On Sunday, Dorothy showed up while I was unloading book boxes from the back of Medicine Man's station wagon. She helped me bring them in.
"Why don't you pick out some books for your niece's kids?" She liked that idea. I got her a plastic bag and she picked out some books. I saw her out on the street with the bag the next day.
Last night she ran into me at the corner. "You know those kids over there?" she said, pointing kitty-corner across the street. "I gave them those books, and they said to tell you they want more."
So I put down my groceries in the house, picked out a bagful of books and went over. The people who live there have two grandchildren who stay with them. We'll call them Nay-Nay and Brandon. There were four or five adults sitting around the kitchen table. Their mother was at the head. We hadn't met before.
"Can you make sure they are always first in line when you have books?" she asked, but in a commanding tone. I saluted her and said "aye-aye" but with my fingers crossed behind my back, since so many kids here need books. But these two are high on the list.
"Fantastic Four!" one of the guys at the opposite end of the table cried. He looked about as excited as Brandon was.
They wanted more books with black people in them, of course. When I bought books last fall I looked for them, but this time I had to take what I was given. There were a few in there, but not enough.
The kids asked to come back to my house and look through the boxes themselves. I said yes. "Strawberry Shortcake!" yelled Nay-Nay. She cleaned me out, saying she would give the extra copies to friends at school. That seemed like a good idea. Peer-to-peer distribution seems like it would be most effective.
They ended up taking about half the books with them, in two boxes. While holding both boxes, Brandon fell on the ice while I was trying to get the gate open, but he was OK. I told him to stop being a macho man and let us carry them. His sister and I each took a box for about half a block, then he took the heavy one back and she took the lighter one.
Brandon wants to bake cookies this weekend, or at least get a recipe. A recipe I can manage for sure. I need to clean house before we take on a baking endeavor.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Junior Gets a High School
My apologies for all my fretting at the UIC/Noble people. They came through on the promise that wait-listed students would be offered admission at other Noble Network schools.
Yesterday, Junior came over with a letter from Noble Network offering him admission at his choice of Golder College Prep, Rauner College Prep or Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy. Whoo-hoo! "Yeah, my mom was pretty excited," he said.
Even though we have neighbors who go to Rauner, given his mom's concerns that he'll get lost on a complicated route to school, I suggested they go with Golder. He'd just have to take the Ashland bus farther north than if he had gone to UIC, but he wouldn't have to transfer to another bus or train.
Yesterday, Junior came over with a letter from Noble Network offering him admission at his choice of Golder College Prep, Rauner College Prep or Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy. Whoo-hoo! "Yeah, my mom was pretty excited," he said.
Even though we have neighbors who go to Rauner, given his mom's concerns that he'll get lost on a complicated route to school, I suggested they go with Golder. He'd just have to take the Ashland bus farther north than if he had gone to UIC, but he wouldn't have to transfer to another bus or train.
Free Books!
Thanks to Rebecca Janowitz for donating four boxes of leftover books from the Hyde Park Children's Book Fair for distribution around the neighborhood. Yes, the Bradys eagerly picked up a few. So did Ms. Ribs' grandson, who is an avid reader in second grade. Grandma Ribs suggested he write a paragraph for her when he finishes each book so she'll know what it's about, too. (Grandma was on the LSC at Gage Park High School back in the day, can you tell?)
Little Grandbaby Ribs informed me he is cutting his video game time back to just 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night. He heard too much gaming messes up your hands.
The Ribs' next-door neighbors have two grandsons, who happened to be out front of their grandparents' house when I was about to ring the Ribs' bell. Those boys picked out some books for themselves, too.
Of course the Bradys have had an initial raid, but when they stopped by yesterday I had only brought the first box in. Junior and his brother were here then, too. They all picked out books and the younger kids played a version of Memory with really pretty animal cards while I worked with Junior on his history fair report. Junior and bro came back today for more report research, and they both picked out more books. There was even a baby book in Spanish for their soon-to-arrive little brother.
I'll save some for the Bradys, School Lady's kids, a couple more kids on the next block up, and the little guy a couple of houses north. His aunt is worried about him. She saw me on Ashland last night and told me, "He's not learning anything in school." Looks like we'll talk on Wednesday, when she's off work.
The rest I think can be split up among Chavez, Big Picture, San Miguel and Second Chance. I think there's enough books for people of all different ages and reading levels to go around.
Little Grandbaby Ribs informed me he is cutting his video game time back to just 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night. He heard too much gaming messes up your hands.
The Ribs' next-door neighbors have two grandsons, who happened to be out front of their grandparents' house when I was about to ring the Ribs' bell. Those boys picked out some books for themselves, too.
Of course the Bradys have had an initial raid, but when they stopped by yesterday I had only brought the first box in. Junior and his brother were here then, too. They all picked out books and the younger kids played a version of Memory with really pretty animal cards while I worked with Junior on his history fair report. Junior and bro came back today for more report research, and they both picked out more books. There was even a baby book in Spanish for their soon-to-arrive little brother.
I'll save some for the Bradys, School Lady's kids, a couple more kids on the next block up, and the little guy a couple of houses north. His aunt is worried about him. She saw me on Ashland last night and told me, "He's not learning anything in school." Looks like we'll talk on Wednesday, when she's off work.
The rest I think can be split up among Chavez, Big Picture, San Miguel and Second Chance. I think there's enough books for people of all different ages and reading levels to go around.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
US Energy Savings Gas Scam: Beware!
Canvassers for US Energy Savings took a stroll down Marshfield Avenue a few weeks ago--probably in mid-January, but in case they are still lurking around our neighborhood or either nearby communities, here's the word: Just say no!
When they rang my doorbell, a lady with a clipboard gave me a sales pitch about how this new company could save me a lot of money on my gas bill. She asked to see my gas bill to determine whether I was eligible. I thought this was fishy but I also thought there might be something to it with all the deregulation going on these days, and she already knew my address, so I let her see the bill.
Of course, she decided I was eligible and asked me to sign up on the spot. "No, I never sign anything without checking it out first," I said, so she gave me a blue flyer with her name and "independent contractor ID number", plus a phone number and email for the company.
Today I got an email from friends in Little Village warning that in fact, consumers are likely to be charged hundreds of dollars more for gas than if they stayed with Peoples. For more on this, check out the Citizens Utility Board
The CUB web site has English and Spanish language flyers you can download and pass around to friends and neighbors. It also lists Do Not Market numbers to keep your account out of the hands of scammers like this. The number for Peoples Gas is
1.866.556.6001.
Also, my friends in La Villita warn that some of these canvassers practice "slamming," where they sign you up for the service whether you wanted it or not, by getting your account number from your gas bill. Ouch! Don't let that happen to you!
Apparently, even nuns aren't safe from these unscrupulous salespeople, according to last Tuesday's Tribune.
Now they are in the 12th Ward. Last year, Ald. Cardenas passed out warning flyers across the ward. My Little Village contact has asked him to do it again. I hope more aldermen will follow the example.
In the mean time, if you have any questions or comments for US Energy Savings, or just want to give them a piece of your mind, you can call them at 1.888.674.7847 or email cs@energysavings.com.
When they rang my doorbell, a lady with a clipboard gave me a sales pitch about how this new company could save me a lot of money on my gas bill. She asked to see my gas bill to determine whether I was eligible. I thought this was fishy but I also thought there might be something to it with all the deregulation going on these days, and she already knew my address, so I let her see the bill.
Of course, she decided I was eligible and asked me to sign up on the spot. "No, I never sign anything without checking it out first," I said, so she gave me a blue flyer with her name and "independent contractor ID number", plus a phone number and email for the company.
Today I got an email from friends in Little Village warning that in fact, consumers are likely to be charged hundreds of dollars more for gas than if they stayed with Peoples. For more on this, check out the Citizens Utility Board
The CUB web site has English and Spanish language flyers you can download and pass around to friends and neighbors. It also lists Do Not Market numbers to keep your account out of the hands of scammers like this. The number for Peoples Gas is
1.866.556.6001.
Also, my friends in La Villita warn that some of these canvassers practice "slamming," where they sign you up for the service whether you wanted it or not, by getting your account number from your gas bill. Ouch! Don't let that happen to you!
Apparently, even nuns aren't safe from these unscrupulous salespeople, according to last Tuesday's Tribune.
Now they are in the 12th Ward. Last year, Ald. Cardenas passed out warning flyers across the ward. My Little Village contact has asked him to do it again. I hope more aldermen will follow the example.
In the mean time, if you have any questions or comments for US Energy Savings, or just want to give them a piece of your mind, you can call them at 1.888.674.7847 or email cs@energysavings.com.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Hard Times Come Again No More
This is Nanci Griffith's beautiful rendition of "Hard Times" with striking photos. It's long, six minutes, but if you watch it, maybe you could spend those minutes in prayer/good thoughts for Dawn and her family. See why below.
Hard Times Next Door
Hard times, hard times come again no more
Many days you have lingered
Around my cabin door;
Oh, hard times come again no more
On Monday night I went by Dawn's house to see her mother. Times are very hard there.
Her dad moved out of the house, I think in late January. He couldn't take Dawn's and Julian's problems any more, her mother told me. Apparently mothers don't get such choices.
When I walked in the house, their living room was cold and drafty and the TV and sofa had been moved further inside, into the dining room. They had hung up a quilt between the living and dining rooms to block the draft. Dawn's mom told me there was a problem with the furnace and they were using space heaters. This is a big and very common problem in the neighborhood, and it causes a lot of fires in the winter.
I sat down on the sofa with Mom and little Angelito, who is almost one and a half now. He's talking a little in Spanish, but I don't understand his speech very well yet. Pretty soon Mom was in tears. She hasn't worked outside the home in more than a decade. So far Dad is putting in some money for the mortgage and food for the kids, but she's afraid that won't last. Big Picture is helping her do the forms for food stamps and CEDA, which helps poor people keep their gas and electric service going.
Yesterday? Tuesday? I forget-- Dad was on the street while I was clearing snow. He was dropping off Joey and Angelito after spending some time with them. He says he's still going to do the fence between our houses--he's still waiting for materials from Indiana. So at least he hasn't totally vanished from his sons' lives. Joey has a good relationship with his dad and I'd like to see them keep it together if possible.
I know it was Tuesday that I went to see my friends from St. Joseph's to get some help with the furnace. (The husband in that couple had come out last winter at my request.) This time they thought the furnance needed a real pro. Fortunately, the wife's nephew is certified in furnace maintenance and repair. He was willing to donate the labor; I said I'd pay for parts if any were needed. He was supposed to go there yesterday. Nobody called me so I hope that means it went OK. We can't have their house blowing up--that would be bad for my property values, not to mention my property, life and limb.
Dawn is working after school and weekends in a dollar store in the neighborhood. Looks like she's the main breadwinner right now. She is still going to school. We still haven't had more than a passing phone conversation.
Many days you have lingered
Around my cabin door;
Oh, hard times come again no more
On Monday night I went by Dawn's house to see her mother. Times are very hard there.
Her dad moved out of the house, I think in late January. He couldn't take Dawn's and Julian's problems any more, her mother told me. Apparently mothers don't get such choices.
When I walked in the house, their living room was cold and drafty and the TV and sofa had been moved further inside, into the dining room. They had hung up a quilt between the living and dining rooms to block the draft. Dawn's mom told me there was a problem with the furnace and they were using space heaters. This is a big and very common problem in the neighborhood, and it causes a lot of fires in the winter.
I sat down on the sofa with Mom and little Angelito, who is almost one and a half now. He's talking a little in Spanish, but I don't understand his speech very well yet. Pretty soon Mom was in tears. She hasn't worked outside the home in more than a decade. So far Dad is putting in some money for the mortgage and food for the kids, but she's afraid that won't last. Big Picture is helping her do the forms for food stamps and CEDA, which helps poor people keep their gas and electric service going.
Yesterday? Tuesday? I forget-- Dad was on the street while I was clearing snow. He was dropping off Joey and Angelito after spending some time with them. He says he's still going to do the fence between our houses--he's still waiting for materials from Indiana. So at least he hasn't totally vanished from his sons' lives. Joey has a good relationship with his dad and I'd like to see them keep it together if possible.
I know it was Tuesday that I went to see my friends from St. Joseph's to get some help with the furnace. (The husband in that couple had come out last winter at my request.) This time they thought the furnance needed a real pro. Fortunately, the wife's nephew is certified in furnace maintenance and repair. He was willing to donate the labor; I said I'd pay for parts if any were needed. He was supposed to go there yesterday. Nobody called me so I hope that means it went OK. We can't have their house blowing up--that would be bad for my property values, not to mention my property, life and limb.
Dawn is working after school and weekends in a dollar store in the neighborhood. Looks like she's the main breadwinner right now. She is still going to school. We still haven't had more than a passing phone conversation.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
High School Sweepstakes Update
In the interests of transparency, I thought I'd let you all know how things have gone with the 8th graders on my block in the high school sweepstakes so far.
8th graders I know here: Junior, Danny, School Lady's daughter, former Noble Neighborhood daughter, a Brady, and F., a guy I barely know and have to knock on the basement window of his family's apartment to talk to. I feel like there are a couple more 8th-graders on this block that I'm forgetting. So we'll say I've had some contact with 6 out of 8.
Five of the six went with me to the high school fair and at least got some information and exposure there. Four of the six got applications from me for Perspectives Math & Science Academy. Two got them back--one in time for the lottery (coming on Friday) and one got it back to me too late and will go straight to the wait list.
One, Junior, actually got an application for UIC College Prep (Noble) and went in the lottery. He is now wait listed. The Brady girl has older sisters at another Noble school, so she gets automatic admit to a Noble. I'm not sure if she's planning to go to UIC or to the same school her sisters attend (it's farther away). Former Noble Neighborhood daughter and her mom tried to come to the UIC College prep info session but they got lost and we didn't connect by phone. Danny is still waiting to hear from Curie and Whitney Young.
Results; one of six is for sure in a school to which I'd send my own kid if I had one. One more is waitlisted at one charter and still has a shot at another. One more is waitlisted at one charter and waiting to hear about a public school she might be OK at (Kennedy). One more might get into Curie if we're damn lucky. Two are AWOL--one of them I might be able to get waitlisted at Noble and Perspectives, but who knows how much good that will do. So the block is one for eight, and that's one I certainly can't claim my efforts had any effect on.
What can I say about what has worked? Parents who are on top of education (i.e. the Bradys) do have more success. Some parents can be worried into it--like Junior's mom, who is worried sick about him. Despite all the crises in her life right now, she made it a priority to get his stuff done, and I was able to help (like getting Junior to write his application essay, which was no small feat). But other parents want to be on top of the process and I am the flaky one--the former Noble neighborhood people, School Lady. I wasn't as organized or consistent about getting them timely information as one could be, and they suffered as a result.
Now let's talk about the schools and the process. It is abundantly clear that some charter schools are much easier to access than others. If you want an application for Perspectives, you go to their web site, download one and fill it out. That can be a stretch for parents who lack Internet access or the knowledge to go there, but with a helping hand from somebody (a friend/neighbor, ideally the school counselor--hello!) that could be figured out.
Noble, by contrast, makes it much harder to get an application--the kid and a parent have to show up in person at a meeting, some of which were held during regular working hours. It was pretty hard to find the schedule of meetings, too--at least it took me a while and I like to think I'm pretty savvy. Then the application required an essay with a word length, and they checked. So anybody who gets in that lottery has already shown a pretty high level of both persistence and intellectual skill (this goes for both the kid and the parent). At the lottery last night, they passed out the entire list of eligible applicants by name and current elementary school. No surprise, many were from magnets, classical & gifted schools and some from Catholic and other private schools. I've heard rumors that charters get a list of high achieving 8th graders from which to recruit, but I frankly doubt that is necessary. All those parents know how the game is played and are playing 100 percent for their kid. That's enough.
Now for what the elementary schools here are doing. At the UIC lottery last night I counted 30 kids from Seward on the list. Junior was the only one from Chavez. I know that both the Seward counselor and a teacher over there have worked really hard to make sure kids know their options. The teacher even drove kids and parents to UIC info sessions so they could get applications. I'll have to try to deepen relationships at Chavez for next year so our kids have a better chance.
