Holes In Thoughts: May 2006

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Back.

Rachel and I have finally moved into our new, temporary digs. It's just until August when, hopefully, I'll be working full time as a teacher. Meantime, send me a message on IM, an email or whatever.

Also, I'm going back to my other MySpace account to do journalling. This wasn't really supposed to be a personal thing ... it's supposed to be for my music, so now that the Basis fiasco is coming to a conclusion through the lawyers, I'm going back there. But I'm not leaving you. Just returning to normal life. If you wanna contact me, there's email, MySpace, IM, etc.

Cheers
Steve

Currently listening :
Eyes Open
By Snow Patrol

Labels: BASIS, house, moving

posted by Steve @ 10:25 PM 0 comments

Saturday, May 20, 2006

About Instant Messaging

So, there's been a lot of talk about IM is The Evil on TV lately. I also realised recently that not all parents are anywhere near as comfy with IM as I am, though few people are - I've had the same AOL IM account since 1995.

So I decided to write a little doodad on IM in relation to parents and what to do and what not to do. I think it's useful and practical and will neither have parents banning its use nor getting anybody in trouble.

OK, so, if you're from BASIS, and you want to IM me, please have your parents read this. There's obviously no way I can make you do this, but I promise it won't scare them into killing your account. I'd also feel a lot more comfortable knowing that you and your parents have read it. Plus I'm really, really tired of people being afraid of it.

http://www.impulsenine.com/IM.htm

Currently listening :
Ratatat
By Ratatat

Labels: BASIS, IM, parents, TV

posted by Steve @ 12:38 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

This & That

Finally have a mic, so can record vocals. Yay.

Also, I'm holding my former student Michelle personally responsible for the outcome of tonight's Suns game.

Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere is excellent.

--

First times and last chances
Watching cause and reactions
Play the cards you're given

I recoil to advances
Spend the time washing glasses
Come again some other day

Today, tomorrow,
It's all one the same
To beg and to borrow
Take shots to win games

The first time and last chances
Rolling over the day
The first time and last chances
Kicking things in my way

Currently listening :
St Elsewhere
By Gnarls Barkley

Labels: Ignition, lyrics, music, Suns

posted by Steve @ 12:34 PM 0 comments

Monday, May 08, 2006

More BASIS answers

So, a few more thoughts on this big old mess.

This is a long post, but 'twould be best to read through it if you're interested in this mess. It's pretty obviously directed at my old students at Basis.

The mixtapes had nothing to do with getting fired, since I stopped making them (like they asked me to). Whether or not they'll continue ... we'll see.

I've found that there's no legal basis (heh) from which Basis can keep me from talking to people, at all. Basically, you can't make huge demands from someone that you just severed from your company. Maybe in some backwards pre-industrial countries you can, but not in the U.S. I just hope they don't cite this post as an excuse to not send my last check (which would also be illegal).

I am going to ask permission to come to graduation - as it is, if I were to go to Basis I'd be arrested for trespassing (and I was told this pretty specifically).

This was my first teaching experience. I wish it could have gone better, obviously, but if not for the feedback I've been getting from sympathetic students and teachers, I'm certain I would have quit teaching entirely.

Thank you for making it basically impossible for me to disappear, in the way that the Administration wanted.

I have you to thank for keeping my sense of purpose and to no small extent, you've lifted me from a very, very depressing situation. Thank you.

Most students know, by now, that my AOL AIM is bmacphisto; I also have ICQ (555-8940) and Yahoo! (impulsenine). While I am out a lot trying to find jobs and other Life things, I'm around a lot to pack the house to move, and it's always nice to hear from people; I suppose it would be mostly students via that medium since I usually exchange those antiquated eMail things with teachers...

Totally random side notes:

ICQ gives out their numbers sequentially. I think they're in the hundreds of millions. My number is at 5 million and happens to correspond with those funny 555 numbers you see in movies. This is 'cos I first started using chat clients in 1997. Isn't that scary? I'm either a super geek or way ahead of my time. Probably both.

