Monthly Archives: November 2018

Some of the people we met

Posted on by

IMG_7799

While at the Louis Armstrong museum, we met some art lovers who happened to be visiting city at the same time. Very intelligent and talented intellectuals who bonded with us over beignets, fried chicken, collards, and avocado wraps.

We met them for Sunday dinner afterwards and had a blast talking about the city and life. They were the age of our parents and talked to us as daughters. When they learned of the little trouble we got into while there, they warned us about creating a better travel plan for next time and then spoke to us about our careers and future.

 

We met so many people we kept a list of who we met and where.

The first was our Uber driver, James, who was the first to tell us his true opinion of NOLA. ‘If anyone tell you they had a bad experience in NOLA, it’s because of something they did.’

Then we met the crew mentioned above: Marget, Melissa, Fritz, Adjoa and Debra

Around the same time, I met James at the lemonade stand who asked me how old I was and then if Stacy and I brought our boyfriends along.

When we left the museum and fair, we met the tour guide assistant who helped us pick a tour…

We met the bus driver, Marlon, who spoke to us about the disparities in NOLA and told us to visit the 9th ward if we really wanted to see the hood.

We met Lindsay and her boyfriend who set us straight about the pronunciation of New Or-leanSS.

 

We met very intelligent Ellenie, who worked at a herb shop. She knew the names of different herbs and what each on was used for. I learned that Ginko helps with retaining memory.

IMG_8681

We ran into smooth talker Dabir at the flea market and Shari and her friends outside of the market.

Then, Shanay, a soon to be bride, whose photo is on my blog, posed with her girlfriends at a popular Cajun sea food spot.

The most funny crew was Ron, Robert and Rick. The ‘R’ Crew at Cafe Dumonde. They weren’t even related but acted like brothers.

The most daring was meeting Mr. Keith who allowed me to climb a ladder and take photos of the painting on the side of the building.

IMG_8666

We met Uber Driver Kynytia who told us how to pronounce the supermarket name, Robért’s. You can’t say Robert’s. You have to pay attention to the accent.

Then, Kimble, the most dope uber driver and musician who rapped his songs to us on the way back home.

Where we stayed, we met Zachariah, an ecologist who told us Louisiana loses a football field of land everyday.  

We met Cameron at the famous Gumbo shop and because he was standing on line ahead of us turned around and engaged in conversation with us. He was visiting from Wyoming on a business trip. He asked if he could join us when the waiter called us.

We ran into the same Australian couple two or three times.

Then, at the musical festival, we met dancers after their show whose names were Suga baby doll, G baby doll, baby doll kit, and Pinky. All baby dolls.

IMG_8106

 

Opeyemi Remembers

Posted on by

IMG_9432

I ran into one of my high school sisters. Embarrassingly enough, I had to confess to her that I forgot her name. We recognized each other at the same time in the train station. But she acknowledged me first.

Lystria Hurley!!

Oh, Hi! You look familiar.

Yesssss.

Yes. Where did I meet you at? Did you attend Fordham or do you go to…

You forgot me? Really?

No, I remember you. I just forgot your name and…

SJB! We met in high school. You were a year older than me!

Ohhhhhhhh, shucks! Right. right.

Do you remember my name?

No. No. I’m so sorry. What is it again?

Opeyemi.

Oh…..yeah. Opeyemi! I remember now! How are you?

After a short moment of ohhhing and ahhing to convince Opeyemi that I really did remember her, we embraced and spoke for a long time.

Majority of the conversation was her reminding me about high school.  Actually, my memory was depending her hers and vice versa. I could not remember who she hung out with, some of the teachers we shared, and even if we shared friends (which it turned out that she knew all my friends and sisters!).

She kept on bashing me (in a kind way) for forgetting her. “How could you forget me? I’m hurt.” But, I really didn’t forget her. I simply forgot her name….and some high school moments. Or maybe they were replaced by other moments which made other memories dormant? Perhaps they were waiting for Opeyemi to come along and ignite them. Isn’t that’s what memories are, bits of information that sits in our head until time tells us to use it?

One thing I do remember about high school is sitting in Ms. Kurtz’s biology class and zoning out. She was talking to the class about the difference between long term and short term memory. I was staring outside and something she said about long term memory drew me in.

Ms. Kurtz, can you give an example of long term memory? I asked.

Lystria, if a cute boy walks up to you today and tell you that you are pretty and gorgeous, you will remember that for a long time. That’s long term memory. He made you feel good. Your emotions were evolved. But, these notes? you will not remember them. Unless you study, and you still may forget them…..

I kid you not, I did not even pay attention to anything else she had to say. I kept on day dreaming about that cute boy.

When Opeyemi scorned me for forgetting, I blamed it on age but that didn’t work being I was only one year older than her. However, now that I am still thinking about the situation, I think it does have something to do with age. I was Opeyemi’s older sister in high school. She and her friends all looked up to me. I tutored and counseled with them. This made her remember me. I also was an ambassador for my school which meant I was always meeting freshmen. Every year. And being paired with new students.  While most of the upper class men were busy with just their  friends, I knew students from every year. That’s a lot of people to remember now! Had it been the other way around, she probably wouldn’t remember my full name!

