The one where Post-Classical Asia is the best

Humanitarians,

Yesterday and today we dove into how great and exciting and innovative and vibrant East and Southeast Asia is during the post-classical age. Basically everything Europe is, uh, not.

Yesterday, we focused on trade in the region, especially coming out of southeast Asia. Big takeaways?

• Southeast Asia traded extensively with other people via the Indian Ocean. Because of this, they were exposed to Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. They also heavily traded with China, which explains the sinification we talked about today (Friday). 
• ALSO, always associate Indian Ocean trade with bulk goods. Large quantities of whatever they are trading. Basically the Costco of the post-classical age. 

Today, we talked about sinification - or the spreading of Chinese culture to other Asian countries. How did people react? Well, you should have noticed, Korea is totally down. Japan takes a few things and rejects the rest...and Vietnam. Well Vietnam uses this ladies to show how not down they are...

This weekend, hopefully you will dive into your WHAP reading (due Wednesday!!) and learn more about post-classical Asia!

Other things that are due????
1. East Asia project sign up is Tuesday, so make sure you know what kind of project you plan on doing.

2. WHAP reading due Wed. 

3. CCE chart due Thurs!

Get on it. 

Have a good three day weekend - write some Haikus about our Presidents for Presidents' Day! Don't rub it in too much...we have to work on Monday :( !

- cbg

Outside of elementary schools Valentine's Day is just another day

Humanitarians,

Which is why you had a quiz today. Hope you were able to show off all that knowledge on post-Classical Europe!

Tomorrow, we branch into Post-Classical Asia and the Americas. When we add in the Islamic world (which we learned about last semester) and Europe, that about covers it all!

Couple of reminders:

1. words for nerds is due Thursday!
2. We've assigned some new reading! Chapter 14 and pgs. 310-314, pgs. 320-324 are due next Wednesday, 2/22
3. NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, but don't rub it in too much, we still have to work. 

Since I don't have a lot to add, I bring you Garafola's ranking of breakfast foods, a top-10 list.

1. Coming in at #1 is, of course, bacon. In all its forms, from turkey to traditional, this is a must have. I don't have any recommendations on where to get it, cause it's good everywhere. 
2. Sconesssssssssssssssss. Here is the thing with scones. It's hard to find good ones. I used to like Starbuck's scones, but a new recipe came about a few years ago and I have to say it's a downgrade. If you know a good place to get scones, holla. My mom makes excellent scones, so whenever I have a bad hankering, I call Mama Bailey. Also, these scones from World Market are just add water and they are not.bad.at.all. 
3. Muffins. Obviously, I am all about sweet breakfasts. Good muffins? Dunkin Donuts! I'm not a big donut person, but their muffins are A+. I like muffins because basically they are breakfast cupcakes without frosting and frosting is the worst part of cupcakes. Also, Sprouts has good muffins. 
4. Bagels! Ok, so let's talk bagels. Einstein's IS NOT THE BEST. It is decent when it's the only thing between you and work and you need a bagel. But for weekend bagels? So many better places. My favs? I like Benny's Bagels (these are franchises, so the one in McKinney is the best) and Cindy's (coit and campbell, the best bagels in DFW).
5. Biscuits and Gravy. So carbs are clearly are clearly my jam. (haha, breakfast pun). Where can I find the best biscuits in DFW, you ask? The answer is clear: Barbec's by White Rock Lake. They only take cash, but all their breakfast is legit. Nothing however is better than their HUGE biscuits. It's far, but it's so worth it. ALSO, I like to take a run around White Rock Lake and then reward myself with delicious biscuits. It's the perfect start to a weekend. 
6. Hash. Hash is veggies, potatoes, and a meat, often topped with an egg. Pre-baby, I liked these cause runny eggs are delish. However, until May I'm not allowed to eat them. Plan #1 once I'm not preggo anymore? Grabbing some breakfast hash from Coffee House Cafe at Frankford and Preston. My favorite here is the "Chicken-Apple Sausage Hash". Check it, you won't be disappointed. 
7. Waffles. I don't know they best place to get these, honestly. My brother owns a chicken and waffles food truck and claims to be #1, but I've never tried it, so I can neither refute nor support this claim. I do like the waffles at my favorite Downtown McKinney breakfast spot, Spoons. They serve it with cinnamon butter, which is A+.
8. Breakfast Tacos. Obvi. We're in Texas, so all about those breakfast tacos. I really like the breakfast tacos from this little place up by where we live, called Daddy's Tacos. They are cheap, delicious, and conveniently located just north on Independence. 
9. French Toast. Sometimes this is too sweet for me, but when the craving hits, then yum! Again, check out Spoons for original and Coffee House Cafe for some delish challah french toast. 
10. Oatmeal. Ok for the longest time (ie my whole life until age 28) I HATED oatmeal. I thought it was super gross and had a weird consistency. Then. My life changed. I tried the Peach Blackberry Oatmeal at Snug on the Square. It's not as watery as most oatmeal and is sooooooo good. So if you are looking for a relatively healthy eating out breakfast, check it. Also, they have wonderful coffee here, which is important. 

