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year in review

Year-In-Review 2009: Boy, You’re Gonna Carry That Weight For a Long Time!

by Jose on December 31, 2009 · 4 comments

in life

Young James Kirk looks at the USS Starship Enterprise, Star Trek

2009 may never leave me alone. We go through these crazy up-and-downs, hoping not to leave too much on the cutting room of this movie we call our lives. None of the lessons get left on the floor, though. They stick around, secretly making their way into our laments and celebrations. It’s with this that I reflect upon the last year. (Yes, this is a sitting affair.)

By the Seasons:

President Barack Hussein Obama

In the earlier winter, I celebrated another birthday with my first visit to a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, where not only did the Knicks win, but I showed up on the screen for some apparent reason (maybe it was the big hat and big foam finger). Nice highlight, but not even 1/2 as cool as seeing President Barack Hussein Obama get inaugurated in front of millions while Dick Cheney hurt his back on his exit out, even when I secretly questioned how his opponents would seek his death. While In The Heights the Musical showed a positive and vivacious side of the neighborhood where I work, I saw my former student Ruben Redman buried and many other faces file in for his funeral only a month later in shock. Katt Williams taught us to work on the star (fuckin’) player the night I met a good 10 of my current Twitter friends while the New York Post was shooting down monkeys in caricatures, Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna, California teachers lost their jobs left and right, and my age would find the cube of 3. I found classics like Jay-Z’s Reasonable Doubt and books like Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters by Alan S. Miller and Satoshi Kanazawa rather intriguing and vital to my sanity.

In the spring, American Latino TV premiered my interview with them (and replayed it often enough that even people who didn’t even hear about it caught it), I re-met Felipe Luciano, and The Watchmen finally went on the big screen a few months before I finished reading the graphic novel. I made a few personal mistakes that had huge ramifications later, but life still felt good. The huge labor protests that I attended near City Hall barely made a dent on City Hall’s autocracy while we waved to Maino’s remix of “Hi Haters.” We didn’t have time, too busy we were flying, watching Staceyann Chin introduce her book The Other Side of Paradise, watching the mercurial The Soloist with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx and the refreshing Star Trek with Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, watching Mos Def and Talib Kweli unite as Blackstar to sold-out audiences at the Nokia Theatre, going to wedding after wedding, wondering how my students would do on the New York State Math Test. Like Downey’s character, I too found my writing catharsis, but this time through Aracelis Girmay at my first Acentos Poetry Workshop. All the while, I started to hear the buzz of the winds of change …

Michael and Janet Jackson, "Scream"

In the summer (as the year wound down), the once and future king returned to my place of occupation, and I was alerted of a math coach position that no one wanted until I took it, putting on Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” while people got used to the idea of me in this new (and not necessarily higher) position. My Macbook Pro came through the door on the same day Apple Co. announced to the world they’d lowered the price of that exact laptop about 400$ (geez), Sonia Sotomayor was nominated and confirmed for the Supreme Court and I went on a 7-day whirlwind tour including Orlando, FL and Hillsborough, NC where I met (and remet) some of the brilliant minds associated with the Center for Teaching Quality and simultaneously giving a workshop on blogging (too easy). The Los Angeles Lakers won the championship, but Shaq never kissed MVP Kobe Bryant’s rear in the process, Julian Bond and Cornel West conversed at Barnes n’ Noble for the 100th anniversary of the NAACP, and The Young Lords celebrated their 40th anniversary. Even Q-Tip rocked out for us (with a secret Diddy appearance) for free in Central Park. Vibe might have covered that better if not for their (temporary) shutdown. New York City’s skies turned red-orange on a weird June 26th, 2009. Was it a forecasting of impending doom or a dedication to souls already past? After all, Ed McMahon, Frank McCourt, Ted Kennedy, and Michael Jackson had all died, the last of whom I spilled my drink for at an end-of-the-year party. Bob Marley had to pass me his herbal remedies in his house sometime in August, and Coldplay with Jay-Z had me “Lost” in the calm before the storm …

Beatles, Rock Band, "Here Comes The Sun"

In the fall, Hall of Fame inductee Michael Jordan blazed another trail into the national zeitgeist by simultaneously crying and shouting out his biggest detractors, even his best friends. Kanye West and Goldman Sachs both shrugged their way through 2009, but only one of them was properly admonished for his act (then again, only one of these entities was completely honest about their intentions). And whereas Obama shouldn’t have commented on one, he definitely should have had more of a hand in the other. Plaxico Burress was jailed for 2 years (and thus ending any chance of the The New York Giants having a championship the previous or this year), Tara Betts showed us The Arc and Hue, and I went Ghost from some social networks in hopes of starting the new school year right and helping my friends mourn the loss of Patrick Swayze (not in tribute to Sammy Sosa’s new looks). In October, I had every reason to scream and shout after the New York Yankees won their 27th championship (my age), Soledad O’Brien gave me (and a few other hundred people) a sneak preview of Latino in America in El Museo del Barrio, Lemon Anderson wowed us with his performance in the one-man show County of Kings, and I became more focused on the education of my students than ever before.

In the winter, my dentist, general doctor, and cardiologist, all new to me, told me I was in very fine shape (though a smidget overweight), and even with these copies of Abbey Road by The Beatles, Day and Age by The Killers, Eduardo Galeono’s Open Veins of Latin America, and One Love by David Guetta sitting on my desk, the greatest gift I got this entire holiday was a peace of mind. And that’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Alex Rodriguez and Jay-Z at the Yankees Victory Parade, 2009

Alex Rodriguez and Jay-Z at the Yankees Victory Parade, 2009

The five major themes of 2009 for me:

5. Independence on the Internet Rules.

Nowadays, the idea of having one’s own web site is normal. People use their own names as their domain names on the web, and having their whole identities on the web is normal. Two years ago, I dedicated myself to developing my Internet identity, and this year, it’s paid dividends. Separate from all these “host” sites, we should have less dependence on other things and people to develop our identities. While some people still find this idea weird, I see how much it’s become a part of me.