8th graders I know here: Junior, Danny, School Lady's daughter, former Noble Neighborhood daughter, a Brady, and F., a guy I barely know and have to knock on the basement window of his family's apartment to talk to. I feel like there are a couple more 8th-graders on this block that I'm forgetting. So we'll say I've had some contact with 6 out of 8.
Five of the six went with me to the high school fair and at least got some information and exposure there. Four of the six got applications from me for Perspectives Math & Science Academy. Two got them back--one in time for the lottery (coming on Friday) and one got it back to me too late and will go straight to the wait list.
One, Junior, actually got an application for UIC College Prep (Noble) and went in the lottery. He is now wait listed. The Brady girl has older sisters at another Noble school, so she gets automatic admit to a Noble. I'm not sure if she's planning to go to UIC or to the same school her sisters attend (it's farther away). Former Noble Neighborhood daughter and her mom tried to come to the UIC College prep info session but they got lost and we didn't connect by phone. Danny is still waiting to hear from Curie and Whitney Young.
Results; one of six is for sure in a school to which I'd send my own kid if I had one. One more is waitlisted at one charter and still has a shot at another. One more is waitlisted at one charter and waiting to hear about a public school she might be OK at (Kennedy). One more might get into Curie if we're damn lucky. Two are AWOL--one of them I might be able to get waitlisted at Noble and Perspectives, but who knows how much good that will do. So the block is one for eight, and that's one I certainly can't claim my efforts had any effect on.
What can I say about what has worked? Parents who are on top of education (i.e. the Bradys) do have more success. Some parents can be worried into it--like Junior's mom, who is worried sick about him. Despite all the crises in her life right now, she made it a priority to get his stuff done, and I was able to help (like getting Junior to write his application essay, which was no small feat). But other parents want to be on top of the process and I am the flaky one--the former Noble neighborhood people, School Lady. I wasn't as organized or consistent about getting them timely information as one could be, and they suffered as a result.
Now let's talk about the schools and the process. It is abundantly clear that some charter schools are much easier to access than others. If you want an application for Perspectives, you go to their web site, download one and fill it out. That can be a stretch for parents who lack Internet access or the knowledge to go there, but with a helping hand from somebody (a friend/neighbor, ideally the school counselor--hello!) that could be figured out.
Noble, by contrast, makes it much harder to get an application--the kid and a parent have to show up in person at a meeting, some of which were held during regular working hours. It was pretty hard to find the schedule of meetings, too--at least it took me a while and I like to think I'm pretty savvy. Then the application required an essay with a word length, and they checked. So anybody who gets in that lottery has already shown a pretty high level of both persistence and intellectual skill (this goes for both the kid and the parent). At the lottery last night, they passed out the entire list of eligible applicants by name and current elementary school. No surprise, many were from magnets, classical & gifted schools and some from Catholic and other private schools. I've heard rumors that charters get a list of high achieving 8th graders from which to recruit, but I frankly doubt that is necessary. All those parents know how the game is played and are playing 100 percent for their kid. That's enough.
Now for what the elementary schools here are doing. At the UIC lottery last night I counted 30 kids from Seward on the list. Junior was the only one from Chavez. I know that both the Seward counselor and a teacher over there have worked really hard to make sure kids know their options. The teacher even drove kids and parents to UIC info sessions so they could get applications. I'll have to try to deepen relationships at Chavez for next year so our kids have a better chance.
Monday, February 11, 2008
What's Going in the Goldblatt's Building?
Last Friday I finally heard something about what's going in the Goldblatt's. I was walking east on 47th to the Ashland bus stop and passed a construction crew. One guy was on the street directing coworkers on a scaffold. I asked him in English what was going to go in the building, but it became clear he didn't understand the question. So I tried again in Spanish and he said muebleria/furniture store.
This is very interesting since the Aronson's Furniture place just went out of business. I don't know whether it's good we're getting another store to replace that one or if it's a bad sign for that furniture store that the other one folded. I guess we'll see.
This is very interesting since the Aronson's Furniture place just went out of business. I don't know whether it's good we're getting another store to replace that one or if it's a bad sign for that furniture store that the other one folded. I guess we'll see.
UIC/Noble Lottery Tonight
Well, things did not go so well for Junior tonight in the UIC College Prep admissions lottery. He got pulled out of the golden raffle bin at number 96 of 198. Another 230 kids got pulled ahead of the wait list and won admission on the spot. Ouch.
To save you doing the math, that meant there were 428 applicants for 230 spaces, or almost two kids for every slot.
Goint there, it was snowing hard and even under long johns my legs stung from the cold while walking over to the Behavioral Sciences building from the Ashland bus. I was glad Junior and his mom had not come. She just got off bed rest-she didn't need to be out in that weather.
About 200 people showed up--on a rough head count, 80 percent were Latino, 20 percent African American. I saw two white families in the crowd and one other white lady by herself, like me. She picked up a letter for a winning student with a Latino name, so I wondered whether she was his mother or just another do-gooder like yours truly.
They showed some stats on a projector before the lottery started. Significantly more girls than boys applied, though I no longer remember the exact numbers.
If I were a parent, I could not have stood the agony of waiting to see whether my kid got picked, nor the disappointment when he didn't. This is a very strong impetus to get involved with the plans for a new neighborhood high school, I'll tell you.
There are two possibilities still on the table. First, it looked like many applicants, and many of those chosen, were from magnets and gifted centers, so this may have been their insurance policy in case they didn't get into a selective enrollment school. So some number of those admitted probably won't take the offer, which means some wait-list kids will get in. However, I doubt that will get us to number 96.
More encouraging is Noble Network's promise that the kids on the UIC College Prep wait list will be invited to take open slots at other Noble Network Schools. They have a couple of schools that don't have a full 9-12 grade complement yet, and I'm not sure if they are opening any other schools besides UIC. The things is, this still may not help Junior that much, because his mom is really worried that he will struggle to manage a complicated commute, and most of the other buildings I know of will be further away and more trouble to get to.
He still has one more chance--the Perspectives Math & Science Academy is Friday, and he's in that one. Someone else on the block got her application to me but too late for the lottery--she'll go straight to the waiting list.
To save you doing the math, that meant there were 428 applicants for 230 spaces, or almost two kids for every slot.
Goint there, it was snowing hard and even under long johns my legs stung from the cold while walking over to the Behavioral Sciences building from the Ashland bus. I was glad Junior and his mom had not come. She just got off bed rest-she didn't need to be out in that weather.
About 200 people showed up--on a rough head count, 80 percent were Latino, 20 percent African American. I saw two white families in the crowd and one other white lady by herself, like me. She picked up a letter for a winning student with a Latino name, so I wondered whether she was his mother or just another do-gooder like yours truly.
They showed some stats on a projector before the lottery started. Significantly more girls than boys applied, though I no longer remember the exact numbers.
If I were a parent, I could not have stood the agony of waiting to see whether my kid got picked, nor the disappointment when he didn't. This is a very strong impetus to get involved with the plans for a new neighborhood high school, I'll tell you.
There are two possibilities still on the table. First, it looked like many applicants, and many of those chosen, were from magnets and gifted centers, so this may have been their insurance policy in case they didn't get into a selective enrollment school. So some number of those admitted probably won't take the offer, which means some wait-list kids will get in. However, I doubt that will get us to number 96.
More encouraging is Noble Network's promise that the kids on the UIC College Prep wait list will be invited to take open slots at other Noble Network Schools. They have a couple of schools that don't have a full 9-12 grade complement yet, and I'm not sure if they are opening any other schools besides UIC. The things is, this still may not help Junior that much, because his mom is really worried that he will struggle to manage a complicated commute, and most of the other buildings I know of will be further away and more trouble to get to.
He still has one more chance--the Perspectives Math & Science Academy is Friday, and he's in that one. Someone else on the block got her application to me but too late for the lottery--she'll go straight to the waiting list.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Puppies!
School Lady's little yippy dog had six puppies recently. Yesterday I went by to give her 8th grade daughter an application for Perspectives/IIT's new Math and Science Academy.
I knocked on the door and the oldest daughter answered. She's in the culinary arts program at Richards, which is the best thing going on over there.
"How's school?"
"Better!" she said cheerfully.
"Good!"
We went in and her sisters were playing cards in the living room. I gave 8th Grader the application and explained that the school will partner with IIT. "If you do well, you'll have a chance to take classes over there when you are a junior or senior."
"That's a great opportunity," her big sister said. She looked impressed.
"We have puppies!" interrupted her youngest sister.
We were pretty much done, so the interruption was welcome. "Puppies? Can I see?"
"She'll bark."
"I'll just look from back here." We walked to the bedroom (it's one of those carved up houses with weird room configurations--living room, bedroom, kitchen). School lady came out of the kitchen and said hello. Youngest daughter went back in the kitchen and brought out a puppy.
Pure white, about six inches long, eyes still closed. Their dog had a litter of six. "Congratulations," I said to School Lady, "or maybe I'm sorry." She laughed. I won't be taking any--allergies, but if anyone reading this is interested, post a comment or email marshfieldtattler@hotmail and maybe we can hook you up.
I knocked on the door and the oldest daughter answered. She's in the culinary arts program at Richards, which is the best thing going on over there.
"How's school?"
"Better!" she said cheerfully.
"Good!"
We went in and her sisters were playing cards in the living room. I gave 8th Grader the application and explained that the school will partner with IIT. "If you do well, you'll have a chance to take classes over there when you are a junior or senior."
"That's a great opportunity," her big sister said. She looked impressed.
"We have puppies!" interrupted her youngest sister.
We were pretty much done, so the interruption was welcome. "Puppies? Can I see?"
"She'll bark."
"I'll just look from back here." We walked to the bedroom (it's one of those carved up houses with weird room configurations--living room, bedroom, kitchen). School lady came out of the kitchen and said hello. Youngest daughter went back in the kitchen and brought out a puppy.
Pure white, about six inches long, eyes still closed. Their dog had a litter of six. "Congratulations," I said to School Lady, "or maybe I'm sorry." She laughed. I won't be taking any--allergies, but if anyone reading this is interested, post a comment or email marshfieldtattler@hotmail and maybe we can hook you up.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Gutierrez Un-Endorses Lipinski
All you political junkies out there may be interested to know that Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who had been a supporter of 3rd district Rep. Dan Lipinski, has officially taken a step back. Buried in this Tribune story on the Lipinski-Pera race is the word that Gutierrez has withdrawn his endorsement of Lipinski. A spokeswoman said Gutierrez "cannot look past his record on immigration." And rightly so. He voted for the horrifying Sensenbrenner immigration bill and keeps pitching border security and crackdowns on "lawbreakers" without seeming to realize that there are actually plenty of immigrants in his district who would like to see comprehensive immigration reform to bring people who've been in the country for years paying taxes and working out of the shadows and on to a path of earned citizenship.
Pera appears to be mounting a strong challenge, with help from a couple of friends of mine here in the neighborhood. Both Capitol Fax and a new-to-me blog called Down With Tyranny have more of interest on the race and on Lipiski's last-ditch, hypocritical efforts to paint himself as a friend of those tangled in immigration red tape.
Pera appears to be mounting a strong challenge, with help from a couple of friends of mine here in the neighborhood. Both Capitol Fax and a new-to-me blog called Down With Tyranny have more of interest on the race and on Lipiski's last-ditch, hypocritical efforts to paint himself as a friend of those tangled in immigration red tape.
Chicago Magazine Gives Some Love
Chicago Magazine has finally posted online its Feburary 2008 article on 171 best Chicago websites. I'm happy to say Marshfield Tattler made it into their neighborhood recommendations.
Some others they list that I like, too:
Community Media Workshop
ChicagoCrime.org
ChicagoGangs.org (maps are useful)
LSNA.net
Hot Type
Vocalo
Outside In
Some of the ones in my bookmarks, like Beachwood Reporter, District 299 and Gapers Block, are also listed. Happy surfing!
Some others they list that I like, too:
Community Media Workshop
ChicagoCrime.org
ChicagoGangs.org (maps are useful)
LSNA.net
Hot Type
Vocalo
Outside In
Some of the ones in my bookmarks, like Beachwood Reporter, District 299 and Gapers Block, are also listed. Happy surfing!
Dawn Comes Home
I don't know where I left you all in the saga, but Dawn finally did come home. I spoke to her briefly on Friday by phone. She sounded pretty happy. We might get to talk today but I'm not sure. She's going to work later this afternoon and I'm going to the airport.
She says Joey told her the art class at Marwen is really good and she should do one, too. "I want to, but I don't have time," she told me. I suggested when the new session opens in March she could see how her schedule is and whether there is a class she'd like to take.
There's more than this going on, but I don't know the whole story yet. Stay tuned.
She says Joey told her the art class at Marwen is really good and she should do one, too. "I want to, but I don't have time," she told me. I suggested when the new session opens in March she could see how her schedule is and whether there is a class she'd like to take.
There's more than this going on, but I don't know the whole story yet. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
SafeWay Livery
There's a new taxi service out this way, and that's a good thing. It's really hard to get a cab out here.
A couple of summers ago, I was waiting for the bus at 51st and Ashland around 5:45 a.m., trying to get to Midway for a flight to California to see my sister. The 51st Street bus is pretty slow and irregular. Though the Ashland bus is pretty quick and consistent during rush hour, it was so early in the morning I had no idea what to expect.
While I was waiting, a guy in a van pulled up and rolled down his passenger side window. I was staring at him hard, thinking, "Who is this guy? Do I know him? Is he a neighbor? Is he somebody's dad?"
"Do you want a ride?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'm going to Midway,"I said, thinking he must be somebody's dad, right? I just didn't recognize him. So I didn't have a good feeling bout it. But I waited.
"I'll give you a ride," he said, but I stayed put, waiting for the punch line. And sure enough, it came. "For a blowjob."
"No thanks," I said, and he rolled away. About one minute later, an actual yellow taxi came in sight, heading south on Ashland. I ran into the middle of the street, waving my arms and hollering, "hey, hey, taxi, hey!"
The guy stopped. I remember him at Bob, the Communist cab driver. He lived over on Winchester south of 51st. He was about to get off shift and had a bag of McGriddles on ths shotgun seat to take home to his daughters. He told me he grew up in West Town and had the choice back in the 60s of buying here or buying there. He bought here. His aunt bought in West Town. "Now she's a millionaire," he said. I got his number and used it a few times. But then I lost it and that was the end of reliable cab service.
Until now. Before Christmas, I was walking along Ashland and spotted a flyer on a pole for Safe Way Livery. 24 hour service. They'll haul stuff for you. Rates below metered cabs. The office is so close to my house you could practically spit from there to here, so the drivers ought to be able to figure out where to go. No more cabbies at Midway whining about short fares for me, I thought. I just get off the plane, call Safe Way, and go.
That's not quite how it's worked out in practice. Most of their drivers are local, so they know the way to my house. But most of them don't know their way around Midway Airport. The two times I've been picked up there so far, we all figured it out, but it took so long I might as well have taken CTA for the time. Door-to-door service with luggage still almost made up for it, but it was a close call. Dropoffs at Midway have been much more successful. My favorite guy so far is number 8 (I hope I remember that right). He's probably about my age, has teenage kids and started doing this to make some money in between other business stuff--maybe selling real estate? I forget. He has a decent car, played ball in college and expects his children to go there, too, so an interesting person to talk to without being too far out of my usual experience.
My most recent ride was quite a contrast. First of all, speaking of ride, his could have used some pimping. I got in the back seat and sank so low I thought we might hit the ground. This was after a good hour of navigating unsuccessfully via the dispatcher to get him to the Kiss N Ride dropoff/pickup point in front of the Midway Orange line stop. He got as far as the parking lot but couldn't figure out the rest of it. So I went over to the parking lot and found him. With another passenger. Of course I assumed she was his girlfriend or something, but he explained pretty quickly on that she was a regular rider who had agreed to put off her trip and come out to Midway so I could get picked up faster. Obviously I was very grateful and told her so.
