tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66118751700097842192024-03-18T11:10:27.625-04:00Noblemaniaauthor • speaker • "Batman & Bill" character • pop culture archaeologist • heMarc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.comBlogger2005125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-37310573395333643172024-03-15T13:41:00.001-04:002024-03-15T13:41:24.396-04:00My proposal for the back cover of "Thirty Minutes Over Oregon"<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By my request, the back covers of both <i>Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman</i> and <i>Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman</i> had only one line:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWG2AOo45TMuLPqShG5qIyHhtT_zxS4ez0oDECRhK4GphnX7w4Q4rKuFNQMHt3onEglSUXzpE9eWfmhyphenhyphenjgV0qoA0S9xWIvQAfT6r2O8Se25BN2Msq9PGGonIZF2hOWCFBOrbUQ07APsul_OJXfCgT6Q7jkfvGk0kSZBqyD86JhHKk4WszrT9IwclSU2iY/s753/Boys%20of%20Steel%20-%20cover%20-%20back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlWG2AOo45TMuLPqShG5qIyHhtT_zxS4ez0oDECRhK4GphnX7w4Q4rKuFNQMHt3onEglSUXzpE9eWfmhyphenhyphenjgV0qoA0S9xWIvQAfT6r2O8Se25BN2Msq9PGGonIZF2hOWCFBOrbUQ07APsul_OJXfCgT6Q7jkfvGk0kSZBqyD86JhHKk4WszrT9IwclSU2iY/w308-h400/Boys%20of%20Steel%20-%20cover%20-%20back.jpg" width="308" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmhCthQXw6ZRBoKr-ZOi7cbLJI3QbIAosQSWhU-exAxmCwQf86BzqKDkHeZiYxw3m06yNvishT4lx54cDC-pDmKOpMRIQL7ko8JeaZPgi7pUP2Hvel5jOKl5kiwrwhEzTH5OMixmJmMr_mbhfq-5JEyb_MEv_AfofXQEd9BS4Fen9j1nWSd5vX3WBi5El/s774/Bill%20the%20Boy%20Wonder%20-%20cover%20-%20back%20(with%20JLG).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="774" data-original-width="626" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmhCthQXw6ZRBoKr-ZOi7cbLJI3QbIAosQSWhU-exAxmCwQf86BzqKDkHeZiYxw3m06yNvishT4lx54cDC-pDmKOpMRIQL7ko8JeaZPgi7pUP2Hvel5jOKl5kiwrwhEzTH5OMixmJmMr_mbhfq-5JEyb_MEv_AfofXQEd9BS4Fen9j1nWSd5vX3WBi5El/w324-h400/Bill%20the%20Boy%20Wonder%20-%20cover%20-%20back%20(with%20JLG).jpg" width="324" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I wanted to keep that going with <i>Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story</i>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIPS07gN-m3fLrCSO_HzlUhYViv8Rb3jSCHOwQW3hWaANSJRF42f7g-6QpKsDCpRCLHt3JRDhUsRJZ8WMphCVZJJlAWbk1FrwIhl4-oe2k8eyvRZlNFiBknQa9HfgUrttqqLQJyCBvB_RDJ9Slfn8amjI5xQR-EJr5Kb0VX0IkStbCg3tNe10cwJpeLW0/s2048/cover%20-%20Thirty%20Minutes%20Over%20Oregon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1862" data-original-width="2048" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIPS07gN-m3fLrCSO_HzlUhYViv8Rb3jSCHOwQW3hWaANSJRF42f7g-6QpKsDCpRCLHt3JRDhUsRJZ8WMphCVZJJlAWbk1FrwIhl4-oe2k8eyvRZlNFiBknQa9HfgUrttqqLQJyCBvB_RDJ9Slfn8amjI5xQR-EJr5Kb0VX0IkStbCg3tNe10cwJpeLW0/w400-h364/cover%20-%20Thirty%20Minutes%20Over%20Oregon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Though in this case my proposal was <i>two </i>lines, it had a similar effect:<br /><br /><i>In 1941, the surprise Japanese attack on Hawaii brought America into World War II. </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: arial;">In 1942, the Japanese pilot Nobuo Fujita brought World War II into America.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But I was vetoed:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwQU8YIKlUbaLq0bPTvIJ1wB7UWC7BFVv6ma9kHcxDzmKW7bCsD0_e25onFKiS16W7MLiy3gssOdFecJNgy8DPS95Nn2yUHjQglsHWlmSjFtmZzI2RZE4cGLUBgj1WlgOPXLxmrlu6HmLsN9ZBnCd3igrpZpvyaBLc2cVlvSMDEIM5T98cJy1fD4aRr3U/s1716/Thirty%20Minutes%20Over%20Oregon%20-%20back%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="1716" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwQU8YIKlUbaLq0bPTvIJ1wB7UWC7BFVv6ma9kHcxDzmKW7bCsD0_e25onFKiS16W7MLiy3gssOdFecJNgy8DPS95Nn2yUHjQglsHWlmSjFtmZzI2RZE4cGLUBgj1WlgOPXLxmrlu6HmLsN9ZBnCd3igrpZpvyaBLc2cVlvSMDEIM5T98cJy1fD4aRr3U/w400-h356/Thirty%20Minutes%20Over%20Oregon%20-%20back%20cover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">art by <a href="https://www.melissaiwai.com/" target="_blank">Melissa Iwai</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love the image and it is a mysterious contrast to the war scene of the cover (which stokes curiosity), but I still visit the alternate universe where my suggestion came to pass.</div></span></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-35405162085553917412024-03-12T22:16:00.014-04:002024-03-17T17:58:39.724-04:00Northside ISD was WRONG to cancel author Marc Tyler Nobleman<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Welcome school principals, school librarians, and PTA members!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you are here because you searched “marc nobleman author visit” or “marc nobleman school visit” or “marc tyler nobleman author visit” or “marc tyler nobleman school visit,” your results probably also included a paywalled article with this headline:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">“Northside ISD was right to cancel author Marc Tyler Nobleman”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Northside ISD is a Texas school district.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The article was written by Nancy Preyor-Johnson and published on 10/6/23 in the <i>San Antonio Express-News</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Nancy did <i>not </i>hear my talk.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The article is wrong.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Northside ISD was wrong to cancel my author visit. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: #fcff01;">Rather than judge me based on only that one Texas headline, please read this (or at least skip to the Northside educator tweets at the end):</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I went to do school visits in Northside ISD in good faith and treated all with respect, as I have at hundreds of other schools in 30+ states and almost 20 countries over the past 20 years.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I gave the same talk I’ve given hundreds of other times.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Three examples of the kind of reaction I typically get:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">“In my almost three decades of tea<span style="background-color: white;">ching, I have heard a wide variety of internationally known authors, many of them award recipients. Marc was <b>easily the most engaging and inspiring presenter I have ever heard</b>. He held the rapt attention of the entire auditorium—students and staff alike. He is such a gift!”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: white;">—Adrienne DeMichele, Taipei American School, Taiwan</i></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">“My principal and almost every teacher said this was the <b>best assembly they have ever attended. Educational value? 5 out of 5 stars. Entertainment value? 5 out of 5 stars</b>. Marc’s amazing story kept an entire room of students and teachers enthralled for an hour with no special effects or tricks.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><i style="background-color: white;">—Jamie Harris, librarian, Smalley Elementary, Las Vegas, NV</i></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white;">“I have known Marc for eight years and I can tell you with complete honesty that he is <b>the best, the very best, in inspiring children. He is able to empathize with them (and adults, also) to an incredible degree</b>. As a matter </span>of fact, he becomes a role model for many of them. One fifth grader wrote in his evaluations, ‘Mr. Nobleman’s name fits him. He is a noble man.’ His books have the same kind of integrity. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><i>—Susie Mee, Director, Authors Read Aloud (a Learning Leaders program), New York, NY</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My talk lasts 60 minutes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In that talk, I say that someone was gay. One time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I also refer to straight marriages. Multiple times.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I was scheduled to speak at Northside schools for 10 days. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The first nine days went great. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Except for the two parents who contacted their school because I said “gay.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Neither had heard my talk, read my books, seen my documentary, or met me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Yet their complaint pressured Northside into giving me a choice: leave out the word “gay” on day 10 or there is no day 10. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Whether my presentation was censored or cancelled, it would shortchange the kids. Ultimately I felt that the <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">best way to stand up for those kids would be to stick to my principles</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So there was no day 10.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The kids were disappointed. School staff was disappointed. I was heartbroken.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But the people who truly suffered were the LBGTQ members of the Northside ISD community. Northside ISD’s action signals to them that their very existence is taboo to mention. Northside ISD made them feel <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/san-antonio-express-news-says-school.html" target="_blank">unwanted and unsafe</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Northside ISD was wrong to cancel my author visit. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Northside ISD prioritized the ignorance of <i>two </i>adults over the enrichment of <i>hundreds </i>of kids.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Northside ISD was wrong to cancel my author visit. