The Median Sib

As usual, I walked into the gym this morning for bus duty. My fellow bus duty monitor met me with the following words:

“Only 38 days!”

I immediately knew what she was talking about, and I’m sure that anyone who reads this and is even remotely connected to a school also knows what she meant. There are only THIRTY-EIGHT school days left before summer vacation! That’s a news item worthy of a poem. So here goes:

The Countdown Begins

Joy! There are only thirty-eight days of school left!

Panic! There are only thirty-eight days of school left -

To rise at five as day is dawning

To sit in meetings without yawning

To race to the gym for morning duty

To teach children that reading is beauty

To test, assess, instruct, inspire

To coach, to cheer, to light their fire

To comfort, listen, encourage and chide

To drill, enlighten, inform and guide

To get them ready for next year’s grade

And hope by August their zeal won’t fade

Thirty-eight days of bustling and running

Come day thirty-nine, I’m at the beach sunning!

 

Let me know where to pick up my poetry award.

(Note: This post was selected as part of this week’s Carnival of Education.  Please click the link to find much more to read in the realm of education.)

Wednesday night note:  THEY VOTED OFF MANDISA!  I can’t believe it!  They kept awful singers like Elliot and Ace and Bucky — and got rid of a truly great singer. The voting has nothing to do with talent, and just has to do with popularity - as we’ve known all along.  Sigh! 

It sounds like a fun thing to do. So I’m going to live-blog “American Idol” tonight. Check here starting 7:00 central daylight time.

(7:00 p.m.) Here we go. The top 9 contestants are set to sing. Ryan Seacrest introduces the show. Then the usual music and graphics and cheering.

Oh, look at Ryan — a little facial hair has grown since last week! It looks fairly nice on him. A little scruffy, but good.

The week’s theme is country - with Kenny Rogers as an advisor to the contestants. Now they’re giving the Kenny Rogers’ bio.

(7:03) Taylor is up first. He’s singing “Country Roads” - an old John Denver song (I think). He’s toning down the jerky movements this week. It’s okay. He looks a little uncomfortable.

Randy: “For me, dude, it’s a pretty good choice for you. The vocals were just all right. . . Didn’t see you exude any of your personality.”

Paula: “The song choice just didn’t allow you to shine…”

Simon: “I thought it was safe, boring, lazy… It sounded like you’ve chosen that song ten seconds ago - no rehearsal. . . “

(7:11) Mandisa is next. She’s my personal favorite. She’s singing a Shania Twain song - “Any Man of Mine.” She’s got the attitude to carry off that song. Kenny Rogers said she had chosen a song that had more words than all the songs he’s ever recorded put together. Okay, she’s good - but not fantastic.

Randy - “. . . weird song choice for me . . . at the end you got it together.”

Paula - “You could sing the phone book, the encyclopedia . . . ”

Simon - “I thought that song was horrible. . . ” Lots of boos… “Why do I get booed for being constructive?”

(7:16) Elliot is up next. Ryan described him as the “soul singer.” Hmmmm. His song is “If Tomorrow Never Comes” - a Garth Brooks song. His voice is kinda weak. I just don’t like Elliot.

Randy - “Right now I’m sitting here thinking I love this song . . . but Dude, finally tonight the competition is starting. . . that was hot!”

Paula - “There are so many things I adore about you, Elliot. You are such a breath of fresh air . . . I think you’re fantastic.”

Simon - “Elliot, I thought it was a good song choice. I thought it was safe, a bit hesitant, like you were a bit nervous. . . . it was the best so far, but you’re going to have to do better than that in the future.”

Well, what do I know? I thought it was awful. Every week the judges rave about Elliot, and I just don’t see it!!!

Paris and Ace will be up after the commercial break.

(7:25) Now it’s Paris’ turn. Cute outfit - definitely a little bit country. She’s singing “How Do I Live?” - a good old Trisha Yearwood and Leann Rimes song. Her voice is a little quavery at the beginning, but is getting stronger with each word. I think this is the best performance so far tonight. She’s had a few questionable (pitchy?) notes. I really liked it!

Randy - “I could tell this is one of the toughest songs you’ve sung. . . The front part of it was not good, but you got it together. For me it was just all right.”

Paula - “I didn’t feel like you connected with the song . . . .”

Simon - “Paris, I have to disagree with Paula.” (Cheers!) “I thought it was very good. I thought it was an excellent choice of song. It reminded me of an early Dionne Warwick.”

I generally agree with Simon on the basics, and this is definitely true in this case. Randy and Paul just fawn all over Elliot and then criticize Paris. Unbelievable!

(7:29) Ace is up. Ah - a slow one. His voice sounds a little weak, though. “Tonight I Want to Cry” is the song - a current Keith Urban (I think) song. I would say it could put you to sleep to listen to it.