4. The Writer’s Inspired.

Everytime I write now, whether in poetry form or scripts like these, the words simply flow from me without little hesitation. It’s liberating in a way, but it also says that I’ve finally found a space in my life where I’m not handcuffed by what I say or do. At least not when I’m writing. Spaces like the Chicago Sun-Times, LiveStrong.com, and GothamSchools found a space for my writing, even if they were just clips.

3. Success Found Me At An Opportune Time.

Mercedes Sanchez and Jose Vilson, LATISM Awards

Every 2-3 months felt like more opportunities blossomed for me. Yes, the American Latino TV interview was rather nice (and a big shout-out to longtime friend Mercedes Sanchez for that), and so was meeting Toure, Soledad O’Brien, Cornel West, Carl Cohn, and Pedro Noguera (among others). Yet, the ones that mattered most to me were the meet-ups I had and even the ones where I haven’t met the person yet. From the people I did get to meet like Tara L. Conley, the social media activist and head of Media Make Change, and Mike Brown, the jovial networker whose meetups and get-togethers got me in touch with lots of others, to the people I didn’t get t meet in real life like Raquel Cepeda, my friendly neighborhood Carmen Sandiego who quoted me in her CNN.com article regarding Latino in America, and Chad Ratliff who’s constantly pushing my ed-thinking, I can honestly say none of my successes haven’t been due to someone else looking out for me.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention people like Louis Pagan, George “Urban Jibaro” Torres, and Ana Roca Costra, founders of LATinos in Social Media, Lance Rios of Being Latino, longtime friends and current collaborators in MiBodegaOnline.com Danny Susana and Argenis Fernandez, Center for Teaching Quality collaborators Barnett Barry, John Norton, and John Holland, the hostess and activista (respectively) of WBAI’s Rise-Up Radio Keisha Dutes and Janna Zinzi, and Aurelia Flores of PowerfulLatinas.com for her consultations. Even a grand (GothamSchools) fundraiser where I was considered cool enough to be in a room with my favorite ed-blogger NYC Educator, Diane Ravitch, and Joel Klein let me know I was on the right track. Like Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Derek Jeter and the playoff MVP (in my opinion) Alex Rodriguez in 2009, I did more when I focused on myself less.

2. I’m Starting With the Man in the Mirror.

Glass of Blue Moon

In 2009, I started to see some of the stronger parts of my life fall apart. I had a jagged wisdom tooth pulled out and some of my stress pains just wouldn’t go away.  Parts of my relationship started falling apart in front of me and I only had one person to blame: myself. I became a bit of a recluse and delved myself into meeting after meeting, whether it was Elon James and Bassey Ikpi’s Bar 13 joint with Rich Villar and Melissa Harris-Lacewell amongst others or finding the bottom of too many cold glasses of Blue Moons and Coronas, I did everything in my power to take my mind off the plethora of distractions and detractions. People revealed themselves in covert and overt ways, and the only shelter I found was in my recently acquired iPod Touch and the mounds of student work that left my desk as soon as it touched my hands. Oh right, and a little jam I used to snap my fingers to whenever things got tough: “It’s gonna feel real good, it’s gonna make a difference, gonna make it right …” While things all over my life have definitely improved, the lessons still hold true for me.

1. On To The Next One.

With all that’s going on in my life, one might think I was leaving education. A Tweeter commented that my blogs waver from frustrated to hopeful, but always good reads. To that end, I have to agree. Sometimes I blurt out that I want my PhD only to hear about it back at work (I see you, spies). Sometimes I would get frustrated and say I want to be the principal of my own school (I don’t anymore, really I don’t, stop badgering me about it, mmmkay hahah). Usually, I’m happy to be an educator, especially one with a resounding voice. Even with my trials and tribulations, this education stuff has been worth most of the drama I’ve sustained. It’s been hard to read through books like The Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire and Other People’s Children by Lisa Delpit, but it’s a pain recognizing how much I need to be unschooled rather than not having known any better.

It’s not just about pedagogy for me; there’s plenty of that out there. It’s not just about politics; others can handle it better than I. It’s more about those gaps people never pay attention to or ones people refuse to pay attention to because it’s “too easy.” I don’t know whether I’ll still teach in the next 5 years, but I do know education is truly my calling, and every encouraging e-mail, phone call, tweet, or conversation I receive about the job I’m doing with my students keeps pushing me in that direction.

Even with the (handful of) people who keep saying “I’ve changed,” I still consider myself the same Jose Vilson, just a little more driven, a little more focused, a little more motivated to get on that space ship.

In 2010, I’ll have a million ways to get it. Choose one.

Jose, who wonders what’s “A Day In The Life” for you …

Me at the Old Yankee Stadium

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Year-In-Review 2009: Top Nine Things I Learned In 2009 [Almost Uncensored]

by Jose on December 28, 2009 · 1 comment

in life

Dr. Manhattan, Watchmen

Dr. Manhattan, Watchmen

2009: the year I finally got more than I asked for. Ironically, I didn’t really get the plethora of gifts, trinkets, and well-wishes I used to get during these holidays, but that may have been to offset the tidal wave of lessons and presents I received from 2009 as a whole. I promise not to get melodramatic in this write-up, but please note that I can neither look at these events as negative or positive anymore than I can look any single person as good or bad, as I have yet to determine their ultimate causality and effect. I do know that it’s made me a stronger person as I’m constantly having to squash the rumors of my demise.

Also, since this is almost uncensored, I’ve certainly walked to the brink of discussing personal situations and people in this blog, but I didn’t. Much the way gentlemen never kiss and tell, gentlemen also don’t spill everything out at once. Thus, I’ve involved no names. I understand I leave myself open to criticisms and discussions after, but I plan to keep cleansing in the hopes for brighter tomorrow.

