claudiapena.com

After friend and artist of the above picture JR Gonzales got 27 stitches in him, I had to post his work. Surely, it would go up in value.

FREE!! One of the best downloadable workout books from John Davenport at FitFirmBody the Four Week Turbulence Training. The advertisement is on the back page and I love all the different workouts and with color pictures.

W00t, w00t! Yes, the word has two zeros in it and made it to Webster’s word of the year. Wow, never knew pecksniffian was an actual word. View the discussion on Yvonne’s Writer’s Cafe. Also, check out the educational awards best use of the net: first place made a whole second life community with her students. As well as the most beautiful pictures in math for my math class.

You can, but I can’t. Check out my friend SCEF at Hip Hop is poetry and thank you for his continual support to the Houston Poetry scene!

Welcome artist and Led Zep enthusiast recently added to the blogroll, Mr. Giaccomo. I love the picture of the unsuspected students caught in the plastic of his installations. Hmmm…I think I feel a saran wrap piece in my classroom for some of those challenging cases!

Remember, the days when you just drove up to huge Barnes and Nobles and picked up the latest poetry book at 10pm at night for the heck of it? No, really? Good, then send an actual poetry book my way for Christmas! Subtlety is such an overrated tactic.

Coming soon, view my hundreds of pictures of Korea and Thailand (itching to add Palao) on flickr. Gotta get acquainted with my cam first and finish my classes…just one more week…must go on…to be continued….

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Research papers pushed my creative writing to a slow pace, but I’m back. Thank you for hanging in there. The following picture is courtesy of J. R. Gonzales, writer of Houston’s Bayou City History. Thank you so much for your beautiful work:

In the calendar:

October 10th, 2006 - Continues strong in the educational world with the case of Megan Meier. No legal action can be brought against the adults who helped this tragedy happen but it does raise issues of ethics and morality. To see more of the story, and some graphic commentaries, please visit YouTube. I would like to hear more of this in the blogosphere.

December - International AIDS Awareness Month. CNN statistics show that there are 40 million people in the world REPORTED living with AIDS. In the USA, the African American population represent half of the cases, with DC leading the nation reporting 128 cases per 100,000 people. In a country where research has lead to the first virus blocker, many don’t test for fear. Let’s take care of our own, relate the information and encourage testing.

January 10th - Day of NO BLOGGING, but do pick up a book and read. Brought to you by NaBloPoMo and Gunfighter. Why? Because the average American will spend 2.5 hours in front of the tube and about 7 minutes reading a book. My book for fun and craft is The Wrong Word Dictionary by Dave Dowling, with a free quiz to see if you really need the book.

February 7th - Lunar New Year 2008: Year of the Rat and a time of warmth, reflection, gratitude and celebration. I’m looking forward to it!

July 14th - Blogging While Brown conference in Atlanta, Georgia is happening, following in the footsteps of BlogHer.com It’s neat to see the power of the internet at work.

Great sites I visit often: miltonramirez.com showed a beautiful video of Compaq founder at the Stanford commencement. Mr. Steve Jobs was kicked out of the company he built, going for broke and sick, but the man still made millions. Tenacity is so admirable!

What teachers talk about when students aren’t around: Learning a new language is very difficult. Most people will learn how to read, write and then speak a language since speaking requires instant memory recall. When out of the blue, a teacher turns on Nickelodian showing students to “own your farts.” There was a serious discussion whether or not to use it as a tool for discussion and participation. (LOL, it’s a tough business!)

However, the best (via Andy Carvin’s learning.now) video/website so far comes from a sixth grade class who got tired of Animal Planet’s: Corwin’s Quest, Jeff Corwin, mangling the Spanish language. TeachJeffSpanish.com is a great classroom without walls.

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…with social networks!! Despite the ups and downs, I am exceptionally happy I’ve made my move. But I wonder about all my other coworkers. I keep getting join Facebook, MySpace, blah, blah, messages and I’m wondering: what the heck for? So, I composed my list of pros and cons of social net works.

Why social networks are the devil
1. Social networks keep people glued to the computer and do not allow for face to face interaction. Think about it, how many of the people that actually comment your site will even talk to you on the phone, much less meet? I’ve only met one person who commented on my site and talked to another. Most everyone else, we met first than they read my site.
2. Can’t spare the .02 per minute it takes to hear my voice than I’m probably not that important, and you’re probably not gonna go the extra effort and be a nice friend to begin with so why bother? Use the computer as a tool not a shield!
3. There is always one more fad that you gotta keep up with. Hey, how much do you really need to function (that includes you, techy people)?
4. A social network is only as good as the amount of people that keep up with it…and we all know a crowd is as stable as bees wax in the middle of a Houston summer.
5. Advertisers are lewd, annoying and immoral. Why should my name be associated with these people?
6. If your marital status is complicated, then your life is complicated. Why should I take my time to meet you?
7. Can’t see My Space at work, but I get RSS from all the blogs I like to read.
8. I own my work and not My Space.
9. Digital “socializing” takes time away from quality efforts. What can you do with all the time you spend on these networks: travel, read a classic, learn a new language, try a new dish…..

Bottom line: If you don’t turn off your compu and leave the house, how the heck are you gonna eat some very expensive no fat, 100 protein, silk worm stew or check out Big Buddah or learn how to properly squat?