The funniest small-world part came about three-quarters of the way home, as we were driving up Damen toward 51st. He mentioned he had gone to Triumphant Charter School back when it was at 49th and Seeley. Years ago it moved south and is now run by Betty Shabazz International Charter School, but this guy was there in the day when I knew the principal and some of the teachers. Sure enough, he had one of the teachers I knew. "She was one of about three teachers I actually liked in elementary school," he said. He's 25 now and trying to decide what to do--maybe computers. It's not clear to me whether he finished high school, so I'm thinking not. But I'll have to tell our mutual acquaintance that I saw him. She'll remember him, I bet.
If you're interested in Chicago charter history, CPS still has a Tribune story about the end of Triumphant and how it was taken over by Shabazz. The story documents both Triumphant's academic gains with some of the city's hardest-to-reach students and its financial mismanagement problems, which caused the shutdown.
A couple of summers ago, I was waiting for the bus at 51st and Ashland around 5:45 a.m., trying to get to Midway for a flight to California to see my sister. The 51st Street bus is pretty slow and irregular. Though the Ashland bus is pretty quick and consistent during rush hour, it was so early in the morning I had no idea what to expect.
While I was waiting, a guy in a van pulled up and rolled down his passenger side window. I was staring at him hard, thinking, "Who is this guy? Do I know him? Is he a neighbor? Is he somebody's dad?"
"Do you want a ride?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'm going to Midway,"I said, thinking he must be somebody's dad, right? I just didn't recognize him. So I didn't have a good feeling bout it. But I waited.
"I'll give you a ride," he said, but I stayed put, waiting for the punch line. And sure enough, it came. "For a blowjob."
"No thanks," I said, and he rolled away. About one minute later, an actual yellow taxi came in sight, heading south on Ashland. I ran into the middle of the street, waving my arms and hollering, "hey, hey, taxi, hey!"
The guy stopped. I remember him at Bob, the Communist cab driver. He lived over on Winchester south of 51st. He was about to get off shift and had a bag of McGriddles on ths shotgun seat to take home to his daughters. He told me he grew up in West Town and had the choice back in the 60s of buying here or buying there. He bought here. His aunt bought in West Town. "Now she's a millionaire," he said. I got his number and used it a few times. But then I lost it and that was the end of reliable cab service.
Until now. Before Christmas, I was walking along Ashland and spotted a flyer on a pole for Safe Way Livery. 24 hour service. They'll haul stuff for you. Rates below metered cabs. The office is so close to my house you could practically spit from there to here, so the drivers ought to be able to figure out where to go. No more cabbies at Midway whining about short fares for me, I thought. I just get off the plane, call Safe Way, and go.
That's not quite how it's worked out in practice. Most of their drivers are local, so they know the way to my house. But most of them don't know their way around Midway Airport. The two times I've been picked up there so far, we all figured it out, but it took so long I might as well have taken CTA for the time. Door-to-door service with luggage still almost made up for it, but it was a close call. Dropoffs at Midway have been much more successful. My favorite guy so far is number 8 (I hope I remember that right). He's probably about my age, has teenage kids and started doing this to make some money in between other business stuff--maybe selling real estate? I forget. He has a decent car, played ball in college and expects his children to go there, too, so an interesting person to talk to without being too far out of my usual experience.
My most recent ride was quite a contrast. First of all, speaking of ride, his could have used some pimping. I got in the back seat and sank so low I thought we might hit the ground. This was after a good hour of navigating unsuccessfully via the dispatcher to get him to the Kiss N Ride dropoff/pickup point in front of the Midway Orange line stop. He got as far as the parking lot but couldn't figure out the rest of it. So I went over to the parking lot and found him. With another passenger. Of course I assumed she was his girlfriend or something, but he explained pretty quickly on that she was a regular rider who had agreed to put off her trip and come out to Midway so I could get picked up faster. Obviously I was very grateful and told her so.
The funniest small-world part came about three-quarters of the way home, as we were driving up Damen toward 51st. He mentioned he had gone to Triumphant Charter School back when it was at 49th and Seeley. Years ago it moved south and is now run by Betty Shabazz International Charter School, but this guy was there in the day when I knew the principal and some of the teachers. Sure enough, he had one of the teachers I knew. "She was one of about three teachers I actually liked in elementary school," he said. He's 25 now and trying to decide what to do--maybe computers. It's not clear to me whether he finished high school, so I'm thinking not. But I'll have to tell our mutual acquaintance that I saw him. She'll remember him, I bet.
If you're interested in Chicago charter history, CPS still has a Tribune story about the end of Triumphant and how it was taken over by Shabazz. The story documents both Triumphant's academic gains with some of the city's hardest-to-reach students and its financial mismanagement problems, which caused the shutdown.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
UIC/Noble Today
Yesterday I tried to work the block. I called Junior's house and his dad answered the phone. They sounded interested, but his dad said they would call me back to confirm yes for sure. Then I went to Christina's house, but nobody was home. Then I went to see School Lady and her 8th grader. Her little sister and her dad were home, so I gave them the time and address for today.
I RSVP-d to UIC College Prep to say I had one family for sure and possibly two more. But I only got the answering machine, so I was a little worried maybe they had already left (it was 4:30 on Friday when I called) and they had given up. But I figured I should just try to get as many people to go as I could, and just show up.
Later, I went to the Brady's and knocked upstairs. Their younger daughter/sister, now in 8th grade, had Christina's number. Her mom said they would go--she'd drive. I was really happy about that. They had been at the session yesterday morning. One of the older girls, who goes to Rauner, helped explain the school. They got a family on Paulina to apply.
Junior called me last night to say they would go, but my cell phone ran out of battery so I got the message this morning. I called and they said Junior and his mom could drive me over with them. (Whew!--Medicine Man's not here so I couldn't use the car.)
We got there early, about 9:30. Fortunately someone was there working, and let us in. (Thanks, Marty! Afterwards, Junior and his mom were surprised and pleased you spoke Spanish with them.) They held the meeting in a UIC office building on Halsted just south of Roosevelt. The school will be near UIC Medical Center, by Ashland and Polk, which would make it reasonably easy to get to from here--hopefully it would be an easy walk from the Ashland bus.
The principal, Mr. Sicat, arrived at 10. He was great, very energetic and personable, and didn't seem to mind we only had one family present. He spoke a little Spanish, and I translated summary versions of things for Junior's mom. He explained how Noble Network schools work in terms of uniform and discipline--Junior's mom really liked that. Junior got interested in the idea of learning more about medical careers. He actually helped translate at the hospital for his mom when she had to go to the emergency room for the ruptured placenta.
Mr. Sicat gave me a tip--it's possible to get students on the wait list for Noble Network schools through their main office. I'll have to try to do that for the kids who missed the session today, especially Danny and Christina.
I RSVP-d to UIC College Prep to say I had one family for sure and possibly two more. But I only got the answering machine, so I was a little worried maybe they had already left (it was 4:30 on Friday when I called) and they had given up. But I figured I should just try to get as many people to go as I could, and just show up.
Later, I went to the Brady's and knocked upstairs. Their younger daughter/sister, now in 8th grade, had Christina's number. Her mom said they would go--she'd drive. I was really happy about that. They had been at the session yesterday morning. One of the older girls, who goes to Rauner, helped explain the school. They got a family on Paulina to apply.
Junior called me last night to say they would go, but my cell phone ran out of battery so I got the message this morning. I called and they said Junior and his mom could drive me over with them. (Whew!--Medicine Man's not here so I couldn't use the car.)
We got there early, about 9:30. Fortunately someone was there working, and let us in. (Thanks, Marty! Afterwards, Junior and his mom were surprised and pleased you spoke Spanish with them.) They held the meeting in a UIC office building on Halsted just south of Roosevelt. The school will be near UIC Medical Center, by Ashland and Polk, which would make it reasonably easy to get to from here--hopefully it would be an easy walk from the Ashland bus.
The principal, Mr. Sicat, arrived at 10. He was great, very energetic and personable, and didn't seem to mind we only had one family present. He spoke a little Spanish, and I translated summary versions of things for Junior's mom. He explained how Noble Network schools work in terms of uniform and discipline--Junior's mom really liked that. Junior got interested in the idea of learning more about medical careers. He actually helped translate at the hospital for his mom when she had to go to the emergency room for the ruptured placenta.
Mr. Sicat gave me a tip--it's possible to get students on the wait list for Noble Network schools through their main office. I'll have to try to do that for the kids who missed the session today, especially Danny and Christina.
Dorothy Stops By
I got home from out of town yesterday afternoon. As I was closing the front door, I saw a woman in a pink coat across the street. "That's probably Dorothy," I thought. "I'd like to know how she's doing, but not right now." I was trying to recruit people for the UIC/Noble information event in the previous post.
But Dorothy beat me to the punch. I'd been home for about 10 minutes when the doorbell rang. "OK," I thought and opened the door.
She looked good--not too sick. She'd been in jail again, but then she got to go to treatment at the Women's Treatment Center. "I like it there. It's nice," she said. "They have nice beds. I'm going back on Monday. I'm staying with my sister this weekend."
She had lost my phone number, so I gave it to her (home, not cell). They wanted to put her on house arrest but she didn't have a phone for the box. "I'm not taking anybody's box ever again," I warned her. "You know I didn't have a working phone for a month after the last one."
"I know," she said. She lost out then, too, because we couldn't pick up any callback messages from treatment programs because I couldn't get the phone to dial. "And he went to jail anyway, right?"
"Yeah," I said. "He's out now, though. He got probation."
Dorothy was looking for some bus fare, of course. She wanted ten dollars, which seemed like a lot, but I know I can run through 10 bucks of bus fare pretty fast when I have to go a few places. But I had spent most of my cash on my business trip, so I only gave her five bucks. "This'll get you started, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, this'll get me started," she said, disappointed but not too much so. Once again, I hope it doesn't get her finished. I just never know if she's really using it for what she says she's using it for, or if she's totally conning me, or if she's been fine but now about to go on a relapse bender since she's sprung for the weekend.
So far, my gut says she's working her program and trying to get somewhere.
But Dorothy beat me to the punch. I'd been home for about 10 minutes when the doorbell rang. "OK," I thought and opened the door.
She looked good--not too sick. She'd been in jail again, but then she got to go to treatment at the Women's Treatment Center. "I like it there. It's nice," she said. "They have nice beds. I'm going back on Monday. I'm staying with my sister this weekend."
She had lost my phone number, so I gave it to her (home, not cell). They wanted to put her on house arrest but she didn't have a phone for the box. "I'm not taking anybody's box ever again," I warned her. "You know I didn't have a working phone for a month after the last one."
"I know," she said. She lost out then, too, because we couldn't pick up any callback messages from treatment programs because I couldn't get the phone to dial. "And he went to jail anyway, right?"
"Yeah," I said. "He's out now, though. He got probation."
Dorothy was looking for some bus fare, of course. She wanted ten dollars, which seemed like a lot, but I know I can run through 10 bucks of bus fare pretty fast when I have to go a few places. But I had spent most of my cash on my business trip, so I only gave her five bucks. "This'll get you started, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, this'll get me started," she said, disappointed but not too much so. Once again, I hope it doesn't get her finished. I just never know if she's really using it for what she says she's using it for, or if she's totally conning me, or if she's been fine but now about to go on a relapse bender since she's sprung for the weekend.
So far, my gut says she's working her program and trying to get somewhere.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
UIC/Noble Applicant Info This Saturday
If you are reading this blog and are an 8th grader/8th grade parent from Back of the Yards, or know someone who is, or even if you are in a different neighborhood but you are interested in applying to the UIC/Noble charter high school that will open next September, you're invited to this event:
Saturday 1/26, 10 a.m.
1253 S. Halsted
Metered parking and a garage that costs $2 for less than two hours are nearby.
Information will be presented in Spanish and English.
It is very hard to get applications for this school. You must attend the session to obtain an application, and this is the last chance to do that.
If you are reading this and plan to attend, could you email me at marshfieldtattler.hotmail.com? I am supposed to call them Friday at 5 p.m. with a head count.
I muscled UIC/Noble into doing one more Saturday session--their last scheduled session is Friday at 10 a.m. in the same location, but I'm out of town and I knew my neighbors couldn't make it at that time due to work schedules. Danny's taking the selective enrollment test that morning, so he can't go, but I'm going to get an application for him if it kills me. I left a message for Junior--he'd have to miss CCD, but I think his mom would go for it--she's really worried about high school for him. I need to get Peter Pan's mom's number--they used to live near the original Noble Street in West Town and Peter Pan is interested. If his older sister applies and gets in this year, he'd have sibling preference next year. Peter Pan is a bright kid with leadership potential, but his teachers agree with me that he could go either way really easily, so a good school to keep him on track will be important. Noble is pretty strict, which would be good for him, I think.
Saturday 1/26, 10 a.m.
1253 S. Halsted
Metered parking and a garage that costs $2 for less than two hours are nearby.
Information will be presented in Spanish and English.
It is very hard to get applications for this school. You must attend the session to obtain an application, and this is the last chance to do that.
If you are reading this and plan to attend, could you email me at marshfieldtattler.hotmail.com? I am supposed to call them Friday at 5 p.m. with a head count.
I muscled UIC/Noble into doing one more Saturday session--their last scheduled session is Friday at 10 a.m. in the same location, but I'm out of town and I knew my neighbors couldn't make it at that time due to work schedules. Danny's taking the selective enrollment test that morning, so he can't go, but I'm going to get an application for him if it kills me. I left a message for Junior--he'd have to miss CCD, but I think his mom would go for it--she's really worried about high school for him. I need to get Peter Pan's mom's number--they used to live near the original Noble Street in West Town and Peter Pan is interested. If his older sister applies and gets in this year, he'd have sibling preference next year. Peter Pan is a bright kid with leadership potential, but his teachers agree with me that he could go either way really easily, so a good school to keep him on track will be important. Noble is pretty strict, which would be good for him, I think.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
What Teachers Make
OK, I'm too tired to upload this video so you could watch it here, but go to You Tube now and watch this link from Taylor Mali about what teachers make:
Thanks to District 299 for pointing it out.
My favorite part: "You wanna know what I make? I can make kids work harder than they ever have in their lives. I can make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor, and an A- feel like a slap in the face."
Thanks to District 299 for pointing it out.
My favorite part: "You wanna know what I make? I can make kids work harder than they ever have in their lives. I can make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor, and an A- feel like a slap in the face."
Monday, January 21, 2008
Demolition and Construction
The storefront on the northwest corner of 50th and Ashland was demolished sometime last week. Yesterday I was on the Ashland bus with my head in a magazine and didn't even look up until I got off at that corner. "Am I at 51st?" I thought, because it didn't look right. The emptiness of the lot had entered my awareness, making me think I was at the next block south.
Then I looked up and found myself staring at a pile of broken boards, with a bulldozer parked next to the pile. I was thinking about going back to take a picture but I may not have time before I have to get on the road again this week.
Meanwhile, interior work continues on the Goldblatt's building at Ashland and 47th. I still don't know what's going in there, exactly, or if I did, I forgot. If any local readers know what's happening on either site, please comment and fill us in.
Then I looked up and found myself staring at a pile of broken boards, with a bulldozer parked next to the pile. I was thinking about going back to take a picture but I may not have time before I have to get on the road again this week.
Meanwhile, interior work continues on the Goldblatt's building at Ashland and 47th. I still don't know what's going in there, exactly, or if I did, I forgot. If any local readers know what's happening on either site, please comment and fill us in.
Joey Made It!
Whoo-hoo!! Joey made it to Marwen last Thursday. I asked him how it went and he said, "It was really cool." You could hear the coolness in his voice.
Hey, I found a web site about Digital Clay, the stuff he is working with in his class. The basic software is really cheap, only $38.
Joey wanted to know if he could go box today. The Chicago Youth Boxing Club web site doesn't say, and he said he had the manager's number, so I told him he should call and find out. This weekend I will spend some real time with Joey and hear how the boxing is going, too. I could hear his mother saying something in the background and heard Dawn's name, but she hasn't called or emailed me, so I don't have any news. If she does, maybe she'll call me back.
Hey, I found a web site about Digital Clay, the stuff he is working with in his class. The basic software is really cheap, only $38.
