Alumni and Friends of the School Without Walls
[Most Recent Entries]
[Calendar View]
[Friends]
Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in
SWW Alumni's LiveJournal:
[ << Previous 20 ]
| Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 | 8:02 am
[aramintamd]
 |
| | Saturday, July 14th, 2007 | 4:28 pm
[zolfatore] |
long-a time
Are you there viking cat?
This is Don Gombatto. Currently doing twenty in Albion for racketeering. You know any good lawyers?
Seriously, saw your info and now going all over to try to locate thee. I haven't posted on here in a while.
Signed,
Unsigned | | Monday, December 4th, 2006 | 9:18 pm
[zolfatore] |
So where was I? BKEH Pt 2
So the next year - my second senior year - the Barney Kaputnik Ethnic Hour was brought back; again, for what type of credit I haven't any idea (I think it was Social Studies maybe?)
Things coming to mind right off the bat: Mike B's spoof on OB1 tampons, where he plays OB Won Kenobe and applies the product to someone - and none too subtley either -, well, I mean you pretty much got the idea where it was going without having to show any graphic depictions.
Which led to my spoof of Captain Kangaroo, which was called Captian Wangaroo, which portrayed the good Captain as a perverted near pedophile, which when I viewed years later, I couldn't find a rock big enough to crawl under to die in shame. I went straight for the bathroom humor. Funny thing; back then that type was considered low brow, meanwhile 'American Pie' and such make for big box office these days. Doesn't matter. I still think it was bad. And I seem to remember it being censored - as well it should have been, if only for it being such a god awful skit in the first place.
Another one: Spoofs of James Bond movies reoccuring, being such as James Bombed (a drunk) James Blind(speaks for itself - non PC by today's standards) James Bong (stoner James Bond) and James Blonde (gay - very non PC). Most were taped downtown amongst the general population of the streets. The looks we would get should have been put on a separate reel.
The Star Trek spoof was great! The cheap cardboard sets of the brig added to the laughs. Everything kept falling over. The script was right on target, poking fun of all the cliches of the original show. One of the parts of the skit involved Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy exploring the past remnants of the BKEH show - spoofing our own show! But of the cheapness: given what materials were on hand, they looked pretty good - maybe even better than the original Star Trek episodes (some Trekkie or Trekker or whatever's gonna kill me; of all the ways I don't want to die, being killed by one is definitely number 1!)
The Spock ears were just cut out cardboard pieces taped over Mike D's ears. Mike B. played a great Kirk, who's forever foaming at the mouth at the incompetence of the crew. It was like Rod Steiger's over the top Strasberg method version. I'd love to see it again, wherever it may be.
A take on The Twilight Zone, which was called the TriWall Zone (TriWall was the cheap cardboard walls we used for sets), where I get lost in them while putting up another set. I run around trying to get out but get lost in a maze as I hit dead end after dead end of TriWall.
This is coming to me in streams: Mike B. did a very funny commercial skit for decaffienated coffee starring Ted Kennedy, who, after switching, falls asleep at the wheel and drives his car into the Genesee River a la Chappaquidick.
I'm breaking off right now. More to come.
Signor Gombatto | | Saturday, November 4th, 2006 | 7:20 pm
[zolfatore] |
Again, it was nice seeing everyone at the SWW 35th anniversary. The graduating class of 1981 made up a small group in a crowd of a hundred plus.
A phenomenon I've experienced in the past - and I'm sure that others have also - is this: running into friends and old acquaitences and trying to sum up all the events in your life in a fifteen or twenty minute - or even longer - conversation. Where do you start? Or do you let the other person start? How much information do you want to reveal? Then, how much time do you let pass in the conversation before you break it off to go catching up with others? Of course then the process repeats itself. It boils down to this: it's very hard to compress all the events of your life - past and present - in such a short amount of time, and also to spread it around to others from your graduating class.
Although it wasnt that uncomfortable; not as much as it is running into someone you knew from grade school, which is really awkward, especially when the other person recognizes you and, if your life depended on it, you can't remember who they are, even if they tell you their name. Could you imagine a grade school reunion? Shoot me now!
