Life experiences – Page 46

Five Friday Happy Bringers (11/2/12)

Posted on November 3, 2012November 3, 2012 by Neal Saye

Okay, I know it’s Saturday. but yesterday was an uberbusy day. And isn’t today gorgeous? It’s cool. It’s Fall. And it’s time to acknowledge some Happy Bringers.

1. Enjoying the Savannah Film Festival this week (hosted by SCAD).

2. Making little Halloween goody bags for my international students, most of whom had never “done” Halloween before. Then discussing the Day of the Dead (which some of them celebrate) and being grateful for all our relatives and friends who have passed on.

3. A great-smelling rose.

4. Attending and enjoying the Taste of the World food festival at SCAD yesterday. Here’s a little bit about the event from the ISSO (International Student Services Office) newsletter: “Dine thali style and sample more than 80 international dishes. Visit the mixed grill area specializing in tandoori chicken, Thai chicken satay on skewers and Persian beef kebabs. Enjoy live performances inspired by international cultures and Savannah’s own Latin and Merengue sensation, Son del Coqui.”

I ran into some of my colleagues from SCAD’s Language Studio. Here’s Coordinator of Language Studio/ESL Ana Turner (right after leading a traditional dance).

And here’s the Director of Language Studio/ESL Christina Cavage.

New full-time prof Curt Klinghoffer. (I wish my last name cool like Curt’s. I mean, Saye? Really?)

Officemate Emily Gung.

Oldtimer–I mean “experienced”–ESL prof (and my mentor) Todd Nemanic.

I appreciate the appropriateness and truthfulness of this affirmation:

And I loved seeing some of my students at the festival. Here’s Sonali.

And Juliana.

Andrea (with a friend).

Raquel and Juli.

And some other people I met. Juwan, for example–I took his picture because of that cool blue hair. I’m thinking about green for mine. Yes?

And Devyn wins my prize for hippest necklace and pants.

I really had a ball there. So much fun.

Now let’s play a game. It’s called Oh Saye, Can You See?

I ran into my buddy Mangue Banzima with his gorgeous daughter.

Mangue writes/photographs a beautiful blog about fashion in Savannah, Qui Style in Savannah. Check it out sometime. Okay, check it out RIGHT NOW because I’m in it for the second time! Keep scolling down, past all the really cool and hip-looking people, until you get to the Taste of the World pictures–then, again, scroll past those young, stylish folks till you find … me! [First post from a while back about fashion: I’m a Famous Fashion Model]

What a fun couple of hours in the fall beauty of Savannah.

5. Seeing smiles as the most significant means of communication between people.

Joyful, Smiling Weekend!

Oh My Golly! My First Diwali!

Posted on October 28, 2012September 28, 2014 by Neal Saye

My new adjunct professorship at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) in Language Studio/ESL comes with some very cool perks. One is enjoying the beauty and history of SCAD’s many restored and repurposed buildings scattered across the Historic District of Savannah. (Most of SCAD’s buildings are not new–more often than not, they were derelict or ready to be torn down before SCAD came to the rescue.) My office, for example, is in Habersham Hall, part of the old Savannah jail. (No more comments about finally being where I belong, please.)

Another perk is being exposed to so many unique cultural opportunities (for example, the Savannah Film Festival started this weekend). On Friday night, I ventured over to the Habersham courtyard to celebrate Diwali, or the Indian “Festival of Lights.” Diwali, or Deepavali, is a major Hindu festival that celebrates the triumph and victory of good over evil, specifically when the Hindu God Rama defeated the demon Ravana. Celebrations incorporate the lighting of lamps and fireworks to symbolize hope, restoration and joy. That’s right up my blog’s alley!

Turning the corner at the end of that mysteriously dark walk, I was amazed to see what looked like an Indian street festival in full swing. Just look!

A large group of folks, many in traditional Indian garb, hovered around the food area. And for good reason–the aromas were enticing. The music was body-swaying. Of course, I wanted to make a bee line directly to the grub, but I saw two of my students from ENGL 193 (Composition for International Students) and felt I had to pretend to be mature and say hello. Here’s Kathrine and Stefanie:

But oh gosh, the food! I can’t remember any of the specific names, except for naan (the bread), but here’s my plate:

After stuffing myself to an embarrassing degree, I finally came back to my other nongastronomic senses and saw on the other side of the courtyard in the stage area another of my students, Aakash Mani (aka Cash Money! Really!). I made my way toward him, stopping to say hi to some of these folks along the way:

I finally made it to Aakash …

… and discovered that he was one of the stars of the entertainment part of the evening! Here he is dancing up a storm!

