Getting Mod with Cataloguing Comics

The Collecterz.com software is very easy to manage.

Last Sunday, I took the next step in my 30+ years of collecting comic books, by finally purchasing software to assist in the tracking and logging of the comic books in my collection. Though I have always endeavored to maintain a running list of the titles I own, including those I have discontinued reading, it was always in a way that required my entering the most basic data (title, volume and issue number) by hand.

Twenty years ago it was using a spiral bound notebook and listing the issues I had. Two years ago, I began periodically updating a Word file with roughly the same information. Needless to say, I was way behind the times, and (despite having read comic books for so many years) having always thought of myself as a casual collector, I never really felt that I needed a software system to keep these things in order. I have often marveled at the weekly "collection porn" on Comic Book Resources, but rarely envisioned myself taking it to that level. I figured I did not need to as long as I bought, boarded and bagged my books regularly. After a week of beginning to enter those titles I still add to on Collectorz.com, I am prepared to admit I was wrong.

After previewing a number of free and pay comic book collecting software, I settled on Collecterz.com comic book option due to both its reasonable cost and the ease with which one could enter the information. With older titles from the pre-variant Nineties (a fad that really never faded from the comic book shop collecting scene) it was very simple. More recent titles from publisher such as Dynamite and Dark Horse who regularly publish issues with both A and B titles, it has taken a little longer. I am oddly okay with this as it requires me physically engaging with each issue. Thus far I am happy with the software and with the opportunity to organize that which I have spent so much time acquiring, reading and re-reading.

While I still have a long way to go to get through all of the titles I've been accruing over many years, there is time. This disgustingly cold winter should continue to provide plenty of opportunity to stay inside to methodically plug ahead long-box by long-box through my collection before too long.

The cloud interface allows for checking on titles on a
tablet or phone.

The Burden of Workplace Gossip

Among the most challenging parts of any practice is living what you say you believe in, especially given that most of us do not operate in isolation from the rest of the world by living in a monastery. Most workplaces are rife with the "opportunity" to speak poorly of other individuals (gossip), an act which is clearly not part of any "right action," but is also something that most (including myself) have occasionally participated in. (Here, I am considering conversing as an action, though it is also inherently results in "speech.") Whether discussing someone else's work ethic or fashion sense behind their backs, or simply commenting on what they eat, the gateways to speaking ill of others are prevalent in any workplace.


Even when one (okay, "I") am aware that I am doing so, and despite consciously believing I am putting forth effort to resist, it is often to easy to succumb to the allure of contributing to gossip. This is not to say that the act of criticism is of some damning nature, but ANY gossip goes against the idea of "right action," simply because it is harmful to the character and person hood of another.

Once I recognize the error of my ways I will often acknowledge my personal wrong-doing and seek to make-up for it somehow either by apologizing or seeking to dispel the negativity I have cast on some through a positive act. Sometimes, though, I can't shake the feeling of having done wrong. But, I can't live in the past as it only serves to keep me from being in the present.

The traditional Buddhist story, "The Burden," illustrates the impact of not letting go. It is also a personal favorite:

Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening. It had rained and there were puddles of water on the road sides. At one place a beautiful young woman was standing unable to walk across because of a puddle of water. The elder of the two monks went up to a her lifted her in his arms and left her on the other side of the road, and continued his way to the monastery.

In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk and said, "Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman?"

The elder monk answered, "Yes, brother."

Then the younger monk asks again, "But, then Sir, how is that you lifted that woman on the roadside?"

The elder monk smiled at him and told him, "I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her."

Of course, "letting go" should not be interpreted as "it's okay to act wrongly, just 'forget' about it and all is well." The art of letting go is not about absolution or acceptance of wrong, but rather part of the larger, complicated picture of attempting to live rightly. Naturally, it is better to learn from past issues, make stronger choices regarding behavior in the future, ultimately resulting in the strength to avoid workplace gossip entirely.

Comic Bookshelf: March: Book One

The opening scene in March written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin
with art by Nate Powell.

Though we have only been back to classes for two weeks, and that on the heels of of a two week Winter Break, today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which of course means no school. Last week, in anticipation of the long weekend, when I reminded students that we would be out of class today, they were naturally excited. Sadly, those who have arguably been most positively impacted by the work of Dr. King and his contemporaries were completely unaware as to the reason for the day off. In many ways, despite good intentions many of us lose sight of the reason for recognizing the achievements of Dr. King. This may because we (and more reasonably, high school students) tend to think in the here-and-now, with little practical connection to our national history.

Occasionally, popular media reminds us of the steps that have been taken thus far, and those strides that are still being attempted, however stilted the gait, toward racial equality. One such powerful reminder that I recall picking up two years ago was the very successful, and honored, graphic novel, March written by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin with art by Eisner Award-winning illustrator Nate Powell.

