Lapham Quarterly - Get your intellect and culture on

Nearly a month after Election 2016 and the moment of Wednesday Morning, my reliable sources of information are still filled with news, comment, and commentary on the President-elect - and all that entails. I don't want to even turn on CNN or Fox or MSNBC, and my reading of the Denver Post and Wall Street Journal are hastened by my skimming for culture. Needless to say, it's worse on my social media feeds like Twitter and Facebook, no matter how I try to screen out the endless back-and-forth on the upcoming transition. Granted, I could just turn off and tune out. Because as I noted in the past month, I want to spend more time on culture and growth and less time on "info-tainment."

I've been reading more - recent titles include the brilliantly beautiful The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and the existentially intriguing Meursalt Investigation - and trying to work on the Gen X writing and reflection that I've been planning. Beyond that, I am listening to more music and working out with a renewed interest in dropping the Election-Ten before the onslaught of holiday cookies and Winter Break eating/drinking. In terms of news sources, I am really interested in returning to academics, intellectual pursuits, and culture. And, that has led me back to a great source of thoughtful composition:

The Lapham Quarterly

Lapham’s Quarterly embodies the belief that history is the root of all education, scientific and literary as well as political and economic. Each issue addresses a topic of current interest and concern—war, religion, money, medicine, nature, crime—by bringing up to the microphone of the present the advice and counsel of the past. 

Is Trump dragging the USA into war with China?

So, the Donald Trump phone call to President Tsai of Taiwan ... this could be the beginning of something altogether unexpected - a diplomatic, trade, and military conflict between the United States and China.

Having lived in Taiwan during the 90s, I am attuned to the delicate nature of relations across the Taiwan Strait. So, I understand the history of the Taiwan Relations Act and the Three Communiques regarding the United States' position on the One-China policy. And, I was living in Taiwan at the time of the first direct presidential election in Taiwan during which the Chinese military launched missile exercises and lobbed missiles over Taiwan, effectively shutting down air traffic and seeking to intimidate the Taiwanese people. This tense standoff included the United States putting aircraft carriers on both ends of the Strait. And, when President-elect Lee Tung Wei gave his acceptance speech in Taiwanese, rather than Mandarin Chinese, there were reports that very high level military officials in China mobilized forces for an invasion.

So the Taiwan Question is no small matter.

As a result, I am deeply concerned and troubled by the recent actions of the President-elect and the apparent behind-the-scenes work of his transition team to set up the phone call without informing the State Department. In all honesty, this is how wars start - though I don't want to sound hysterical, and I don't subscribe to a sky-is-falling mentality around the recent election. And, I must admit that as a former resident of Taiwan, I somewhat appreciate the more aggressive, or at least assertive, approach toward clarifying the United States' unwavering support for the autonomy of the Republic of China on Taiwan. In fact, there's a chance the phone call wasn't a blunder, but brilliant.

I'm just not sure whether this was an unnecessarily bold and risky move. I hope not.

My Favorite Christmas Songs

Christmas has a wonderfully simple feeling of good will. It's a pathos-filled time of year that makes us all look for the goodness in everything and everyone. The Hallmark commercials of "coming home for the holidays" make us tear up, even if our own family gatherings are considerably more dysfunctional. The warmth of a fire, the malty sweetness of eggnog, the smell of pine trees, the good cheer of Happy Holidays - these all evoke a genuine degree of hope and mirth. For me and many others, there are certain Christmas songs that evoke that mythical time of good will, even as some of them reflect a poignant sense of loss or nostalgia. Amusingly, many of the songs that matter to me are more contemporary, and they were on the standard mix tape at the restaurant where I worked many holiday seasons. Listening to these songs takes me back to those times when I had the added comfort of my Pasta House family. Here are a few good memories:

Breckenridge Brewery - A Great Place for Drinks

RE-PRINT: Views, 2012

As a huge fan and regular visitor to Breckenridge, Colorado, I am not always satisfied with my options when it comes to grabbing lunch or dinner - especially with young kids.  Breck is a great resort and mountain town with much to offer, though the restaurant choices can sometimes be mediocre food for resort prices.  And, I just have a hard time with restaurants who can't be just a little better, a little more high quality for the price.  However, a recent trip to Breckenridge Brewery on Main Street did not disappoint.

Though I've been a fan of Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter, Avalanche Ale, and Agave Wheat for years, I have never visited the Brewery.  And, I'd been wanting to sample the Oatmeal Stout and Summer Ale for a while now.  So, on our annual summer trip to Summit County, I made sure one of our days in Breck would include a day at the Brewery.  We spent the day biking and hiking and playing in the Blue River before heading up Main Street to the home location of Breckenridge Brewery.  We arrived in the four o'clock hour, so we could catch the end of the lunch menu, but still hit Happy Hour for some three dollar drafts.  Alas, we were a bit disappointed that the online menu is different in the mountains than the locations in Denver.  That meant my wife couldn't have the tuna sandwich she'd been planning.  But we found many other options.

