Burt. He's the only one of my friends who holds the distinction of having fought me on the playground (always the pushing/tackling type of fighting, never fists). Regardless of our violent past, he is still one of my best friends. We worked at two movie theaters together, we roomed in a dorm together at UF, I went to grad school with his wife, and Burt and I both share a love of writing (which neither one of us gets to explore as much as we'd like). Today we'll look at the evolution of how Burton Meahl signed my yearbook.
5th grade:
Wayne,
You're a nice friend to be with but you've got to shape up. Good luck with grade 6.
Your friend, Burton Meahl
6th grade:
Wayne,
You've been a real good friend. You've also helped me in places I thought were impossible. Thanks!
Your friend, Burton Meahl
7th grade:
Wayne,
Good luck next year in the 8th grade. Matt wrote in my yearbook, "I hope you're in Wayne's homeroom again!" It really hasn't been that bad being in all of your classes this year and years before. Because you really are a good guy!
Your friend, Burton
8th grade:
Wayne,
Hey good buddy! this is Burton writing this! This was a great year! (only because I'm looking forward to getting away from this #!@?+ school! (bad language). The CHS is getting nearer and nearer isn't it? That really sounds neat, doesn't it? "The class of "90" enters the Citrus High School!" This may sound ordinary but I'll say it anyway. "Have a great summer and good luck in the 9th grade!" Oh, by the way, I'm going for the N.C. Tarheels next year! If you see me during the summer, you can pretend to punch me and I'll fall backwards! (But not at the WP Pool!)(even though you may be in NC!) Well, I've taken up enough room by now, don't you think! Well, I'll see ya later!
Your friend and good buddy, Burton (watch out CHS, here we come!)
P.S. Wouldn't that be neat if we were in the same homeroom again next year! I guess it's impossible so, goodbye!
9th grade:
Did not sign.
10th grade:
Grandma, uh I mean Grandpa,
You know, none of your jokes really hit my funny bone this year. You've really been a bore and I hope you have a lousy summer. I hope you fail and become a second year sophomore! (Just joshing w/ya!) <--(Scooter's famous words!) Naah, you've been a great friend through everything. Your jokes have definitely improved and your "grandpa" voice rules. Well Tig, it's also been fun playing darts at your house and trying to get together for making a newspaper to pass "honors" English. (By the way, don't let anyone tell you different, but your computer is awesome!) Well...I hate the word "well." It's so yearbookish! Anyway, (new word) Anyway, have a summer full of violence and sex. (<--a "Steve saying")
Oh, by the way, hope you get your driver's license w/out a problem. It ought to be easy, I hope. Well, I guess I'd better quit writing all this bull shit (<--you told me to!) and wrap this story up. Have a great summer and stay cool!
Yur good buddy, Burt (Ed, Alf, Mortimer, etc.)
11th grade:
Wayne,
Wow thankx for all this room so roomy to write in. Nevertheless I'm going to try to write what's on my mind weaving in and out only to express my thoughts. Well, Wayne, it has been great being your buddy since 5th grade. Wow. We have really known each other a long time, eh? The only thing is, every year hadn't been so awesome. But this year I kinda felt like I could tell you about everything. You've always had to remind me of the morals we're supposed to follow because I, as well as others, tend to forget them at times. Anyway, thankx a lot for attempting A's Christmas present. Maybe someday soon we can finish it + sum. It'll be great and then we can give it to her. She'll love it. Anyway, maybe you and me and Steve and Dom can get together this summer, eh? I'd like to be accepted into that group a bit more than in the past. I realize that's because I've kinda ignored ya'll--but that should change this summer 'cause I'm gonna need some good friends. You've always provided in the past and I know you will this summer and next year. Anyway, (shift) thankx for the good times. Your a real pal after all these years. Good luck and have fun this summer, okay?
Yur pal and good buddy, Burt
12th grade:
Well, Wayne, what am I supposed to write? I've known you for almost as long as I've lived here. As we've both probably written in every yearbook, we had our tough times in the early years. But we've become great friends and now look at us, we're UF-bound. That's pretty awesome if you think about it. Then Dom's gonna be there soon, so will Steph. Anyway, you're a real funny guy--and I've always looked up to you becuase you were probably the 1st person who inspired my creativity. Remember in 5th, you always wrote short stories for the fun of it? I began trying that and I liked it and have been enjoying drawing and writing ever since then. This senior year has been pretty wild. We definitely made like seniors. And I appreciate you humoring me in the early years when I had to hang around ya'll w/an effort. But maybe that happened for the best 'cause we're all "the posse" and can talk about anything. That's real friendship. Well--that's enough sentimentalism. Although I'll see ya next year probably about every day--good luck in all you do. Good luck w/the bass. I'll see you in G-ville.
Your pal, Burton
Go Gators
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Yearbook Memories Part 2 - Steve
This is the guy who, today, lives the farthest away, yet I stay in touch with him more than anyone. We were in bands together, both in school (Breez) and outside of school (Skulk of Thieves, Chowderhead, B.A.F.M.). We still make music together today. Let's now look at Steve Malone's yearbook signings through the years. Enjoy!
5th grade:
Didn't sign. We weren't in the same homeroom in 5th grade. I didn't become good friends with Steve until 6th grade.
6th grade:
Wayne,
Hi. It's Steve.
(Something tells me he meant to write more but didn't get around to it. His is the only signing on the whole page)
7th grade:
Wayne,
Steve here. You've been a good friend this year. It's a pitty we didn't have any classes (except reach) together. Hopefully we'll have more next year. I won't be leaving until the end of June so we can call each other and maybe meet somewhere. Well, gota go. Good luck in 8th.
Your very good friend, Steve Malone
"90"
Class of
(I'm not sure, but the "90 Class of" might be a reference to a mistake he made on a rubber stamp we made in a typesetting class. Typesetting class? Hey, it was the 80's, when they still taught vocational skills.)
8th grade:
Hi Wayne.
You've been a great friend this year. I've got lots of room so I'll write a lot. It's 2 bad. We won't B in the same homerooms next year. (Sniff). I'll C'ya' in the French Club though. (Yeah, that's it. That's the ticket.) I got a 71 on my algebra test! I'm in trouble. Well, have a great summer, my people can call your people and we'll get together.