March: Book One, published by Top Shelf Productions, is the first of a planned trilogy of graphic novels following the life and career of Civil Rights activist and United States Congressman John Lewis (GA, Fifth Congressional District). As the only living member of the "Big Six", Lewis's perspective is unique given his activities on behalf of Civil Rights, including the personal challenges he faced in rising from humble beginnings. Though he ultimately reached elected office and was present at the inauguration of our nation's first African-American president, it was Lewis presence at Edmund Pettus Bridge outside Selma, Alabama, on March 7.

Transition to Lewis' humble
beginnings (page 7).

Much more than a retelling of Congressman Lewis's life, March takes us through multiple historical moments during the Civil Rights Movements. Deftly moving from time period to time period, the storytelling structure allows the reader to experience both the "big" recognizable historical moments as well as the smaller, less publicized interactions with his moments that reflect Lewis personal commitment to continuing the work begun in Selma.

page 73

Though the story told is not new, the graphic novel format employed here is. While the story of Lewis's rise from sharecropper's son to U.S. Congressman has been previously told in his autobiography, Walking with the Wind (1998), Nate Powell's beautiful artwork gives added heft and weight to the visual orientated culture of today. In alternatively soft and stark blacks, whites and grays, Powell creatively uses both panels and wide splash pages to keep the kinetic energy of Lewis's life moving forward in a manner that engages and educates.

One of the challenges of commenting on such widely reviewed works such as March: Book One is that, in most cases, others have already done so in a way that better explains the work's value. If you need further convincing of March: Book One's effectiveness as either an educational tool or quality reading experience, here are a few choice reviews from websites I frequent:

• The Comics Journal Review by Robert Kirby (October 23, 2013)
• Comic Book Resources  Review by Jim Johnson (August 14th, 2013)
• NY Times Sunday Book Review by Ken Tucker (November 21, 2013)

March: Book One is deserving of consideration for reasons both artistic and educational, much as Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivor's Tale has (rightly) become the "go-to" graphic novel for high school approved book lists and libraries. Just as Maus has been successful in both connecting the horrors of the holocaust with modern readers (and extending the genre's acceptability by educators), March has the potential  to reframe in an accessible way for young readers the hardships, triumphs and individual contributions of those involved in the Civil Rights movement.

The follow up volume, March: Book Two, will be released in book stores tomorrow.

Rochester's Neighborhood Little Free Libraries

Little Free Library on Dartmouth Street in the Park Avenue neighborhood. (11/27/13)

I am pretty sure it had been there for a while, I had just failed to take note of it. Two year's ago, while walking the dog around our neighborhood, I noticed a small mailbox-type structure in the front of a yard two blocks from my home. It was positioned close to the sidewalk, but too far away from the house to be a mailbox in the city. Taking a peak inside, I realized there were books and a small sign affixed to the roof identifying it as a "Little Free Library".

Little Free Library on Marion Street on Rochester's East side. (1/11/15)

On another walk later that winter, I snapped a picture of it, where it became just one of many digital images that become hidden away on a hard drive. Over the past year, however, I have discovered myself stumbling across three more such libraries (one of which  seemingly went "off line" not to long ago) and after recalling that original Little Free Library picture, finally decide to share them along with some background.

Little Free Library at Rochester Public Market. (11/30/14)

The interactive map on their website reveals that there are indeed many Little Free Libraries around the world in such far flung locales as the Netherlands and Nicaragua! Currently there are at least ten in the metropolitan Rochester area, as well as a few in the nearby suburbs. Two observations from reviewing the organization's map: it does not include some of those pictured on this post and, oddly there appear to be none located in any of the city's west side suburbs such as Greece--the school district in which I work. In both instances, one hopes that the site is just in need of an update.

Interior of Little Free Library at Rochester Public Market. (11/30/14)

As explained on the Little Free Library website, the "take a book, give a book" movement is intended to give "neighbors share their favorite literature and stories." Since 2009, the brainchild of two businessmen out of the Mid-West, Todd Bol and Rich Brooks, the grassroots organization has been working to create this avenue for ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to read. I am curious as to how much actual foot traffic these little beauties actually receive.

Based solely on location, the majority of Little Libraries in the metropolitan Rochester (the notable exception being the one located in the Public Market, though it is a trendy city-spot for suburban visitors) reside in middle to upper-middle class neighborhoods where I would reckon most residents probably purchase books or borrow them from our well-stocked county public library system.

In the end, in addition to being very aesthetically pleasing additions to the often drab winter landscape, any organization such as this that continues to positively promote a love reading is certainly worth supporting, if only to help generate some word of mouth.

Sources:
Little Free Libraries of Rochester, NY on RochesterSubway.com
Curious and Uncommon
LittleFreeLibrary.org

Doll Collector: Balrog Battle Gandalf

Encased in packaging, Gandalf's survival in the battle with Balrog was assured.

