In class this afternoon no girls showed up. Only seven boys. And they smelled bad. They were 'completing their writing tasks'.
"Sorry I've been away, Miss. I was in Japan at a BMX championship. I am now officially the best BMX rider in the world."
"I saw you on Saturday night Miss... did you see someone pop their head out of a car and say 'G'day'? 'Cause that was me."
"I was a janitor at a university and I used to solve maths problems left on the board. Some people call me the Einstein of the world... others like to call me fat."
"I'm the biggest computer hacker in the world, Miss. And if you dob on me I will lay you out because I am a black belt in karate as well... and yes I would hit a woman because I had gender reassignment surgery and now I am a woman."
"Did you know I'm a hobo now miss? I got kicked out of home on the weekend... you don't want to know what happened. I got into a fight with someone and killed the cat."
"Did you know that Aden is straight, Miss?"
"Tell me where you live Miss and I'll drive past and do a burn out. But don't tell the cops my license plate, Miss. If you do, I'll burn your house down. No, I wont. I'm not crazy enough to do that. And if your house burns down don't tell the cops I said that. I'm in enough trouble with them already."
Some of the other things they told me don't bear repeating. They live in a different world to mine. I don't think I'll tell them where I live just yet.
Showing posts with label broken hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label broken hill. Show all posts
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
why old people are afraid of young people in groups
Last night I walked into the local watering hole of a small but select group of ageing Broken Hillians. They sat around a long table, taking up most of the space in the small barroom in the South Australian. As I entered the little pub they all turned towards me. I frantically scoured the space before me looking for my friends. Not seeing them I sat down.
A man with a moustache looked at me slowly, and asked me how I was doing this evening. It was intimidating. My voice cracked as I replied, "Fine thanks." I had to walk through them to search the back of the bar. It turned out to be empty. Then I had to walk back past that intimidating group all sitting around sipping their drinks... Ahhh they all belonged there and I didn't. It was SCARY.
I later found out we were meeting everyone at the Southern Cross, not the South Australian.
A man with a moustache looked at me slowly, and asked me how I was doing this evening. It was intimidating. My voice cracked as I replied, "Fine thanks." I had to walk through them to search the back of the bar. It turned out to be empty. Then I had to walk back past that intimidating group all sitting around sipping their drinks... Ahhh they all belonged there and I didn't. It was SCARY.
I later found out we were meeting everyone at the Southern Cross, not the South Australian.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
drainsinging
Last night we went to our local friendly drain with candles and blankets and sang reverberantly into the darkness and into one another's hearts. Some hearts were tired and hurting, some shy, some joyful and exhuberant. All were lifted by the beautiful noises. And the Heart of our own was there, even though we may not have remembered it completely*.
We went in honour of our new friend and honorary Broken Hillian - Annie - who has been with us for the last week. With her smiling open face and her earnest desire to serve and meet the needs of others she has been a fun companion and contributor, and we all (especially David Rozali!) feel that she fits into our community beautifully.
Annie writes songs like it's a natural part of human life (maybe it is).
Though I am finding it difficult to live up to the sentiment in this one, I do love it and feel inspired...
i wish i was robin hood
fighting the rich for the poor
and doing a bit of good
* incidentally I wish I could remember the fact that the heart of my own is present with me without pause, and get the good of it in all situations... and more importantly GIVE the good of it to others
We went in honour of our new friend and honorary Broken Hillian - Annie - who has been with us for the last week. With her smiling open face and her earnest desire to serve and meet the needs of others she has been a fun companion and contributor, and we all (especially David Rozali!) feel that she fits into our community beautifully.
Annie writes songs like it's a natural part of human life (maybe it is).
Though I am finding it difficult to live up to the sentiment in this one, I do love it and feel inspired...
i wish i was robin hood
fighting the rich for the poor
and doing a bit of good
* incidentally I wish I could remember the fact that the heart of my own is present with me without pause, and get the good of it in all situations... and more importantly GIVE the good of it to others
Friday, June 4, 2010
Oil Pastels
make me happy...
This week I have been playing with oil pastels and they are brightening up my life. I have been making some posters for my classroom. In today's class I asked my Year 11 students to join me, creating some colourful posters of poetic techniques. My theory is that, seeing as they don't keep the notes I photocopy or get them to copy off the board (their work is often still lying on the desk or ground after they have left the classroom), maybe if they spend time creating something beautiful they will remember it that way.
Today we moved all the desks together and they played with pastels. One girl said, "It feels like kindergarten, Miss." She was smiling. Kindergarten was possibly the last time she actually enjoyed school :(
In other news I was writing 'onomatopoeia' on the board and I mispelled it. One boy from my class corrected me.
"Miss, isn't it 'p-o-e-i-a'?"
"Ash, how do you know that?"
"You taught us that song the other day, 'Onomato had a farm, p-o-e-i-a'!"
(He didn't sing it - that would have really made my day!)
Well, needless to say I was pretty stoked.
Here is a photo of the wall after we were finished
This week I have been playing with oil pastels and they are brightening up my life. I have been making some posters for my classroom. In today's class I asked my Year 11 students to join me, creating some colourful posters of poetic techniques. My theory is that, seeing as they don't keep the notes I photocopy or get them to copy off the board (their work is often still lying on the desk or ground after they have left the classroom), maybe if they spend time creating something beautiful they will remember it that way.