Joey wanted to know if he could go box today. The Chicago Youth Boxing Club web site doesn't say, and he said he had the manager's number, so I told him he should call and find out. This weekend I will spend some real time with Joey and hear how the boxing is going, too. I could hear his mother saying something in the background and heard Dawn's name, but she hasn't called or emailed me, so I don't have any news. If she does, maybe she'll call me back.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Mysteries and Kudos
The big mystery on my mind this week: did Joey make it to Marwen? I'm out of town on business, so I don't know. He called me the day before his class and said his dad would take him, so I told Medicine Man he was off the hook this week. I'll find out when I get home Sunday. Stay tuned.
It's interesting--I'm staying with a high school friend and his family in Columbus, Ohio during this business trip. They are contemplating sending their twin preschool-aged boys to a fancy private school. I listen to their mother with half an ear open and think about Joey, danny, Junior and the rest with the other.
Quite frankly, I wish we could just reverse things so the kids who really needed all that private school stuff got it and the more together families stayed in public school. I guess I'm a communist or something equally awful.
Meanwhile, on the kudos, a friend/colleague emailed today to tell me Marshfield Tattler is among Chicago Magazine's picks for best local blogs. Whoo-hoo! Thanks to you, dear readers and linkers, for giving it the visibility to make this possible. The story's not on line yet, but I'll post the link when it is.
Happy weekend, all!
It's interesting--I'm staying with a high school friend and his family in Columbus, Ohio during this business trip. They are contemplating sending their twin preschool-aged boys to a fancy private school. I listen to their mother with half an ear open and think about Joey, danny, Junior and the rest with the other.
Quite frankly, I wish we could just reverse things so the kids who really needed all that private school stuff got it and the more together families stayed in public school. I guess I'm a communist or something equally awful.
Meanwhile, on the kudos, a friend/colleague emailed today to tell me Marshfield Tattler is among Chicago Magazine's picks for best local blogs. Whoo-hoo! Thanks to you, dear readers and linkers, for giving it the visibility to make this possible. The story's not on line yet, but I'll post the link when it is.
Happy weekend, all!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
More Fun with Science
My three friends from across the street came over yesterday. Junior needed to get his homework done. He had to describe various kinds of indicators you use in science, like pH paper, or litmus paper as I knew it back in the day. This got us talking about acids and bases, so of course I decided it was time to drag out the baking soda and vinegar. Fortunately we had some white vinegar in the house. I wonder if you could do a science fair project about the reactivity of different kinds of vinegar with baking soda--white vinegar, wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar, for example. I think I just wrote them in order of decreasing acidity, so less reactivity with baking soda, one would imagine. But how would you measure less reactivity? Less fizz? hmmm...
Anyway, the guys liked watching the baking soda fizz when I poured vinegar on it. We all tasted it afterwards. The youngest one was the first to try after I demonstrated. "Just try it--you'll see it doesn't taste as sour now."
The littlest one went for it. "Yeah, you're right," he said. He didn't get grossed out or anything, unlike Junior or Junior's buddy, who really made a face after his taste.
I called my mom, the retired chemist, before we started, just to make sure we wouldn't blow anything up. I hadn't done this in ages so I didn't remember if it was just a little fizzy or if it got hot or anything. Mom Chemist suggested putting the bowl in the sink just to be sure it wouldn't fizz up and hit somebody in the eye, since I don't have goggles. It was fine, quite tame, of course. Now if I knew how to make one of those volcanoes....
Joey was kind of into volcanoes a couple of years ago. We made a volcano in the snow, but just kinds of drew on some lava trails. It would be cool to make a model volcano that fizzed thanks to baking soda and vinegar. I think I saw that on the Brady Bunch years ago.
Anyway, there are way cool things you can make yourself at Tinkering School, like this cool bottleboat submarine. Thanks to Alexander Russo at District 299 and the Science After School blog for linking to a video talk by the founder of Tinkering School, which led me to his site.
Anyway, the guys liked watching the baking soda fizz when I poured vinegar on it. We all tasted it afterwards. The youngest one was the first to try after I demonstrated. "Just try it--you'll see it doesn't taste as sour now."
The littlest one went for it. "Yeah, you're right," he said. He didn't get grossed out or anything, unlike Junior or Junior's buddy, who really made a face after his taste.
I called my mom, the retired chemist, before we started, just to make sure we wouldn't blow anything up. I hadn't done this in ages so I didn't remember if it was just a little fizzy or if it got hot or anything. Mom Chemist suggested putting the bowl in the sink just to be sure it wouldn't fizz up and hit somebody in the eye, since I don't have goggles. It was fine, quite tame, of course. Now if I knew how to make one of those volcanoes....
Joey was kind of into volcanoes a couple of years ago. We made a volcano in the snow, but just kinds of drew on some lava trails. It would be cool to make a model volcano that fizzed thanks to baking soda and vinegar. I think I saw that on the Brady Bunch years ago.
Anyway, there are way cool things you can make yourself at Tinkering School, like this cool bottleboat submarine. Thanks to Alexander Russo at District 299 and the Science After School blog for linking to a video talk by the founder of Tinkering School, which led me to his site.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Evidence
Joey and I found the evidence out back this afternoon. A bunch of feathers splayed out on a patch of my back yard, a bloody wishbone about a foot northeast of the feathers, and a bright red organ of some kind in between and a little to the southwest, forming three points of a triangle.
Joey spotted the bones first. "What's that?" he asked me.
Then I saw the feathers. "I bet that cat got a pigeon!"
"Oh, yeah!" He spotted the organ. "Is that the heart?"
"I don't know. I don't know what a pigeon heart looks like. Don't touch it--use a stick."
"I know that," he said, in that teenage "don't call me stupid" kind of voice. There was a long metal rod lying around and he poked at it with that. "Why didn't the cat eat it?"
"Good question," I said. "I don't know why not. I eat chicken hearts."
Joey was pretty intent on hypothesizing how the cat got the pigeon. "He must have jumped from here, see..." I think he was speculating that the cat first got some feathers, then wrestled the bird down and ate most of it in the bone area. I don't know if he had a guess as to how the heart or whatever organ got to point three. There wasn't very much of the pigeon left, so I wonder if the cat carried most of the carcass away and the heart or whatever fell out.
Hmmm.. we're Crime Scene Investigaation: Veterinary today. It was a nice break in a long writing day.
Joey spotted the bones first. "What's that?" he asked me.
Then I saw the feathers. "I bet that cat got a pigeon!"
"Oh, yeah!" He spotted the organ. "Is that the heart?"
"I don't know. I don't know what a pigeon heart looks like. Don't touch it--use a stick."
"I know that," he said, in that teenage "don't call me stupid" kind of voice. There was a long metal rod lying around and he poked at it with that. "Why didn't the cat eat it?"
"Good question," I said. "I don't know why not. I eat chicken hearts."
Joey was pretty intent on hypothesizing how the cat got the pigeon. "He must have jumped from here, see..." I think he was speculating that the cat first got some feathers, then wrestled the bird down and ate most of it in the bone area. I don't know if he had a guess as to how the heart or whatever organ got to point three. There wasn't very much of the pigeon left, so I wonder if the cat carried most of the carcass away and the heart or whatever fell out.
Hmmm.. we're Crime Scene Investigaation: Veterinary today. It was a nice break in a long writing day.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Clinton, Obama, Alinsky and Me
Thanks to Alexander Russo at District 299 for linking to a fascinating Washington Post article that outlines Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama's connections to Saul Alinsky, whose model of community organizing got its start here in Back of the Yards.
I have to say I think Alinsky would be rolling in his grave if he knew the state of community organizing in Back of the Yards today. The organization he founded here, the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, is best known today for its van that takes seniors shopping and for its ballet folklorico ensemble, which are very nice programs but certainly aren't bringing hundreds of people to the aldermen's offices to get sidewalks and streets repaired, for example. There are rumors to the effect that previous leadership in the organization used its history and prestige to arrange various deals for personal advantage. I will say no more since I can't prove anything.
Meanwhile, though the Peace and Education Coalition has done a lot of good in its 10 years of existence, it's an organization of organizations, not a group that builds grassroots muscle directly.
Someone I know who used to work for the IAF told me bluntly that Alinsky wouldn't have much use for people like me. Activists, Alinsky would say, are useless--loners out doing their thing, not growing local leaders or generating power from the masses. They are just brief flashes in the pan, mostly about charity or a single issue, not about empowerment. But I don't know that one can say Alinsky's way left a great deal of impact here, if you look at where our neighborhood is now.
As for our Democratic presidential candidates:
Both Obama and Clinton admired Alinsky's appeal for small-d democracy but came to believe that social progress is best achieved by working within the political system, and on a national scale.
I'm not sure I buy that working inside the political system on any scale is the only alternative to Alinsky, or that Alinsky's way of doing community organizing is the only way. I don't know exactly what the Logan Square Neighborhood Association would say about how it views Alinsky, but I'd give my eyeteeth to have a group like that here.
Dawn's question to me a while back is still rolling around in my head: "What makes some things work and some things not work?" she asked. She said this in the context of having tried unsuccessfully to organize an after-school program at Big Picture that would draw kids from multiple schools.
I thought about two projects I was working on at the same time, one struggling, one going gangbusters, and said, "The two things I know help some things work are money and talented people."
But the really mysterious thing about making something work is generating the energy to get it done. Community organizing is partly about knowing what issues have enough inherent energy to mobilize people, and also about knowing which people have enough energy to mobilize to get the job done on an issue. I think project management is about energy, too--picking a project that is doable based on the energy (money, people) available, then managing the money and the people needed from beginning to end.
Here on the block, I try to pick projects I think I can do on my own or with just a little help from people or groups I feel very comfortable with: Medicine Man, Su Casa, Big Picture (though they are quite stretched). Without more Spanish-language skill, it's really hard to build a wider network. So I'll be going back to class later this month.
I have to say I think Alinsky would be rolling in his grave if he knew the state of community organizing in Back of the Yards today. The organization he founded here, the Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council, is best known today for its van that takes seniors shopping and for its ballet folklorico ensemble, which are very nice programs but certainly aren't bringing hundreds of people to the aldermen's offices to get sidewalks and streets repaired, for example. There are rumors to the effect that previous leadership in the organization used its history and prestige to arrange various deals for personal advantage. I will say no more since I can't prove anything.
Meanwhile, though the Peace and Education Coalition has done a lot of good in its 10 years of existence, it's an organization of organizations, not a group that builds grassroots muscle directly.
Someone I know who used to work for the IAF told me bluntly that Alinsky wouldn't have much use for people like me. Activists, Alinsky would say, are useless--loners out doing their thing, not growing local leaders or generating power from the masses. They are just brief flashes in the pan, mostly about charity or a single issue, not about empowerment. But I don't know that one can say Alinsky's way left a great deal of impact here, if you look at where our neighborhood is now.
As for our Democratic presidential candidates:
Both Obama and Clinton admired Alinsky's appeal for small-d democracy but came to believe that social progress is best achieved by working within the political system, and on a national scale.
I'm not sure I buy that working inside the political system on any scale is the only alternative to Alinsky, or that Alinsky's way of doing community organizing is the only way. I don't know exactly what the Logan Square Neighborhood Association would say about how it views Alinsky, but I'd give my eyeteeth to have a group like that here.
Dawn's question to me a while back is still rolling around in my head: "What makes some things work and some things not work?" she asked. She said this in the context of having tried unsuccessfully to organize an after-school program at Big Picture that would draw kids from multiple schools.
I thought about two projects I was working on at the same time, one struggling, one going gangbusters, and said, "The two things I know help some things work are money and talented people."
But the really mysterious thing about making something work is generating the energy to get it done. Community organizing is partly about knowing what issues have enough inherent energy to mobilize people, and also about knowing which people have enough energy to mobilize to get the job done on an issue. I think project management is about energy, too--picking a project that is doable based on the energy (money, people) available, then managing the money and the people needed from beginning to end.
Here on the block, I try to pick projects I think I can do on my own or with just a little help from people or groups I feel very comfortable with: Medicine Man, Su Casa, Big Picture (though they are quite stretched). Without more Spanish-language skill, it's really hard to build a wider network. So I'll be going back to class later this month.
Good News, Bad News
The good news is Julian is getting out of the joint. Tonight. He got two years' probation, and I didn't have to spend a cent on a lawyer. Whew.
The bad news is Dawn didn't go to school yesterday. I don't know what happened today. She sent me an email over the weekend. This is what she wrote:
i also hope you had a nice x-mas and new year best wishes and i also never forget what you told me about you wanting me to graduate specially since your phone # that is nice sorry for many decision that i am taking i know that they are not the best ones but i OK and i wish you could understand in but that is not going to happen because you are not in my position i would really appreciate for you help you are a special person and i do now do you bad in what you expect from me.
I hear she wrote something similar--saying essentially, thanks for the good advice, but I'm not going to take it-- to one of her friends from Big Picture who has been urging her to go to school and stay out of trouble.
So I guess it's time to focus on Joey and make sure he makes it to Marwen. His first class is next week and I will be out of town. Sure hope his parents come through on this one.
The bad news is Dawn didn't go to school yesterday. I don't know what happened today. She sent me an email over the weekend. This is what she wrote:
i also hope you had a nice x-mas and new year best wishes and i also never forget what you told me about you wanting me to graduate specially since your phone # that is nice sorry for many decision that i am taking i know that they are not the best ones but i OK and i wish you could understand in but that is not going to happen because you are not in my position i would really appreciate for you help you are a special person and i do now do you bad in what you expect from me.
I hear she wrote something similar--saying essentially, thanks for the good advice, but I'm not going to take it-- to one of her friends from Big Picture who has been urging her to go to school and stay out of trouble.
So I guess it's time to focus on Joey and make sure he makes it to Marwen. His first class is next week and I will be out of town. Sure hope his parents come through on this one.
Indoor Soccer Opens
The Tribune ran a story a couple of days ago about the large new indoor soccer facility at Pershing and Ashland. I've been past there since it opened and there sure are lots of cars in the parking lot.
Chicago Indoor Sports has four large fields, one small one, a game room and a computer room, among other amenities. Apparently it is the first indoor soccer facility in the city. I'm glad it's near us and I'd like to find out how to get to use it. In the comments, someone who has been there says they've had Ultimate Frisbee games, too.
I remember the first time I was at that corner, more than 10 years ago. I had just gone to the old Board of Education offices on Pershing Road to get a substitute teacher card. I came out and had really no idea how to get home from there. (I think someone had given me a ride down? I don't remember.) It felt like a complete wasteland. A northbound Ashland bus came by and I ran for it like it was the last helicopter out of Saigon.
It's very nice to see that corner drawing traffic and being used for something so popular. Plus, I know the site required some environmental cleanup before starting construction--let's hope they did it right so it's in better shape now and for the future.
Chicago Indoor Sports has four large fields, one small one, a game room and a computer room, among other amenities. Apparently it is the first indoor soccer facility in the city. I'm glad it's near us and I'd like to find out how to get to use it. In the comments, someone who has been there says they've had Ultimate Frisbee games, too.
I remember the first time I was at that corner, more than 10 years ago. I had just gone to the old Board of Education offices on Pershing Road to get a substitute teacher card. I came out and had really no idea how to get home from there. (I think someone had given me a ride down? I don't remember.) It felt like a complete wasteland. A northbound Ashland bus came by and I ran for it like it was the last helicopter out of Saigon.
It's very nice to see that corner drawing traffic and being used for something so popular. Plus, I know the site required some environmental cleanup before starting construction--let's hope they did it right so it's in better shape now and for the future.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Bowling & Pizza!
As I promised Peter Pan, today was the big day for pizza and bowling. Sixteen kids showed up! We actually needed both the Su Casa van and Medicine Man's car to fit everybody. The van was running very slowly due to the cold, so I'm grateful I didn't stick with the original plan to go to Waveland Bowl.
We went to Lawn Bowling at 67th and Pulaski. They only take reservations for groups of 20 or more, and we were 18. We were lucky--they gave us four lanes right away, and threw in a couple of extra frames for everybody since we were only bowling one game. (With 17 bowlers, I figured one game would be plenty.) Our high scorer was Medicine Man, with something like 112. Peter Pan bowled two strikes back to back, and one of the Brady girls bowled a strike in her first-ever game. The two kids from Su Casa who came along were good bowlers--the older girls made the sister feel welcome, and she was the winner in their group.
