My official Obama Endorsement

I may be jumping the gun, but after listening to a few speeches and doing some research, I've decided that I will vote for Barak Obama in the upcoming primaries. I know its not traditionally American to say who you are going to vote for, but I think its important for me to share it so that I can encourage others to vote for him as well.
Here are my researched reasons:
He wants to end the war in Iraq as soon as possible
He wants to provide universal healthcare to every American
He wants to make NCLB actually work (or at least I can hope)
He is an avid environmentalist
He is a charismatic speaker
He makes me feel like I can be a part of the change

I am a bit interested to hear more about his policy on immigration, from what I understand its only ok.

Well there it is. Let me hear what you think.


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Now playing: Magnolia Electric Co - Leave The City
via FoxyTunes

This is the Poem I used.

This Poem Wants to Be a Revolutionary
by Mari Ann Roberts, from Emory University

This poem wants to make a change . . .

To be a strong yet silent raised fist in Mexico, 1968.

To stand at a window w/a shotgun writing the words
“By any means necessary”

To sit in at a lunch counter in Birmingham, Alabama
Until it is read

To start a breakfast program in Compton, California
In order to feed hungry minds

To stand up for its rights in Akron, Ohio and shout,
“Aint I A poem?”

To integrate an all white book store under protection of the National Guard
And if George Wallace says to it,
“You will not enter unless it's over my cold, dead, body...”
This poem will gladly take him up on his offer.

But now this poem feels that perhaps it is too militant,
Maybe it and Spike should just “Do the Right Thing”...

Take the hand of other poems deep in the South Georgia woods and lead them to freedom
Under cover of night-light.

Take its brothers and sisters out of “the man's” world and
Into Aaron's “Boondocks,”

Play it's own music, live in Jamaica and
Grow Nappy Locs,

Start a union with A. Phillip down at the docks,

Be read by Martin while being pelted with rocks.

Find out what would happen
“If Beale Street Could Talk”

This poem will get accused of “Ego Trippin” but
will not take it personally while saying
“And Still I Rise”

It will invite other poems to a free concert headlined by
Marvin, Stevie, Chuck D, and Black Thought

This poem will do what it should, not what others think it ought...

This poem will be munificent...
Will give because so much has been given to it...

Will do because so much has been done for it...

Will be able to sit down because so many others have
Stood up . . .

But this poem can not sit still for long...
Because this poem has been disenfranchised...

This poem was told that there is no longer a need
For affirmative action
and has had it replaced with definite inaction

This poem cast a vote in Florida, only to be told that it did not count...

This poem watched its country expand our “melting pot” to include all kinds of ingredients,
Then scrape the black off the bottom of the pan...
and send it back to Haiti on a raft

This poem has been pulled over for being DWI
(drafted with intelligence)

This poem was profiled at Hartsfield Airport,
And made to take off it's...blues.

This poem never cast its vote for any species of Bush,
It's not concerned with whom you marry,
Nor does it desire to trade the blood of young soldiers for oil, but look what it got...

No wonder,
This poem wants 2 b a revolutionary...

A Compulsion for Sound

Forgive my banter, but I have been obsessed with music over the last few weeks. It started with me trying to make a list of the best albums of the year passed through some compulsive music purchases and continued with shared itunes music in a coffee shop and sonic mornings on my bike to school.

I just got a bunch of albums that are really cohesive and wonderful, and at the same time, 2007 pop. M Ward, Magnolia Electric Co., Andrew Bird, Beirut-- all amazing in their own merit and as far as complete albums go they flow. I just personally discovered M Ward and i cant seem to get enough of his peaceful voice. just had to get that out there, its been a long time since I've been so extremely moved by music.

Which is funny because up until now I have sort of refused to use music in my classroom in the place of poetry.

I will never forget one of my poetry professor's critiques of music lyrics as opposed to poetry. I do see faults in her argument (Hello Bob Dylan!), nevertheless it sticks with me. I probably will bring music in in the next few weeks, but I have definitely been stalling.
...

Today I fell asleep while reading a student paper (Dont worry, I wasn't teaching) but I still had a difficult time grading it. This student has never written anything for my class and suddenly he drops a 7 page murder mystery on my desk. It was intriguing but still lacking. Sometimes it is really hard to be an English teacher because I just run out of things to comment on. I ended up telling the student it could be more clear and better edited, which really was just a b.s. comment because I couldn't think of anything else.

Listening to M Ward Fuel For Fire

"These people are not from the Ground"

Cowboys and Indians
This was an extremely interesting observation of Indigenous Americans and Americans from the perspective of an Irish visitor. The guy who wrote this is in the band "The Frames" and really brings up some interesting points about the state of the United States. Some of the points I think should really taken into consideration as election politics begin to take hold and (hopefully) some big change starts to grip us.

in case the link doesn't work, here is the url:
http://www.village.ie/World/North_America/Cowboys_and_Indians/

I can't believe I spelled "too" wrong

I made a slight grammatical error on the last entry, but maybe no one noticed it. I have been reflecting on my last list and I realized that I had to add another album. Its Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley's album.

I spent Saturday evening sipping it in and found it to be an amazing album. It may have just been the time and place, but I loved it. Its has a twang with a bit of a sonic sound and some profound and moving lyrics. What more could you ask for really?
Here is a sample of it:



On Sunday morning I arose to sunny skies and decided to go for a run on West Cliff Drive. It was an incredible morning. The storm still seemed present yet the sun was breaking through the spaces in the clouds-- and the ocean was ferocious!

The waves were hyperboles in themselves and there was a spot on the path were the waves actually washed over the path and two lanes of the road, it was spectacular but I couldn't help but thinking what the homeowners thought when they see these waves suck away the land on the edge of their yard. Everything is temporary I guess.

Listening to Iron and Wine: Boy With A Coin

never too late for cheese

After some new years chats i really wanted to put together some best of 07 lists for entertainment and hear what others came up with. I realize the cliches and lameness of best of lists but I'm just going to move past that.

The criteria for me was not that these were released in 2007 but that I expierienced them in 07:

Best Albums:
Radiohead In Rainbows-- beautifully mastered album all fits together and has the potential to really affect the listener
Iron and Wine- Our endless numbered days. I realize its a few years old but all I have to say is Naked as we Came
Wilco-- sky blue sky grows on you
Eddie Vedder-- Into the Wild soundtrack. Awesome new campfire songs and a great movie.
M Ward Post-war gets me into that creative feeling state.
Tom Brosseau-- What I meant to say is goodbye. soft. melodic. understated. and he played at my graduation in San Diego
The White Buffalo-- EP. Man I wish this guy had some more music out there

Books:
The Mysteries of Philadelphia-- great book fun story.. soon to be a movie
Dharma Punx-- I read it with my class probably 8 times. It was engrossing the whole way through though
Flight-- Sherman Alexie is my hero
Billy Collins-- the Trouble with Poetry. Accessible but insightful poetry
its sad but I cant think of any other books that moved me this year... maybe more will come

Movies:
Lars and the Real Girl--quiet subtle beautiful
Into the Wild-- of course
Paris Je t'aim-- great shorts but slightly disconnected
Once-- great film about an irish folksinger
Juno-- interesting hot Dialogue
Garden State-- Watched it again for the first time
Across the universe-Beatles musical--good times

I guess my main purpose of posting this was to start a discussion about what your favorites were or about what you thought of these films. I realize most people don't comment on my blog but all you have to do is click on speak your mind here and write a quick comment. Thanks



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Now playing: Greg Brown - I Want My Country Back
via FoxyTunes