Seasonal Shift
Posted at 5:35 AM on September 8, 2009
by Dale Connelly
(26 Comments)
Welcome to September, everybody.
I know we're eight days in, but unless you've already returned to school, this is the time when we begin our routines anew for the Fall season and beyond.
And what could be nicer than beginning with a pleasant night out at the Cedar Cultural Center with Crooked Still? Radio Heartland has tickets to give away to this exciting performance tomorrow (Wednesday) night.
We'll close off the entries at 1 this afternoon.
Enter online. Obey the rules. Good Luck.
Here's the Group Shot naming project as it stands today. Thanks again, everyone, for coming out to see Radio Heartland at the Fair.
from left to right
Back Row: Gail from Wisconsin (2nd from left), That Guy In The Hat (4th from left), Jim (5th from left), Jennifer from St. Louis Park (6th from left), Darcy (far right)
Middle Row: Lora (far left), Kathy in Wisconsin (2nd from left), Sherrilee (3rd from left), Beth-Ann (4th from left), Linda from St. Paul (West Side) (far right)
Front Row: Dale, Aaron
At the show but not pictured: Kate, Bill, Connie
If you are in the photo and you'd like me to list your name below, send a permission-granting e-mail to dale@radioheartland.org.
I found an e-mail from an old friend this morning.
Hi Mr. C, I just wanted to let you know what's going on at Wendell Wilkie high school with the president and his "stay in school, work hard" speech that's supposed to be broadcast into classrooms at noon today, nationwide.Our principal left it up to the teachers to decide if it fits into their schedule, and while some of the staff at Wilkie kinda have a crush on President Obama and have pictures of him up in their room, like everywhere (even Ms. Lopez, the French teacher, has one with him saying 'Bonjour'!), other teachers are more serious about keeping their classes on schedule.
In fact, a lot of them have this routine they go through every year. They teach their class exactly the same way, every single time, with the same hand-outs and the same lectures and the same quizzes and the same tests, and word travels from student to student about it so that when some of us finally get into that teacher's class, there are things we just expect. And there's no sense in disappointing us because some guy who happens to be the President of the United States wants to say stuff to us that everybody has already heard before.
And that's the way it'll be for me on Tuesday, because I finally got into Mr. Boozenporn's "Life Choices" class. All the sophomores have to take it, and of course I've been in it a bunch of times before because I've been a sophomore like, forever, but everybody who's had Mr. B says it's special the way he does it, especially the unit on "hobbies". The rumor is, if you keep asking him questions about his personal interests, before long you'll hear some pretty wild stuff, especially if you press him on the hobbies he shares with Mrs. Boozenporn.
And that's always covered in the first class of the year. So there's no way I want to miss that for a speech by Barack Obama, who definitely isn't going to say anything I'll have to keep secret from my parents.
So anyway, that's the update from here. If any of the news people there at big-time public radio want to interview a real student about what it was like to be back on the first day and did we suffer by NOT hearing the president speak, you can give them my name.
I promise, I'll be discreet.Your Pal,
Bubby Spamden
Thanks to Bubby for sharing. I'm guessing our news people will pass on the chance to interview him - they've got enough going on as it is.
I'm trying to pull together a playlist of songs about school. Any ideas?
Comments (26)
Bubby! I can just hear his squawky voice reading that... Well, if I wasn't excited to spend all day, every day with teenagers again, I sure am now! As far as school songs - anything about overcrowding (38 in a writing class?!?!?), union tension (but you didn't hear it from me) or passing tests would be apropos. Or just anything involving the word 'data', as that's the buzzword currently sweeping the education nation.
(I realize I sound cynical, but I really am excited. I think it's going to be a great day!)
I can think of at least one more song with "data" in it: "Mambo Man" by Free Hot Lunch. He talks about "looking at data all day" before going out to Mambo at night.
Liked the Stan Rogers data song - yes, it's all about data, and that's what I get to do at work at the university today - gather and check, add up and move around and report more data. But it's great to have all the students back, playing frisbie and hoops, texting as they S-L-O-W-L-Y cross the streets, and possibly going to classes.
How about "Teach Your Children" by Crosby, Stills & Nash? That song goes back to my college days, and what the song taught us.
no tv in the barn, so i'm afraid the Girls will not get the message. the way Dodger is hanging out at the fenceline of Majority's loafing area, i don't think she will complete the year in school much less graduate. and then Alba isn't much better. i figured her for going on to grad school but she's pretty interested in that sweet, funky aroma emanating from the big boy.
Dream dropped out last year to have his triplets and she is regretting that decision and has asked for a "bye" to ride out the breeding season this year and maybe do home study.
did Eddie Cochran have a "school days" song i remember???
thanks and Good Morning folks!
Thanks for the song, Dale!
The 'Word of the Day' a few days ago was:
abecedarian \ay-bee-see-DAIR-ee-uhn\, noun:
1. One who is learning the alphabet; hence, a beginner.
2. One engaged in teaching the alphabet.
3. Pertaining to the letters of the alphabet.
4. Arranged alphabetically.
5. Rudimentary; elementary.
So to all us students and teachers, have great days of learning!