Whelp, that's it for today! Hope you had/have a lovely Valentine's Day! Also, Taco Tuesday. Maybe take your date to Daddy's Tacos tonight? See you there!

- cbg

WAIT, what even are the Middle Ages??

Humanitarians, 

Today we studied for our Post-Classical Europe quiz tomorrow. Some of the questions you had were a little disheartening, but then when we talked it out, it seems like you know what's up, so just study study and you should be bueno. 

What to know??

1. Medieval Europe, the political, the social, the economic, the major events, and ALL the cultural events/things
2. Byzantines, what up!
3. My personal favorite, Kievan Rus....

Basically....

Can you complete this SPICE chart? Can you answer the questions on your study guide using the vocabulary words on the study guide??

	Medieval Western Europe	Byzantine Empire	Kievan Rus
Social
Political
Innovation
Culture
Economic

Still have questions???

TUTORIALS TODAY (MONDAY) AFTER SCHOOL AT 4:15-5:00 AND BEFORE SCHOOL TOMORROW 8:15-8:45 in room 2035-26 (big humanities room). 

Tomorrow is the big day! All multiple choice quiz, but 45 questions, so a lot going on. 

Other reminders.....WORDS FOR NERDS IS DUE THURSDAY! Don't forget!

Need a humanities experience? Check out the following...

1. Check out Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed at the Perot. Normally, the Perot is a no-no for Humanities experiences, BUUUUUUT THIS IS SO RELEVANT (and looks pretty awesome), so you can totally go. 
2. Need a date for Valentine's Day still? Check out Hearts and Horns at the Meyerson...some sweet Gershwin tunes! OR go up to UNT and check out the UNT Wind Symphony 
3. The Undermain Theater is putting on Galileo a play about everyone's favorite house-arrest, heliocentric believing scientist. 

In honor of the Grammy's from last night and also that February is Black History Month, this week I bring you some groundbreaking black musicians to be aware of!

Today's musician is....Gladys Bentley (no relation to the author of our WHAP book)

Blues singer Gladys Bentley came to prominence in the 1920s during the Harlem Renaissance. Like many great performers of the era, she flocked to the New York City neighborhood, which was quickly becoming a hub for numerous great black artists.

Bentley was a pioneering LGBT icon, often performing in a white tuxedo and top hat at Harry Hansberry's Clam House, a popular gay speakeasy, according to The Root. In 1931, she married a white woman in a civil ceremony, a groundbreaking move, cementing her place in LGBT history.

All the single (Lords and) Ladies

Happy Medieval Faire day, all my serfs, knights, and vassals! Today and yesterday we have been marveling at the jousting, fried apple turnovers, strange Medieval dancing, inspiring ballads, and borderline creepy oaths of fealty.

Check out G$ with her chalice, aka Pimp Cup

A couple of things I've noticed from this experience:

1. You guys know WAY too much about us, as evidenced by the Oaths of Fealty and Coat of Arms.
2. Medieval dancing needs to make a comeback. 
3. Watching people fall while jousting may be one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I think my total fall count was three for the day yesterday.
4. Also, Abhinav will live in legend for his slide into someone else's head of the enemy (aka grapefruit) while sword fighting. 
5. Everyone needs to bust out their own personal Medieval chalice at lunch for the rest of the year. 

We've had so much fun the last two days; you guys have done a fantastic job! We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Here's my third period dancing, with David in the middle. 

Just thinking ahead, this weekend is a great opportunity to get a Humanities Experience out of the way WHILE taking your Valentine on a date. Two birds, one stone? (Don't tell your Valentine you're doing it for extra credit). Or take the squad out to some of these events going on this weekend:

• Dallas Summer Musicals is showing American in Paris, based off of the Gene Kelley film from the 50s. Momma Virdin and I went to see it, and we LOVED it, if you're into theater and extensive dance numbers. 
• Speaking of ballet, if you're into Disney movies and also dance, check out a performance of Alice in Wonderland told as a ballet. 
• The DMA was so kind as to align their curriculum with us and do an exhibition titled "Art and Nature in the Middle Ages". Check it out!

Have an AMAZING weekend friends!

The Byzantines are pretty iconic...

Today we said hello to some old friends, the Byzantines, and some newer friends, with the people of the Kievan Rus.

The original squad.

This was taken in Kraft's class after you dominated your Concept Check. 

A couple of terms to associate with the Byzantines:

mosaics and icons
Caesaropapism: the head of state is also the head of church
Constantinople: capital city
Justinian and Theodora: our ruler extraordinaires; Justinian rules the empire through caesaropapism and an extensive bureaucracy
Hagia Sophia: one of the most famous and impactful works of architecture, this building was first a church in the Byzantine empire that is later turned into a mosque once the Islamic Empire comes to power.

As far as our Kievan Rus peeps, just remember that they are a precursor to our Russia. Centered around the city of Kiev, one of their most famous leaders was the Prince Vladimir I. More on Russia to come!

