Say What?! Memorable Quotes of 2013

At this time each year it is customary of me to reflect upon the year. Though not my favorite holiday, New Year's Eve and Day do hold a series of family and personal traditions that I observe and enjoy. One of these annual rituals is a "post" to the internet that includes the events and lessons of the 364 previous days. I am feeling especially cantankerous this year, and feel that a long winded paragraph on Facebook will not slake my desire to share my year with the world, nor will a dissertation of every moment in our most recent lap around the sun. How, then does one boil a year down? Especially a year as incongruous and hectic as 2013. 

Perhaps a bigger question would be "how does one explain history without becoming monotonous and boring?" I fall back upon this moment, a month ago, when I described to wide-eyed group of children the riot that ensued when Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" was premiered in Paris:  "Mr. MacDonald, history is so much more interesting when it's a story." Of course! The past is more interesting when told as stories- this is how we have kept culture and society thriving for generation after generation. Long before the "rigorous reading" and drill down standards and modules of the Common Core, we learned by listening to and reading stories.

Fortunately, I have a habit of writing down tidbits of what is said to me, or around me, or of what I say (this is rare). In an effort to explain my year I will use quotes and the stories behind them. I will of course maintain anonymity, and only give away enough information to create the proper context for each story.

Without further ado I present to you a conglomeration of moments from 2013, in quotations: 

"Today is beard-ageddon."

My school produced "Oklahoma!" (Rodgers/Hammerstein) in March; as part of the process all of the men in the cast and on the production team stopped shaving for three months. The technical director and I agreed to shave our beards during the cast party to signify the closing of the show. A count down (10 days until the end!) appeared on my white board, and was updated daily. As the cast gathered moments before we began the final show, one of the students announced that today was the day we had been preparing for: the end of the beards. Also known as beard-ageddon.

"Do you have any higher aspirations?"

I will attempt to maintain calm as I explain this quote. I was volunteering at a nature center event in October and struck up conversation with the center's then president of the board of directors. Small talk always includes a little tangent about job and career. I described my position as a music teacher and how much I enjoy it. Her response: "Do you have any higher aspirations?" Insert awkward pause. I kindly explained to her that this was my career that I had been working towards since I was in eighth grade. What I didn't say aloud was along the lines of: "I work 14 hours a day 6 days a week to provide quality education to the next generation of people so they can better themselves, get jobs, raise families, and contribute to society. If you can think of a higher aspiration than that, please enlighten me." Self-control can be so uninteresting. Alas.

"...well, we inadvertently turned that into a sail..."

This was my brother. We tried to set up a 10'x20' tent on a windy day. It was a breeze.

"I'm sorry, we're sold out."

Wild Rose Farm took a big step this year. After 15 years of developing, we took our product to a series of farmer's markets around our area. It was a huge success. We sold out of lamb and chicken in the first two markets, and had to add extra batches of chickens. The demand is high, and we are delivering. As the saying goes- an overnight success only takes 15 years. I am very excited for the future of of the farm. Go team!

"You look just like you Dad, it's crazy"

Another facial hair story. Over the summer I decided to grow a mustache. The result: becoming my dad's virtual doppelgänger.

"We're all men here... right?"

Uttered from the mouth of an 11 year old scout. This scout is often silent and observational. But when he pipes up, he speaks words of wisdom and sassy sayings placed, as with this one, in perfect timing of conversational silence. This scout is going places.

"I have to start fasting at midnight, so I have 2.5 hours to eat everything in the house."

Ian strikes again. This was his sentiment on the eve of his wisdom teeth extraction surgery.

From my Twitter:

"Said 'piggy wiggy' on the morning announcements. a student brought in a bird in a shoe box. i learned a Taylor Swift song. #middleschool

 This all happened before 8:08am. It is the definition of teaching middle school. I love my job.

"Good to know he has a sense of humor."

Do you even know me?! I'm the punniest person you know.

"Do you know where you are supposed to be performing? Are you a student teacher?

I often joke that if I were to shave and put on a "hoody" I could go undercover as a high school student; strangers at a NYSSMA solo festival, and Area All-State festival, respectively, have confirmed this suspicion. These moments are always good for a laugh.

A note left on my white board.

This is the highest aspiration.

All in all, a solid year. Here's to 2014!

Happy New Year!