The only thing I didn't count on was the pizza was really slow--they only had one working oven, so they could only heat up one pizza at a time. Once the aging blond behind the counter/bar realized I was trying to feed 16 hungry children, she threw in a couple of big bowls of popcorn for free. "You must have the patience of a saint," she said.
"I only brought the good kids from my block," I said. Not quite true, but I didn't bring anybody I was really worried couldn't handle it. Medicine Man, who has had his share of chaperoning hard-to-manage kids, was impressed with how well-behaved our crew was. They cleaned up after themselves, and once they understood they had to wait for the pins to be reset before taking their second turn, we were all good.
The wait for the pizza was tough, but Medicine Man tried to teach them some complicated game involving slapping your hands on the table in a pattern. It was quite funny to watch the youngest ones try to figure out when it was their turn to slap the table.I'm sure it was a college drinking game minus the beer. Later I got our two tables (yes, we basically had a boys table and a girls table) to play Telephone. "Nothing rude, right?" said one of the boys. Right. They managed to crack themselves up just fine without getting nasty.
Medicine Man took some pictures, so if you know me and you want to see them, email me and I'll put together a list to send out a Picasa album or something. (I don't want to put kids' photos up on the Internet without some level of protection.)
Next time we'll skip the pizza there and try the new Chinese buffet up at 62nd and California.
Oh, and just about everybody kicked in at least a few bucks. Those who didn't, I knew why and it was no problem. Peter Pan's mom tried to give me a fifty and I handed her a twenty back. I would have handed back more but I was planning to put it on a credit card so I didn't have that much cash with me.
The best part was, after I parked the van at Su Casa, I came through their house to go out the front and one of the two kids was practicing her bowling swing in the hallway!
We went to Lawn Bowling at 67th and Pulaski. They only take reservations for groups of 20 or more, and we were 18. We were lucky--they gave us four lanes right away, and threw in a couple of extra frames for everybody since we were only bowling one game. (With 17 bowlers, I figured one game would be plenty.) Our high scorer was Medicine Man, with something like 112. Peter Pan bowled two strikes back to back, and one of the Brady girls bowled a strike in her first-ever game. The two kids from Su Casa who came along were good bowlers--the older girls made the sister feel welcome, and she was the winner in their group.
The only thing I didn't count on was the pizza was really slow--they only had one working oven, so they could only heat up one pizza at a time. Once the aging blond behind the counter/bar realized I was trying to feed 16 hungry children, she threw in a couple of big bowls of popcorn for free. "You must have the patience of a saint," she said.
"I only brought the good kids from my block," I said. Not quite true, but I didn't bring anybody I was really worried couldn't handle it. Medicine Man, who has had his share of chaperoning hard-to-manage kids, was impressed with how well-behaved our crew was. They cleaned up after themselves, and once they understood they had to wait for the pins to be reset before taking their second turn, we were all good.
The wait for the pizza was tough, but Medicine Man tried to teach them some complicated game involving slapping your hands on the table in a pattern. It was quite funny to watch the youngest ones try to figure out when it was their turn to slap the table.I'm sure it was a college drinking game minus the beer. Later I got our two tables (yes, we basically had a boys table and a girls table) to play Telephone. "Nothing rude, right?" said one of the boys. Right. They managed to crack themselves up just fine without getting nasty.
Medicine Man took some pictures, so if you know me and you want to see them, email me and I'll put together a list to send out a Picasa album or something. (I don't want to put kids' photos up on the Internet without some level of protection.)
Next time we'll skip the pizza there and try the new Chinese buffet up at 62nd and California.
Oh, and just about everybody kicked in at least a few bucks. Those who didn't, I knew why and it was no problem. Peter Pan's mom tried to give me a fifty and I handed her a twenty back. I would have handed back more but I was planning to put it on a credit card so I didn't have that much cash with me.
The best part was, after I parked the van at Su Casa, I came through their house to go out the front and one of the two kids was practicing her bowling swing in the hallway!
Joey's New Year's Resolution
...appears to be to do his homework. I am not arguing. (I do wonder if his folks took away his game until he gets his project done, like they did when we were trying to get another book read last year. It is an effective motivator.)
Last night I was at Joey's house and his mom had been nagging him about his homework. "He's mad," she told me (with a little of that wry parental amusement I'm beginning to understand).
"I've been working on it," he told me. I went over to his room to see what he had. He had a folded up piece of orange posterboard, the book, Bone #5, which he had barely started (not surprising, since we know he can't read worth a lick yet), and some practice writing the title in cool-looking script letters. I asked if he wanted to come read the story at my house later this week and he said yes. He was on my doorstep this afternoon. I dropped my deadline writing project instantly and started reading the book to him.
For a kid with signs of dyslexia, he's sure into the alphabet. (Maybe that makes sense, actually. Apparently he can look at each letter lots of different ways, and that's the problem when it comes time to read something. See The Gift of Dyslexia, which I still have to read.) For Christmas I got him a book on calligraphy and a cool set of pens, paints and inks to do illustrated manuscripts. He had just the book until today, and he had already started learning one of the alphabets with just a pencil. This afternoon, after we got a couple of chapters into Bone, we took a break and opened up the calligraphy set. He tried writing my name and adding some flowers. It looks cool.
He took the set home and in the few hours between 3 and 8:30 p.m. (some of which he was bowling and eating pizza), he figured out how to use both nibs in the set and used them to write Bone in this incredibly fancy black lettering with gold trim. If his first try looks cool, the second looks truly amazing.
So we read the entire book in one day--I got hooked and couldn't stop reading in the middle myself--the chapter endings are classic cliffhangers and you always want to know what happens next. I did manage to stop before the last chapter and take a little more time for business before starting the pizza and bowling fest mentioned above.
When we got back, I took myself out to dinner at La Cecina. Just as I was wrapping up, my cell rang. It was Joey. "Maritza, are you home? Can I come read the book?" He had to wait for me to come home, but within half an hour we back into it, immersed in the last chapter. As a graphic novel, it probably had fewer words than Goosebumps and went faster, but the ideas were more complex: is war the answer? is power the only good? Stuff like that. We didn't talk too deeply about those issues--I mostly kind of checked in with him as we went along, asking comprehension and prediction questions, sometimes asking how he thought characters felt and why they were doing what they were doing. We'll talk about the bigger ideas on Saturday.
For now, he can draw the picture of the pivotal part of the book for the main part of the posterboard, and do a box of characters along the side. We'll do the more writing-oriented stuff together on Saturday after we get back from signing him up for a class at Marwen.
It just kills me--he totally gets stories when they are read to him--he loves movies--he just spent most of this break watching and re-watching Stomp the Yard--but whatever inner glitch is in there between his eyes and his brain is keeping his nose out of books. Dang. Do I have to get a master's in reading to help him out or what???
Oh, and he brought me a DVD of the DaVinci Code. "I thought you'd like it," he said.
"I read the book," I told him. "I've been kinda wanting to see the movie."
Last night I was at Joey's house and his mom had been nagging him about his homework. "He's mad," she told me (with a little of that wry parental amusement I'm beginning to understand).
"I've been working on it," he told me. I went over to his room to see what he had. He had a folded up piece of orange posterboard, the book, Bone #5, which he had barely started (not surprising, since we know he can't read worth a lick yet), and some practice writing the title in cool-looking script letters. I asked if he wanted to come read the story at my house later this week and he said yes. He was on my doorstep this afternoon. I dropped my deadline writing project instantly and started reading the book to him.
For a kid with signs of dyslexia, he's sure into the alphabet. (Maybe that makes sense, actually. Apparently he can look at each letter lots of different ways, and that's the problem when it comes time to read something. See The Gift of Dyslexia, which I still have to read.) For Christmas I got him a book on calligraphy and a cool set of pens, paints and inks to do illustrated manuscripts. He had just the book until today, and he had already started learning one of the alphabets with just a pencil. This afternoon, after we got a couple of chapters into Bone, we took a break and opened up the calligraphy set. He tried writing my name and adding some flowers. It looks cool.
He took the set home and in the few hours between 3 and 8:30 p.m. (some of which he was bowling and eating pizza), he figured out how to use both nibs in the set and used them to write Bone in this incredibly fancy black lettering with gold trim. If his first try looks cool, the second looks truly amazing.
So we read the entire book in one day--I got hooked and couldn't stop reading in the middle myself--the chapter endings are classic cliffhangers and you always want to know what happens next. I did manage to stop before the last chapter and take a little more time for business before starting the pizza and bowling fest mentioned above.
When we got back, I took myself out to dinner at La Cecina. Just as I was wrapping up, my cell rang. It was Joey. "Maritza, are you home? Can I come read the book?" He had to wait for me to come home, but within half an hour we back into it, immersed in the last chapter. As a graphic novel, it probably had fewer words than Goosebumps and went faster, but the ideas were more complex: is war the answer? is power the only good? Stuff like that. We didn't talk too deeply about those issues--I mostly kind of checked in with him as we went along, asking comprehension and prediction questions, sometimes asking how he thought characters felt and why they were doing what they were doing. We'll talk about the bigger ideas on Saturday.
For now, he can draw the picture of the pivotal part of the book for the main part of the posterboard, and do a box of characters along the side. We'll do the more writing-oriented stuff together on Saturday after we get back from signing him up for a class at Marwen.
It just kills me--he totally gets stories when they are read to him--he loves movies--he just spent most of this break watching and re-watching Stomp the Yard--but whatever inner glitch is in there between his eyes and his brain is keeping his nose out of books. Dang. Do I have to get a master's in reading to help him out or what???
Oh, and he brought me a DVD of the DaVinci Code. "I thought you'd like it," he said.
"I read the book," I told him. "I've been kinda wanting to see the movie."
Saturday, December 29, 2007
2007 Year in Review
It seems very unlikely I'll have another chance to post again before 2008 arrives, so here's a quick review of the best and worst moments of 2007 on Marshfield Avenue and beyond, from this limited perspective.
Block/neighborhood highlights
Big Picture successes: the play with Teatro Vista, first graduating class, Day of the Dead show
New neighbors--the Bradys
The Peace & Education Scholarship fundraiser, which I believe raised $80,000 for scholarships for local youth regardless of immigration status
The barbecue, despite its aftermath.
Five moms for coffee-I'm sorry I haven't followed up, but I hope it was a good bridge-builder for the moms to get to know each other.
The High School Fair van! I can't find a post about getting eight kids from the block to the high school fair, but we did it.
Getting the abandoned house resealed--thanks to help from Neighborhood Housing Services.
Our whole side of the block shoveling the sidewalk right away after the December big snow! Even if Yup-yup was part of it.
Block/neighborhood heartbreakers
The fight to save Big Picture--no one seems to know what next year holds, but it doesn't look good.
Chris Pineda's murder. Let's remember the outpouring of love and support at his funeral here.
Shots on our block, and on the next block up
The Halloween murder of Leticia Barrera
Dorothy's disappearance--I haven't written about this, hoping she'll come back, but since the house got boarded up she's been gone. It hasn't stopped Yup-yup. He doesn't talk about her; he has that new bucktoothed girl to hang out with. Unlike before with Priscilla, I don't know that Dorothy's disappearance means good things for her. Let's hope and pray it does.
While you're hoping and praying, keep my favorite next door neighbors in there, too. Dawn, Julian, Jr., Joey and their parents are all having big ups and downs right now. Let's hope 2008 brings good tidings and peace to them, and to all of us here in Back of the Yards.
Oh, and one last thing that made 2007 special--the arrival of a roommate who hasn't caused any tropical storms, so I don't write about him here. We'll call him Medicine Man, since he's an aspiring doctor, staying with me for a year while he serves as an Americorps volunteer in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood. On top of his day job and med school applications/interviews, Medicine Man has quietly paid his rent on time, loaned me his car, made coffee for moms, and helped schlep the 8th-graders to the high school fair. You rock!
Block/neighborhood highlights
Big Picture successes: the play with Teatro Vista, first graduating class, Day of the Dead show
New neighbors--the Bradys
The Peace & Education Scholarship fundraiser, which I believe raised $80,000 for scholarships for local youth regardless of immigration status
The barbecue, despite its aftermath.
Five moms for coffee-I'm sorry I haven't followed up, but I hope it was a good bridge-builder for the moms to get to know each other.
The High School Fair van! I can't find a post about getting eight kids from the block to the high school fair, but we did it.
Getting the abandoned house resealed--thanks to help from Neighborhood Housing Services.
Our whole side of the block shoveling the sidewalk right away after the December big snow! Even if Yup-yup was part of it.
Block/neighborhood heartbreakers
The fight to save Big Picture--no one seems to know what next year holds, but it doesn't look good.
Chris Pineda's murder. Let's remember the outpouring of love and support at his funeral here.
Shots on our block, and on the next block up
The Halloween murder of Leticia Barrera
Dorothy's disappearance--I haven't written about this, hoping she'll come back, but since the house got boarded up she's been gone. It hasn't stopped Yup-yup. He doesn't talk about her; he has that new bucktoothed girl to hang out with. Unlike before with Priscilla, I don't know that Dorothy's disappearance means good things for her. Let's hope and pray it does.
While you're hoping and praying, keep my favorite next door neighbors in there, too. Dawn, Julian, Jr., Joey and their parents are all having big ups and downs right now. Let's hope 2008 brings good tidings and peace to them, and to all of us here in Back of the Yards.
Oh, and one last thing that made 2007 special--the arrival of a roommate who hasn't caused any tropical storms, so I don't write about him here. We'll call him Medicine Man, since he's an aspiring doctor, staying with me for a year while he serves as an Americorps volunteer in the Auburn-Gresham neighborhood. On top of his day job and med school applications/interviews, Medicine Man has quietly paid his rent on time, loaned me his car, made coffee for moms, and helped schlep the 8th-graders to the high school fair. You rock!
Marshfield Mom of the Year
...goes to one of the Brady moms down the block. This lady works nights--she gets off at 1:30 a.m., with Monday and Tuesday off. But she and her 2nd-grade daughter showed up on my doorstep at 11 a.m. today so her daughter could read me a Disney story in English for her Reading Fair project. If I understood her mother correctly, usually one of the older children would work with the little one, but right now the older sibs are in Mexico for the holiday. I also think she told me her older daughters are even doing some studying while they are down there. She asked me something I didn't really grasp about scholarships, so I suggested we talk about it when she comes back with her daughter on New Year's Day afternoon (it's a Tuesday so she has off).
When we were trying to figure out when to get together again, she asked about Monday and suggested evening, like 8. I reminded her it was New Year's Even and she had an "oh, yeah!" expression on her face. Not much holiday for her, clearly.
I've seen this mom at LSC meetings. She is really looking for some supports out here. She told me back at Whittier (or Whitney? their old school in Pilsen) there was a parent group that helped her a lot. Hedges has one here, but as far as I know Chavez only has the formal committees-bilingual, LSC. I don't even know if they have the NCLP parent involvement thing going or if it would be any good if they did.
Anyway, this poor woman was nodding off on my sofa while her little girl read me a story about Ariel the mermaid. When she finished, I had to write a reaction to the story as the "generational connection." The Ariel story made the point that busy dads like King Triton need to spend time with their Ariels, so I referenced that and then said that her mom lived it by being with us for the story when she didn't even understand English. I told her daughter to explain the story to her mom in Spanish after Mom gets a nap!
When we were trying to figure out when to get together again, she asked about Monday and suggested evening, like 8. I reminded her it was New Year's Even and she had an "oh, yeah!" expression on her face. Not much holiday for her, clearly.
I've seen this mom at LSC meetings. She is really looking for some supports out here. She told me back at Whittier (or Whitney? their old school in Pilsen) there was a parent group that helped her a lot. Hedges has one here, but as far as I know Chavez only has the formal committees-bilingual, LSC. I don't even know if they have the NCLP parent involvement thing going or if it would be any good if they did.
Anyway, this poor woman was nodding off on my sofa while her little girl read me a story about Ariel the mermaid. When she finished, I had to write a reaction to the story as the "generational connection." The Ariel story made the point that busy dads like King Triton need to spend time with their Ariels, so I referenced that and then said that her mom lived it by being with us for the story when she didn't even understand English. I told her daughter to explain the story to her mom in Spanish after Mom gets a nap!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Tagged!
