Bernat Softee Chunky jacket

After what feels like months, I've finally finished the hoodie I've been working on for my sister, the Bernat Softee Chunky jacket. It's main shortcoming is that the jacket is, in fact, a little short -- the torso could be a little longer -- but aside from that, I'm really happy with how it turned out. I sewed the zipper on and everything!

I spent so much time on this one that in the end, I couldn't be bothered to even make pockets for the jacket. Oh well; I'll probably just end up making another (longer) one for my sister anyway some day far in the future when I'm not sick of this hoodie anymore.

I actually find seaming the hardest part of the entire process but am pleased with what I managed to do. Hopefully I'll remember the skills and techniques I learned on this project for future ones!

Since I spent so much time on that project, I'm now tackling something I hope will be much quicker: Knucks. I've already got one hand down and am halfway through its companion. Originally this was going to be for my other sister but she has since changed her request to something more like Podster gloves, so I'll move on to those next.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Now that classes are over for the semester, I was able to squeeze in a lovely day trip to the hill country. Van and I spent several hours loitering around Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in a hike that finally culminated in us ascending said rock. Much of the ascent was spent getting schooled by older people who breezed by us, making it seem like a cakewalk -- reminiscent of my hike up Mt. Tsurugi several years ago.

We followed this outing with lunch in nearby Fredericksburg, which is just over an hour and a half west of Austin, and a walk around the main street's many shops, including two bakeries, a stationery store, bookstore and pet store. It was a great way to spend the day.

"Être et avoir" / "To Be and To Have"

Earlier this month I wrote about The Class, a French film about an ethnically diverse high school classroom in Paris. I mentioned I'd heard something about a French film about its education system, which led me to check out The Class The film I was really thinking about was Être et avoir (To Be and To Have), a documentary about a one-room school house in rural France.

Having clarified that, I got a chance to watch the film, which is, in fact, a documentary. What a lovely piece. While The Class feels like a journalistic observation of the simmering tensions between teachers and students and between students of different nationalities, To Be and To Have comes across as a meditation on schoolhouse life from another time.

It was filmed in 2002, but could have been done years before then. There are no computers to be seen or really any other forms of modern-day instructional technology. The students use nothing more than paper, marker, pencils and crayons. For recess, they simply get the school's back lawn. Their lessons range from the usual grammar to learning how to make crepes.

The teacher, Georges Lopez, speaks in kind, measured tones, never raising his voice to his dozen or so pupils, who range in age from four to 12. You get glimpses of the students' home life, which typically involve farm animals, which leads you to understand that farming is most likely in their future.

Lopez's persona is so understated but he remains a driving force throughout the quiet movie, which I found myself greatly enjoying. About the most exciting thing that happens throughout the course of the movie are schoolyard spats and adorable mischief from the class scamp, little JoJo (the little boy in the movie poster). But the teacher's choices and teaching manner are hypnotic -- from the way he counsels feuding classmates on the importance of peaceful co-existence to an encouraging chat he has with a shy pre-teen girl uncertain about leaving behind the safety of the classroom for middle school.

It's all pretty amazing and I'm not ashamed to admit the final scene left me choked up. (I'd include a trailer here but the ones I could fine lacked subtitles.) I rarely watch documentaries because they tend to bore me but something about this one left me moved, introspective and nostalgic all at the same time. We all wish we had teachers like Monsier Lopez.

Thanksgiving frivolity

In which a large fish gets an American in trouble

In my Japanese class earlier this month, we composed and performed skits using the grammar, vocab and kanji we've been learning throughout the semester. I have to say I'm pretty proud of my group; we came up with what I think was a funny, creative skit that that's set in an interesting, unexpected scenario:

スミス：おはようございます。じこしょうかいさせていただきます。わたしの名前はジョンスミスです。アメリカ人です。日本でいます。きのう、日本へ来ました。ともだちに会います。
Smith: Good morning. Let me introduce myself. My name is John Smith. I’m an American. I’m in Japan. Yesterday, I came to Japan. I will meet my friend.

ともだち: おはよう。いいおてんきですね。
Friend: Good morning. The weather’s nice, isn’t it?

スミス：そうですね。これから、何をしますか。
Smith: It is, isn’t it? From now, what will we do?

ともだち:もう食べましたか。
Friend: Have you eaten yet?　

スミス：まだです。
Smith: Not yet.

ともだち: 日本りょうりが好きですか。日本りょうりを食べませんか。
Friend: Do you like Japanese food? Shall we eat Japanese food?

スミス：日本りょうりはおいしいですか。
Smith: Is Japanese food delicious?

ともだち：ええ。とてもおいしいですよ。とくにすしが好きです。つきじはどうですか。
Friend: Yes. It’s very tasty. I especially like sushi. How does Tsukiji (Market) sound?

スミス：どんなところですか。
Smith: What kind of place is it?