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Because two adults thought kids should not hear the word “gay,” those kids also did not hear a jaw-dropping story of persistence. They did not hear about the adventure of primary research, the thrill of reading, the calling of speaking up for others, and the imperative to give credit where it’s due. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Northside ISD was wrong to cancel my author visit. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But hopefully a message from my story <i>did </i>trickle down to at least some NISD day 10 kids from enlightened NISD educators and parents: when you have to choose between siding with the tolerant or the intolerant, there is no choice. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b>Northside ISD was wrong to cancel my author visit. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In closing, here are reactions to my talks from NISD educators (i.e. people who <i>did </i>hear me present and who have the best interest of the kids at heart):</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwG3N_pwVMxbam_0qh_M7fkUmqFJkp7FtJO2iPHCnO7ENzjU-2oEB_t3k4SnT96kZsnUqVejkFBGIjBwnxeOW9b0lCYo5iFFAKT7Xk6MUhz3-ITqGGZNuKqtaKaKb232H9NkiBLcw2xrKWM3LHA8H9wJiUb7J9XnlXZw2WtEn4BOC228TPLrvcUSJj0ip/s980/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20phenomenal,%20impact.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="598" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwG3N_pwVMxbam_0qh_M7fkUmqFJkp7FtJO2iPHCnO7ENzjU-2oEB_t3k4SnT96kZsnUqVejkFBGIjBwnxeOW9b0lCYo5iFFAKT7Xk6MUhz3-ITqGGZNuKqtaKaKb232H9NkiBLcw2xrKWM3LHA8H9wJiUb7J9XnlXZw2WtEn4BOC228TPLrvcUSJj0ip/w390-h640/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20phenomenal,%20impact.jpg" width="390" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFgwf8Wcouy7nZKbF7ZfDveko7sfv-u7ZNnu4VuQCA8w1nH4kiegx8yjkMptG5tSBSShbbMpeX96og-qEAvbhBFvnqmfrMkbFFko6U-gIqAqaZNrjjrnMsC8FmwQ9YciBPxhZhoffGFVO9k-9yfS_H8X9cmpD6oZPe1e9DqOHQgWG_p-MBr6RuVMblmqo/s1709/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20so%20intriguing,%20now%20to%20watch%20doc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1709" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFgwf8Wcouy7nZKbF7ZfDveko7sfv-u7ZNnu4VuQCA8w1nH4kiegx8yjkMptG5tSBSShbbMpeX96og-qEAvbhBFvnqmfrMkbFFko6U-gIqAqaZNrjjrnMsC8FmwQ9YciBPxhZhoffGFVO9k-9yfS_H8X9cmpD6oZPe1e9DqOHQgWG_p-MBr6RuVMblmqo/w274-h400/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20so%20intriguing,%20now%20to%20watch%20doc.jpg" width="274" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHUrBoWCyyG9-u7nGxnOFlathcX8U68SGDk6OhlhWyM1fgNPCtT7WJ1aUoIpfmiJXNrnYwEtRDUE_uUAkwYAwzhFV5FR-t8U2Y_m1YeqAU2QA2ClhEUcDFK89OCkdG3FUsVMy2mWvYU_doBW-RGWNMjcF51BtodCqp8x8Ayhv0czjBUWZRNEtxc9urtJp/s1458/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20amazing,%20captivated.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHUrBoWCyyG9-u7nGxnOFlathcX8U68SGDk6OhlhWyM1fgNPCtT7WJ1aUoIpfmiJXNrnYwEtRDUE_uUAkwYAwzhFV5FR-t8U2Y_m1YeqAU2QA2ClhEUcDFK89OCkdG3FUsVMy2mWvYU_doBW-RGWNMjcF51BtodCqp8x8Ayhv0czjBUWZRNEtxc9urtJp/w321-h400/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20amazing,%20captivated.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDPTPWpC63mzrlfCPsoXQ77tzuYnhZzewYuNeoyRdW3TF44NDz0cSCAgA1fqqUkH_crzeQWbEWzc6jY3057SR7QwuKDxp0Mhy5Wzv9klvdQXtZaS9sue-ps_Q7cUwFW09MKAC0ucudCs6Eag5hZJi1v3JkLKvnzwg9RduOOPenAsFAgq4oKd8XtKQvz6O/s1776/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20amazing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDPTPWpC63mzrlfCPsoXQ77tzuYnhZzewYuNeoyRdW3TF44NDz0cSCAgA1fqqUkH_crzeQWbEWzc6jY3057SR7QwuKDxp0Mhy5Wzv9klvdQXtZaS9sue-ps_Q7cUwFW09MKAC0ucudCs6Eag5hZJi1v3JkLKvnzwg9RduOOPenAsFAgq4oKd8XtKQvz6O/w264-h400/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20amazing.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFH8pCx7feNrVR3tP56Dc0YZpmNL09RxsOS6QvY8_pp99t9pPlGuDLjS7k7ki3Cvu8icj8iajpLvihpYIx6xBLi5mhFuo4cAn4ZlqPgkh9jJU2FAVldJjtaQJP2xrfgsdXoO8rOexDaJNp2twXP8O0JYJ9xHqvF6requbUKSLEIb4cNawcy3Vc9aJBWXo_/s1842/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20inspiring.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1842" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFH8pCx7feNrVR3tP56Dc0YZpmNL09RxsOS6QvY8_pp99t9pPlGuDLjS7k7ki3Cvu8icj8iajpLvihpYIx6xBLi5mhFuo4cAn4ZlqPgkh9jJU2FAVldJjtaQJP2xrfgsdXoO8rOexDaJNp2twXP8O0JYJ9xHqvF6requbUKSLEIb4cNawcy3Vc9aJBWXo_/w254-h400/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20inspiring.jpg" width="254" /></a></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-36597713069592106872024-02-19T07:00:00.018-05:002024-02-19T07:00:00.134-05:00Best of the blog 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13.2px;">This blog launched on </span><a href="http://www.noblemania.com/2008/02/first-post-first-picture-book-on-first.html" style="color: #3f00bb; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;">2/19/08</a><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13.2px;">.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.2px;">Every February 19, I share posts of the previous 12 months that I feel have the best chance of interesting someone other than me.</span><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This year's hit list:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">a Georgia school district asked me not to say “gay” during assemblies and I refused</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">speaking while Jewish at an international school in Jordan...two days after Hamas attacked Israel</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/stories-of-hope-kidlit-against-book-bans.html" target="_blank">30 kidlit authors/allies tell stories of hope to raise money to combat censorship and book bans</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/04/an-eventful-six-weeks-london-ghost-town.html" target="_blank">six weeks in a row speaking at schools/conferences: London, Las Vegas, Taiwan, Malaysia, Cambodia</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/04/two-last-minute-bookings-at-san-antonio.html" target="_blank">booking a San Antonio school visit...for the next day</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/04/visiting-survivor-island-pulau-tiga.html" target="_blank">visiting Survivor Island in Malaysia</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/04/my-history-with-history-visiting-world.html" target="_blank">pop culture sites I've visited</a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/06/cbs-evening-news-announces-superman.html" target="_blank"><i>CBS Evening News</i> announcing Superman creators will receive benefits, restored credit (1975)</a></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-38610658719059204392024-01-15T08:00:00.091-05:002024-01-15T08:00:00.248-05:00Interview: Truett Pratt (co-singer of “Happy Days” theme)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fifty years ago today, the classic sitcom <i>Happy Days</i> premiered. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYC4dctU92YEQibAMdia5btyHCQtvLibWMeebRpTCXpREGmarkunYNYyegDdNL7ze6dQQZU6uNDVZCPTS3UeUfhMZmVlswP1A78SZKgE3rPVOZxWk-8ely4FU-7_f9goLWa9belk-b6OZFW-uAf0f35y9QO-cQ-kLS-2YuCHn_ola-WDJSyhnUv93u0HTk/s930/happy%20days%20title.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="743" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYC4dctU92YEQibAMdia5btyHCQtvLibWMeebRpTCXpREGmarkunYNYyegDdNL7ze6dQQZU6uNDVZCPTS3UeUfhMZmVlswP1A78SZKgE3rPVOZxWk-8ely4FU-7_f9goLWa9belk-b6OZFW-uAf0f35y9QO-cQ-kLS-2YuCHn_ola-WDJSyhnUv93u0HTk/w320-h400/happy%20days%20title.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">To celebrate, rock out to an interview with Truett Pratt, half of Pratt & McClain, whose 1976 recording of the theme song became a hit.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: arial;">What were you doing professionally prior to </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: arial;">?</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I was a child. [laughs] </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have been told that I was singing harmony at 3½ years old. In my youth, I spent a large amount of time with my musical friends and was involved in both church and school music, vocally and playing first trumpet in the marching band. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My senior year, I provided the musical entertainment for the Miss Teenage America competition in our South Texas region. Six weeks after graduating, I got a call from the entertainment unit of Chrysler. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">They were putting together a massive promotion—they gave 7,000 cars free every year in small towns and at colleges because the driver education students were there but they had no vehicles. They were giving cars because they were good citizens. A year later they bought them back and sold them as demos. This was 1967-68. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">[They sponsored a singing group] called <a href="https://thurlowspurr.com/biography/" target="_blank">The Spurrlows</a>, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and after a 30-second non-rehearsed audition, I received an invite to [join] the 26-member act. I was the youngest. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We traveled and performed everywhere from colleges to high schools to public venues like malls, sometimes 4-5 shows a day with costume changes. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I did the television appearances. I was on the centerfold of <i>Life </i>magazine with our cars.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The other folks traveling with us were, for the most part, active in their churches as well. Most of the nights on the tour, they performed a sacred concert of beautiful traditional music.