Notes from the Classroom

Poetry can be tough to teach to high schoolers. Most all cringe at the mere mention of the dreaded “P” word! I have found out that their aversion is due to over thinking. Most think there is something to “figure out.” Really it is about turning the analytical mind off, inhaling words and exhaling inspiration. Like taking a long drive down a lonely, foggy road. Admittingly the classroom is not the best environment to soak in something as alive and expansive as a great poem. I have been trying to make the learning experience magical. Students are finally understanding there is no wrong way up the mountain and poetry can be a bridge between dream, emotion, and logic. If you feel moved or inspired or a rush of blood to the head, you are right!
A normal boring afternoon can be transformed from diving into words and coming back up with treasures of metaphors and beautiful language. Changing minds on this has been a slow process…. The hook was Tupac….. High School students love his poems. After realizing poetry is not just for dead Englishmen, we were ready to start! Pairing Tupac with Dylan Thomas worked amazingly and I could see the wheels of their minds spinning after reading:

“Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.”

I have found the most simple and least dogmatic way to teach comprehension to be three easy steps:
- 1:What does it say(Paraphrase)
- 2:How does it say it(Devices used)
- 3:What does it mean(How does it relate to me)

By breaking it down in a simple way, students gained confidence and realized how fun playing with words can be!
Next we moved on to one of the most fun arrangement of words to ever be assembled: “Jabberwocky”

If you memorize this:

- It will enhance the quality of your life
- Give you vivid dreams.


'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One two! One two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Really, we are living our own poems with each breath an exclamation!

A Bohemian Love Story from The LANE on Vimeo.

In the Colors

Maui Love

Just a weekend can seem like a month. Maui is full of life!






-Immersed in lavender
-Watched Amy dance Swing
-Laughed the entire time running Haleakala crater
-Swam through the ocean blue
-Lahaina ridge trail is HOT!
-Bloody Marys and Mimosas







It was interesting to experience something I love in a new way. Running in Luna sandals creates a different rhythm. Kind of like a skip compared to a glide! I met up with friends Matt and Alex and we laughed our way up and down the trails:

Luna Oso from Barefoot Alex on Vimeo.

Glide!

Fuel for the fun: Quinoa carrot muffins with figs and goat cheese. I have been experimenting and this has been the winning recipe! Perfect for long runs, hikes, or explorations!



INGREDIENTS:
1 cup white or whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
Honey: To preference
Cinnamon: To preference
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs(Can substitute with yogurt)
1 cup grated carrot (1 large carrot)
1/2 cup mashed overripe banana (1 medium banana)
3/4 cup applesauce
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped nuts: Cashews or almonds work great!
1/4 cup dried figs
Goat cheese(optional)

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour through salt). In a medium bowl, combine wet ingredients (eggs through vanilla). Pour wet into dry and stir until smooth. Fold in raisins,nuts and figs. Once batter is in the muffin pan, make balls with the cheese and push halfway down. Cheese should be covered with batter. Bake for about 25 minutes or so!

Kaleidoscope

Santiago, Valparaiso, Maitencillo. It was cool to spend some time in big cities as well as see some of the Chilean coast. The words of Pablo Neruda have been a huge inspiration for me, it also felt like a pilgrimage to visit his house in Valparaiso. His house is now a unique museum high on a hill overlooking the colorful city and providing a unique experience full of wonder.



"The Stolen Branch"
-P.N

In the night we shall go in
to steal
a flowering branch.

We shall climb over the wall
in the darkness of the alien garden,
two shadows in the shadow.

Winter is not yet gone,
and the apple tree appears
suddenly changed
into a cascade of fragrant stars.

In the night we shall go in
up to its trembling firmament,
and your little hands and mine
will steal the stars.

And silently,
to our house,
in the night and the shadow,
with your steps will enter
perfume's silent step
and with starry feet
the clear body of spring.















One of my favorite things about Chile was the doors. No matter the city or small town, everywhere had extravagant doors and door knobs to provide endless amusement and fascination.

Going to Chilean Patagonia was more a pilgrimage than a trip. I have dreamed of visiting the land where apparitions hang over mountain peaks and green mist floats through forrests in Springtime.



The prospect of running in a wild and wondrously beautiful place drew me to the bottom of the Southern Hemisphere. It had been years since I ran in a race off of the Big Island and I was manically excited. For me the race was more of a celebration run than a race and that’s why I wanted to be a part of the 63k event in Torres del Paine national park. It was a celebration of running, Patagonia, dreams, Chile, magic,love and so much more! I did all that I could to contain my excitement and not expend all my energy in the first mile freaking out at how stunning and dramatic the landscape was.





I was mesmerized as the miles melted away, only thinking of dissolving into mountainside to be blown up high to mingle with the swirling snow atop the peaks. Around mile 30 I came out of my daydream and realized that I went out at a pretty hard pace and tried to ignore my legs telling me to slow down.





After 10 years of running I think I finally figured out the whole nutrition thing and thus was able to avoid crashing and burning. In the end we all won!! The Patagonian International Marathon is a great event full of great people!

(patagonianinternationalmarathon.com)

The real highlight was hiking the “W” circuit with Amy. After the race, we spent three days on the trail and in the heart of a truly majestical land.