Your good buddy, Steve
"90" rules!
9th grade:
Wayne,
Finally, a yearbook with a contents larger than the 2 covers put together. It's about damn time too. (Excuse my language) Well, thank god the year's over. We had some great times this year, such as...(1) Just kidding. Wow, I just saw Mr. Wilkinson smile! A 1st for me. By the way, I probably failed that quiz. Oh, well. Shit, the bell's about to ring. Are you doing anything this year? I won't be leaving until July. Well, I think this racketball thing on Friday's is a good idea. It sucks that we only had 3 classes together. At least we all had lunch together. Hopefully we'll have more together in 87-88. Doesn't black ink go well w/this page! When you're a senior you'll look back on this and say "What quiz." Well, I don't give a shit. You know Wayne, you have some great qualities. (1) You're cute (2) Your so smart. (3) You have great taste in clothes. No I'm just kidding. You're really an asshole. Well, I'll see over the summer a lot and I'll see you next year in school. Bye for now,
Yur good buddy, Steve
In the summer of 1987, Steve's family went back to Scotland, and due to some visa issues, were stuck there for most of our sophomore year. They finally made it back, greencards in hand, before the end of the school year.
10th grade:
Wayne, pal ol' buddy,
What be up? You know, writing in your yearbook makes me feel like I'm still in Scotland, writing you a letter! Ahh! That scares me. I'm back now though,...I am. Right, I'm gonna' try and fill up this whole page o.k. Normally right now I'd say something about how much it sucked this year because I wasn't here. Well, it did. At least we kept in touch though. (SNIFF) Next year will be great though. Of course first there's,...the Summer! We'll do lots this vacation. We could even play some,...dare I say,...racketball! (Leave some space on this page, o.k.) It's different this year, there aren't that many memories to reminice on but I'll squeeze these couple of months for all they're worth: Do you remember when I got back we talked on the phonr for ages, not having to worry about the costs of long distance calls? And remember when I went to your algebra class and we made an ass out of Cindy. Well, that's about it really. They'll be a lot more to remember next year though. We'd better get more classes together next year or I'll be totally mother fuckin' pissed off! I mean it. And I'd better get someone I know at lunch, preferably you guys. I couldn't stand sitting with Jimmy again! Well, I'm running out of space so I'd better go. (Typical excuse.) Talk to ya' later bud'.
Your best pal, Steve a.k.a. Skirty
11th grade:
Wayne,
God, I've got a rather large headache right now. I need some more sleep. But I digress. Ah yes, the yearbooks have arrived once more and the signing times have come. Wayne, buddy, we've broken some major barriers this year. Probably the most important were the concerts we went to, what a brake through. We'll definitely have to do that more. I remember that one day when we did something that was definitely "yearbook material." I'm talking of that day when we skipped almost a complete journalism field trip, and had a hell of a time doing it. You remember, I know you do. I think the biggest thing this year was our band though. That goes w/out saying. The Skulk shall live forever, (here, here.) We started out with one guitar and a piece of shit amp, zero experience and talent, just raw potential. And now look what we've grown to. Damn we're good. I'm trying to think of other big things that happened this year. I guess Prom was a pretty big deal, even though it was pure hell trying to get a date. I vow that next year will be different. I still had a great time though. Dana's party was cool too. Yes, our Junior year has been quite good and I greatly look forward to our Senior one. Hell, maybe you'll even have a job at the Crown! I think you will. Well, I'm going to try to sum up this year in a few words over on the margin there, so here goes. See you later pal,
Your best buddy, Steve
12th grade:
Bud',
I'd thought I'd sign horizontally, or vertically (I dunno', you know what I mean) for a change, break up the monotoness passages of script. Well, well, well, well, well, well, well. I just want you to know Wayne, now let me say this, I... I... --sob-- I just want to say that, ugh. Your a really good friend. I mean that. Seriously though, friends don't get much better than you man, even though you are an asshole sometimes, but not all the time. It seems that you and I have done everything together but sex! I think we'll stay away from that though. Hell, I just want to say fuck engineering and fuck University of Aberdeen and just become a fuckin' rock n' roll star, man. I can feel it in my blood. Unfortunately though in this shitty world that we live in we have to think realistically. Well, we'll have some fun in our new band, we'll finally record some things we can be proud of. It's about time. We're pretty good, damn it. Brian seems like the chance we've been waiting for, he's got--equipment--. Concerts this year were even better than last year; Tom, Paul, Margo, Stevie...Stevie B., and uh, well, Depeche Mode. That was funny when Mrs. Albritton told you today that you could go because you "weren't listening anyway." What a bitch, man. What a fucking cunt! God, what a total pain in the ass she was. Jesus! Calculus is over, almost, fuck it. Here comes summer. We'll finally have time to create, record, and maybe do some gigs. Oh yeah, how can I forget to mention externship at Ed's place. All I want to know is, where's our fucking checks for a hundred smackeroonies? I wanna' know. So long bud.
Steve "Sharky"
5th grade:
Didn't sign. We weren't in the same homeroom in 5th grade. I didn't become good friends with Steve until 6th grade.
6th grade:
Wayne,
Hi. It's Steve.
(Something tells me he meant to write more but didn't get around to it. His is the only signing on the whole page)
7th grade:
Wayne,
Steve here. You've been a good friend this year. It's a pitty we didn't have any classes (except reach) together. Hopefully we'll have more next year. I won't be leaving until the end of June so we can call each other and maybe meet somewhere. Well, gota go. Good luck in 8th.
Your very good friend, Steve Malone
"90"
Class of
(I'm not sure, but the "90 Class of" might be a reference to a mistake he made on a rubber stamp we made in a typesetting class. Typesetting class? Hey, it was the 80's, when they still taught vocational skills.)
8th grade:
Hi Wayne.
You've been a great friend this year. I've got lots of room so I'll write a lot. It's 2 bad. We won't B in the same homerooms next year. (Sniff). I'll C'ya' in the French Club though. (Yeah, that's it. That's the ticket.) I got a 71 on my algebra test! I'm in trouble. Well, have a great summer, my people can call your people and we'll get together.
