Quiz Students Every Day

RE-POST - Mazenglish, 2012

"The students don't read ...."

How many times over the years have I heard this complaint. And it should be no surprise to any English teacher in the country. Students don't read unless A.) they want to, or B.) they have to. And the only way to make sure they have to is to evaluate them regularly and strictly. Whether it is a graded discussion, or participation points, or daily quizzes, the only way teachers can guarantee that the students are prepared is to make it hurt if they aren't. Granted, this theory only works in schools where students are reasonably motivated to pass. Most suburban schools and all schools with college-bound populations have students who care enough. However, if they have been conditioned to believe they can get by without reading, many will not crack open the Scarlet Letter or Readings in American History or any book for that matter.

So, quiz everyday and they will respond. Let them know they can get away without reading, and they will.

UPDATE - So, I posted these thoughts back when I was teaching full time, and I don't disagree with my original point. However, in looking back, I am a little put off by my assertion that the "only way to guarantee that students are prepared is to make it hurt if they aren't."  Something about that rubs me the wrong way these days. I do believe in accountability, and I know that many students won't read if they don't have to. And, I will concede to my students that often it is nearly impossible for them to efficiently and effectively read everything that is assigned to them. I get it - I really do. So, there has to be a comfortable compromise to encourage and inspire the reading of literature. "Making it hurt" just doesn't sound right.

What do you think?

Chef Tregaye Named Food Network Star - Longtime Viewers Shocked & Disappointed.

Well, as I tweeted several times last night, I don't know why I keep watching Food Network Star. It just seems that since winners like Arti  and Jeff Mauro, the show has become less about choosing a true "Food Network Star," and more about ... well, I don't know what. Chef Tregaye - who is clearly a talented chef and reasonably engaging person - won on the basis of "fleek" and "gettin things poppin'," and some unexplained focus on "food fusion," which I think I understand but never saw from her. But, clearly, there was an early bias from the judges - especially Bobby Flay - who obviously decided that he wanted Tregaye to win when he said, "This is yours to lose," while many viewers were still trying to figure out why Tregaye was even interesting. In fact, the pre-determined selection was so glaringly obvious that the Food Network gossip is already accusing Bobby Flay and Giada of "rigging the contest."

Of course, Chef Tregaye winning wasn't nearly as shocking as Chef Damiano Carrara being eliminated first. He was clearly the most talented of the chefs - though I will agree that Jenard can bring it. But, beyond that, Chef Carrara has the widest appeal. I mean, heck, the guy is a walking GQ cover - he is charming with that old world accent, and the women in his pilot were clearly infatuated as much with him as with his knowledge of pastries. I mean, come on, doesn't the Food Network need a smokin' hot chef?  Don't answer - they do. But beyond that, Damiano was just so consistently good and likable. While his camera presence wasn't always stellar (ie., he didn't have to phonily ham it up), he was always well-liked - there's just no downside to him. There are no obvious criticisms like many viewers would make of Tregaye's "Millennial tone and lingo" or Jenard's really uncomfortable "love" vibe? What does "Chef of Love" even really mean?

Now, granted, some viewers will argue that the choice of Chef Tregaye is intended to bring in a young, new audience that likes a casual gossipy "fleeky, poppin" show. But I don't really think that's a solid approach for the Food Network. The FN doesn't understand its audience - Tregaye should be an online feature and Damiano should be allowed to become a true Food Network "TV" Star. Tregaye can appeal to a group on YouTube videos, but she is nothing like Bobby or Tyler or Giada or Zakarian or even Guy. And, of course, the "Guy Fieri" problem is a big part of this issue. As I've noted before, the Food Network developed a hit with Triple-D, and now they have decided that Guy's style and show is the only thing people want to see. It is certainly just a "Food" network now, as opposed to a culinary and cooking network. Guy has a great show where he cooks - but that isn't on five times in a row. And, why have the last two seasons of pilots just been the finalists filming a Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives type of show? There's not even any specific skill to that. What ever happened to these aspiring chefs actually developing a Point of View and a show of their own? Now the Food Network just wants to mass produce Guy Fieri. That's a shame.

As far as the "rigged" accusation is concerned - that's not exactly fair. Bobby and Giada are the judges, and they decided that a young, "poppin," social media personality is where the Food Network needs to go - and they decided that a few weeks in. They wanted her, and they chose her. The "rigged" part is that despite Damiano's potential and success, he never had a chance because they wanted a social media, slangy, gossipy girlfiend type of show. That's not who Bobby is or Giada is or Tyler is .... or who Jeff and Geoffery used to be. And, their laughs and cheers for her "fleekiness" was just so staged and fake. That's not a Food Network Television Star.