So the conversation goes something like this: "Hey (insert name) How are you? Nice to see you again. How have you been doing? Good." Then comes the biggie: "So what have you been up to?" You know what would be a good idea (and I never refer to any of my ideas as being "good")? Writing out a brief history of yourself and then handing it out to others. Then the conversation could be more relaxed and informal. Or you could stage a pop quiz to see if the others have read the material.
But thank God for the internet so we can all stay in touch, from here to the Antarctic and back again - from sea to shining sea - from the rock bound shores of the east to sunny California (at least I think that's how the saying goes, and I wish I was in California -or Caulifornia as Governor Arnold says - seeing as tis the season for the snow start deep sixing us up here, and already has for Buffalo).
But all kidding aside, it was fun and hope to see everyone again soon. In the meantime, I'll pick up where I left off, as soon as I finish writing one in a series of many novels that I've written and done absolutely nothing with. I do it for fun anyway.
So let's all raise a toast - buttered or jellied - to SWW and the alternative school idea and hope it keeps going strong.
| | Sunday, October 8th, 2006 | 5:29 pm
[zolfatore] |
25 reunion
Just writing here while it stays fresh in my mind.... A very nice turnout last night;good seeing everyone again and that they are doing well. Good spirits all around; laughed and had a good time. The acts of courage, conviction and passion by those who created the SWW institution should never be forgotten. They will be - and will continue to be - pioneers of education. To the staff, alumni and the current student body: Cent'anni - may you live on one hundred and more years. Charles G. Gombatto Alumni 1981 | | Monday, October 2nd, 2006 | 1:27 pm
[aramintamd]
|
35th Anniversary Reunion Update
Over 60 alumni members have now registered for the reunion. If you're planning to go, check out the link for all the info, including who's planning to be there! http://schoolwithoutwalls.org/alumni/Please call the school at 585-546-6732 for more information or to confirm your reservation. Don't let the pre-reg deadline keep you from attending! We've already got over 60 students and staff members attending, and over 70 people in general, including spouses/kids. And please spread the word! Not everyone is registered on this site!!! Please feel free to point your friends here! Real letters were mailed to everyone on SWW's mailing list and an email plea went out from Val McPherson to everyone who's registered on the Alumni site. If you can't find your copy or it never arrived, print the PDF flyer (above) and mail it in ASAP. Read the original letter to alumni Current Mood: busy | | Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006 | 1:19 pm
[aramintamd]
 |
It's all true...
It's official! Read the flyer here:
ReunionFlyer.pdf
(233kb PDF file)The most important thing is, your $15/person reservation needs to be in the hands of SWW's reunion organizers by September 29, 2006! Please call the school at 585-546-6732 for more information or to confirm your reservation. And please spread the word! Not everyone is registered here!!! Current Mood:  excited | | Sunday, August 20th, 2006 | 9:41 pm
[aramintamd]
 |
| | Friday, July 28th, 2006 | 10:15 pm
[aramintamd]
 |
35th Anniversary Reunion Scheduled!!!