After the performance, I asked Aakash what made him happy about Diwali and the festival. He explained that the festival itself, because of its recognition of the triumph of good, is reason to celebrate, that it’s all about happiness, and that the very smile on his face (which is almost ALWAYS present) is there because of the joy of life. He also said that dance shows happiness. (That sounds like an A+ answer to me.)

Other entertainers:

(Should I take up belly dancing?)

I was amazed at the beautiful orchestration of the evening. So much fun!

I didn’t want to leave.

I love this place!

College Teaching, Humor, Savannah Joy

SCAD-ing Outta Retirement

Posted on September 11, 2012September 12, 2012 by Neal Saye

BFF’s–Blog Follower Friends (or anyone at any restaurant where I’ve eaten for the past two and a half months; or at the Post Office; or at Savannah’s coffee shops) know that on June 21, I retired from Georgia Southern University after teaching English there for twenty-four years. [First retirement post. Second retirement post. My final GSU Walking Tour.] And I had such a fun retiring summer! Sitting in my backyard, visiting a vineyard, embracing the Savannah Asian Festival, getting put in jail, exploring a fort, going to a Savannah Sand Gnats game, Tybee Island partying, etc.

But then summer started to come to an end, and (as all teachers know) the REAL new year started–the Academic Year. I grew a bit restless. And thought about getting a part-time job to keep me off the streets and such, but neither of my Top Five Prospective Second Careers panned out:

1. Tug Boat Operator.

2. Little Caesars Sign Dancer. I became interested in this one because the LCSDers at the corner of Montgomery Cross and Waters here in Savannah always seem SO enthusiastic. So I researched the job a little. Here’s the description and qualifications from the Little Caesars website:

“Get paid to dance and have FUN! Part-time Sign Dancer job available! Are you an outgoing energetic individual looking for work? Are you someone who can attract attention? Do you like having fun at work and staying positive?” So far, so good. Work SHOULD be fun! And I write a happiness blog! This job seemed right up my alley.

“If so, this is the job for you! We are looking for a part-time Sign Dancer who can hold a sign and have fun at the same time. We are not just looking for your average sign holder. We are looking for someone who can dance with a sign and attract attention.” Again, surely I could HOLD a sign and have fun in a non-average way.

Requirements:

You must be very ENERGETIC and get people’s ATTENTION!!!
You must be in decent health. You will be outside.
You must be able to wave at passing cars while on duty. I’m friendly!
You must be able to stand the entire shift. I’m a teacher. I stand all the time!
You must have reliable transportation and arrive on time.
You must be able to pass a drug test. What about Allegra or Tums?
You must be at least 18 years old. I’m SO over 18! This job is MINE, I thought!

But alas, after hours practicing with a broom in the backyard, I came to find out that Little Caesars wants sign dancers who are not quite so OVER 18.

3. Quality Control Praline Taster at River Street Sweets. (Pure pralines, NOT turtles!) Jen, can you HELP ME OUT HERE??!!

4. Famous Italian singer.

5. Part-time CEO of Apple. Afterall, I HAVE read the Steve Jobs biography, I have an iPhone, and I realize that Jobs and I have a whole lot in common, well except for the LSD, and the no-deoderant issue, and the need for absolute control (okay, maybe we have that one a little bit in common).

Anyway, recently I started seeing all those pencils and notebooks and protractors (is there really such a need for those things nowadays?) and composition books (does anybody else out there like to smell, really smell, composition books?) at just about every store I entered. And, still frustrated and pouting with hurt feelings over the Little Caesars debacle, I decided to go to Craig’s List to see what kind of jobs were available. Bad idea. I won’t even begin to tell you what kinds of “job opportunities” I saw there. So after an hour and a half, I left that site.

Then, after Googling “part-time job” + “$250,000 per year” + “low-to-no work requirement” and only getting hits for “U.S. Vice President” and “Ostrich Feather Fanner for the Kardashians,” I got down to business and Googled “part-time job” + “Savannah” + “education,” and an adjunct position posting at SCAD came up. SCAD is the Savannah College of Art and Design, an incredibly beautiful and innovative art school scattered primarily throughout the historic district of my city. Thrilled, I looked into the requirements, and soon after was asked to come do a teaching demonstration.

Initially terrified that I COULD NOT TEACH ART (well, actually I can do some cool little foam-board pictures with macaroni, dried pinto beans, glitter and Elmer’s Glue), I stopped hyperventilating and realized I would be teaching composition (my old stomping ground). The demo and subsequent interview process went well, and they offered me the job! (I figure I can work in the macaroni pics eventually.)