Your good buddy, Steve
"90" rules!
9th grade:
Wayne,
Finally, a yearbook with a contents larger than the 2 covers put together. It's about damn time too. (Excuse my language) Well, thank god the year's over. We had some great times this year, such as...(1) Just kidding. Wow, I just saw Mr. Wilkinson smile! A 1st for me. By the way, I probably failed that quiz. Oh, well. Shit, the bell's about to ring. Are you doing anything this year? I won't be leaving until July. Well, I think this racketball thing on Friday's is a good idea. It sucks that we only had 3 classes together. At least we all had lunch together. Hopefully we'll have more together in 87-88. Doesn't black ink go well w/this page! When you're a senior you'll look back on this and say "What quiz." Well, I don't give a shit. You know Wayne, you have some great qualities. (1) You're cute (2) Your so smart. (3) You have great taste in clothes. No I'm just kidding. You're really an asshole. Well, I'll see over the summer a lot and I'll see you next year in school. Bye for now,
Yur good buddy, Steve
In the summer of 1987, Steve's family went back to Scotland, and due to some visa issues, were stuck there for most of our sophomore year. They finally made it back, greencards in hand, before the end of the school year.
10th grade:
Wayne, pal ol' buddy,
What be up? You know, writing in your yearbook makes me feel like I'm still in Scotland, writing you a letter! Ahh! That scares me. I'm back now though,...I am. Right, I'm gonna' try and fill up this whole page o.k. Normally right now I'd say something about how much it sucked this year because I wasn't here. Well, it did. At least we kept in touch though. (SNIFF) Next year will be great though. Of course first there's,...the Summer! We'll do lots this vacation. We could even play some,...dare I say,...racketball! (Leave some space on this page, o.k.) It's different this year, there aren't that many memories to reminice on but I'll squeeze these couple of months for all they're worth: Do you remember when I got back we talked on the phonr for ages, not having to worry about the costs of long distance calls? And remember when I went to your algebra class and we made an ass out of Cindy. Well, that's about it really. They'll be a lot more to remember next year though. We'd better get more classes together next year or I'll be totally mother fuckin' pissed off! I mean it. And I'd better get someone I know at lunch, preferably you guys. I couldn't stand sitting with Jimmy again! Well, I'm running out of space so I'd better go. (Typical excuse.) Talk to ya' later bud'.
Your best pal, Steve a.k.a. Skirty
11th grade:
Wayne,
God, I've got a rather large headache right now. I need some more sleep. But I digress. Ah yes, the yearbooks have arrived once more and the signing times have come. Wayne, buddy, we've broken some major barriers this year. Probably the most important were the concerts we went to, what a brake through. We'll definitely have to do that more. I remember that one day when we did something that was definitely "yearbook material." I'm talking of that day when we skipped almost a complete journalism field trip, and had a hell of a time doing it. You remember, I know you do. I think the biggest thing this year was our band though. That goes w/out saying. The Skulk shall live forever, (here, here.) We started out with one guitar and a piece of shit amp, zero experience and talent, just raw potential. And now look what we've grown to. Damn we're good. I'm trying to think of other big things that happened this year. I guess Prom was a pretty big deal, even though it was pure hell trying to get a date. I vow that next year will be different. I still had a great time though. Dana's party was cool too. Yes, our Junior year has been quite good and I greatly look forward to our Senior one. Hell, maybe you'll even have a job at the Crown! I think you will. Well, I'm going to try to sum up this year in a few words over on the margin there, so here goes. See you later pal,
Your best buddy, Steve
12th grade:
Bud',
I'd thought I'd sign horizontally, or vertically (I dunno', you know what I mean) for a change, break up the monotoness passages of script. Well, well, well, well, well, well, well. I just want you to know Wayne, now let me say this, I... I... --sob-- I just want to say that, ugh. Your a really good friend. I mean that. Seriously though, friends don't get much better than you man, even though you are an asshole sometimes, but not all the time. It seems that you and I have done everything together but sex! I think we'll stay away from that though. Hell, I just want to say fuck engineering and fuck University of Aberdeen and just become a fuckin' rock n' roll star, man. I can feel it in my blood. Unfortunately though in this shitty world that we live in we have to think realistically. Well, we'll have some fun in our new band, we'll finally record some things we can be proud of. It's about time. We're pretty good, damn it. Brian seems like the chance we've been waiting for, he's got--equipment--. Concerts this year were even better than last year; Tom, Paul, Margo, Stevie...Stevie B., and uh, well, Depeche Mode. That was funny when Mrs. Albritton told you today that you could go because you "weren't listening anyway." What a bitch, man. What a fucking cunt! God, what a total pain in the ass she was. Jesus! Calculus is over, almost, fuck it. Here comes summer. We'll finally have time to create, record, and maybe do some gigs. Oh yeah, how can I forget to mention externship at Ed's place. All I want to know is, where's our fucking checks for a hundred smackeroonies? I wanna' know. So long bud.
Steve "Sharky"
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Yearbook Memories Part 1 - Dom
With one year under my belt as a yearbook advisor, I dug my own yearbooks out of the garage to look at them with a different eye. As I flipped through them, I wasn't very interested in the boring black-and-white photos and uninspired layout. What did catch my attention were all the signings from friends.
You can tell a lot about friendships, about things that were important at the time, about how we related to each other, from reading what people wrote in your yearbooks. It's the best, most memorable feature of a yearbook. I've had people come to me to see if they could buy an old yearbook because their's was destroyed or lost. The sad thing is they can never get those signings back.
So the lesson for the day is...sign those yearbooks! And get people to sign yours.
Yearbook signings are similar to letters (back in the day when people still wrote letters). Unless someone saves them, you forget what you wrote. I thought it would be fun to show how my closest friends' yearbook signings evolved and changed over the years.
Today I start with the friend who I eventually shared an apartment with during college, a person I've traveled across the country to visit, the guy who was the best man at my wedding. Admittedly, he was not the best yearbook signer, which makes some of his entries all the funnier. I debated whether to censor the entries or not, and I opted not to. So be warned, as we get into the high school years, the language can be, well, typical of a high school male talking amongst friends. I also opted to copy the punctuation and spelling mistakes exactly as they were written (I had to fight the urge to correct as I typed).
