Introducing...
Humbly I tried to learn, more humbly did I teach: Dispatches from the Land of the Puzzle Palace: An English teacher blogs in the Baltimore City Public Schools, located at http://bmoreteach.blogspot.com.
I spent a long time on the title, reading poetry, trying to find the perfect phrasing. I thought about a line from one of my favorite Langston Hughes poems, "Theme For English B," but, after re-reading it several times, nothing grabbed me that could become a title. Then, I found one of his little-known poems, called "Teacher," and, wow, it really grabbed me and throttled me. It's a very dark poem, but the opening lines sort of encapsulate me and my career, so I decided to try it on for size.
I haven't written very much there yet, but I wanted to at least give the address now, so people could start updating links. I do realize that there is a risk with trying to do the blogging over there, because I do have some nice readership and a lot of linkage, but I think this decision is for the best. If I deserve the readership I've gained, then they'll follow me.
On the bmoreteach blog, I plan on sticking almost all to school stories, with little bits of Baltimoria thrown in on occasion. It will be the site that I don't mind if students or parents find. I hope that I can eventually get back up to the 200-300 readers a day I get on this blog, there, but it will take some regular readers and that means I'm going to have to start providing some content. It being summer vacation (and a wonderful one so far!), I don't have that much, but that should change. Even in July, I'm thinking a helluva a lot about what I'm teaching next year.
The other blog that I'm keeping will be geographically anonymous. I've only got two entries there so far - one about my mundane life, one about relationship woes - and that's probably what I'll stick with there. You can email me if you're interested in having that address. I won't guarantee I'll give it to you, though.
Either way, I'm heading out of town for a week, so I won't be thinking about this at all. I'd appreciate it if you could update your links.
An Invented Space
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Dressing The Air digs up a short film by Alex Roman: Entirely built and
rendered on computer, this impossibly controlled journey around Louis
Kahn’s Exeter...
1 hour ago
6 comments:
How do we e-mail you? I have been a reader for a few years now and would like access to your new blog. Thanks!
Dude, I am so stoked that you chose "Dispatches from the Land of the Puzzle Palace" as part of your new blog's title. I feel like I won a contest (or part of one anyway). I have been an avid reader for almost four years now, and will continue to read (and comment on) your newest version.
I was a little bummed about you not choosing "This Cultured Hell," but I'll live. Maybe I'll use that myself. We'll see. I've been toying with becoming a blog writer instead of just a blog reader / commenter, but I feel like I'm just too damn busy to breathe much less write on a regular basis for about 10 months out of the year. I doubt you'd be able to do it if you had a wife and two kids to tack on to the rest of the things that you do. I really don't know how you do it with the busy schedule that you have already.
Anyway, I feel like I'm really a part of your blog now, brother - how totally cool. I'm so proud of you. Keep up the great work! I look forward to reading more and more from EIB.
I'd really like to read your new blog as I am quite far removed from Baltimore and have been reading for years! Left my email address if you'd like, either way have a great vacation
I'd like to continue reading too, if you think it's okay. (Leaving my e-mail address in the link.) I'm out in Chicago, so nowhere near you, but have been reading since I was a college student in Boston, probably started somewhere around 2001 or '02. I don't read any other blogs, so there must be something about yours that I just relate to! (I even donated back when Holden was in trouble with the mean garbage guy. ;-)
I too would like to continue reading - I've been reading since yours was primarily a fitness blog. I don't live anywhere near you.
Enjoy vacation!
Yeah, I'd like to continue reading the non-teaching "stuff" too! I'm a huge Tigers fan, and live out in Milwaukee - I graduated from Michi State one year after you did. Not sure the best way to have you send the link and ensure your privacy is in tact - which e-mail can we cand a request to? :)
Cheers, and happy 42-42 Tigers (although I'm hoping for better things, damn them twins!)
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