I... I Don't Even Know What to Say

Oh Yeah. I did it.

Some people actually trouble themselves to make real New Year's Resolutions. Not me. There's a lot in my life I could/should committ to change/improve. Despite my general disinterest in resolutions, this time last year I chose to make 2008 The Year of Film.

My goal was to see 52 movies in 52 weeks (all my reviews are available at A Rough Cut) and dag nabbit, I did it. Turns out I miscounted and actually saw 53. That's good becuase that makes the monumental 52nd movie RocknRolla, which is way better for my street cred than Marley & Me. Some were stinkers and some were pleasant surprises, some I absolutely would have never seen if I hadn't been on a mission from God. but overall it's been a pretty good year. Some have said I cheated because I counted the ones I saw in theaters twice, but [sticks tongue out].

Here's the list, starting in January (a * denotes a movie seen twice):

1. National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets (3 out of 5 stars)
   
2. Bee Movie (.5/5)
3. * Juno (5/5)
   
4. Walk Hard (2/5)
   
5. Atonement (4/5)
   
6. Rambo (2/5)
7. Semi-Pro (2/5)
8. Expelled: No Intelligence (3/5)
   
9. Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (3/5)
   
10. Smart People (3.5/5)
11. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2/5)
12. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (5/5)
13. * Iron Man (4.5/5)
14. Speed Racer (1/5)
15. * Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Cyrstal Skull (4/5)
16. * Kung Fu Panda (3.5/5)
17. * Get Smart (3.5/5)
18. Wanted (3.5/5)
19. * Wall-E (4.5/5)
20. * The Dark Knight (5/5)
21. Step Brothers (1/5)
22. * Tropic Thunder (4/5)
23. Pineapple Express (2/5)
24. Ghost Town (4/5)
25. Hancock (2/5)
26. Burn After Reading (3.5/5)
27. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (3.5/5)
28. An American Carol (2/5)
29. Mamma Mia (1/5)
30. Eagle Eye (3.5/5)
31. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People (2/5)
32. Fireproof (4/5)
33. The Express (3/5)
34. Journey to the Center of the Earth (2.5/5)
35. Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa (2.5/5)
36. The House Bunny (3/5)
37. Quantum of Solace (4/5)
38. Appaloosa (2/5)
39. Role Models (4/5)
40. Bolt (4/5)
41. Max Payne (1/5)
42. Australia (4/5)
43. The Day the Earth Stood Still (3.5/5)
44. RocknRolla (3.5/5)
    
45. Marley & Me (3/5)
    

For the full break down of the year that was and the awarding of the prestigious Stubbies, click on over to A Rough Cut.

And that makes 200 (+1)

Playfully stolen from xkcd.com.

In what pundits world-wide are calling a "mild but still uninteresting coincidence," my last post, "And That Makes 100," marked my 200th entry here at the cavalcade of whimsy that is Well-done, Please. It's taken me a while to get here (other bloggers have racked up more than 450 posts in a similar span), but what a wild and crazy journey it's been.

Who could forget the tirades against "those darn kids," the travelogues, the clips of eccentric people playing ukuleles, the rich, theological debates, the Hollywood eulogies, the memos to fast food employees, or the many, many typos? Sweet Memories [wipes a single tear]. Oh, I almost forgot the Platonic Dialogue.

And that makes 100

I did a Google Images search for "100" just to see what was out there and this little fella was at the top of the list.

I just received and posted my 100th postcard (that I'm keeping record of)! Many thanks to Noelle from Santiago, Chile for helping make this the oh so special day that it is. Forget Obama and the upcoming inauguration parties. This is where it's at.

Something Else for Al Gore to Worry About

Hehe.

Where Seduction Meets Flame-Broiled Meat

I've been touting this idea for years. Seriously. For years. Only my idea was to capture the alluring, sensual musk that is eau du onion-fried burger, not flame-broiled Whoppers. Oh, and I would have charged way more than $3.99.

Positive Behavoir Intervention and Support Program?

The library rules are posted on the library door at Halls Ferry Elementary school in Florissant. Signs with rules and behavior tips are on the walls throughout the school as part of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support program. (Max Gersh/P-D)

St. Louis area schools use rules to improve behavior
By Valerie Schremp Hahn
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/18/2008

If you were a student at Halls Ferry Elementary School in Florissant, you'd know that when soft music comes on in the cafeteria, it's time to finish eating. If your teacher asked you to "slant," you'd know the acronym means to sit up straight and get ready to listen.

And if you were new here, and needed a primer on all the school's rules and procedures — and there are lots of them — you'd be invited to join the Newcomer's Club.

"I just think that's so good for kids, to come into an environment and know what is expected of them," said Lisa Hazel, principal of Halls Ferry, in the Ferguson-Florissant School District.

All schools have rules; just try keeping 500 children in line without them.
But schools like Halls Ferry have rules nailed down to a science. Administrators say they are using rules not just to keep order, but also to set kids up to succeed.

The schools practice PBS, or Positive Behavior Support. It's sometimes called PBIS, or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

Ask any of these schools to show you their rules and regulations binder, and you'll see procedures and lesson plans for everything.

Everything. How to line up in the cafeteria. How to use "nice hands and feet" on the bus. How to be kind to classmates.

But the program isn't about creating endless lists of rules and cracking down on violators. Instead, the focus is on setting expectations and catching students being good. In other words, schools are offering more carrots and fewer sticks.

Hazel said the approach makes her job easier — about half as many students were sent to her office last school year as the year before.

Positive Behavior Support is in schools in all 50 states. Halls Ferry was one of the first local schools to start it 10 years ago.

Hazelwood, University City, Clayton, Pattonville, Kirkwood, and Webster Groves are among area districts that have signed on more of their schools in the past few years.

The approach is not rigid; it evolves with the needs of a school. But there is consistency within individual schools.

"Everyone in the school uses the same words," says Thurma DeLoach, director of Kirkwood's special programs. "It's not like when I was in school, where in one classroom these were the expectations; in another classroom, you can get away with murder."

Teachers set up their own classroom rules and procedures, but they reflect the school's general philosophy and are similar to those in other classrooms in the same grade level.

The program is based on the theory that about three-fourths of students in the school don't have behavior issues. About a fourth of students might need some help, which could mean they get a mentor or an invitation to attend a school "social skills club." A small percentage of students have chronic issues and need more help; they're likely to be put on behavior plans.

When schools decide to adopt the program, they might start small with a problem that their school can work on, like cafeteria behavior. Teachers and staff members — from the recess aides to the janitors — agree on a way to address each issue.

At Eureka Elementary in the Rockwood district, cafeteria workers give tickets to students for every positive behavior they observe. Grade levels keep track of how many tickets they get and compete to win the week's "Golden Tray Award" — a spray-painted plastic cafeteria tray.

"It's unbelievable," Eureka Principal Brian Gentz said. "It has changed an entire lunch."

With the rules comes a common theme to make following them fun.

At Ritenour Middle School, Huskies get "paws for applause" for good behavior. At Ackerman School in Florissant, part of the Special School District, students' names are placed on a bee, which is taped next to a central beehive in a hallway. Halls Ferry students see handprints as a common theme, and they agree to follow the "high fives." There are six of them: Be safe, kind, cooperative, respectful, peaceful and responsible.

"When we do the high fives, you can earn good listening tickets and you can earn a lot of things, like lunch with a teacher," Halls Ferry second-grader Reggie Ross said.

The approach translates to good feelings all around, said Carol Fouse, principal of Hazelwood East Middle School in the Spanish Lake area. She recalled the story of a girl who visited her office at the end of last school year and asked, "Did you make up this school?"

"Yes, as far as coming up with the rules and everything," Fouse responded.

"Well, you did a good job," the girl said. "You know what? I haven't needed to fight this year. I got into fights all the time at elementary school, but I feel safe at this school."

"That," said Fouse, "was very cool."

AWE-SOME.

My new favorite quote: "My dog jumped up on my lap and started licking my pants."

The Offical Ringtone of Christmas

Bring It On!

Vocab Lesson #3

It's great to learn, 'cause knowledge is power! (Previous lessons here and here.)

• Eschatos
• Trisagion
• Accretion
• Amanuenses
• Vacticinium ex eventu
• Lex talion
  
• Theophoric
• Hypocoristic
• henotheism
• Proleptic
  

Chippy

Good news, everyone! OPERATION: ICING ON THE CAKE was a rousing success. Fourteen people plus an infant (for a grand total of 14.1) showed up and there were no reported injuries.

The game was fun, even though we (The Grim Dekers) played Mizzou's JV team and lost 2-9. We would have actually been competitive, but we only had one man on the bench so that meant our guys pretty much played the whole game. Mizzou brougth 15 guys, which meant they only had to play roughtly 1/3 a game, which meant they were able to bring in fresh legs when our guys got winded. Sneaky sneaky.

The game was - to use the hockey term - "chippy." That's code for there were actually some fights this time. Our guy (John) scored both our goals, but he paid for both of them when Mizzou's enforcer took him out twice. John fought back and there were many bruises to go around. A good time was had by all.

There is also slight chance I might have yelled something to the effect of, "At least Mizzou won one game this weekend." Don't worry, hockey players can barely move without unlacing their skates once they've left the ice, and I'm surprisingly fast for a large land-mammal.

Ice Cube Said it Best

Today was a good day, and it wasn't just because none of my homies in South Central got shot or that I didn't have to use my AK. Not only did OU trample Mizzou, but I also got my Christmas decorations up AND I got four new postcards in the mail (and only one of them was from Finland)!

Merry Christmas From Those Fun People on the 6th Floor

Many people in today's society seem to be laboring under the false impression that the highest honor for a journalist is the Pulitzer Prize, or maybe an Edward R. Murrow Award. They're wrong. There is no higher praise than to see a homeless mannequin sleeping on a park bench using the your publication - the very fruits of your pen - as a blanket.

I know how you feel, little guy. It puts me to sleep too.