And now, from 1983-1990, the writings of Dominick Cecere:
5th grade (the italicized part is erased, but I can still read what it said):
Wayne,
Thanks for being a good friend this year, even though you didn't see Return of the Jedi. Your a great friend.
Your Buddy, Dominick Cecere
(includes a drawing of two hands holding lightsabers)
6th grade:
Wayne,
I'm not much at signing yearbooks, but I'll do my best. I've enjoyed all your jokes, sound effects, etc. You've been a great friend, pal, buddy, etc.
Dominick Cecere
7th grade:
Wayne,
We gotta get together this summer. We need to give Marvel a boost. Hope to have you in my 8th grade homeroom next year. As if you haven't guessed. Oh, by the way I loved your sound ef...., well, catch my drift? Well, I want to go now so...
Your pal, Dom
(I must have complained to him about the brevity of his signing, because on the side, in a different color pen, he continued:)
Ah, what the heck I'll keep writing. Hope we get together this summer and go swimming. About Keli's new house, maybe we could all spend the night there, with her supervision. We really gotta get the D.O.J. Fighters and F.O.E. Enemy Force some character sheets together. Also, go on some good adventures.
8th grade:
Wayne,
I don't like writing on the pages so I'm writing on the hard back part. Maybe if we get together this summer, I got Return of the Jedi on tape we'll watch it. REMEMBER THIS-> (drawing of two hands with lightsabers) Just kidding. And your sound effects suck. No really, we gotta get together this summer if you're not going to North Carolina. Hey this paper is Carolina Blue. Alright! Wow! Golly! Big deal! We've had a big "bad time" this year. But it is straightened out hopefully. You can have Amy. I mean if you want her. A girl for god's sake. How could a friendship get almost screwed up so easily? Well gotta go.
Your friend, Dom
9th grade:
Wayne,
I don't believe we did it, we put up with Burton for another year. (Jus' kiddin' Burt) Maybe we'll (what's after "we'll", Steve? Struggle? O.K.) struggle for another year. (Thanks Steve) We also lived through Steve's pickiness (No Offense, Steve) Thanks for putting up with Brenda. Why am I no good at signing yearbooks. Why? For GOD'S SAKE WHY? SOMEBODY HELP ME! HELP ME! PLEASE, HELP ME! If ya ever need...uh-umm..uh-well...uh...remember you can call on me. Hey what are friends for. This totally sucks. So you going up to N.C. this summer? Check out the guy down there. Remember: 1-D 2-B 3-B 4-C 5-TRUE 6-A 7-D for Lechler's test. I'm gonna quit waisting space.
Your Pal, Dominick
'90 the only way to have class. I'll sign something later.
P.S. Well, I'm back! You didn't have a scuzzy and strange girlfriend this year, that I could take away from you. So what do you expect me to write? Wayne, This year was pretty good. Especially the end. Good luck with Shawn.
Bye, Dominick
10th grade:
Did not sign.
11th grade:
Wanye, (REMEMBER!)
Well, this year kind of sucked cause Steve was here the whole year except those days he was sick because he was too tired to finish a report or project at the last minute, but Steve is Steve and I guess that's who he'll always be (No offense, Steve) because we're all friends. We started the band this school year. That was an experience. We got as far as a concert in the metropolis of Lecanto. You know I hate signing yearbooks, yet every year you beg for me to inscribe some bullshit friend crap among the pages. Some parts are funny and some aren't. When we look back on this year we can remember the rednecks in Ocala who inquired the fact of me being a "sissy bitch." I recall the Amy/Katya date and the absolute embarrassment felt when they yelled out infamous phrases such as "vaginal warts" and "rectal massage." The time when you honked the horn at 10 o'clock at night in Angie "big tit" Finegan's driveway. The encounter with her dad was embarrassing. The Christmas or rather New Year's Eve concert we gave my family late that December night. We really rocked with that classic "Auld Lang Syne." Yes, this was a good year, but of course next year will be better. I'm not going to babble on about being seniors, cause I know that really pisses you off. So I'll leave with saying that you're the yougest of us and you'll always be a step lower than me. Oh fuck it. See ya' later.
Your pal, Dominick
P.S. You're sound effects keep getting better and better. I like the lazer one the best.
12th grade:
Did not sign.
You can tell a lot about friendships, about things that were important at the time, about how we related to each other, from reading what people wrote in your yearbooks. It's the best, most memorable feature of a yearbook. I've had people come to me to see if they could buy an old yearbook because their's was destroyed or lost. The sad thing is they can never get those signings back.
So the lesson for the day is...sign those yearbooks! And get people to sign yours.
Yearbook signings are similar to letters (back in the day when people still wrote letters). Unless someone saves them, you forget what you wrote. I thought it would be fun to show how my closest friends' yearbook signings evolved and changed over the years.
Today I start with the friend who I eventually shared an apartment with during college, a person I've traveled across the country to visit, the guy who was the best man at my wedding. Admittedly, he was not the best yearbook signer, which makes some of his entries all the funnier. I debated whether to censor the entries or not, and I opted not to. So be warned, as we get into the high school years, the language can be, well, typical of a high school male talking amongst friends. I also opted to copy the punctuation and spelling mistakes exactly as they were written (I had to fight the urge to correct as I typed).
And now, from 1983-1990, the writings of Dominick Cecere:
5th grade (the italicized part is erased, but I can still read what it said):
Wayne,
Thanks for being a good friend this year, even though you didn't see Return of the Jedi. Your a great friend.
Your Buddy, Dominick Cecere
(includes a drawing of two hands holding lightsabers)
6th grade:
Wayne,
I'm not much at signing yearbooks, but I'll do my best. I've enjoyed all your jokes, sound effects, etc. You've been a great friend, pal, buddy, etc.
Dominick Cecere
7th grade:
Wayne,
We gotta get together this summer. We need to give Marvel a boost. Hope to have you in my 8th grade homeroom next year. As if you haven't guessed. Oh, by the way I loved your sound ef...., well, catch my drift? Well, I want to go now so...
