Notes from Underground

With little to report I've turned to some observations (Facebook and otherwise).

I've ordered jewelry (bracelets) from the PuraVida Bracelet Company so they appear on my Facebook page pretty regularly.  Today there was this:

It's wax coated string. String.  I couldn't look to discover the price. It was too silly.  I know I've overpaid for a trendy cute bracelet more than once, but this is absurd.

Item number next- I am a member of a Facebook group called "I'm a general music teacher."  Today I saw this post:

To this I say, NO ONE NEEDS about 50 cheap top hats.  Ever. It's for an elementary music program. While others may embrace the theatrics, I'm very grateful to have never gone down this path.

And finally, in preparation for a lesson on the Star Spangled Banner, I asked my high school students to write about their opinion on the Nike Colin Kaepernick Anthem saga.  I was not surprised by their answers.  I could easily tell which kids were of a fixed mindset and which were of a growth.  Sadly those that were in favor of Nike's actions were very reluctant to state so specifically.  I'm sure it had a lot to do with the fact that they feared they were in the minority in the room and instead stated that they had no opinion.(Although I was the only one who was going to see their answer.)

On Tuesday (9/11) I asked them to write the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner from memory (they had just listened to an instrumental version.) I would say one third of them could do so with minimal error (I even forgot were so gallantly streaming under pressure) But the majority of those who could not do so were, in fact, the ones vehemently opposed to Nike and the protests.  As I mingled among those of seeming like mind I rhetorically (but quietly) asked, Which is more unpatriotic, kneeling in protest or not knowing the words?  I was answered with nodding and knowing grins.

We watched iconic versions of the anthem (Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir among others) and while searching for Roseanne's horrendous version I found this clip of the top 10 anthem fails.  To be fair, the biggest fails were the ones sung by non-native Americans at Canadian sporting events and to me that doesn't really count.  

There's also a clip in the "dishonorable mentions" of a 13 year old girl with a beautiful voice and a complete brain freeze on the words accompanied by a monotone basketball coach (Mo Cheeks) who stood behind her, supported her and helped her through.  To me that was the opposite of fail. And the best monotone I've ever heard.