So, in no particular order, here are the lessons I share and hope to impart upon all of you (in no particular order; I’ll leave that to David Letterman):

Life Is Meant To Be Lived

One of my favorite fellow staff members, Mr. R, retired this year, and if there’s anything he ever left me besides a penchant for insult and impeccable pseudo-administration-title writing, it was that we work to live, not live to work. Often, when I’m under the towers of papers, binders, books, and computer gadgetry, I simply and temporarily disband from the madness and go out. Maybe in the midst of trying to achieve some status, following some superstar mogul who rarely slept, or creating the “next best work,” we need to remember ourselves and living. Our work does not make us; we make our work.

Life Is Wasted on the Youth

I often observe my students in action, looking at them as they live out their mini-dramas, wondering why they even care that deeply. Our worldview often distorts the importance of things and people. I think about this as I look towards Ruben Redman, whose death I almost refused to believe until the new school year started. The more people revealed on my blog and in the news, the more uncivilized the whole situation felt to me. Young people should go out and experience things, live happy and fulfilling lives with little worry about who spray-painted what, whose denomination one belongs to, or what colors shade their sneakers or their skin.

Success Is A Process, Not an Event

People often confuse “overnight” successes with real and sustained success. We look at a news report and say, “Oh wow, that just happened. I never noticed, so I guess they just succeeded at this really quickly.” As I can personally attest to, much of the “work” we see done instantaneously takes lots of the blood, sweat, and tears few are willing to put in (I include myself in both parties at times). When success comes rapidly, that usually means the work behind it was much harder.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

I’d love to sit here and tell you life for do-gooders is paved with gold. However, the more good one does, the more certain people demand or envy that which you do. I know, the first temptation of many people is commonly to say “shrug it off.” Unfortunately, it takes more than that. Shrugs don’t support your fellow comrades, and oftentimes, the very people who shrug it off are the people who need the help the most. What’s often necessary to combat this is a personal revolution people aren’t often ready for.

Everything You Knew Is Not Everything There Is

It’s amazing to me how, in 2009, people and events revealed themselves in ways I couldn’t anticipate. In 2008, I steeled my mind unconsciously, preparing myself for the mental challenges of this year. Looking back, I took a few blows and came off those injuries more elastic and less dented. While the impressions and images of people changed slightly, none of it actually took me aback (minus Ruben’s death). Actually, it felt like someone turned off the lights in a hallway I’d already walked through a million times.

We’re Capable of A Lot More Than We Know

Whether it’s a good deed or something more insidious, we humans don’t know the extent of the things we’re willing or capable of doing until we arrive at certain situations. Sometimes, we as humans are tested, and whether we fail or pass those tests, we have to take a course of action from that point forward.

You’ve Never Actually Known Someone Until You’ve Been Inside Them

While I don’t mean this to sound perverted or gross in any way, I’ve found out just how much one can learn from actually getting into their personal space. One never knows anything about their boss until they’ve been to his or her office. One never knows anything about their parents until they’ve gone into their bedrooms. One never knows anything about their friends until they spend time in their house. One never knows a partner (or even a love interest) until you kiss them. The subconscious messages we pick up when we break barriers of a person take sacrifice because it often means we have to make ourselves vulnerable to this analysis as well. However, we learn so much that this information is often worth the vulnerability … and often, the hurt.

The Little Things Really Count

To some of us generalists, the little things really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. As I get older, though, I’m seeing the value of the “little things.” The details in my students’ school work. The greeting in the morning to fellow teachers. The mental mistakes we spew around loved ones, parents and siblings alike. Once the little things get ignored, the pile of little things add up to a large thing that’s much harder to control as a conglomerate than as simple parts un-melded. As I’ve witnessed, years of work can be crumbled into nothingness when that rock becomes too burdensome.

Time Is Relative

Everything we know about time has little relevance to actual time. Our measurements of time make no sense. If you’re going to make change, why wait until January 1st, 2010? If you’re going to be honest to someone, why wait until some designated day when you and your friends decided to do so? With this push on the Internet to have information (with varying authenticity) readily available and instantaneous, our relationship with time continuously changes. In the interim, let’s savor today and every day left in whatever we call 2009.

We’ll never know the things we may learn …

Jose, who has one more year-in-review blog that’ll recap his whole life in about 2009 words (I hope) …

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The Cutting Room: 2008

by Jose on January 2, 2009 · 6 comments

in life

Cutting Room

Cutting Room

Thanks for the plentiful comments, everyone. I definitely replied to each one. After writing an admittedly great personal year-in-review last year, I actually thought I’d have a harder time writing this second one. Nonetheless, they were both fun. As usual, there are a few things I leave off the post, mostly because some of it didn’t flow with the rest, but other times, it’s because, frankly, it was inappropriate for the feeling I was trying to convey.

I have no such inhibitions now.

Top 10 Omissions

10. Revolution: Rewatching V for Vendetta and Malcolm X in separate instances, and sobbing over my rice and beans.

9. Blogging: I know I brushed through this really quickly, but it’s worth noting. I have a friend who I’ve known since my Syracuse days who I had a chance to hang out with in a bar. She’d known me well throughout SU, but some of what she felt she knew about me changed, especially what happens here in my blog and my other writing. Some people, including her, presumed that that my writing here in my blog was inconsequential, despite my accomplishments through it. This all came to a head at the bar, where, as we’re discussing this very topic, a young lady who I knew on Facebook came up to me and said,

“Excuse me, are you Jose Vilson?”

“… Err, yes …”

“Oh my God! I read your blog!”

Of course, I laughed, and tried to be gracious, but ended up with one more hater! Hilarity ensues. It was cool, and it wasn’t a big deal as far as our friendship was concerned, but if I could have taken a snap shot of that particular moment, I would have, and posted it right here. Since then, she’s alleged that “it’s like she barely even knows me.” Maybe so, but for now, just pass me my beer, please.

William Mark Felt a.k.a. Deep Throat

William Mark Felt a.k.a. Deep Throat

8. Politics: The death of William Mark Felt also known as “Deep Throat.” I really didn’t know much about the Watergate scandal, and the elaborate descent of Richard Nixon to really understand the depth of his resignation, until W. Mark Felt’s death. His revelation as “Deep Throat” has become a beacon of courage for whistle-blowers who boldly seek justice for the under-served. From the whistle-blowers of Enron to the continuous whistle-blowers that we call bloggers, we all owe at least a bit of gratitude to “Deep Throat”. With the current administration, it’ll become more imperative to write right the wrongs of these corrupt government officials.

