Halloween 2010

We had a raucous Halloween this year, which is truly the only type of Halloween to have. I present to you here our costume offerings.

On the left you will see The Black Knight from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." His uncle, who made MarathonMum watch said movie countless times in high school, no doubt is brimming with pride. He spent most of the day uttering the phrases, "It's only a flesh wound!" or "I'm invincible!" or (most popular) "Tis but a scratch." The coolest thing about the costume, not captured here, was that his left arm detached, leaving him with a stump to carry around, and a bloody armpit. Very cool. (Thanks eBay!)

On the right you will see our fearless hero, the World War II Fighter Pilot. It's still undetermined if said pilot was fighting for the British or the Americans, but he was definitely on the side of the Allies. The moustache didn't stay on for long, so it's a good thing we captured it on film. The genuine fighter pilot jacket, given to him by his uncle the fighter pilot, just barely fit, but it was good enough for Halloween. Not pictured is the map he drew on the back of his bandana featuring all the notable landmarks of Greenwich's landscape-- our house, school, the park and his best friends houses.

Happy Halloween, everyone.

Learning Lasts a Lifetime

Yesterday I found out that my favourite journalism teacher, June Lytel-Murphy had passed away. She was an amazing woman who taught me so much about so much.

These are among the most important things she taught me:

10. A good writer is a good reader.

9. You'll get the best answers by being a good listener.

8. Heavy earrings can do damage to your earlobes. Please be careful.

7. If you have a strong opinion about something, be sure you have the facts to back up your position.

6. No female over the age of 18 should be referred to as a "girl." She is a woman. Please change the copy accordingly.

5. Don't get fancy with the word "said." No "exclaimed" or "argued" or "shouted." If "said" is good enough for the New York Times, it's good enough for you.

4. Every person in the world has an interesting story to tell. If you think a person is boring, you're asking the wrong questions.

3. Believe in yourself.

2. If you don't stick up for yourself, no one else will.

1. An enthusiastic feminist is the only type of feminist to be. (See also No. 2)

My friend Dante said it best when he wrote, "Good teachers never leave you."

Godspeed, Juney the L. You were an amazing mentor and friend.