heat wave

a few weekends back...
100 degree heat + baby girl = cranky!

prom

What did you do for your prom?








I didn't go to my junior prom (due to an untimely move down South), but did go to two senior proms, one with my oldest girlfriends and one with my high school beau. I remember surprisingly little about each prom, minus what I wore and how I did my hair. Prom is one of those ridiculous rites of passage that is such a big deal when it happens but in retrospect is completely absurd.

I have gone to the senior prom every year since I started teaching high school. I dress up, wear a bit more make-up than I'd wear to work, and go take photos of my students. To see the students all dressed up--our school is very much a jean, hoodie, tshirt, sneaker-type place--makes me well up with pride. And, surprisingly, they are so nice to each other for this one night. No girl fights, no gang crap, no nothing. The biggest debacle is usually the Hispanic kids wanting more Reggaeton music played and the Black kids wanting less Hispanic music played. But even that gets sorted out quickly with some good pop hits.

This year's killer song was by Soulja Boy. Even though it's popularity peaked last summer, the entire prom population screamed and raced onto the dance floor for it. While I had taught it to myself using Soulja Boy's youtube video, I refrained. After all, it was their prom. And, as much as I feel I can cut a rug in my bathroom, when you put me with a group of 18 year old students I am whiter than Santa's bare bum.

Here are my fave pictures from the prom. You can click here to see the whole album, replete with comments!

sex & the city & baby luca

mary, the aforementioned queen of all things video, made this hilarious entry on her vlog of seeing SATC with our downstairs and youngest neighbor, baby luca.

as mary points out, luca is especially insightful for an infant. his yawns, naps, and eyes speak volumes of the film.

i hope to go see it monday night with bethany. after i'll have to hash it out with luca.

this video made my groggy, head-cold, snot-filled day tolerable.

one year

last year on May 31st we lost our close friend and neighbor, eric dutt.

eric was one of the first people i met in nyc, though a mutual friend--virgil. we were all addicted to the xfiles and would host xfiles parties every week at alternating apartments. i got to know him and kat through their cooking and hosting, and this grew into me later moving in upstairs from them with my then boyfriend (now husband). we still live upstairs from kat and their son, luca.

it's hard to believe we have all lived an entire year without his silly pranks, his creative snacks, his infectious laugh, his rabid gardening, his warm and solid hugs, his bug collecting, and his light smile. i think of him everyday. i know a lot of his other friends do, too.

but when i'm not sad over losing such a wonderful person, i am encouraged to live my life like eric did. i can't think of a single bad thing to say about him, and i don't know a soul who had beef with him when he died. he lived and loved with such joy and effortlessness that even though he was only here for 34 years he left a legacy of family, friends, and students who are quite simply better people because of their relationship with eric. that is definitely something to aspire towards as we all wake, live, and repeat.

we miss you, eric. big time. i know of you're out there you are still reading blogs and on flickr! xxoo.