Ag news here today, the neighbor is weaning his calves so the mom's are upset and have been making quite the racket for the last 24 hours!
Guess they're all learning something too...
How about would you like to swing on a star?
Gotta go...overslept. No school for me but lots of extra traffic due to school.
All you in school sniff some new crayons for me!
Greetings, Dale. Are you wearing your new school shoes this morning?
How about John McCutcheon's "Kindergarten Wall" (sorry if you played it already and I missed it)? We just saw him in Zumbrota a couple of Friday's ago--he's fantastic!
Have a splendidious day.
PS: And here's a shout out to our three school-agers: Izaak (6th), Annika (4th), and Graeden (K).
Being in a school district that started last week, it's been official September already for a bit here.
Got any school bus songs? All I can come up with is "Wheels on the Bus" - but that's not school bus-specific.
Happy Tuesday all!
Good morning, everyone!
After a couple of weeks spent working in a cold data room (without access to Radio Heartland), I'm going to try very hard to stay at my workstation where I can stream the show.
Ah, it does feel like fall, and school bus time... My favorite is Waitin' in School by Ricky Nelson?
I think the School Days song that Barb is refering to is by Chuck Berry. That is a song from my school days and was an important part of my education. My interest in music started with hearing the great rock and roll music of the 50s.
I found school to be very boring and I think it still is for most students. Well, if Bubby can get that teacher to stray from the leasons and tell some stories, may be his first day of school will not be so boring.
Those students who get to hear Obama might get a little break from the usual routine. What Obama really needs to do is stand up for more school funding to deal the overcrowding that Lora mentioned.
Greetings Heartlanders! I can't think of any school or bus related songs (as usual). Finally got the boys off to school -- they were both up REAL early, and seem excited to start.
I'm still thinking "Everything I Do is Going to Be Funky" by Michael Doucet is a good way to start the school year. They both had to have cool, new clothes, cool new shoes, etc. But do I get cool new clothes -- don't think so. Ah well .... it's OK, I can only wear certain things to work. Have a great day everyone!
Hi Dale,
Great show. Thanks for all the good wishes for us school "kids". Today is my first day of grad school!
-Eric
don't the Beach Boys have a school song?
You were right, Dale. The Nat King Cole piece is a variation on "Vesti la giubba" from Pagliacci. At one point he sings, "Ridi, Pagliacci," or "laugh, Pagliacci."
on a more cynical note - do you have Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall," Dale? have i asked for that song before? my bricks are falling down
happy day
Hope everyone had a good long weekend, you too Dale.
A couple school song suggestions:
"Me & Julio down by the schoolyard" (maybe not so much about being in school, but it was the first that jumped in my mind, next to "Be True to Your School" which Shelley mentioned.
"Forever Young" - Michael Monroe (again, not specifically about school, but it's for the young and young at heart, right?)
I try to always remember Mike Pengra too, hope you had a good long weekend as well, along with the guys in the coveralls!
Thanks fot the ideas, everyone.
Kris, I appreciate the confirmation on that theme I was hearing in the Nat King Cole piece. My brain seems sluggish today - it's good to have a friend who is awake.
Barb - sorry, strike two. No Pink Floyd. Dang!
And Shelley, I think you're thinking of "Be True To Your School." I'll see if I can find it!
Thanks for the "I did it their way" song! I love it. Today, my husband is starting grad school night classes after work. Now I'm an MBA widow, so sad. However, I am very proud of him. Have a great morning.
I know a couple others have mentioned their kids starting school this year. My youngest daughter started 2nd grade last week (they started earlier due to a scheduling issue). Our oldest daughter starts middle school (8th grade) today.
hi, gang--late as usual---but hey, i don't have to get to school or the office or anywhere else today--
it will be an interesting fall out West--cooling down to the high 80s this week :-)
by the way, everyone out here considers Minnesota as "back East"--so there.
hey, barb, i'm going to put together a care package for dale of "missing songs" and i'll include pink floyd, jethro tull, etc.--as soon as i load them all into my iTunes.
thanks, Kay - you keep your longies on, now - don't freeze out there!
Pink Floyd is after my "time" but i still get a kick from the music.
Dale - strikes are erased every day at 9 a.m. so you are back to zero again. i do that - it's the only way i could live with myself :-)
Listening to the rebroadcast... Yay for "Teach Your Children." Thanks Dale! I am currently learning that song with my octet, OVation (Ensemble of One Voice Mixed Chorus, look us up!) in a slower, more choral arrangement that doesn't let a moment of that cool 3 part harmony go by. Ah...3 part vocal harmony...has me recalling Bojono's harmonies a couple of Friday's ago.
Before reading the blog, I would have sworn that I have heard "Another Brick in the Wall" on the Morning Show at some point... So much for my memory.
Happy first day of school teachers and students! It's just another day to me...
I DID have a nice, long weekend Mike, thanks for asking. Could we have asked for better weather?
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