Doing a tad of research about SCAD faculty, I discovered on the college website that SCAD faculty include:

Emmy® Award winners
Academy Award® winners
Fulbright scholars
Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize winner
National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship recipient
British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award nominee
LEED-accredited professionals
U.S. patent holders
Scholars published in academic journals
Best-selling authors
AIGA Award winners
Character animators for Beowulf, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and The Chronicles of Narnia
Illustrators for The New Yorker, Time, Disney and NASA
Visual effects artists for Titanic and Jurassic Park
Sequential artists for Dark Horse, DC Comics, Marvel, Cartoon Network and Warner Bros.
Producer of Fried Green Tomatoes and The Breakfast Club
Writer for The Cosby Show and As the World Turns
Script Supervisor for Driving Miss Daisy

WOW!

I felt a bit overwhelmed. But then I checked back a while later, and lo and behold, something about Yours Truly was added!

Finalist, Eighth Grade Spelling Bee (perhaps would have gone further but spelled “Georgia” as “Jeorgia” due to nerves)

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I am thrilled, THRILLED to be a part of the SCAD faculty on a part-time basis. I will be teaching international students English composition. I’m looking forward to this next phase of my teaching career and life.

Here’s the building where I teach:

It used to be the old Savannah jail.

I put retirement in jail.

Later.

Humor

The Revelation of Riboclavin (And a Dog Stealing Cabbage) (You Know You Have to Read This Post)

Posted on August 15, 2012August 15, 2012 by Neal Saye

As faithful blog followers know, I have a buddy “named” Riboclavin who is quite a character. (And of course we all know his name isn’t REALLY Riboclavin, come on, but as I said in a post from way back, “I’m just not very good at giving people fake names if they don’t want their real names ‘published’ on my blog because, heaven forbid, the ‘tens’ of people who follow my blog might see their name and … and … idk.”) Anyway, here he is, rocking. And even though that dualistic rocking chair looks über huge, Riboclavin looks comfortable and relaxed. And, really, isn’t that what counts?

[By the way (true story), on my 16th birthday, I received a rocking chair from my parents as my main gift.] [Therapy has helped. But only so much.]

Ribo loves two things in life (maybe more than two, but right now only these couple come to mind). One, he LOVES his dog MisterDillHarris.

Here’s MisterDillHarris with a big ole bone:

Two, he LOVES (or maybe hates, I’m not sure) his obsession with health, or actually his perceived lack of health. The guy can be standing in line at the movies to see, for example, Miley Cyrus in The Last Song, and all of a sudden he HAS to take his temperature. Don’t believe me? Well, here he is taking his temp.

And, look, here he is taking his dog’s temperature:

(For me, pretend this is normal. Thanks.)

So anyway, recently Riboclavin texted me a video link, and as usual, made NO attempt to introduce or explain the link. You can surely understand by now my trepidation and why I came two hairs close to deleting the text and pretending I never received it (as I do with any unwanted or ill-timed text, email, voicemail, regular mail, fax, postcard, Hallmark card, smoke signal, etc.). Afterall, his most recent link took me to a medical site where a disgusting surgical procedure was in full “operation,” causing me to gasp and snort and vow to never speak to Riboclavin again. But for some reason I decided, even with the high risk, to open the link. And I was pleasantly surprised! (If you’re near wood, please knock on it for me.)

Here’s the video, entitled “Dog Steals Cabbage.”

Now isn’t that cute … and happiness-worthy? Please tell Riboclavin thanks, and wish him good health.

Life Experiences, Neal's Writing

Learning and Teaching from The World’s Smallest Lady

Posted on August 6, 2012September 30, 2014 by Neal Saye

August–the time of year when school bells ring again. Teachers everywhere commence their incredible annual charge of encouraging students to develop their true sight, their true voices, and their intellectual joy. School at every level should be a haven where young learners want to be. And the teacher, though underpaid and overworked, is key. Some years back, as I spent a summer month participating in the Georgia Southern Writing Project, I was asked to write about what birthed the teacher in me. I knew immediately the answer: The World’s Smallest Lady.