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One time I woke up mid-morning and I was fully dressed on a stage performing for about 600 people. I’d arisen, showered, got in my car, went to the performance, and came into consciousness on stage. And I believe it was the <i>second </i>wardrobe change of that show! [laughs] I was thoroughly worn out in under 11 months.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After [doing that] tour [for a year], I attended a well-known university for one year. The policies of the school and the (most important) location soured my attraction and was truly a “down” year for me. Fortunately folks had seen me and my talent, that leading to an invitation to come to Los Angeles, the start of my career.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>What songs were you singing?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In the daytime, our 90-minute performance [included] contemporary pop chart hits and traditional, well-known tunes. The night was a first class, more formal show, in tux and black tie.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>How did you and Jerry McClain meet/start working together?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I moved to LA when I was 20 in 1970. About three or four months after I arrived, I got together with Jerry. My roommate had known Jerry from the music business in Los Angeles. Jerry and his wife and her twin sister had performed with a number of mid-60s pop groups. They’d had some success and done well in the commercial area of life as well.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My roommate thought Jerry and I would be a good match because I’m—not egoistically speaking—advanced in music. I sang and was first trumpet with the marching band and jazz band. I sang in church. I was eclectic and could handle different types of performance. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jerry and I decided to move together on the future. We put together a very slick Las Vegas-style rock and roll act. We employed James Fitzgerald, husband of the movie star Jane Powell, to be our manager.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He notified agencies in LA. We put on an audition by renting a small rehearsal studio that could seat an audience of 200. We set up with matching outfits and we did 18 minutes, took a three-minute break, then did the same 18 minutes again—repeated for three hours. The agents who came to see us could come when they wanted and stay as long as they wanted. The next day we got a call from William Morris, the biggest agency in the world. Other agencies made a bid but William Morris was immediately organized and had the connections for our type of act. We started in the business at what I call the middle. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>What was the name of that act?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Pratt & McClain and Brother Love.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Was Jerry your age?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Seven years older.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Your version of the </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> theme was used for seasons 3-10 (out of an 11-season show). How did you get the gig to record the theme?</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We were already a successful nightclub act. Our business [model] was to tour about six months off and on, and [spent] the other part of the year working on our recording. Our first album was completed in late 1974. We got some airplay on album stations, but no blockbuster success.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">One of my producers [who was also my former roommate] Michael Omartian moved offices to Warner Bros. We came off the road and, in April 1976, had a meeting with Michael and Steve Bari, who already had 21 gold singles—the Turtles, the Grass Roots. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We discussed the fact that the show </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> was an instant hit and we should make a “Happy Days” record. The song was written by Norm Gimbel [lyrics] and Charlie Fox [music]. I guess you’d call them well-known. The 20 seconds you hear on the show were studio singers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We got permission from the clearance houses to record that song. The first meeting was a Friday morning. Since we used the finest players in the industry, we couldn’t get everyone for five days. By the following Wednesday afternoon, we’d done all vocals and background instruments. By Friday night, it was hand-carried by couriers to the largest radio stations in the country for national release at 8 pm in every time zone. First meeting to finished record in seven days. [Then] “Happy Days” was being played every hour on the hour.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The song was on our second [and final] album, <i>Pratt & McClain Featuring Happy Days</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9Fg2Duosmvhru-HJUhhDKD01d7NvaSln9YZXGYqmpxsL27aWl1nSSAX-moVaQ2OWAmxJBNnmNfeNcBjiaylVkeO_f16y_3Dk5D-2vG8LoWSwm6eYeP64WXZ0Jtt_l_AqPzvWjb_zbKC6RmmCEE-gN0B65IeBKXrepdsLgdcnpkr9cqOFUWbhYf8kWwLD/s905/Pratt%20McClain%20pics%20interview%209-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="691" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9Fg2Duosmvhru-HJUhhDKD01d7NvaSln9YZXGYqmpxsL27aWl1nSSAX-moVaQ2OWAmxJBNnmNfeNcBjiaylVkeO_f16y_3Dk5D-2vG8LoWSwm6eYeP64WXZ0Jtt_l_AqPzvWjb_zbKC6RmmCEE-gN0B65IeBKXrepdsLgdcnpkr9cqOFUWbhYf8kWwLD/w305-h400/Pratt%20McClain%20pics%20interview%209-23.jpg" width="305" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Did you write for your albums?</b></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Two of the songs on the second album are mine: “California Cowboy” and “Summertime in the City.” </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zQxSNZyaO_k?si=oc4WhVSaxsd5B6ZD" title="YouTube video player" width="460"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Was your “Happy Days” song written to be used on the show or intended only to be a single?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Once the show was a hit, Garry Marshall [the show’s creator] contacted Gimbel and Fox and they wrote up the lyrics. I don’t think it was ever intended to be a single. It was intended to be used for the show but then became a single as well. Almost simultaneously. We saw a business opportunity to give product where there was no product.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Were you already a fan of the show?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When you travel the way we did, and are otherwise busy in studio, I didn’t have much time to watch TV. I was familiar with the show but not an avid fan. [But then] after viewing episodes, I became a big fan…and a grateful fan!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">What interactions if any did you have with the stars of </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: arial;">?</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We were never on set. We didn’t have any affiliation with the show other than being booked on some TV talk shows—Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin—with some of the side actors like Ralph [Don Most] and Potsie [Anson Williams]. They were guests, not singing with us. The shows would pick us up in a limo. When we’d arrive, there’d be people everywhere and we could barely get out. It was like the Beatles!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP_iX061Ea68dny_wOkJqHKEcgZMM2UDm-RthhveOyft26YORdFO7d4wjAgdZAtZd9-97-D-E-u_nRtitONGUylQBu8oSW6H438iWoBMEfE6zMFiL1UqyLG4e2VwiEJr4XR5tfBwA2yaS98g2DKC-xARMUBqV9YYC5rylscW65dwzeq8FwJ6DboOU0PP7/s809/Pratt%20&%20McClain%20performance%20with%20logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="809" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP_iX061Ea68dny_wOkJqHKEcgZMM2UDm-RthhveOyft26YORdFO7d4wjAgdZAtZd9-97-D-E-u_nRtitONGUylQBu8oSW6H438iWoBMEfE6zMFiL1UqyLG4e2VwiEJr4XR5tfBwA2yaS98g2DKC-xARMUBqV9YYC5rylscW65dwzeq8FwJ6DboOU0PP7/w400-h297/Pratt%20&%20McClain%20performance%20with%20logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I would see Ron and Clint Howard at a Christmas/Chanukah party I attended for some years. They were great, very down-to-earth. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Have you met any of the cast over the years?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">No. But others. Christina Applegate babysat kids in the neighborhood just before <i>Married… With Children</i>. I can’t remember if she babysat mine. My older son learned to shoot pool two houses down with Mr. T. The neighbors were all friends. It was a quiet neighborhood in Sherman Oaks. Henry Winkler’s house was less than a mile away. I remember standing in line at the grocery store having a serious conversation with Don Cornelius of <i>Soul Train</i>. That’s what life was at that time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Is Jerry McClain still with us?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He is, what’s left of him. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Our second release [the album with “Happy Days”] hit the top 40. We’d be partners for 7-8 years. We truly became brothers. Our traveling life was usually interesting. It had its ups and downs. After our second release “Devil with the Blue Dress” hit the Hot 100 on Billboard, he started partying and got completely addicted to cocaine. It started out with Jerry pulling no-shows for radio promotions. He was hanging out with what he called a record promoter—I called him Jerry’s new girlfriend—who was really a coke dealer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He never really came back. He hit the skids, as most addicts do. I got away from him as quickly as I could. But he damaged my reputation deeply. By the time I started to unravel the mess, he had drained every dollar of our bank account. This was about 1978-79. I don’t lie, cheat, or steal. I learned a big lesson watching my business partner lose everything. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I had to sue him five years ago. A friend at Warner Bros. called me. I was the first recording artist he’d worked with at Warner Bros., 40 years ago. He was the worldwide head of royalties till he retired two years ago. He asked how I’d been liking those “Happy Days” royalties. I said “What royalties?” He said he’d call me back in five minutes but called in three. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He’d hit one button on his accounting computer and brought up the past 15 years. Jerry had called a secretary in the royalties department to somehow [redirect my portion of the royalties] to his house in Burbank. He also forged my name.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It turns out Warner Bros. had never failed to issue me a royalty check every six months for the last 47 years. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">His behavior and choices at that time [led to] a very long recovery. It’s <i>horrible</i>… I wish him the best.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>I’m so sorry to hear this. For how long was your money being sent to him?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Probably 30 years! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Did you assume you weren’t getting payments because the royalties had simply dwindled to nothing?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>So you get royalties now? </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Yes. It’s pretty steady because of streaming—Apple Music, Pandora. It doesn’t pay the bills now, but years ago it was a lot of sales.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Do you know roughly what you’ve earned from the song? </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">No. Forty-seven years is a long time!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Where do you live?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I got turned off by the ego. I’m just a Texas boy, two feet on the ground. I moved from California back to my hometown San Antonio around the end of 1997. I’ve been around the world 4½ times. I’ve had dinner with kings and dated their daughters. Nothing comes close to Texas Hill Country. I was born and raised here. The residence I’m talking to you from, I first spent the night at when I was 6½ years old. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Children?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have two sons, two daughters-in-law (six college degrees in that bunch), two grandchildren by each couple, all very happy and doing very well. I also have two buttons on the chest of my shirt that pop open whenever I talk about them!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>What are you doing these days?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I am just enjoying the heck out of life, brother. I have assets, multiple streams of royalties. I did 12 cruises in the last 14 months with my girlfriend Jackie.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrifcBA0AhVi0Xe_mvXVxlkQrHig9AV6OoT0nSADKpsuIAkGNuSCliGpmhLoQbpEgblcl_Mgp6QyB350ZclwgQVVgczslAoQSCzmDuiRpl9cuhKHt-DIdW2koFaAFLQRXFPOLWP4w0FfKD8G2koJtfk15sGwpQZWrSkPqfyF7_ijEuvc0LygjCp2Bzft5/s1313/Truett%20Pratt%209-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1313" data-original-width="959" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrifcBA0AhVi0Xe_mvXVxlkQrHig9AV6OoT0nSADKpsuIAkGNuSCliGpmhLoQbpEgblcl_Mgp6QyB350ZclwgQVVgczslAoQSCzmDuiRpl9cuhKHt-DIdW2koFaAFLQRXFPOLWP4w0FfKD8G2koJtfk15sGwpQZWrSkPqfyF7_ijEuvc0LygjCp2Bzft5/w293-h400/Truett%20Pratt%209-23.jpg" width="293" /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I had to be careful for a while because of what Jerry did to me. I’m multi-talented. I’ve always been a real estate animal. I started learning all the aspects of real estate development. I went to contractor school and got a license in California. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I started two companies. One was called Airport Flyer Systems. In 1983-85, I created and put into action the airport bus system in Houston, TX. It’s the fourth largest city in the U.S. in population and the largest city in the world in square miles and has two airports—but had no bus system! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To accommodate the schedule of my two children, to be best provider I could be, I got into the finance of real estate. The way the lifestyle is in that industry, I could have control of my schedule. I started at the very bottom. I was an assistant processor and complete gofer in the mortgage business. Spent 1½ years learning the business at a wholesale mortgage money source. I became a full real estate broker. I have had a mortgage company for just under 25 years. I ended up lending in California and Texas—two completely opposed systems.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Have you ever participated in a </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: arial;">-related event (reunion, convention, documentary, etc.)? </span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have not because back then they didn’t have them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Would you now?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Sure, of course. Why not! I am a friendly guy and have always valued interfacing with folks. My friends jokingly compare me to Will Rogers who “never met a stranger…”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you have any mementos from your </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> experience?</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Gold record in my hallway, photos of <i>all </i>kinds of folks, and volumes of memories.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>What did you think when you got my interview request?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I’d been approached before but those people were not as succinct as you so I thought I’ll answer you. [laughs] </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">How do you look back on your </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Happy Days</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> experience?</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Tremendous gratefulness. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have been blessed with a colorfully unique life experience, one heck of a rollercoaster ride—a truly mind-boggling ride—with a view from the top of the world. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">From “Happy Days” success, I gained the seasoning to encounter other business challenges and to achieve success in most of them, allowing me to own my schedule and continue to travel the world. I’m truly enjoying the fruits of my labor and spending time with my posse. For example, my older son and I own the newest Gold Wing touring motorcycles (among others) and will be leaving on a trip to the western U.S. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I’m occupied at this time writing [a book]. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The title: <i>Memoirs of an Almost Rock Star and How I Survived</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Why “almost”?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We could have gone much further if my partner had not gone to another planet. </span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I [still] perform 4-5 times a month when I’m home.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And I am happy, the most important factor of all. I am truly living in Happy Days!</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-10434392517971100612024-01-13T13:07:00.003-05:002024-01-13T13:07:54.428-05:00Unused Ty Templeton gunshot art for "Bill the Boy Wonder"<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The first round of sketches Ty Templeton submitted for <i>Bill the Boy Wonder</i> were so good that I requested few changes. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The biggest one, as I recall, was the spread in which I briefly summarized the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents. I say they were shot but felt we should not <i>show </i>that.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unaware of my feeling, Ty created this concept:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_20J3cjyP6vxtzaytbDYokrs0b_YNMQakFW7izxHwPX4oMXagn0m4qt5xO6tsrpPbMnFFRdGm4qBAF2DyCKOh0b8jY8hX7jjeBBWigpYV4H5f2zLpKAGOWvYt2RVHgVeWHKUpHQJmOKD-eCInvdvnRc2IZuVDbRSZUUmANT6g_5QzKSIEIz0nP7KhTDQ/s3599/Bill%20the%20Boy%20Wonder%20-%20unused%20spread%20-%20gun%20shooting%20-%20comments%20cropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2401" data-original-width="3599" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_20J3cjyP6vxtzaytbDYokrs0b_YNMQakFW7izxHwPX4oMXagn0m4qt5xO6tsrpPbMnFFRdGm4qBAF2DyCKOh0b8jY8hX7jjeBBWigpYV4H5f2zLpKAGOWvYt2RVHgVeWHKUpHQJmOKD-eCInvdvnRc2IZuVDbRSZUUmANT6g_5QzKSIEIz0nP7KhTDQ/w400-h266/Bill%20the%20Boy%20Wonder%20-%20unused%20spread%20-%20gun%20shooting%20-%20comments%20cropped.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Strong! But wrong, in my opinion, for the format. The book would be intended for grades 3 and up, by which age kids (unfortunately) already know about guns and likely murder</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span><span style="font-family: arial;">but it might also be read to kids younger than that. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">He kindly obliged me by retooling, and that, too, was strong. I liked it better for more than one reason<span style="background-color: white;">—now we also see the Waynes. </span>The image conveyed menace without <i>depicting </i>the shooting:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6TIlbAtxuG4auoweI1fJZTjzU3_BXuYBMixM4bbkVKkegzo8py1BZ42BaLj78iTkspTjX3RQ4ZWkp4FEGGTLjZIL-H7roILMQYPlaLujPWATgyDTS44IJo9kEjgOWQcO-eeJv-rkb2noMYS9Gpr-KidSR-vN04ngoLokXj6EGexxnG9YfXYG85J0oz2X/s937/Bill%20the%20Boy%20Wonder%20spread%209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="937" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6TIlbAtxuG4auoweI1fJZTjzU3_BXuYBMixM4bbkVKkegzo8py1BZ42BaLj78iTkspTjX3RQ4ZWkp4FEGGTLjZIL-H7roILMQYPlaLujPWATgyDTS44IJo9kEjgOWQcO-eeJv-rkb2noMYS9Gpr-KidSR-vN04ngoLokXj6EGexxnG9YfXYG85J0oz2X/w400-h260/Bill%20the%20Boy%20Wonder%20spread%209.