We ordered an Avalanche Ale and the Oatmeal Stout and were not disappointed.  The Avalanche has a refreshingly full flavor with just a bit of tang in the finish.  A great beer to relax on the patio with after a day of biking.  The Oatmeal Stout was malty richness, evoking a great cup of coffee.  The "oatmeal" isn't as present as the vanilla in the porter, but it's smooth and surprisingly refreshing stout.  Though I enjoyed it for a July afternoon, it's much better as a fall or winter beer, sitting around the fire pit or just relaxing on the couch.  The Summer Ale wasn't available - a strange reality for the middle of July - but I'm sure to check it out later.

For an early dinner, we were pleasantly surprised at just how well this pub does food.  The kids absolutely devoured the wings with an Asian sauce, as well as a healthy order of edamame.  They also ordered the pulled pork sandwiches - though we brought one home, as a single sandwich cut in half was good for both.  The fries looked to be fresh cut, and were excellent.  My wife had the black bean soup - which was really more of a vegetarian, black bean chili - and it was outstanding.  Rich and full of flavor, the soup is meal unto itself, though the soup and salad is a great option.  I was drooling over the portabella mushroom sandwich with a basil pesto and grilled red peppers, and I was rewarded with one of the best pesto sauces I have ever had on a sandwich - rich and full of basil and pine nut flavor, this pesto is not to be missed.  The sandwich was also not a single portabella, but one cut in pieces and grilled with the peppers.  It worked very well.  And the sweet potato fries - Oh, goodness. They were thin cut and prepared to perfection.

The visit to the Breckenridge Brewery was a resounding success with the family, and I am glad to have another dining option in Breck that will not disappoint.

The Wisdom of Literacy Advocate Cris Tovani

RE-PRINT - Mazenglish, 2012

Nearly ten years ago, Cris Tovani changed my life as an English teacher.  She didn't know this at the time - and probably still doesn't - because while I teach in her district, I've never met her.  But I have read her work on improving literacy for all students, and it made me re-evaluate the way I taught.  Taking a staff development class on "Managing the Reading Classroom," I was looking for ways to promote more reading by my students.  I'd always given book talks, and talked about the act of  reading, but I was probably somewhat guilty of the worst sin for English teachers - assigning reading, rather than teaching it.  After taking the class and discovering Cris Tovani's first book I Read It, but I Don't Get It from Stenhouse Publishers, I was re-born.  Since then, I've kept an eye out for Tovani's work, and I was always pleased.

Now, Tovani is back with new insights, and she is taking on the challenging topic of assessment.  It's one of the most  important tasks of teachers, it's doubly challenging in the English classroom because of the ambiguity of assessing subjective skills such as  writing, and it is perhaps the most ignored and underdeveloped aspect of teacher education programs.  Colleges simply don't do a good job of teaching new teachers how to assess student work.  In fact, I've never met a young teacher  who felt  ready for the challenge.  And, of course, there are always staff development classes for this, and many veteran teachers are willing to share and mentor.  Many districts even practice peer grading and common assessment.  But, that doesn't reach the masses, and many teachers are still feeling alone, in their classrooms, after school, with a stack of student work, and a sense of anxiety.

Tovani's latest work from Stenhouse - So What Do They Really Know: Assessment That Informs Teaching and Learning - seeks to explain the options - and all the nuances - of assessment.  And Tovani's voice is always accessible and comforting.  In fact, it's quite inspiring because through the use of  narrative, she shares experiences from the classrooms.  And Tovani has always been comfortable talking about her successes and her struggles, her accomplishments in the classroom, and her approaches that taught her something valuable even when they didn't gel with the kids.  The nice thing about this book - and many offerings from Stenhouse - is that  you can preview the work on their site.  That is why I feel comfortable promoting this book even though I haven't bought it - yet.  In looking through the text, I am again pleased by Tovani's extensive use of  examples. She offers visual images of the very assignments she uses successfully in class. And she narrates her thought process from inception to practice. For this reason, Tovani's books are real assets, especially for beginning teachers.

Cris Tovani is an excellent teacher - both of students and of teachers.  I highly recommend taking a look at her work.

Two Gen X writers look back on John Hughes' 80s films

2016 has definitely been a year of nostalgia and reflection for the members of Generation X. As Xers hit middle age respectibility - not that they were ever looking for it - the demographic is seeing major milestones for many of its influences. The term "Generation X" in relation to Coupland's novel and a group of institutional outsiders hit the 25-year mark, along with quarter-century anniversaries for pop culture icons like Nirvana's Nevermind. And, of course, many of the 80s films that defined Gen   adolescence passed the thirty-year mark. John Hughes' films - notably the Gen-X "trilogy" of Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink. To coincide with those milestones, a couple of well-known Generation X writers and critics have released books about Hughes, his films, and the Gen X/80s ethos. Kevin Smokler and Jason Diamond recently chatted on the site Salon.com about their reflections - When You Grow Up, Your Heart Doesn't Have to Die:

Two books from two authors about ’80s movies came into the world within a month of one another this fall. We asked Kevin Smokler, author of “Brat Pack America: A Love Letter to ’80s Teen Movies” and Jason Diamond, author of “Searching for John Hughes: A Memoir” to speak to one another about childhood, growing up at the movies, and a strangely real town called Shermer, Illinois.