ともだち：にぎやかな、おもしろいところです。たくさん人がいます。たくさんさかなもあります。
Friend: It’s a lively, interesting place. There are many people. There are many fish.

スミス：ほんとうですか。いいですね。行きましょう。
Smith: Really? That’s nice. Let’s go. [Friend turns to passerby.]

ともだち：すみません、このへんにつきじがありますか。
Friend: Excuse me, is Tsukiji around here?

日本人：いいえ、ここから遠いですよ。ち下てつで十分です。えきはゆうびんきょくのとなりにあります。
Japanese person: No, it’s far away. By subway, it’s 10 minutes. The subway station is next to the post office.

ともだち：どんなたてものですか。
Friend: What kind of building is it?

日本人:きれいな、あかいたてものです。
Japanese person: It’s a pretty red building.

ともだち：はい、ありがとうございました。行きましょうか。
Friend: Thank you very much. [To Smith] Shall we go?

スミス：はい、行きましょう。
Smith: Yes, let’s go.

[Smith and friend get off the subway]

スミス：日本のちかてつにのりました。いいですね。
Smith: I rode a Japanese subway! Isn’t that nice?


ともだち：そうですね。じゃあ今は一時です。これからレストランへ行きます。そのあとさかなを見ます。いいですか。
Friend: Yes, it is. Well, it’s 1 o’clock now. First we will go to a restaurant. After that, we will look at the fish. Is that okay?

スミス：いいですよ。このレストランに食べませんか。
Smith: That sounds good. Shall we eat in this restaurant?

ともだち：ええ。
Friend: Yes.

レストランの人：いっらしゃいまっせ。すしがあります。どんなすしが好きですか。
Sushi chef: Welcome! We’ve got sushi. What kind of sushi do you like?

スミス：それは何ですか。
Smith: What is that?

レストランの人：これはさしみです。どうですか。
Sushi chef: That’s sashimi. How about it?

スミス：それを三つ下さい。うなぎも三つ下さい。
Smith: Three pieces of sashimi, please. Three pieces of eel also, please.

レストランの人：はい、どうぞ。
Sushi chef: Yes, here you go.

スミス：はやいですね。
Smith: Fast, isn’t he?

レストランの人：のみものは。
Sushi chef: How about a drink?

スミス：何がありますか。
Smith: What drinks are there?

レストランの人：おちゃ、コーヒー、コラ、ジュース、ビール、おさけ。どれがいいですか。
Sushi chef: Green tea, coffee, Coke, juice, beer, sake. Which sounds good to you?

スミス：コラを下さい。
Smith: Coke, please.

レストランの人：どうぞ。アメリカ人ですね。なぜここに来ましたか。
Sushi chef: Here you go. You’re an American, aren’t you? Why did you come here?

ともだち：いっしょにさかなを見ますから。
Friend: We’re going to look at the fish together.

レストランの人：町田さんのところへ行きますか。あそこに一ばんいいさかながありますよ。
Sushi chef: Will you go into Machida’s place? It’s got the best fish there.

ともだち：ありがとうございました。
Friend: Thank you.

[Smith and friend wander Tsukiji Market] 

スミス：たくさんさかながありますね。一ぴき、二ひき、三びき、四ひき。[Several hours later] 一万ひき、一万一ぴき。
Smith: One fish, two fishes, three fishes, four fishes … ten thousand fishes, ten thousand one fishes.

ともだち：まじめですね。そのさかなを見て。見て。大きいですね。 
Friend: Diligent, isn’t he? Look at that fish over there! Look! Isn’t it big?

スミス：わ！とても大きいですよ。すみません。
Smith: Woah! It is really big! [To fisherman] Excuse me.

さかな の人：はい。
Fisherman: Yes?

スミス：そのさかなはいくらですか。
Smith: How much is that fish?

さかな の人：このさかなはハンサムですね。とてもおいしいですよ。これは五万えんです。
Fisherman: Isn’t this a good looking fish? It’s really tasty. It’s 50,000 yen.

スミス：へえ。たかいですね。
Smith: Wow, expensive, isn’t it?

さかな の人：これは日本の一ばんいいさかなですよ。
Fisherman: This is the best fish in Japan!

スミス：それを下さい。
Smith: I’d like that fish, please.

ともだち：じゃああそこに行きませんか。
Friend:  Well, shall we go over there?

[Two hours later]

スミス：今何時ですか。
Smith: What time is it now?

ともだち：へえ、おそいですね。午後十一時です。うちへかえりませんか。
Friend: Wow, it’s late! It’s 11 p.m. Shall we return home?

スミス：ええ。
Smith: Yes.

ともだち：ちかてつがありません。タクシーで行きます。
Friend: There’s no subway trains (now). We’ll go by taxi. [Waves down a taxi.]


タクシーの人：はい、どこへ行きますか。
Taxi driver: Where are you headed?