7. Censorship: Here’s an example of why self-hosting is the only way to go for serious bloggers. Hasta Los Gatos Quieren Zapatos (“Even The Cats Want Shoes” in Spanish) has rather incendiary material, but nothing more than I or The Field Negro may have. To wit, I have them linked in my sidebar for a reason. Even still, someone took them to task and hit that little “Flag Blog” button at the top of the blog, ensuring that, whenever anyone went into their blog, they’d be met with a warning label. Fuck that shit. If I want to curse and rant, I will, and no one can stop me. I know it costs a little more (anything is more than free, I suppose), but the price for independence is well worth it.

6. Songs: “Pussy” by Brazilian Girls and “Don’t Touch Me (remix)” by Busta Rhymes feat. Spliff Starr, Reek da Villian, The Game, Lil’ Wayne, Nas, and Big Daddy Kane were two of my favorite songs this year. Yet, I don’t think “pussy, pussy, pussy, marijuana,” or “don’t touch me, nigga!” would set a good tone for an inspirational post … right? At least not for this educator. Oh and while I’m at it, “Microphone Fiend” by Eric B and Rakim also blared through my speakers.

5. Commentary: I wrote a post entitled “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” where I write about one of my alum who had recently revealed he was bisexual. From that, this is probably one of my favorite comments of the year. It reminds of me of the scene in Milk in which a disabled child talked to Harvey Milk on the phone anonymously. I’ll probably never forget it. Ever.

4. Quotations: My favorite quote of the year comes from Barack Obama and not what you expect:

“If I had to name my greatest strength, I guess it would be my humility. Greatest weakness? It’s possible that I’m a little too awesome.”

- Barack Obama at the Alfred E. Smith Dinner

I put that up on my FaceBook page, and I thought people were ready to fling their heels at me. Speaking of which …

MAD Magazine: George W. Bush, We Stand By Our President

MAD Magazine: George W. Bush, We Stand By Our President

3. People: I don’t know how many times I’ve gotta say it, but in the words of Keith Olbermann:

“George W. Bush is my year’s WORST. PERSONNN IN THE WORRRLLLLDDDDDDDD!!!”

And he’ll probably continue to get nominations until every troop is out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

2. R.I.P. – The deaths of Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac. Isaac Hayes was a musical inspiration, and despite his dealings with Scientology (geezus krist!), I still respected and loved the man’s musical talents. As for Bernie Mac, his gumption and panache on stage and on his TV show inspired me to break my personal barriers of censorship in the name of speaking those truths. Oftentimes, the social interactions we have with one another limit the reality we feel. Bernie Mac, at least on stage, felt no said inhibitions. Rest in peace, brothas.

1. Online vs. Offline: The difference between me online and me offline is approaching zero. At least that’s what I’m aiming for. Yet, I also want to make it clear that, when it comes to my job, I try to maintain a sense of professionalism. Earlier last year, I had to handle an incident I’d rather not go into too much detail about. Rather, I’ll just expound of this: blogging has apparently become so hazardous, even those who have no interest in it follow up on what I’m doing based on what I write, hoping to catch something I’ve written about them. It’s nonsense. Then, it gets uglier when personal friends get involved, and then I’m asked to be the mature one amongst people who I’d consider my “elders.” Not that age is directly related to maturity, but for me to have been in that mess in the first place almost discouraged me from writing in public as a whole. No pseudonyms or secret identities. Just go phantom.

Then I said, “Fuck that. No thanks. I think I’ll go back to writing.”

And I have you, the reader, to thank. Even if I know you in person, please note that that feedback propels and inspires me to speak as loudly as possible. This educator thanks you.

Jose Vilson: Looking Over the Pier

Jose Vilson: Looking Over the Pier

Jose, who wishes you all a safe and happy new year …

p.s. – my image of the year:

Kareem Rashad, the Soldier

Kareem Rashad, Soldier

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The Life and Times of Jose Vilson, Vol. 2

by Jose on December 30, 2008 · 15 comments

in life

Jose Vilson: Looking Out (c) 2008 Tafari K. Stevenson-Howard

Jose Vilson: Looking Out (c) 2008 Tafari K. Stevenson-Howard

I started off this year the same way I started off last year: reflective, and humbled. My first entry for 2008 was an errors and omissions post, just to let people know that, yes, even I make mistakes (::flicks imaginary hair from his face like a pseudostar::). More importantly, though, my recap stands as a testament to my self-discovery. Enjoy the ride.

By The Seasons: A Recap of Some Events from 2008

Eli Manning at Champions Parade

Eli Manning at Champions Parade

In the early winter, I loved Charlie Wilson’s War and The Great Debaters, entered “civil disobedience” into my vocabulary, completely hated Cloverfield, celebrated my life’s span passing a little more than a quarter-century, rewrote my whole blogging history and my own manifesto for the world to see, rediscovered my love for Freecell, saw my almost-brother Andy go to Korea to teach, watched puppets fornicating on stage via Avenue Q, watched big blue monstrosities gentrify my neighborhood, ran excitedly around my TV as the other Big Blue Monsters a.k.a. the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots, met Dwayne Wade, Cee-Lo, and Sway, still had Graduation by Kanye West on full rotation, watched Bear Stearns collapse like a sign of the economic apocalypse, and went to Miami to visit my now much-healthier father (thanks still to everyone for their prayers and well wishes).