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-39791093599597762452023-12-04T16:15:00.002-05:002023-12-04T16:15:28.239-05:00George Takei of "Star Trek" weighed in on Georgia schools censoring "gay"<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm beaming this up a bit late, but it's lost none of its potency.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In August, elementary schools in Georgia gave me a choice: leave out the word "gay" from my author presentations or leave. I left. <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">News coverage.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Outspoken and uncompromising <i>Star Trek</i> actor/activist George Takei <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxnu9LJsgrA/" target="_blank">took notice</a>...and took no prisoners:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZWMRGNRUZgNOUq0qp6kHHILhmjDcATVBMnW7iR5t3XkzNxO_VJTNlAc5KvI5Djan6lSMJaU1_3jxup0ZrxW6gRU_8TyBgRfJG10h_-JY4tiF0LlVCa6vI282j7Hun7Uz6F-8j3kgfxVw-c5FfiIoUu2xxgyZHIRpFqalLv2a19IOoCg3L1ovHGTSkMJO/s1213/George%20Takei%20Instagram%20post%20about%20Georgia%20-%20with%20George.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1213" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAZWMRGNRUZgNOUq0qp6kHHILhmjDcATVBMnW7iR5t3XkzNxO_VJTNlAc5KvI5Djan6lSMJaU1_3jxup0ZrxW6gRU_8TyBgRfJG10h_-JY4tiF0LlVCa6vI282j7Hun7Uz6F-8j3kgfxVw-c5FfiIoUu2xxgyZHIRpFqalLv2a19IOoCg3L1ovHGTSkMJO/w400-h253/George%20Takei%20Instagram%20post%20about%20Georgia%20-%20with%20George.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Note: I added George himself.</div></span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-12256696462008922372023-11-05T07:00:00.053-05:002023-11-05T07:00:00.147-05:00Wadi Shab—an Oman hike that turns into a swim<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Part of a series</i>: <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Middle East, October 2023</span>:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">Jordan—American Community School, Amman</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/jerashgreco-roman-ruins-near-amman.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Jerash (Greco-Roman ruins)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/the-dead-sea-jordan-side.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Dead Sea</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Petra (Nabataean Arab city/archaeological site)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Wadi Rum (desert)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/american-international-school-of-muscat.html" target="_blank">Oman—American International School of Muscat</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Oman—Wadi Shab (hike/swim)</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">On my last day in Oman (and the Middle East), I got picked up at 6 am and was driven 1.5 hours to Wadi Shab, an unusual and largely pristine hike through a relatively narrow, boulder-strewn valley. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGqOshTqnDQhmPjn2TICANSJGGCyAsCzoX8kzw-8p2WaRe6DuE0QFM61s_YBGzZOrggKsUv0kO7L1h5TQBmJArPMxMlFKgOGWB2tQqPP0rlU9UnyiI4CrpF-tlWaHeyCvp5t0iBJWtQ-SVTJdbFiapOJLWiUHPH9uYSAwWqEoxQdfTch48disscWxteKq/s3358/IMG_3741.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3003" data-original-width="3358" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGqOshTqnDQhmPjn2TICANSJGGCyAsCzoX8kzw-8p2WaRe6DuE0QFM61s_YBGzZOrggKsUv0kO7L1h5TQBmJArPMxMlFKgOGWB2tQqPP0rlU9UnyiI4CrpF-tlWaHeyCvp5t0iBJWtQ-SVTJdbFiapOJLWiUHPH9uYSAwWqEoxQdfTch48disscWxteKq/w400-h358/IMG_3741.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">First you pay $2 for a two-minute boat ride to the start of the hike. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bq8UhPZBVVM2-d-g3AAl-k67Ov82_nExQAqAA-ixCqVeDZ-C4NzoQxYOYSPvKqDWo7Qgpn2P8bnlizM6tVJePoKqbd9V9t3zWekNKojhSivX0j_nsg7ouqY1Di3Ai-7XUsiW7RKDGQjAyvAkBJ_-a5qgSSAH8TEH4TktTWDqczs648BEFmYNf0zT0CqQ/s3327/IMG_3693.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3327" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bq8UhPZBVVM2-d-g3AAl-k67Ov82_nExQAqAA-ixCqVeDZ-C4NzoQxYOYSPvKqDWo7Qgpn2P8bnlizM6tVJePoKqbd9V9t3zWekNKojhSivX0j_nsg7ouqY1Di3Ai-7XUsiW7RKDGQjAyvAkBJ_-a5qgSSAH8TEH4TktTWDqczs648BEFmYNf0zT0CqQ/w400-h364/IMG_3693.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fCvFMN5QEXCOVbRe5gZh9VtSyOCWEH2Dx9-D6y-i72_oZ6tHhXw7uvuli_C7pl7fiz-rsJUnorj-feGw3EhPawWMlfEIKDnMJVAdclmHRvyB89uEHDVlHORcCUxaNyZz60nGYGMwy7y5pc1Ry3BeB8-tr5Ac1y9B4VHWkqd6eDxEBVcE_xYmi7I6MV2W/s4032/IMG_3697.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fCvFMN5QEXCOVbRe5gZh9VtSyOCWEH2Dx9-D6y-i72_oZ6tHhXw7uvuli_C7pl7fiz-rsJUnorj-feGw3EhPawWMlfEIKDnMJVAdclmHRvyB89uEHDVlHORcCUxaNyZz60nGYGMwy7y5pc1Ry3BeB8-tr5Ac1y9B4VHWkqd6eDxEBVcE_xYmi7I6MV2W/w400-h300/IMG_3697.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKh5aMhQELKnPqwmcM_zAlLhMrqUfjBktFWpfMM_3k-fwFlZR0As19Re4345C5jzYu0ysZT2PhoRPvTdJ_XFO-ZoLMYdIfmyhboeexjQbPHWMmjWNWXQ_syDg3pM8LMTIrJkHys8aAwGPJcZLnvOgPznP6Gy4Go7PihBBEJRq_CV_u9dFuDtjwz61C0ft/s4032/IMG_3699.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKh5aMhQELKnPqwmcM_zAlLhMrqUfjBktFWpfMM_3k-fwFlZR0As19Re4345C5jzYu0ysZT2PhoRPvTdJ_XFO-ZoLMYdIfmyhboeexjQbPHWMmjWNWXQ_syDg3pM8LMTIrJkHys8aAwGPJcZLnvOgPznP6Gy4Go7PihBBEJRq_CV_u9dFuDtjwz61C0ft/w400-h300/IMG_3699.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyj_4NFlS2oU9XO9K8ZHO6S4IDJMUqk1qHVKu9MLp65fEwf5MqPeOv4hErYii0gPmIfcYCtrItOhKQNKv8sR2BOTGmI1YfabIROOojemcxL6Uou7aMtsc6wWUgmO9-mp-vzAV_dZJta3an-PLziv4l_pt1lQT-Tdrk2_N_-9Dw-L-C5kxAlP0VbkmUjGM/s3719/IMG_3700.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3719" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyj_4NFlS2oU9XO9K8ZHO6S4IDJMUqk1qHVKu9MLp65fEwf5MqPeOv4hErYii0gPmIfcYCtrItOhKQNKv8sR2BOTGmI1YfabIROOojemcxL6Uou7aMtsc6wWUgmO9-mp-vzAV_dZJta3an-PLziv4l_pt1lQT-Tdrk2_N_-9Dw-L-C5kxAlP0VbkmUjGM/w400-h325/IMG_3700.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbJVuz0O4LBHUcS6Dpu4HDlNYLIy1wX1c5TkoEiOrm-IvWTjAW7SUCSGAxs2dTlgkEORmxgSfKBjBP9CaM2XTwvQWH-cBlMMcux8Zrnkgi4Js0BClC7X0PYJGk1u9Cl5Yg5h4FiKJF7CThAtFK-3A-KtLdq9J58iEtRSHupeaF5Mjj0LyJw3_0oa2HaFc/s3278/IMG_3711.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3278" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbJVuz0O4LBHUcS6Dpu4HDlNYLIy1wX1c5TkoEiOrm-IvWTjAW7SUCSGAxs2dTlgkEORmxgSfKBjBP9CaM2XTwvQWH-cBlMMcux8Zrnkgi4Js0BClC7X0PYJGk1u9Cl5Yg5h4FiKJF7CThAtFK-3A-KtLdq9J58iEtRSHupeaF5Mjj0LyJw3_0oa2HaFc/w400-h369/IMG_3711.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After an hour, you reach a point where you must swim or wade through three clear pools to get to the big finish. The last pool is too deep to stand. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Unless you used a waterproof bag, you leave whatever you brought on the shore before the first pool. For me this included my phone, eyeglasses, and sneakers (I changed to water shoes). Though I knew in advance that I’d have to do this and was assured it’s generally safe, I nonetheless hid my backpack in a crevice rather than leave it out in the open as others did.</span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOxCL0__bBiippzhYanZbac_dRDlNNfk0Q_OcaOMliMQoZwBDKLHdOuGSJ0GUXWMGmmGZtPR2rYttNV5XYr6jHvYjzg2yB9g05lgWuDZY5PuwbPHorRZOFJvr350QVyF3wdJBqRvR-h-UTR7GqaXDc4hCN28LjJQxSHU5CbJuryp1fsZrijGQU5VcDBbq/s4032/IMG_3746.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOxCL0__bBiippzhYanZbac_dRDlNNfk0Q_OcaOMliMQoZwBDKLHdOuGSJ0GUXWMGmmGZtPR2rYttNV5XYr6jHvYjzg2yB9g05lgWuDZY5PuwbPHorRZOFJvr350QVyF3wdJBqRvR-h-UTR7GqaXDc4hCN28LjJQxSHU5CbJuryp1fsZrijGQU5VcDBbq/w400-h300/IMG_3746.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zBDGBLrhx-ZUhQacGHBlf58GXO58K9g2X5eXeDBwW-cDIP9MQOY-KgzE97GPIXN9ZEC9gYb7dNPdsfKHGbToEz-mZGUMIXN0XXFstxXoo6BdH3fio895LtHxYRWBfV0l6X6rwu-Uy01klZpuiLfxzNSzb1Hxifo6jv4HcguijHM8uUffew13BxCHA094/s4032/IMG_3753.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-zBDGBLrhx-ZUhQacGHBlf58GXO58K9g2X5eXeDBwW-cDIP9MQOY-KgzE97GPIXN9ZEC9gYb7dNPdsfKHGbToEz-mZGUMIXN0XXFstxXoo6BdH3fio895LtHxYRWBfV0l6X6rwu-Uy01klZpuiLfxzNSzb1Hxifo6jv4HcguijHM8uUffew13BxCHA094/w400-h300/IMG_3753.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">the first of the three pools (from a slight distance)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As with my visits to Jerash and Petra, I went without a guide. Unlike Jerash and Petra, Wadi Shab really doesn’t necessitate one. It’s a straight if rugged shot—no way to take a wrong turn when you are at the bottom of a gorge, though sometimes I had to figure out a way around an impenetrable cluster of boulders or swampy patch.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">For most of the hike, I was the only human in sight. (I did spot a gray snake and a heron.) Once I got to the pools and lingered, people began to appear behind me, including a boisterous group of men I soon learned were off-duty soldiers. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">At the end of the final pool is a triangular-shaped opening just big enough for a human head. If you didn’t know to look for it, you’d miss it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">You half-swim, half-tread through this channel to emerge in a cavern with a waterfall (and nowhere to stand or sit). There is a rope attached to the rocky slope alongside the waterfall, but I did not try to climb up. Instead I soaked up the atmosphere while treading water for a couple of minutes, taking photos with my mind since my phone was (hopefully still) a few pools behind me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When I swam back to the short stretch of rock between the third and second pools, I volunteered to watch the phones of a soldier and a woman from Slovenia who had both managed to take their phones through pools 1 and 2. The Slovenian woman then took a video of me jumping from a rock ledge into the third pool and took my email to send it to me. It’s been more than a week and still no email, sadly. I hope she remembers soon.