Hi, all! I was hearing rumors from several sources, and I finally had them confirmed today. There'll be a similar message posted on the Alumni site, but in the meantime please feel free to point your friends at this posting. Real letters should be going out to everyone on SWW's mailing list with a current street address, so if you haven't updated your address with SWW in a while, now's the time to do that! The letter from Dan is below, hot off the presses! (Verbatim, in case anyone asks...) And no, I can't confirm or deny the presence of Lew Marks at the event. Yet... [begin] June 29, 2006 Dear School Without Walls Alumnus, Greetings & salutations! It's about time for another SWW reunion! We haven't had one since 2001, when we celebrated our 30th anniversary. Now it's time to renew old acquaintances and celebrate our 35 years as the oldest public alternative high school in New York State! The SWW Community Board and a team of SWW Alumni have met and agreed on the following date for the reunion, and a tentative program. Please mark your calendars to save the date, send us your ideas, and please forward this message on to other SWW Alumni. THIS LETTER IS ONLY A REMINDER TO SAVE THE DATE & TO HELP US WITH CONTACTS. YOU WILL BE RECEIVING MORE INFORMATION IN AUGUST. (We hope to have Lew, Val & all the others back!) WHEN & Where: Saturday, October 7th, 2006 6:00-10:00pm, @ SWW (480 Broadway, behind the old Sears & Roebucks, on Monroe Ave.) Program will include a non-alcoholic coctail hour with fancy hors d'ouvres, followed by a catered dinner, and speeches from some of our alumni students and staff. Approximate cost: $25.00 per person. From 10:00-???, we will adjourn to a local restaurant (TBA) for more socializing. If you know of an SWW Alumnus who has not received this letter, please contact us with information about that person, or mail us the information below: Name: Address: Telephone#s: e-mail address: Comments & Ideas Sincerely, DanDan Drmacich, Principal Current Mood: excited | | Tuesday, June 27th, 2006 | 12:04 pm
[zolfatore] |
Better late than never
The wind keeps blowing the doors open and close as the summertime storm breezes wind up for the latest blast of rain... What? No other way to warm up. I was thinking - amazing, isn't it? - about something today, maybe SWW related, maybe not. Maybe there's a link somewhere. I don't know. Anyway, something must have jogged the memory of Mike D. and myself meeting Mike B. at this local night club to see a band who performed "lounge punk", in which lounge standards are given said treatment, but in short bursts, say, maybe thirty seconds. I think maybe a cartoon episode set this off. Heard of another SWW'r passing away. And I can imagine there's many more who have gone on, but, since being out of the loop (whatever that may be; on this site maybe?) no one knows of. But, by being in touch with others, the news can flow and reach out. Also, was thinking of how others have done and the lives they've made for themselves. I just went to a friend and fellow SWW'rs wedding party and had a great time. I always have incredible respect for people that make mature decisions, not only of wedded bliss, but of taking a career direction and sticking with it. It's only because I'm so goddamned immature that I have a great admiration for it. And I'm sure that there are their sons and daughters going off to that Middle East Situation That Never Ends, and lets all hope they come back safe and sound. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to have explosions all around and being under gun fire 24/7. The bravery has to be admired, whether you're for or against the war, or any war for that matter. A few years before one of my uncles died he spoke of his time in the service - which he had never done in fifty some odd years - and how, at age 17, he had German planes swooping down so close on merchant marine ships that he thought they were going to crash right on deck. In years after he received a medal (don't know which one) which he refused to take because the episodes left such a bad taste in his mouth. But man oh man; seventeen is way too young, back then as it is now, but then I think, some people are very tough, not necessarily entirely thick skinned, but just knowing what's out there and the possibilities and consequences they face, and also knowing they can punch through that wall - if they keep pounding away at it. Let's all keep pounding! | | Saturday, June 17th, 2006 | 9:46 pm
[goodgothgirl]
 |
Greetings and salutations
Hi guys! My name is Lea, and I graduated from SWW in 1991. This means that I lived through Dan Drmacich's first four years as principal (not "program administrator" -- the title change being one of the first problems with his reign, let me tell you) and I went to school in a building that was designed to be a school. I would have loved to go to the Andrews Street building. I'll be 33 next week, and I live in Richmond, Va. (Less snow, more sunshine!) SWW made me the person I am today -- and I say that with pride. Thanks to the opportunities I had there, I became a top-notch newspaper journalist (if I do say so myself), and I have now moved into advertising. SWW taught me how to cope with the real world and the real people in the real world. Not to mention that my psyche wasn't scarred by the usual adolescent clique crap that happens in all the "normal" high schools. I say, if we're going to have an LJ communities for alum, let's find a way to recruit people! Any suggestions? | | Tuesday, March 7th, 2006 | 10:04 am
[zolfatore] |
Was just thinking today (and my head hurts)
The weird thing about doing a comedy show on video back in the 70's was this: The vision of yourself on TV going through the physical changes of that time of life. Of course I'm speaking of puberty. I remember some people - particulary the male of the species - captured on reel to reel video before their voices changed. And when the camera zoomed in for close ups, one had a vision that was likened to the first steps made on the moon (and mine never cleared up; for some reason the scars left by repeatedly picking and popping are there for eternity, unless I do a discount acne treatment by taking sandpaper to my face) And the styles of clothing and hair! Mine was the Robert Plant look, which meant never going to the barber. Funny; I look back at the yearbooks with an objective eye and still can't bring myself to believe the fact that those images are 25 years old! We all wore down jackets to school and kept them on, even in class. It wasnt that cold in there (not that I remember). In fact, some of the rooms you could steam hot dogs in. Oh well. Just random neurons firing away in my brain. Zolfatore | | Wednesday, February 8th, 2006 | 4:14 pm
[zolfatore] |
There are 24 usable hours in a day.