My stepson enjoys collecting Transformers figures and his quest to find rarities takes him to many small stores both in New York City (where he attends college) as well as here in River City. The majority of these businesses have storefronts that give off the vibe of being "junk stores" with old posters and boxes covering the windows. Inside one is likely to find unopened, packaged figures piled up in corners and bins with dissembled parts of discounted toy lines.

Gandalf at rest and "the cat
stays in the picture!"

While to many these establishments can rightly be deemed junk shops, to fanboys and collectors they reek of the opportunity to locate that forgotten childhood figure or the final rare piece of a nascent collection. I, too, have been known to purchase the occasional figure, though my own collecting appetites tend toward comic books. Recently, however, while investigating one local store with my stepson (which from the outside, appeared to most certainly be a disguised drug house) I came across a figure of which I had not previously been aware, but was immediately smitten with, the Lord of the Rings Two Towers Balrog Battle Gandalf Action Figure with Electronic Sound Base. Ironically, the most recent "doll" purchase I made prior to this was also of an LotR character, Treebeard.

A fan of Middle Earth collectibles (more of an "appreciator of," really as I don't own much), I am always on the look out for interesting related items. It is just extremely difficult to casually come across them with any degree of ease. I have found myself disappointed by the lack of movie collectibles at regular stores such as Target with the success of Peter Jackson's adaptations; the ready availability (or lack thereof) of certain movie and comic book tie-ins is an odd thing. Some collectibles seem destined to never seen for sale in traditional stores while others (mostly kid-friendly Marvel and DC figures) flood the shelves, rarely ever diminishing in availability. (I know most things can eventually be had online, but it's not really the same thing as casually perusing through a variety of items in a store.)

Thanks to my stepson forcing me to take that detour to the previously unexplored junk shop in question, my Middle Earth thirst was briefly quenched by the purchase of the Talking Balrog Battle Gandalf Action Figure. The figure itself stands 6" in height, while the base has a button which, when pressed, declares "You shall not pass!" as in the film clip below.


As I've written in previous posts, I don't collect things as investments. While there are those who seek products and books (and just about anything) with a speculative eye toward potential resale value, my approach is much more self-serving. I buy what brings me an increment of joy. The advice to my stepson when he began collecting things (moving from Pokemon when younger to Bionicles and, eventually, Transformers), what to buy those things which brought him enjoyment. Though my own happiness is only marginally increased by periodically pressing Gandalf's base (which almost always makes me envision its use with underperforming students), coming across these odd trinkets hidden in remote boxes of smalls side street stores is a small pleasure in itself.

Merging Word Walls

  The AP Language and Composition word wall;
following updates since this pic was
taken in October.

Prior to the start of the current school year, I shared some plans for my classroom word walls. My primary objective was to transition from a traditional word wall ("a systematically organized collection of words displayed in large letters on a wall or other large display") as used in many elementary schools,  to a more sophisticated graphic organizer of Tier 3 vocabulary for use with my secondary Regents level and Advanced Placement courses.

The framework as designed by
Prof. Jollieffe.

The graphic organizer I chose as a structure on which to hang these concepts was developed by University of Arkansas professor David A. Jollieffe. My hope was (and remains) to craft a concrete representation of the abstract process for literary analysis. Though this initial adjustment has proven fairly successful, I continue needing to remind myself, and students, to return to the process in a way that meaningfully reinforces the concepts rather than emphasizing just the rote memorization of the terms. (I have attempted to establish our word wall in class as "the framework.")

Now, nearly halfway through the year, and after adding a few terms and concepts to each individual board, I am plotting to kick-off our return from break with a merger of both the Regents and AP level walls into a singular entity, and to re-assert the necessity of the Big 27 terms necessary (in my estimation) to handle to current Regents exam they will all be taking in a few weeks. Because the AP framework is simply the Regents one with additional concepts of import to the student of language and composition, this represents for them a slight tweaking of what each class currently has and a clarification of that which are "Need to Know."

The significantly less cumbersome Regents
word wall, which currently has 37 terms,
27 of which are "need to Know."

My intent is to take down the Regents wall, and coding those terms I've deemed the "Big 27" terms (remember they appear in both) with small red dots, and then the balance of vocabulary such as the three appeals, that I've shared with both classes with blue dots. To further reinforce this shift, I am also combining (and coding) the Tier 3 pages on my class blog to reflect the changes in the classroom version.

As of this morning, I am ready to start my day early Monday, before classes resume for me second period. By then my plan (but as Burns reminds, "the best laid plans...") is to roll out this updated board with a focus on preparedness for success on both the standardized assessment and the course work beyond...

The "new" word wall combining both previously independent leveled walls.