"If I'm gonna sing," says the unemployed log truck driver Rex in my play Christmas at the Juniper Tavern, "I'll sing aker-peller." I've always like a capella music and so watched the recent Sing Off show. From the start, I liked two groups: an old men's doowop group and Pentatonix, 5 singers who made extraordinary arrangements.
Watching each week, I really only liked about 10% of the music, being no pop music fan, but always like Pentatonix's arrangements. I kept waiting for them to be eliminated since I have long proof that my tastes and the tastes of "America" are far apart.
Imagine my total shock, then, when Pentatonix won the national popular vote to become champions. I thought the rapapella group Urban Method would win, hands down. Shows you how little I know.
Many stories in LA Times this morning about the firing of UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel. Alas, the real problem may be the athletic director, who now has hired and fired 3 coaches in 10 years. Where's the evidence he'll ever get it right?
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| Mike Leach |
Last week of classes. Easy week, showing student and other videos, collecting projects. Real work starts on Friday, with projects to give a final grade.
I'm positioned well with the short novel to finish a draft over the break. I think I can do it.
In spring, I'm going to teach Brokeback Mountain because there's a book that includes both the screenplay and the short story it's based on. Also some essays by the creators about the adaptation process.
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