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A Summary and a Review of My Recent School Vacation
by
Greg Pincus

Flu.
Boo.


It's Poetry Friday yet again here in the blogosphere, so head on over to Laura Purdie Salas's Writing the World for Kids and check out this week's roundup of poetry goodies.

(P.S. Honestly, Mom, that's not really what happened to me, I'm grateful to say. It's just a poem!)

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Corrections
by
Greg Pincus

I wish I could correct my work -
It makes my poor brain ache.
See, I used my pink eraser...
And that was my mistake!


One of the things I love about Poetry Friday (and hey... you can see a roundup of today's posts over at Mainely Write) is that from time to time, you can throw things out there and find out if they make sense to anyone but yourself. This is one of those times for me :-)

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The Shared Lament of Students and Teachers on the Passing of Time
by
Greg Pincus

It's the end of summer.
Bummer.


(For those of you for whom this sentiment and/or the season do not apply, my apologies.)

It's Poetry Friday, even as the summer dwindles away, and you can find this week's roundup of posts over at My Juicy Little Universe (where Heidi, too, has a poetic commentary about summer and school).


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Book Review: Anti-Gravity
by
Greg Pincus

This book on anti-gravity will never make you frown.
In fact, the only problem is you just can't put it down.


What's that you say? I'm not allowed a groaner (with science that is not 100% perfect, I suppose)? Of course I am! It might be the only one that's part of this week's Poetry Friday roundup (hosted over at Teach Mentor Texts), but you'll only know if you go check it out.

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Summer Reading
by
Greg Pincus

I read two dozen comic books. Three graphic novels, too.
I understood the signs so wasn't eaten at the zoo!
I read aloud each billboard as we drove on our vacation.
The packages our food comes in? I read their information.
I figured out which films to watch by reading their descriptions.
I read a lot of magazines (and got a few subscriptions).
I learned the rules of four new games by reading the instructions.
I devoured five new joke books (though I skipped the introductions).
I read the list of all the things I can't do at the pool.
I even read the packet labeled "Welcome Back to School."
I think I am a reader, though in class I get "those" looks...
'Cuz I didn't crack a cover of my summer reading books!


Ah, yes... summer reading. You know... let's not talk about that - let's talk instead about the fact that the Poetry Friday roundup is up over at Author Amok today! The roundup is purely happy stuff (as is, I've always believed, the very name Author Amok), so head on over and get your fill o' poetry goodies.

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To My 2nd Period English Teacher
by
Greg Pincus

My dog has it in for me badly.
I swear he’s the worst cur on earth.
I wish I could get away from the vendetta
He’s had against me since my birth.
Instead, he finds new ways to hound me.
My days are spent shaking with fear!
And he is why actually, truly and factually,
None of my homework is here.

This was a poem written for this year's March Madness Poetry shebang... though it did not help me advance to the next round, as you can see. My task was to write a poem using the word vendetta, by the way. I believe it was the first time I'd done so, and I was pleased enough with the result to share it here.


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Sequester the Tester
by
Greg Pincus

We’re locked in our classroom all day for a test
Answering questions for hours with no rest.
You want us to learn? Well, this isn’t the way.
Sequester the tester and just let us play!

I wrote this poem almost a year ago during last year's March Madness (the fantastic event masterminded by Ed DeCaria). During the Madness, some poor poet had to write a poem in 36 hours using the word "sequester"... and I decided it was such a great word, I'd give it a try, too, just cuz.

Flash forward to a year later, and "sequester" is suddenly in the news (AND it's standardized testing time all over the place, too). So, I've decided to dust off this little ditty. (And, yes... I'm doing the Madness again! More on that soooooon.)

And hey... it's Poetry Friday, so you can see what else is going on around the Kidlitosphere by heading over to the weekly roundup at Heidi's Juicy Little Universe.

Plus, if you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

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Punxatawney Phil Sees His Shadow
by
Greg Pincus

You say “Boo! More snow and gloom.”
But me? I think it’s cool -
More winter means that there’s more chance
Of a snow day off from school!


And a Happy Groundhog Day to you all, whether you're for or against the predicted six more weeks o' winter.

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Book Report on the Thesaurus
by
Gregory K.

Words? There were lots, very many, a ton.
Plot? There was zero, zilch, zip, nada, none.
I found it enjoyable, likable, fun...
But was glad when it finished, completed, was done.


I'd call this poem a companion (or partner or kissing cousin or... or... or) to my poem Book Report on the Dictionary. What can I say? Reference books inspire me....

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is over at Random Noodling. Head on over and see what else is going on poetically today (including Fibonacci poems by some talented kindergarteners).

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(This poem originally ran here at GottaBook in September of 2006 and again last year, I believe. But it is that time of year again!)

THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
by
Gregory K.