Randy - “Once again, these are hard songs to bring your own personality to. . . . it was nice but it was really boring to me. . .at least at the end you showed a little falsetto. . .”
Paula - “I totally disagree. . . . I thought it was a contemporary nice take on it.”

Simon - “I think you had a good night tonight. Very good.”

(7:37) Kellie’s up now. She’s a country singer. So she SHOULD do well. Ryan is talking about her naivete “act” - so she’s talking about how it is real and not fake. She’s singing “Fancy” - a Reba McIntyre song. She’s owning this song. I think she’s doing a great job. It’ll be interesting to see what the judges say.

Randy - “Yo. Finally . . . I thought it was great. Your element. . . This is your night.”

Paula - “It was a song you could sink your teeth into. . .”

Simon - “I hate the song personally, but I thought your performance was good.”

Whew! Finally I agree with the judges on a performance. I hate the song, too, but Kellie did a good job with it. I really liked her outfit. (Now THAT sounds like something Paula would say).

Chris and Katherine will be up after the commerical break.

(7:44) Chris is up. A slow song . . . Yawn!! He’s not putting any emotion into it. He’s singing “Memories of Us” - can’t remember who sang it. He’s got a good voice, but this song is a dud. However, the judges adore him, so I’m sure they’ll continue with that.

Randy - “I actually really enjoyed it, man. . . ”

Paula - “You show versatility and still stay true to who you are.”

Simon - “It was great to see a different side of you . . . having said that, for two weeks now the contestants have chosen really boring songs. . . “

Yea! At least Simon is on the same wavelength as I am. I just don’t see Chris’ appeal.

(7:47) Katherine’s turn. I don’t know this song…and I can’t understand the words well enough to figure it out. Okay - it’s “Bringing out the Elvis in Me.” I’ve never even heard of this song before. I like Katherine’s singing, though, and I think she’s doing a good job. She’s keeping my interest anyway! A couple of the others just about put me to sleep. Katherine has a very natural stage presence.

Randy - “Kind of a bluesy country. Very nice. . . ”

Paula - “That’s your style. That’s your niche. . . ”

Simon - “I don’t know what to say. That song is just peculiar. . . ” (Katherine interrupts him to say “Simon, you just don’t like country music, and that’s okay.”)

Let’s see. . . who’s left. Oh yes - Bucky.

(7:54) Bucky is singing a song I don’t recognize either. Gee! For a Nashville gal, I haven’t recognized two of the songs tonight. I can’t understand the words. He’s not enunciating the words very well. I hate to say it because I really like Bucky - he’s got such a cute smile and I like his voice - but it sounds like he’s just mumbling the words. “Best I Ever Had” must be the name of the song…. going by the last line - which was nice.

Randy - “Bucky man….it was all right tonight…good song choice for you, I think. . . ”
Paula - “This is your element. . . .”

Simon - “I’m not an expert in this music, but it sounded all right tonight. It was okay.”

That’s it. I think Bucky or Ace will go home tomorrow night. I’d personally send Elliot home, but everyone else seems to think he’s great.

My Tuesday Tantrum is about what will likely happen in the case of Zacarias Moussaoui. Today a federal grand jury found Moussaoui “eligible to be executed.” The news story is here. Afterwards he declared,

“You’ll never get my blood. God curse you all.”

He definitely isn’t winning any non-Muslim friends with his vitriolic outbursts, but sadly, he is probably right. He’ll probably never be executed. The anti-death penalty folks(who, in a baffling inconsistency, are often pro-abortion….i.e. “Save the criminals. Kill the babies.”) will start protesting. The people on the left who are horrified that someone other that George W. Bush might be blamed for something will get busy with their spin.

Moussaoui will become a “victim.” He will be characterized as a poor, misguided and mentally confused Muslim who was desperately trying to martyr himself for Allah by lying about his part in Osama’s 9/11 plans. The racism card will be played extensively. After all, he supposedly experienced racism in France because of his Moroccan heritage. And as we have learned from the MSM, experiencing racism entitles a person to do just about anything with impunity.

The appeals, debates and protests will go on for years, and Moussaoui will be laughing at us behind his scowl.

Others blogging on Moussaoui: The Liberal Wrong Wing, In The Bullpen, Michelle Malkin, Atlas Shrugs, Stop The ACLU,  Sister Toldjah

Tuesday Open Trackbacks

Linked to: Third World County, TMH Bacon Bits, Stuck on Stupid, Rhymes With Right, Adam’s Blog, Is It Just Me,  Blue Star Chronicles, The Real Ugly American, The Liberal Wrong Wing, Uncooperative Blogger, Votes Wagon, Mark My Words, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, Free Constitution, The Comedian, Jenee, Cigar Intelligence Agency, Random Thoughts of Yet Another Military Member, Mudville Gazette