No, not that kind. (Lots of my neighbors would be more interested if I were writing about this more often. In fact I just bought a calligraphy book today for Joey, because he wants to learn how to draw Olde English letters. Maybe it'll help his reading. Seriously.)
Apparently there's a blog chain mail thing going around. I was tagged by the author of the Prea Prez blog, but I only found out because suddenly people were coming over from his blog to mine, and I didn't know why. He got tagged by Eduwonkette. She left the rules. Here they are:
- Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
- Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
- Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
- Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
So here are my seven random/weird things:
1) I was born in Wilmington, Delaware and still go back regularly (like for Christmas) to see family.
2) Maybe my mom has finally thrown out all the Barry Manilow and Abba records I owned as a kid, but I'm not sure.
3) My driver's license is suspended in Wisconsin: I was busted for civil disobedience and refuse to pay the fine that would reinstate it.
4) I have never owned a car. (So the license thing isn't a big deal.)
5) The family homestead in Delaware almost certainly still has home movies of me, my sister and brother breakdancing to Lawrence Welk. (My youngest sister wasn't born yet--she got off easy!)
6) I don't own a television set, either. (But I like to go home and watch HGTV with my mom over holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.)
7) I'm with Eduwonkette--the Jersey Shore is one of my favorite vacation destinations!!
And here are the people I'm tagging:
Puns in the Oven
District 299
Life in Union Victoria (Guatemala)
City on the Make
Mamita Mala
City of Progress (a new one to me--check it out)
Bridgeport Seasoning (also new to me, but hey, reaching out to the neighbors is what I'm all about, right?)
Apparently there's a blog chain mail thing going around. I was tagged by the author of the Prea Prez blog, but I only found out because suddenly people were coming over from his blog to mine, and I didn't know why. He got tagged by Eduwonkette. She left the rules. Here they are:
- Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
- Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
- Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
- Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
So here are my seven random/weird things:
1) I was born in Wilmington, Delaware and still go back regularly (like for Christmas) to see family.
2) Maybe my mom has finally thrown out all the Barry Manilow and Abba records I owned as a kid, but I'm not sure.
3) My driver's license is suspended in Wisconsin: I was busted for civil disobedience and refuse to pay the fine that would reinstate it.
4) I have never owned a car. (So the license thing isn't a big deal.)
5) The family homestead in Delaware almost certainly still has home movies of me, my sister and brother breakdancing to Lawrence Welk. (My youngest sister wasn't born yet--she got off easy!)
6) I don't own a television set, either. (But I like to go home and watch HGTV with my mom over holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.)
7) I'm with Eduwonkette--the Jersey Shore is one of my favorite vacation destinations!!
And here are the people I'm tagging:
Puns in the Oven
District 299
Life in Union Victoria (Guatemala)
City on the Make
Mamita Mala
City of Progress (a new one to me--check it out)
Bridgeport Seasoning (also new to me, but hey, reaching out to the neighbors is what I'm all about, right?)
Friday, December 21, 2007
Heard on the Ashland Bus
Around 2 this afternoon, the package-laden crowd on the Ashland bus got a good laugh just before we went under the viaduct at 49th.
A fiftyish mom in a pink jacket and white sweats was sitting with her twenty-something daughter, wearing a black jacket, jeans and black boots. A man selling DVDs on the bus was seated nearby.
"Do you have Endless Christmas?" the mother asked.
"No," he answered, then rattled off similar DVDs he did have, but she had all of them already. Then he turned to the daughter: "Alvin and the Chipmunks?"
"No way!" she said, offended.
"For kids?" he suggested.
This led her to explain that the lady in pink was her mother and all her children were grown.
"For your kids?" he asked.
"I ain't got none," she said, rather emphatically.
"Want some help with that?" he asked.
"Hell, no!"
All of us within earshot cracked up at that. It put the merry in Merry Christmas today.
A fiftyish mom in a pink jacket and white sweats was sitting with her twenty-something daughter, wearing a black jacket, jeans and black boots. A man selling DVDs on the bus was seated nearby.
"Do you have Endless Christmas?" the mother asked.
"No," he answered, then rattled off similar DVDs he did have, but she had all of them already. Then he turned to the daughter: "Alvin and the Chipmunks?"
"No way!" she said, offended.
"For kids?" he suggested.
This led her to explain that the lady in pink was her mother and all her children were grown.
"For your kids?" he asked.
"I ain't got none," she said, rather emphatically.
"Want some help with that?" he asked.
"Hell, no!"
All of us within earshot cracked up at that. It put the merry in Merry Christmas today.
Good Book News
On Wednesday I went to Holy Cross's posadas and ran into Xochitl, the big sister of Citlali, whose birthday was not too long ago. I saw their parents at a baby shower on Sunday night and gave them Citlali's birthday present--a book. (I still have to get the shower gift--I'm one gift behind at every party these days, ouch.)
I got Citlali El desierto es mi madre/The Desert Is My Mother, an illustrated children's book by Pat Mora and Daniel Lechon. It's beautiful. Xochitl told me on Wednesday she had already read it to her sister.
I forget if I mentioned Alberto wants to read the copy of Carl Hiasson's Flush I brought back from the book fair in September. That would be for his Reading Fair project.
Joey likes the book I picked up for him--he was thinking about a comic book. I got one of the ones in the Bone series. Joey took a little while to look through it, said yeah, he'd like to read it, and started drawing. A while later he asked for some plain white paper and construction paper. Not sure how he'll read it, but I'm happy he's going to spend some time looking at it and getting meaning from it his own way. I told him we'll read it together later on.
I got Citlali El desierto es mi madre/The Desert Is My Mother, an illustrated children's book by Pat Mora and Daniel Lechon. It's beautiful. Xochitl told me on Wednesday she had already read it to her sister.
I forget if I mentioned Alberto wants to read the copy of Carl Hiasson's Flush I brought back from the book fair in September. That would be for his Reading Fair project.
Joey likes the book I picked up for him--he was thinking about a comic book. I got one of the ones in the Bone series. Joey took a little while to look through it, said yeah, he'd like to read it, and started drawing. A while later he asked for some plain white paper and construction paper. Not sure how he'll read it, but I'm happy he's going to spend some time looking at it and getting meaning from it his own way. I told him we'll read it together later on.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Memorial Vigil Tomorrow
Tomorrow at 4 p.m. on the corner of 48th and Loomis there will be a vigil and interfaith prayer service to remember Alexandra Toro, 16, who was shot and killed Sunday afternoon. The Tribune ran a story about the shooting today.
At tonight's NHS dinner and meeting, some folks who knew her told a little about her life, which was a very hard one.
As one of us said at dinner tonight, "Nobody deserves to be killed."
At tonight's NHS dinner and meeting, some folks who knew her told a little about her life, which was a very hard one.
As one of us said at dinner tonight, "Nobody deserves to be killed."
Christmas Gifts for Neighbors
While considering what to get my brother-in-law for Christmas, I found this
nifty web site chock-full of Christmas gift ideas.
They even have a section on Christmas gifts for neighbors.
"Christmas gifts for neighbors don't have to be expensive things. It's the thought that counts." True enough. My favorite gifts to give out are books, especially bilingual children's books. With families other than the Bradys, it's hard to know whether they are really getting read, but hey, you try. Last night I handed a pretty one off to a family with a number inside for the dad to call Instituto del Progreso Latino, which offers English classes at 46th and Wood. He wants to improve his English.
Despite the nice thought that neighborly gifts shouldn't get too expensive, Santa's wish list on this block does include some pricey and/or hard-to-get items:
the Julian, Jr. legal defense fund, opening at $1000
new jobs for Julian Sr. and our other Junior friend's dad--not pricey per se, but not easy for me to find, since I don't have strong connections in welding, restaurant or factory work
No Manches t-shirts for three boys who think they are funny!
acceptances to Curie, Whitney Young, Kennedy, Juarez and whatever other high schools are on our 8th-graders wish lists
affordable mortgage refinances for all my neighbors on adjustable-rate-mortgages
long-term residential drug treatment for Dorothy, who has vanished since the house was boarded up
So Santa, if you're listening, keep these in mind, OK, even for the one guy who hasn't been good. He hasn't been as bad as the charges made him out to be.
In happy news, congrats to the Su Casa Catholic Worker, who have raised the roof! They've raised the funds for much-needed roof repairs, I gather to start as soon as the weather permits.
nifty web site chock-full of Christmas gift ideas.
They even have a section on Christmas gifts for neighbors.
"Christmas gifts for neighbors don't have to be expensive things. It's the thought that counts." True enough. My favorite gifts to give out are books, especially bilingual children's books. With families other than the Bradys, it's hard to know whether they are really getting read, but hey, you try. Last night I handed a pretty one off to a family with a number inside for the dad to call Instituto del Progreso Latino, which offers English classes at 46th and Wood. He wants to improve his English.
Despite the nice thought that neighborly gifts shouldn't get too expensive, Santa's wish list on this block does include some pricey and/or hard-to-get items:
the Julian, Jr. legal defense fund, opening at $1000
new jobs for Julian Sr. and our other Junior friend's dad--not pricey per se, but not easy for me to find, since I don't have strong connections in welding, restaurant or factory work
No Manches t-shirts for three boys who think they are funny!
acceptances to Curie, Whitney Young, Kennedy, Juarez and whatever other high schools are on our 8th-graders wish lists
affordable mortgage refinances for all my neighbors on adjustable-rate-mortgages
long-term residential drug treatment for Dorothy, who has vanished since the house was boarded up
So Santa, if you're listening, keep these in mind, OK, even for the one guy who hasn't been good. He hasn't been as bad as the charges made him out to be.
In happy news, congrats to the Su Casa Catholic Worker, who have raised the roof! They've raised the funds for much-needed roof repairs, I gather to start as soon as the weather permits.
Squatter House Boarded Up
Well, Yup-yup's been boarded up out of the house in which he was squatting. Saturday morning, after the 4-inch-ish snow (before the 8-inch-ish snow we got Saturday night), he was hanging around on the corner drunk as a skunk, hollering at passers-by and generally making a nuisance of himself.
I was shoveling off my front step. By the time I got to the bottom, he had waddled his way down the street and started into what was headed for a long diatribe. "Miss Maritza, you see they boarded up the house....I can work..."
"I know you can work," I said. "I want you to shovel the snow down there," I said, pointing at the house on the corner. (They never shovel. There was packed ice under the new snow there, the worst.)
"Sometimes I talk too much," he said, slightly ruefully.
"You don't have to go on. Just go ahead and get started."
He did the sidewalk over there very thoroughly. There were only two ice patches that were too deep to dig up without risking breaking the shovel, so I put salt on them. He went out in my backyard and dug out the back porch and the sidewalk to the alley. It got him off the street and toned down his incessant yapping (should I say yup-yupping) to a minimum.
That was one of the few times I've ever felt good about paying him for a job.
I was shoveling off my front step. By the time I got to the bottom, he had waddled his way down the street and started into what was headed for a long diatribe. "Miss Maritza, you see they boarded up the house....I can work..."
"I know you can work," I said. "I want you to shovel the snow down there," I said, pointing at the house on the corner. (They never shovel. There was packed ice under the new snow there, the worst.)
"Sometimes I talk too much," he said, slightly ruefully.
"You don't have to go on. Just go ahead and get started."
He did the sidewalk over there very thoroughly. There were only two ice patches that were too deep to dig up without risking breaking the shovel, so I put salt on them. He went out in my backyard and dug out the back porch and the sidewalk to the alley. It got him off the street and toned down his incessant yapping (should I say yup-yupping) to a minimum.
That was one of the few times I've ever felt good about paying him for a job.
Friday, December 14, 2007
District 299 Tips on High School Hunting
Next Friday, December 21, is the last day to apply for non-neighborhood high schools in CPS. Since our elementary school gets out early for Christmas, applications were due on Wednesday. I submitted a post to the local education blog District 299 asking for advice, and it generated a lot of response and interesting buzz about new charter schools opening, changes in leadership at Bogan High on the Southwest side, and other good tips.
So if you're still in the high school hunt and you live around here, check out the post and comments here. Looks like the conversation may go on for a while yet, so check back and see if there's more over the weekend, too.
So if you're still in the high school hunt and you live around here, check out the post and comments here. Looks like the conversation may go on for a while yet, so check back and see if there's more over the weekend, too.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Science Fair Today
Just back from judging the Chavez upper grade science fair. My favorite project:
"Which Hamburger Has More Grease?"
The 6th-grader compared Burger King, Wendy's and McDonald's cooked burgers, weighing them after squeezing out the grease. His exhibition board included a photo of the greasy paper towels. His hypothesis was Burger King would be greasiest. The winner?
McDonald's
Another favorite: "Does Pop Make Your Teeth Dark?"
More on the event later.
"Which Hamburger Has More Grease?"
The 6th-grader compared Burger King, Wendy's and McDonald's cooked burgers, weighing them after squeezing out the grease. His exhibition board included a photo of the greasy paper towels. His hypothesis was Burger King would be greasiest. The winner?
McDonald's
Another favorite: "Does Pop Make Your Teeth Dark?"
More on the event later.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Last-Minute Science Fair Project
So Junior and his little brother showed up on my doorstep around 5 this afternoon.
"Can you help me with my science fair project?" Junior asked.
"When's it due?" I asked back.
"Tomorrow."
Of course. Well, let's hear it for the Internet--a little web surfing produced a project we could actually do in a little more than an hour. I tried looking for a quick save-the-rear-end project last Friday, when Peter Pan asked me, but everything I found on that web tour required equipment I didn't have in the house.
Today I had better luck. I found an experiment that investigated how well popcorn pops in the microwave starting from different temperatures. We kind of skated between two different versions of the experiment I found online. Junior had to count out 100 kernels of corn three times, putting each 100 into a different Ziploc bag. One bag went in the freezer, one in the fridge and we microwaved the third batch right away at room temperature. The fridge and freezer batches were left to chill for an hour.
We predicted the freezer bag of kernels would have the most unpopped kernels, but for us it was actually the fridged bad that had the most. We took lots of digital photos of Junior counting kernels and putting the bags in the fridge/freezer. We also took pictures of the results--each batch of popcorn, labeled, in two bowls: one for popped and one for unpopped kernels. They were pretty close in amounts, between 42 and 55 unpopped kernels, so you probably won't be able to see the difference in the photos. But hey, we tried. At least he won't get an F.
If anybody happens to have leads on other science fair experiments you can do with stuff in your kitchen reasonably quickly, let me know. I should start keeping a file, and I should really start keeping useful equipment around. Here are some things I spotted that I don't have in the house but should:
cloth tape measure
balloons
food coloring
empty spray/spritzer bottle
I saw a couple of experiments I liked about diffusion. In one, you test how quickly different types of food coloring diffuse into water. In another, you test how quickly different scented liquids (perfume, essential oils, whatever) diffuse into the air. The other experiment I liked was having different kinds of people (ages, gender, whatever) see how far they could blow up a balloon in one breath.
Anyway, suggestions are welcome. I'm getting a rep as the last-minute science fair bailout center, so I might as well have the resources to do the job right.
"Can you help me with my science fair project?" Junior asked.
"When's it due?" I asked back.
"Tomorrow."
Of course. Well, let's hear it for the Internet--a little web surfing produced a project we could actually do in a little more than an hour. I tried looking for a quick save-the-rear-end project last Friday, when Peter Pan asked me, but everything I found on that web tour required equipment I didn't have in the house.
Today I had better luck. I found an experiment that investigated how well popcorn pops in the microwave starting from different temperatures. We kind of skated between two different versions of the experiment I found online. Junior had to count out 100 kernels of corn three times, putting each 100 into a different Ziploc bag. One bag went in the freezer, one in the fridge and we microwaved the third batch right away at room temperature. The fridge and freezer batches were left to chill for an hour.
We predicted the freezer bag of kernels would have the most unpopped kernels, but for us it was actually the fridged bad that had the most. We took lots of digital photos of Junior counting kernels and putting the bags in the fridge/freezer. We also took pictures of the results--each batch of popcorn, labeled, in two bowls: one for popped and one for unpopped kernels. They were pretty close in amounts, between 42 and 55 unpopped kernels, so you probably won't be able to see the difference in the photos. But hey, we tried. At least he won't get an F.