And I have used none of them. Is this talking to myself? Probably. It isn't like I don't talk to myself. I mean, everyone does it. The holidays: filled with cheer and this and that and the other thing. When people say "I'm so glad it's over,"(which is a huge part of the population) I say just skip it! It'll be there next year. I was going to pick up where I left off in these so called 'memoirs' without going back to previous entries, just to see if my memory has failed me (yet). I left off on the Barney Kaputnik Ethnic Hour episodes, but for now I'll just warm up here until later. Over the holidays, Mike D. came into town with his new bride, plus his sister and her new husband. It was great to see them both. I couldn't believe after all these years (25! Shoot me now!) we'd see each other again. Had a nice little get together at the Little Theatre here in town; a nice turnout. We tried to catch up, but dang! 25 years a looonggg time! Hope to still keep in touch. I also want to link this to the SWW site, but being computer stupid as I am, I ain't figured that one out yet. I still think Windows programs are a conspiracy by the Bilderbergs, The Rockafellers, The Bohemian Grove, The NSA and the CIA to keep us all in check. And that stuff about the NSA and the internet? The NSA has been doing that for years, bypassing current laws by having the US monitor the UK and vice versa. The usual suspects, as usual. My cousin said - while watching Dazed and Confused - that life was a lot simpler then. No computers crashing to worry about and such, but man! Who would have thought that you could acess the entire world from your room? I know what he was saying, but I think he was referring to the load of responsibilty that comes with age (and wisdom, although in my case that theory could be ousted - huh?) I know I spelled Rockerfeller(sic) wrong. Was it really Rockerfeller? Some feller off his rocker I suppose. But in the meanwhile, for all the planet to see or not see or to share, I'll be back on this Live Journal thingy, trying to dig up memories of SWW and such. Getting my shovel out Zolfatore (Italian for sulfur miner) | | Friday, December 16th, 2005 | 11:47 pm
[aramintamd]
 |
Alumni Night announcement from Dan Drmacich - Pass it on!
Dear School Without Walls Alumni, Greetings and Happy Holidays! We're having a great time at SWW, as always; laughing, growing, and sometimes crying! If you're not aware, the City School District recently gave us our biggest endorsement ever, by allowing us to create a School Without Walls 7-8 School, with its own separate campus at 111 N. Clinton Ave., not far from our old campus on Andrews St. Idonia Owens, an SWW teacher for the past 12 years is in charge of the school. They've got 150 kids, and plan, in 2007, to expand to a 7-9 School, with the high school being grades 10-12! Wow! That's really significant, isn't it? So, this year the 7-8 SWW will be recruiting 75 6th graders to enter their school, and our current 9-12 School will be looking for about 60 8th graders to come to us as 9th graders in September. Most of the 9th graders will be from the 8th grade group in the SWW 7-8 School. This will be interesting to see whether the one year of experience at the 7-8 SWW will prepare them to handle the freedom, responsibilities, and challenges of the high school. We're hoping so! One of the programs we instituted last year that proved to be very helpful for recruitment, and for current SWW students was “SWW Alumni Night,” at which several SWW graduates discussed the impact SWW had on their college and professional experiences. We're planning to hold our second annual “Alumni Night” on Thursday, February 2nd, from 7:00-8:30 pm, at our 480 Broadway campus. If you're interested in participating, please e-mail me at dandrmacich@yahoo.com. Once I receive names of those who are interested, I'll get back to each volunteer with more information. Thanks for considering this Community Service for SWW! Sincerely, Dan Drmacich Principal Current Mood: calm | | Tuesday, October 25th, 2005 | 12:35 pm
[aramintamd]
 |
| | Wednesday, May 25th, 2005 | 4:16 pm
[zolfatore] |
