So, in the last shift at Topaz Elementary School today, I read to Mr. Nale’s 3rd graders.
After last year’s success, I grabbed another Robert Munsch book, Wait and See
, and actually read it ahead of time to get the feel for it (and to read the back cover blurb that said it was a story he made up on the spot on a visit to a Toronto school). It was a good choice, and was as big of a hit as the book I read last year. Two for two so far, Munsch!
This was once again a lot of fun, and I definitely recommend people get involved in Read Across America Day 2008 when it rolls around next year.
This Wednesday, I’m again taking part in Read Across America Day at Topaz Elementary School.
It’s not too late for you to get involved, too. Call your local library, check with your local school or bookstore.
It’s the Cat in the Hat’s 50th birthday, and to celebrate, Random House is donating to First Book for every birthday card sent to the cat. So do it now.
I don’t know if it’s true, but Wired makes a convincing case:
The new contract clears the way for Jobs to sell iPods loaded with music.
Who cares?
Well, the iPod could become the new CD, especially if Apple starts offering cheap shuffle iPods pre-loaded with hot new albums or artists’ catalogs. Imagine a whole range of inexpensive, special-edition iPods branded with popular bands containing a new album, or their whole catalogs.
Flash-memory drives are now so cheap, software companies are starting to use them to ship software. H&R Block, for example, is selling the latest version of its tax-preparation software on a flash drive for $40 — the same price as the CD version. How much would it cost Apple to add a few music chips and some cheap earbuds?
Apple was prevented from doing this until now by the 15-year-old contract between Apple Corps, the Beatles’ music company, and Apple Computer. This contract precluded Jobs’ Apple from acting as a music company and from selling CDs or “physical media delivering prerecorded content … (such as a compact disc of the Rolling Stones’ music).”
These cheap album iPods could be sold at bus stations and airports: instant music, no computer required. Bands could sell pre-loaded iPods at concerts, maybe containing the concert they just played. There could be Broadway show iPods, movie soundtrack iPods and iPods burned at retail stores with custom play lists.
I heard this new song on Today’s Top Tune (and honestly, if you’re reading this and not also listening to podcasts, come on, already!). It’s off Cat Empire’s new album, Two Shoes.
The song straddles the border between “so annoying it’s catchy” and “so catchy it’s annoying,” but I suspect it’ll end up being the former, not the latter, for most people. A great peppy little tune.
Check it out on KCRW ASAP (they take down the Today’s Top Tune songs after a week or so) or on iTunes.
UPDATE: Oh yeah, I’m not getting this damn song out of my head for months, I can tell already:
The weekend is the weekend
And it’s sunny in the park
I’ll stay here with my beer and fish and chips till it gets dark
I’ve got a lot of homework
But homework he can wait
I never start my homework till its already too late
My parents say think about your future and my teachers say the same
But it’s hard
When there’s a basketball game at the park
It’s 1998
And everybody’s saying:
“Harry, you’re gunna be a lawyer some day…�
It’s Monday bloody Monday
And there’s two things I forgot
I forgot to do my homework
And I only got one sock
I’m halfway through a test
But I just can’t concentrate
While sitting next to Fontaine
I want to ask her on a date
I really want to start a conversation
But each time she walks past
I start choking on my pencil
And fall flat on my ass
I need to concentrate
If i dont get this grade
Then I might fail to be a lawyer someday
BRIDGE
But just right now
Can’t think of anything better to do
Than just sit down at the piano and a write this tune
And maybe later
Maybe later in the afternoon
I’ll sit back and relax
And think of all the things I’m going to do…
CHORUS
Someday…
I’ll buy an old car
Someday…
I’ll get that car to start
Someday…
I’ll learn how to drive too
And then Someday…
Imagine all the things I could do.
(That was 1998 now
Bring it forward to the present day now
Cause some things have changed
but some things [some things]
don’t change [don’t change]
check it out [check it out])
The weekend is the weekend
And it’s sunny in the park
I’ll stay here with my beer and fish ‘n’ chips till it gets dark
I just saw Peter Parsons
Who used to be in my class
I always gave him wedgies cause I thought he worked too hard
He said, “Harry, life is great –
I feel so happy these days –
I’m a litigation lawyer –
So I got it made
I’m going out with Fontaine
Rememer her from tenth grade?
I drive a Porsche so I can’t complain…�
BRIDGE
sh**! And look at me can’t think of anything better to do
That just sit down at the piano and write this tune
And maybe later
Maybe later in the afternoon
I’ll sit back and relax and think of all the things I’m going to do…
CHORUS
(BREAK)
BRIDGE
CHORUS