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Even if not, I will remember the experience as a Middle East highlight.</span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPV5SgqPsdqnNYSCf7Y6g2jtvqK9B_pq2VugnJC7j1Su4S-ciSYvznuhp9ncv9lSnIq-ZKbjaWvzDuu_V0Q2Xz6XbsrnF-9CPkLMgzHbRzpyQkVU6ZZP7qPJyH65IPBgPcGV3mAkqxrmgT_UWAm7OIqa_HmqaTR6J5kDZmkPfWQ9xSLGe0GsbOGaP-ZJY/s3143/IMG_3784.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3143" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPV5SgqPsdqnNYSCf7Y6g2jtvqK9B_pq2VugnJC7j1Su4S-ciSYvznuhp9ncv9lSnIq-ZKbjaWvzDuu_V0Q2Xz6XbsrnF-9CPkLMgzHbRzpyQkVU6ZZP7qPJyH65IPBgPcGV3mAkqxrmgT_UWAm7OIqa_HmqaTR6J5kDZmkPfWQ9xSLGe0GsbOGaP-ZJY/w400-h385/IMG_3784.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">tiny waterfall on the way back to the entrance</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJHSh4pb9ELJdibPGoC3pfqbXX23qkRwibkkCOrg82Kk1tnnTY6k6LOLXWQigIvkT6PRT89wM7-j892ggPmVb6ZekzhZU2LEjpcpY-LUMWrV9-e5jw94hDrWjJ2hByhQvbyQkbSEAuBJGTdMVD7lU6NE2_4o1Jn_6NtqcpsVy_8eRQqS7s9BBj7Of0lzM/s4032/IMG_3800.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZJHSh4pb9ELJdibPGoC3pfqbXX23qkRwibkkCOrg82Kk1tnnTY6k6LOLXWQigIvkT6PRT89wM7-j892ggPmVb6ZekzhZU2LEjpcpY-LUMWrV9-e5jw94hDrWjJ2hByhQvbyQkbSEAuBJGTdMVD7lU6NE2_4o1Jn_6NtqcpsVy_8eRQqS7s9BBj7Of0lzM/w400-h300/IMG_3800.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Spotted on the way back to the city. Corn, anyone?</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-4447010279232354392023-11-04T07:00:00.007-04:002023-11-04T11:05:48.241-04:00American International School of Muscat, Oman<div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Part of a series</i>: <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Middle East, October 2023</span>:</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">Jordan—American Community School, Amman</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/jerashgreco-roman-ruins-near-amman.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Jerash (Greco-Roman ruins)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/the-dead-sea-jordan-side.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Dead Sea</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Petra (Nabataean Arab city/archaeological site)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Wadi Rum (desert)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Oman—American International School of Muscat</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-shaban-oman-hike-that-turns-into.html" target="_blank">Oman—Wadi Shab (hike/swim)</a></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After a profound week in Jordan, I flew to the bottom of the Arabian Peninsula to speak for three days at the American International School of Muscat in Oman. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U_U6zMub2yFkZk6Qjs2gsmhYVtoQnXGRbMysaPEwqN944_RQz6v2WWUDCm3QzhLEG2RkrjEo5PKOJOSbAIPNu0Dnbkd9p9V4jugeH-ZdKvd3vTH7qJUO014XcfQlYLUKpiPESd3EMSd6Km67MsXrxDVwYxSgbt9o4oMi1h3AmOWmiab7sKek9hJbuDoU/s4032/IMG_3676.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6U_U6zMub2yFkZk6Qjs2gsmhYVtoQnXGRbMysaPEwqN944_RQz6v2WWUDCm3QzhLEG2RkrjEo5PKOJOSbAIPNu0Dnbkd9p9V4jugeH-ZdKvd3vTH7qJUO014XcfQlYLUKpiPESd3EMSd6Km67MsXrxDVwYxSgbt9o4oMi1h3AmOWmiab7sKek9hJbuDoU/w400-h300/IMG_3676.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I arrived on 10/15/23, then stayed in my fifth hotel in five nights (10/11 Amman, 10/12 Petra, 10/13 Wadi Rum, 10/14 Amman but only for a few hours because my flight to Oman departed at 2:25 am.).</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As with my host Paige Spilles at the American Community School in Amman, I was blessed with a standout host in Ryan Callaway (who has worked with my Paige). He picked me up at the airport, took me to dinner with colleagues, invited me to play ultimate frisbee with staff in 100° weather, invited me to his home, and recommended/found me a guide for <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-shaban-oman-hike-that-turns-into.html">Wadi Shab</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Israel-Hamas war was in week 2 but Oman is further removed than Jordan both geographically and culturally. I’m told there are few Palestinians at the school and </span><a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/48651948" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">in the country</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> (not that only Palestinians have strong feelings about the situation). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I felt no guardedness from certain students <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">the way I did in Jordan</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As with ACS, I worked primarily with high schoolers: an assembly, a breakout writing or visual literacy workshop with each class, and a screening of <i>Batman & Bill</i> (for staff).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you again to Ryan and TAISM for hosting me with such warmth.</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-70852233110794425672023-11-03T07:00:00.112-04:002024-02-28T18:25:29.407-05:00Wadi Rum, a breathtaking desert valley (and popular film location) in Jordan<div style="text-align: left;"><div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Part of a series</i>: <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Middle East, October 2023</span>:</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">Jordan—American Community School, Amman</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/jerashgreco-roman-ruins-near-amman.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Jerash (Greco-Roman ruins)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/the-dead-sea-jordan-side.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Dead Sea</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Petra (Nabataean Arab city/archaeological site)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Jordan—Wadi Rum (desert)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/american-international-school-of-muscat.html" target="_blank">Oman—American International School of Muscat</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-shaban-oman-hike-that-turns-into.html" target="_blank">Oman—Wadi Shab (hike/swim)</a></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Two hours south of <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Petra</a>, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I spent the night on Mars. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwA-XxD6fkfgdR_eaXLBKe8GuXTqspCMC1aK9lfdtzViM0J-AHNhBVW5BGpI4JpraGxDLTZkfqYTKi1zKNjybq1qZII7foTWfZOGf1YYd54sC2-4Msi5z39Sl5JH6ujnVZTaC4uq-FNZnKSWm2tkHrpQXosBzV6c54tZyjyOCF7EFjSFHkjjakN9kWOaG/s4032/IMG_3376.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwA-XxD6fkfgdR_eaXLBKe8GuXTqspCMC1aK9lfdtzViM0J-AHNhBVW5BGpI4JpraGxDLTZkfqYTKi1zKNjybq1qZII7foTWfZOGf1YYd54sC2-4Msi5z39Sl5JH6ujnVZTaC4uq-FNZnKSWm2tkHrpQXosBzV6c54tZyjyOCF7EFjSFHkjjakN9kWOaG/w300-h400/IMG_3376.JPG" width="300" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">the small arch</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To be precise, I spent the night in the desert of Wadi Rum, which is close to the borders of Israel and Saudi Arabia. (In Arabic, “wadi” refers to a valley, ravine, or gorge.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Scenes for films including <i>Lawrence of Arabia</i> (1962), <i>The Martian</i> (2015), and <i>Dune </i>(2021) were shot there.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There are no roads. There are no hotels. There is just majestic nature—and trucks that drive you to and through it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/omgGHcsYCeo" width="420" youtube-src-id="omgGHcsYCeo"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After getting settled at <a href="http://www.mlc.jo/" target="_blank">Memories Aicha Camp</a> (recommended by a colleague and worth the splurge), I set out as the lone passenger in the back of a pickup truck for a three-hour tour of the desert, culminating in sunset with shisha (except me) and tea.</div></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlDDSWNdQKQOoyNQUoKPGDQt-mHyFnEOlKIC5XEnlzU_tPh3cWh7kAEr4UAFtDoJU2A5cPjuz8KnG3O8JIrau-vYW4DqUG4yfALQjaDkox-cE2X_xg6mNl4fjXW1csYk96X7p-qtEuZxwuz4tebx8NxfUiH41lk1Dwk6QTPyFxqleuvvwmRP4bcjby4qm/s4032/IMG_3339.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlDDSWNdQKQOoyNQUoKPGDQt-mHyFnEOlKIC5XEnlzU_tPh3cWh7kAEr4UAFtDoJU2A5cPjuz8KnG3O8JIrau-vYW4DqUG4yfALQjaDkox-cE2X_xg6mNl4fjXW1csYk96X7p-qtEuZxwuz4tebx8NxfUiH41lk1Dwk6QTPyFxqleuvvwmRP4bcjby4qm/w400-h300/IMG_3339.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28SZC0SGpoRiI53qvX23arGpHTzRqXNSMIfuWXpp_JhvYi72-6Wql-ig4HCYO3iM8ysicGTTVvPBENe_iG5vmf1V-FxnaUNmTNwo4DXkBeGbk7gUdYeMgKq0Nrr-kICI7pHfBUPSF5-NjWfuTiehgPYOnHlQ7AFcZwsssGLsFc6MqyUVcwi29oXAaNqf7/s4032/IMG_3351.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28SZC0SGpoRiI53qvX23arGpHTzRqXNSMIfuWXpp_JhvYi72-6Wql-ig4HCYO3iM8ysicGTTVvPBENe_iG5vmf1V-FxnaUNmTNwo4DXkBeGbk7gUdYeMgKq0Nrr-kICI7pHfBUPSF5-NjWfuTiehgPYOnHlQ7AFcZwsssGLsFc6MqyUVcwi29oXAaNqf7/w400-h300/IMG_3351.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnqzU1GBNrAoZzb7uVKJS598mPRDytWxLX3komp2woI_ITNLAd3oF8mqg1mPBl_xpv3NhupCrkEhEnIBeEzF0zSXV_E-RppvMAs9Wyi8acEk2K-CTc4E3DwwD-Jw345YwJ2BQXvKLx9CbYf-XKoUhHvkPKAZ1QaYaWeCLv2FQMOzMpcWdKY-cD_lORZvU/s4032/IMG_3382.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnqzU1GBNrAoZzb7uVKJS598mPRDytWxLX3komp2woI_ITNLAd3oF8mqg1mPBl_xpv3NhupCrkEhEnIBeEzF0zSXV_E-RppvMAs9Wyi8acEk2K-CTc4E3DwwD-Jw345YwJ2BQXvKLx9CbYf-XKoUhHvkPKAZ1QaYaWeCLv2FQMOzMpcWdKY-cD_lORZvU/w400-h300/IMG_3382.