So, whatever. Good for Tregaye. Hope this is a nice opportunity for her and her family. I won't be watching.

Election 2016 is about "Normal" vs. "Abnormal"

I'll just keep saying it and hoping that a few Republicans, or like me independents who aren't thrilled by Hillary Clinton, realize and accept that the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States would represent a collossal disaster of political ignorance and misguided voting. It's not just about policies - though The Donald's are certainly ripe for criticism. This is about integrity, dignity, and respect. And Donald Trump is just an incredibly crass, immature, ignorant, unsophisticated, vindictive, bigoted, horrible, awful person.

The recent national conventions of both the Democratic and Republican parties offered glaringly disparate portraits of their nominees and their visions for America. It wasn't just about liberal vs conservative or Democrat vs Republican; it was, as Vox.com political writer Ezra Klein so adroitly explains, about a normal person/platform and an abnormal one.



Please don't vote for that .... uh, .... person.

Wine Views - "Drinking the Old Stuff"

It's a great time to be a wine drinker, especially in the High Country with all the wine and jazz fests. While I enjoy beer, wine, and bourbon, I am developing in the direction of being a Wine Enthusiast, though I still consider myself a novice. A recent wine tasting with a friend led to my current immersion in Rex Pickett's classic wine novel Sideways, as well as the Judgment of Paris, which is known to film goers through the movie Bottleshock. So, I've got wine on the mind this week, and it was a nice bit of education to run across Wine Ink columnist Kelly Hayes' piece in the Summit Daily about drinking older vintages - not something novices like me usually engage in. But it has me intrigued, and I admit I was a bit "jelly" of my friend's new wine fridge where he has selections he drinks and selections he ages. 

The point is that for many of us, the opportunity to taste the wines from the historic vintages of the past is one that should be savored. Old wines — similar to old people — have achieved texture, character and beauty that is a result of having been afforded time to mature. Not all old wines, of course. But there are special wines sourced from grapes born in vintages in which the sun and the seasons smiled softly upon them and were crafted by winemakers whose deft hands gently persuaded them to perfection. These are wines that have been nurtured by owners who kept them in pristine condition for decades — never too warm, nor too cold. Just right, as they awaited the moment when the twisting of the cork and the rush of air through the bottle’s neck would announce that it was time for the wine to be drunk. My greatest old wine experience came from a bottle of Syrah from the Northern Rhone. Hermitage, to be precise. And it was not all that old. But the 1990 Hermitage Cuvee Cathelin, Domaine Jean-Louis Chave was one of those wines that demonstrated why having the patience to cellar and keep a wine for some time — in this case two decades — can be so rewarding. This was a wine from an outstanding vintage in a place that is as regarded as a mecca for lovers of Syrah.

I don't know if I'll ever be in the position to "set a wine aside for a couple decades," but I appreciated Kelly Hayes contributing to my wine education.

Michael Moore says Trump will Win

"President Trump ..."

Wow, is that really a possibility? It absolutely is if you believe progressive documentary filmmaker Michael Moore's line of thinking. Moore has been a pretty astute social and political commentator over the years, though his also a rather biased and occasionally conspiratorial thinker. That said, Moore is trying to prepare Democrats, liberals, progressives, and all non-Hillary Haters of the inevitbale - Donald Trump will win the Presidency of the United States simply because there are enough of his supporters who regularly vote to outpace the large numbers of women, Millennials, and minorities who would oppose Trump but are often disenfranchised. It's a pretty intriguing prediction. Moore's issues/arguments include:

• Midwest math
• Angry White Man
• Hillary Problem
• Sanders voters
• Jesse Ventura Effect

As an unaffiliated independent who scrutinizes and supports candidates from both major parties, I have been baffled by the popularity and staying power of Donald Tump. Knowing government as I do, I don't believe or support the "myth of the outsider" or non-politician who is going to ride in on a white horse and "fix Washington." But, strangely, a lot of educated white voters do. The same thing goes for the idea that we need a businessman to run the government. That's pretty much nonsense, but a lot of people believe it as well. So, it appears that the most unqualified man to run for President has a strong chance of beating out a woman whose life has been devoted to public service and who is, undoubtedly, one of the most qualified people to ever run for office. The sad reality for the "Never-Trump" crowd is that there are too many negatives around Hillary Clinton, and I am just beginning to understand how deep the Republican animosity toward her is.

