Someone asked the other day to see a photo of the library Monstera. Here it is. One of the maintenance guys, Jose, who cares for the library plants, always calls it a "she." He'll say, "She has been here a long time," or "She needs some new soil." I would add that "she" seems to thrive on neglect. She just hangs out in her corner and Jose waters her now and then. She has lived in the library as long as anyone can remember.
Our library windows desperately need a cleaning.
And as long as I'm uploading random pictures from work -- I walked past a colleague's office yesterday morning and caught a glimpse of this scene out of the corner of my eye. I thought, "Did they hang up a Ukrainian flag?"
But no.
In the Lower School, the kids celebrated their last day before Thanksgiving Break by wearing pajamas and bringing their favorite stuffed toy to school. Most kids had stuffed animals, but one kid had a stuffed plant! I was very impressed and asked him if I could photograph it.
Despite all these fun and games, yesterday was crazy busy. Just more of the same, but I did not have a spare moment except at my lunch break. Today, fortunately, is only a half-day and there are no kids. It's devoted to professional development involving AI. I will limp through it even though I don't really need or desire professional development at this point in my career. I suppose I must remain open to learning new things.
Last night Dave and I went out with our friend Chris to see a drag show in South London. A few weeks ago, Chris spotted an immensely tall drag queen standing in front of a tube station promoting her one-queen show, in which she time-travels and performs comedic bits. We decided to go. So yesterday we schlepped down to a pub for dinner and then a nearby one-room theater for Coco's performance. You could tell her act was still a bit "in development" but it was quite funny. I've never before seen a drag queen feign sex with Napoleon and sing "I Dreamed a Dream" while stuffing her mouth with cakes. Surreal!
"I must remain open to learn new things" as must we all. Especially a resurrected Napoleon ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's certainly something I never expected to learn about!
Delete"Our library windows desperately need a cleaning..." Frankly, it is astonishing that BBW has not yet commanded you to get a long ladder and a bucket. Instead, you squander time by talking to Jose about the swiss cheese plant and snapping pictures of scholars' cuddly toys. When you have gone, I expect that an AI automaton will replace you.
ReplyDeleteThat is entirely possible! My boss has already installed a self-checkout station, which partly replaces my checkout duties.
DeleteWild horses, not even tame ones, would be able to drag me into a cross dressing show.
ReplyDeleteWhat am I supposed to laugh at?
Some years ago, on a summer's early evening, I walked down my street - full of my usual joys [day dreaming] - when a group of people walked towards me. They all wore dresses. Even a passing glance at their legs and the way they, incompetently, staggered on their high heels informed me that they were most likely men. So? What people do is nothing to me - as long as no one gets hurt. However, what spooked me: The one at the front - at least a foot taller than me and muscle to prove it - glared at me. Glared at what? That I was the real thing? Still haven't worked it out. It was strange.
U
Well, comedy is like that, isn't it? One person's funny joke is another person's mystified shrug. Maybe your queen had simply had an unfriendly encounter with someone else and was on the defensive.
DeleteThe real thing? Meaning what, that you are a genuine drag queen? Ursula, I think you have confused queer performance art with something else.
DeleteThe drag show sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteMostereas are very hardy.
You'll miss the school, but there is still a while to go and it's good for you to learn about AI.
I'm sure I will miss it, but that's hard to imagine right now!
DeleteThe stuffed toy is indeed impressive. Coco sounds a little amateurish but as long as you had fun.
ReplyDeleteShe was definitely "refining" her show but it has the potential to be quite polished, I think.
DeleteI can’t believe you’ve lived this long and had never seen a drag queen feign sex with Napoleon!
ReplyDeleteWhere have I been?!
DeleteOK, that stuffed plant is too cool for words. Well done, kid! And what a mega-tree "she" is! Coco's performance sounds fun. Glad it was a good time. Happy TG break!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you and Rick, too!
DeleteTwo things: when Jose is watering "her" maybe he could also clean a window??
ReplyDeleteAnd that drag show? For the Napoleon sex alone, would be worth a trip.
Ha! I'm not sure Jose's contract extends to exterior windows, particularly on the second floor.
DeleteThat must have been something to view....feigning sex with Napoleon. I all to well remember the day before a holiday when I was teaching. The students were always pumped up to the point where I just wanted to day to be over.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's always a relief when we can release them to their parents! I had a surprising number of kids staying in the afternoon, though. Probably had parents who were working and thus didn't want to go home yet.
DeleteI think perhaps my monstera were getting too much light. Is that possible? I've got one in the library right now in a rather dark spot and it's looking better than it has in years. Or perhaps they just like books.