ともだち：よこはままでおねがいします。いくらごろですか。
Friend: Yokohama, please. About how much will it be?

タクシーの人：ここからよこはままでですか。一万五千えんごろです。
Taxi driver: To Yokohama? About 10,500 yen.

スミス：ひどいです。お金がありません。これがいいですか。
Smith: This is terrible! I don’t have any money. Is this okay? [Offers fish.]

タクシーの人：それは何ですか。
Taxi driver: What is that?

スミス：これは日本の一ばんいいさかなですよ。
Smith: This is Japan’s best fish!

タクシーの人：へえ。ほんとうですか。すみません、さかながちょっと。。。
Taxi driver: Wow, really? I'm sorry, but ...

スミス：なぜ！
Smith: Whyyyy?!

Cinnamon sugar donut muffins

Having run out of chocolate zucchini cake -- we finished a 9 x 13 cake's worth in less than week, it was that delicious! -- I moved on to cinnamon sugar donut muffins.

These sounded like they were cupcake-like and thus dessert-worthy, which they are, but I have also since deemed them breakfast-worthy, so I had them both last night and this morning.

The recipe calls for you to brush them with melted butter and roll the muffins tops around in a mixture of, well, cinnamon and sugar. I'm not crazy about standalone sugar so I bypassed that step and went straight to the Nutella topping, which I must say, kinda rocks.


The muffin itself has a lovely texture, helped along by the buttermilk. It's light and mildly sweet (I used 3/4 cup sugar rather than 1 cup). My sister says it tastes nice on its own, although I can't say myself since the lure of Nutella has been too great.

Chocolate zucchini cake

Vegetables and sweets. What a weird combination. Still, when I come across a recipe for something like chocolate zucchini cake, I just couldn't resist.

The cake turned out astonishingly light and airy in texture; it's not dense at all, but still immensely tasty. The recipe called for 1-3/4 cup sugar; I reduced this back to 1 cup only. This might not be to everyone's liking -- it turned out only mildly sweet -- but the taste is really growing on me. Originally, when I had a piece right out of the oven, the cake tasted almost bitter because of the cocoa powder. That would have been a big bake fail. But now that's it's cooked, the sweetness comes through nicely. Plus, there are two zucchini's worth in it, so it's healthy, too. Can't argue with that.

"Entre les murs" / "The Class"

I came across the DVD to this film last week and recalled something about a movie set in France about the French educational system that I'd been meaning to see. The film is Entre les murs, which apparently means Between the Walls in French but for whatever reason, it's called The Class here in the U.S.

So I checked it out from the library. I'd seen the trailer long ago but had no memory of it, which is why I was so confused as the movie progressed. Was it a documentary? The way it was shot, with its shaky, hand-held look and its stripped-down aesthetic, certainly seemed that way. Eventually I came to realize that it wasn't, though -- that it was, indeed, a movie, one portraying with stunning, unflinching honesty the urban educational system in Paris.

Normally I'm not a big fan of slow moving, dialogue-heavy movies. And even though I'd categorize The Class as such, I still found it gripping, even if it took an hour into the movie before I felt that way. Normally I don't have that much patience with movies but there was something about this one that kept me watching.

The majority of the movie is spent in French teacher M. Marin's class, observing his interactions with his 14-year-old students, who come from a wealth of nationalities and ethnicities. This is no Dead Poet's Society or Mr. Holland's Opus. These kids Marin give lip constantly. They sulk, they insult, they feud. And he must forever referee and manage it. You can see him struggling with them and his temper. He wants to help them but somewhere along the line they need to want to help themselves as well.

I really admire the subtlety and complexity that the film portrays. There are no easy answers or pat resolutions. Marin comes across as any other teacher, just trying to make it through the day, trying his best to get his lessons across to his students and mold them into adults while also being completely aware of the many forces working against him. But that's the beauty of this film.

What I struggled most with was the fact that nothing really happens in the movie until three-quarters of the way through. I was tempted more than once to stop the DVD and pop in my DVD of the fourth season of Rescue Me, my current TV addiction. But I persevered and can happily say it was worth it. There are no lectures or messages at the end. It's simply the quality and genuineness of the story and acting that you'll appreciate.

Afterward, I looked around and discovered that the movie is based on a book written by a former French school teacher, François Bégaudeau, about his own experiences. He now works as a writer and journalist -- but he played the teacher, M. Marin, in the movie. And does a fine job of it, I must say.

A camping trip video, delayed

It's one of those weeks, the kind in which you look no further than the next day or the next hour. And by "weeks," I mean "months."

I did, however, manage to finally get around to finishing up a video from my latest camping trip, a quick blitz through Garner State Park and Lost Maples State Natural Area. Our venture included a quick dip into a cave at Garner!




As quick as it was, it was worth it. Sometimes you just need to get away.