The World’s Smallest Lady

As I dialed the telephone recently to check on the condition of the terminally ill father of a childhood friend from my hometown, I kept trying to keep the memory from surfacing. I hadn’t thought about it in ages. An incident from several decades ago surely didn’t still have the power to take control of my thoughts, to interrupt my life. But the truth is, that memory is too powerful to ignore, too embarrassing, too haunting to dismiss. And as I listened to Ricky’s phone ringing in one ear, the years faded, and the jumbled noises of an old Cherokee County Fair started sounding in the other, accompanied by reminiscent sights and even smells, which are such an integral part of a southern autumn carnival…

…I was thirteen, old enough to know better. Ricky, Fred, and I had just staggered off The Bullet and found ourselves walking down Freak Show Alley. Outside one attraction, a hawker was shouting at passersby to “Step inside and see The World’s Smallest Lady! Only twenty-six inches tall! For only a quarter!” So, laughing, into the tent we hurried, just the three of us.

And there, surprisingly close to us on a small black round table, stood what indeed had to be The World’s Smallest Lady. She was dressed in a little gaudily sequined gypsy outfit. A short screaming-red skirt revealed two chubby stumps of legs. But she wasn’t a child, even though she was so tiny. Her face looked old, and I could see wrinkles beneath the cheap, garish make-up. It was her very large head, however, topped with a gaudy, shiny gold crown, which really captured my attention. I couldn’t stop staring, and why should I? I’d paid my quarter.

So we gawked and snickered, three carefree young teenagers at the fair, secure and even innocent in our youth, our health, our futures, our “normality.” Then Fred loudly whispered, “Damn, y’all, look at the size of that head compared to the rest of her body. And her butt is bigger than mine!”

But it was Ricky, the member of our inseparable trio capable of doing and saying anything for a laugh–who, in reckless teenage cruelty, did the unimaginable. Before anyone had time to react, Ricky stepped over the velvet rope, reached out to The World’s Smallest Lady, and jerked her gypsy skirt down to her ankles. He ran out of the tent, followed by Fred, giggling and yelling, “Neal, let’s get out of here!”

But I couldn’t. My feet were glued to the sawdust, and for a second or two, my eyes looked directly into those of The World’s Smallest Lady. The dimension of time ceased, no one existed except for her and me, and those humiliated, prostituted, tiny eyes took away my innocence and my security. As I stared, and stared, the plates beneath my small, comfortable, well-defined earth were shifting, ever so slightly, quaking. Finally, as she reached down, pulling up her skirt to cover her nakedness, The World’s Smallest Lady spoke in a voice that seemed more resigned than angry: “You boys can just go to hell.”

As I hurried out of that tent and away from that sawdust and those piercing eyes, a startling transformation occurred, the full impact of which I wasn’t aware at the time: a sideshow midget, a twenty-five cent carnival attraction, a freak, became a regular human being with regular human feelings in the frightened yet awakening eyes of a thirteen-year-old boy.

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I learned from my encounter with The World’s Smallest Lady the danger and horror of living in a world where we construct walls which establish the category of “other”–with ourselves being the privileged, the truly knowledgeable, the valuable, the ones who really count, the normal…and “other” being defined by gender, race, class, IQ, physical disability, sexual orientation, etc. I learned that when we cast our dominant “gaze” patronizingly on others, we diminish ourselves as human beings as well as do violence to those we belittle. I also learned–years later and after much reflection and life experience–that a teacher is one who refuses to allow the binary of “us/them” to operate in (or outside) the classroom.

May the new school year be one of JOY for students and teachers the world over.

Breaking News

The Twins! The Twins! They’ve Arrived! They’ve Arrived!

Posted on August 3, 2012August 3, 2012 by Neal Saye

Last night at 9:34 and 9:35 Younger Daughter Emily finally gave birth to the much-anticipated TWINS!

Welcome, Welcome. Sweet Little Ones!

Mathew Anthony Olliff met the world first, weighing in at 6.1 pounds and measuring 19 inches.

Madison Noel Olliff yelled hello one minute later, tipping the scales at 4.9 pounds and lining up at 17.5 inches.

Don’t they just look so very intelligent?

We have things to do:

And places to go:

So look out, world!

And look! I’ve already won an award:

(Oh, by the way, Mom Emily and Dad Travis are doing well.)

[More later (much, much more, I’m sure).]

Encouragement

“You Is” — I’m Standing in Your Balcony

Posted on July 31, 2012December 1, 2021 by Neal Saye

To Encourage Sincerely perhaps ranks at the top of gifts we can give one to another. I will never forget the first time my daughter Amy and I ran, with tens of thousands of other runners, the annual July 4th 10K Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. (Perhaps “ran” is much too dynamic a word to describe what I did during those 6.2 miles.) At each mile marker, and actually various places in-between, folks would appear in my peripheral vision with cups of cold water in outstretched hands, yelling phrases such as, “Keep it up, #4932, you can do it!” and “Just look at you running so fast!” I would turn a corner or reach a hilltop and hear blaring cheerily from loudspeakers the theme song from “Chariots of Fire” or “Rocky.” Such encouragement made me feel like an actual runner.