So, Michael Moore may just have a point. Get ready.

Bill Clinton Makes Strong Case for Hillary

Oh, Bill.

Just like he did at the 2012 Democratic National Convention for Barack Obama, former president Bill Clinton worked his rhetorical magic in making the case that Hillary is a "change maker" who is the "real" choice in this election. He is undoubtedly, as one CNN panelist noted, "one the great speakers and storytellers of our time." The narrative approach began so poetically with "In the fall of 1971, I met a girl." It was, as speechwriter and consultant Paul Begala noted, a line that could have come out of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Bill just has the Mark Twain-esque knack for taking his listeners on a journey at the end of which we have learned a little more "about the meaning of life." It was a masterful speech.

The most compelling part of Bill's "little talk" with the American people was not only the narrative but the beautiful way he framed Hillary's life as one founded upon and driven by a record of public service. Rather than being an old member of the Establishment, Hillary is actually the one who has always been focused, like Van Jones said, on "moving the country forward." The folksy rambling way that Bill peppered his speeches with stories and examples of how she changed laws and made the world a better places - all the while that he was simply trying to "get her to marry me" - marked this presentation and convention as a markedly different world than that of the RNC in Cleveland and the world of Donald Trump.

There is simply no way to deny that Hillary has lived an incredibly signifcant life of service to those who need help, especially children and the poor. While critics may take exception to her motives and insinuate deep character issues around her focus, the facts on the ground remain that she has lived a life of public service. It was, in fact, something that Newt Gingrich noted, "If it were true, I'd be tempted to vote for her." Well, in all reality, Newt knows that her accomplishments - especially in terms of legislation and governance - are not in question. He doesn't have to like her, and he doesn't have to give her credit. But he can't deny her achievements. And, that image of Hillary working for a better world is tough to counter by an RNC that must promote the dark vision and division of a man like Donald Trump. Hillary is in good shape if American voters compare the portraits of her world and vision, and the Gotham-like despair of Trump's message. And, no one could ever frame that better than Bill. Hillary has a strong ally in "the man from Hope."

You know, I've always said:  Bill Clinton is a schmuck. But he's our schmuck. And for whatever reason, America can't help but love him. Last night's speech was the perfect example of why.

25 Years after Generation X, a Scholarly View of the Early Coupland Canon

It's hard to believe it's been twenty-five years since I first picked up a low-key, oddly shaped novel about "people our age" called Generation X: Tales of an Accelerated Culture. Douglas Coupland's first novel would go on to name a demographic and tag him as the "voice of a generation," though he would quickly eschew and dismiss that title. A newly-graduated friend working a "McJob" in our college town told me of this new book about three twenty-somethings living in the desert of Palm Springs, telling stories and seeking to make some sense of their lives in the ennui of the early 90s just before the emergence of Kurt Cobain and the rise of grunge. While the great irony of Generation X is that many Xers never actually read the book - which had been originally contracted to a be a 90s update of the non-fiction Yuppie Handbook - the impact of the work and the term cannot be denied. I became an early fan of Coupland's work, and in 2001 I made his first few novels the subject of my Master's thesis, representing some of the first scholarship focused on the Coupland canon. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the birth of Generation X, I've updated and published my critical view of Coupland's 90s era novels - McJob: Life and Culture in Douglas Coupland's Early Novels.

The novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture was, no doubt, a pivotal work and watershed moment for literature and popular culture at the end of the twentieth century. It established an impressive literary voice that brought a fresh look at our media-saturated, consumer- and pop culture-driven world. And, it of course named a generation. Granted, most members of Generation X have never heard of, much less read, the novel, and it was the media and critics who have attached meaning to the term. That said, the novel and term remain a permanent part of the American canon and the American lexicon, and that is no small achievement. Along with Generation X, Douglas Coupland’s early novels deftly captured the zeitgeist of coming of age in the twilight of the twentieth century when the American Dream was suspect, and the world could change in an instant. The prominent issues of consumerism, the workplace, jobs, and popular culture are intrinsically linked within the novels of Douglas Coupland and the demographic of Generation X. As a result, the lasting impact of Douglas Coupland’s fiction cannot be denied.

