I went to the Laff House...finally

I am a huge fan of comedy and I love to laugh. Although I am often very quiet and reserved in situations and environments I am not yet comfortable, I am a very silly, comedic individual. Since about two years ago, I have been going to the Laff House, a comedy club, which is located on the infamous South Street. This past summer, I religiously was in attendance EVERY week, oftentimes going with my friends from college, or high school, or even on a date. I made sure I was there. The laff house has open mic nites on Wednesday, stand up Thursdays, while Friday and Saturday, were reserves for shows with "headliners" (well-known, experiences comedians) such as, Kevin Hart, Shang Forbes, Rudy Rush. All summer I have been going to stand-up Thursdays (where the show is only $10!), but since school has started, I haven't had the chance to go. Last night, however, I was in attendance! I laughed so hard I almost fell of my stool, seriously, several times. Everytime I go to the laff house, I am guaranteed to laugh until my eyes water and stomach hurts. There has been so many times, my cheek muscles hurted from smiling and laughing so hard.
Many people have told me, I should be a paid spokesperson for the laff house, as I have excitedly introduced many of my friends and co-workers to the club. Everyone who has came loves it, and frequents the club more than I do.
If you come to Philly, you must visit the Laff House on South Street!!
Visit the website! http://www.laffhouse.com/index.html

An often avoid conversation turned class discussion about prejudices and stereotypes

Last week in my Teaching English/ Language and Literacy in Middle and Secondary Schools, we had a discussion about the "white privledge", which lead to a intense conversation about stereotypes and prejuduices, and thus, race. It was a very uncomfortable conversation for many of my classmates, who were clearly nervous about talking on the issue. Many people refered to racism as "it", attempting to avoid saying the word. There were questions that were raised such as: Just because I am a white woman does that mean racism can not occur to me? How can I be the blame for something I didn't do? Many comments were made such as: " Sometimes I feel that if I talk about racisim it makes me a racist, and if I don't talk about racism, I'm a racist" "I live in a community where such realities are prevelant (poverty, violence, oppressive racisim), so I had no idea these things were going on." A response to the comment was, "How could you not recognized what is going on in society, just because somethings don't occur around your neighborhood". The article, "The White Privledge", was written by a white woman who came to realize all the privledges and power she acquired, simply by being a white woman. Peggy McIntose, the author, stated “I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group” believe it the reason my professor chose to include the article in our readings, where to raise this often avoided issue and to ignite some critical thinking about ones self. Some of the 'privledges' listed in the article were:
I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
To view article visit the link:http://www.fjaz.com/mcintosh.html

Two large paper due... a day apart.

So..I have two papers due. One on Tuesday and the other on Wednesday. One is six to eight pages, and the other, eight to ten. Crazy enough, I found both assigments interesting. I think the anxiety came, as for many of my peers in grad school across the nation, from the lengths of the papers and time management. Time management often time is my biggest problem. I never, ever, turn things in late, however, when I set up personal deadlines, I have a hard time being completing them. I try to set things much further in advance, in an attempt to have things done much ahead of time. This weekend, I had NO business going to Fridays to eat with some of my friends from middle school and high school, where we reminsced and laughed over margaritas, and laughed our way over to King of Prussias movie theatre, where we saw Tyler Perry's new movie, "Why should I get married". The movie gets 6 stars in my book!! It was hilarious and there were many moments when we practically stood up at our sits and applauded. Nonetheless, I should have been at home, analysis a 20+-page transcript.
I just recently, about a hour ago, finished analyizing the 20+page transcript and wrote a 9 page analysis, which I am very proud of. Because I have been looking over the transcript for the past week or so, it was very easy to cite lines from the transcript for evidence in my anaylsis. Now, I must tackle the other paper, which is an analysis of two interviews I did, one with a 7th grader and the other with a 11th grader, about there views on literacy in and out of school.
WISH ME LUCK!

Is there a such thing as 'seasons' anymore?

The weather in this country is officially schizophrenic. I don't think there is a such thing as 'seasons' anymore, or even, regional weather. Here in Philly, the weather was in the high 80's last week, and I was too excited to pop the tag off a pair of cute fall-like shorts (the kind you can wear with boots). Just a week later, it is barely 70 degrees and I have on a hoodie and a jacket. Although it is almost mid-October and fall is long overdue, I, nor do I think anyone else, was fairly prepared. This unpredictable weather is happening all over the country, and while many were happy with the extended summer-like weather, I was thinking about global warming. This is an issue that the U.S., its citizen, and the larger global community, must take seriously, now. How many more national disasters, such as, sunnamis and tropical storms need to take place before we see the dreadful inevitable ahead. A piece of our earth atmosphere, that protects us from the suns uv rays and such, is disenegrating at a increasing rate. We think its hot now...


check these links out:
http://www.globalwarming.org/
http://www.climatehotmap.org/
www.nrdc.org/globalWarming

Shoppin' n Philly

I love...love shopping. Philly has an eclectic abundance of shops, malls and such to visit. We have the King of Prussia Mall, which is one of the largest malls in America. The stores, shops, boutique of the infamous South Street, where you can find some unique, one of a kind, clothes, shoes, accessories, fabric...and more! Personally, I absolutely adore accessories and truely believe they are essential to life 8). South Street has approximately five accessory stores, dedicated simply to accessories. Earrings, braclets, necklaces, hair jewerly, rings etc, colorfully embellish the walls and tables. Philly is also a place of great, thrift stores and flea markets. Often, when people ask me what is my favorite shop/boutique, I respond, that I don't have a favorite. I am more attracted to the classic, antique jewlery of older women being sold (for a few dollars!)at church flea markets, in North, West and South Philly. I am a thrift store/flea market fanatic. I frequent the Salvation Army, non-profit ran thrift shops. I also enjoy vintage shops. Retrospect, located on South Street, is my favorite. Although a bit more expensive than the average thirft store and flea market prices, Retrospect houses some of the most "throwback" clothing, accessories and shoes. The other day, I visited and tried on a pair of expensive knee-high white fur boots. They were sooo gorgeous and are something I've been searching for, for a long time. I was prepared to swallow the $70 cost of them, but sadly, the fit was very awkardly narrow..nonetheless...I am still considering them 8 )...you can NEVER have enough shoes, or accessories!

Heres so links for visit:
http://www.southstreet.com/

First few weeks.

My first few weeks at GSE has been a very beautiful academic challenge.