Rage Against the Machine: Etc, Etc, Etc; Tuesday, Second Period [03/15].

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Alright, guys!" When the class got to the Danger Shop, they'd find themselves on a beautiful planet in the early blue moments of pre-dawn, which, if you'd been paying any attention at all, you'd be able to assume was not everything it appeared to be. "So, the votes were in, and, overall, it seemed that the top choice for our escape to a new base was this one. The screaming sun planet. And, wouldn't you know it, we've arrived just in time for sunrise, too! So now we're going to live with our actions, and remember, we used the last of our fuel to get here, so....welcome to the new base, let's make the most of it."

With that, perfectly timed with Summer's conclusion, the horizon started to glow with the the golden touch of the rising sun, a faint and muffled sound rising as if from a far off distance, and, before long, that screaming sun was in full sight, the sound of it in full blast, and with no sign of letting up any time soon.

At least you were only here for a class period, though, right?

Living with Trauma, Tuesday 3/15

[stykera]

The classroom was not set up for a movie today. Today it was just a usual classroom with the usual alien standing at the front of the room holding what had become a usual large coffee.

“Things have been difficult this year,” Stark said quietly. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’d spoken to him or seen him since January.

“A friend has been reminding me that even when things are hard, even when things are terrible and painful, there are still good things as well. No matter how much I might struggle to remember that sometimes.” Stark was no longer standing still. He’d started pacing while he spoke.

“It’s too easy to lose track of the good when the bad seems so much bigger. And sometimes it is bigger. But even then…even now, it helps to try and focus on what good remains, sometimes. Not always. And you can’t ignore the rest of it. You can’t pretend the bad isn’t there. You can’t pretend that it doesn't hurt. That doesn’t help. It can’t help. But you can’t pretend the good things aren’t still there either. I can’t. I need reminders, sometimes. Perhaps,” he continued, looking around, “some of you do as well?” He wasn’t going to pry. If anyone needed the reminder, there it was.

“I spent some time this weekend, with my friend, being reminded. That being here is a good thing. That my friends from before being fine now, this time, is a good thing. That my friends here being here is a good thing. That being with those friends is a good thing. That my being better than I was is a good thing.”

“So…those are a few things that are still good. Things I need to remember. If you like, you can talk about good things for you. Share them. Things that still exist, in spite of everything else. Even little things can be good. Sometimes the little good things are all you have.”

Books vs Movies, Tuesday first period

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

It was possible that Jon had gotten this class list after searching Google for useful things.

It was possible he hadn't actually known this story before reading it.

It was possible he was a little uncomfortable with the whole "people becoming monsters" topic. And definitely conflicted over the man-eating monsters being the good guys. But he was an adult, he could handle this.

"I hope you all enjoyed the story," he started out. "And, um. We should probably touch on a few things. Like the fact that psychiatrists in general are not conniving serial killers," he trailed off as he remembered his office's prior occupant. "Also," he hurried on, "in general it's a bad idea to trust in the good will of monsters. Or police." Or police who were monsters. Unless you risked your life for them and...never mind, he was getting sidetracked by his own mind.

"Let's just watch the movie, shall we?"


Afterward, he wrote next week's book on the board: The Golden Compass.


[Sorry, no online text for next week's, apparently.]

Mad Kings & Queens: Raving Royals and How To Survive Them (Tuesday, 4th Period)

[atreideslioness]

"Apologies for being out," Ghanima said, once everyone had assembled. "I was needed at home to preside over a legal matter. I am considered a more 'neutral' or 'merciful' judge than my brother, which, really, is just sexism at play, but it can be satisfying to crush their hopes of getting an acquittal simply because of my 'soft heart.'"

"A few weeks ago, an excellent question was raised," Ghanima continued brightly.  "Why kings or emperors at all?  Why royalty?"  

( In which Ghanima gets chatty )