March 03, 2004 - 11:39 PM

Sit Down, Shut Up, and Listen

What happens if they ask a question to which I don't know the answer? What if I can't control them? What if I can't control my bladder? How do I jump into a lesson plan for a syllabus that I don't even know?

I finally reached the correct person today at the Junior High where I had my interview about a substitute teaching position back in January. She didn't have my name on a list of potential candidates that the Director (with whom I had my interview) gave her, so she wasn't sure that I was kosher as far as being hired on. And yet, she offered me a position for this Friday. I haven't filled out any paperwork, I haven't proven that I can do this, but here I am with my first gig lined up. Smack my ass and call me Shirley, I am petrified.

Coincidentally, I'll be filling in for the very person who engineered the teaching position, my friend LDBL, which means I should be able to talk to him tomorrow about what lies he's been teaching to his kids so that I can continue the campaign of misinformation. I've been told by several people that it would be helpful for me to bring in my cello for use as a gimmick; it's a surefire way to get the kids' attentions. That, or decapitating myself.

Now I have to figure out what I'll wear, what utensils and supplies I will need, what kind of lunch to pack. You know that giddy start-of-the-school-year buzz you used to get in grade-school? All excited to crack open that new Trapper Keeper binder and fill it up with loose-leaf paper? Stuffing your pencil case with cool pens and highlighters and pencils and erasers? Applying contact paper to your workbooks and clothing the textbooks in brown-paper bags so that the resale prices wouldn't go down from graffitied covers? I'm sorta getting that vibe now.

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Vienna Teng put on a marvelous show at the Hotel Cafe tonight. She only played 45 minutes, which was way too short; I think I might go down to the Borders Book Store in Westwood tomorrow at 3 PM just so I can request her to play "Soon Love Soon".

Vienna's on tour supporting her just released album Warm Strangers which has garnered a nice B+ review in Entertainment Weekly. Her label and publicity people are really giving her a nice push, with an appearance on the Wayne Brady Show tomorrow (thursday) as well as an interview and performance on NPR this weekend. Busy girl. In addition to her on piano, she's toting around a violinist and a cellist (the cellist supplies vocal harmonies as well) who do an excellent job of giving her songs added textures. As always, Vienna talked a lot in between songs, sharing what inspired each one as well as little stories of how people have responded to her music; I like the way she makes herself accessible to the listener that way.

The room was packed for her portion of the evening, with perhaps 80% of the audience being asian. I hope that she doesn't merely become a "token" performer who attracts an audience because she's asian; she deserves to be appreciated by all people who like good singer-songwriters. Maybe it's a peculiarity of L.A. that all of her shows here are mostly populated by asians, because I know plenty of non-asians elsewhere who dig her music.

Check out her tourdates on her webpage. If she's coming near you, please go see her (Rob, she'll be in Pittsburgh soon).

In addition to new albums from Vienna, Susan Werner, and Jonatha Brooke, I forgot to mention there's a new album from Canadian Sarah Harmer due out on the 23rd. She released the best album of 2000, You Were Here, in my opinion, and was always riveting to see/hear in concert, so I'm virtually aquiver in anticipation of her new effort. Also on deck is a new album this spring from Anne Heaton, who I put down as my favorite CD purchase from last year.

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Did you watch Scrubs this week? I had the Closed-Captioning on when I watched it last night, and I was befuddled to see the name Alanis Morissette and then the lyrics to her song "Thank U" over the final montage while the actual music being played was Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You". My guess as to the reason behind this goof-up is that, when a copy of the show was sent to the Closed-Captioners, they had Alanis' song as a temporary track; before they went to air, though, they either changed their minds, or they were unable to get the rights from Alanis' publisher.

Now Listening To : Vienna Teng-Warm Strangers (some bits are a little too polished, but others are stellar in the very best sense)
Random Thought : The Like show at the Troubadour was sold out last night, so Matt and I played Halo instead. He sniped my ass to death.

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