If anybody happens to have leads on other science fair experiments you can do with stuff in your kitchen reasonably quickly, let me know. I should start keeping a file, and I should really start keeping useful equipment around. Here are some things I spotted that I don't have in the house but should:
cloth tape measure
balloons
food coloring
empty spray/spritzer bottle
I saw a couple of experiments I liked about diffusion. In one, you test how quickly different types of food coloring diffuse into water. In another, you test how quickly different scented liquids (perfume, essential oils, whatever) diffuse into the air. The other experiment I liked was having different kinds of people (ages, gender, whatever) see how far they could blow up a balloon in one breath.
Anyway, suggestions are welcome. I'm getting a rep as the last-minute science fair bailout center, so I might as well have the resources to do the job right.
Aqui Estoy Gets Sun-Times Rave
Just a quick post to let you know the Chicago Sun-Times published a review yesterday of Albany Park Theater Project's Aqui Estoy.
To read the rave, click here.
To read the rave, click here.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Back of the Yards Meets Albany Park
In my continuing quest to get kids from here to see shows performed by the Albany Park Theater Project, I bought four student tickets to the current show, a remounting of 2003's Aqui Estoy.
For more about the show, in both its original production and its current run, look here.
Finding the four students to join me proved a bit of a challenge, but I should know by now not to try to plan anything in advance. That would have spared me some headache.
First I invited Dawn and another Big Picture student to come and bring a friend. They both said yes at first, then bailed a few days later. Next, I tried calling Su Casa, but their houseful of young people has shrunk in recent days, for happy reasons. One family got an apartment. The director volunteered to call them for me to see if their older kids wanted to go, but I never heard back from her.
So, at 4 p.m., I did what I should have done all along-went out on the block to see who was out throwing snowballs. The 7th-grader at the end of block I refer to as Peter Pan was out with two of his younger brothers.
"Wanna go to a play tonight? It's free," I said.
"Yes!" He wanted to know who else he could bring. We got his older sister and two of the Bradys -- he's friends with one of their boys, the one I worked with on a hard reading assignment. He and one of his sisters came. We'll call these Bradys Alberto and Irene.
Before the play, we met some grownups for dinner at Semiramis, a Lebanese restaurant not too far from the theater. None of the kids had ever had Middle Eastern food before. I kept bugging them to try different foods: the olives and pickled turnip (I know, I was mostly kidding, but for a while there wasn't much else on the table), hummus, baba ganoush, etc. The girls were squeamish, but Peter Pan went for it.
"It's pretty good; it tastes like mayonnaise," he said of the hummus. He even tried the turnip and said it tasted a little like carrot. They all had chicken shawerma sandwiches and fries. The fries came with some spicy seasoning on them; they were a big hit. So was the baklava.
Then we went off to the theater. Peter Pan got very excited when he saw an electronics store that had Wiis and good games. "Lawrence and Central Park," he kept repeating, until he could write the street names on his hand so he'd remember to tell his dad and uncle when he got home.
The best part was watching the kids watch the show. Aqui Estoy is two plays in one--a piece about the lives of day laborers in Albany Park, including the hazardous trek to get to this country as told by one man from Honduras. The second piece is the story of a former company member who was brought to this country from Colombia as a child and his life growing up without legal status.
Alberto's eyes grew big watching the cast leap on stage and engage in some very physical choreography to represent painting, roofing, demolition and other construction work day laborers do. I saw Peter Pan grin at some of the funny, earthy jokes. Irene pointed out Elizabeth Cobacho's name in the program and asked me if she was the one with the big voice in the painter's hat. She was. We met her and some of the other cast members after the show.
In the car I asked what they thought of the show and they told me they liked the show and they want to go back, with more friends. Whoo-hoo! The also said they liked both pieces equally well, that the actors who stood out for them were Cobacho, Jesus Matta and a new cast member whose name I don't know--I'm sorry! He played the role of Honduran soccer star turned day-laborer and told the story of his harrowing journey through Mexico. I personally thought the two company members who portrayed mother and son in the second piece, "Nine Digits" gave very strong performances, too.
On the way home we talked about high school. I'm trying to persuade Peter Pan's sister that Tilden High isn't a great idea. She has friends going there. I told her I've been over there and it has a lot of problems, and many students don't graduate. "Maybe you could get your friends to apply to Kennedy with you," I suggested.
Peter Pan gets it about thinking ahead for high school. He told me, "I know a guy who graduated [from Chavez] last year. He said he would never go to Richards, but he's there now."
For more about the show, in both its original production and its current run, look here.
Finding the four students to join me proved a bit of a challenge, but I should know by now not to try to plan anything in advance. That would have spared me some headache.
First I invited Dawn and another Big Picture student to come and bring a friend. They both said yes at first, then bailed a few days later. Next, I tried calling Su Casa, but their houseful of young people has shrunk in recent days, for happy reasons. One family got an apartment. The director volunteered to call them for me to see if their older kids wanted to go, but I never heard back from her.
So, at 4 p.m., I did what I should have done all along-went out on the block to see who was out throwing snowballs. The 7th-grader at the end of block I refer to as Peter Pan was out with two of his younger brothers.
"Wanna go to a play tonight? It's free," I said.
"Yes!" He wanted to know who else he could bring. We got his older sister and two of the Bradys -- he's friends with one of their boys, the one I worked with on a hard reading assignment. He and one of his sisters came. We'll call these Bradys Alberto and Irene.
Before the play, we met some grownups for dinner at Semiramis, a Lebanese restaurant not too far from the theater. None of the kids had ever had Middle Eastern food before. I kept bugging them to try different foods: the olives and pickled turnip (I know, I was mostly kidding, but for a while there wasn't much else on the table), hummus, baba ganoush, etc. The girls were squeamish, but Peter Pan went for it.
"It's pretty good; it tastes like mayonnaise," he said of the hummus. He even tried the turnip and said it tasted a little like carrot. They all had chicken shawerma sandwiches and fries. The fries came with some spicy seasoning on them; they were a big hit. So was the baklava.
Then we went off to the theater. Peter Pan got very excited when he saw an electronics store that had Wiis and good games. "Lawrence and Central Park," he kept repeating, until he could write the street names on his hand so he'd remember to tell his dad and uncle when he got home.
The best part was watching the kids watch the show. Aqui Estoy is two plays in one--a piece about the lives of day laborers in Albany Park, including the hazardous trek to get to this country as told by one man from Honduras. The second piece is the story of a former company member who was brought to this country from Colombia as a child and his life growing up without legal status.
Alberto's eyes grew big watching the cast leap on stage and engage in some very physical choreography to represent painting, roofing, demolition and other construction work day laborers do. I saw Peter Pan grin at some of the funny, earthy jokes. Irene pointed out Elizabeth Cobacho's name in the program and asked me if she was the one with the big voice in the painter's hat. She was. We met her and some of the other cast members after the show.
In the car I asked what they thought of the show and they told me they liked the show and they want to go back, with more friends. Whoo-hoo! The also said they liked both pieces equally well, that the actors who stood out for them were Cobacho, Jesus Matta and a new cast member whose name I don't know--I'm sorry! He played the role of Honduran soccer star turned day-laborer and told the story of his harrowing journey through Mexico. I personally thought the two company members who portrayed mother and son in the second piece, "Nine Digits" gave very strong performances, too.
On the way home we talked about high school. I'm trying to persuade Peter Pan's sister that Tilden High isn't a great idea. She has friends going there. I told her I've been over there and it has a lot of problems, and many students don't graduate. "Maybe you could get your friends to apply to Kennedy with you," I suggested.
Peter Pan gets it about thinking ahead for high school. He told me, "I know a guy who graduated [from Chavez] last year. He said he would never go to Richards, but he's there now."
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Big Picture College Essays
This is the second year in a row I've spent some time over at Big Picture, helping seniors write and revise their college essays. Today a few students gave permission for excerpts of their work to be shared on this blog. The students decided for themselves how they wanted to be identified. Pseudonyms are in quotation marks.
From Alejandra Garcia, who is applying to Columbia College:
I am very passionate about interior design. I know when I see something and it's a "wow" moment for me, that someone put a lot of time and effort into what they did. It's about using your passion and your resources to the best of your ability.
Most people tell me this passion came from my family. They say, "It's in the blood." My dad has worked as a carpenter for 40 years and is always trying to come up with new designs. Based on his designs and the color of the wood, I redecorated my room over the summer.
From "Daniela," who transferred from a large neighborhood high school to Big Picture and has already won one scholarship:
Everybody should have access to higher education, regardless of their income, if they have the character, the motivation and the desire to learn new concepts.
...
During my first three years of high school, I felt like I was unprepared to make a commitment to my education; however, this has changed. I am currently enrolled at a non-traditional high school with a very different curriculum. It haas given me the opportunity to develop my interests and passions while serving my community through real-world experiences.
From Omaar, who is applying for a Golden Apple Scholarship:
I want to become a teacher because my parents' and teachers' hard work to educate me paid off. Not only do I want to repay them, I want to share. By becoming a teacher I will share not only my knowledge but my empathy with students; what I mean by this is not giving up, having hope in even the most troublesome human being.
I hope to have more of these up between now and Christmas.
From Alejandra Garcia, who is applying to Columbia College:
I am very passionate about interior design. I know when I see something and it's a "wow" moment for me, that someone put a lot of time and effort into what they did. It's about using your passion and your resources to the best of your ability.
Most people tell me this passion came from my family. They say, "It's in the blood." My dad has worked as a carpenter for 40 years and is always trying to come up with new designs. Based on his designs and the color of the wood, I redecorated my room over the summer.
From "Daniela," who transferred from a large neighborhood high school to Big Picture and has already won one scholarship:
Everybody should have access to higher education, regardless of their income, if they have the character, the motivation and the desire to learn new concepts.
...
During my first three years of high school, I felt like I was unprepared to make a commitment to my education; however, this has changed. I am currently enrolled at a non-traditional high school with a very different curriculum. It haas given me the opportunity to develop my interests and passions while serving my community through real-world experiences.
From Omaar, who is applying for a Golden Apple Scholarship:
I want to become a teacher because my parents' and teachers' hard work to educate me paid off. Not only do I want to repay them, I want to share. By becoming a teacher I will share not only my knowledge but my empathy with students; what I mean by this is not giving up, having hope in even the most troublesome human being.
I hope to have more of these up between now and Christmas.
Things Could be Worse for Undocumented Students
While the national debate on the DREAM Act is over for this season, and students here in Illinois can at least go to community college for in-state tuition rates, things are worse elsewhere.
This article from Inside Higher Ed describes the current uproar in North Carolina over admitting undocumented students to state community colleges at all. Not whether they should pay in-state rates; in fact, those in North Carolina who see the wisdom in allowing local folks without papers some opportunity to better themselves still agree that paying out-of-state tuition, which is at least $2000 more than the estimated cost to educate a student per year, is OK.
But apparently even this is too much of a stretch for some folks to swallow. Apparently the former attorney general, now governor's legal opinion that holds colleges cannot exclude applicants for "non-academic" reasons is mighty unpopular.
In the discussion below the thread, one poster argues that if colleges wouldn't want felons on their campuses, they shouldn't let illegal aliens on them either. The last I knew, there was no formal bar on admitting those few ex-cons who've manage to get to the point where they'd want a college education. But hey, what do I know? Besides, I live in a town where ex-felons are aldermen.
This article from Inside Higher Ed describes the current uproar in North Carolina over admitting undocumented students to state community colleges at all. Not whether they should pay in-state rates; in fact, those in North Carolina who see the wisdom in allowing local folks without papers some opportunity to better themselves still agree that paying out-of-state tuition, which is at least $2000 more than the estimated cost to educate a student per year, is OK.
But apparently even this is too much of a stretch for some folks to swallow. Apparently the former attorney general, now governor's legal opinion that holds colleges cannot exclude applicants for "non-academic" reasons is mighty unpopular.
In the discussion below the thread, one poster argues that if colleges wouldn't want felons on their campuses, they shouldn't let illegal aliens on them either. The last I knew, there was no formal bar on admitting those few ex-cons who've manage to get to the point where they'd want a college education. But hey, what do I know? Besides, I live in a town where ex-felons are aldermen.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Quick Updates
Tony's bump: it was a boil. Nothing serious. He came over and raked my yard Saturday.
Julian is locked up. It's a long, sad story I don't have energy to tell. Sorry.
Yup-yup hasn't been too much of a pest, but apparently he tried to hit up my roommate for money. I ran into him on the street last night and asked how he was doing.
"I'm blessed," he replied. That does make me think how the rain falls on the just and the unjust. His new lady friend was with him. Her hoodie was up so I didn't get a good look at her. She seemed to be all teeth. Cheery and friendly, though. I'll be interested to see if Yup-yup figures out that maybe he shouldn't introduce his women to me, because there's a growing pattern of them coming to me for help when they want to quit tricking and using.
Julian is locked up. It's a long, sad story I don't have energy to tell. Sorry.
Yup-yup hasn't been too much of a pest, but apparently he tried to hit up my roommate for money. I ran into him on the street last night and asked how he was doing.
"I'm blessed," he replied. That does make me think how the rain falls on the just and the unjust. His new lady friend was with him. Her hoodie was up so I didn't get a good look at her. She seemed to be all teeth. Cheery and friendly, though. I'll be interested to see if Yup-yup figures out that maybe he shouldn't introduce his women to me, because there's a growing pattern of them coming to me for help when they want to quit tricking and using.
Baby Shower
The president of the Chavez LSC is expecting, and one of her fellow LSC members had a shower for her on Saturday night. Despite the freezing rain and ice everywhere, I went. I learned some new baby shower games as a result. They played a round of how fast can you eat a jar of baby food blindfolded, being fed by the person across from you. Wow! I've seen some baby-food eating races, but not blindfolded and fed by a partner.
Among mostly Spanish-speakers, I'm at a double disadvantage blindfolded because it's much harder to figure out what people are saying when you can't look at them. It was a good challenge.
They also did a race to see who could chug a baby bottle of orange juice the fastest without biting down on the nipple. One woman was the equivalent of those frat guys who could beer bong--she just tilted her head way back to get gravity in her favor and gently sucked away. The winner!
They had a really nice cake with strawberries. The hostess told me she got it from Bombon because she liked their cake at my party last summer.
Among mostly Spanish-speakers, I'm at a double disadvantage blindfolded because it's much harder to figure out what people are saying when you can't look at them. It was a good challenge.
They also did a race to see who could chug a baby bottle of orange juice the fastest without biting down on the nipple. One woman was the equivalent of those frat guys who could beer bong--she just tilted her head way back to get gravity in her favor and gently sucked away. The winner!
They had a really nice cake with strawberries. The hostess told me she got it from Bombon because she liked their cake at my party last summer.
Response to Trib Editorial
Last night I found out Fr. Bruce at Holy Cross wrote a response to the Trib editorial about the shooting of Leticia Barrera. Here's a little of what he said:
Your editorial blames residents of the Back of the Yards neighborhood for violence on its streets, for not speaking out against the gangs, for not cooperating with police in identifying gang members or those who are responsible for the tragic shooting of a pregnant mother on Halloween. You couldn't be more off the mark.
...
You think people here are "silent lambs"? You're wrong. To catch the guilty we work with police, not Tribune reporters or editorial writers. And to dissuade our young from joining gangs, we don't publicize the gang names because we know that publicity feeds their egos. You printed the names of two street gangs in your editorial. Shame on you.
For more, check out this link.
In our conversation, another person present pointed out that since the shooters likely crossed 47th to enter opposing territory, it's quite possible neighbors on the block really don't know the shooters at all.
Your editorial blames residents of the Back of the Yards neighborhood for violence on its streets, for not speaking out against the gangs, for not cooperating with police in identifying gang members or those who are responsible for the tragic shooting of a pregnant mother on Halloween. You couldn't be more off the mark.
...
You think people here are "silent lambs"? You're wrong. To catch the guilty we work with police, not Tribune reporters or editorial writers. And to dissuade our young from joining gangs, we don't publicize the gang names because we know that publicity feeds their egos. You printed the names of two street gangs in your editorial. Shame on you.
For more, check out this link.