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">wider view of the small arch</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfWIrUz_XJ3ww2RzCx3mPBu0XUrysyQw6FSKSj34jWKH5kokKJq6h7Irxt2RGKk5YGBz36KxJTM7EpZ_derauw4I0T6JmgsJl_sve4KDfUSiLAInje1f3PAkC_BYhTxTMiaUd0egYZkEJ0ASLX4j8Lk5ggmXB4WYbtFkj57QhQtksYOUedMg4Uit3JRIa/s3579/IMG_3391.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3579" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfWIrUz_XJ3ww2RzCx3mPBu0XUrysyQw6FSKSj34jWKH5kokKJq6h7Irxt2RGKk5YGBz36KxJTM7EpZ_derauw4I0T6JmgsJl_sve4KDfUSiLAInje1f3PAkC_BYhTxTMiaUd0egYZkEJ0ASLX4j8Lk5ggmXB4WYbtFkj57QhQtksYOUedMg4Uit3JRIa/w400-h338/IMG_3391.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Lawrence of Arabia (allegedly) slept in this </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">partially collapsed structure</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0-3Ba_4XXoxr-8nP4_88BHlosZAucMs4cYU0sfl4pjWWnbGa-75zvUZQmliI_HdB3o0psIezuOOHZDQ9q9v4HImrHenXGkt5mHsl8pzMRzJ6oFHe54SLZrxsZ58opBMO1MSoV3M1j5LHC-eJaNQzNTW3OUDBQyuzsyQFMH_yXWXYDnR32Nh9gPzaPYow/s3493/IMG_3399.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3493" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0-3Ba_4XXoxr-8nP4_88BHlosZAucMs4cYU0sfl4pjWWnbGa-75zvUZQmliI_HdB3o0psIezuOOHZDQ9q9v4HImrHenXGkt5mHsl8pzMRzJ6oFHe54SLZrxsZ58opBMO1MSoV3M1j5LHC-eJaNQzNTW3OUDBQyuzsyQFMH_yXWXYDnR32Nh9gPzaPYow/w400-h346/IMG_3399.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoPV1_ypzG7QTYMalJO3-J5wQH3Q8iSHZKc7EZ5CJoAa2B8mg7edbK0N4Vw3PUARebtNaVHOJ2lWnkyDYOav1UUfugnxR-hG0HMJm5xsnPkZN4ohK4nGeDuB3zR0rqzJhtsXAD57pALn-o6TD6HrfCkdqLKKO0TelIzylVxSO03JXZRRCqbMDVieQ3Pex/s3493/IMG_3409.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3493" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoPV1_ypzG7QTYMalJO3-J5wQH3Q8iSHZKc7EZ5CJoAa2B8mg7edbK0N4Vw3PUARebtNaVHOJ2lWnkyDYOav1UUfugnxR-hG0HMJm5xsnPkZN4ohK4nGeDuB3zR0rqzJhtsXAD57pALn-o6TD6HrfCkdqLKKO0TelIzylVxSO03JXZRRCqbMDVieQ3Pex/w400-h346/IMG_3409.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6GPvG9_BUhf94YkcWH9e3WwdPUyjCojFc-P7xH6Ibc_N47dfatsyEnZidF7bWv1TEKp_WeFfpIEJYO8ASc1GuPT5rJQbmjg_uLj_ktwDO_BuDdyCfVg8pszgdGzuKgsHV9pPV3m4L_fpXfpw8uRNS5Gp75LAPmL68Wmy6lLsRXXT2_ivYvhRtfN3aOi1/s4032/IMG_3432.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6GPvG9_BUhf94YkcWH9e3WwdPUyjCojFc-P7xH6Ibc_N47dfatsyEnZidF7bWv1TEKp_WeFfpIEJYO8ASc1GuPT5rJQbmjg_uLj_ktwDO_BuDdyCfVg8pszgdGzuKgsHV9pPV3m4L_fpXfpw8uRNS5Gp75LAPmL68Wmy6lLsRXXT2_ivYvhRtfN3aOi1/w300-h400/IMG_3432.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">This is how you get to the big arch. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That<span style="text-align: left;">’</span>s my butt halfway up.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KvKnUSRbhJl1JzonbReQFe-UPXjGyclwuGJrw9KV9xXp-99s8eHsIucYKpmq7Nb7bSSR64g_GVc9c1VwN67ftvMu04RaVelleTqbeMDKDJ9YfJcUQR3B1QKmXIL49LWxMdDXeJIYsr2eqEykXW3UGmEZOly4fmoNL55tnOa0s8NppHpaeC3bJxvD1zZy/s4032/IMG_3435.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0KvKnUSRbhJl1JzonbReQFe-UPXjGyclwuGJrw9KV9xXp-99s8eHsIucYKpmq7Nb7bSSR64g_GVc9c1VwN67ftvMu04RaVelleTqbeMDKDJ9YfJcUQR3B1QKmXIL49LWxMdDXeJIYsr2eqEykXW3UGmEZOly4fmoNL55tnOa0s8NppHpaeC3bJxvD1zZy/w300-h400/IMG_3435.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Before entering a short, narrow </span><span style="font-family: arial;">passage to climb up </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">to the bridge, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">you need to </span><span style="font-family: arial;">navigate a narrow ledge </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">with people </span><span style="font-family: arial;">coming back </span><span style="font-family: arial;">from the bridge. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When a woman in front of me </span><span style="font-family: arial;">saw the tightness</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">of the passage, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">she turned back.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0PeVXPvehw2vwzTGpf3cGU8NCmwZ0LWCgh1aqejlfkpwnlWdRX00EtkNmzGqPd0Dg5ZL2Gpoeq_ee16DSeJtCZXupVFzk0uBV0wZVgIqcXNhyphenhyphen-NSiZxKhEOR1KC5LWjXIy30Mf9_lh01i6jpAXCeGH1E8oo0NjIe1HqXi3aZVESVP6VvrHlJfEiVJvMJ/s4032/IMG_3456.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0PeVXPvehw2vwzTGpf3cGU8NCmwZ0LWCgh1aqejlfkpwnlWdRX00EtkNmzGqPd0Dg5ZL2Gpoeq_ee16DSeJtCZXupVFzk0uBV0wZVgIqcXNhyphenhyphen-NSiZxKhEOR1KC5LWjXIy30Mf9_lh01i6jpAXCeGH1E8oo0NjIe1HqXi3aZVESVP6VvrHlJfEiVJvMJ/w300-h400/IMG_3456.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">worth it</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zFIsISbLTsUDuGVuqBmIgcGApF6b-VM4FIWyOZqTxZ0B7tuZid3SKT5fZuRquOF0KfxGwg5uWTtBjB0mBd_LyV8v6dBNpjIa15GEJ-nz5ZF3luZYx5y5zEE5J92_NSgumf22LMdGrWTOAeWMyTY4gc8EEKGRlMS7fd3USvv7omgJRysRHSAFhD_Y4Q7n/s4032/IMG_3469.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zFIsISbLTsUDuGVuqBmIgcGApF6b-VM4FIWyOZqTxZ0B7tuZid3SKT5fZuRquOF0KfxGwg5uWTtBjB0mBd_LyV8v6dBNpjIa15GEJ-nz5ZF3luZYx5y5zEE5J92_NSgumf22LMdGrWTOAeWMyTY4gc8EEKGRlMS7fd3USvv7omgJRysRHSAFhD_Y4Q7n/w300-h400/IMG_3469.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Of the four historic/natural sites I saw on this Middle East trip (Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum, and Wadi Shab in Oman), Wadi Rum was the only one for which I hired a guide…because you have no choice. The desert is (obviously) vast and would be treacherous for the average tourist to wander on foot. Hamed (age 21) knew the hotspots among the hotspots and had the wheels to take me to them in a reasonable amount of time.</div><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkPqwjc1R2-LEPxGsH46XOY108-5Dsgxbndl-F_2GDqjLDKM4hrlGZz_7B1bJfL3MmRFdUomks_5dfhh_YO6_zTkhlPf9fFmFRTKQPNlpYyCR4ltPi6GEl-bUTlWUz58OiEdxzZ1r9v9-zRpCmBrooxfT5Qs3TA4lkwsb6L0jNMBEcKbSyJss79t9JWNh/s3088/IMG_3505.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkPqwjc1R2-LEPxGsH46XOY108-5Dsgxbndl-F_2GDqjLDKM4hrlGZz_7B1bJfL3MmRFdUomks_5dfhh_YO6_zTkhlPf9fFmFRTKQPNlpYyCR4ltPi6GEl-bUTlWUz58OiEdxzZ1r9v9-zRpCmBrooxfT5Qs3TA4lkwsb6L0jNMBEcKbSyJss79t9JWNh/w300-h400/IMG_3505.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3XVAG-sc5lOO5jcNQsUicwRm58VQI3M8Q7MJ5RqUZVEoIkOzpmkamE2EAvE4C1SlHmQO9AGjeVE9JLK5-xMiyxbnG_JNPeG5qf5y0oSZ6ZVRbXcskJNFiyOXHZ2HfkOGyf824hYT-UckNiCkE04fuNZJ_LbQZYo274aC9kvviedyC6YQWtwjiZ5YdHEc/s3180/IMG_3508.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2770" data-original-width="3180" height="349" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz3XVAG-sc5lOO5jcNQsUicwRm58VQI3M8Q7MJ5RqUZVEoIkOzpmkamE2EAvE4C1SlHmQO9AGjeVE9JLK5-xMiyxbnG_JNPeG5qf5y0oSZ6ZVRbXcskJNFiyOXHZ2HfkOGyf824hYT-UckNiCkE04fuNZJ_LbQZYo274aC9kvviedyC6YQWtwjiZ5YdHEc/w400-h349/IMG_3508.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I was expecting the desert to chill off after dark, but on this particular night it felt just right. I wore the same thing at night as I did during the day and wasn’t hot or cold in either case. </span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqgSPipYnJpai7lmTrRcgLL8K-cvrV0RGAgruRrhhsT9puM2i-Kk_ieLOfXfYd_Mug58-yg5xZCJhMAY3YWAywi_fLN8BWlnvXZtLweLLIs4EBRDWac6b24q0BvGCezW6LVhJBxvSiXoXy-B9S_htROgolvFGlaDbDe27PfddkeSFmHH8owt0QNQQjn-s/s4032/IMG_3551.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqgSPipYnJpai7lmTrRcgLL8K-cvrV0RGAgruRrhhsT9puM2i-Kk_ieLOfXfYd_Mug58-yg5xZCJhMAY3YWAywi_fLN8BWlnvXZtLweLLIs4EBRDWac6b24q0BvGCezW6LVhJBxvSiXoXy-B9S_htROgolvFGlaDbDe27PfddkeSFmHH8owt0QNQQjn-s/w400-h300/IMG_3551.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Memories camp at night</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtr6svJ8ms0dQzx_WuFtUiUkbtBog3OGwXPfJLV6c4JG8PuQIR4iAOVn4KO7VNDLwFp2MwDdqyNToQImFj30FJK0bUZZnorBGAbkisIXXDbV1K-m6xHPuJPNg4ihiCxCL6ZPJB91hNeJ0JmFYNJwzPfmqftVoXrB0Q7qAojadn8XkC5PlQuDsCBL-1f18z/s2532/IMG_3555%20steps%20Petra%20and%20Wadi%20Rum%20%5Bsee%20also%20just%20Petra%5D.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtr6svJ8ms0dQzx_WuFtUiUkbtBog3OGwXPfJLV6c4JG8PuQIR4iAOVn4KO7VNDLwFp2MwDdqyNToQImFj30FJK0bUZZnorBGAbkisIXXDbV1K-m6xHPuJPNg4ihiCxCL6ZPJB91hNeJ0JmFYNJwzPfmqftVoXrB0Q7qAojadn8XkC5PlQuDsCBL-1f18z/w185-h400/IMG_3555%20steps%20Petra%20and%20Wadi%20Rum%20%5Bsee%20also%20just%20Petra%5D.PNG" width="185" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">steps after both <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Petra in the morning</a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and Wadi Rum in the afternoon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi_9jhiyxiTAgYvQ3YAlmSMNm5y6tg3We70uuT-vnToGyKNP4tio4755RABY0dFhJQ2MoQGe0tGxNtUayOylaDp0CA3i6XLhRQwn1ttXt3Tqu3bxu6LLeECXN_sdj-j5v1KInKUc2q1nJ0E8oRTwLajzr1_St04gmAF6hl5hb9wQkuJccdjEEt_VfbBCL/s4032/IMG_3564.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBi_9jhiyxiTAgYvQ3YAlmSMNm5y6tg3We70uuT-vnToGyKNP4tio4755RABY0dFhJQ2MoQGe0tGxNtUayOylaDp0CA3i6XLhRQwn1ttXt3Tqu3bxu6LLeECXN_sdj-j5v1KInKUc2q1nJ0E8oRTwLajzr1_St04gmAF6hl5hb9wQkuJccdjEEt_VfbBCL/w400-h300/IMG_3564.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">view from my tent before sunrise</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCos7iAHX-6qaxU8oSRURpySUWHJcwIZf0cT9Pu-FThHUrOHt0u9KTJwHmYarXIVBixaHqqCX0J-t8siF-I_vIORajHgCdjI54RAapichROXKiKjo0EIA-9w3NVY22TySL87RJFIhyphenhyphenDklng0MJa8Cv6hohRJlCalva1LUWieGmIBugt4QxoqObbXSVfPy/s4032/IMG_3571.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCos7iAHX-6qaxU8oSRURpySUWHJcwIZf0cT9Pu-FThHUrOHt0u9KTJwHmYarXIVBixaHqqCX0J-t8siF-I_vIORajHgCdjI54RAapichROXKiKjo0EIA-9w3NVY22TySL87RJFIhyphenhyphenDklng0MJa8Cv6hohRJlCalva1LUWieGmIBugt4QxoqObbXSVfPy/w400-h300/IMG_3571.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">my tent</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Moving through the desert was hypnotic. At times I had to snap myself of a trance of sorts, reminding myself to focus on the otherworldliness all around me. The landscape did vary and called to mind stories unknown of nomads of the past who inhabited that unforgiving environment. I craved to catch some vestigial extrasensory glimpse of their lives. No such luck.