Rock the Casbah and boy, do I feel smart

Ms. Phillips & Mrs. DK came to Mrs. Bligh and I and said, "Hey, could you put together a unit on the US' foreign policy towards the Middle East, Truman through Obama?  We only have one class period."

"Sure thing!" I was so naively enthusiastic.

After a couple of weeks of going back and forth and trying to come up with some really awesome project that would relay all the complexities of the many different situations in the Middle East, we came up with Plan B.  Make a timeline.  Turns out - it was really good!

All classes worked their rear ends off, researching their president and then summarizing main points within each presidency, and in turn presenting to the class.

Too bad I can't make this sound as exciting as it was.  And it was exciting.  Trust me.  And I'm not just saying that because I'm a librarian and lead a boring life.

Mrs. Bligh brought in the Arabic remake of the Clash's Rock the Casbah, Rock el Casbah. For the story behind this song, read this article on Wikipedia.  Yes, Wikipedia.  The song tells of a Sharif outlawing rock music, only to have the people defy him and rock the casbah.



Here's the original,  filmed in Austin...

Ever had to drink horse urine?

And we think we have it rough.  There were members of China's Liberation Army forced to drink horse urine on the Long March because they *literally* (Parks and Rec, anyone?) had nothing else.

Mrs. Bligh and I took that little nugget (which stuck with me for the gross factor, obviously) and many more we learned from reading Jean Fritz's China's Long March along with :

Jung Chang's Mao: The Unknown Story (both GREAT books, though you have to be in it for the long haul to finish Chang's biography - but look through the pictures to learn that Mao never bathed <had his people rub him down with hot towels> nor brushed his teeth.  She uses a picture of Mao laughing heartedly...with his black teeth showing in all their glory.) 

At any rate, the purpose for this post is to tell the story of how, once upon a time, in a land with library assistants to cover the fort while the librarians go to classes (a time never to return?), two librarians dressed as Chairman Mao and Otto Brawn (original, German leader of the Long March for those of you not in the know) - banged on Mrs. Giblin's door and commandeered her class and marched throughout our school simulating the Long March, as best we could.

Once in the library, after drinking "horse urine" (apple juice, really), men falling off cliffs, leaving babies behind with peasants, and the big break between Mao and Brawn, students arrived in the library to complete an info hunt.  From here, Mao lectured from his bed, as he was known to do at the end of his life.

"A revolution is not a dinner party."
Mao Zedong

(but is it a slumber party?)

We so enjoyed working with Mrs. Giblin and Mr. Chenowith on this project - looking forward to next year!  "Down with the Nationalists, Communists unite!"

Interested in learning more about this fascinating country?  I'd like to recommend:

Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin
On Gold Mountain by Lisa See
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan also by Lisa See
Chinese Lessons by John Pomfret
and of course anything by Amy Tan

DISCLAIMER: above links are to Amazon but I'm not suggesting you buy them - CHECK THEM OUT FROM YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY (big smile).

You'll never see a cat in war

This picture makes me practically weep.  When I think of how doggedly loyal (hence the saying), intelligent and fierce dogs are, I can hardly stand it.  I know that my little CharChar would would follow me to the ends of the earth.  What would I do without her???

In honor of our four-legged companions who serve our country, I'm going to suggest a couple of books.  If you like dogs -these are must reads!

Letters from Wolfie by Sherlock- an oldie but goodie.  I'm a sucker for a good dog book, but I still say you can't help but like this one.  Wolfie's pre-teen master can't serve in Vietnam, but his dog can!  Once Wolfie is away at war, his soldier companion writes letters that Wolfie "dictates" and sends them back home.  Learning of the treatment of these brave dogs during the Vietnam conflict was heart-breaking (have your Kleenex at hand).  However, I was pleased to hear that conditions finally improved under Clinton.

From Baghdad, with love: A marine, the war and a dog named Lava by Kopelman.  This non-fiction book tells the story of Kopelman and his fellow soldiers breaking the no-pets-allowed rule and adopting a sweet angel named Lava.  True dog-man love in the ruins of war.  Beautiful.

Finally, check out this article in the Huffington Post that tells of the heroic canine strapped to a solder's chest as he lowered himself down from a helicopter during the Osama Bin Laden raid.  Big sigh. 

I'm going to give Char extra love tonight when I go home. (She shares her mother's taste in bedtime reading.)