Brasserie Ten Ten, Bikes, & a Beautiful Boulder Day

RE-PRINT: Views on Village - August, 2012

As summer winds down and I prepared to return to school, my wife and I planned one farewell to summer outing with the kids, and it turned out to be a beautiful Boulder day.  We began with the Sunday brunch at Brasserie Ten Ten, and were not disappointed by some of the finest breakfasts in all of Colorado.  This was our second visit to Brasserie Ten Ten, and we started off with their morning cinnamon rolls and coffee.  The roll is perfect French pastry - nice, light, and flaky with plenty of flavor and not drowning in gooey sauce.  It was more like a cinnamon croissant, and we quickly put in a second order.  The coffee was rich and aromatic, and this time I bypassed the adult beverages.  Though the Brasserie Ten Ten Red-Eye won my heart last time - it's a half glass of Stella Artios with the signature Bloody Mary mix.  Not to be missed if you fancy a morning cocktail.  The Hideaway salad is a novel idea for brunch with a Ceasar, potatoes, bacon, sourdough, and a fried egg.  Beautiful presentation and quite refreshing.  Additionally, the Pomme Frites which are tempura fried Granny Smith apples with caramel sauce are sinfully good.  Perhaps one of the best desserts for brunch I've had.  Check out the menu for more great breakfast treats.  Brasserie Ten Ten is top notch in terms of presentation, service, and taste.  We'll be back for more.

We followed brunch with a day at the Valmont Bike Park, an all-terrain park for mountain biking of all levels and ages.  Having enjoyed a lot of biking in Summit County this summer, we were looking for some new local trails, and a friend recommended Valmont.  It did not disappoint, as there were trails that were fun for my seven-year-old daughter, and trails for the whole family as well.  That's not to say they don't have hard-core challenges as well.  The Valmont Bike Park is well mapped and laid out, and it is accessible for so many ages and skill levels.  My son and I had good fun on the Corkscrew - though on first glance, I almost bailed.  Ultimately, even my wife - who is not a hardcore biker - was trying out some challenging trails like the Corkscrew.  Valmont has some X-treme courses as well, and it's great fun to watch the flips and dips of the most adventurous bikers.  While we are big fans of the Highline Canal Trail and easy rides through Cherry Creek State Park, the Valmont Bike Park in Boulder was a fun discovery, and we plan to return.

Overall, a great day in Boulder, and a fond farewell to summer.

Chateau Ste. Michelle - Great Chardonnay for under $15

RE-PRINT from "Views on the Villge" - August 2012 

Apparently, the big news in the wine world for the early 2000s was the ABC movement - "Anything But Chardonnay." That said, I came late to the chardonnay party anyway, so I'm not too worried about my newfound interest in white wines. At some point in my adult years, I began to broaden my horizons in terms of adult beverages, and I've found myself often preferring a glass of wine to a couple beers. And it was generally red wine that I enjoyed - anything from a pinot noir to a syrrah to a cabernet. However, about a year ago, a neighbor brought me a bottle of chardonnay that has won my heart and actually turned into sort of a chardonnay fascination.

The wine on which I've had a crush for about a year now is the 2008-09 chardonnay from Chateau Ste. Michelle, one of the oldest and most well known of wineries from the Columbia Valley in Washington.  Chateau Ste. Michelle's chardonnay is an enjoyable wine in the $12-$15 dollar range. A fresh, light wine, perfect by itself or with a meal, it has some nice citrus flavors - maybe pear and apple in my opinion. I'm no expert, nor even really a novice. Yet the thing that really intrigued me was the hints of oak in the finish. That oak-y, smokey flavor was what I always enjoyed in a good cabernet, or a nice whiskey for that matter, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it in a white wine.

So, I'm on a chardonnay kick right now and not ashamed to admit it. If you're looking for a fresh new taste in white wines, and you haven't tried Chateau Ste. Michelle, consider it for your next purchase.

Best Ice Cream in Denver

So, it's about 95 degrees and sunny today in Denver, and that means we're going to need a nice way to cool down. At some point we're all going to want something cold, and Denver has no shortage of ice cream destinations. 

One of the best kept secrets of the West is that Denver is the type of place where you can enjoy ice cream year-round, with warm sunny days even in January.  And, there are plenty of fantastic ice cream parlors in the area.  If you're not going to head to King Soopers for some Ben and Jerry's or Haagen Daz, then you may just want to visit some of Denver's best ice cream spots.  For my money, there is no better place for ice cream than Little Man Ice Cream in the Highland's neighborhood.  Located on 16th Street in the Denver Highlands, just off Zuni and right next door to Highland's hotspot Linger, Little Man Ice Cream does not disappoint.  This fact is validated by the line that runs down the block on a regular basis.  Though, don't be put off by the line - it moves really fast and is completely worth the wait.

