Palm Springs Art Museum

Upon realizing that I've been out of school for just over a week, I decided that maybe I should emerge from the cocoon of apartment #94 and actually do something with my day other than go to the gym and read books. It is true, I've had the most anti-social week ever, but I have enjoyed the "Melissa time" very much. My days have consisted of going to the gym early in the am, coming home drinking an ENTIRE pot of coffee, checking my email profusely, reading approximately 1 book per day, laying by my pool in the sweltering heat, eating snacks, napping, going to the gym again around 6pm, and then more reading...I know what your thinking, tough life Melissa. It is actually exhausting being this bored. Anyways, not the point of this blog...

I ventured out into the 112 degree heat yesterday in the afternoon to downtown Palm Springs. Back towards the mountain, on a side street resides the lovely Palm Springs Art Museum. I have owned a membership to this place now for 8 months and am just now getting there for the first time. Sad, but true. Surprisingly, this museum proved to be a very positive, and enlightening experience. Even brought me back to my days of Art Camp and the college class I took about art.

I had expected the museum to be inundated with Mesoamerican, American Indian and mainly Western art... Not exactly my favorite style. To my surprise there was a lot of contemporary pieces and exhibits that I truly enjoyed. I've highlighted a few of my favorite pieces below.

Russel Wright glass water pitchers...the whole exhibit was primarily furniture, flatware, and pieces from the 40s-50s. It was entitled, "Living with Good Design" and supposedly defined the time period after WWII where a more relaxed style of living emerged. I thought of my mom when I saw these pitchers. I think she has some similar to this in that china blue color. The whole 50s thing also reminded me of her since she LOVES that kind of furniture and style. Think "Molly" from the American Girls book series! Do I still have that doll in the attic??

A Henri Matisse of course! Not your traditional I suppose as he usually is noted for his still life paintings and broad use of colors. As a leader in the Fauvist movement and a post-impressionist, I find Matisse's work to be quite intriguing. It was also interesting to compare the works of Matisse with that of Van Gogh. I guess you could refer to them as yin and yang of that time period. One composing from nature and the other from primarily imagination.

The museum had an array of impressionist works on display from an anonymous art collector. Renoir to Degas, they had a sampling of them all. Oh how I love Degas and the dancers!! They also had some Manet and Monet, which again made me want to go back to Giverny in France. Such a beautiful place. Interesting thing about impressionism is how different the artists are yet there is a common thread that somehow binds their works together...

Although the impressionists are my most favorite, I do have a special place in my heart for contemporary art. This piece just agreed with me for some reason. Not something I'd hang in my house or anything, but it just made me happy to look at it. It is called Phenomena Wind Off Big Sur. Nothing particularly intelligent to comment on this one, sorry.

"The Big 4" The most intriguing piece I viewed yesterday by far. It was done by Motherwell, who did a series of paintings that were each inspired by the number four. Anybody who ever had to study the work of Carl Jung would know that the symbolism behind the number 4 is immense. Thus the reason this work peaked my interest. I had to read about Jung in several of my psychology classes and upon further thinking today, it in fact bores much application to the science world as well. 4 not only relates to the four points of a compass but also has much representation in dreams but signifies "creative background" or "life producing." The life producing part is what caught my interest in several aspects... Many people/ cultures believe that numbers that are odd are masculine thus those being even are feminine. Four being next to the number 3 (three having many religious connotations) proposes many theories about the completeness of life. The fact that three (representing man) residing next to four (woman) suggests the equality of the two or the ability to pro-create when combined. Interesting that the number of chromosomes in a female are even and the number of chromosomes in a male are odd...coincidence? I think not.

In other scientific matters related to the number four, I can think of a few more...

• The Carbon atom: It's four valences~also the fact that Carbon is the basis for life as we know it, carbon chains....relates directly to the idea of "life producing"

• The fourth dimension: Time as the proposed fourth dimension

• The principle forces of physics: Gravity, Electromagnetism, Weak Nuclear, and Strong Nuclear=4

I know there are more, but I think I've done enough thinking for the day. See what boredom will do to a person! Anyway enjoy the summer solstice today!

School's...out...for...SUMMER!!

Yesterday was my last day of school for the next three months! Hooray! It is very hard to believe that my first year teaching is over. I find myself reflecting over the past year and wondering 1. How did I make it through successfully? and 2. Wow, am I going to do things differently next year! Overall though I feel like this year was a huge learning experience and I gained lots of beneficial training while adapting to the cultural changes out here in southern California.

