Me

Returning to the Scene of the Crime (Reposted from my LJ)

Surreal.

The two classes in high school that affected me the most were humanities and cartooning (Yes, we had a comics class elective). Adina, Suzanne, Jeff and Daniel taught me how to read critically, construct essays, defend my thesis and to find my voice through writing. Lin and David gave me absolutely invaluable guidance in how to translate my scripts into thumbnails, layout a comics page, keep it visually balanced, keep the POV interesting, let the drawings speak for themselves and to find my voice through comicking.

Quite honestly, I use the lessons I learned from those two classes daily.

Next month, I'm heading up to Seattle to be a guest speaker in Adina's senior class because she's including I Like Girls in her curriculum.

In preparation for my trip I contacted Lin for the first time since graduation, hoping that maybe I could sneak into his cartooning class during my visit. Not only did he remember me but he wants to arrange for me to speak to his class too!

These teachers had such a powerful influence shaping me as an artist and a person. Now, almost ten years later, they're using my material in class and inviting me to speak to their students. Do they understand that they're the ones who gave me these tools in the first place? How can you even begin to adequately express your gratitude to someone for that?

Right now I'm feeling so very out-of-body, humbled and excited.

Growing up is weird.

(no subject)

Mark Sheppard passed away on Wednesday evening. For those of us who attended Northwest prior to 2003, we would know Mark, who taught Upper School theatre and musical theatre too. He continued to teach at Lakeside until this week. There's going to be a memorial on 4/13, a sunday, at Lakeside at 2pm, if anyone would like to attend. I'm struggling to describe how I feel about this, since I know that my life would have taken a very different direction without Mark's classes. I majored in drama in college, and although I do not work in the field, I still place immense value on the experiences I've had in theatre.

I'm certainly planning to attend the memorial. Hopefully, I'll see some of you there.
gnome

Paul Raymond

I wanted to send a message out to all of you to let
you know of some sad news. Paul Raymond passed away
this morning, after spending a week in the hospital
with congestive heart failure. As of yet, there is no
news regarding a memorial service.

Some of you may have received an email earlier today
from NWS Alumni Council about his upcoming June 10
retirement party. In the email, they asked former
students to submit a 1-minute video clip about Paul. I
read this email on my way to the bus, after teaching
two classes on political poetry. I was thinking: "How
to sum up Paul's influence on my life in one minute?"
I didn't have to think long, as I recalled the
morning's lectures I gave on the importance of
political awareness and the many ways in which we can
express our involvement. Paul taught me that political
and social awareness belongs in the classroom, in our
lives, and in our hearts.

Paul was also a man of opinions, to say the least. I
remember a class on independent reading Paul gave
outside one rare, sunny day in front of the school. As
we sat in a circle, and just after Paul described the
Bukowski I was reading as "smut" (ya gotta love him),
Paul asserted that he was sure God agreed with his
opinions. Not a second passed before a pigeon dropped
a load on Paul's head. Who knows what God, or the
pigeon for that matter, was thinking. Paul, however,
thought it was hysterical and took it as a sign that
God did, indeed, agree with him. Paul had the courage
of conviction.

Just a moment ago, when I received the phone call
about Paul, it seemed unreal, the way death does when
it touches you. I cherished the few moments I had as I
walked to my bus this morning, when I had a moment to
think about how an amazing man affected my life.
Whatever your opinion of Paul Raymond, I'm sure you
have one. He was not a man whose life went unnoticed.
And nor will his death.

Warmly,
caracola, Class of '92
  • jackyyu

(no subject)

Man.... :(

Floyd Standifer | Member of Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame loved city
By Paul de Barros
Seattle Times jazz critic

GEORGE CARKONEN / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Floyd Standifer, the granddaddy of Seattle jazz and a veteran of the city's heralded Jackson Street scene and the 1960 Quincy Jones Big Band, died Monday night.

Mr. Standifer was 78.


For the full article go here: http://archives.seattletimes.nwsou…

avacado and santos

helllllooooo----

I am here at Bard and trying to set up some kind of El Salvador trip this march for the delgation surrounding the 25th anniversary of Oscar Romero's death.

i am very bad at all this contact stuff.

what i'm wondering is - who is interested in going? anyone at NWS, anyone at new colleges who is willing to try and find other people to come along? anyone at all?

i'm contacting share and the Human Rights Project here. but i am quite overwhelmed. let me know what you think/if you are interested/if you want to work on this together.
i know last year Paul said he was never coming back, but i also know he wanted to set something up for the future- possibly involvign this years seniors and last years together.

comment.
and hello.
and goodbye.

Nica