I don’t know the teacher.
I sure hope she’s nice.
But what if she’s mean with a heart cold as ice???
What about bullies?
There might be a bunch.
And what a disaster if I mess up lunch!
I don’t like that playground:
The slide hits the sky!
And now here at drop-off, I can’t say “goodbye.”
My stomach is queasy.
My stress can’t be greater...
But then a voice calms me,
“Bye, Dad! See ya later!”


Good luck to all parents (yeah, and kids, too) as the first day of school comes 'round once more. And happy Poetry Friday to all!

Oh, yeah - you can change "Dad" to "Mom" in that last line, as necessary!

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In this new media universe, what does it mean to be a writer?

Is blogging writing? Is my web video monologue writing? Is an ad-libbed variety show with pre-planned guests writing?  

As the Writers Guild of America strike continues, writers around the country are asking these questions. Yesterday, Ed Champion went to WGA President Michael Winship to ask what was writing and what wasn't writing on Jon Stewart's Daily Show. His answer was complex:

"Well, the rules are pretty specific about things that he can and cannot do. He cannot write questions in advance for interviews, for example. He cannot write the monologues, as I said. He cannot write any kind of sketch material for the show...But if he has a guest on the air whose book he has read and he asks questions off the top of his head, that is not struck work."

The whole strike depends on the definition of "writing." There's no standard industry price to pay a writer for a blog post, a web video, or a podcast. As these forms multiply, it's becoming harder and harder for writers to get a fair-wage for these new products.

Don't take these questions for granted. Should Jon Stewart's show be on the air without writers?

 

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You would think that a person who has never owned a TV would be less interested in watching the Emmy Awards.  But actually, loving The Office, Grey's Anatomy, 24 and The Daily Show the way I do means that this was a big year.  And my good friend and neighbor, Michelle, has a big TV to match.  Hmmm.  You can see detailed info here, but I also have a few things to say.

For example.  What's up with that shot to T. R. Knight when the animation thing (before the host, who was some guy named Ryan something, came on) mentioned the shunned Isaiah Washington?  Hasn't George been through enough?  Especially after not winning tonight (a travesty!).

Anyway.  I was majorly bummed when both The Daily Show and Late Show with David Letterman (which will always be Late Night in my heart) got shot down in a double-whammy effect of what the eff was that?  And not just because when I was a teen I would tape Late Night and watch it the next day after school, recording the Top Ten lists and best lines in my special Late Night notebook.  Dude, I even wore Adidas when everyone else was wearing Keds just because Dave wore them, that's how obsessed I was.


Jeremy Piven absolutely deserved his win (even if it was over Drama).  Ari Gold is totally brill.  And Jeremy is sweet.  When I got my picture taken with him after the Neil LaBute play Fat Pig (before the days of Entourage - my love for Jeremy goes way back), he pressed his cheek right up against my cheek like we were old friends.  He said, "There's love for me in New York."  You got that right.


I'm a big Grey's fan.  So it was hard to accept the fact that they did not win for best drama (of course The Sopranos had to get it, everyone knows this, duh, but it's still hard).  But what was even harder to accept was the personality of Katherine Heigl (thanks for clearing up that pronunciation, by the way)...not exactly shining through.  More like blinding everyone with insensitivity.  Here's a hot tip:  You might want to think before you speak.  Like, when you say, "Even my own mother didn't think I had a chance in hell of winning" when your own mother is sitting right there as your guest, it might come off as...oh, I don't know...insensitive, perhaps?  Especially when your own mother then looks as if she's about to burst into tears as the camera cuts to her while you're rambling on with the rest of your speech.  Oh, and about that speech?  We didn't need to hear that you've been "working [your] ass off for seventeen years."  Sweetie, some people in that room have been working their asses off for seventy years.  Simmer down now.


Kiefer Sutherland:  always a gentleman, looking sharp, 24 theme playing all officially in the background, still not winning for best lead actor in a drama.  My conclusion:  that sucks.  Here's what should have happened with that:


In a fabulous moment of synergy, Steve Carell presented for best variety show and The Daily Show finally won!   Yay!  Jon Stewart is so hot that it didn't even matter when he gave his speech with some lipstick on his lip.  You go, Jon.  Work it!  Own it!


In an even more thrilling moment (if you can believe that), Steve Carell ran onto the stage when Jon Stewart called him up to accept the best lead actor in a comedy award, which he completely deserved.  Way to stick it to the man (the man, in this case, being some lame dude who won and wasn't even there).  In other news of The Office, shout-out to Greg Daniels who won for writing an amazing ep.  And in a most excellent Dwight Schrute style competition, Rainn Wilson battled Kanye West and beat his butt to a pulp.  That's how long I been on ya, nephew!  But when both The Office and Entourage lost in the best comedy smackdown, I had to call it a night.  There's just no excuse for that kind of inappropriate behavior.

 

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