ReplyDeleteSounds like Coco has a new take on drag performance. The history they did not teach you in school.
I think Monstera do best in bright, indirect light. Direct sun (particularly Florida sun!) might cook them. Yes, Coco was the drag Howard Zinn!
DeleteThat show sounds like whacky fun. I saw a drag show in south London once when I was there with my friend David. We went to a club somewhere near the Vauxhall station. That stuffed plant is very unique!
ReplyDeleteVauxhall is a very gay neighborhood and there are lots of drag clubs and shows in that area.
DeleteMy son works as a bouncer at a club downtown Edmonton and they recently had a drag night, but all the drag queens were old queens. He said it was very good. I went to the link, he's a very tall, slim man who seems quite sweet.
ReplyDeleteOlder queens are the most experienced and thus often have the best retorts!
DeleteRuPaul's Drag Race was one of my favorite shows for awhile but now it is on a channel I don't stream so I can't see it. It was always amazing to see the transformation of the men into beautiful queens.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your Thanksgiving break, Steve!
Can you believe I've never seen RuPaul's Drag Race? I think Dave and I are the last two gay men on the planet to have not seen it.
DeleteLove the little plush plant! and Coco having sex with Napoleon would be a sight as wasn't Napoleon a short guy? You'd think Coco would be tall enough without the spike heels.
ReplyDeleteYes, so he only came up to her -- ahem -- hips. (He was also a skeleton!)
DeleteSo, in the interest of lifelong learning, you went to a drag show. Right.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there are emotional support plants. Mine would be my succeeding generations of coleus, from a packet of seeds many years ago. They're undaunted.
Ha! Well the learning was unrelated to the drag. I definitely have emotional support plants of my own!
DeleteP-town, MA has a few bars with great drag shows. Cocoa is in her element and having fun.
ReplyDeleteMy monstera sits in my second-floor loft, overlooking the solarium and gets indirect light. It is a third the size of the library plant but seems to be doing ok.
As for AI, I like GPTChat. Ask it about trusts and you'll find some good info.
Oh yeah, P-Town is Drag Central! I think Monsteras do grow quite slowly.
DeleteThat plush plant is SO CUTE! Are you familiar with The Goddess Boys? They are my absolute favorites. I want to be their friend.
ReplyDeleteI do not know the Goddess Boys! I'll have to look them up, when I'm not sitting in an airport terminal. :)
DeleteI have a former student, now friend who does drag and would like me to come to a show. I have no problem with that, it's just the trip to Seattle that's daunting!
ReplyDeleteOh, you should go! That would be hilarious! "I taught her everything she knows" -- LOL!
DeleteYou have to stay in the game until the end so go to inservices.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I do have to go. It's part of the job until it's not.
DeleteThat stuffed plant made me smile ... it looks happy :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
It does look happy!
DeleteInvite me next time
ReplyDeleteI'll try to give you advance notice. Meanwhile keep an eye out for Coco -- she may go on tour!
DeleteThat sounds like a fun evening! My boss told me that they have funds for some professional development & I was like BUT I DON'T WANT TO LEARN ANYTHING NEW! I'm retiring in 3 - 5 years anyway. But I shall find something interesting to take.
ReplyDeleteHa! That's pretty much my attitude too. :)
DeleteThat show sounds hilarious. I like to learn new things, unless it's learning for my job. I don't want to bother.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I think it really is hard when you're older (ahem) and you figure, "What's the point?" That's kind of where I am now.
DeleteI think. that the stuffy is a jellycat, made in UK and coveted by just about everyone! they made Egg on. toast stuffy with the same endearing face- You can google their shop. They are pricey , especially pricey here and people do not hesitate to buy them when they are available. They have a special line of objects as well as the standard bear, dog, cat. I love them- I think that you would love them! The potted plants are especially sweet.
ReplyDeletehttps://us.jellycat.com/amuseables-monstera-plant/
DeleteAh! It DOES look like it must have been a Jellycat! I've heard of them but didn't quite know what they are. I love the Monstera but my real one might get jealous. LOL
DeleteI like the stuffed plant!
ReplyDeleteWhen I see that kind of blue and yellow together, I must confess that my immediate association has never been the Ukrainian flag but IKEA (which of course bases its colours on the Swedish flag).
I've never been to a drag show but am sure I'd love it.
Ha! I never even thought of IKEA! But you're right -- same color scheme.
DeleteOh, and yes, you should definitely check out a drag show!
Delete