As dispassionate scribblings dictate, it’s time for some links. And some answers.
1. Belinda erroneously believes that the Black character in an ensemble cast always dies. Not true. Smoking Aces left my boyfriend Common alive as well as Alicia Keys. So there.
2. I’m sad. I got this fabulous invitation to be flown to San Francisco and make coffee for a How-To video back in September and I couldn’t go. Something about being a “supervisory administrator” and “homecoming” and “we need you” so now I’m forced to watch Erin’s new project for BlogHer and cry big, fat, juicy tears.
3. Tricia asked me a question on this post which led to this post and then she left this comment:
I’ll have to read this again when I have more time to ingest it… I know you took no offense at my question, but I was thinking about it the other way- Does the question or fact of your racial heritage get ‘thrown at you’ (these being the important words here- I don’t know how to italicize in a comment- but hey I spelled italicize right on the first try!) often?
I think it’s a bit of a different question.
So here is my answer to that one:
Yes, it gets thrown at me. For instance, in dealing with a student who is Black I might be asked to “deal” with them because (this is awful, terrible) sometimes the White teachers seem afraid to deal with them or get told off for asking. However, I get “told off”, too, but I can sometimes couch the counseling of that student in different terms that they might respond better to and that’s precarious in and of itself. Yes, the Race Card is always there and I can’t help but to think of things in racial terms that others might not think of without my prompting.
So we’re having this discussion of allowing students to wear hoodies in the classroom but the problem as I see it lies in the fact that students have these and almost nothing else with long sleeves to wear. Let me clarify: many of the Black students own only these (in my noting them while walking around my school) and if we say they can’t wear them in the classroom then we’re limiting them. But we’re also punishing them by writing detentions for wearing them. It’s an ugly, stupid rule and I hate it.
Another one was when a student had her braids ripped out of her head by her parents when she misbehaved on a field trip. She came to school in a bandana and refused to remove it because she was so embarrassed so she was made to sit in the In House room until she followed the “no scarf” rule. I’ve had to go on and on about Black Girl Hair Issues to no avail, but I truly believe that any color girl would have done the same thing. I just hate that it was a form of punishment for her by her parents and then that we punished her again. Rules are rules I’m told. Which is why I hate them. Some of them keep us safe, but we honestly could have had some compassion for the child.
Ok, that just got really long for an answer and I feel that I’m no longer making sense on the issue.
Oh, and another thing! I hate it when sentences start with, “Ok, so you’re Black. Answer this question for me…” and yet I put myself in positions where non-Blacks don’t show that much-needed empathy because they’re trying so hard to UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND.
Now I’m really not making any sense.
4. Sometimes people write things that hit you between the eye. Ouch. Others write things you’ve actually done before and you wonder why they wrote about it so well. Could be that you I just don’t make much sense sometimes.
5. And sometimes you jump from post to post and find gems that make you giggle and want to be friends with complete strangers.
6. Dealing with lint? Look no further. This product that someone sent me was met with an “ehh. big deal” smirk on my face. It’s basically tape. I could do that. But NO. I couldn’t cut it into squares that fit into my purse perfectly where I can take them out, take off the backing and viola! Lint removed! Sheer genius.
7. Need a super-duper snack during these days before Thanksgiving that make you feel smug about eating healthy? vegan? gluten Free? Look no further. (Who writes this drivel? And these were the brilliant words of the ad writers of my youth.) But the Cinnamon Sugar Soynut Butter from Simple Food is pretty darn satisfying on a graham cracker. You might just finish the jar in one sitting. You might. I wouldn’t. No no no. I would NOT do a thing like that. It might take me two sittings. It’s worth it to buy a jar for the cute little saying on the side:
Sing it when you chomp!
Cheer it when you chew!
Ask all your friends,
“What’s food to you?”
8. So, what did I think of the new Chevy Malibu? Here’s my quick-and-dirty: the outside looks fabulous, I liked the V6 better than the others, that was my first hybrid driving experience and it didn’t disappoint. However, the materials used on the interior felt a little low-end to me. I realize why they asked me to drive it, though: I have a new driver in the family and my opinions stemmed from my concerns about being 15 and doing this confounded driving thing for the first time. To wit: I want them to change the speedometer from jumping 20 miles at a time because even though the average person can calculate that 70 is, indeed, between the 60 and the 80 I thought that a new driver has too many other things to think about and that it should be made plain. Much better review and great pictures found here by my buddy Andrew whom I met in Memphis.
9. Lest you believe that I’m hanging on to Soynut Butter, lint remover, and finding great new blogs and that that is what is making my mouth turn upward these days into a semi-smile, I have a secret: I’m trying a new make-up for a company that also wants me to model it for them. Model? Me? WHATWHATWHAT?
I’m hanging on to that mostly because I missed out on making coffee in SanFreakingFrancisco. And because it made me feel pretty when I was asked.
