Thirteen Ways of Looking at North Branch School in the Morning

The NBS weekly notations
By Aylee


Monday

In meeting here is what we heard about. Finn went to Bridget's house because her mom wanted to collect some oak leaves and she had a lot of fun jumping on the trampoline with Juniper. Tal talked about his neighbors trees and how he wants to cut them down. Claire listened to the German Beatles and at first thought that they weren't as good but realized that she liked them just as much and that it didn't really mater what the lyrics were or if she could understand them. Rider said that when Hugh Brown came he was intrigued because hugh talked about “street values”. Here we talk about “huge ideas” like the meaning of life and how should we live but Hugh talked more about actually living those ideas and putting them into action. Hugh had talked about when he was at a party or something and he saw a guy picking up a girl who was wearing a really short skirt and the girl was mad and embarrassed. This was against Hugh's morals, and he believed that respect should be given to women (it should) and so he marched over and told the guy so. This did not end well (it ended in a scrap) because the guys friends were there but Hugh had stood up to what he believed. Also Yared and Rider went to Berklee College of Music and they had a good time. They were both wearing Berkley gift-shop merchandise on Monday

Eric has observed that instead of the occasional boredom and uninterestedness of some NBSers in science class, we have started to say interesting things, we have taken what we know and made something of it. Instead of just learning about the facts that have already been discovered, we make of it something of our own, our own discoveries, such as having a lively debate on if ideas were alive or not in science class today.

Tal said, off of Riders comment and Eric's comment, that it was like house, we have the facts, the foundation, so now we need to build. It can't be only ideas and concepts, it has to be concrete, real, livable in-able. Ollie spent about 4 times more time on a science assignment than he has ever spent. He was working on the cooking project and made pomegranate ice cream with mint whipped cream and fried goat cheese stuff, served with fresh pomegranate seeds. It was amazing.

Tal blabbed about how he severely dislikes/hates the word chuckles except when used as Charlie's nick name. He also hates the word chortle. Tal is toying with the idea of banning the word "chuckle."

Rose has been thinking about how electronic impulses are what make us have different personalities and it made her sad. She felt very small and pointless but then she talked to her sister about it and her sister had heard that the same amount of electronic impulses we use is the number that powers a whole city. So that made her feel significant again.

Luke played really hard in his hockey game because there were only about 2 subs. He felt good after he did that. Calder had his first soccer meeting at the field house- and was elated to be playing soccer again

Tal talked about how when Su White told us the story about how a man went to hell and every one was starving because the handles of their spoons were longer than their arms therefor impossible to eat with but then he went to heaven and everyone had the same spoons except they were feeding each-other across the table. (It was an awesome story-thank you Su) and while we were listening Tal watched Claire's expression of undivided attention. Then at the last line about heaven, claire smiled and she was very in-the-moment. Tal said that after Hugh finished talking, saw Tate clapping quite vigorously and Tal was happy to see Tate happy and visibly enjoying Hughes speech so much. Tal also said that Aylee, (me) is doing very well and being very aware and helping the school in lots of ways, like passing out the lit books without being asked. I did this simply because I knew I had to be done and Tal was overtired.

Claire saw me, yes me again, singing to a song in her project and she was happy to see me happy and enjoying things. Also Claire's project was awesome

Rider read the poem which was:

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save.

~ Mary Oliver ~

Tuesday

Kiley was in the book store and she picked up Justin Beiber's book and read a little and realized that he is just a normal kid, and that all the fame and popularity was just a “chance thing;” it was just by chance that he had a good voice and that he got so famous but he is still just a teenager like us.

Patrick said that he thought that he had lost his hat that his dad had given him and he got really upset because it is special to him. He doesn't want to lose it because it is from his dad. But then he found it so everything was better.

Anna went to a coming of age thing at the Metta-Earth institute by my house and spent a lot of time there. While there she forgot about what time it was there and she worried a little about her home work but after a while she felt more free because there was nothing she could do except enjoy where she was. She didn't have time to do her home work which she got all freaked out about. But really since she had been thinking and experiencing things at Metta Earth that was work enough and Tal said that that can sometimes take the place/come before home work. Tal also says that if you sit around writing all the time you wouldn't have real life experiences to write about.

Claire said that her mom and dune picked her up and her mom was saying how she felt like her own mom didn't care about her. Claire, being the smart and opinionated girl she is, openly stated that she thought that every parent loves their child. When they argued about it Claire got upset and went and laid on the wet ground in her yard. She says that she doesn't usually do that but it felt good.

Ollie said that he was very excited about soccer. Yared was sad and says he plays soccer in his head because he can't play with his body.

Rose was reading a book and in it the people say goodbye to each other just by touching the others arm and looking into their eyes instead of saying bye. Rose said how she notices that Ollie doesn't like when people say "I love you" because he doesn't feel like it is real. She says that maybe he is right in that when people had less words to use they were more meaningful.

Claire read poem:


Upon The Image Of Death

Before my face the picture hangs
That daily should put me in mind
Of those cold names and bitter pangs
That shortly I am like to find;
But yet, alas, full little I
Do think hereon that I must die.

I often look upon a face
Most ugly, grisly, bare, and thin;
I often view the hollow place
Where eyes and nose had sometimes been;
I see the bones across that lie,
Yet little think that I must die.