Why social networks are like two ply toilet paper
1. For non-profits and other group organizations this has been a great way to keep in touch with members and not send massive emails. (Yeah, but why can’t you do that on your own website?)
2. A My Space page is easier and cheaper to make than my own website. (LOL, cheaper? yeah, easier? I object. IT took me about the same amount of time to figure how to change the stinking back ground as to load Word Press. Plus, I have more options available to me. I’m a female, I can spend the 18 bucks a year it takes to look prettier.)
3. It’s easier to find people on these social networks. (So, why not just run a Google search?)
4. Eventually you are going to want to network because no man is an island to itself. (true, but I’ve gotten more use out networks like the Digital Photography School that have a purpose and provide real information. I stay in a niche.)

Here is my remedy for social networks:
1. Make a schedule time to turn off the computer and do it.
2. Plan an outing.
3. Next time someone asks you for your profile id, ask why, if it’s for worthwhile club you would actually attend a meeting than give them your email address and let them know you can only use a work computer. Otherwise take your purse, drink and food and say, “Sorry, I think it’s satan’s Digital Forum.” Walk away. Not many people will argue with you on that note.

Like minded people include:
1. Jawad Shuaib on the Shuzak social network…lol! Love the pic.
2. Zen and the Art of Non-profit Technology…Amen
3. And Dan Robinson’s commentary…do you really think the blogosphere is the next social network? Maybe, it’s just me but it seems to be populated with rebels, you might have a hard time gathering a majority into one cohesive action let alone keep them over time. Then again, check out the upcoming Blog Expo Nov. 8-9 via Yvonne Russell’s blog. Worth the pondering prospecting penny!

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to the Houston House Heads and music lovers:13-track-13.mp3.I wish I could tell you their website but I can gather CM Entertainment, “Korean Best Music”, bar code 8-806301711049. Also, please go by the Grow Your Writing Business

website to enjoy a weekend conversation. Enjoy!


Around the dusty blackboard…What is love?
1. ‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’ Billy - age 4, wow
2. ‘Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.’ Karl - age 5, lol! yes, smells matter
3. ‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.’ Tommy - age 6
4. ‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.’ Mary Ann - age 4

Best metaphors and similes in high school…
1. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. (amen, brother)
2. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it. (who has this kid been talking to?!)
3. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. (sorry to my Canadian buddies)
4. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever. (LOL!!)

From my traveling journals…
1. To say ignorance is a bliss, is to chew into an unknown protein source that’s not quiet beef or chicken but the sauce and the rice taste so darn good, you pray for quiet perpetual ignorance.
2. An oxymoron is the comforting uncomfortable feeling of cramps and gas she got after drinking real cow milk after weeks without it…pain never tasted so good!
3. Friendship is when your friend finds all the salsa clubs abroad and watches you be happy because she doesn’t dance a lick.
4. Happiness is looking at the 4×7 “water closet”/apartment and knowing she don’t need a thing but a good stable companion and her friends are only a phone call away.
5. She felt icky, like when the weird wrinkling, balding, and creepy foreigner, who couldn’t speak a lick of Korean even after 4 years in the country, wouldn’t stop looking at her breast even with two shirts on.
dried squid french fries

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Poetry, Colombian food, salsa, good friends…what else could you want?! Life is GOOD and I am so blessed to have a friends and supporters like you, so come out to my big bash and let me know through an email or evite.com

Arepas & Empanadas (family friendly atmosphere)
12792 Veterans Memorial Dr., Houston, TX 77014
$15 per person covers buffet and the temporary booze license cost
BYOB, as well as your poems or instruments
6:30 - 7:30 Poetry get down
8:00 - 9 free salsa lessons
9 - 11 PARTY! and then probably the Tropicana
Remember, if I can't pack it, it ain't going!

Ya know, I have to thank poet SCEF for allowing me to rediscover how much fun performance poetry can be. Please support him and the folks at Mojo Rising for hosting the Poetic Jazz Night every 3rd Thursday of the month. Also, thanks to the wonderful musicians: Al on the Congas and Alex on the sax. That was such a beautiful present…so SCEF, you hosting my fiesta, o ke?

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Locally: My big bash is coming up Aug. 11th, if you are in town please come by. My good friend and artist Yvonne Zepeda will be organizing it. I also have a new cell number and calls are free from pc to pc if you have a Google Talk Beta but you need a gmail account and a microphone headset. Email me if you have any questions.

Thursday, July 26th, I will be supporting poet and friend SCEF (pronounced with a hard K) at Mojo Rising for poetry. Check out his website: poetryishiphop.

Check out my art at the Starbucks off 249 and Antoine. I have 3 pieces from my light photography, 5 poems, and 4 abstract paintings. Thank you to Mr. T. Smith, manager, for his continued support. Please stop by and show your latte love.

I LOVE my financial planners. Thanks to their help I should be credit card free within a year and a half. They are honest, reached at any time and knowledgeable: Kyle Sadler at Valic and the Moore Insurance Group.

In the blogosphere:
Good luck to all the contestants of the Top 10. I am not sure how to put all the links on my blog so I am going to send you over to my friend Selpana’s blog. Check it out.

FREE!! What more do you need to know? Wikki is offering free space which I will try out with my class this fall. Love existentialist drama? get a class set of books from the queen herself, Ayn Rand. Subscribe to Grant Wrangler to get updates teachers and artists and non-profits.

Mad love again to Barnes and Noble as I just got my latest Moleskin for $10, check out the back to school sale with 25% off plus the additional teacher discount.

Below is a pic of the once a month Galveston poetry competition hosted by SCEF. It was so much fun and a beautiful drive.

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