Stacy Horn

I warn you, this is extremely sad. You should know in advance that the kid in the videos, Ben Breedlove, died not long after making them, and on Christmas. You will fall in love with him and then know that he is no longer on this earth. I don’t even know why I’m posting about him, it’s like spreading heartbreak. I guess I just want to acknowledge the passing of this impossibly sweet kid.

There are two videos: part one, and part two.

I’m applying for these two programs, and I went to a presentation about the Residency program last night and learned that they desperately need math and science teachers.

It seemed to me that in this economy there might be a lot of people with math and science backgrounds who might consider it. I was surprised at just how appealing I find the idea of teaching in low-income, high-need middle and high schools, but I do, and after learning more, now I’m dying to do it.

A resident from the program spoke about what she did and told the story of helping this girl, and as she talked I started remembering every teacher who ever said a kind word, or did something to help me, and how they changed my life. It’s a cliche, I know, but I’ve never forgotten one kind word or one gesture, every single one of them had that big an impact on my life. Maybe because, in truth, they were so rare. So many teachers in my past seemed to really hate their job, and us, I’m sorry to say. But I never give those teachers a thought. I was remembering the good ones, like the first one to say to me, “You could be a writer.”

“Imagine being that person,” the woman giving the presentation said, “and not just for one student, but for many of them. Over years.” God knows we need more mathematicians and scientists. You could be the teacher to make a difference between a so-so life for some kid, or one that puts them on the path towards creating computer chips using quantum mechanics or to finally come up a workable unified field theory. (And I will be the one who taught them how to write clear and concise papers about it all!)

Although there is an initial deadline of January 9th for early consideration, the final deadline is January 30th so you have time. The application actually doesn’t take long to do, so it’s completely possible to make the January 9th deadline. For more information, click here.

Poor sad unwanted Christmas trees. Used and then tossed aside.

Next Thursday I’m getting two front teeth pulled. It’s the first step in what is going to be a year and a half long process of getting an implant (and a fake tooth next to it). I am so anxious about this. I know that in terms of all the bad things one has to go through, this is nothing, but still. Actually, it is nothing, isn’t it? I mean, it won’t be fun, but I should be glad I live in a time when I have this alternative and don’t have to live a life in dental pain and bad dentures.

Alright, that is going to be my position from now on.

I have to eat soft foods for a couple of days and all I’ve come up with so far is yogurt, macaroni and cheese and a baked potato. Oh! Sandwiches, hummus, baba ganoush. Still, I need more soft food ideas.

What is this? I saw this in the Brooklyn thrift store I mentioned last week.

My friend Jackie, who designs my blogs, got a new home theatre system so she gave me the one she had!! This isn’t the greatest picture of it because I haven’t really set it up yet. I have to figure out where all the speakers will go. There are two more in the rear that you’re not seeing, and a sub-woofer on the floor.

I also have to buy an optical cable in order to get true surround sound. And figure out why the Time Warner remote won’t work with the DVD player (I found the code that worked, but it still won’t let me adjust the volume via the home theatre system). I wish I was more handy and could build a shelf for all this.

Thank you so much Jackie, I am THRILLED to have such great sound!

New York Diaries is the book I helped to fact check! It’s laid out according to the calendar year, but spanning 1609 to 2009. So for any day of the year you might see entries from 1871 or 1935, etc. This is especially poignant on days like September 11, where you’ll see what 9/11 was like for New Yorkers throughout the years.

The entries come from the well-known to the completely unknown and I wanted to post some of my favorites, but I had so much trouble picking one I might post entries more than once over the next few weeks.

I’m starting with Eugenia Hughes, an artist who came to live in New York in 1930’s. Teresa Carpenter (the editor, and a best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author) found her unpublished diary in the Manuscripts and Archives Division of the New York Public Library. Eugenia doesn’t write anything earth-shattering, but I love the snapshot feel of life for a single girl in NYC. Her entries are also poignant in context with all the other entries. They’re surrounded by entries about Dylan Thomas’s funeral, early descriptions of the AID’s crisis, the capture of Ft. Washington and so on. The whole book works marvelously in this way. Any day of the year in the book manages to capture this sweep of time and experience.

One of Eugenia’s entries:

November 14, 1935

Bad cold—can’t breathe properly-pain-pulse rapid—could hardly eat breakfast—felt nauseated. Julius phoned. Arranged to meet at 1.30. Did so—he was very well-dressed—skin sallow but clear—took him to Roma—I ate lunch. minestrone & spumoni. To “Berkeley Square” on 8th Street. Darkest theatre I’ve ever been in—he sat with his arm around me—his hand through the neck of my dress on my breast—very comforting—bit my ear lobe—we had a marvelous time. Hope the patrons weren’t disturbed by our breathing—he’ll be gentle I think. Won’t have him if he isn’t.

Eugenia Hughes in 1929, when she was 20 years old. I was sad to learn that Eugenia died when she was only 55! (1909-1964) She lived in the Village, where I live now, but I have to find out exactly where.

One of Eugenia’s drawings. This is how I imagine Eugenia!

The pictures of Eugenia and her work came from a website of Greenwich Village History.