Flat Stanley and I have had quite the busy weekend. I wish every house guest was this easy to travel with and this cheap to entertain! He arrived Friday afternoon in Santa Monica, California where it is always sunny and nice. But you must have sent Michigan weather with him, because no sooner than he arrived, it started to rain! Now usually rain stops all outings for people in Los Angeles, but since I am from Michigan, a little rain never slows me down. We joined my friend Audrey who had complimentary tickets to David Ives play New Jerusalem at the West Coast Jewish Theatre. I had just shown my tenth graders the documentary, The Power of Forgiveness, with Elie Wiesel.
On Saturday, it was pouring rain, but we walked through the campus of UCLA for my National Board Certification class. After working, we decided to drive to Hollywood to the Director's Guild of America to see Mirror, Mirror. I loved it! I strongly suggest you and your friends see it, based on the story of Snow White. I didn't think it was quite literary merit with the stereotypical gender roles, but you can't be an academic snob every minute of the day.
Sunday it was still raining, so we streamed the service of Agape through my Mac laptop. Thank god for www.agapelive.com! Nothing like a little technology on a rainy day. After it stopped raining, we went for a walk on the beach after seeing the film Take Shelter from Netflix. This dvd selection was very ominous with the storm winds, almost foreshadowing! Michael Shannon, the actor from Take Shelter was nominated for a Spirit Award, which are the independent film awards which take place right here at the beach.
Monday it was back to work. I was so impressed by your teacher's assignment, I thought I would give my own version to my tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders! We'll see if they dazzle me with their brilliance. My students are Salvadorian, Mexican, Honduran, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, Kenyan, Ethiopian, Senegalese, Creole, Korean, Native American and Irish. In fact, while I was not at Grandma's this Christmas Eve, I was with my adopted Salvadorian daughter's family eating panes con pollo.
Last on our list, was a USC event with Jamaica Kincaid, an author from Antigua who grew up in New York City. (I lived there too, but that’s another letter.)
I decided to make you your own flat Ms. Erudite so you can take me on some of your adventures. You can write back and tell me all about them.