THINGS I WILL MISS:

~My regular group of girls that come to visit me EVERY morning before the bell rings and tell me all the juicy gossip

~Giving Daniel, (one of my most unenthusiastic and difficult to motivate students...really hard to get him to open up) girl advice after school

~Pedro Corona singing, dancing, playing "drum beats" with his pencil on the desk, asking me out on dates, trying to secretly check his myspace account and interrupting my 9th period class

~My regular group of boys that come to visit me after school and play vicious games of "keep away" from each other

~My lovely TAs Gabby and Stephanie

~Freddy Torres trying to sleep through first period and denying it when I make him stand up for the rest of the class period.

~Laura Ortiz translating what my ELL kids are saying about me in 5th period

~The yearbook girls...Ariel, Cinthya, Laura O and Laura P...they are the BEST!

~Seeing my friends/colleagues everyday

THINGS I WILL NOT MISS:

~Students writing nasty things about me in textbooks and on other school property

~The bad girls from 5th period that call me names in Spanish

~JOSE MERCADO and EDUARDO MEJIA!

~Writing referrals for tardies

~Waking up at 5:30am!

As for the last two days of school...they might have been the best days thus far. I was able to chaperone the trip to Knott's Berry Farm which is an amusement park on Monday. This was absolutely the most fun! I got to spend the whole day hanging out with my students and it was great to be with them in an environment that was totally relaxed, I didn't have to play the disciplinarian or bad guy and didn't have to really be in that "instructor" role. I was able to just enjoy the best part of my job which is the uniqueness of each and every student and appreciating them for who they are. Spending the day with them on Monday made me remember what is so important about the job that I do and why I do it. After all the days that I want to wring their necks...this was the perfect refresher! I love their personality and quirky remarks, they are so funny and energetic.

Tuesday was their promotion ceremony which is a HUGE production out here. I learned that this 8th grade graduation is like prom or something. Girls and guys both were dressed to the nines! At first I was thinking...why all the fuss...its eighth grade! But with the demographics of this area, sad to say, this might be the biggest accomplishment in some of their lives because they won't make it through high school. I was so proud to see some of the students who promoted. There were a few that almost didn't make it. One of those students came up to John and I and said that us two were the only reason he promoted. I was touched! Anyway, I'm looking very forward to next year and building more relationships with students, just as I did this year.

Officially Credentialed

I just got confirmation today that I'm certified to teach in California with a Multiple Subject Credential. Now all I have to do is complete my CLAD which includes passing the section 1 test on Linguisitics...YUCK! This was the only section I didn't pass last December, I have to take it again in about two weeks, not looking forward to it at all, but oh well. I also have some advanced technology course to take, but I think my district offers it in the spring.

In other news, I've found a masters program that suits me and I'm going to devote my summer to preparing for the GRE (and visiting friends and family too). That way I can hopefully get into the program. It is through Michigan State (actually their program is rated very highly, I was surprised), and most of the coursework is abroad with one online course. I'm so excited because if this works out I'll not only obtain my masters in administration but also get to go to Europe for two summers in a row!! Hooray for traveling:)

A Much Needed Visit

Last weekend I traveled home for MT's graduation and a much needed visit it proved to be. I flew out on Thursday night after this 8th grade honors program I had to attend for school. Flights were good, on time and such and the usual drill occured....Dad picked me up from the airport, breakfast at the Grind, visit to TMS to see mom and her colleagues, then NAP TIME! The graduation was Friday night and I got to see both grandma and grandpa Tommelein and Opa. Opa somehow forgot where he parked his car so I had to search the perimeter to find it, but thats ok. Drinks and appetizers at ESS followed. Not only was the food and company great, but I got to see all my old restaurant pals and indulge in a Honey Rouge martini....my fav! Steven T. and I got to spend a lot of time hanging out as well, I miss him:) We spent the rest of the evening catching up and made our way over the the Wrong Way to round out the night.

Saturday was a great day...I slept till noon and it rained the WHOLE DAY! I was in heaven since it never rains in the desert (one of the many things I miss about home). Then I spent the afternoon with my Grandma, Aunt Patti, and my dad's side of the fam. It was great to see all of them even if it was for a short while. Decorating at the Masonic was next on the agenda, I think it looked pretty good and surprisingly it didn't take as long as I had anticipated.

The friends started showing up one by one after the decorating. Josh, then Stevie, Lauren, then Mel, Pomy, Eddie, Ryan, Natalie, AJ and a few other High School buds. The Wrong Way was definitely the place to be...well let's be honest, really there was no where else to go. Nonetheless it was an amazing time!

Sunday the party was wonderful and I got to see tons of family and friends of the family that I hadn't seen in a very long time. Chris Cakes was by far the hit of the party though!!! I wish I would have had more time to talk to people, in retrospect it felt like a whirlwind. Too many people, not enough time! Quite an entertaining party I must say.

The remainder of my time in MI was spent hanging out with the fam and Josh. It was such a short trip, but I did decide that I will need to come home over the summer because there was just not enough time! I'm thinking end of July through August, who knows?