I read the label underneath,
That telleth me whereto I must;
I see the sentence eke that saith
Remember, man, that thou art dust!
But yet, alas, but seldom I
Do think indeed that I must die.

Continually at my bed's head
A hearse doth hang, which doth me tell
That I ere morning may be dead,
Though now I feel myself full well ;
But yet, alas, for all this, I
Have little mind that I must die.

The gown which I do use to wear,
The knife wherewith I cut my meat,
And eke that old and ancient chair
Which is my only usual seat,-
All these do tell me I must die,
And yet my life amend not I.

My ancestors are turned to clay,
And many of my mates are gone;
My youngers daily drop away,
And can I think to 'scape alone?
No, no, I know that I must die,
And yet my life amend not I.

Not Solomon for all his wit,
Nor Samson, though he were so strong,
No king nor person ever yet
Could 'scape but death laid him along;
Wherefore I know that I must die,
And yet my life amend not I.

Though all the East did quake to hear
Of Alexander's dreadful name,
And all the West did likewise fear
To hear of Julius Caesar's fame,
Yet both by death in dust now lie;
Who then can 'scape but he must die?

If none can 'scape death's dreadful dart,
If rich and poor his beck obey,
If strong, if wise, if all do smart,
Then I to 'scape shall have no way.
Oh, grant me grace, O God, that I
My life may mend, sith I must die.


Wednesday

Miles said that he had a good talk with his mom about his sister and father and school and he said that it was good to have that kind of conversation with her.

Rose heard chase say that he liked “all his sevies” and that made her happy because the fact that he said 'my' implied that he belonged to them and they belonged to him. It is good that the sevies are getting to be friends already. They are already forming a group. Rose hopes that everyone can say that they are part of a group like that because it is a good feeling to be included. Also Jarred got all excited about who will be in his class when he comes to NBS in two years I think. Tal said that when he moved here from Atlanta, he was moving away from a pretty perfect situation, he had a good status at Paideia and Henry was in their "15 year plan” so he was worried when he sent henry to Quarry hill School. But then when Henry came home he said that he “liked his Quarry Hill school” so that mad Tal feel better. The idea of possession and being possessed. A child should wan to belong in the world and to his or her place, Tal said.

Anna saw lots of boys playing in the snow at lunch and it made her happy to see them happy and together. I might add that it is also a small miracle that the boys have been having snowball fights every day since there has been snow yet we haven't had anyone get hurt or mad yet. Tal added that Patrick, the schools youngest member, has been having so much fun at lunch out in the snow that he has been forgetting to eat. Tal says that he needs to work on self-regulating and when Anna sees them outside she should remind them to eat a little. Funny, I seem to recall this happening to me in 3rd grade. But the lesson is that we need to self regulate ourselves, take care of ourselves, and havve fun snow-ball fights.

Jesse had to make dinner with Nathan the other night. Nathan was very unhelpful but Jesse made dinner. And for dessert she made crème puffs. She was thinking about random acts of kindness and she decided to bring Sophie and Kiley crème puffs.

Simon felt bad for making fun of Calder, who has to get braces.

Tal asked Calder to put the leftovers from dinner away while he did wood chores and when he came in he saw that Calder had washed the dishes and cleaned the counter too. Rowan did extra chores in the morning and made Eric's life a lot easier

Sophie wrote Patrick an email saying that he was doing good in school. Which is very true.

Tal noticed how hard Ollie is working in soccer practice for Synergy because he just joined and it is hard to do what the other guys have been doing. He has to work really hard all the time.

Eric said that the 'compost crew' worked very well together the other day when they were working on their song for Sophie and Patrick. They were all working together and Rider played the drums on a recycling bin which actually sounded very good.

Simon had a good time in carpool.

Reed read the poem; "Thirteen ways of looking at a blackbird" by Wallace Stevens

Among twenty snowy mountains,
The only moving thing
Was the eye of the blackbird.

II

I was of three minds,
Like a tree
In which there are three blackbirds.

III

The blackbird whirled in the autumn winds.
It was a small part of the pantomime.

IV

A man and a woman
Are one.
A man and a woman and a blackbird
Are one.

V

I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of inflections
Or the beauty of innuendoes,
The blackbird whistling
Or just after.

VI

Icicles filled the long window
With barbaric glass.
The shadow of the blackbird
Crossed it, to and fro.
The mood
Traced in the shadow
An indecipherable cause.

VII

O thin men of Haddam,
Why do you imagine golden birds?
Do you not see how the blackbird
Walks around the feet
Of the women about you?

VIII

I know noble accents
And lucid, inescapable rhythms;
But I know, too,
That the blackbird is involved
In what I know.

IX

When the blackbird flew out of sight,
It marked the edge
Of one of many circles.

X

At the sight of blackbirds
Flying in a green light,
Even the bawds of euphony
Would cry out sharply.

XI

He rode over Connecticut
In a glass coach.
Once, a fear pierced him,
In that he mistook
The shadow of his equipage
For blackbirds.

XII

The river is moving.
The blackbird must be flying.

XIII

It was evening all afternoon.
It was snowing
And it was going to snow.
The blackbird sat
In the cedar-limbs.