Getting to know you, getting to know all about you...

So, who am I, you might ask? (Or not...) Well, I guess you know that I'm your lit teacher for the year. Good to know. But what else might help you out? Because we all know that knowing your grader in some way helps give you an edge on how to write your papers, right? It's all about pleasing the teacher and pandering to their tastes, right?! Right?! Um.... sorry, but that'd be a big 'negatory' for me. I don't want to see anybody in here writing what they think I want to hear. I mean, aspire to something new and different that I might have talked about in class, absolutely, but also write what you want. I'm here to help you become the best writers and versions of yourselves.

So, the things you may/may not want to know about me, in no particular order or importance are:
 *drumroll please

• I'm not a teacher by craft, I'm a massage therapist. (with degrees in history and English. Go figure!) Teaching just kind of happened. Still, this might be a good time to share my philosophy: I'm not here to teach you facts. You can find facts on the internet or in the paper or in a book (gasp!). I'm here to A) try to help you find the best way to find those facts, checking for credibility and integrity, and then B) to try to inspire you to use these intangible and painfully abstract things that are so interesting, and try to see if you can apply them to some real-life skills (Because we can't all be academics! Nor should we all aspire to be, honestly. I hardly consider myself one.)
• I paint. So if I seem a bit unkempt... that's why. 
• I home brew. 
• I garden. 
• I'm a playwright. 
• I have a spazz-tastic lab mix, a spotted mini lop, and a long-haired white cat who keep my home (and my clothes) permanently furry. 
• If you don't like ska, skacore, 90's alternative, indie rock, or folk, you're probably not going to appreciate my music much... but that's ok. Introduce me to some of yours. 
• I'm an upcycler, a tailor, a thrifter, and I'm not going to apologize for it. Craigslist. Freecycle. Pinterest. They sustain me. Make do and mend, I always say. 

And at this point, I seem a bit tapped out. If you're interested in any of these things, well, maybe I'll talk about them in class some time. 

So it begins...

So, this my dear ones, is an introduction to all things Ms. Mariah. My motivations, my hopes (for you, for myself, for the world at large), a little about me to let you know how to interact with me...

We will start every week out with "Movie Mondays" where I'll show a clip from a movie (or maybe at some point during our arduous journey together, when we're needing a break, a whole film) relevant to the world we live in, you and I, issues of: race, gender, sexuality, class, family dynamics, warfare, economics, personal values and beliefs, differing ideas of beauty or love or self-worth... whatever.. it's fair game. Moreover, we will be free writing during that period in time to get our creative writing juices flowing. That means you can write dialogue, a short story, a script, a comic strip, a poem, a graphic novel, a by-line like you'd see in a newspaper article, a review, a personal anecdote, an instruction manual... the sky is the limit.  For those of you without 'writing juice,' I'll be there to help promote creation of something productive that you would find helpful to your development, and hopefully we'll find something that's related to your goals for yourself in my class. For those of you who have seen those movies, more power to you, you can use outside knowledge. For those of you who haven't, I've tried to select movies that you need no previous knowledge of to be inspired by.

Second, this webpage is your link to me. I am in no way holding you accountable to reading it. Those who do might have some added benefit of asking for my help whenever they need it. I'll do my best to be available to you. Remember, I'm a resource. Use me while you've got me. I love to hear what you've got to say. And I'll be as honest with you as I can be. However, if there's a time when I will not be available (remember, I have a life, too, outside of the classroom, just like you do!), and I'll let you know when those times come; however, I'm a person who loves to help-- with anything. So if you ever need to talk, remember that you've got me. What's more, if you read my blog, you get the goods on who I am and what makes me tick.

Third, we have classroom animals. They are not pets. I repeat... not pets. They're our visitors, non-human members of the class, who help contribute to the learning process. Treat them as such. You will respect that.Got it?

Fourth, Music is always encouraged. I'll play some for you if that's ok. And feel free to bring in some of yours. You may listen to your own devices when I give you the go-ahead, but if it's a problem, I do hold the right to take it away from you until the end of class. Remember, that if I'm being respectful of varied tastes and beliefs, you've got to be, too.