Today was an alright day. Frank Distefano, the chief of high schools in the city, resigned. This is a good thing; he was a strange man who made mystifying decisions and lowered standards.
The kids were all great. I'm really excited about a scene presentation project with my Juniors. I'm also showing them the film version of Death and the Maiden - starring Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley - next week. I've had to send home permission forms, since it's rated R. It's a great movie, and it just came from Amazon today. I can't wait to rewatch it this weekend.
Tonight, my friend called me and invited me over to his house. He just moved into the neighborhood, less than a mile away, and we had some red win on his front porch and debated Shakespeare and our epic "Who is the greatest writer of the 20th century?" battle. (For the record, I say Steinbeck, he says Hemingway. I'd rank it something like, in order, Steinbeck, Morrison, Roth, Wharton, Hemingway; he'd rank it something like Hemingway, Pinchon, Roth, Fitzgerald, and Wharton)
Tomorrow, though, will be even better. The Tigers game is at 4:05 at Camden Yards, and I'll be jetting out of school as soon as I can to get there on time. Seeing the Tigers play is always a thrill, but the fact that it's actually a meaningful game in September is even more thrilling. They hold on to a .5 game lead over the Twins as of tonight. They've pretty much made the playoffs, but I still want them to win the division championship against the Twins, a team I've hated since 1987.
Afterwards, I'll be seeing one of my favorite singer-songwriters of all time, Dan Bern. I've been a fan for ten years now, ever since I saw him open up for Ani DiFranco at Michigan State. He's now become one of my top five eschelon - he, Melissa Ferrick, Brenda Kahn, Kanye West, and Bob Dylan - and I'm very, very excited to see him live for the first time in years.
(Fool, if you're around and still lurking, I've tried e-mailing you again about the show... you coming?)
Battling Depression Stigmas
-
Mark Brown suggests that glorifying high-achievers with mental health
difficulties may be more insensitive than inspiring: Where the
inspirational figure i...
1 minute ago
8 comments:
(it's pynchon.)
Thanks!
What -- not Faulkner?
Steinbeck and Morrison? That's a funny pair to have at the top. I'd put David Foster Wallace on my list (although he's probably more easily classified as a 21st century writer...) and Faulkner does seem a conspicuous omission.
How did you like Dan? I was there too (standing in front of you, I suspect, judging from your choice of team) and found him to be pretty good. Not the same hyper, funny, probably-on-coke Dan that I remember from seeing him in Berkeley a few years back, but still awfully good and funny in that endearing and charismatic way of his. I find it amazing how you feel the ups and downs of his energy during the show. Starting slow, with little talking to chattering about Baltimore history to being spacy about his new 'morphine' record.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that in 200 years, Steinbeck and Morrison will be seen as the two most important American writers of the 20th century - though I'm also sort of populist in my nature, which is why I'd choose them over, say, Hemingway. As for Faulkner, I just don't know enough about him. I haven't liked what I've read, but I've somehow gotten to age 29 only reading a couple of his books. He definitely belongs on any list of influential American writers.
As for Bern, I'll post about that soon.
Ummm... Morrison? As in Toni Morrison?
No. Van.
(Yes, Toni.)
My first thought was Jim. I just can't take Oprah selections seriously. I guess that's my issue. I did read Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God" which I enjoyed and I think that's an Oprah Selection, as well. This novel actually caused a fair amount of introspection which is what I think that serious fiction is supposed to cause.
I checked out Song of Solomon out of the library last night. I never realized she had been awarded a Nobel for Literature. But I still think Oprah selects books for their "handsome end-papers".
Post a Comment