The Barney Kaputnik Ethnic Hour Part 2 The Barney Katpunik Ethnic Hour; I remember who came up with the name, and if I just put up his initials it’ll read BM, so I’ll just call him Bob M. He got the Kaputnik courtesy from the Dave Berg strips in Mad Magazine, although it was Roger Kaputnik and his sometimes wife Regina. There was an actual class around the show; I can’t remember what sort of credit was awarded – might have been social studies? My memory escapes me, as it’s been doing so often lately. I joined late in sophomore year, and, being the shy, screwed up, introverted, leaning over his notepad and drawing rock stars all the time type, I was in awe of how quick people could come up with ideas for sketches; a sort of comedy riffing, if you will. Everyone had the chance to write and produce their own sketches, and most of the time, they would star in the segments themselves. Bob M came up with a reoccurring character for every show called “Nasty Masty”, whose comedic adventures would end with someone getting hurt or being vomited on from the second floor. The final scene would always be someone saying to the camera “Aww! That’s nasty!” For the most part, camera trickery was used when someone got hurt from Nasty Masty’s total disregard for others’ well being, but accidents did happen… I recall one sketch where Nasty Masty drives through a park and hits someone - on purpose of course - and one of the wise guys in the class, who fancied himself a stuntman, would jump up onto the hood of the car at the right moment, giving the illusion of being struck. After a few good practice runs they were ready to shoot. The camera rolls – a POV shot from the rear seat – and the car approaches. The amateur stuntman’s timing goes awry, and he gets hit in the ankle by the car’s bumper. Later on, he’s limping around the hallways and I’m laughing at him; I don’t know why and to this day I’m still trying to figure that out. Maybe it was because he was sort of a blowhard character. I’ve always been prejudiced towards people who are cocky and smartass anyway, especially ones who can’t deliver the goods when called to do so. Be that as it may, it still doesn’t excuse me from laughing at him. And I’m one to call someone a blowhard! So I retract the previous statement, your Honor. My first year in the class was Bob M’s senior year, so he and Mike B. come up with the idea of killing him off, Jesus Christ style. Everyone in the class drags him outside and whips him while he’s carrying the crucifix on his shoulder – a cardboard one – and we proceed to nail him to the cross. Some of the flubbed takes remained for the final edit, like Nasty Masty telling us amateur prop hands holding up the cross behind him not to let it fall down. Later on Mike D – again, setting up permanent residence in the control room (and, as in Interim Junior High years before, still never making an appearance in a homeroom class!) - dubs in incidental music from the opera Jesus Christ Superstar. As common practice when the shows were finished, the rest of the students could view the current episode in the Commons Room of the school. I remember the Passion of the Nasty Masty being met with thunderous applause and cheers. After that, some thought it was the death of The Ethnic Hour, but no so. Details in Chapter Three. | | Wednesday, March 2nd, 2005 | 1:36 pm
[zolfatore] |
Saturday Night Live and the BKEH: Part One
It's funny...well, everything's funny I guess, if you look at it in one way and then another. But, it's funny how one TV show can influence every show that's come down the pike since. There's no denying that Saturday Night Live has accomplished such a feat; even more that it's still doing so well into the 21st century. The original line up at its inception imprinted trademarks on our culture back then with such phrases as Belushi's "WELL EXCUSE ME!" Akroyd's "Jane, you ignorant slut!" Gilda Radner's Roseane Rosanadanna and Emily Litella's "Never mind", Bill Murray's Lounge Singer bit...the list goes on and on. We would all stay up on Saturday night to watch what they would do next. And, now that I'm reminiscing, this was on tube televisions that reproduced awful images if you a) lived more than three miles from the transmitter or b) weather and conditions were permitting. The only way you could sort of luck out is if you had an antenna installed on the peak of your house.
