Cleaves went on to Michigan State and led the Spartans to the 2000 NCAA Championship where he was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. After being drafted in the first round by the Detroit Pistons back in 2000, Cleaves has played for four teams; Sonics, Kings and Cavaliers. Stops have also included the D-League, and Russia.

I have often been asked why Cleaves has settled down with an NBA team along his journey.

Mo-C is a hard worker, good guy, excellent attitude, not a complainer and has no ego. On the floor he gets the team into the half-court offense and can push the ball in transition. I'm not sure if he's going to make the Nuggets club but I wish him all the luck in the world.

Here's a video clip from You Tube with Cleaves working out on the comeback trail.

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY

But for now, I thought I'd give some impressions of the inaugural Meaningful Play Conference at Michigan State University this weekend.  It was both multi-disciplinary and international.  In fact, my favorite presentation of the weekend was a keynote address from Ute Ritterfeld from VU University Amsterdam.  Her longitudinal research into questions about interactivity and multimodality was quite illuminating, particularly her team's conclusion that multimodality matters more than interactivity in Serious Games.  While I am not sold on every detail of her methodology -- I'm not sure what makes game reviewers from popular gaming publications "experts" in gaming qualities -- I do find her broader research and conclusions to be quite fascinating and relevant to some of my own interests.  I look forward to when her presentation is published. 

That said, some of the other keynotes were a bit disappointing.  Richard Hilleman, Chief Creative Officer for Electronic Arts, gave a presentation ostensibly addressing how game designers can change the world.  Yet, the presentation was essentially a description of EA's bootcamp workshops for executive producers.  Frankly, it came off as a PR opportunity for EA -- of a one hour presentation, only about five minutes and a few questions from the Q&A session were devoted to the presentation's titular subject:  "Game Designer as Change Agent".

I do have to confess that I missed some segments of the conference due to a significant cold I contracted on my way up here.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to attend Ian Bogost's keynote about games and art, which was one reason I really wanted to come.  Between class at ODU (via videoconferencing), a lack of sleep due to illness, and general fatigue, I didn't quite catch every panel time.  What I did catch was enlightening in many ways.

I did feel as though my paper was a bit misplaced.  The panel canvassing myself and two others was titled "Game Design and Development", but the other papers were technical presentations about games designed by small research teams for different purposes.  Unfortunately, one of those presentations didn't show.  My paper on semiotics found some interest, but fell a little flat following a presentation from a group who had developed a simulation game for training firefighters.  If you follow the link above, you can find an early draft of the paper; but please keep in mind that it is incomplete (I think I managed to leave off a citation, as well...oops...my apologies to Andrew Reiner and Game Informer).  I plan on following up on the paper, developing it further, and seeking a place for it in a place like Games and Culture.  We'll see what happens.

Overall, the conference was a good experience.  But, as one of the only humanities specialists here, I have to say that I felt out of place.  And I was a bit surprised at how many of the 250 spots were doled out to MSU's students.  I don't know the exact numbers, but they seemed to make up a significant number of the attendees.  But, the academic and scholarly presentations certainly made up for the attendee disparities.

In other news, a portion of my family visited us in MI for the first time this past weekend.  My mom, dad, and younger siblings came up Saturday afternoon and stayed through Monday morning.  We celebrated birthdays, then visited MSU campus, Frankenmuth, and the MI State Capitol building.  So it was a very busy 36-hour visit!  It was really good to spend some QT with them, pics are up on Facebook. :)

Tom Sizemore was born to a mother who was a member of an urban ombudsman staff and a lawyer/psychology professor father, Thomas Edward Sizemore, Sr. Tom Sizemore has a younger brother, Paul, who is also an actor and a niece Beverly who is a songwriter and former Pussycat Doll. Tom Sizemore attended Michigan State University for 1 year, as well as Wayne State University, and earned a Master's Degree in theater from Temple University in 1986. Tom Sizemore subsequently moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.

