It's Actually Not That Complicated; Tuesday, Second Period, 08/30.

[died8yearsago]

Class would get started in just a few minutes, because there was a band of bears in the corner playing some sick riffs right now. Rosa was less concerned about being rude by cutting them off, though. She just thought they were just killing it, and wanted to see how this played out. But, eventually, they did finish thier set, the shaggy lead singer growled out something else into the mic, and then they took their leave to go play at their next random-ass venue, and it was time to go from metal to movies.

"Alright," said Rosa. "That was a thing. So. Anyway, if you're here, you're here for It's Actually Not That Complicated: Life Lessons from the Films of Nancy Meyers. But who, you may be wondering, because you're a degenerate with absolutely no taste, is Nancy Meyers? Well, she's only just one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful writer/director/producers of our time. Her movies are not only incredibly well told stories with amazing details and competent, relatable women in the lead roles, but they are a veritable feast for the eye, the mind, and the soul. And we're going to talk about them, because, quite frankly, nobody talks about them enough.

( Sometimes when I'm writing I'll play Cole Porter, just because the rhythms and the lyrics are so perfect that it's like having a smart partner in the room. )

And here, Rosa paused to wait, just as she said she would, but not quite long enough for anyone to actually say anything before she finished up with, "That's what I thought. Now, we're not going to start getting into the actual movies until next week, but it wouldn't hurt to at least see where you're all at with this subject matter. Any questions? Do any of you currently have a favorite Nancy Meyers movie or one in particular you'd like to talk about? Or are you lucky and get to experience all of this for the very first time?"

History of American Inventions, Tuesday - Third Period

[imafuturist]

There was a robot in front of the classroom today instead of two teachers, which kind of worked for a course on American inventions and you were feeling a little generous.

What Dum-E would teach was, frankly, anyone's guess.

He did have a little hastily written note taped to him.

Sorry to miss the first class, but an emergency has come up. Please don't let Dum-E near your drinks. He still thinks people need oil.

Another handwriting--more old-fashioned--has added, Someone with thumbs please turn on the instructional video about Beulah Louise Henry and take notes. We'll ask you about her next week!

So enjoy this children's cartoon, kids.

Libraries and Books: Highlights and Dangers, Tuesday

[intheeyeofthebeholding]

If Jon looked a bit strained and tired...well, you should all be used to that by now; it was Jon.

"Good morning," he said as they got settled. "I, um. Well, it looks like we can skip introductions today, at least as far as who we all are. I should still tell you a bit about the class. Books can be wonderful, and libraries can be very useful, but...but sometimes they're dangerous. Here in Fandom, the really dangerous ones are kept safe by Mr. Constantine, the librarian, in Special Collections. Out in the wild, they may be more difficult to spot, and that can be a problem.

"Anyway, I thought I would share some of the ways to spot dangerous books, and what you can do with them if you do. And since that's not much for an entire semester, we'll also be going over things like how books in libraries are organized, how they're bound, and how to care for the regular sort. So."

He nodded. "You can start with your name if you like, although I think we already know each other, but I would like to know what you hope to gain from this class, if you have any particular expectations or requests, and what sort of experience you've had already with regular books and libraries and with the less safe ones."

How to Deal with your Dark Side, Tuesday - Fourth Period

[trigons_child]

Raven had arrived early to her classroom to get things set up properly. She wanted the students to feel comfortable, physically and mentally, so she had arranged for a variety of places and surfaces to sit upon. There were more traditional chairs and desks, but also several squishy bean bags and pillows on the floor, all of which could be easily moved if the students wanted to sit closer together or apart.

When it seemed everyone arrived, Raven stood up and began to speak, though not without a hint of nervousness to be teaching her first class. "Good afternoon," she said, radiating calm as she gave all the students a smile. "Welcome to How to Deal with your Dark Side. My name is Raven, and I was once a student here at Fandom. During that time, I struggled a great deal with my own dark side and...almost destroyed the world one or two times in the process." Details. "I thought perhaps that I could now help others with their own struggles, and make their experiences less traumatizing than mine.

"This class room is a safe space," she continued. "Anything you say in here or to me will be kept in complete confidence if you wish. The squirrels have been warned." She glanced sideways out the window, trying to see if there were any reporters lurking there. "Please introduce yourselves and tell me why you have taken this class. You may tell me that privately if you wish; please do not feel pressured. My hope is that I can offer help tailored to your particular situations. And if you have any questions about my own experiences, feel free to ask."

[Wait for the OCD, please! OCD is up! And label any threads NFB if you don't want the squirrels reporting on it. At work, busy with systems change, so will likely be SP.]