In our conversation, another person present pointed out that since the shooters likely crossed 47th to enter opposing territory, it's quite possible neighbors on the block really don't know the shooters at all.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Dorothy's Back
...and still trying to get a bed in inpatient treatment. If any of my social worker pals are reading this and can help bump her up in line somewhere, please email me privately with tips. Not Haymarket, though. She's been there, done that and says she won't go back. She's trying to get a spot at the Women's Treatment Center, so if anybody has an in there, that would be a plus.
Big Picture in the News
Yesterdy the Day of the Dead ofrenda created by Big Picture students served as the backdrop for a press conference where Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin promoted his ordinance to tighten gun control by closing gun shops within one mile of schools or parks and ban gun shows in the county. Two students were interviewed on Univision last night, but I can't seem to find a link on their site. WBBM carried a short item mentioning Big Picture.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Neighbors Have Their Say on Violence
Thanks to Francisco from the neighborhood and Dan Weissmann at Vocalo for recording and broadcasting some neighbors here and their thoughts on the recent violence here, gangs and the police. (There's even one person talking about pollution.)
You can check it out here.
You can check it out here.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Fighting Crummy Developers, Onion-Style
Someone tried to comment on my post from last Wednesday by offering an article from the Onion. I try to keep the rough language down here, so I'll skip the headline, but if you'd like to see what the Onion makes of efforts to fight developers, look here.
I won't spend too much time on this, either--it's probably bad for my blood pressure, but the Tribune editorial about fighting gangs made me more angry at the arrogance of the Trib than inspired to fight gang violence. The part that made me the most angry was after setting up the scene of the mayor talking to residents, the Trib had the nerve to say the mayor was "standing alone" in his comments. On a second read, I think they were trying to take a swipe at police brutality activists, but on my first read it came off as if the mayor was on the street by himself, which he was not, and the neighborhood was not taking a stand against violence, which was the whole point of the day.
And I'd like to see how the Trib editorialists would feel if they spent even a week living on a block. Then they, and the mayor, might be a little more thoughtful before making comments like, "Look in the mirror and say, 'I can do better.'" If you can do so much better, come on out here for more than a photo-op or a one-shot editorial.
On a happier note, I'm glad someone else, commenter Laura, found it inspiring enough to take the next step and start a block club. Laura, what neighborhood are you in, if you don't mind telling us?
Meanwhile, I heard at church yesterday that a guy on 49th Street is trying to get neighbors together to strategize about what to do there. That's where the shooting was a few weeks ago, and my neighbor tells me those guys don't even live on the block. I'm not surprised.
I won't spend too much time on this, either--it's probably bad for my blood pressure, but the Tribune editorial about fighting gangs made me more angry at the arrogance of the Trib than inspired to fight gang violence. The part that made me the most angry was after setting up the scene of the mayor talking to residents, the Trib had the nerve to say the mayor was "standing alone" in his comments. On a second read, I think they were trying to take a swipe at police brutality activists, but on my first read it came off as if the mayor was on the street by himself, which he was not, and the neighborhood was not taking a stand against violence, which was the whole point of the day.
And I'd like to see how the Trib editorialists would feel if they spent even a week living on a block. Then they, and the mayor, might be a little more thoughtful before making comments like, "Look in the mirror and say, 'I can do better.'" If you can do so much better, come on out here for more than a photo-op or a one-shot editorial.
On a happier note, I'm glad someone else, commenter Laura, found it inspiring enough to take the next step and start a block club. Laura, what neighborhood are you in, if you don't mind telling us?
Meanwhile, I heard at church yesterday that a guy on 49th Street is trying to get neighbors together to strategize about what to do there. That's where the shooting was a few weeks ago, and my neighbor tells me those guys don't even live on the block. I'm not surprised.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Today's March Against Violence
Between 100 and 200 people came out tonight for the Peace and Education Coalition's peace march in the wake of Leticia Barrera's death on Halloween. This Tribune story lays out what happened and the neighborhood reaction pretty well.
Lots of politicians turned out tonight, including Mayor Daley, Aldermen Cardenas (I think), Cochran, Dowell and Thompson, State Representatives Esther Golar, Susana Mendoza, and Tony Munoz, and Sen. Mattie Hunter and maybe a second one--sorry if I forgot who. CPD Interim Superintendent Dana Starks and 9th District Commander Eugene Roy also came out. Our local leading lights included the pastors of St. Michael's, Holy Cross/IHM and St. Joseph, Paul Lopez from Park Federal Savings, Emilio Carrasquillo from Neighborhood Housing Services, Alfredo Nambo from Big Picture HS, the principal of San Miguel School, Oscar Contreras of Catholic Charities Street Intervention and many more.
I was happy to see Brother Jim from the prayer walk in the crowd. He told me he had been walking over on Seeley and in the neighborhood this morning. I hope I can go out with him again sometime.
Taking a guess as to where the regular folks who came were coming from: people from San Miguel School were there, parishioners from St. Michael's, at least a dozen folks from Su Casa Catholic Worker, at least a few I knew from Holy Cross. The Peace and Education Coalition gave themselves a week to organize the march, which was good. It showed in the politicians, press and equipment (signs, people to direct traffic), and in the end of the march being at the San Miguel gym with hot chocolate for everyone.
Before the group began walking, Mayor Daley spoke. I'm not sure I can quote him--I wasn't taking notes--but he was impassioned to the point of near anger in his insistence that the community not let the gangbangers get away with this one. "I don't care if they're Two-Sixers or Latin Kings or Black P Stones or Disciples, or who--you have to tell us what you know."
Comments like that and 'don't let yourselves be afraid of a 14-year-old' (I think that was pretty accurate) are fine as far as they go, but I don't think they really help when people are still reeling from a shooting in the street. I know I was scared when the shots went off over here a couple of weeks ago, and I'm still scared when some of the squatters have tried to stare me down once or twice as I'm coming out of the house.
Fr. Bruce seemed to get it. He translated Daley's comments in a very interesting way, at least as I understood what he was saying. Basically, his translation came down to, we are one family, we have to have courage, as a family we need to tell the truth about what happened. An excellent spin, I would say.
Anyway, lots of politicians talked, we went up the street and prayed in front of the Barrera's house, then we walked over to the San Miguel gym for some more speeches and hot chocolate. A lot of business seemed to be getting done on the walk--I know Ald. Thompson got an earful about the rate of foreclosures in the 16th ward and the number of adjustable-rate mortgages with rates poised to go up.
The Coalition is sponsoring a fund for the Barrera children. Donations can be made in Leticia Barrera's name and sent to Park Federal Savings Bank, 2740 W. 55th St. Chicago, IL 60632.
Lots of politicians turned out tonight, including Mayor Daley, Aldermen Cardenas (I think), Cochran, Dowell and Thompson, State Representatives Esther Golar, Susana Mendoza, and Tony Munoz, and Sen. Mattie Hunter and maybe a second one--sorry if I forgot who. CPD Interim Superintendent Dana Starks and 9th District Commander Eugene Roy also came out. Our local leading lights included the pastors of St. Michael's, Holy Cross/IHM and St. Joseph, Paul Lopez from Park Federal Savings, Emilio Carrasquillo from Neighborhood Housing Services, Alfredo Nambo from Big Picture HS, the principal of San Miguel School, Oscar Contreras of Catholic Charities Street Intervention and many more.
I was happy to see Brother Jim from the prayer walk in the crowd. He told me he had been walking over on Seeley and in the neighborhood this morning. I hope I can go out with him again sometime.
Taking a guess as to where the regular folks who came were coming from: people from San Miguel School were there, parishioners from St. Michael's, at least a dozen folks from Su Casa Catholic Worker, at least a few I knew from Holy Cross. The Peace and Education Coalition gave themselves a week to organize the march, which was good. It showed in the politicians, press and equipment (signs, people to direct traffic), and in the end of the march being at the San Miguel gym with hot chocolate for everyone.
Before the group began walking, Mayor Daley spoke. I'm not sure I can quote him--I wasn't taking notes--but he was impassioned to the point of near anger in his insistence that the community not let the gangbangers get away with this one. "I don't care if they're Two-Sixers or Latin Kings or Black P Stones or Disciples, or who--you have to tell us what you know."
Comments like that and 'don't let yourselves be afraid of a 14-year-old' (I think that was pretty accurate) are fine as far as they go, but I don't think they really help when people are still reeling from a shooting in the street. I know I was scared when the shots went off over here a couple of weeks ago, and I'm still scared when some of the squatters have tried to stare me down once or twice as I'm coming out of the house.
Fr. Bruce seemed to get it. He translated Daley's comments in a very interesting way, at least as I understood what he was saying. Basically, his translation came down to, we are one family, we have to have courage, as a family we need to tell the truth about what happened. An excellent spin, I would say.
Anyway, lots of politicians talked, we went up the street and prayed in front of the Barrera's house, then we walked over to the San Miguel gym for some more speeches and hot chocolate. A lot of business seemed to be getting done on the walk--I know Ald. Thompson got an earful about the rate of foreclosures in the 16th ward and the number of adjustable-rate mortgages with rates poised to go up.
The Coalition is sponsoring a fund for the Barrera children. Donations can be made in Leticia Barrera's name and sent to Park Federal Savings Bank, 2740 W. 55th St. Chicago, IL 60632.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Peace March Wednesday
After the horrific Halloween murder of the pregnant woman out trick-or-treating with three children, (news link here), the Peace and Education Coalition is sponsoring a peace march on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The march will start at 48th and Seeley, where she was shot.
The Fox Special Report
Here's the link to the Fox 32 segment that aired a couple of weeks ago about the Dream Act. I just looked at it myself. Though I spoke to one of the students, who thought Fox did a pretty good job of conveying their point of view, at the end the host says the only comments his blog has received are from people saying "illegals go home."
I wonder what would happen if we started calling everybody who ever got a parking ticket an "illegal"? Or everybody who forgot to get their city sticker renewed? I'm trying to think of other paperwork hassles, since so often the fine line between illegal and legal is a matter of paperwork.
I wonder what would happen if we started calling everybody who ever got a parking ticket an "illegal"? Or everybody who forgot to get their city sticker renewed? I'm trying to think of other paperwork hassles, since so often the fine line between illegal and legal is a matter of paperwork.
Tony's Bump
I got home around 6 tonight and Tony was waiting by the front gate. He was kind of hunched over. He's let his beard grow.
I asked how he was and he said, "Not good."
"That makes two of us. What's wrong?"
"I came to see if you had any pain pills or something," he said. He came inside the gate and pulled up his shirt. A little southwest of his navel there was a lump or a bump sticking out. The bump was not open or or oozing, just a lump under the skin, but it was pretty big, maybe an inch horizontal and almost as long vertical. It was somewhere between round and rectangular. "It just showed up yesterday," he said. "It hurts. I didn't get out of bed today until now."
"You need to go to County. Now," I said at once. "Here is two dollars, for bus fare to Cook County Hospital, only."
He made like he was going to take my bike up the front steps. "Nuh-uh! You can hold the door for me if you want, but you are not carrying anything with that going on."
So he held the door for me while I got my bike in the front foyer. I invited him in for a minute and asked if he'd eaten anything today. He said he had and it had stayed down.
I went looking to see if I had any Tylenol, but I don't. Dr. Maritza needs to beef up her first aid supplies: the Band-Aids are getting used up and we're out of painkillers. I did have a bottle of water and a two-pack of granola bars. "This is for your trip. I know it's a long wait at County. You're going, right?"
He said yes. I walked back out to the front gate with him and told him to come see me when he knows what it is.
Then I walked in the house and opened the newsletter from Partners In Health to read Paul Farmer saying, "All enduring good work is done by teams (no doctor can be effective alone)." Dr. Maritza is feeling like her bench, like her medicine cabinet, is not that deep.
I asked how he was and he said, "Not good."
"That makes two of us. What's wrong?"
"I came to see if you had any pain pills or something," he said. He came inside the gate and pulled up his shirt. A little southwest of his navel there was a lump or a bump sticking out. The bump was not open or or oozing, just a lump under the skin, but it was pretty big, maybe an inch horizontal and almost as long vertical. It was somewhere between round and rectangular. "It just showed up yesterday," he said. "It hurts. I didn't get out of bed today until now."
"You need to go to County. Now," I said at once. "Here is two dollars, for bus fare to Cook County Hospital, only."
He made like he was going to take my bike up the front steps. "Nuh-uh! You can hold the door for me if you want, but you are not carrying anything with that going on."
So he held the door for me while I got my bike in the front foyer. I invited him in for a minute and asked if he'd eaten anything today. He said he had and it had stayed down.
I went looking to see if I had any Tylenol, but I don't. Dr. Maritza needs to beef up her first aid supplies: the Band-Aids are getting used up and we're out of painkillers. I did have a bottle of water and a two-pack of granola bars. "This is for your trip. I know it's a long wait at County. You're going, right?"
He said yes. I walked back out to the front gate with him and told him to come see me when he knows what it is.
Then I walked in the house and opened the newsletter from Partners In Health to read Paul Farmer saying, "All enduring good work is done by teams (no doctor can be effective alone)." Dr. Maritza is feeling like her bench, like her medicine cabinet, is not that deep.
On Hospitality
I found this paragraph about hospitality on the Lydia Home Association web site. Over the weekend people were asking me about why I chose to do what I do here and I didn't feel like I was able to answer them very well. This paragraph says it better than I could myself:
Biblical hospitality involves taking chances and serving others in ways in which we might feel uncomfortable. It is deliberate. Biblical hospitality goes against our nature. It is not something we are naturally drawn to do. We have to be deliberate in our actions to engage in this type of hospitality. It is demanding. If comfort and predictability are important to you, than biblical hospitality is not what you are looking for. Biblical hospitality forces us to get involved in the lives of others, forcing us to be more dependent on God in order to fulfill our commitment to others.
Last week was hard. I don't know whether one of the guys on the block here made it to his appointment with a lawyer. I don't know how Deborah is doing. On Thursday I drove her up to the North Side to a shelter-she wanted to get out of here. I haven't seen her yet, so I'm really hoping she's still up on the North Side.
This morning, Yup-yup already asked me if she's got mail at my house. She doesn't.
Biblical hospitality involves taking chances and serving others in ways in which we might feel uncomfortable. It is deliberate. Biblical hospitality goes against our nature. It is not something we are naturally drawn to do. We have to be deliberate in our actions to engage in this type of hospitality. It is demanding. If comfort and predictability are important to you, than biblical hospitality is not what you are looking for. Biblical hospitality forces us to get involved in the lives of others, forcing us to be more dependent on God in order to fulfill our commitment to others.
Last week was hard. I don't know whether one of the guys on the block here made it to his appointment with a lawyer. I don't know how Deborah is doing. On Thursday I drove her up to the North Side to a shelter-she wanted to get out of here. I haven't seen her yet, so I'm really hoping she's still up on the North Side.
This morning, Yup-yup already asked me if she's got mail at my house. She doesn't.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Day of the Dead
I'd like to take a moment today to remember some of the young people of Back of the Yards who have died in the past year.
Chris Pineda, Whitney Young senior
Esmeralda, 15-year-old parishioner at Holy Cross, who died recently of a seizure. The other day I was on Paulina and saw "RIP Esme" graffiti-ed on a window. You can read about her and her family at the Holy Cross/IHM website, in back issues of the bulletin.
Dorothy's son, although I don't know his age.
The son of the woman who was walking up and down the street on North Marshfield late last winter soliciting donations for his funeral expenses.
Fabio Laic, 19, shot in the alley near 49th and Hoyne in late September.
IF you are reading this and know of others you'd like to remember, please comment and add their names. Rest in peace to them, and my prayers go out to all their families today.
Chris Pineda, Whitney Young senior
Esmeralda, 15-year-old parishioner at Holy Cross, who died recently of a seizure. The other day I was on Paulina and saw "RIP Esme" graffiti-ed on a window. You can read about her and her family at the Holy Cross/IHM website, in back issues of the bulletin.
Dorothy's son, although I don't know his age.
The son of the woman who was walking up and down the street on North Marshfield late last winter soliciting donations for his funeral expenses.
Fabio Laic, 19, shot in the alley near 49th and Hoyne in late September.
IF you are reading this and know of others you'd like to remember, please comment and add their names. Rest in peace to them, and my prayers go out to all their families today.
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