One of Tom Sizemore's early film roles was in Oliver Stone's Born on the 4th of July in 1989. Tom Sizemore has appeared in films such as Lock Up (1989), Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991), True Romance (1993), Natural Born Killers (1994) and Strange Days (1995). A succession of well-received supporting parts followed, perhaps the most well known being his portrayal of Michael Cheritto in Heat (1995). Tom Sizemore's major leading role was as Vincent D'Agosta in 1997's The Relic.

Tom Sizemore had a recurring role on the television series China Beach (1988 to 1991)as an enlisted man named Charlie who was in love with Dana Delaney's character.

Tom Sizemore continued to play leading and character parts in many films, notably Bringing out the Dead, Saving Private Ryan, HBO's Witness Protection, Red Planet, Pearl Harbour, Devil in a Blue Dress, and Black Hawk Down. Tom Sizemore had a voice part as Sonny Forelli in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Tom Sizemore had a supporting role in Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp as Bat Masterson. In 2001, Tom Sizemore starred in Ticker, an action film directed by Albert Pyun, with Steven Seagal and Dennis Hopper . In 2002, Tom Sizemore starred in the well-reviewed but short-lived television drama series Robbery Homicide Division. It was cancelled mid-way through its 1st season. Tom Sizemore also played an undercover cop in the film Swindle opposite Sherilyn Fenn.

Tom Sizemore fronted the Hollywood rock band Day 8. Formed in 2002, the band recorded a 4-song EP produced and recorded by former Snot/Soulfly guitarist Mikey Doling. The group included Rod Castro, Tyrone Tomke and Michael Taylor.

In 2004, he starred in the movie Paparazzi and in the 2006 film, The Genius Club, playing a terrorist who taunts 7 geniuses into solving the world's problems in 1 night.

In 2007, the television network VH1 aired a 6 episode reality TV series called Shooting Sizemore, which depicted the life of the actor as he struggled to regain his career in the midst of a continuing battle with addiction. The series also covered an ongoing legal appeal on his conviction for an assault of former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss. In 2008, Tom Sizemore appeared in The Last Lullaby, playing a killer, and in the thriller film Red with Brian Cox.

Tom Sizemore, who had long battled drug addiction, was convicted in 2003 of assault and battery against his girlfriend, the former "Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss. Tom Sizemore was then sentenced to 17 months in jail and 4 months in drug treatment for repeatedly failing drug tests while on probation on 25 March, 2005. On 3 June, 2005, Tom Sizemore filed a writ of habeas corpus to appeal his conviction of domestic violence against Heidi Fleiss, accusing Heidi Fleiss of faking a picture of her bruises submitted as evidence during the April 2003 trial. Heidi Fleiss testified the photo was taken by a friend named Tara Dabrizzi who left the next day to visit her ailing mother in another country. Tara Dabrizzi never took the stand and Tom Sizemore's attorneys say they were unable to locate anyone with that name. Heidi Fleiss allegedly contradicted herself in a civil trial by saying she didn't know who took the photo, according to the Superior Court petition.

On 18 August, 2005, approximately 8 hours of celebrity sex tape starring Tom Sizemore was published on the internet. The material has since become available on DVD.

On 8 May, 2007, while still on probation for a previous drug conviction, Tom Sizemore was again arrested outside the 4 Points Sheraton hotel in Bakersfield, California. Police found what appeared to be 2 bags of methamphetamine and 3 meth pipes in his 2004 Ford Mustang. Police were called after paroled dealer Jason Salcido challenged a hotel employee to a fight after being refused check-in. Police found a meth pipe on Salcido and found Tom Sizemore waiting in his car outside the hotel. On 25 June, Tom Sizemore was sentenced to 16 months, but the sentence was reduced to 9 months because he had already served 213 days behind bars.

Keep visiting: www.lifechums.com more celebrities featuring shortly ................

Roshown McLeod is the new men's assistant basketball coach at Indiana University. Here is a story from idsnews.com on his past experience and who he has learned from.

“I would probably say at St. Anthony’s under coach Hurley, because I knew absolutely nothing about the game, and he really filled my mind with all the fundamentals of what it was going to take to be a really good player,” McLeod said at basketball media day Wednesday. “By understanding the fundamentals, I was capable of adjusting myself to whatever program I needed to be effective at.”

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

Cluster munitions are considered doubly indiscriminate by humanitarian and advocacy groups.  Firstly they target wide areas, making it impossible to ensure the prevention of civilian casualties.  Second, many of the constituent 'bomblets' fail to explode, creating de facto landmines that can kill civilians long after wars end.  For more information on the impact of cluster munitions, see this web video interview with a campaigner from Handicap International.

Here is a schedule of the cluster bomb survivors speaking engagements around the American Midwest:

Chicago: Tues, Oct 7 12:30-2PM, MacArthur Foundation
South Bend: Wed, Oct 8, 12-1PM, Holy Cross College, Main Atrium
Grand Rapids: Wed, Oct 8, 7-8:30PM, Community of Christ Church, 2140 Union Avenue
Lansing: Thurs, Oct 9, 7PM, Michigan State University, 105 South Kedzie Hall
Ann Arbor: Friday, Oct 10, 9:30-10:30, Memorial Christian Church, 730 Tappan
Dearborn: Fri, Oct 10, 12:30-2 PM, Arab American Museum
Cleveland: Sat, Oct 11, 4-6PM, AACCESS—Ohio, 11555 Lorain Avenue
Columbus: Sun, Oct 11, 7PM, Northwood High Building, Room 100
Richmond: Mon, Oct 12, 6PM, Earlham College
Indianapolis: Tues, Oct 14, 7PM, Earth House Café

(US Campaign to Ban Landmines)

Last week, at a conference in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, African countries called on world governments to back the ban on cluster munitions.  To read their 'Kampala Action Plan', click here.  To see a web video of it being read, click here.

You always hear, 'let us know if we can do anything for you'?

Yeah right, I've heard that over a hundred times from people who NEVER come through.

Tom Izzo at Michigan State University is someone who COMES THROUGH!

Thanks to MSU's official website, Coach Izzo and Mike Garland, an assistant coach at MSU is helping out a former teammate.

Vinny Del Negro's career as a head coach is off and running with the Chicgao Bulls.  NBA. Com has the piece.

“It’s the nature of coaching and being in the public eye,” the 41-year-old Del Negro says. “We’re all used to it as players, from an early age: What’s his game like, who does he resemble? It’s natural to do the same with coaches, especially a first-time guy like me.”

-SF

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I wasn't able to watch the entire game, but the first half was great.  Apparently, the second half was even more of a defensive struggle than the first half. 

This is our best start since 2003 where we went 7-1 before the wheels came off (three consecutive losses -- Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin).  I had intended to blog after the Notre Dame victory (especially since it was the first time the "home team" had won in a while), but for some reason, I just failed to do so.  Perhaps I was not overly confident that the winning ways would continue once "Big Ten" play began.  But, now, after a couple of Big Ten encounters, my Spartans are looking pretty good!

But alas, the season is long from over and the real meat of the Big Ten schedule remains . . . with all of the heavy hitters still to come: Penn State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin.   Of course, even though they don't appear to be playning very well, you can never discount Michigan -- they always seem up for the intra-state rivalry!   Hang on, it's going to get interesting.

Many of Michigan's E. coli Cases Linked to Lettuce
Genetically linked cases consumed lettuce from wholesale distributor

Lansing - As a precautionary measure, the Michigan Department
of Community Health (MDCH) is issuing a public health alert due to
illnesses from the 26 cases of E. coli strain O157:H7 that are thought
to be associated with bagged, industrial-sized packages of iceberg
lettuce sold through wholesale venues to restaurants and institutions.

There is no evidence that the bagged lettuce at grocery stores is
affected.

Some of the 26 Michigan cases consumed shredded or chopped iceberg
lettuce in restaurants or institutions purchased from Aunt Mid's
Produce Company, a Detroit-based wholesale distributor; and other
distributing outlets could be identified. Product trace back and
additional tests results are still in progress.

"Our top priority at the Michigan Department of Community Health
is to protect the public," said Dr. Gregory Holzman, chief medical
executive for MDCH. "We appreciate all of the assistance from Aunt
Mid's. They have been very helpful in this investigation. We want to
ensure that the public's health and well-being is protected. Even
though the investigation is ongoing, available evidence is strongly
pointing to iceberg lettuce."

The 26 genetically linked cases are present in eight Michigan
counties including seven at Michigan State University (Ingham County),
five inmates at the Lenawee County Jail, three students at the
University of Michigan (Washtenaw County), four in Macomb County, three
each in Wayne, two in Kent counties, and one each in St. Clair and
Oakland counties. Of the E. coli O157:H7 cases that are genetically
linked, 10 have been hospitalized. These linked cases range in age from
11 to 81 years old. Symptoms of these confirmed genetically linked E.
coli patients began on Sept. 8. More confirmed cases could surface as
the investigation continues.

The symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 may include severe stomach cramps,
diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is
not very high (less than 101 F/less than 38.5 C). Most people get better
within 5-7 days. Some infections are very mild, but others are severe
or even life-threatening.

###

This afternoon, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has informed
the Michigan Department of Community Health that other states have E.coli
cases with the same genetic link as the 24 in Michigan. Those states include
Illinois (2), Ohio (2) and Oregon (1).

His arrangement of the Fanfare and the Star Spangled Banner sold more  than 40,000 copies and is the bestselling and most-performed version of the U.S. national Antehm.

Marsalis' attitude was noteworthy.  I've heard rumors about his expressions and style becoming volatile at times. (?)  You could tell that besides being an inspirational figure, he had a lot of passion.  He was pretty tame working with the high school ensemble.  He was straightforward, blunt, and constructive in his comments.  He described the master class setting, saying, "We don't have time to get to know each other."  His purpose was always clear and he was interactive with the students, modeling what he wanted on the cymbal, piano, trumpet, and through vocalization.

Jazz musicians intrigue me, and the area of jazz is a crucial part in a lot of MLT research, so not surprisingly I thought of some questions.  It is starting to feel like MLT and research are underpinnings of everything we do as musicians.  In its most basic sense, MLT is about how we learn music, and the research is its foundation.  It feels silly to talk about it sometimes because it seems so obvious.  So these are the music learning questions that came up for me in this jazz setting:

• Marsalis talked a lot about jazz music as "our music," or "American music."  He spoke of cultural differences when saying "Samba dancing is for young and old in Brazil."  How is musical community represented in social communities of other cultures?
• How does jazz fit into MLT research?  Is it the pinnacle of musical experience?
• How do music education philosophers, including Reimer, Elliot, and Woodford, view jazz as part of our cultural musical experience?
• (Need to find good note-taking program for Mac)
• How are call-and-response relationships during improvisation addressed in MLT research?
• To what degree is good breathing technique and timing related to strong jazz playing?
• How is phrasing and expression in jazz related to whole language?
• Is it more accurate to keep beat with your toes or heels (heel involves more muscles in the leg)?

Here are some interesting ideas from Marsalis:

• "[Swing] is not static, it goes up and down."  This wasn't the most specific thing phrase, but it seemed to have to do with phrasing.

On solos, listening, and musical conversation:

• "[Throughout the history of music,] fast passages are [rarely] the main ideas.  Even in Bach, they are usually transitions.  You will find fast passages in something crazy like 'Flight of the Bumblebee' or Charlie Parker.  So don't blow by your ideas in your solos."
• "This music [jazz? blues?] is designed to listen to each other...  We have to spend more time listening to each other than ourselves...building vocabulary."
• "Intention counts" - not accuracy.

On technique:

• "You have to figure it out.  Mark Twain could figure it out."  Reinforces the role of teacher as a guide, hopefully not completely abandoning the student :)

Overall, Marsalis spoke about jazz as "our music" and emphasized that it should be enjoyable, not about "getting it right."  I would go on with implications but real life is calling, and this is enough for now!

Yep, I'm a Spartan fan.  Because I am a Spartan.  Class of 1990.  Saw my boys best USC not once but twice in 1987/1988 when I was going to school there.  How did we play USC twice... well, the second time was a little thing we like to call THE ROSE BOWL.  It was pretty unbelieveable that my Dad, Brother and I got to go to California and watch our Spartans win the Rose Bowl, but that is a story for another post.  Today, let's talk Notre Dame, shall we?

I really like ND.  Growing up, MSU was my #1 and ND was my #2.  And UofM* was the arch rival (got to hate those guys!).  But in the last four years, ND has become a real problem for me.  You see, I hate Charlie.  Not as much as UofM, but very, very, very close.  So I want ND to lose (even as much as that is counter to my life-long leanings) becuase I want them to fire their coach.  Why do I so dislike Charlie?  Well, the story starts in 2005.  MSU wins over ND and MSU, and in the post-game jubilation, the Spartans planted the green and white flag in the middle of the ND field.  No big deal really, unless you are a ND fan/student...they were pissed.

Jump ahead a year to 2006, and this is where the fit hits the shan.  Our boys from East Lansing have a pretty comfortable lead going in to the fourth quarter when the Fighting Irish begin a heroic comeback.  And those Catholics were serious!  I can live with players stepping up and beating my boys; that's what great football is all about.  But Coach W. showed his ass in that game, in my eyes.

Our QB (Smoker) was responding to a couple of ND touchdowns by driving down the field on an impressive MSU counter-attack when he was chased out of the pocket and ended up getting pushed out of bounds in to the ND sideline.  And pushed hard enough to slide face first under the ND bench.  Literally.  As MSU players went to protect their QB and get him back to the huddle, a minor skirmish ensued.  Not a big deal really; not  really a brawl or certified tussle even.  But out of nowhere, the large Coach W. comes running on to the field holding his face and claiming that an MSU kid slapped him in the face.  And what is even more amazing is that the official threw a flag on Charlie's claim without witnessing the event.  That's a 15 yard/loss of down person foul penalty, by the way.  And MSU lost their momentum and ultimately, the game.

And the truth is that Charlie lied.  That's right, the head coach of the illustrius Notre Dame is a big, old liar.  A shit, really.  What kind of coaching is that?  What kind of example is he setting?  Whatever.  He had the worst season in ND history the following year, so maybe Karma kicked him in his SuperSizeMe ass (That he keeps conveniently tucked into the front of his pants).  And, FYI, MSU kicked ND's ass in 2007 on the road.

And this year, with ND 2-0 and MSU 2-1, and just one week after ND beat up on UofM pretty handily, guess what happened?  Well, our Michigan Sate Spartans represented.  A 23-7 victory.  No slaps or other crap, just some quality football.  In the post "slap" match ups, MSU is 2-0. 

Karma's a bitch Charlie.  But, Weiss, I am sorry about your leg, that really did look painful.

*Congrats to UofM on not losing this weekend!

Open gyms are very popular at this time of year - at local high schools players get to show their stuff in front of college coaches who come by to observe; and older guys get to work out, looking to stay in shape.

Also, the current players at the particular college get to go against each other and see what their teammates have added to their games over the course of the summer. (Remember what Hubie Brown says, 'all players should come back the following year with a new move')

I love it when a high school player goes against a former star in their early or late 30's or early 40's. When the young buck has the ball, they try and make a move to impress the crowd. When the older player's team has the ball they usually get to the low-post and call for it. After the entry pass, the lane is cleared and the older player goes to work.

At Michigan State yesterday I watched Mateen Cleaves, Shannon Brown and Steve Smith run the court all day. I think Mateen told me he won 6 straight games. No surprise because Brown can still play.

The current Spartans and their recruits tried hard to knock off the 'vets'. But it wasn't happening. Sure the high schoolers had their moments but when the game is on the line, the vets usually take over.

Here are my top 5 tips for excelling in the open gym:

1-Play hard (That is a given)

2-Share the ball (Keep your teammates happy)

3-Shoot when you are open (within your range)

4-Defend (Take pride, don't let someone score on you)

5-Don't talk trash (Keep quiet and just play)

PLAY THE RIGHT WAY!

-Lynne Miller, New York Daily News writer

This morning, after dropping Taylor off at an American Girl Doll get together, I ventured over to the campus of Michigan State University to take in the men's basketball open gym.  Former and current players along with recruits play a couple of hours of pick up basketball (for those who don't know, I worked on the coaching staff at MSU from 1999-2001)

When it was over, I met up with guys like Mateen Cleaves, Steve Smith and the likes.  I left and made my way to a very good breakfast joint about a mile away.

Today was a big day for Michigan State Spartan fans here in East Lansing - it was a home game vs Notre Dame.

As I walked through campus, everywhere you looked, people were tailgating.

Beer, loud music, crazy looking games and food were the norm.

Spartan fans showed their school spirit sporting their favorite t-shirts and hats.  Some even paint their mugs.

It's safe to say, College football is big-time in this town.

The thought of college football and the fans brought me back to the days of growing up on 9th avenue; we didn't have a college football team to root for.

Think about that - we had the Jets and Giants from the NFL, that was it. (Shut up, I know we had Farrell's and McBears, kicking ass, but that was SUNDAYS!)

For the  lucky college grads from the neighborhood, they had Iona, Fordham and St. John's.  Shoot, we even had Columbia. (To all you S.F.C. Terrier graduates, you didn't have a team)

Hofstra has made strides over the years, but back in the day, I don't ever recall seeing them on the map!

Rutgers? Nah, I can't count them...

As a kid, I often filled out football tickets (or sheets) down in Timboo's and tried to pick four college teams to cover the spread - I only hit the ticket a couple of times.  I'd pick teams like Utah, Syracuse, Nebraska and USC.  We'd watch the game, check the scroll at the bottom of the screen and even call Sports Phone every 20 minutes; remember King Wally?

(Sorry, Syracuse doesn't count as a favorite team to root for, they were located too far up North)

I did adopt the University of Oklahoma though.  I loved Barry Switzer and his wishbone offense.  Those guys were the real deal.

Their quarterbacks were speed demons.  Their running backs, well let's just say they were human gazelles.

Back in the day I was able to watch them maybe twice or three times per year on television.  Today, If I were still a Sooner fan, I'd probably get all their games on the Dish and I'd be able to follow them via the Internet.

School spirit is special - I graduated from Central Michigan University in 2003 and my interest has grown for their program - my my lovable Chips! They have a really good QB this year.

As I see little kids tossing around the pigskin in East Lansing, rocking Spartan jersey's, it would've been cool to own a college jersey and feel like a big time college football player, rooting for a team in my hometown.

Today I went to my first Mid-Michigan Orff-Schulwerk Association workshop (I couldn't go to any last year because they are on Saturday mornings, which is when I was teaching Early Childhood Music at FIM).  It started off with a workshop led by Karen Salvador, a doctoral candidate in music education here at MSU.  She gave us a ton of great info about vocal health, which is very helpful for a group of people that have basically chosen to sing for 6 hours straight, 5 days a week.  Besides how to use our voices in a healthy way (and no, she didn't tell us to talk in a high pitched voice all the time!), she also touched upon some medical difficulties.  Apparently the two meds I've just started for allergies and asthma - antihistamine and inhaled powder - are irritants to vocal cords.  This could be the reason for my sometimes scratchy singing voice, and missing parts of my range recently.  I think it might be time for my doctor to refer me to an ENT, so I can get this allergy medicine worked out, and maybe even find out what I'm allergic to!  I also enjoyed the Orff presentations and have a few more teachers to set up observations with now, besides the 12 that Dr. Taggart suggested.  I'm going to be busy soon!

My first birthday in East Lansing is coming up!  I'm really excited to be spending it here with Tim, even though it's on a busy day when I have class until 9pm.  And what's more exciting, selected members of my family are visiting us in MI for the first time in a couple of weeks.  We're going to celebrate my mom and my birthdays here.  Too bad we are marking the end of my first quarter of a century!  Yikes.

Also, Tim got what I think is his first full-time professorship prospect - FT Professor of Recording at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.  Wish him luck!

Nolan made the trip in from Chicago.  We put on raincoats (which would prove pointless) and walked across the campus of Michigan State University to Spartan Stadium.  We found our seats among the poncho-ed fans and began to watch a game of fumbles and dropped passes (which I will still blame on Hoyer and not the weather).  Half way through the first quarter, we were so wet.  ("That's what she said."  Thank you for that comment, Amber).

Despite the weather conditions, the time at Spartan Stadium was a blast.  It felt so great to be back on campus and cheering on our football team with fellow Spartans.  A fall Saturday on a college campus is better than any Sunday in an "NFL City".

Final score:  Michigan State 17, Florida Atlantic 0.

Saturday night, Nolan and I hit up Buffalo Wild Wings to indulge in some spirits and watch the Collision at the Coliseum.  Why does everything need a name now?  Couldn't it just be the overrated Suckeyes (I mean, Buckeyes) at the USC Trojans?  The East Lansing bar was surprisingly filled with many Ohio State fans.  Typical, they were talking trash and being an annoyance to everyone in ear shot.  To our enjoyment, OSU looked like a JV football team playing against USC.  By half time, delusional Buckeye fan couldn't take all the ridicule directed back at them and left the bar, I'm sure to go home and cry on their message boards while somehow making excuses for the pathetic performance.

Needless to say, I do not like Ohio State.  The only team I despise more is Notre Dame.

My cousin, Jessica, met up with us at BW3s.  She graduated from MSU this past Spring.  It was great to catch up with her and hear the excitement as she talked of her first "real" job and her own apartment.

Before heading to the hotel, Nolan and I made the required stop at Gumby's Pizza and picked up an order of Pokey Sticks with ranch dressing.  It's a shame Pokey Sticks are not available everywhere.  But anyone that has attended a college or university with a Gumby's store nearby know just how important Pokey Sticks are to a student's diet... especially after a few beers.

Go Green!  Go White!

Related to Philosophy/Methods:

• How does MLT fit in with the philosophies of Elliot?  Reimer?  Woodford?
• What are the connections between MLT and the Suzuki method?

Related to Research:

• Comparison of MLT and whole language movement?
• Does MLT background with emphasis on breath prep positively affect students’ singing technique in the long run?
• Achievement assessment related to MLT?
• Historical – Why did notation surpass audiation/improv?  Does this have to do with the aesthetic movement, which emphasized formal elements?

Related to MLT Practice

• Are there any schools in the area that incorporate Laban, Dalcroze, or any other movement programs effectively from K-12?  It would be interesting to observe these.
• Incorporating MLT into choral ensembles?
• What is the construction of piano programs based on MLT? – Check out “Music Moves"

Gordon also said a couple of things that made me think of MLT in a new way.  He made a comment about teachers needing to spend more time thinking about "how students learn," not "how to teach."  Also, "Most students entering school are not ready for what the music teacher is trying to teach them."  Those two comments really made me think about how important it is to more fully understand of students' musical development in order to teach them.  It seems so obvious, and the idea was emphasized at IC, but I feel like I was kind of losing it recently.  It started to become all about "what they should know" instead of "what they are ready to know."  And of course you want them to end up with a grasp of key concepts and skills, but it has to be done in the most effective way for each student.  There must be some kind of silly expression, like, "You can't drag a horse to water" to explain this, but I'm not sure right now!

All in all, I am incredibly happy with my choice to be here at MSU.  Although it seemed like an obvious one because Tim is here, I really struggled with the decision.  There were attractive offers at other places considered "top-notch" in terms of reputation.  But I made the decision based on the people - professors and students - at MSU, and really feel like I am among some of the "best."  There is even a small IC community in the choral/conducting department here!

I can't wait to get out in classrooms and watch from a different perspective, and learn tons!

Submission Deadline: November 30, 2008

The Sixties Area of the Popular Culture Association welcomes submissions on any aspect of the decade. Topics of interest might include, but are not limited to:

* 1969, or other significant dates, places, or events, e.g. Days of Rage, etc.
* Religion, Spirituality, The Jesus Movement
* Sex, drugs, and rock n roll
* Communal living
* Different understandings of the “hippie movement” chronology
* Countercultural movements such as Hippies, SDS, Black Panther Party, and the White Panther Party
* Analysis of influential books and films (Kerouac, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, The Doors of Perception, The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, etc.)
* Politics, race and gender: Then and Now
* Music and fashion as cultural expression and consumer culture
* Media reaction and representation

Deadline for submission of a 100-250-word abstract is November 30, 2008.

Inquiries about possible papers or proposals for round table sessions or full panels are also welcomed and encouraged.

If your paper is accepted, you will receive an acceptance letter, and information on registration, PCA/ACA membership, hotel accommodations, etc.

Deborah Carmichael
Michigan State University
carmic28@msu.edu

or

Shawn David Young
Michigan State University
235 Bessey Hall
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1033
youngs21@msu.edu

Social Networking probably rings the bells of sights like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.  Did you know it's easy for you to create a social network all your own?

College Grads of the recent and not so recent past love to keep in touch.  Sometimes we call it 'networking' or 'pinging' but it all comes down to our desire to stay connected with people we share a relationship.  

Feeling ambitious?  Start your own social network:

http://www.ning.com/

So, when my mom called up and said she had scored 2 free tickets to the MSU football game this afternoon, I couldn't turn it down.  No....MSU is not my team, but since I went out of state to Arizona State for college, I feel like I have free reign on rooting for all the Michigan teams without betraying my own (I equally root for U of M as well).  My sister and I went and had a great time.  The seats weren't the closest, but we could see just fine. (I think I got too spoiled by sitting right on the sidelines at ASU)  I'm just glad I had an opportunity to go to a game before I have to leave again.....Go MSU!!!  (by the way, they won 42 to 10)

!!!

(Bristol Palin, far right...in the picture, not just politically)

Meanwhile boyfriend Levi is 'exuberantly' supporting Bristol and ready for marriage.  I don't suppose Sarah and Todd's gun collection or hunting prowess figured into the decision whatsoever.

CNN has their own opinion on the matter - with shocking response from the conservative movement.

Fortunately Bristol may be relocating to Washington, D.C.  This town is home to such academic powerhouses as Georgetown and a not impossible commute to Harvard, Columbia, Boston College, you get the picture.  Sounds like Mom and Dad could even pony up the $250,000+ in tuition and daycare costs too (Her father Todd takes care of the kids back in Alaska).

Alright, before this turns into a full out rant, contact your Congressperson or Senator if you are interested in attending one of the universities Bristol will no doubt have access to, instead of more glorified gossip.  Let's make college education a goal for the incoming administration.

Write Your Representative

Contact Your Senator