Your pal, Dom
(I must have complained to him about the brevity of his signing, because on the side, in a different color pen, he continued:)
Ah, what the heck I'll keep writing. Hope we get together this summer and go swimming. About Keli's new house, maybe we could all spend the night there, with her supervision. We really gotta get the D.O.J. Fighters and F.O.E. Enemy Force some character sheets together. Also, go on some good adventures.
8th grade:
Wayne,
I don't like writing on the pages so I'm writing on the hard back part. Maybe if we get together this summer, I got Return of the Jedi on tape we'll watch it. REMEMBER THIS-> (drawing of two hands with lightsabers) Just kidding. And your sound effects suck. No really, we gotta get together this summer if you're not going to North Carolina. Hey this paper is Carolina Blue. Alright! Wow! Golly! Big deal! We've had a big "bad time" this year. But it is straightened out hopefully. You can have Amy. I mean if you want her. A girl for god's sake. How could a friendship get almost screwed up so easily? Well gotta go.
Your friend, Dom
9th grade:
Wayne,
I don't believe we did it, we put up with Burton for another year. (Jus' kiddin' Burt) Maybe we'll (what's after "we'll", Steve? Struggle? O.K.) struggle for another year. (Thanks Steve) We also lived through Steve's pickiness (No Offense, Steve) Thanks for putting up with Brenda. Why am I no good at signing yearbooks. Why? For GOD'S SAKE WHY? SOMEBODY HELP ME! HELP ME! PLEASE, HELP ME! If ya ever need...uh-umm..uh-well...uh...remember you can call on me. Hey what are friends for. This totally sucks. So you going up to N.C. this summer? Check out the guy down there. Remember: 1-D 2-B 3-B 4-C 5-TRUE 6-A 7-D for Lechler's test. I'm gonna quit waisting space.
Your Pal, Dominick
'90 the only way to have class. I'll sign something later.
P.S. Well, I'm back! You didn't have a scuzzy and strange girlfriend this year, that I could take away from you. So what do you expect me to write? Wayne, This year was pretty good. Especially the end. Good luck with Shawn.
Bye, Dominick
10th grade:
Did not sign.
11th grade:
Wanye, (REMEMBER!)
Well, this year kind of sucked cause Steve was here the whole year except those days he was sick because he was too tired to finish a report or project at the last minute, but Steve is Steve and I guess that's who he'll always be (No offense, Steve) because we're all friends. We started the band this school year. That was an experience. We got as far as a concert in the metropolis of Lecanto. You know I hate signing yearbooks, yet every year you beg for me to inscribe some bullshit friend crap among the pages. Some parts are funny and some aren't. When we look back on this year we can remember the rednecks in Ocala who inquired the fact of me being a "sissy bitch." I recall the Amy/Katya date and the absolute embarrassment felt when they yelled out infamous phrases such as "vaginal warts" and "rectal massage." The time when you honked the horn at 10 o'clock at night in Angie "big tit" Finegan's driveway. The encounter with her dad was embarrassing. The Christmas or rather New Year's Eve concert we gave my family late that December night. We really rocked with that classic "Auld Lang Syne." Yes, this was a good year, but of course next year will be better. I'm not going to babble on about being seniors, cause I know that really pisses you off. So I'll leave with saying that you're the yougest of us and you'll always be a step lower than me. Oh fuck it. See ya' later.
Your pal, Dominick
P.S. You're sound effects keep getting better and better. I like the lazer one the best.
12th grade:
Did not sign.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Alex's touchdown
Alex's flag football team won again yesterday. We met a nice guy after the game who's a geography professor at UF. He had a really nice camera and had been snapping shots of our team. This morning he emailed us one of them. This is a picture of Alex's touchdown catch and run. He caught a short pass at midfield and ran through several defenders to the endzone. It was very exciting!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
The Non-Crisis
There's a yucky phenomenon in public education. In Phoenix, it was called RIF (Reduction in Force). In Alachua County it's called Notice of Non-Renewal. No matter what you call it, it means the same thing. You're unemployed.
For those who don't know how most public school teacher contracts work, here's a quick lesson on how they work (at least up until this summer):
When a teacher first gets hired by a school district, the teacher is offered an annual contract. That's exactly how it sounds: the district has agreed to hire you for one school year and that's it. If things work out, you work well with others, you do your job and meet professional expectations, AND the school (i.e. the Principal) wants you back, then some time in the spring, you get offered another annual contract and you teach for another year. After a certain number of years of annual contracts, the teacher becomes eligible for what some call a continuing contract. Here, it's called a Professional Services Contract. But the colloquial term for it is tenure.
Tenure is controversial lately, because some people think it saddles schools with bad teachers. But that's another story. Several good reasons exist for tenure. The one I've always liked the best is that it provides a degree of job security for a job that is stressful, underpaid, and largely devoid of perks. One of the reasons I got into teaching is because I wanted job security as I raised a family.
The annual contracts essentially serve as a probationary period, and if the principal decides he likes the teacher, he can recommend them for tenure. This doesn't mean the teacher can slack off and show movies for the rest of their career, but it does mean they can focus their energies on teaching and becoming a better teacher, rather than constantly looking for the next job. A teacher with tenure can comfortably establish roots in their community instead of being a transitory human band-aid. Everyone should want a teacher who is vested in the community they strive to educate.
Because I had tenure in Alachua County before (I gave it up when we moved to Phoenix) my new "probationary" period is only 1 year. In other words, since I've returned to GHS, I am eligible for tenure (again) after just one year.
Last month, I had a meeting with my principal, who regretfully gave me a Notice of Non-Renewal. I got RIF'ed. Pink-slipped. Come June, I would be unemployed.
While this was troubling, it wasn't a complete surprise. In Phoenix, the annual contract teachers were RIF'ed with alarming regularity. Most of the time those teachers were rehired, if they hadn't gone elsewhere while waiting. That is the danger in RIF'ing good teachers. While a principal might be able to rehire the teacher once the "budgetary concerns" are figured out, the teacher may have already taken another job elsewhere. No matter how kindly it's done, it's a crappy way to deal with teachers. It's a morale-killer.