Jose Vilson and Malcolm Gladwell, NCTM

Jose Vilson and Malcolm Gladwell, NCTM

In the spring, I read my poetry aloud to the 6th graders in my class, actually liked Discipline by Janet, heard “Us Placers” by CRS (Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, and Pharrell Williams) featuring Thom Yorke and wondered what was possible for music in general, started writing my book, impersonated Biggie Smalls, met and heard Malcolm Gladwell speak in Salt Lake City, UT, where I augmented my teaching at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, nodded at Isiah Thomas’ firing from the New York Knicks, felt Sean Bell’s fury sweep the city, went to Washington, DC, where President Bush made jokes at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner while my girlfriend and I slept upstairs, loved Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar” as a theme song for my homeroom kids’ intramural basketball championship team, caught Kanye, Lupe Fiasco, NERD, and Rihanna at the Glow in the Dark Tour with some not-so-funny brownies, blasted Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” after watching Robert Downey Jr. rock my imagination, and braced myself for my own journey through time …

Yankee Stadium Gang

Yankee Stadium Gang

In the summer, I took my students to the newly opened Sports Museum of America, and on a tour of Yankee Stadium (for some, their first time ever, and now, their last), opened up about my fandom of Kobe Bryant, read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell and Why Are All The Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria? by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, joined that little phenomenon Twitter, invested time in getting my whole blogosphere to howl (and that you all did), dropped my jaw at the death of George Carlin, had a good time in Dominican Republic, saw Juan Luis Guerra y la 440 in Madison Square Garden and Chuck Mangione at the Blue Note, thus knocking off 2 things from my bucket list, counted along with Feist in “1, 2, 3, 4,” and whooooooa, The Dark Knight instantly shot up my favorite movies list (especially after the 3rd time), dropped my jaw watching Michael Phelps and the rest of Team USA kill it in Beijing, China, while slowly fuming that protesters were getting silenced in the most life-threatening ways, saw the Statue of Liberty up close for the first time in my life, and let go of some of that said liberty when I got ready for the next 180 days of teaching.

Watchmen Cover

Watchmen Cover

In the fall, things fell into an awkward place as my mentor / friend left to another school, read The Watchmen after seeing that first fantastic preview, dug The Smashing Pumpkins, The White Stripes, The Ramones, Garbage, and Ghostface Killah all over again, redid my website in that book’s theme, became hypnotized with Salvador Dali again, reunited with my Syracuse University alum once more at Syracuse, NY, started off the school year with the appropriately named “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay, rebuilt the Latino Alumni Network of Syracuse University group with that new vigor, missed my godson Josiah’s first birthday, but witnessed my good friend Indira (who was part of last year’s recap) give birth to Amethyst Fé (a girl – *** side note: this is one of the few predictions in which I was right and she was wrong, otherwise she tends to be right about everything, but just in case, told you so, nah nah nah nah nah ***), realized that the Yankees would definitely not see the playoffs as Yankee Stadium patiently awaits its eminent destruction, jammed to John Legend’s “Maxine” and Asher Roth’s Green House Effect Mixtape, stood close to the front row for Janet Jackson (and knocking off another item off my bucket list), updated the look around here again using Thesis (and others soon followed), and became one of the millions (AND MILLIONS!) of Barack’s fans …

In the last month, I was enthralled by Sean Penn’s portrayal of Harvey Milk in Milk, became fascinated with “Massage Situation” by Flying Lotus, reunited with my Nativity (middle school) alum (and won tickets to In The Heights), saw Just Blaze around my way after playing a mean game of pool last night, and was once more overwhelmed with the joy of Christmas.

The 5 Themes of 2008

5. Politics: “Swagger Like Us” by T.I. featuring Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Lil’ Wayne

Barack Obama Brushes the Dirt off Shoulder

Barack Obama Brushes the Dirt off Shoulder

I couldn’t avoid politics anywhere I went. This was by far the most exciting and invigorating season for politics I’ve ever been a part of (tells you how old I am). Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson, Jesse Jackson, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Barack Obama. Those names will forever be sealed in this man’s mind forever. Oh right, and Dennis Kucinich (just off the fact that I finally found a politician whose closely aligned with my own politics). Whenever we thought the political news was over, something else came up. Whether it was a plumber who wasn’t really a plumber or an impersonator getting more coverage than an actual vice presidential candidate, or even a certain mayor overstepping and ignoring a twice-mandated policy for only two terms and thus acting as Lord of New York, I know I probably won’t ever see another year like this. It also inspired the activist in me once again. After Al Gore lost in 2000 (and subsequently won the Nobel Peace Prize), I thought every vote I put up would count for nothing. Barack, despite his follies, made me believe again, and for that, I have a profound respect.

4. Death: “The Beginning is the End is the Beginning” by The Smashing Pumpkins

This was also an unprecedented year in the amount of life and death situations I’ve been involved in. The year started well enough with my father recuperating well from last year’s scare. Then, it went downhill from there. I’ve had my little cousin Ana Patricia (who was infamously incinerated by her father in February, and yes, it was hard holding back about that), my other cousin’s mom, my own cousin Rich, and one of the great teachers of my building, Mr. N, die as well, all very differently, but all as harrowing. I’ve been to the hospitals more times than I can count: for myself, my mom, and my girlfriend’s family. It felt like I could have shacked up in a hospital and I’d sleep just as well, or unwell. The scary part is that I never became numb to it; to the contrary, I might have become even more sensitive to it all.

3. Love: “Tu Amor Me Hace Bien (Your Love Is Good For Me)” by Marc Anthony

She’s been my most thorough supporter and critic. She’s the Michelle to my Barack. She’s been my best friend, lover, confidante, and all that jazz. When I lost confidence in my abilities, she kicked me swiftly and squarely in the pants (hurt like a motha, but I’m back on the horse, right?). Even with our issues, we’ve managed to make it through, and I plan to build on that. Sometimes I wonder how I got this lucky, but it’s something I work hard at. Her love is good for me, and maybe I’ll have more to tell you all in 2009. My Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

2. Teaching: “Fly Like an Eagle” by Seal

Jose Vilson in Columbus Circle

Jose Vilson in Columbus Circle

While in the classroom, I made some strides as far as academic prowess and classroom management, I made the most progress in teacher leadership, putting to use the tools I have as a communicator and social intermediary to good use. I’ve been doing that since I was a newbie, but this year, I felt like I took that role by the neck. After all that battling, it actually feels like my opinion matters, and that’s so important in any environment that’s looking to improve. I’ve become an example of what teachers can do when they’ve been given a voice in the happenings at the school. Granted, I’m far from the only one who has input, but I consider myself a prominent voice.