In any event, in junior and senior high school we had access to video equipment, at least where I went. And I'm talking pre-disc, pre-digital video, pre-VHS and even pre-Beta! The stone age of video. All I can think of is the dodo bird on the Flintstones running on a treadmill to make the wheels go 'round. I'm talking about reel-to-reel video. Yes, just like those old reel-to-reel tape decks. So, under the influences of Saturday Night Live and Monty Python's Flying Circus, we would write sketches, tape them, and then get extra credit for it. The ultimate reward for acting childish.
My first foray into this arena was in Junior High School. Across the hall from the Social Studies area there was a small room - and I mean small! - that housed one camera, one deck, and one monitor. And I failed to mention this was pre-color also. There was a kid who was back there all the time taping, editing, taking out the bulky portable equipment to shoot and what not. And when I mean he was back there all the time, I literally mean he was back there all the time! Never saw him in homeroom, never saw him in math class, never saw him social studies, never saw him in Language Arts.When I get in contact with him again I'll have to ask him about that. I've been friends with him for years and that subject just never came up in conversation. But he was the resident techie and I don't think anybody else knew how to run the stuff.
So, with MD behind the camera, we would go off and tape our silly little sketches. Most were mocks of commercials. One comes to mind immediately:
There was a Kentucky Fried Chicken ad set place in a fire house where the men deliver lunch to the Chief and inform him that "they changed the sauce." He looks up at them and gruffs "they what?" Well, our take on it was that the Chief explodes in anger, throwing stuff off the table, standing up on his chair and then climbing to the top of the table, all the while screaming "THEY WHAT? THEY WHAT?" Outside the room sat the hall sentry; a squat yet very large muscled woman who would keep kids from skipping class. So here we are, stuff is flying all over the room and the friend of mine is shouting at the top of his lungs when all of a sudden we hear "YAUGGHHHHH!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE?" And if I remember correctly, it could be heard on tape.
I know there was an idea of creating a comedy show with all those sketches set around it, but I dont know who came up or whether it came to fruition at the time. It may have been an idea of one of the teachers. I'm really not sure. I know there was a news show somewhere in there called IJH news (Interim Junior High) but I don't think that ever got off the ground and if it did, it might have been twice the entire school year and inserted between the serious stuff were the stupid sketches, not only by us but by other students as well. But I kind of remember it being named after one of the students there ( and out of respect for his family I won't mention his name; he passed away some twenty years ago), but it was like the (insert student's name) Comedy Hour. Funny, since no show, news or not, ever approached that time frame. More like the Comedy Fifteen Minutes.
When I graduated Interim Junior High School and began at SWW, students there were already doing the same thing. But it was the following year that a class was centered around it and was given a name: The Barney Kaputnik Ethnic Hour.
But more later in part 2.
Zolfatore Current Mood:  nostalgicCurrent Music: non musica | | Friday, February 18th, 2005 | 6:13 pm
[zolfatore] |
Lunchtime on the Town
SWW was called an alternative school. We chose our own projects, which were called independent projects, and used downtown Rochester and its surrounding areas for resources. For example: if architecture was something you were interested in, you had many options of study; you could interview local architects, you could use photographs, you could design your own structure with the architect acting as your mentor...etc. The entire community could be used as your classroom.
Hence, it wasn't mandatory we stay in the actual "school" all the time. There were always projects going on outside the school "walls," which was where the name came from.
In any event, the classrooms and offices and such were located on one floor. I think at the time the entire student body consisted of 200+ students.
At lunchtime you could either bring your own or venture out to any of the eating places that were around at the time. It was only a three block walk to Midtown Plaza, which, I believe, was the very first enclosed mall built in the state. Delis, fast food, and regular sit down places, and right now as I'm trying to remember all of them by name I'm saddened by what used to be and now is no longer. Suburban malls have emptied out the old Midtown Plaza, and with it went not only the numerous eateries but department stores, book stores, record stores and such. A bustling place downtown was in the 70's and 80's. I haven't been down there in about 15 years and even then it was a bunch of old abandoned commercial spaces and buildings. But, I'm getting off track here...
