So You Want To Be A Jedi, Again, Some More, Monday Period 3

[jedigrammarians]

Aphra had managed to acquire a large selection of comfortable mats and cushions from somewhere, along with a portable speaker playing vaguely soothing noise. "Meditation!" That would explain the set-up. "Meditating and becoming one with the Force was considered a pastime that the Jedi spend quite a lot of their time on. You know, between the laser sword fights.

"So make yourselves comfortable, close your eyes, and connect with the universe."

Or just take a nap. Because that's what she'd be doing.

Culinary Crimes; Tuesday, Second Period [05/25].

[somethingwithturquoise]

There was enough of Summer's humanity in tact that she wondered, briefly, if what she was about to do in class today would end up being too terrible even for her. After all, shouldn't some things be sacred? Shouldn't some things be left sacred?

And then she remembered Dante's disparaging looks regarding the okonomiyaki in Japan and decided, you know what? No. Some things maybe needed to be bastardized a little just to bring it down a peg or two.

"Morning, everyone!" Summer greeted them all cheerfully from the station at the front of the classroom. "Today's going to be a good one! Today, we're doing a classic staple that everyone," well, honestly, considering the people in her class, she wouldn't be surprised if quite a few of them were actually a little disdainful about most pizza, so the most everyone was implied, "enjoys, a favorite of overworked parents, bribing teachers, and college party-goers alike, and that's pizza!

"Now," she said, turning a little serious for a moment, "I don't want to hear anyone try to pull the 'well, that's not technically pizza because blah blah blah' stuff on me. We're working with mayo and pears and soup for these recipes, technically went out the window the moment we entered the class. Technically pizza, technically sane, technically fit for human consumption? All of them. Gone. Right out the window. So, without further ado, let's get some of these started so we can get them baking and see how they fare in the court of popular taste buds."

The Art of Haiku; Tuesday, Third Period [05/24].

[sake_shinigami]

Even though Shunsui had a little bit of inspiration for a class that would make use of the danger shop, he figured he'd best save that for a day when the weather was not so amenable. And so it was under the tree in the park by the pond yet again, with the parchments and caligraphy brushes and birdsong and the beverages (he'd just gotten tea now, based on what he'd discerned to be the students' general preferences), and then it was time for poetry.

"Ohayōgozaimasu, ducklings ♥," Shunsui greeted them with his usual lazy smile. "I hope you're ready to learn a little more about the lovely little tidbits of poetry we call haiku today, because that will be exactly what we'll be doing ♥. More specifically, I'd like to use some class time to learn about some of Japan's greatest haiku-ists, look at some of their work, consider their inspirations, and in turn use it to hopefully inspire our own works, as well &hearts. And no examination of Japanese haiku would be complete without looking first to Bashō.

"We've mentioned Matsuo Bashō in this class before, with our very first introduction, though anyone familiar with Japanese poetry would need no introduction. He was the foremost poet of the Edo era, and arguably one of the foremost poets of history. He didn't come to be known as the Master of the Haiku for nothing ♥. He was introduced to poetry at a young age, infusing himself in the intellectual culture of Tokyo during his time and teaching for a bit," a small smile and a nod of his head as if to acknowledge that, clearly, some of the truly best poets were also teachers, "before deciding to travel often and wander the wilderness in search for inspiration. Clearly," here, Shunsui chuckled faintly, "it worked ♥.

"So let's have a look at four of Bashō's poems, discuss what we like or perhaps don't like about them, and then we'll use the rest of class to work on our own poems, to share with the class before we depart until next week if you feel so inclined ♥."

With that, Shunsui reached for the first scroll.

Sam Eagle Presents: A Salute To... [Tuesday, 5/25, 4th Period]

[but_mostly_america]

For the third week in a row, Sam was standing behind a podium and in front of an American flag. Was the flag larger than the week before? It might have been.

“The bird,” Sam began, precisely on time just like he had been the past 2 weeks, “is, of course, the pinnacle of animalkind. We are noble and impressive creatures! Which is why today, I, Sam Eagle, present A Salute to all Birds, but Mostly Bald Eagles! Except for penguins. Penguins are ridiculous. I work with penguins. I do not recommend them as colleagues!”

The Muppet penguins were, of course, ridiculous. They were Muppets not named Sam, after all. Only Sam was not ridiculous and how dare anyone, even in narrative, ever imply otherwise.

“Never trust a bird that swims better than it can fly,” Sam continued. “A bird that can soar! That is the bird you want to be!” Clearly all of Sam’s students wanted to be birds, right? Why wouldn’t they?

“Birds are meant for the sky! Birds that exist in the water are abnormal! They are weird! And as for birds that can only run...those are nearly as bad! Though I do not recommend angering the emu or the ostrich! Especially the emu. Australia is a dangerous place and its inhabitants can be unpredictable.”

“But enough about inferior birds! We should discuss more impressive winged creatures. From the California condor to the tiny yet industrious hummingbird! Those of us who fly through the air are to be commended. And of course, American birds most of all! And the most American of all birds is the bald eagle! The symbol of this great nation! The most majestic of all birds! The most noble! The most patriotic! Simply the best!”

Bald eagles were also notable for their humble attitudes.

"It was once suggested by Benjamin Franklin, my least favorite founding father, that the common wild turkey be the national bird! Preposterous! Turkeys are for Thanksgiving dinner, not for representing an entire nation! Thankfully, he was outvoted! I suppose we should be grateful he did not suggest something worse. Like a penguin."

“Now! I do not suppose any of you have anything to share about any other birds? Or if you would like to share a fact about the bald eagle I would certainly not get in your way!”

Bounty Hunters for Beginners | Tuesday, 1st Period

[flourish_or_perish]

Once more, that oddly retro-futuristic television set was wheeled into the class, though this time Faye was smugly clutching the case for the film they'd be watching.

"Movie day! This is a really optimistic take on bounty-hunting," Faye shared. "Like, I wish it went this way."

And that anyone she worked with looked anything like dreamy Gerard Butler.

Din had decided this battle wasn't worth fighting. Also he was a slight pushover. So. There was that. "It's a lot less entertaining most of the time," he assured the class like a big ol' buzzkill.

"Maybe for you." No, Faye, for you, too. "Feel free to take a nap. There won't be a quiz."

Faye was good at teachering, everyone.

Magical Theory & Practice, Tuesday, Period 7

[tellmehowstuffworks]

"I previously touched on the concept of exchange, that is, you have to give something to get something. This is intrinsic to my magical background, where we are taught to avoid using our own energy as, obviously, that could kill you. Instead we prefer to take energy from things like plants." Yennefer held up a flower, which wilted in her hand as a pebble on the desk before her rose to levitate in the air. "Some of us, of course, have larger stores of internal power than others, and thus are able to do more magic without damaging ourselves or, say, killing a nearby forest. Does your magical tradition have something similar? What are the rules of that exchange? If there are none, then what is stopping you from becoming a god?" She let the rock fall back to the desktop. "Discuss."

The Future History of Science, Tuesday 6th period

[what_the_shock]

"Right, we all know what we're doing today?" Miguel checked with them. "Testing the hover function, some careful riding in here to get used to them, and paint jobs."

He knew which of those were likely to appeal to some of you, and he was wondering where a fire or explosion would come in.

"Get to it, let me know if you need help."