1. Success: “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers

Yes, I latched onto this song when the Nike Olympic commercial came on. And it’s fitting because most of this year’s successes came through people seeking me out and the blessings I’ve received rather than me seeking it out. I became part of the Teacher Leaders Network (and went to Raleigh-Durham, NC) thanks in large part to John Holland. I was featured in Time Out New York because someone was searching for “Time Out New York 40″ on Google’s Blogsearch and found my mock interview. I had the privilege of restarting the Latino Alumni Network of Syracuse University in large part because of Francisco Nuñez ‘03, who simply asked, “What are you guys doing now?” I was extra motivated because of Debbie Mercado ‘83, whose “not just participants but investors” line propelled our whole team into a movement bigger than us.

My first real guest post came courtesy of Nezua a.k.a. The Unapologetic Mexican, (my blogger of the year) who I ran into courtesy of Twitter really. My aforementioned “Howl” post came courtesy of Taylor the Teacher, who was inspired by my taglines at the end of my posts and threw it my way. My most popular post, “All I Ever Had …” came as a result of a situation with Bygbaby (the latest photographer to bless me with his skills) in which he was called an anti-Semite for no apparent reason. The 1400 or so friends on Facebook, 476 followers on Twitter, 164 readers here, 2000+ friends on MySpace, the random e-mails from burgeoning young teachers, bloggers, and teacher-bloggers, the people who stopped me on the street, in the bars, or online to say they loved my work, the people who dropped by NYC and brought your flavor to this side of town, the props from the most random of folk like Jeff Pearlman, Karrine Steffans, Liza Sabater, Guy Kawasaki, and Danyel Smith amongst a host of others make me realize just how important you, yes you, are. Thank you all, really. There isn’t enough space to thank you all, really.

The Killers' Brandon Flowers

The Killers' Brandon Flowers

… Over and out, last call for sin
While everyone’s lost, the battle is won
With all these things that I’ve done
All these things that I’ve done
If you can hold on
If you can hold on …

Song: The Killers, “All These Things That I’ve Done”

Jose, who loves it when 4,036,081 people can take the square root of their population and celebrate radically with me …

p.s. Guess how many words there are in this post?

{ 15 comments }

Not About My Salary, But More About My Reality

by Jose on February 2, 2008 · 15 comments

in life

Thinking Man

Am I sure I want to make this kind of leap?
Why leave the confined of a blog where I amassed what feels like thousands of comments (100+ comments in my “Fuck Bush” post alone)?
300+ subscribers?
almost 5 years of blogging?
Tons of forwards, friends, and acquaintances
And I was able to start some shit at will?

Good question …

A year ago, I started this humble blog in the hopes of upgrading from an energetic and random blog to a more personal and grown-up vision for how I wanted to represent myself, not just on the Internet, but in real life. While my site, The Jose Vilson, is really my home, the blog under that name is really the mouthpiece, analogous to rap’s role in the hip-hop culture. While there the other elements of hip-hop like breakdancing, turntablism, graffiti, and knowledge make their presence felt, rap is the centerpiece now for the rest of the culture.

In February, I was just trying to find my way around this vast blogosphere, hoping I could take some of my Xanga brethren along with me for the ride. That worked only within my inner circle (you know who you are). Thus, unlike Xanga where it’s much easier to reach out to others, join communities, and subscribe to other blogs, and have all these activities neatly centralized, I had to go and reach out to the blogosphere is much more messy, hoping my Google results let me run into someone who shared a similar interest in topics I held most vital in my mind. By May, I had already settled on writing about teaching, because I didn’t find very interesting educational bloggers through any of the search engines at first.

I would be the first Black-Latino NYC / LES educator / poet / blogger, and that’s my niche, and I wouldn’t compromise my message for fear of retribution from any school district, board, administration, or any other person who even remotely knew me. No pseudonyms. Just me.

But of course, I couldn’t arrive at this by myself. Despite my independent nature, I have a great understanding that, like the blog carnivals and Technorati authority numbers we see around the blogosphere, I couldn’t have arrived at the place I’m at without a little help from some awesome bloggers. Naturally, I’m inclined to thank NYC Educator for his awesome advice regarding my classroom situations. His was the first blog I read dealing specifically with NYC education, and he pulls no punches. I also thank him for linking me and one of my first popular blogs (“16 Things I Learned This Year“).

NYC Ed led to me meeting many of the blogs I link to or have in my Google Reader or blogroll. Miss Profe, who introduced me to other underrepresented bloggers like The Field Negro, a man so popular now, I can hardly get to the bottom of his box comment to write to him. Just his link to me in his “Blogs I Am Feeling” section led a lot of traffic this way, and I couldn’t be more grateful. From Miss Profe, I also found thefreeslave, who in turn put me on to the Afrospear. Of course, that group helped me find other random blogs like The Unapologetic Mexican, and the slew of Latino blogs I needed to balance the other parts of my identity. Of course, the Carnival of Education helped me find teachers like Repairman, dy/dan, Frumteacher, and Ms. Whatsit.

And before I knew it (July 2K7 or so), I stopped blogging over there and focused on blogging here. Finito …

But even after 4 layout changes, 84 readers, a Weblog Award finalist award, and 874 comments later, I’m still humbled by the love shown to my blog. Granted, it takes a while for me to write these essays after my long day at work, and it’s more about staying reflective in my teaching and life in general, but I also see the importance of sharing those experiences with people around the world. As cheesy as it sounds, I would prefer that I stay at the level I’m at if it means I can keep inspiring others at the rate I’m at than becoming more popular and not inspiring anyone at all.