We always went for "subs" - submarine sandwiches as they're called up here and "heroes" and "po'boys" everywhere else. Nothing like assorted cold cuts with lettuce, tomato and mayo on a half loaf of Italian bread. There was a place called Rubino's that had a kiosk in the mall and they made the best ones.
There was one establishment, a counter diner that only opened for breakfast and lunch, where you could eat very cheap - and son of a bitch if I can remember the name! A heaping plate of spaghetti with rolls for $1.00. It was a brother and two sister operation; the brother and one sister cooked while the other sister waited on customers. We would go in and she would tell us what we wanted and always gave us milk when we really wanted soda. I remember the first time it happened; one of us ordered a soda and she said "milk". We didnt think she heard us so we corrected her and she said "milk" again. She walked away and put the order in and to this day I can still see the look on PG's face, like "what the hell was that all about?" But it was good food and very, very cheap; a popular spot not only for kids on lunch but the business community in general.
Friday was fish fry day; Palmer's Fish Market, however, this was one place that wasn't a hop, skip and a jump away. We'd have to call in the order before noon so one of us could pick it up. One time, MB being the wiseass that he was, called it in under the name "Rufus" so when i went to pick up the food I'd have to say "I'm Rufus; three fish frys to go."
Sometimes we'd eat the fish frys right in class and get berated for it, not only from the teachers but also from our fellow students who couldn't take the smell. Hey! We had to eat and what were going to do with them? Throw them out? Let them get cold? We were growing girls and boys and needed our nourishment. Lot of vitamins in that greasy batter.
Once in a while, we'd be eating and try to get the other to lose their appetite by poetically painting a gross image, like,"muffins filled with sweat" type of thing but much worst. MB was particularly good at that. We only succeeded in making everyone else around us sick, not each other.
I'm still hoping someone else would post on here, but until then I'll update as memory dictates - and as I try to be Mr. Sophisticato writer, using such terms as "memory dictates," "eating establishments" and such.
If anyone else is out there and remembers these times, write your essay or story on here.
In the meantime....
10 4 Eleanor and I'm out!
Current Mood: nostalgicCurrent Music: none | | Thursday, February 10th, 2005 | 12:14 pm
[zolfatore] |
MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC!
First things first; just to keep things straight, I will use first and last initials of people from the past (unless they demand otherwise...I'm respecting people's privacy...) To wit:
Batman: (who owned the car referred to as the Batmobile) will now be referred to as MB.
There were a lot of musicians and jamming going on between classes. I would bring my guitar and join along. A lot of this went on at parties, also. RS had a twelve string he would pick with a credit card; RK had a regular acoustic...and now that I think of it...I didn't have one and used to play everyone else's. I have one now...it's RK's old one.
RK and I performed a duet together at a function ( which, in God's name I can't remember what!); "Little Martha" by the Allman Brothers. We practiced and practiced and practiced until we got it down pat, yet, I'll never forget the fear and horror when, two minutes before we were to go onstage my mind went totally blank - could'nt remember where to put my fingers on the neck...could'nt remember the start...could'nt remember the finish...brain shut down, as it were. Luckily, when we went onstage and put my hands on the guitar it all came back to me. Funny; I guess it was stagefright, though I never experienced it in the past; I was in a band when I was fifteen and could'nt wait to go onstage and rock out, even though we murdered every rock and roll classic in the book. Wish I had the tapes so I could laugh out loud.
On my senior project, a video "art" piece (which is what it's called when you run around with a camera shooting random, unconnected pieces), I taped RK and I down in his basement; him on the drums and me banging away on the keyboard. We were both wearing cowboy hats and sunglasses; to this day I don't know what it all meant. Was I trying to make a statement? Was I commenting on social problems of the nation? Nah...I just liked jamming.