Little Man Ice Cream is located in an eclectic spot - a walk-up shop shaped like a giant milk container - and its flavors are great fun as well.  We always go for the hot fudge sundae - though recently we had it with the salted caramel ice cream rather than the traditional vanilla.  Whoa, Nelly.  It was all that. The whipped cream is fresh and light, the ice cream is rich and delicious, and the crushed nuts make it all perfect.  The richness of the ice cream is what makes Little Man Ice Cream better than the rest.  I know many people swear by Bonnie Brae - and it's not bad.  However, Bonnie Brae is almost cliche at this point.  It's actually better in myth than in practice.  When you really taste the ice cream, it seems more store-bought than parlor fresh.  Sweet Action on Broadway is also fabulous - especially when it comes to eclectic flavors.  The Stranahan's Whiskey Brickle is simply downright ridiculous.

But, when all is said and done, the best ice cream in Denver is found at Little Man Ice Cream in the Highlands.  Check it out.

As Teen Boys Head Back to School, Read "Carter Finally Gets It"

As summer wanes, and the school year approaches, there will be many anxious moments about a uniquely challenging but lovably genuine species of human - the adolescent boy. Teen boys are a wholly mess of emotions and energy, and it's sometime amazing that the human race survived knowing that all adult males had to be teen boys at some point. And as parents and teachers of teens, we are often left wondering just how those brains function - or more importantly if they function. How many times have adults asked teens, "What were you thinking?" when the reality is simply that they weren't thinking. They are mystifying, even to themselves, and we are constantly looking for someone to explain why they act that way. While doctors and psychologists and parents have a lot of insight into teen boys, no one does it quite so well as brilliant storyteller by the name of Brent Crawford.

That's why each year I highly recommend that teen boys and teen girls and teachers and parents read Crawford's hysterical look inside the mind of the adolescent male - Carter Finally Gets It.   Crawford's story, told in first person from the admittedly ADHD-challenged mind of Will Carter who is struggling to find himself and keep it all together during the crazy and intense phase of life known as Freshman Year.

Join Will Carter for his freshman year, when he’ll search for sex, love, and acceptance anywhere he can find it.  In the process, he’ll almost kill a trombone player, face off with his greatest nemesis, get caught up in a messy love triangle, suffer a lot of blood loss, narrowly escape death, run from the cops (not once, but twice), meet his match in the form of a curvy drill teamer, and surprise everyone, including himself.

I first read this book years ago when it was published, and I couldn't believe how honest and candid and accurate it was, knowing this world from my own adolescence and from twenty years in public education. Since then I have recommended it to so many people, especially high school students. The girls need to read it, so they can understand these bizarre peers of theirs who are so desperately trying to keep it all together and still look cool to the girls they worship but are also terrified of. And the boys need to read it so they understand themselves. And, of course, parents and teachers need to read it so they have a clue about what's going on in those cool detached demeanors occupying space in their homes and classrooms.

Crawford's book is timeless and should be required reading for any parent of a teenage boy. Start the year off right and read Brent Crawford's Carter Finally Gets It.

Charles Hill, Henry James, & David Brooks - "A Man on Whom Nothing is Lost"

For many years I've enjoyed the thoughtful and erudite columns of the New York Times' David Brooks. The weekly ponderings of a liberal newspaper's favorite conservative have a way of opening my mind to that which I hadn't considered before. Brooks certainly has his detractors, and its worsened in recent years as few conservatives will claim him and more liberals have become disgruntled that he's not as progressive as they thought - though he really is. And, of course, the critics love to slam him for his pretentious Ivy League elitism. But I still think he's doing some of the best pop culture scholarship around today.

One of my favorite columns by Brooks contains one of my favorite phrases in American literature. It is a phrase from Henry James that I use to guide my students. It's about being "a person on whom nothing is lost." There could be no more lofty goal for aspiring students, and David Brooks used it aptly in describing a Yale professor and career diplomat who had many inspiring life lessons for students in the infamous "Grand Strategy" class. It's a column worth reading and a idea worth pursuing. Brooks describes how Hill was a cosmopolitan man, a renaissance man, who brought an authoritative wisdom to the young intellectuals around him. Here is my favorite part:

Hill was famous for his ability to turn note-taking into an art form. He aspired to be, in Henry James's words, a man ''on whom nothing was lost.'' He observed everything and quietly kept a record.