Because of this blogoversary, I present my top 5 lists …

My Favorite 5 Blog Posts:

1. L’Chayim: I Wish For You 100 Years of Success But It’s My Time
2. Walk On Water
3. A Synopsis of the Road Less Wanted
4. Having Your Cake and Eating It Too, Workshop Model Style
5. 16 Things I Learned This School Year

My Posts I Wish More People Read:

1. Actions Affirmative
2. It Doesn’t Feel Right
3. Follow The Leader
4. Love, Reign O’er Me
5. I Remember When … (School Edition)

Top 5 Post Topics That Didn’t Quite Make It Out Of Draft Mode

1. The day I found staplers in my pastelito (I still get queasy thinking about it), then had a roach slip out of my piece of cheesecake, and when I went to shower, there was no hot water … all in a matter of 4 hours ….
2. My dedication to Joe Budden (cool dude, but Mood Musik 3 wasn’t better than MM2)
3. Why I can’t stand those kids who still wear 80s gear like Reagan’s still alive
4. My workout plan (because I stopped doing it for a good 3-4 months and only recently resumed)
5. A flashback to my days in Catholic private school (it’s not ready yet)

Top 5 Reasons Why I Really Moved to My Own Site

1. If you’re a writer that has the means to host your own site, have control of its content, and use whatever editing software you want, then you should have your own blog site. Ownership of your own material is important.
2. It’s rare to find Black- and Latino-owned blog sites in general, so here’s +1.
3. I hate having to Google my full name and find everyone else but me.
4. As previously mentioned, there aren’t many (any) bloggers who write about my experience at all.
5. A deep-seated necessity for needing to change my space.

Top Five Tag Lines I Might Use Again in 2008

1. jose, your favorite math’s teacher’s favorite math teacher …
2. jose, who laughs at sites like Boycott Chuck Norris …
3. jose, who wishes he could thank every single blogger, new and old, that shows him love, which he might have just done …
4. jose, who has constant cravings for some …
5. jose, who stands by his contradictions :-) …

jose, who must do this again next year …

{ 15 comments }

About My Blog: Just Omissions

by Jose on January 1, 2008 · 8 comments

in Uncategorized

Homer’s Brain Non-ExistentI had over 200 views on my latest end-of-the-year blog, which is awesome, and duly appreciated. I put out a lot of my personal life into the blogosphere and have gotten nothing but praises and well wishes. It takes a lot for me to put myself out there like that about certain things, but with your support, entries like that are possible.

With that said, a few notes of interest:

- I omitted my girlfriend’s name and her picture, something I’m sure a couple of people wondered about as they read the little part about her. While I care a lot about her, I also understand that behind those computer screens, there are still human beings, some of whom don’t care about the well-being of my personal matters, so long as they can find a weakness of some sort. I hate to be the pessimist, but some people don’t really enjoy seeing others happy even when it has nothing to do with their own lives, so they seek out those who do live happy lives and push them down. They’ll find some weakness or try and find some dirt so that either they can raise their own self-esteem or bring the other’s down to where they are. Misery loves company.

It’s not only something I’ve experienced in the WWW, but in real life, too, and ever since the last time it happened, I made sure never to reveal who the person was, even if she specifically asked me to. The pictures included in the last post are of my brother, favorite rapper of all time, friend, the 3rd baseman for the New York Yankees (who I still have to write about), and father, but for both of our sanities, I have to refuse to show you pictures of her, or us. Besides, people honestly have a weird sense of recklessness on the Internet. Even when I’m at my most open, I have to pull back a bit.

- I omitted much of the 2007 blog business (i.e. joining the Afrospear, going from like 5 readers to 80+) because I’ll do that for my blogoversary.

- I omitted my progress report on the books I’m writing because every time I think I have a good idea of what the book’s going to look like, I just hit Delete on a whole chunk of it in my mind and start over because it could be that much better.

- I omitted all the random meetings I had with random celebrities and such because most of my friends always mention when they meet celebrities, so everyone within an earshot always mentions what celebrity they’ve met, been next to, slept with, or are related to, and I’m not in the mood for that nonsense. I see the importance of establishing oneself and meeting them eye-to-eye, as peers not idols.

- With that said, I omitted how I went to see Mana and Three Mo Tenors this year, both of whose concerts were absolutely awesome.

I think I’m done. For my teachers, good luck to us tomorrow. Maybe we can start off my reminding them for the classroom procedures. Maybe.

jose, who wants his readers to ask him a question. any question. honestly. just be ready for the answers, too.

p.s. – No, really, if you have a question that you’d like me to answer via the blog, please do so. It’s OK. Just no more indecent proposals, please.

{ 8 comments }

L’Chayim: I Wish For You 100 Years of Success, But It’s My Time

by Jose on December 30, 2007 · 28 comments

in life

2007 MeAh yes, a year in review, and how better to end the year than the same way I started it: discussing the things I learned. I’m always reflective, and always seeking new answers to the lessons and questions life teaches me on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis. Maybe someday I’ll walk in a path that’ll make me at one as I bury 2007. (You might want to sit down for this one.)

A Recap of Some of The Events of My 2007:

In the winter, I rediscovered my love for the Beatles after watching the cover band Strawberry Fields Forever at BB King’s. I had a small lust-crush on Nicole Scherzinger, and just finished reading 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, The Bad Guys Won by Jeff Pearlman, and Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx is Burning: 1977, Baseball, Politics, and the Battle for the Soul of a City, by Jonathan Mahler. My step-grandfather died, and I stopped caring about what everyone else thought about what I did in my classroom and stepped up my leadership.

Ralf Rakim MeIn the spring, my kids took the 8th grade math test and did pretty well in it, Whole Foods on the Lower East Side opened to my utter dismay, I rediscovered Gary Jules’ “Mad World,” YouTube had a channel looking for America’s Next Black Leader (whomp), I went to Detroit for a week to visit some friends here and there, I met Rakim in Syracuse (holla at ya boy …), met some world-famous b-boys from Planet B-Boy (the Tribeca Film Festival movie), and finished up 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In the interim, I also partied a bit, saw almost every #1 or 2 movie of the season, and appeared on Comedy Central as an audience member while Artie Lange dissed me and Al Jackson praised me. My cousin Kevin also became the 4th graduate of the same junior high school and high school in our family.

