day.
He is the future unfolding,
So do not stand in his way.

by an anonymous 8th grader
from The Essential Middle School

Back To School

Summer is over and it's time for school to begin. We had our first day with students today. In an attempt to help our struggling students we have adopted a new program called "Skills for School Success". I'm teaching one section of this class and have 25 students in the class. We met today for the first time. It is a very interesting mix of students.

I'm looking forward to working with students this year and plan on this being my best year yet. I have some truly wonderful students. Every year comes with it's challenges but I can't think of a better job.

http://wilson.exeterpublicschools.org/home.aspx

Skills for School Success Training Materials

Cajun Ten Commandments

I was putting the final touches on my class room since school starts back tomorrow when I found a post card that made me laugh and I thought I would share what it had to say.

CAJUN TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. Jus be one God in heaven.

2. Don't have no idols.

3. Don't be cuss'n nobody.

4. Brought yo'self to church.

5. Listen to yo maw maw an paw paw.

6. Don't be kilt nobody.

7. Don't sleep with yo brother's wife.

8. Don't yo took nothin.

9. Always told the troot.

10. Don't yo wish fo yo neighbor's pirogue.

CAJUN - Descendents of about 4,000 Acadians, French settlers in Nova Scotia, Canada, who were forcibly transported by the British to south Louisiana in 1755.

PIROGUE - Originally a canoe made from a hollowed out tree trunk. Cajuns later made them very simple by joining two boards at the ends, bowed out in the middle, with a third board for the floor. They were made very small, usually for one person, and could float in water only inches deep.

Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society "JAZZ CAMP"

Got up early this morning to meet the parents of one of my trumpet students. He has been up in Sacramento all week at the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society Youth Jazz Camp. Today was the final day of camp and they had a concert that started at noon and all the student bands performed three songs. I had one current student attend the camp this year on trumpet and a former student attend playing tuba.

Anyone that knows me well knows I love to perform but I get a tone of joy out of watching and hearing students perform as well. They all did a great job today. Each student group had to come up with a name for their band and some of the names were very funny. Here is a sample of the bands and songs from the program:

"The Key Of Awesome"
Bourbon Street Parade
When The Saints Come Marchin' In
Avalon

"Walk On Purple Ceilings"
Sweet Sue
Just Squeeze Me
Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

"The Band That 8 New York"
Hard-Hearted Hannah
Stormy Weather
Riverboat Shuffle

"One More Louder"
I've Got The World On A String
Memories Of You
High Society

The counselors band played the Theme to Star Trek traditional jazz style - I loved it.

Jazz is played from the Heart. You can even live by it. Always love it.

Satchmo (Louis Armstrong)

You can check out more on the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society "Jazz Camp" at http://www.sacjazz.org/

Comic Con Swag

A few days ago I upload some pictures here to my blog and went off to fix some dinner while I let some one else (thanks R) type up a summary to go with the pictures. Well seems the post ruffled some feathers so as some of you have noticed the post was removed. Truth be told I never read the post before it was uploaded and after we pulled into edit mode I read it and decided it was not worth my time to try editing it I would just delete the post all together instead.

Beside going to Comic Con for all the previews of upcoming movies and shows one of the highlights is the FREE SWAG and there is always tons of it to be had at Comic Con. Because I was a bit typed up this year I was not able to cover the exhibit hall like in years past however thanks to a couple of the best roomies in the world they managed to snag me some stuff while I was busy. I did not unroll the poster to take a picture of them but here are some pictures of some of the free swag from this years Comic Con.

SWAG
Books, Comics, Cards, Pins, Etc

Closer Look at SciFi Pins

Stargate Pins On Lanyard

There are plenty of things for sale at Comic Con as well. I did purchase the Vanishing Bugs Figure, a Comic Con special Bugs Bunny figure (sorry no picture).

But I spent most of my money purchasing things to help out Sanctuary. Something I did not need to do since I already had a hat and t-shirt before the con. But because it is a new show that I want to see succeed I purchased four more t-shirts and another hat over the weekend to give away to folks. Yes Amie a lot of that money I was sticking in your pocket was mine to help you guys out. Gave two of the t-shirts away at the convention and boxed the other two up today to send off in the mail. I also gave away the hat I purchased and the one I had before the con. So don't anyone ask me for any Sanctuary gear I gave all mine away and don't plan on buying and more at the current time.

A Look Behind The Curtain...

I learned at a very early age that when one takes a look behind the curtain you will often see things unexpected and shatter ones view of fandom. I was still in junior high school when I performed in my first professional musical with two of televisions top stars of the day. What a shock it was to see that they were not this perfect image I had from tv. In high school I worked at the coliseum and was backstage for many concerts and saw dozen of artist before and after concerts.

When I was in college I was able to go to New York to see my idol perform and was invited backstage after the concert. I turned down the chance to go backstage because I had this image of what he was like and I did not want that to be changed by what I saw backstage. I wanted that perfect image to stay untainted.

The first time I realized one of my idols was not the perfect image I had it was hard for me because I was so young. Today it is not a difficult thing to deal with for me. I try to be very careful about the stories I tell and who I tell them too. But it is hard to watch how it hurts those I care about. In recent months I have watched friend lose their enjoyment of shows and actors because they have gotten to close a look behind the curtain and realized that the all powerful OZ is really just a man with faults.

California Mid State Fair Part 2

As promised in yesterday's blog here are some pictures from the California Mid State Fair in Paso Robles.

Farris Wheel from Backstage

Entrance to Frontier Town

Lunch stop

this guy was hanging around while we ate lunch

Daniel's Wood Land