Library, Sunday Morning

[one-who-goes.livejournal.com]

The library wasn't officially open today, but Henry had the keys, and he couldn't resist coming in on a Sunday to take a look at his new domain.

Once he'd gotten the doors open and taken a step inside, his jaw hung open until he told himself he was drawing flies and abruptly shut it.

He'd been in some big, nice libraries. He'd worked in one for years. He just hadn't expected to find what bore all the hallmarks of a first-class collection in a high school, even one that based itself in a castle. (And he hadn't even noticed the door marked Special Collections yet. If he had, let alone if he'd gone in unprepared, that jaw might have stayed dropped for good.)

He made up a sign for the front desk -- Librarian is in. Shout if you need help. -- and let himself explore. The outgoing librarian should have left some guidance somewhere, and, if he or she hadn't, he'd have to get to know the collection on his own.

[OOC: For aides, or anyone who wants to visit the library today! OCD-free because it is Sunday, weekend SP disclaimer applies.]

World Mythology -- Third Period -- Monday

[atreideslioness]

Ghanima was sitting on her desk, absently eating lemon drops as she watched the students arrive.  She was even slightly tanned, despite the fact it was January in Maryland.  She'd spent most of the break with her family on the island, but there had been a handwavedomg trip to see Aly.  And sunshine.  But mostly Aly.

( Without a knowledge of mythology much of the elegant literature of our own language cannot be understood and appreciated.  )

 "Now, I found myself in need of some assistants, and I took the liberty of selecting based on the class rooster."  A list that, curiously, seemed to have been used for target practice with sharp objects.  Alianne was a horrible influence.  "Miss Solo, Miss Menolly, please see me after class."

[there is ocd, have fun!]

Build Your Own Philosophy, 1/4/10, Period 2

[tyler_gone]

The chalkboard at the front of the classroom today had a sentence written on it for the students to ponder as they took their seats.

All is water -- Thales of Miletus

"That statement," Tyler said as he waltzed in front of the students, "is where philosophy started, way back in the sixth century B.C. Thales is the first person whose writing has come down to us who we consider a philosopher, meaning he thought about the world and how it worked outside an entirely religious context."

He was pacing as he continued to talk. "What we want to do in this class is exactly that. Be philosophers. Make sense of the world. I know, I'm supposed to be the guy who blows stuff up and makes people fight each other -- but that isn't just because I'm a jerk." Not that he was denying that he was a jerk. "It's because the way I understand the world is by looking at the abyss. Looking at destruction. You can think I'm right, or wrong, or crazy -- I'll be happy to talk it through. But by the end of the term, after we've talked about a different philosopher every week, I want all of you to be able to tell me how you see the world, in 50 words or less."

Gesturing to the board, Tyler added, "Now, after Thales said everything was water -- transitory, insubstantial -- other people started talking back. Anaximander said it was all apeiron, which basically means there's an infinite basic mass that never goes away. Scientifically speaking he was right, as it happens, more or less. Anaximenes said everything was air -- that water was just another form of air. And Hericlitus? He was my kind of guy. He said it was all fire."

"Your assignment this week is to take a few minutes to think about it, and then stand up and tell us your name, one interesting thing about you, and how you'd finish the sentence 'All is ________.'" He gave a slight smile to Ino at the last bit assuming she was there. See, he could vary his opening-day spiel.

"Think now. When you're done, we start with you," he said, pointing randomly. "Oh, and I haven't set up TAs yet. If you're up for it, come see me after class."