I wasn't planning on looking for another job. Dr. Dixon assured me that it was not something to lose sleep over, that he was confident he'd be able to rehire everyone who wanted to stay at GHS, and if things took a turn for the worse, if it looked like it was something I should lose sleep about, he'd immediately let me know. Dr. Dixon is a straight-shooter, so I took his word. I didn't lose any sleep.
Although it still caused a nagging, slight feeling of unease.
The worst part was the thought of having to go to another school, while Sofia is at GHS. I've gotten used to being at the same school as Sofia. We ride together. I know her teachers. She warms her lunch up in my room. The pride I have for the GHS band that she marches in is intertwined with the pride I have for MY school, and the school that my wife graduated from. It would feel wrong to be at a different school.
This morning I got an email from Dr. Dixon. He congratulated me that I had officially been reappointed, and he was recommending me for a Professional Services Contract.
The potential crisis is a non-crisis. Deep breath.
Remember how I said tenure was controversial right now? The Florida legislature and our current governor (who's never governed anything before) have passed a law that abolishes tenure for teachers. Starting July 1, 2011, no school district in Florida will be allowed to offer continuing contracts. Every teacher hired after July 1 can only be offered annual contracts. Yes, that rustling sound you hear is the sound of your child's teacher mailing stacks of resumes instead of teaching him how to read.
It's my understanding that teachers who have tenure before July 1 can choose to keep their continuing contract and not be eligible for performance-based pay (where bonuses are paid for certain student test-scores), or give up their tenure for PBP. I haven't given it much thought, because I honestly think the whole law is going to implode and be thrown out or amended. The State of Florida is already LAST in the country for per capita educational spending, and they just slashed the education budget even more. I don't think they'll have the money to pay for all the testing that will be required for PBP, which will be extremely expensive, nor will they have the money that will be required for the bonuses.
Here's an example using fictitious but plausible numbers. Let's say my salary is $30,000 a year. With PBP instituted, let's say a high-performing teacher earns a $10,000 bonus to their annual salary. Where's that money going to come from? The state just cut the budget, so it's obviously not coming from them. So to make the numbers work, the base salary for everyone gets lowered to, say, $24,000. Research has shown that merit pay (PBP) does not improve student achievement. In fact, not much that I do as a teacher in the few months I have my students is going to make or break the standardized test-scores of my students. Here's what research has proven: If I have students who grew up in homes where literacy was encouraged, those students will test fairly well. If I have students who come from homes where literacy was not encouraged, the students will test on the poor side. So something as arbitrary as my teaching assignment could determine whether my salary is $24,000 or $34,000. If you were a teacher and you knew that the classes you were asked to teach were probably not going to earn you a bonus, would you stay and adjust your personal budget to live off $24,000 or would you move to another state where the salary schedule was more reasonable? And yet, the legislature argues that this will improve the teaching profession and attract brighter, more effective teachers.
And what about the teachers who teach electives like driver's ed? Do they get a $10,000 bonus because most of their kids pass the end-of-the-year driver's ed test? Are you telling me that the driver's ed teacher is a more effective teacher than the English teacher who teaches remedial reading, and worthy of a higher salary, just because the driver's ed kids tested higher on road rules than the reading kids did on reading comprehension?
There are so many holes in this form of teacher pay that it's mind-boggling that it's now the law. I could write post after post about how the corporate-backed politicians are molding the school systems for their own greed, duping the uninformed populace with false pretenses of "encouraging student achievement." But this post is already too long, and since the only person probably still reading is my mother, I'll close things up soon.
The bottom line is things are crazy in Florida right now. And I don't just mean confused-crazy. I mean like axe-murderer crazy. But I'll be at GHS next year, doing my thing, turning kids on to books, giving them tools to be better writers, making a yearbook, trying my best to subversively ignore that 300-pound gorilla in the room, the F-CAT. And I'll be at the same school as Sofia. And that's all that matters for now.
For those who don't know how most public school teacher contracts work, here's a quick lesson on how they work (at least up until this summer):
When a teacher first gets hired by a school district, the teacher is offered an annual contract. That's exactly how it sounds: the district has agreed to hire you for one school year and that's it. If things work out, you work well with others, you do your job and meet professional expectations, AND the school (i.e. the Principal) wants you back, then some time in the spring, you get offered another annual contract and you teach for another year. After a certain number of years of annual contracts, the teacher becomes eligible for what some call a continuing contract. Here, it's called a Professional Services Contract. But the colloquial term for it is tenure.
Tenure is controversial lately, because some people think it saddles schools with bad teachers. But that's another story. Several good reasons exist for tenure. The one I've always liked the best is that it provides a degree of job security for a job that is stressful, underpaid, and largely devoid of perks. One of the reasons I got into teaching is because I wanted job security as I raised a family.
The annual contracts essentially serve as a probationary period, and if the principal decides he likes the teacher, he can recommend them for tenure. This doesn't mean the teacher can slack off and show movies for the rest of their career, but it does mean they can focus their energies on teaching and becoming a better teacher, rather than constantly looking for the next job. A teacher with tenure can comfortably establish roots in their community instead of being a transitory human band-aid. Everyone should want a teacher who is vested in the community they strive to educate.
Because I had tenure in Alachua County before (I gave it up when we moved to Phoenix) my new "probationary" period is only 1 year. In other words, since I've returned to GHS, I am eligible for tenure (again) after just one year.
Last month, I had a meeting with my principal, who regretfully gave me a Notice of Non-Renewal. I got RIF'ed. Pink-slipped. Come June, I would be unemployed.
While this was troubling, it wasn't a complete surprise. In Phoenix, the annual contract teachers were RIF'ed with alarming regularity. Most of the time those teachers were rehired, if they hadn't gone elsewhere while waiting. That is the danger in RIF'ing good teachers. While a principal might be able to rehire the teacher once the "budgetary concerns" are figured out, the teacher may have already taken another job elsewhere. No matter how kindly it's done, it's a crappy way to deal with teachers. It's a morale-killer.
I wasn't planning on looking for another job. Dr. Dixon assured me that it was not something to lose sleep over, that he was confident he'd be able to rehire everyone who wanted to stay at GHS, and if things took a turn for the worse, if it looked like it was something I should lose sleep about, he'd immediately let me know. Dr. Dixon is a straight-shooter, so I took his word. I didn't lose any sleep.