Best Sandwiches - Denver

RE-PRINT - Views on Village, 2012

Joey's favorite food?  Sandwiches!

Anyone who watched Friends remembers that classic line from the trivia game played for possession of Monica and Rachel's apartment.  Sandwiches.  They are the perfect food in so many ways.  As Jeff the Sandwich King on the Food Network says, "Any meal is a sandwich and any sandwich can be a great meal."  Regardless of the culture or the place or the time or the food, it can be a sandwich.  Meat or vegetable.  Beef or seafood.  Savory or sweet.  Sandwiches are great food.

If you don't receive the Denver Post - and per my last entry, I wish you would - you may have missed the Lifestyle feature today on the best sandwiches in Denver.  From the Parisian sandwich at Marczyk Fine Foods to the brisket sandwich at the Masterpiece Deli to the Banh mi at Ba Le, there are many fine sandwiches on the Denver food scene.

Kids can text - teach them to write

RE-PRINT - Mazenglish, 2012

Walt Gardner opines in EdWeek that in a world obsessed with STEM skills, schools are neglecting to teach kids the important skills of reading and writing.  Making insightful observations about the gap between "grammar skills" and fluent writing, Gardner notes - and laments - the receding writing skills associated with kids immersed in a world of text messages. 

A new study by Drew P. Cingel and S. Shyam Sundar, "Texting, techspeak, and tweens: The relationship between text messaging and English grammar skills," concludes that the more time students spend sending and receiving texts, the worse their grammar skills become ("YSK, teens 2 fluent in TXT," Los Angeles Times, Aug. 4). That's because it's difficult to switch between standard grammar and the abbreviations used in text messages. It's not that mastery of grammar alone makes for effective writing. Far from it. It's altogether possible to score high on a grammar test and still be unable to develop a written argument. For example, I remember when diagramming sentences was thought to be indispensable. Yet the transfer to expository writing was minimal, if non-existent. More importantly, however, when students spend so much time texting, they're not reading. And that's the point. I've long believed that the best way to learn how to write is to read. I'm not talking about reading anything. Instead, I'm talking about reading literature that is appropriate to what a student wants to write.

This point was aptly addressed in a recent LA Times commentary.  The loss of writing skills is negatively impacting the business world and the ability to being to access the jobs and lives they desire.  Importantly, Gardner reminds us that being an effective writer is intrinsically linked to being an effective reader.  It's not enough to assign kids reading and writing.  English teachers at all levels - including college - need to teach kids "how to read" and "how to write."

"Techspeak," as Sundar and his research partner Drew P. Cingel call it, has become so routine and prevalent among young users that it's eroding their foundation of basic grammar. "Routine use of textual adaptations by current and future generations of 13–17-year-olds may serve to create the impression that this is normal and accepted use of the language and rob this age group of a fundamental understanding of standard English grammar," they said in their published findings. Basically, kids aren't able to "code switch" -- shift between standard grammar and the abbreviations used in text messages, Sundar said. Those abbreviations have essentially become the words for them. Adults not raised on text-friendly abbreviations in their formative years are able to shift between formal and informal language, Sundar said. Kids consuming a steady diet of "textual adaptations" aren't.  "Results show broad support for a general negative relationship between the use of techspeak in text messages and scores on a grammar assessment," the study results read.

Alice's Restaurant - a Thanksgving classic

"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant."

Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy this timeless holiday classic from the inimical Arlo Guthrie:

Speech & Debate Season Has Begun

If I had to name one class that offers students the best preparation for college, careers, and life, it would probably have to be Speech & Debate. It is a world of intellectual and academic competition where kids get the opportunity to simply "geek out" on being smart. Each year, I try to attend some competitions either to judge or to profile the community. Here is a my first feature of the year from "The 5280" tournament at George Washington High School in Denver - "Colorado Speech & Debate Season is Off and Running."

Cleary, the young people of debate are grappling with heavy political topics in a time of high anxiety following Election 2016. Yet no place could be more collaborative and collegial than a high school Speech & Debate tournament. The intellectual camaraderie in the halls and cafeteria of GW is evidence of that community.

What We Talk About When We Talk About Race

Race and ethnicity are problematic "social constructs" in contemporary American society, and the recent events of post-Election2016 have not made discussing them any easier. As I've processed the state of the nation and pondered the equity work I do in my job, I've struggled to clarify and understand just how we go forward. In doing so, I looked back to a short You Tube clip from DJ and social critic Jay Smooth entitled "How to tell someone they sound racist." When I viewed it recently, I ran across a TEDx talk Jay gave as a follow-up in 2011, and it has the amusing and engaging title "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Talking about Race."

Thanks, Jay. I know you too are hurting and conflicted these days, and I appreciate the words you put out there.

Wednesday Morning - "Bad taste my mouth"

Wednesday Morning. It left millions reeling, and a week later half of the nation is still processing the results. So much frustration and uncertainty is in the air, and a hopelessness can easily consume people. So, we look to our poets for clarity.

Well said, Mack. And thank you.



"Got my daughter in my arms, and he is not gonna raise her."