November 13, 2007 @ 7:07 pm | Filed under NaBloPoMo, Sellout! | Permalink |
dawn Said,
November 13, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
Kelly,
email me your addy–I have some coffee to send you…
Dawn
QofS Said,
November 13, 2007 @ 8:10 pm
Sigh.
Next time.
coolbeans Said,
November 13, 2007 @ 9:33 pm
Don’t you hate it when people stop to comment just to tell you that you made a mistake? I know, me too.
Erin’s project link has an extra “http//” in it.
My Personal Blog » 11.13.07 Said,
November 13, 2007 @ 10:26 pm
[...] Check it out! While looking through the blogosphere we stumbled on an interesting post today.Here’s a quick excerpt As dispassionate scribblings dictate, it’s time for some links. And some answers. 1. Belinda erroneously believes that the Black character in an ensemble cast always dies. Not true. Smoking Aces left my boyfriend Common alive as well as Alicia Keys. So there. 2. I’m sad. I got this fabulous invitation to be flown to San Francisco and make coffee for a How-To video back in September and I couldn’t go. Something about being a “supervisory administrator” and “homecoming” and “we need you” so now [...]
Caffeinated Librarian Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 6:43 am
No doubt, a thousand and one people have emailed you with this today…but just in case they haven’t:
NPR story: Redefining What it Means to Be Black in America
Heard it this morning while trying not to wake up and thought of your recent “not black enough” experiences.
angie Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 6:43 am
Girl, you could totally model!
And I get what you’re saying when you’re being ‘confusing.’ I understand why the bandana rule, I think (gangs?), and I think one rule does not fit all students. The hoodie thing is both preference, and that’s all they have, so it’s ridiculous to make them go shopping just to go to school. I get it, and I appreciate you fighting for them. You might feel stupid being the only one standing sometimes, but keep standing. You do make a difference.
Fiona Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 9:47 am
Just popping in to say thanks. Thanks for expanding my horizons with links, with book recommendations, and for sharing you.
Dagumit, I think that reads cheezier than it sounded in my head. Just sincerely… thanks.
Kristin Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 10:07 am
Well, model-dee-dee… told you that you were the prettiest woman on the Internet.
Lovebabz Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 10:16 am
I too loved the links, suggestions and gentle pushes toward interesting blogs. You are good and I hope I get to meet you over drinks somewhere…maybe Paris in 2010!
Raquita Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
GAWD I so wish I lived near you or you lived near me - it would be so cool to know somebody like you who loves coffee and Common. (What’d you think of the new album anyway -I don’t recall seeing any mentions)
In the words of my daughter - You are my favorite and my best!
Jay Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
You are an amazingly interesting and sensitive woman and thank goodness we have people like you out there, doing their good works.
Liz Ditz Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
so she was made to sit in the In House room until she followed the “no scarf” rule.
1. Bad parenting, in my book. The consequence should fit the mistake. So she made a field-trip error — probably it was done by the end of the field trip. The consequence should last no longer than the impact of the misbehavior. Just my 2 c, and nothing you have any control over.
2. What would your school do about a child who was balding from chemotherapy? Make the parents buy a wig? Condemn the child to public baldness?
Again, beyond your control. But stupid, pointless clothing rules enforced brainlessly chap my hide.
Mocha Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 8:15 pm
Link fixed.
Who is this “My Personal Blog” asshat? Why are they linking me like that?
Angie - it was a bandana that could be construed for gang affiliation, but I would accept another scarf.
Fiona - the cheezier, the better.
Raquita - I have mentioned him here before and how much I LOVE HIS NEWEST ALBUM AND HOW I WOULD EAT CHEETOS OFF HIS TUMMY.
Maybe I didn’t mention the Cheetos thing, but that cheese thing got me hungry for them now.
Mocha Said,
November 14, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
See this link for Commonaliciousness: Common Review
Raquita Said,
November 16, 2007 @ 8:12 am
You crack me right up - You have mentioned him before - but I missed your opinon on the album, now the cheetos thing - the cheetos thing just made me spit water on my PC screen - and now I want some cheetos too and perhaps a hunky black man with great belly to eat them off of..
Belinda Said,
November 23, 2007 @ 2:16 am
Wait–let me just…you made it all the way through SMOKING ACES? For real? Man, we tried to watch that the other night and I think it gave me a stomach virus. So, sorry, I didn’t know about Common makin’ it through. Although, I did later recall the fact that Ice Cube survived that Anaconda that time, even over Jon Voight…
Harlem Mama Said,
December 2, 2007 @ 5:36 pm
In response to no. 3, for Christmas you should get copies of Lisa Delpit’s Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflicts in the Classroom (or at least point them in the direction of the book) because teachers inadvertent (and sometimes not) racist attitudes need to be addressed and called out. One of my professors recommended the book to me. I’ll be teaching soon one day and I know I’m going to face that issue one day. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to look folks in the face and say, “No, I’m not going to handle it for you, but here’s a way of handling it for yourself, and dumping strategies and just basic cultural info on them.” Good job sticking of for your students.