I will try to curb a tart and critical tongue by tempering my comments with a little kindness and objectivity.  I thought “Bud-the-Teacher’s piece on cyberbullying was trite and juvenile–let’s all hold hands and sing the pepsi song and “just get along.”  “Excellent.”  I didn’t feel like it offered anything thoughtful or insightful– just drivel that was a good laugh when read aloud to your husband on a a Sunday night after an exhausting day of texturing and painting the hallway.  Admittedly, one is a little punchy and easily entertained when overly tired, but I found myself laughing as I read it, and consequently guessing that is was written by a student.  Unfortunately it was not, and so I went to bed excited about the opportunity to lambast it today.  Sleep lessened that appealing propsect and found me a little more tolerant and a little less entertained today.

The article of “Blog Overload” was thought-provoking.  I kept thinking back to the zeal and enthusiasm displayed by Heidi Mick (Of Platte City) who was so revved about the blogs she had created for her students.  I compared her enthusiasm with the commentary by the author, that blogs had become a bit of a “snore” and that the students were interesting–their blogs were not. I appreciated her points to contemplate “don’t be afraid to punt.”

The last article, I did, in truth, not completely read, so I could not do justice to it.    I read the first few pages with interest, the experiment at the school in Quebec, Canada was inspiring, if not like reading a piece of fiction.  Once my brain turned to the off setting, I found myself contemplating the amazing idea of this cyber school in which even fifth graders enthustiastically posted daily remarks.  It sounded glorious- but too unidentifiable for me to really appreciate the level of technology and administrative support required to produce that sort of a phenomenon.  Remarkable.

Iridescent Rapture Blue,

The name conjures up images of

violins swelling within the walls

of a velvet and gold appointed Music hall.

It dwells in fog-clad meadows,

lingering in faraway lands inhabited by dashing Princes

and diaphanous silk-draped maidens.

 It is reflected in precious trinkets  

of fragile pink-blown glass, figurines of unicorns and fairy nymphs, tinkling like tiny silver bells on a leather strap.

The bubbling, laughter of white-foamed waves 

assaulting a wild rocky coast,

peopled by characters like Catherine and Heathcliff,

and the clear, white-blue sky

shimmering like a mantle of sunlight 

on rare flashing gems

magically captured by the

 brilliance and elusiveness of

Iridescent Rapture Blue.  

Knowledge is Power.