I Make The Young Girls Cry

No, I didn't bump my head and think I'm Barry Manilow. Today was my last day (overnight) at Hillside Children's Center. A couple of girls were a bit upset. The deaf boys? Luckily, I know they all have some kind of affect disorder - otherwise it sure looked like they were happy I was leaving. That wasn't the case, I swear. One of the people I've worked with made a cake and got me a hawaiian shirt. Beth is so sweet. I think the rest of the staff are just wondering who's going to fix the computer or fax machine when they get messed up. [By the way, to any cottage staff reading this...in the time it takes you to make a sign that says "There's a paper jam in the fax machine" and tape it to the machine...you could have pulled the paper out yourself. Come on, Meat!]

So for the one or two HCC alumni...here's a couple of pictures. I hope it doesn't bring you any flashbacks:




Hillside has pretty much taken on the qualities of Rochester itself, dysfunctional with a lot of business jargon and a lot of construction and unnecessary, expensive projects. Yep, that weird building is what they're doing to Hutch so it can become a DDSO cottage. Mo money, mo money, mo money!

I really wasn't that upset about leaving. Hillside's always been the place for me to go when I was fired from a teaching job and I'm proud of the work I've done there. But my last two stints...well, particularly this one. I just existed there. What little "good work" I was able to do as an overnight staff was engulfed by the institutional incompetence and indifference.

I learned a lot working at that place. It has really influenced my style as an educator - and yeah, as a person. (I know, that's kind of trite) And sure, it's cool to have "war stories" about getting bit or kids having tantrums at the mall, etc. But those incidents taught me about what's really important, and what motivates people to do what they do. Although I still go on the other blog and wonder who raised some people out there. Or as the Sloan song goes: Who taught you to live like that?

I'm more proud of the work I've done there than any political race I've been involved in, speech I've given or class I've taught. And most of my work at Hillside didn't even have the hugest, Lifetime-Movie-life-changing effect on those kids. But it was the most sincere, thoughtful, honest effort I've ever given in a job...in spite of the freakin administrators.

Jeez...I guess I make the old men cry, too.

I am music...and I write the soooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnggggggssssss!!!!

This Saturday at The Sports Page

As you can see from the previous post, it's going to be a heck of a week. There's no way I'm going to be able to get to say goodbye to everyone I want to in a 1:1 kind of way, so I'm just going to be hanging out at The Sports Page on Saturday (7/14) starting at 7pm - for all of you with an early bedtime. I'm sure I'll be there most of the night, I know Mike will be there early and Brad once the kids are in bed & settled. And it looks like there'll be some Hillside folks there around 11. So stop by and have a beverage.

The Final Week

Well, there's only one week left until I leave for Portland. Here's what's on tap so far:

Monday - Finish my last Hillside overnight, giggle like a schoolgirl, sleep, Fastpitch game, try not to make drunk call to Keziah.

Tuesday - Spackle holes, take apart plastic shelving in basement (which anyone who needs shelving can have - free), get rid of records at Bop Shop, dinner at James' & Jill's, try not to make drunk call to Keziah.

Wednesday - Clean, clean, clean. Lunch with Robert, Podcast, try not to make drunk call to Keziah.

Thursday - Did I mention clean? Get table to Green Party, Brad & Co get into town, Fastpitch game, try not to make drunk call to Keziah.

Friday - Niagara Falls w/the Mitchell clan, Cookout at Michael's, try not to make drunk call to Keziah.

Saturday - Clean car, go to Boxman to have stuff...uh...boxed, get freakin bamboo sheets, pack clothes, podcast stuff & baseball gear. Get bikes to Friends Helping Friends. Sports Page (see above), keep drunk call to Keziah under 10 minutes.

Sunday - Take a lot of asprin. Send apology text message to Keziah, honor her request to remove her number from cell phone. Sell car. More asprin. Cookout at Mom's.