I'm really sorry I couldn't DJ the pool party and dance. Those of you in 7th and 8th grades ought to make a suggestion list to be reviewed and given to the DJ. Believe me, this will help everybody involved. Also, make me proud (like you usually did) and DANCE. My dance involved the boys and girls in opposite corners staring at their shoes for two hours. Most of the 8th graders shouldn't have a problem with this but ... still.

Continuing the rants!

So what's next? Well, I'm going get my teaching cert as fast as I can, for one, so that I can join a proper teachers' union. Rachel and I are moving to a smaller, cheaper place so that we can cut bills and, frankly, to force us to get rid of some of the stuff we just don't need. Like my old He-Man collection.

I am also hoping to get a few emails from my students that actually finished their 5-minute project, or houses. I am sorry they were never hung, though I don't honestly blame Mrs. Sand for not doing it. I figured it would take between 3-5 hours to hang them all, if I had enough caffeine to start out.

Take it easy on her - she's in much the same spot I was in when I first arrived.

Labels: BASIS, DJ, IM, teaching

posted by Steve @ 7:22 PM 0 comments

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Random thought no. 22: I love this team

I've been a fan of the Suns since I was a kid. I sort of dropped off midway through college, though, and have picked up in the last 3 years.

And I'm happy to say that it seems that when I'm paying attention, they do really well.

Now, I'm pretty ecstatic about their Game 7 Ass-Whoopin' of the Lakers. I admit I would probably have preferred a 4-0 sweep, boy, the Suns are sure aware that they're in Playoff ball. And what a series, too! Anyway.

I just have to keep in mind that, well, it would be pretty miraculous for the Suns to get to the Finals (much less win them). They don't really have a center. At all. They're always playing against people who are like 6" taller than them. It's amazing they've managed to keep their opponents below 200 points, if you ask me. So while my enthusiasm and hopes are not in any way diminished, I have to mentally prepare myself...

So the fever has hit me so bad that ... well ...

So Rachel asks me to make Mac and Cheese for dinner.

And I think, I ought to make some juice, too, because I'm a good little husband. And I decide on grape juice purely on the merits that I made a meal that reflects my Suns' colors.

I ... I think I've lost my mind. But it's all in good fun. Mostly.

Currently listening:
Music for Our Mother Ocean: Mom 3
By Various Artists
Release date: 17 August, 1999

Labels: basketball, food, obsession, Suns

posted by Steve @ 11:58 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Funny Thing Happened Today no. 12: TP

Tasha got a tattoo today.

At the parlor, she said, "You can tell it was all guys that worked there -
there was single ply."

Currently listening:
Thickfreakness
By The Black Keys

Labels: joke, random, tattoo

posted by Steve @ 9:34 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

For anyone who cares

"You may not contact the parents or students"

This phrase is in my dismissal letter. I doubt it's even legal, but even then, I am not contacting anyone. This URL is only going to be found by those looking for me; I was not barred from being contacted. As tempted as I am to give the whole, stupid story, I'm waiting until I get legal advice to do so. Still, I feel that I am being slandered and while I will possibly persue legal action to prevent that, I want to set a few things very straight:

A clarification, then:

1. I did NOT quit.

2. Teaching at BASIS is the single most fulfilling thing I've ever done. Ever. I'm including writing my own albums, climbing to the top of Mount Fuji, and the depths of the Grand Canyon. Graduating college pales in comparison. The only thing I can think of that makes me happier than my time there is my wife, and, occasionally, my car.

3. I would finish the year, given the chance. But that's not in my power.

4. I have asked a lot of people who ought to know, and all of them agree that the circumstances surrounding this are groundless.

Currently listening :
Staring at the Sea: The Singles
By The Cure

Labels: BASIS, teaching

posted by Steve @ 5:44 PM 0 comments

Monday, May 01, 2006

Rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated

... but I certainly feel a little dead.

The reasons and circumstances of why I am not at BASIS will be detailed in full, but not yet. There is no ending to this story, yet, but I expect one within a few weeks.

Labels: BASIS, teaching

posted by Steve @ 9:04 AM 0 comments

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Home: Tucson, Arizona, United States
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