In the summer, I was feeling Spiderman 3, Linkin Park, Grover Washington, Kool and the Gang’s “Summer Madness,” and Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Common (Finding Forever), Talib Kweli (Eardrum), Kanye West (Graduation) rocked my iPod with new albums every 2 weeks. I was also into Public Enemy, jury duty (because it ended in 2 days), Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation by Jeff Chang, visitors from Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. Oh yeah, and I was the featured artist for RainTiger.com’s online magazine (August 2K7). Skin loves summer. edit @ 245am: I keep forgetting things I did. I went to New Orleans, too. Lovely.

A-RodIn the fall, I started school again, prayed that A-Rod would become the hero for the New York Yankees’ 2007 championship hopes (not so much), I performed for a good crowd for the first time in a year thanks to Cathy Delaleu, got pissed at the Jena 6 incident, loved Across the Universe the movie and was reintroduced to Salma Hayek (yum), became a full fledged member of the Schomburg Center for Black Research, ruminated on the murder of Jayson Tirado (R.I.P.), watched American Gangster the film and bought the album by Jay-Z, found myself totally peeved at Jimmy’s BBQ on 34th St. Midtown here in NYC, and lamented Kanye West’s mom’s death. Oh yeah, and I went from Penny Harvest novice to Penny Harvest welterweight champion / coach in a matter of months.

In the winter, I found a liking for Led Zeppelin, Soul II Soul, Robbie Williams all over again, went to Atlantic City and shopped like I had serious money, ruminated on Will Smith’s I Am Legend, and had one of the greatest Christmas’ of all time.

As busy as that sounds, it still doesn’t encapsulate the 5 major themes of 2007 for me personally:

Kanye West Graduation5) I changed my blog platform from Xanga to The Jose Vilson, completely and utterly. It might seem insignificant to some, but I built a huge following in that Xanga blog, in the order of 300 or so readers a day and 200 or so random visitors from elsewhere. Eventually, though, I had to let it go, because I was growing into myself. My writing became more sophisticated, and the writing demanded a new, and more grown, platform. I’ve gotten so much love from the blogosphere that there’s no sense in ever going back. I even got nominated for some awards, something I certainly couldn’t have planned. I still visit my old blog for nostalgia, but then I get reminded why I left in the first place. Other minor reasons included the lack of maturity I found in some circles, and the lack of truly insightful blogs there. The ones I still subscribe to there are the last of the dying breed, and I wish them well. The grass is definitely greener here.

Song: “I Wonder” by Kanye West

4) The first kids I ever taught graduated from the 8th grade. I was almost in tears looking at some of my kids grow up. My first homeroom, the one I battled with, the one that threw me a surprise birthday party but a few months later almost made me quit teaching, the one that scarily resembled me as a class, were graduating, along with other students who I also came to enjoy and cherish. While I had already taught an 8th grade class, this was the class I felt most attached to. No matter their shortcomings, I still hold that first homeroom in such high regard. It also gave me a sense of fatherhood: they were my children for better or worse, and they taught me as much as I taught them.

Song: “Nobody Told Me” by John Lennon

Indira and I, CCNY Grads3) I graduated from CCNY, finally. I’m the first member of my family with a masters and that’s something I’m very proud of. The struggles that Indira and I went through for those years in the Fellows program taught us a lot about balancing work, school, and personal schedules. Yet, it’s also the main reason why I’m a proponent of the Fellows program: without it, I’d have a much harder time becoming a teacher, and that’s something I tried to convey to the 2000 or so new Fellows who came to the event in Lincoln Center. The NYCTF provided me with an opportunity of a lifetime, and for that I’m thankful.

Song: “Oh My God” by Jay-Z

2) I got a girlfriend. I kid you not, the faces went from awe and astonishment to dismay and eventually congratulations. While I won’t divulge all the details of the relationship, I will say that I was about as surprised as my friends were and still are. Of course, some people weren’t too pleased about the news, but fuck ‘em. I would love to talk about how fuzzy and horny she makes me feel inside, but I’m generally a private person, even if there’ve been hints of this all over my blog. We have some issues to work out on both sides of the equation but she’s great, and I love her. Word.

Song: “Umbrella” by Rihanna

My Father1) On January 24th, I came to the realization that I’m a grown-azz man. Not that I didn’t know that before, when I was already paying bills to my neck, or visiting my younger brother Ralf in Syracuse 3 years after my own graduating. I just felt it. All of a sudden, the first trip to Miami in February became that much easier when I had to visit my then-healthy father. For the first time ever, I felt I had forgiven him for being himself, and if something fatal would happen to him after that, I’d be liberated from my own mental tyranny. When his condition almost proved fatal, I went to Miami again in September and delivered some spirit into his comatose body. He couldn’t even remember me being there when he came to, but it’s OK. As I told my brothers at the time, I didn’t get angry when I found out more about his lecherous ways, his chauvinism and homophobia, or his inability to just hang out with his son, who recently graduated with a masters and paid his own way to his father’s house. When I looked in the mirror, I saw pieces of him. The charm, the charisma, and the easy-going energy that kept even the most pessimistic of us enthralled by him. When I saw him lying at his bed, I immediately caught the resemblance even down to his hands and feet. I already made my peace, so that sense of angst or pain was subdued by a sense of love.

While in Miami that first time, I just cranked up my iPod and all I kept hearing was this song:

bonospecies.jpg And you feel like no-one before
You steal right under my door
And I kneel ’cause I want you some more
I want the lot of what you got
And I want nothing that you’re not

Everywhere you go you shout it
You don’t have to be shy about it …

Song: “Original of the Species” by U2

I wrote out my thoughts and there it was, and soon came to be. G_d speaks to us in mysterious ways …

jose, who will take 10, cube it, multiply it by 2, and add the cube of 2 with a bottle of Korbel …

{ 28 comments }