Monday - Meet with landlord, wash shower curtain (don't ask), Time Warner, take plates to DMV, credit union, last Goodwill run, pick up Mom, go to airport. Sit next to crying baby for 2 hours. Get lost in airport in Chicago, sit next to dude who tells golf stories for 3 hours. Land in Portland. Try not to make drunk call to Michael...

It's Not Easy Being Green

I'm starting to think about stuff I'm going to need for my place in Kihei. I'm pretty much starting from scratch.

At first, I'm not going to get a bed. I'm going to start off with a couple of these:

(Woman not included)

Then, once I have a bed, that's what all you jokers will be sleeping on when you come to Maui.

So, I'll need sheets. Well, being the Green I am, I thought I'd pick up organic cotton sheets. The cheapest I found was $60 for a sheet. One sheet. For $60 that sheet better come with a happy ending. (sorry to be so graphic) Shoot...I'll sleep on shredded newspaper before I pay that much for a sheet. So for half that I found bamboo sheet sets at BBB. Of course, there doesn't seem to be anything but Crap-Mart on the island so I'll be doing some online shopping.

An Update

There's not any really big news to report. There's just little stuff. I talked to the guy who's buying my car back. He's cool with getting it the day before I leave, so that'll help a lot. And the landlord is cool with taking care of the security deposit the morning I leave. That's pretty much going to cover the security deposit and first month's rent for the new crib. The new landlord took forever to cash the check I sent for them to hold the cottage for 3 weeks.

I didn't realize just how much money I've been spending the last month. I'll be chilling out the next couple of weeks. I'd like to eat the first week I'm in Hawaii. I'm currently in my last week of work at Hillside. It could be the longest 4 days of my life. I'm pretty much "booked" every night (and some days) from this Sunday until I leave. I guess that's good, but I'm going to need a vacation from my last week in Rochester. Oh yeah, Portland. And I'll have a few days in Hawaii to relax before work starts. I'm going to need them to get back to a "normal" sleeping schedule. I guess it's not much of a surprise but I have not been sleeping at all lately. I'm on a futon and I can't shut my brain off.

Most of you know I've been doing this podcast. Well, tonight I did a Kids Edition of The Stuart Bedasso Show. I'll be putting it on CD's for all the kiddies: Alex, Jake & Lindsey, Tommy & Tessa and Quinn. I'd turn it into an mp3 for everyone to download, but there's that whole copyright thing. Fascists.

That's about it. I have a ton of ideas for the new gig, but I'm going to keep them to myself until I get down there and see how open they are to them. (insert evil laugh here) Let's just say it involves whipped cream, rubber sheets and a spatula...oh wait...wrong fantasy. Uh, it involves a low-powered FM radio station, a book and cable access TV...and a spatula.

The More Things Change...

...the more they stay the same.

Well, looks like I'll be bringing my bat & shoulder ice-pack-thingy with me to Hawaii...

Maui Open League

Dave's New Wheels

I decided that when I get to Maui, I'm going to need a car. I was kind of hoping to do without one - I am pretty close to the school and the shore, but if I want to see the island and do some of things I want to, I'm just going to need a car - it's that simple, there really isn't anything in terms of public transit there. I had found this place online that both rents & sells biodiesel fuel cars. My plan was to rent one of their cars for a week when I got there and see what it's like and then buy one from them. Well, I'm getting a weird vibe from them...or should I say no vibe. They're not too big on returning calls and don't seem to be in that much of a hurry for my business. I know it's supposed to be a laidback culture there, but...

I also came across this article about the problems with biodiesel. But by the same token, just because a technology isn't the silver bullet we want, it doesn't mean we should just ignore it - that keeps the problem unabated.

So instead of staying home, I think I'm going big. I'm probably going to go hybrid...my first new, new car (as opposed to new-to-me) will be an Al Gore special. If I end up with some Fred Sanford hooptie, then I guess I'll have to keep my mouth shut.