Thursday... what happened on Thursday...

I suppose the best thing that happened was the Senses lesson that I did. Slowly, VERY slowly, I'm doing more and more, small things here and there. Miles had asked me if I wanted to lead the class in the reading of a poem on the five senses, and then a discussion about what our senses are and what they do for us. I was a bit tired in the morning, but when it was time for me to be in the spotlight... I was ON. It went really well, with my trying to be as animated and goofy as possible while asking such things as, "What are some things that you like to smell? What are some BAD smells? [One student actually said, "Poop." I think I said something like, "Yes... it does.", and moved quickly on...] What things taste good? [I mentioned my penchant for COTTON CANDY.] What things taste really bad?" The kids got into it, and we ended with them drawing pictures of things that their hands help them do. My model for this activity was "My hands are for TYPING" - I had the realization that I really like to type, because I think that I'm pretty fast and pretty accurate. To be silly I said, "I NEED my hands to type with. I mean, I suppose that I could type with my feet [here I lifted my leg up and pretended to type with my feet] but it would be kind of difficult. Oh, and I could always type with my nose [I pretended to peck on a keyboard with my face][insert laughter from children here] but that might take a long time. So, it's really good that I have hands to type with..." Miles seemed pleased.

The girl with autism had another stellar day - a couple of moments under tables, but, overall, a really good day for her. Some special education woman stopped in to see how things were going with her - coincidentally, it was during one of the girl's outbursts. I walked over to turn on the video camera [to begin recording the tantrum] when the special ed. woman said, "Oh, I'm about to pick her up and bring her over to the rest of the class. Don't record this." So, we're expected to use physical force with her when she refused to obey, but this woman doesn't want her hand on the girl to be on record. Uh huh. Interesting...

In the afternoon, during Math time, the kids came over and sat cross-legged on the rug so that we could do a page from their "math books" together. It was SO cute to see them all, with books open to the proper page, pencils in hand, all facing the front and awaiting instructions. They just all looked so SCHOLARLY - it was as if they were taking this so seriously because it was what they thought school was really supposed to be like all the time.

Last night, Brian and I went to see the Cinema Electronica program of this year's ResFest [a digital filmmaking festival] at the Palace of Fine Arts. It started at 10pm, so I was falling asleep before the thing even going. The thing that we went to see is a collection of "electronica" videos that have cool digital components - whether they be shot digitally, are entirely computer generated, or have elements that have been digitally altered. One of my favorites was for the song "The Dumbing Down of Love" by Frou Frou [whose name I ASSUME is a Cocteau Twins reference...]. I've searched the net for a copy of this video so that you would know what I'm talking about, but, alas, it is nowhere to be found. In short, I think they shot footage of the vocalist singing, and then overlaid A BUNCH of tiny circles and ovals in various shades of red which suggested the image beneath - very impressionistic. I've got to say though (contrary to my anti-MTV VIDEO AWARDS rant from a few weeks back...) that I think the video got me because the SONG got me. I just kept thinking, "Ok, it's as if someone sat down and said, 'Let's write a song that has all of the elements in it which would make Eric swoon his ass off...'" We're talking: breathy female vocals, gentle piano, light electronic textures, building tension, and SWELLING STRINGS. Yeah, you've got me. Naturally, when the show was over, both Brian and Joe RAILED on that song. Alright, I'll give them that the line "Music is worthless, unless it can make a complete stranger break down and cry" is really cheesy - ok, REALLY cheesy - but, I have a healthy appetite for cheese.

I watched the season finale of ED repeated the other night. I teared up at the end... AGAIN. I don't care what ANYONE says, it's a really good show - one that charms the pants off me, and makes me laugh out loud, EVERY week.

Oh, and can you believe that they snuffed out Colin (a.k.a. "Coma Boyfriend") in the first couple minutes of the season premiere of Everwood?!? My jaw was on the floor in disbelief until Brian got home and I yelled out, "They killed off Coma Boyfriend!!"