For his senior project, RK rehearsed and put together a band - called "Gumby and the Rubber Band" and God knows where he came up with that name! He was on guitar, I was on bass and another friend of ours on drums and two lead singers; one male and female, also both friends from school. Really can't remember the song list right off hand; we had one original that was very reminscent of The B-52's - I think "I've Got A Feeling" by The Beatles and "Mississippi Queen" from Leslie West and Mountain.
At the time I was into fancy fingerpicking Chet Atkins style...still can do it somewhat...but sort of grew out of it, I guess. I don't think it was a competition as much as it was just playing with other people and learning from each other. I still play, for enjoyment. RK and I still get together for music and general nonsense, much like back then.
Until other memories come back
Signing off Current Mood: nostalgicCurrent Music: police radio | | Thursday, February 3rd, 2005 | 12:44 pm
[zolfatore] |
SWW: Classroom Hijinks -No monotone and the Silly Chair.
The word "hijinks" seems a little harsh, like we were setting off fireworks or something. Mostly just being classroom cut-ups, not with knives. We thought we were funny, I don't think the teachers did and why they put up with us is beyond me!
The routine in homeroom was this; first, someone in the class would volunteer to read the day's announcement from the office - this group is meeting here, don't hang out here, don't hang out there, no smoking in the commons room, etc - and then we would discuss what the homeroom class was going to do for the week - setting up fundraisers for class trips, running over the day's announcements to talk about what was fair or unfair - if we had homework we would go over it as a group and then hand it in. Our "homerooms" were called Extended Classes and each one had it's own theme; Media, Art, Literature, Science, Humanties, Community Planning, and the assignments were based around those themes. The afternoon was then set aside for extra credit classes.
We were always getting scolded for our one liners and, in hindsight, I know I wouldn't have put up with the shennanigans. I think it was the showmanship born in everyone that brought it to the forefront. I tried to hard to be funny; others were just plain funny, bar none; a part of their personality.
I remember one incident when no one volunteered to read the day's announcements so the Teacher took on the task. A friend of mine, the one with the Batmobile, shocked me to the nth degree when, right before the announcements were begun, he demanded that they not be read in a monotone - his exact words were, "No monotone, please." I can still see the look on the Teacher's face - one which, in Italian is called the malocchio - the evil eye. Only natives and first generation Italians can master that skill; he was the latter of the two. He never raised his voice but his words were something to the effect of "having respect" or treating people with "respect". Un 'uomo di onore - a man of honor - through and through he was and probably still is. I know he retired from teaching and this nagging little imp in the back of my head tells me we were to blame.
I screwed up my senior year and had to repeat it. I signed up for a Extended Class which someone would have to aim a gun at my head to get me to remember the theme. Something to do with History,,,oh wait! Something to do with Justice and the Law or something. Each morning our session was run "parliamentary procedure" style - a mediator, someone to take notes, and also a Sergeant at Arms, which was kind of a running joke. The mediator was selected through votes or volunteers I think...don't quote me on either one. We cut up so bad I think we were told to leave the class once or twice. But there was this certain desk, buried way back in the corner, that every time I sat in it I got hysterical over whatever joke was made, bad or good. What was really funny was when the mediator would lose control over the group, namely our group, and would begin smashing the gavel repeatedly and we did the Three Stooges thing where we clapped in unison with the rhythm of the pounding.
And when the Batmobile pilot took over as mediator, watch out! He was vicious about keeping order and would probably make Judge Judy wince. Yet when he was in the audience he was all Three Stooges Marx Brothers like.
I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface on what went on and wished others would post on here, but, for now, I'll keep at it as memory dictates. A kind of funny memoir ( and as I was writing this the memory of the "no monotone" edict came at me from out of left field and I was laughing out loud at it ), but, to me, sort of sad - and I hate bringing the whole thing down at this point - that I was more concerned with making people laugh than at learning anything.
But there was an outlet for our comedic bents, but that's another chapter.
Till then, to no one and everyone
Zolfatore |
[ << Previous 20 ]
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
sww_alumni
sad