Tomorrow is the Medieval Faire...GET AMPED. Don't forget to bring EVERYTHING tomorrow (with the exception of your write up, which can be turned in on Friday if you would like). One quick mention, but please include a photo of your individual component on your writeup if it's too large to fit on paper, like siege weaponry or a castle for example. Can't wait to see what you guys have come up with! Lady Virdin is ready to dominate. 

Can't wait for tomorrow friends!!

What the hell?!

Hey Humanitarians, today we ventured into the depths of Hell by exploring Dante's Inferno, part of the larger work of his Divine Comedy. If I was to give you a list of World Literature's most influential works, this would be at the top of the list.

If it's good enough for Don Draper, it's good enough for all of us. 

If anyone needs any Valentine ideas...

The Inferno, along a couple of other influencers, has forever shaped the way we visualize hell, punishment, and even the figure of Satan. The Bible is pretty vague when describing those three subjects, so Dante's imagination and interpretation became the basis for much of how we visualize hell in the years after and even in the modern sense. A couple of things to take away from our study of The Divine Comedy:

• Dante makes the point in the Inferno that sinners in hell CHOSE to put themselves in hell; they are not portrayed as repentant or regretful. In fact, they don't see anything wrong with their behavior and instead are often angry with God for throwing them in hell in the first place.
• Dante's version of Satan is a big, ugly brute, one who is so stupid that he's stuck in an icy lake. Quite a contrast from the suave, debonair Devil figure we often see in movies!
• One of the most important terms to remember from this work is the word contrapasso, or basically that the crime fits the punishment. How one chose to behave in life directly corresponds with the way they are punished in hell. For example, the wrathful are condemned to eternally tear each other apart, "limb from limb", over and over again. 

In other news, unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've heard that the Patriots, aka Tom Brady, won the Super Bowl AGAIN. Is anyone surprised? The Super Bowl had lots of cool commercials this year, but my favorite part was Lady Gaga. Her performance provided us with so many wonderful moments; check out a couple of them here.  

For my book of the week, I wanted to revisit one of the older works of literature that I loved in high school. Specifically, ever since I went to the Holocaust Museum over winter break in Washington D.C., it's been on my heart to reread Night by Elie Wiesel.

 

This book is so powerful, heartbreaking, inspiring, upsetting all in one. Elie Wiesel is a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps of Auschuwitz and Buchenwald, and this book details much of his experiences in those camps with his father. It's an INCREDIBLY hard read, but one that I hope you read in your lifetime.

Happy Tuesday friends! Virdin out.

The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round...

Our class discussion today seemed to hit on some of these ideas. 

All these things actually happened one day when I was gone from school. 

Apparently, everything y'all needed to know you really did learn in kindergarten!

Today, in preparation for our discussion of scholasticism, we had you think about and discuss your thoughts about some school related topics. We learned a lot! It seems the majority of you feel like you pretty much everything you really need to know by about 7th grade. Also, you feel like school doesn't do much to get you ready for just being an adult. Lots of folks want to see "basic life skills" as part of what is taught. Not really sure what that means, but I imagine it has something to do with preparing you for being a functioning adult. 

This was a reoccurring theme today in class. I have quite literally done the last one. 

Really, Really Old School

After talking about school nowadays, we took some time to talk about the advent of universities and schooling in Post-Classical Europe. 

As you should recall from the short video clip, schools began with the Church serving its own needs by educating the clergy. But, as medieval society evolved, you saw the growth of lay learning to meet the needs of strong leaders who needed bureaucrats for their government and the growing cities need for an educated professional class. With these changes, we get the development of universities. 

I'm pretty sure this is a lot of you tonight with your manuscript. 

Check out homeboy asleep in the back. Nice. 

Of course, based on these images, I have no idea what the heck those people were learning...

What are these cats doing? 

Soundtrack of the Week

I hope enjoyed the groovy jams of The Talking Heads yesterday! I got so fired up with the post, I had to listen to them on the way home from school. Good stuff!
Today's socially conscious song comes to us from the hardest workin' man in show business... the godfather of soul... Mr. James Brown!
Brown's impact on popular music today is incalculable. There are more songs than you can imagine that sample beats and rhythms from his music. In addition, his bravado and stage presence set the standard for live performance. He is a legend and someone you absolutely must spend some time listening to.
In 1968, amid political unrest and the emotionally charged civil rights movement, Brown released "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud" as a single. It was later included on one of his albums. It spent 6 weeks at #1 on the Soul/R&B chart, and it eventually became sort of an unofficial anthem for the Black Panther Party. He structures the song using a call and response chorus of children from the Compton and Watts area of Los Angeles. Brown was one of the biggest stars in music at this point, so using his stardom to advance the cause of social justice was a really big deal. The song's positive themes of back empowerment and tenacious struggle struck a chord with people across all sorts of racial boundaries. Plus, like everything that Brown does, IT IS FUNKY!
Here is "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud."