I recently posted on my facelift page about the weirdness of walking into a Starbucks for an iced latte on an early summer morning and finding at the counter next to the register the new album by Fiona Apple. I’ve grown pretty accustomed to seeing music for sale there; they’ve been doing it for years.Continue reading “No, I Don’t Want Any Music With My Coffee”
Author Archives: michaeljarmer
The Imaginary Commencement Address
Greetings, class of 2012! You’ve worked hard and you’ve finally arrived at this momentous day, which, just like yesterday was, and the day before yesterday, and just like tomorrow will be and the day after tomorrow will be again, the first day of the rest of your life. But yesterday you weren’t graduating from highContinue reading “The Imaginary Commencement Address”
More Reasons Why You Will Love My Novel: Adventures in Self-Publishing and Self-Promotion Part Two
Let’s recap, why don’t we. I do not have a history of being a very capable or enthusiastic self-promoter. I have difficulty asking people, cajoling people, insisting that people come to see my band play a show, for example, or buy our records. It’s not that I don’t think we’re worthy of their patronage, butContinue reading “More Reasons Why You Will Love My Novel: Adventures in Self-Publishing and Self-Promotion Part Two”
Why You Will Love My Novel: Adventures in Self-Publishing and Self-Promotion
I’m telling the truth. Yes, I will indeed tell you why you’ll love my novel, Monster Talk, available to the on-line book buying public very shortly, a week or two, perhaps, after the publication of this blog entry, and available immediately, like right this minute, at the iUniverse bookstore. But I want to begin byContinue reading “Why You Will Love My Novel: Adventures in Self-Publishing and Self-Promotion”
No Grades? No Carrots or Sticks? Then What?
Not cookies and pokes in the ribs, I presume. No, we can’t just replace one set of rewards and punishments for a different set, although, most people would rather have a cookie than a carrot and would like even less to be poked in the ribs than slapped with a stick. I don’t know aboutContinue reading “No Grades? No Carrots or Sticks? Then What?”
No More Carrots, No More Sticks: A Classroom Without Grades
You might think I’m crazy. After all, things (and people) must be measured. And they must be measured against other things and other people. Only this morning in a staff meeting our school’s principal talked about how the only way to improve a thing is to be able to measure said thing. And while myContinue reading “No More Carrots, No More Sticks: A Classroom Without Grades”
Monkeys Typing Shakespeare: Plagiarism’s New Frontier
A teacher friend came into my classroom this morning with a new internet discovery which proves once and for all that it is in fact possible to get a group of monkeys together with some typewriters (read: computers with internet access) who will, given a little time and some encouragement, recreate the works of Shakespeare.Continue reading “Monkeys Typing Shakespeare: Plagiarism’s New Frontier”
The Novel. Coming Soon To An Online Bookstore Near Your Bad Self!
The Technology Is Killing Me
I’ll begin by patting myself on the back, railing against the machine–and I’ll conclude with a number of confessions and some serious hand-wringing. I might even gnash my teeth together regarding the various ways in which technology is killing me. I congratulate myself for abstaining from cell phone use for a very long time. IContinue reading “The Technology Is Killing Me”
Down and Out In A-9
A student, a high school senior re-taking a junior level class in American Literature, says to me, “Mr. Jarmer, you’re a pretty smart guy, so why don’t you help me get a new movement started. We’re starting a petition that will fix schools forever.” “Oh, I’m intrigued,” I say. “Tell me about it!” “Here’s theContinue reading “Down and Out In A-9”
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