In a post from way back, I introduced the concept of Balcony People: “Balcony people are those folks in your life who encourage you, lift you up, give of themselves to you in some way. They make you feel valuable and important. They climb the steps up into your balcony, lean over the railing, gaze back down at you as you struggle through life and yell, ‘You can make it! Keep going!'”

In another post, Balcony People-Part Two, I introduced five guiding principles of Balcony People:

“1. Balcony People are willing to take risks. Because when we reach outside of ourselves to help or encourage someone else, we take the chance of being rejected, laughed at, embarrassed, or even thought of as a little weird. ‘Old Man Saye, why do you keep telling me my yellow dress is just so very pretty?! Please back away me!'”

2. BP realize that what you reap, you sow. Staying in balconies makes you happier and healthier. Crouching in dank basements is unhealthy.

3. BP give to give, not to get. Because giving away good to others is simply the right thing to do.

4. BP look for the good in others. They realize the truth of the statement that we usually find what we’re looking for.

5. BP express encouragement sincerely. They don’t flatter or lie. Okay, maybe except when I couldn’t think of anything good to say about one student’s essay, and all I could come up with was, ‘Cool font.'”

I know I have mentioned on the blog before that Kathryn Stockett’s The Help stands as one of the best novels I have read in the past few years. I loved the story of black maids in the 1960’s south so much that I used it in several composition classes at Georgia Southern. The book went over amazingly well, with many students telling me that they loved the book and would be passing it along to friends and family to read (and also telling me, disturbingly, that the book was the first one they had ever actually ever gotten all the way through). The book ENCOURAGES the voiceless to realize that yes, they too have voices.

In the twenty-second scene below from the movie version of The Help, Aibilene explains to her young charge exactly what the girl is, and what she needs to believe about herself. Oh, how our world would be beautifully improved if we would all see each other the way Aibilene sees Mae Mobley.

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I challenge you to find someone today, tomorrow. Encourage. Lift up. See the good. Get in someone’s balcony.

College Teaching, Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers (6/22/12) — Retirement Edition

Posted on June 22, 2012June 22, 2012 by Neal Saye

Yesterday, I retired from full time professorship at Georgia Southern University. Here are five things about my retiring that make me happy/reflective.

1. This cool plaque from CLASS (GSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences).

2. Turning in my grades this morning.

3. Enjoying the silly truthfulness of a message I posted on my Department of Writing and Linguistics listserv, when I announced my approaching retirement: Ten Take-Aways from Being a Professor at Georgia Southern for Twenty-Four Years.

* The student is more important than the subject being taught.

* Listen to the student–she or he has a voice.

* Newton (the ancient classroom building which houses my department) never changes.

* Deans and department chairs do (pretty regularly) (Okay, very regularly.)

* The secretaries really run this place. Be good to them.

* How I arranged my classroom tables, what books I used, what my theoretical framework was (though important) paled in comparison to being in love with teaching young people (and some not-so-young people) and LIKING students.

* Don’t grade everything.

* At least once every week, tell your students something funny–about you, or them or whatever.

* Take a walk around campus every now and then just to take in its natural beauty.

* Don’t take yourself or your job too seriously.

4. A fun saying-goodbye gathering with department members and other collegaues.

Tim Giles and Interim Department Chair Phyllis Dallas.

Mary Hadley, Thomas Klein and Tim.

Terri Welford and Interim Dean Curtis Ricker.

Interim Associate Provost Mike Smith (former CLASS Dean)

Laura Milner and Mary Marwitz

Fellow blogger Emma Bolden

Poet Extraordinaire Eric Nelson

Michael Pemberton and Angela Crow

5. Realizing that being sad at leaving such wonderful colleagues and students proves the joy of having been a part of Georgia Southern University for so long.

Happiest of Weekends to You All!

College Teaching

Final Little Hallway Walk and GSU Retirementville

Posted on June 21, 2012September 9, 2012 by Neal Saye

Office 2225B on the second floor of the Newton Building on the campus of Georgia Southern University. A second home. For a long time.

But my office is cleared out now, books all boxed and removed. Quieter than it has been in eons. Computer-humming quiet. My office phone suddenly shy, afraid to ring and disturb emptiness.

I’m retiring from full-time college teaching.