A Fourth of July-themed Friday Random Ten! It seemed to me that a country borne of rebellion ought to be celebrated with some resistance and rallying cries. So each of these, in its own way, is a little manifesto for the United States. Enjoy!

1. Cat Power, "Free"
2. Caetano Veloso, "Soy Loco Por Ti, América"
3. Mirah, "Monument"
4. Spoon, "the Underdog"
5. the Thermals, "God and Country"
6. Public Enemy, "Party for Your Right to Fight"
7. New Bad Things, "Robin Hood"
8. David Byrne, "Empire"
9. MIA, "Paper Planes"
10. Jonathan Richman, "Parties in the U.S.A."

Also, for those of you looking for a good light cocktail for the fourth, allow me to present my variation on the SBT: muddle three strawberries and six basil leaves. Add the juice of half a lime, a half ounce of simple syrup, and an ounce and a half of gin (Tanqueray Rangpur is lovely here). Then add ice cubes and top it all off with some tonic. It is delightful.

Happy long weekend, everybody!

i went to pick zane up at day camp today and it took me about 10 minutes to wind my way through many many cars at our local park. there were tents and booths set up and a couple little rides - a small fair, it seemed. so after todd got off work we headed back to the park to check it out. we got funnel cakes and frozen chocolate bananas, Z won a teddy bear by beating us both in the shoot-water-into-the-clown's-mouth-to-pop-the-balloon game. and the whole time we are getting some REAL weird looks that i can't figure out.

as we settle in the grass to gorge on junk food, we pay attention to the first time to the performers in the band shell, and then realize they're doing a lot of praise-be-ing and arms in the air stuff. the audience is really into it and all sway-y and suddenly we come to the brilliant conclusion that we are at a christian praise-in-the-park bonanza of some sort. no big whoop, whatever, right? and bluegrass gospel is kinda cool.

and then i realize that todd is wearing this shirt:

classic.

…but what goes inside of it?

Really, Sandisk? Seriously?

It is said that any publicity is good publicity, but you do know there is a difference between laughing at and laughing with, right?

had to give sara her own post as i have not shared her most recent rad gig - writing on the best week ever blog.  please click and enjoy the wonder that is sara.

in particular i recommend today's collection of the 30 most adorable album covers.  the post with our picture from the mother's day breast cancer walk is also a favorite, primarily because i have delusions of grandeur / i like attention.

that's a lotta links, but she's that damn good.

yesterday my brand-brand-brand new school acquired its official occupancy permit, so i went to check out my classroom and insure that my pile o' boxes and plastic totes arrived where it was supposed to. all my stuff had been living in a corner of the gym at my old (current) school until a county truck arrived monday to shuttle it and the belongings of the other 11 teachers from my school who got transferred. happily, i found all my things just where they should be, not to mention in the middle of a gorgeous, state-of-the-art potential den of learning.

CR still has the new-EVERYTHING smell, from furniture to carpet. no technology yet, save my (lovely) ceiling mounted projector, aimed at the blank spot on the wall that's awaiting my smartBoard. it's a little weird because i'm in a regular classroom - not reading teacher specific, so i have a class set of desks and built-in cubbies and things that kind of don't apply.

the thing that concerns me most about this transition at the moment is that I HAVE NO BUDGET. i have my gorgeous empty classroom and NO BOOKS. classroom teachers have received startup money already with more to come and me, nada. i honestly don't think that the powers-that-be , well, remembered me. considered that i can't take books from my current school. thought about the fact that i need to have things to put on my shelves and recommend to kids, and, you know, read with them.

i am part of the TLC (the learning connection) program in my county, and when i went to the head of TLC and asked about a start-up budget, there was not an answer. ditto for when i posited that question to my principal. i emailed the TLC head again today and was told as of yesterday, a different county person is now in charge of the program. i made contact with her right away and have a meeting tomorrow, but i can't help but feel a little pessimistic. unless she is a miracle worker and can make money fall from the sky - or books, for that matter, ouch - i just don't think i have been included in anyone's budget and i have no idea what to do about it.

i'll be in the nicest classroom with the nicest technology in the nicest school … with no books.

• a richmond, va photo blog by meg.
• the world's funniest joke (don't miss the link at the bottom to some other jokes as well.
• i feel like ive posted this before but: a list of problems solved by macgyver on wikipedia
• the shit box. oh yes, this is pretty awesome.
• greenaway projected coolness on da vinci's 'the last supper' recently. looks and reads as amazing.
• the power was out in our apartment all of monday night. i survived. and now i want to do it once a week or so — no lights, no power, just candles. i wonder if it would get me closer to being a member of the 2000watt club.

Two threads here, so bear with me:

1. A few weeks ago, I got a little (lot) drunk by accident. And we were out with Hima and Matt and, through a small series of unfortunate events, I stepped on a dog. It's funnier, probably, if I don't try to explain this any further, except to say the dog was not hurt and it wasn't a damaging step.

2. I take CalTrain up to the city every day and you recognize people — you seem the same people in the same routine every day. So yes, I see the cute girls and there are a handful that I see from time to time, especially in the mornings and it makes me happy.

What, you may wonder, do these two stories have to do with each other?

I see one of these women this morning. I get onto CalTrain. Someone cuts in front of me as I get on the train, forcing me to take a step back.

And yes, I step on her foot. And she's wearing sandals. I did apologize, but still. I'm fired.

(Also, unlike with the dog, I didn't have a piece of b-b-qed chicken to feed her to make up for the accident. Also, I'm sure now in her head, I'll forever be 'the guy who stepped on my toes.' Sigh.)