Although it still caused a nagging, slight feeling of unease.
The worst part was the thought of having to go to another school, while Sofia is at GHS. I've gotten used to being at the same school as Sofia. We ride together. I know her teachers. She warms her lunch up in my room. The pride I have for the GHS band that she marches in is intertwined with the pride I have for MY school, and the school that my wife graduated from. It would feel wrong to be at a different school.
This morning I got an email from Dr. Dixon. He congratulated me that I had officially been reappointed, and he was recommending me for a Professional Services Contract.
The potential crisis is a non-crisis. Deep breath.
Remember how I said tenure was controversial right now? The Florida legislature and our current governor (who's never governed anything before) have passed a law that abolishes tenure for teachers. Starting July 1, 2011, no school district in Florida will be allowed to offer continuing contracts. Every teacher hired after July 1 can only be offered annual contracts. Yes, that rustling sound you hear is the sound of your child's teacher mailing stacks of resumes instead of teaching him how to read.
It's my understanding that teachers who have tenure before July 1 can choose to keep their continuing contract and not be eligible for performance-based pay (where bonuses are paid for certain student test-scores), or give up their tenure for PBP. I haven't given it much thought, because I honestly think the whole law is going to implode and be thrown out or amended. The State of Florida is already LAST in the country for per capita educational spending, and they just slashed the education budget even more. I don't think they'll have the money to pay for all the testing that will be required for PBP, which will be extremely expensive, nor will they have the money that will be required for the bonuses.
Here's an example using fictitious but plausible numbers. Let's say my salary is $30,000 a year. With PBP instituted, let's say a high-performing teacher earns a $10,000 bonus to their annual salary. Where's that money going to come from? The state just cut the budget, so it's obviously not coming from them. So to make the numbers work, the base salary for everyone gets lowered to, say, $24,000. Research has shown that merit pay (PBP) does not improve student achievement. In fact, not much that I do as a teacher in the few months I have my students is going to make or break the standardized test-scores of my students. Here's what research has proven: If I have students who grew up in homes where literacy was encouraged, those students will test fairly well. If I have students who come from homes where literacy was not encouraged, the students will test on the poor side. So something as arbitrary as my teaching assignment could determine whether my salary is $24,000 or $34,000. If you were a teacher and you knew that the classes you were asked to teach were probably not going to earn you a bonus, would you stay and adjust your personal budget to live off $24,000 or would you move to another state where the salary schedule was more reasonable? And yet, the legislature argues that this will improve the teaching profession and attract brighter, more effective teachers.
And what about the teachers who teach electives like driver's ed? Do they get a $10,000 bonus because most of their kids pass the end-of-the-year driver's ed test? Are you telling me that the driver's ed teacher is a more effective teacher than the English teacher who teaches remedial reading, and worthy of a higher salary, just because the driver's ed kids tested higher on road rules than the reading kids did on reading comprehension?
There are so many holes in this form of teacher pay that it's mind-boggling that it's now the law. I could write post after post about how the corporate-backed politicians are molding the school systems for their own greed, duping the uninformed populace with false pretenses of "encouraging student achievement." But this post is already too long, and since the only person probably still reading is my mother, I'll close things up soon.
The bottom line is things are crazy in Florida right now. And I don't just mean confused-crazy. I mean like axe-murderer crazy. But I'll be at GHS next year, doing my thing, turning kids on to books, giving them tools to be better writers, making a yearbook, trying my best to subversively ignore that 300-pound gorilla in the room, the F-CAT. And I'll be at the same school as Sofia. And that's all that matters for now.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
An appreciation for mothers
My day.
6:15
I wake up to the strong scent of dog poop. Bleary-eyed, I investigate to find that Vivien pooped and peed in her crate in the middle of the night and is covered in it. Even worse, Alex let her out of the crate, as he has been instructed to do when he's the first one up. She has tracked poop all over the dining room floor, and who knows where else. The stench is stifling. I lock Vivien on the back porch, put the dirty crate in the front yard, and mop the dining room floor. All this before coffee, shower, or breakfast.
7:15
I drive Alex to school, much earlier than usual, because he thinks he might have safety patrol duty. Back at home, no lunches were prepared the night before, so I throw together some quick sandwich fixings for Sofia and me. I leave Vivien on the back porch, but the high today is going to be 90 (32 C), and Frenchies can't handle too much heat. So I set up an oscillating fan for her and put her water on the porch. I barely have time for a bagel and coffee before finally getting Sofia in the car. I get to school after 8 am, about 20 mins later than my preferred time.
2:45
School ends. My yearbook editor made me a key lime pie. I get it out of my fridge to take home, but set it down to log off my computer and accidentally leave it in my classroom.
3:00
I drop Sofia off at home, pick up Alex and head to Publix. We buy stuff for dinner. I run into a GHS teacher-friend, Eddy Moore, in the frozen section who jokingly directs me to where the ice cream is. Funny thing is that Cristina had texted me her one and only suggestion for what to get: chocolate ice cream. I hadn't checked my phone so I didn't get her text or the ice cream.
3:30
At home, I clean the dog crate and then start cooking dinner. I'm trying a new meal idea: pork tenderloin, pan-roasted in a skillet, with Carribean jerk marinade.
4:30
Dinner prep continues. Vivien is watching me through the glass-sliding door, panting heavily despite the fan. I just can't deal with poopified dog right now. She'll survive a little longer.
6:00
We finally eat. Dinner took longer than I anticipated, but it turned out great: the pork was tender and flavorful, complemented nicely by Israeli couscous, corn on the cob, and a green leafy salad.
6:15
I drive Alex to football practice. Cristina has a band booster meeting at 7, so I ask the coach if he can give Alex a ride home after practice. He can. I stop at Publix on the way home and buy chocolate ice cream. And 4 or 5 other things. Always the way it works.
7:00
Cristina leaves for her meeting, and I get Bella in the bath. I play some guitar and ukulele in the bathroom while she plays in the tub. We sing Norwegian Wood and In My Life together. After about 30 minutes, I realize I'm dripping with sweat, from the warm humidity of the bathroom. I gotta get out of there. I clean up the kitchen a little and get clothes out of the drier.
8:00
Bella's out of the tub. I carry Vivien in and put her in the cooled off bathwater, give her a good scrubbing. Dog is clean. Crate is clean.
8:15
Alex finally gets home. I get him in the shower while I put Bella in bed.
8:30
Alex and Bella are clean and in bed. Sofia is on the computer, hopefully doing homework, but I suspect a certain amount of facebooking as well.
9:30
I tell Sofia to get in the shower. I prepare crockpot oatmeal for tomorrow's breakfast. Since we finished the couscous, I make a small pot of rice so we can have lunches for tomorrow.
10:00-ish
Cristina gets home. I make a jug of iced tea. I would love a cup of coffee or tea but I know it would keep me up. We are in bed by 11. Much to our chagrin, Sofia is still doing homework, and we vow to create and enforce a new after-school schedule for her to follow. We want her doing homework (with no reading, cell phone, facebook, email, goodreads, etc.) after dinner, shower by 9, lights out at 10. That gives her some down time away from academics directly after school (do your reading and FB'ing then, Sofia) and gives her 8 1/2 hours of sleep per night. The doing-homework-till-midnight-because-she-read-all-evening has to stop! If she can't follow that reasonable request, we'll get drastic (confiscate phone, flip circuit breakers off to her room at 10, etc.).
11:30
Cristina falls asleep quickly, but I toss and turn until midnight. I reflect on my day and how busy it was. I think about all the tasks and decisions (apart from the typical work-related ones) that occurred. It's mind-boggling. I am proud of myself for being fairly productive. But then it hits me that for many mothers (and fathers), my day was not extraordinary. Many mothers have days like mine every day, especially the single-parents out there. Given that yesterday was Mother's Day, I chalk up one more appreciation for all the hard-working mothers in the world. And finally I fall asleep.
6:15
I wake up to the strong scent of dog poop. Bleary-eyed, I investigate to find that Vivien pooped and peed in her crate in the middle of the night and is covered in it. Even worse, Alex let her out of the crate, as he has been instructed to do when he's the first one up. She has tracked poop all over the dining room floor, and who knows where else. The stench is stifling. I lock Vivien on the back porch, put the dirty crate in the front yard, and mop the dining room floor. All this before coffee, shower, or breakfast.
7:15
I drive Alex to school, much earlier than usual, because he thinks he might have safety patrol duty. Back at home, no lunches were prepared the night before, so I throw together some quick sandwich fixings for Sofia and me. I leave Vivien on the back porch, but the high today is going to be 90 (32 C), and Frenchies can't handle too much heat. So I set up an oscillating fan for her and put her water on the porch. I barely have time for a bagel and coffee before finally getting Sofia in the car. I get to school after 8 am, about 20 mins later than my preferred time.
2:45
School ends. My yearbook editor made me a key lime pie. I get it out of my fridge to take home, but set it down to log off my computer and accidentally leave it in my classroom.
3:00
I drop Sofia off at home, pick up Alex and head to Publix. We buy stuff for dinner. I run into a GHS teacher-friend, Eddy Moore, in the frozen section who jokingly directs me to where the ice cream is. Funny thing is that Cristina had texted me her one and only suggestion for what to get: chocolate ice cream. I hadn't checked my phone so I didn't get her text or the ice cream.
3:30
At home, I clean the dog crate and then start cooking dinner. I'm trying a new meal idea: pork tenderloin, pan-roasted in a skillet, with Carribean jerk marinade.
4:30
Dinner prep continues. Vivien is watching me through the glass-sliding door, panting heavily despite the fan. I just can't deal with poopified dog right now. She'll survive a little longer.
6:00
We finally eat. Dinner took longer than I anticipated, but it turned out great: the pork was tender and flavorful, complemented nicely by Israeli couscous, corn on the cob, and a green leafy salad.
6:15
I drive Alex to football practice. Cristina has a band booster meeting at 7, so I ask the coach if he can give Alex a ride home after practice. He can. I stop at Publix on the way home and buy chocolate ice cream. And 4 or 5 other things. Always the way it works.
7:00
Cristina leaves for her meeting, and I get Bella in the bath. I play some guitar and ukulele in the bathroom while she plays in the tub. We sing Norwegian Wood and In My Life together. After about 30 minutes, I realize I'm dripping with sweat, from the warm humidity of the bathroom. I gotta get out of there. I clean up the kitchen a little and get clothes out of the drier.
8:00
Bella's out of the tub. I carry Vivien in and put her in the cooled off bathwater, give her a good scrubbing. Dog is clean. Crate is clean.
8:15
Alex finally gets home. I get him in the shower while I put Bella in bed.
8:30
Alex and Bella are clean and in bed. Sofia is on the computer, hopefully doing homework, but I suspect a certain amount of facebooking as well.
9:30
I tell Sofia to get in the shower. I prepare crockpot oatmeal for tomorrow's breakfast. Since we finished the couscous, I make a small pot of rice so we can have lunches for tomorrow.
10:00-ish
Cristina gets home. I make a jug of iced tea. I would love a cup of coffee or tea but I know it would keep me up. We are in bed by 11. Much to our chagrin, Sofia is still doing homework, and we vow to create and enforce a new after-school schedule for her to follow. We want her doing homework (with no reading, cell phone, facebook, email, goodreads, etc.) after dinner, shower by 9, lights out at 10. That gives her some down time away from academics directly after school (do your reading and FB'ing then, Sofia) and gives her 8 1/2 hours of sleep per night. The doing-homework-till-midnight-because-she-read-all-evening has to stop! If she can't follow that reasonable request, we'll get drastic (confiscate phone, flip circuit breakers off to her room at 10, etc.).
11:30
Cristina falls asleep quickly, but I toss and turn until midnight. I reflect on my day and how busy it was. I think about all the tasks and decisions (apart from the typical work-related ones) that occurred. It's mind-boggling. I am proud of myself for being fairly productive. But then it hits me that for many mothers (and fathers), my day was not extraordinary. Many mothers have days like mine every day, especially the single-parents out there. Given that yesterday was Mother's Day, I chalk up one more appreciation for all the hard-working mothers in the world. And finally I fall asleep.
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