JuNu

I occasionally drop by YouTube and am often disappointed. On the other hand, I sometimes find something, always by accident, that makes me feel good. Those who know me can be absolutely certain I am not talking about sentimental poetry, or puppy pictures, or a video of Old Glory flapping over Amber Waves of Grain.

Steady readers may recall my love of Andy Mckee's guitar style. I periodically return to "Drifting" and let it play in the background. It's as if his music is mine and strangely personalized in a way that I can't adequately explain. It's just a video of a guy playing the guitar. Millions have seen it and yet it feels somehow as if I stumbled into a small pub on an off night and there was this guy up by the bar, just jamming away to nobody in particular. It's the same feeling I got on the few Sunday nights we made it to The Falkland Arms in Great Tew and crammed in to catch a buzz on real ale and listen to British folk pounded out on beat up guitars. In Great Tew, we sang along, pressed up so close to the musicians I could smell the beer as they harmonized, breath moist and malty, the chorus to "The Green Fields of France." It was an intimate, human connection.

This evening I ran across another artist. I never heard of her before and simply clicked on the link that only showed someone's hand on a fretboard. This young woman's work makes me feel good: not ecstatic, or overwhelmed, or amazed. She is not musical hyperbole but she seems an honest musician with talent and a good lyrical turn. She's trying hard to flog her CDs and shrug off misogynistic comments and insults. She is not a polished product* and, like the happy harmonizers in Great Tew, that may be a big reason I like her performance.

In any case, lean back and catch Julia Nunes as she performs her original piece, "Into the Sunshine." I smile when I listen, maybe you will to.

* Although I suppose her videos could be carefully crafted by EMI to look informal in order to generate a following and maybe test the market's waters. I would do it if I ran a record label.

"Probie"

So here I am again, the beginning of the second semester and trying to do a better job this time. I'm still a "probie."

Yesterday, I received my second evaluation for this school year. I get one one more this year and, if it is satisfactory, I'll be taken off probationary status. The district doesn't call it "tenure," but being post-probationary means essentially the same thing. Starting next year, I will receive only one evaluation per year and will be pretty much left alone to guide or abandon my charges as I see fit. A moderate amount of laziness won't get me fired, lack of detailed subject matter knowledge won't get me fired, giving out unproductive busy-work won't get me fired, inability to keep my students engaged and learning won't get me fired.

It's scary how much luck is involved in whether or not your child gets a competent teacher.

Oh, and I now have a second piece published in Grumble.