I think how I treated the freshmen and welcomed them into my school, made memories stick with them. I can’t even remember all of my close friends from high school.

The words poet Maya Angelou said are true:  …people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel, this good feeling of nostalgia showed up in our ability to pick up our companionship. However, I think the quote should read, people will forget your name too.

 

 

 

 

Judge Sotomayor

Posted on by

IMG_2051

 

At the beginning of the school year, I got an email from the cozy children book store on 18 West 18th street, Books of Wonder, informing me that Judge Sotomayor was coming to town for a meet and greet book signing!!

When I arrived, I picked up both of her children books, the picture book, Turing Pages: My Life Story and the adaptation for middle graders based on her bestselling adult memoir, The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor.  

When she asked me who to sign it to, I told her to my third grade class.

Where do you work? she asked.

In the Bronx.

She smiled and replied thank you, thank you. Your job means so much. She asked me what part of the Bronx and spoke to me about how important teaching can be. Then she thanked me again. Knowing she grew up in the Bronx, made her encouragement even more meaningful.

I shared the books with my students during the months of  September and October, prior to our career week celebrations. I turned to the page with her signature and showed them that the judge herself, had taken the time to sign the book just for them! Their eyes got big and they sat even more still during the read aloud.The little boy who usually sits at the back, squiggled himself up to the front.

The students were engaged in her life story and I was extremely happy when one of my students declared that she wanted to also become a judge.

 

The National Book Awards Ceremony

Posted on by

I first learned of Jamel Brinkley during the Brooklyn book festival. I made a mental note to read and support the author who was a Bronx (and Brooklyn) native. But was too busy to attend his event during the festival. I was able to meet the author and purchase my copy of A Lucky Man during the National Book Awards Ceremony.

I also was blessed enough to meet poet Elizabeth Acevedo who reminded me of Tami Charles, author of Like Vanessa. I don’t read poetry as  much as I would like and definitely don’t buy poetry. I was surprised to see her novel written in poetry. She did so well during the reading, she made me curious enough to purchase a copy of her book.

Lastly, I met Leslie Connor whose reading style and mannerisms reminded me Kate DiCamillo.

Christopher Paul Curtis

Posted on by

IMG_2184

I was super excited to meet Christopher Paul Curtis at the National Book Awards Ceremony this month! I attended without finding out who were on the finalist list. I love surprises…especially if I can control them in some way.

The first thing I would always do when I arrive at the New School (which is where the ceremony is held) is visit the book seller’s table. I do this even before looking at the program. Looking at the books for sell tells me who I will be listening to that night.

When I came across The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis, I asked the vendor if he Mr. Curtis was going to be there that night. Sometimes authors don’t show up to the event.

Yeah, I believe so, he responded.

And, sure enough. He was there!

I was really happy to meet him in person because his writing kept me up at night as a little girl. His books were among the many books my favorite librarian, Mr. Hardy, placed in my hand when I was in middle school.

When I introduced myself to him during the intermission, he looked at me and smiled.

It’s a pleasure meeting you, Lystria. Do you teach?

Yes! I do! How did you know?

I actually didn’t. I didn’t know weather to ask if you taught or how old you were! You look so young.

Thank you, Thank you. I get that I a lot. I teach third grade.

Oh, third grade! I still remember my third grade teacher.

He signed my book and we spoke a little bit about his writing habits. I had remembered some of his habits by reading all of his books closely over and over again as a little girl.

Do you still wake up at 6 to write?

He started smiling. Well, Lystria, it’s getting earlier and earlier.

After we spoke, I met other authors. But meeting him and hearing him speak was by far the most nostalgic and settling for me.

Before I left, he introduced me to his wife Mrs. Curtis and author, Andrea Pinkney. They all looked at me in my eyes and told me how thankful they were that I was teaching.

Thank you for teaching our children.  They told me constantly.

I would be lying if I told you I did not leave that event feeling better then when I walked in. The same feeling I felt after reading  Bud, not Buddy or The Watsons go to Birmingham had returned to me when I met Christopher Paul Curtis in person.

One Time In New Orleans

Posted on by

IMG_1968

I was told to take a photo of this wall mural but never saw it until we were in a taxi on the way to the station to leave. We had no time to stop the car and take a photo.

I texted all the people I met there and they texted me their versions of the mural….

Then about three days later, randomly, my mentor Casey texted me and we spoke about what we were doing for the summer.

I’m currently in New Orleans working on a project. She responded.

Really Casey? I just left!

We were so shocked that we both had ventured to the same city for the summer. I was extremely happy that she had texted me because I knew she would capture the image  in the look I  was going for…and sure enough before she left, she sent me this photo of the wall mural.