Halloween

I think that last post scared some people…. i was just exploring extremes and experimenting as a writer thats all

Please do not fret, I believe in God.

Chapter 19 – Resistance is Futile

I took time today to contemplate my future in relation to the future of human existence. However insignificant I may be within the system of gears that turn the universe I am confident that my being will at least have significance to a few people. Maybe I will save the future leader of the free world’s life with the skills I learned in scouting or maybe one kid will become enlightened in my classroom someday and pursue the age old question, “Why are we here?” only to find out that there is no explanation other than evolution and turning the wheels of time. Maybe there is nothing for us to understand about existence, God, or civilization other than what we have so far explored. Darwin and Marx will be right in the end, that’s more or less what people will become privy to. There is no God and E.T. is no closer to a reality than the Purple People Eater. A meteor is, in fact, hurling towards Earth and nothing we can, and inevitably will try to do, can stop it (save Bruce Willis sacrificing his life to ensure that the meteor is split in two parts therefore missing the Earth on either side and rescuing mankind from inevitable doom.) That doesn’t matter though, global warming will drown us all. Sadly, Al Gore and Jimmy Carter were right and Reagan’s policy to allow Americans to keep being American, albeit popular, wasn’t really the best route to take. The world is quickly becoming overpopulated so maybe China is doing us all a favor, if you can’t have 8 kids (Jon and Kate) there wont be 7 spare mouths to feed at the end of the day.

But maybe I wont influence anybody, which is probably more realistic than the scenario previously rendered. Maybe, in the eyes of the gods, I am a bee working for the good of the swarm. There will be bees who did my work before me, and certainly bees who will continue my work after me. If I am lucky I will die defending the hive, having stung a predator and given my life in the service of my beloved. It is altogether possible that in the market graduates face today I will take the first job offered to me. At which point I will be faced with the most unfortunate of dilemmas, whether to live in poverty (teaching on weekdays and performing on the streets during the weekends) while attending post graduate studies, or not to bankrupt myself and sacrifice my goals of becoming a professor. My book will probably flop and I will be reduced to sorting out the great American novel between my ears. I will buy book after book to try to help render my own text but each one will only lead me further from my goal. I have discovered in my quest for knowledge that I have only ever learned that I know nothing. Every book I read manages to open six doors and close maybe one or two. I aim to read The Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf to try to understand the past of our race in order to help achieve a better future. Sounds cliché but what are my options really.

I realized that as counter cultural as I may sound I want nothing more than to be a part of the corporate ladder. I want to have my own secretary and I want her to be reminiscent of the secretaries of the 1950s. I want to walk in to work with a newspaper and a brief case and spend the morning sorting out memos and speaking political jargon with my coworkers in order to impress my secretary. I would love to complain about my boss’s b.s. Hawaiian shirt Fridays where leaves on your shirt is mandatory but relevant work is not. I would also love to be part of them. Jimmy Buffet really isn’t all that bad once a week after all. So why did I choose teaching? I suppose you’re waiting for the punch line. Me too. But in reality nobody wants to live meagerly for the rest of their life. I want to wear Polo every day and have enough slacks to never have to take the tags off of most of them. I would absolutely love a vacation home and to have a pool in my backyard (before I have kids) Where I can wear boat shoes and have the migrant workers of whom I hire in the summer pick up my award winning dog’s poop. This all seems impossible given my current vocation but all the same, when you crush dreams you crush reality. I suppose that is where my writing career kicks in. I have done a bit or research and as a writer I can expect to make about 5k on my first title. More follows, inevitably as you start to earn your pay. But in reality I don’t see myself making enough to start adopting African babies for sport ie: Angelina Jolie. it’s a harsh reality but I suppose the sooner I come to terms with it the better it is. I just want somebody to read about me in a text book. Is that too much? Probably, but then again lets try to remember what I said about crushing dreams.

Chapter 18 – Thomas Paine

Tomorrow marks the beginning of our trip to Edinburgh. Out hostel is across the street from a gold course. Naturally I will try to get out and play if I can. Otherwise I suppose I will have to settle for breathtaking scenery and castles that make up a historic downtown. Bummer.

I have a hard time coming to terms with the fact that there are people in my group whom I would never let teach my children. Honestly, many of these girls are future b-words in my opinion and although they may have good intentions I cannot possibly see the benefits of having them in a public school. I know its harsh, but really… I had a girl ask me if she can deflate a soccer ball with the same pump she can use for a basketball. I almost told her no because I wanted to make her ask someone else where to find a special soccer pump. She needs to read an article I just went through about how teachers need common sense. We spoke in class today how although it is important to have teachers who understand theories of education and Piaget and Vygotsky so on and so forth, it is just as important to have a teacher that can make good decisions in a “common sense” context. I wouldn’t want a teacher that could get PhDs in his/ her sleep if they thought Catholics and Christians were different (a topic I have discussed before.)

Bob Bradley could be my teacher any day. Or a supermodel. I feel like I could get past a lot of things if I had someone like that.

Chapter 17 – English Baseball

The trip seems to be going by at an incredible pace. We are only halfway through, but the amount of work bearing down on us, combined with the 4 days in Edinburgh make it seem like a matter of hours before we leave. To give you an idea of my schedule I leave for Scotland Friday morning and get back Monday Night. On Tuesday I deliver a lesson to a class of year 10 students (9^th graders) during third hour, but during second hour I will be giving a presentation about myself and America to another group of students whose age escapes me. I will give that presentation three times next week. I will write a reflection to the lesson I present on Tuesday for Thursday and for Friday a 10-12 page paper on my experience so far. Its too bad I have this work because it really cuts down on the time I get to spend in the city. I am trying to get as much done now as possible.

On Monday I was helping out (which meant participating) in a P.E. class and had the opportunity to meet a man named Paul who was teaching the kids how to play English baseball. After the game, which is similar to our version of baseball, Paul and I spoke some more and eventually our conversation led to an invitation by Paul to me to play on his team the next day.

Fast forward.

Yesterday I took a cab to the ball field and after getting acquainted with the team we were ready to play.

English Baseball:

2 innings long

Each Batter gets 2 strikes or “goods”

Every other ball, or “bad” scores a run for the batting team

The bat is a cricket bat more or less.

The bases are actually 4 foot posts in the ground

No foul balls, so if you hit it backward it is still good

Each batter gets only one swing, but if you miss it is like a dropped 3^rd strike

A single scores one run while a double scores two a triple three and a home run four

Crossing home does not score a run but allows you to bat again that inning

The batting team keeps batting until every player has gotten out

No gloves

So, now that you have a basic idea of the game I can continue. I batted last in the order, which is fine but I think next Tuesday I will be further up. The first time I hit I had a modest single, but I was happy because I got on base. The next time up, however I got a good pitch to hit and proved my American status by getting around the bases by the time the would-be left fielder had the ball. At that point I think my teammates were happy I came.

Anyways, I am really liking my placement in Calderstones School. There have been a few teachers I have been with enough now that we have gotten comfortable with each other. The kids are fun because I don’t have to discipline them and they think I am cool.

I spent a lot of time in the City Centre today, equivalent to Downtown Liverpool and got to venture off on my own and explore… finally. It was great to see the city at my own pace. It is such a contrast from what I have seen so far because most of the city lacks quality but being able to roam the downtown today I certainly had a change of heart.

VIDEO

oh yes… call it a loop hole… call it pure genius… call it what you want, but I will be able to show you my videos from Vienna and London. Unfortunately not on this blog, BUT you can watch all of them on youtube by searching for my account: jkinsey5100.

I will also be posting links to the videos in accordance with appropriate posts so keep an eye out.

Being Weird Under Tower Bridge and Around the Tower of London

Big Ben, London Eye, Parliament and the River Thames

Westminster Abby

A Really Good View of St. Paul’s Cathedral

More Westminster

London Bridge – Fergie

Here are some pictures from the weekend in London… unfortunately my camera ran out of battery hafl way through but I did get plenty of pictures on my phone. Hopefully I can get those up soon.

Chapter 16 – Football is Coming Home

I spent the past weekend in London, and was very happy (albeit somewhat surprised) with the way things turned out. I vaguely remember being there in the summer after 8^th grade but being back there now made the city much more exciting. I knew of a few spots to get to; London Eye, Tower of London, yadda yadda yadda. The tourist spots. And I realized that as a tourist I think those things are really cool. It doesn’t matter to me how cliché it may be to go to London and take a picture in front of Big Ben, I like it. I couldn’t, however, bring myself to eat fish and chips. It is a mental thing with fish. I don’t like eating something that has been swimming around, it just doesn’t really sit well.

On Friday I went and saw a play downtown London. Avenue Q. If you have not heard of it I would really recommend that you check it out as it was a great show. Although, if you don’t get along with 20 year old humor you may not enjoy it. Other kids went and saw things like Les Miserables or Hair but I had Avenue Q recommended to me so I said what the heck. If it wasn’t Avenue Q I was probably going to see Thriller or Queen’s We Will Rock You, so maybe Avenue Q was a good bet after all. I also went on a boat cruise before the show and displayed my USA pride in a football exhibition set up by EA sports in Leicester Square.

Saturday was filled with the touristy stuff I mentioned earlier. We got an early start and tackled the London Tower in the morning. It is an interesting place and full of history, so needless to say I enjoyed it. After that we took a bus tour of the city on the classic London double deck red bus. We say Westminster Abby, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Marble Arch, and Buckingham Palace among other landmarks. But none of these adventures took home the award for Jon’s Favorite Thing of the Weekend. That has to go to the time I spent in Yates’ Pub watching the World Cup match between USA and England. The energy in that place was insane. It was packed with flags, jerseys, and hooligans who chose to wear both in case you didn’t know who they were rooting for if they only donned one. Before the match started the you couldn’t hear yourself think, but once it did nobody dared speak a word because not hearing the tele was about as bad as it could get for the Englishmen in the Pub. When Gerrard scored in the 4^th minute it was bedlam. An absolute eruption. Save the pub I saw that declared “No Football Colours,” I don’t think there was a pub in England that wasn’t exuding jubilation, because this time for real England was going to win the World Cup. But for every high there must be a low. That came 36 short minutes later when Dempsey scored for the US. Had there been a noose in the bar there might have been a line. I was cheering of course. I couldn’t help myself. I screamed and yelled just like they did but I didn’t have the backing of 150 other guys. I’m here now so I suppose it didn’t matter. I did hear a guy while I was in the bathroom say, “Are there Americans here?” To which his countryman replied, “I think I heard a few.” I don’t care to repeat the first man’s response but I smiled when I heard it.

Earlier today (Sunday) I saw the changing of the guard. It was long and boring but I can say I have seen it. The most interesting part of all of it was when the band, made up of other guards (I think. Although lots of them looked out of shape) started playing songs from Star Wars and Rocky. I thought to myself about how even at the most elemental aspects of British culture, America has found a way to make it better. Go USA.

Chapter 15 – Classroom Management

After two days of observing classes I am really starting to like the school I am in. I cant say that I am attached to the students quite yet but its such a unique experience that it is hard to reject. John Lennon went to this school and maybe it is because I am in such an old city but I can almost hear the whispers of famous people and events on the streets of Liverpool and down in the city.

There is a ceremonial tennis tournament next Wednesday through Sunday, John McEnroe is playing. So is Anna Kournikova, Nice. I wont be able so see McEnroe as I will be in Scotland celebrating my birthday but I presume some other big names will be there too. The matches are only a ten minute walk away and 9 pounds for students to attend so that ought to be a fun thing to go to.

London this weekend will be a good time. Pray for me. Should the US beat England I will be fist pumping in silence and celebrating the victory between my ears only. I just want to avoid walking into school Monday morning with bruises.

Liverpool is really warming up to me, even if the weather is not. Now that I have a computer charger again I can communicate, which is nice. Good for you guys too I imagine.

My paragraphs get shorter and shorter.

And shorter.

Chapter 14 – The Story of the Dog at Night

Blessed with another great view from my room I am able to write this in the company of rooftops. Liverpool, as I have experience so far, is a funny city, and I find myself judging the landscape on it’s present mood. You say, “Jon, never judge a book by it’s cover!” To which I would respond, “Well, how am I supposed to know what it is about if I haven’t had a chance to read it?”

My attitude toward Liverpool reflects this statement because although my judgment was preliminary I haven’t been able to prove it wrong. I will tell you what I have gathered.

Liverpool is grey. The streets are black, the houses are grey, the shops are stone. Cars are almost always silver, and the exhaust is black. There appears to be nothing to breathe life into this graveyard of a city. All I can think about is Charles Dickens. I expect Bob Cratchit will be making an appearance any day now. I am understanding British Lit a little bit. The people here, although seemingly for no reason, are very nice. If this really is a graveyard, the people are no doubt the daisies on the graves.

That’s my judgment, take it or leave it.

I am filled up with a sort of melancholy feeling, which makes me think about the book Because of Winn-Dixie. That’s beside the point. This environment seems to be so mundane and dull but at the same time I am overcome by the notion that Liverpool is my oyster. I have never had an oyster.

I imagine a man walking out of his house every morning eating a potato, maybe with some butter but probably not this morning because butter is reserved for Sundays and Thursdays. Sundays because it is holy and Thursdays because his wife goes to work early and he can sneak a pad without her noticing. He walks to his car, starts the engine and drives to work. His car is grey and so is his cologne, the latter however being spelled gray; it doesn’t smell good, it just doesn’t smell bad. I see him finishing his potato (eaten apple style, the butter applied after each bite, but then again, not today) and sauntering into his office. I have no idea what his occupation is but he watches cats jump around the fire escape outside his window until lunch. After lunch he counts the taxis that drive by. The most he has seen is 4. He gets home late because he drives the long way. A potato is waiting for him on the table.

Chapter 13 – Change of Scenery

Today broke the streak of 24 consecutive days of rain. I don’t know if that’s something that deserves rejoicing, but I do know that it is my last day and the elation has been short lived.

Continuing with the last day sob fest; it really is kinda sad to be leaving Vienna. I suppose last days always reciprocate some sort of melancholy and reflection. I would, however, rather look at this positively cause crying never really helped me. Last night I almost shed a tear while watching Varsity Blues. I said almost, so before you get clever with the comments think about the first time you saw it, then cast your stones. I bet they’re pebbles, if any at all.

I am hoping that Liverpool can raise as many questions as Vienna has. At this point I am not looking for answers, but would rather find more things to use as literary ammunition. I feel like I have to be the one to come up with answers, whereas the questions will come from experience. I like to ask why. If you have read my previous posts, many of them stem from that question.

I know the two cities will be very different but I am excited by that notion. Cultures fascinate me, and hopefully Liverpool will have as much to offer as Veinna has. Ill let you know in two days.