Today we moved all the desks together and they played with pastels. One girl said, "It feels like kindergarten, Miss." She was smiling. Kindergarten was possibly the last time she actually enjoyed school :(
In other news I was writing 'onomatopoeia' on the board and I mispelled it. One boy from my class corrected me.
"Miss, isn't it 'p-o-e-i-a'?"
"Ash, how do you know that?"
"You taught us that song the other day, 'Onomato had a farm, p-o-e-i-a'!"
(He didn't sing it - that would have really made my day!)
Well, needless to say I was pretty stoked.
Here is a photo of the wall after we were finished
Thursday, May 27, 2010
friday joy
Is it just that it's Friday? Or does the euphoria come from elsewhere?
I know it can't last, but I just feel really happy. I felt so confident about all my classes today - even the ones that were rowdy and required lots of energy in controlling. School relationships are starting to be a bit happier, in that doing battle in the classroom doesn't have the same sting now that we are all understanding each other a bit better. And yesterday I experienced the joy of teaching my Year 9 English class something, and realising they actually learned it - WAHOOOOO!
Well we take it as it comes hey? The best way (I think)...
When it's tough: head down, teeth gritted in tight grin of determined defiance of evil and firm expectation of good. When it's great: arms out, thankful spirit alert with the fire of inspiration, enjoying freedom, flying as strength is stored for dark days ahead.
They say it all comes from the hand of the same God: good times and tough. Is it possible that he also gives us strength to stand up under difficult times and the wisdom to experience the good times well?
I know it can't last, but I just feel really happy. I felt so confident about all my classes today - even the ones that were rowdy and required lots of energy in controlling. School relationships are starting to be a bit happier, in that doing battle in the classroom doesn't have the same sting now that we are all understanding each other a bit better. And yesterday I experienced the joy of teaching my Year 9 English class something, and realising they actually learned it - WAHOOOOO!
Well we take it as it comes hey? The best way (I think)...
When it's tough: head down, teeth gritted in tight grin of determined defiance of evil and firm expectation of good. When it's great: arms out, thankful spirit alert with the fire of inspiration, enjoying freedom, flying as strength is stored for dark days ahead.
They say it all comes from the hand of the same God: good times and tough. Is it possible that he also gives us strength to stand up under difficult times and the wisdom to experience the good times well?
Friday, May 7, 2010
Rozali
My Year Eleven class we nice to me today. Do you want to know why?
...
because I know David Rozali.
Can you believe it?
My Year Eleven's don't even know David Rozali - to them he's just that cool guy with the awesome dreads in the coffee shop opposite Torpy's or something. But anyway - they were really friendly in class today and I milked it for all it was worth in the desperate attempt to teach them something about repetition and emotive language!
I am pleased. Hopefully they will buy coffee from Davo and some of his cheery style of optimism and goodness will rub off on them and they might even start to wonder whether their own lives could be that happy, peacefull and GOOD?
And then maybe they'll want to do something about it...
...
because I know David Rozali.
Can you believe it?
My Year Eleven's don't even know David Rozali - to them he's just that cool guy with the awesome dreads in the coffee shop opposite Torpy's or something. But anyway - they were really friendly in class today and I milked it for all it was worth in the desperate attempt to teach them something about repetition and emotive language!
I am pleased. Hopefully they will buy coffee from Davo and some of his cheery style of optimism and goodness will rub off on them and they might even start to wonder whether their own lives could be that happy, peacefull and GOOD?
And then maybe they'll want to do something about it...
Monday, March 22, 2010
walkin in a green desert
Many things aren't as bad as you think they will be when you get there. When I was moving to Broken HIll, everyone I spoke to said that I would die in the summer. And yet it has been a beautiful moderate summer with lots of rain.
Our little community went walking in the desert this afternoon. It was a beautiful trek with lots of little trials and wonders. It was green, not red/brown/orange. When you walk out here you feel that you really are standing on an ancient land.
...and then some things are as bad as you think they are going to be, and sometimes they are even worse. In those times I begin to understand the need of being willing to trust in something bigger than ourselves.
Our little community went walking in the desert this afternoon. It was a beautiful trek with lots of little trials and wonders. It was green, not red/brown/orange. When you walk out here you feel that you really are standing on an ancient land.
...and then some things are as bad as you think they are going to be, and sometimes they are even worse. In those times I begin to understand the need of being willing to trust in something bigger than ourselves.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
It's dusting... no wait a minute it's raining
Greetings. A new blog for a New Year. I am living in Broken Hill, outback NSW. I haven't yet moved into my new house or found steady work, but we are working towards those things. I do (at least) have a washing machine!
Today Milly came running to get me - there was a massive amazing dust storm coming (my second one in two weeks). My car went from being mildly dusty to very dusty in a matter of seconds! About an hour later it rained! Milly, Sam and I stood in the rain talking to the Lockenspiel (Lochie Skinner). I like this town.
Today Milly came running to get me - there was a massive amazing dust storm coming (my second one in two weeks). My car went from being mildly dusty to very dusty in a matter of seconds! About an hour later it rained! Milly, Sam and I stood in the rain talking to the Lockenspiel (Lochie Skinner). I like this town.
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