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But transcendent just the same.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCVlbG4OdJDFUP_m3xOynqULU7fBD87sR6r-Ie0wNkcE2Kxi_lhes-_i-Wo5Nw3AlanfNC0NcsdUGq7sdzazaLwlmvtkO8RjHkuulnayEuA36EaVsDo3FEuc0_OCdaTZ96X04nBmR3LjdvRdJDTe1zL8uu97R1M9qk5yWR3S2VoKUxlg3YNFOO_VoO0yG/s1920/KX5A3280.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCVlbG4OdJDFUP_m3xOynqULU7fBD87sR6r-Ie0wNkcE2Kxi_lhes-_i-Wo5Nw3AlanfNC0NcsdUGq7sdzazaLwlmvtkO8RjHkuulnayEuA36EaVsDo3FEuc0_OCdaTZ96X04nBmR3LjdvRdJDTe1zL8uu97R1M9qk5yWR3S2VoKUxlg3YNFOO_VoO0yG/w426-h640/KX5A3280.JPG" width="426" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wadi Rum + the universe</span></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-38927436560224237582023-11-02T07:00:00.195-04:002024-02-28T18:27:09.186-05:00Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (and Indiana Jones locale)<div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Part of a series</i>: <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Middle East, October 2023</span>:</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">Jordan—American Community School, Amman</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/jerashgreco-roman-ruins-near-amman.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Jerash (Greco-Roman ruins)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/the-dead-sea-jordan-side.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Dead Sea</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Jordan—Petra (Nabataean Arab city/archaeological site)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Wadi Rum (desert)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/american-international-school-of-muscat.html" target="_blank">Oman—American International School of Muscat</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-shaban-oman-hike-that-turns-into.html" target="_blank">Oman—Wadi Shab (hike/swim)</a></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPO8ZOJCbWzQ011WUhanJkIsH0Na2YUm8qsfvwx13PBkIZ6jR4SBXUfN7AmGcsWpOPcVm6_9-PvWj17aLVP5o6J7H-qqPjIFJ4zZgwxQCQ4SeMyr-aFYxi6dXUffk3Ww_mKyDJB-KfpQ9DhvQHn_XtQCGABsj5XDyy3lZa3EUmcfgjc9HKakGTiXCSu_0/s3088/IMG_2891.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPO8ZOJCbWzQ011WUhanJkIsH0Na2YUm8qsfvwx13PBkIZ6jR4SBXUfN7AmGcsWpOPcVm6_9-PvWj17aLVP5o6J7H-qqPjIFJ4zZgwxQCQ4SeMyr-aFYxi6dXUffk3Ww_mKyDJB-KfpQ9DhvQHn_XtQCGABsj5XDyy3lZa3EUmcfgjc9HKakGTiXCSu_0/w300-h400/IMG_2891.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This masterpiece, Al Khazna (AKA the Treasury), is a stone-cut temple near the entrance of Petra, a onetime capital city winding among rock cliffs of Jordan. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When it appeared in the climactic scene of the 1989 film <i>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade</i>, many Americans had no idea what it was.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAS_RM4DZGlX0an9M_Vj2Vux-_XIYI1ASJHz077SOJeydaUul5afpCBiVfQoPZQpf-NvFkHqSwYX2FGYY2UCLQ4BQqOYSEGKM-Le0K5m-wHrGfB46JrTqqQgEPdzNt-VlIjvfKjovugGas8Iodi2KbJB4tQiiomcolwYMI3V1cHuVMK822ddNM3nzhk-Mv/s1902/Indiana%20Jones%20and%20the%20Last%20Crusade%20-%20Petra.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1902" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAS_RM4DZGlX0an9M_Vj2Vux-_XIYI1ASJHz077SOJeydaUul5afpCBiVfQoPZQpf-NvFkHqSwYX2FGYY2UCLQ4BQqOYSEGKM-Le0K5m-wHrGfB46JrTqqQgEPdzNt-VlIjvfKjovugGas8Iodi2KbJB4tQiiomcolwYMI3V1cHuVMK822ddNM3nzhk-Mv/w400-h170/Indiana%20Jones%20and%20the%20Last%20Crusade%20-%20Petra.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But that first impression was built to last.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">On 10/13/23, I got to visit Petra, and it instantly assumed the number 3 spot on my list of most stunning sites I’ve seen in real life (following <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2012/03/santiago-and-easter-island-rapa-nui.html" target="_blank">Easter Island</a> and <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2018/05/machu-picchu-my-third-of-seven-wonders.html" target="_blank">Machu Picchu</a>). *</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s my fourth of the New Seven Wonders of the World (following the <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2015/10/my-history-with-history-visiting-world.html" target="_blank">Colosseum in 1993</a>, the <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2015/07/monsoon-gandhis-final-walk-and-taj-mahal.html" target="_blank">Taj Mahal in 2015</a>, and <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2018/05/machu-picchu-my-third-of-seven-wonders.html" target="_blank">Machu Picchu in 2018</a>).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The date of construction is uncertain. Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, which flourished in the first centuries BCE and CE. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The site opens at 6 am, so I got there at 5:59 am—and was about tenth in line. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Petra is more than the iconic Treasury that welcomes you to the site. It’s an assortment of ancient temples, tombs, and other structures, some built into cliff faces. The bookend attraction is Ad Deir (AKA the Monastery), which resembles a wider variation of the Treasury. (The walk from the entrance to the Treasury is approximately 1 mile, Treasury to the base of the steps to the Monastery approximately 2 miles, and steps to the Monastery: 800. Then you have to walk back.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Some recommended that I enter at the <i>back </i>of Petra, which involves boarding a truck for about 20 minutes to a point where you start walking to the Monastery. An upside: you would then walk from the Monastery to the Treasury and out—in other words, downhill <i>and </i>one way. A downside: by the time you get to the Treasury, it will be mobbed with tourists and camels—nearly impossible to get a solo photo. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So I did not do that. I started at the start, walked all the way from the Treasury to the Monastery, then doubled back. I arrived at the Monastery at 8:15 am and arrived back at the Treasury at 11 am. It’s a better workout, plus you see everything along the trail twice, from a different angle and in different light. You also notice things you didn’t the first time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">An American who grew up in Jordan and attended <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">ACS</a> told me that the school used to take students on camping trips in Petra before it was a heritage site. No guards, no tourists, no merchants. The kids were given free rein to set up their sleeping bag in whatever cave they wanted. Some got too bold, went a bit too far, got scared, and relocated closer to others.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Highlights of my visit to Petra:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyvwJkVF_BVEA4WcmUZ-ilqo9f2_6ElQRyc2Ng9c7fSvKYa4tcCXwVoRjQ2xU3D03aaZLolJJQ6ApaeplSG224dM_8pU_4tGGCMzyE-KK8cbhe1eAlxqa63mK62jJ9taE6MKJRc2NpCjXmh4GywQSAdSBRUfVcrsNd2AZFk9QNhXH9KCaVusgXIZZbQrm/s4032/IMG_2825.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyvwJkVF_BVEA4WcmUZ-ilqo9f2_6ElQRyc2Ng9c7fSvKYa4tcCXwVoRjQ2xU3D03aaZLolJJQ6ApaeplSG224dM_8pU_4tGGCMzyE-KK8cbhe1eAlxqa63mK62jJ9taE6MKJRc2NpCjXmh4GywQSAdSBRUfVcrsNd2AZFk9QNhXH9KCaVusgXIZZbQrm/w400-h300/IMG_2825.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">surely an authorized use of Harrison Ford<span style="text-align: left;">’</span>s likeness </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">and the IP <span style="text-align: left;">“Indiana Jones”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xSTkB4H1xx4w54Pqdx6XS1ep8cqM0e6CaG7S00Q-fDtJoHEr2zxz1aXnAOjpAsBxiKVgOohSpIijhmWyB4WLPJBOkNnccc402TIe8ynJ30Vi51jVeuJ_567Hheb5gcdtK9eX5iaIquFJmeLFxiE-qsEL9BGGNO7ViWYRvGBL1wkmfXCaY0WgIR_QRCcq/s4032/IMG_2850.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xSTkB4H1xx4w54Pqdx6XS1ep8cqM0e6CaG7S00Q-fDtJoHEr2zxz1aXnAOjpAsBxiKVgOohSpIijhmWyB4WLPJBOkNnccc402TIe8ynJ30Vi51jVeuJ_567Hheb5gcdtK9eX5iaIquFJmeLFxiE-qsEL9BGGNO7ViWYRvGBL1wkmfXCaY0WgIR_QRCcq/w300-h400/IMG_2850.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The Siq</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(gorge that leads you into Petra proper)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgbRosrzeGyJeFqM28nTI-NV3YuQJeTAQUZoxsKS_ENyA9fQP0VJ9U947hQ4jio3aj2iRLlbz-KTbfPLODdrw52wffC9TUIDr64r16We7nv-OoMK8ySzrWK1Eezb-W7rJyq35N3PUIIU0XMxRvNUyQyoarZU2PUgtg3O7lAD1El4I3K3T_2fJK0hjhSxq/s4032/IMG_2881.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgbRosrzeGyJeFqM28nTI-NV3YuQJeTAQUZoxsKS_ENyA9fQP0VJ9U947hQ4jio3aj2iRLlbz-KTbfPLODdrw52wffC9TUIDr64r16We7nv-OoMK8ySzrWK1Eezb-W7rJyq35N3PUIIU0XMxRvNUyQyoarZU2PUgtg3O7lAD1El4I3K3T_2fJK0hjhSxq/w300-h400/IMG_2881.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydbMLQNXEBPQgf-IIhBoB7sZQTmHAaA4AvxJehUAihxZ2pevksFO9aMlS2_wE7hr6Clvoq_ihWEJaAliIQAkxjSARJZyyTH_J8NkBTIUtTyGQuzQ5QOXPuyhAFV8LDnsVfNE6Gxf68HN2nXmCN4ZX8u3T-SHaKZvwFgVnFkYByFzqY8Ux8muPxsw_CzZV/s3088/IMG_2902.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiydbMLQNXEBPQgf-IIhBoB7sZQTmHAaA4AvxJehUAihxZ2pevksFO9aMlS2_wE7hr6Clvoq_ihWEJaAliIQAkxjSARJZyyTH_J8NkBTIUtTyGQuzQ5QOXPuyhAFV8LDnsVfNE6Gxf68HN2nXmCN4ZX8u3T-SHaKZvwFgVnFkYByFzqY8Ux8muPxsw_CzZV/w300-h400/IMG_2902.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I arrived even before the camels,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">but just barely.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3M7VSfQC5ftGu45_S9_2YK7h70BCC3Xg6XD46sMOasPgByHQITJQFF0htzlxecB4sN7dOp_qZnn0fAc_s61tDdTjnH5aZKcO93YGHgtK_GzLa6iMlLILr1nuwN5TCxoALHrgQA10iI7NYHXOLqNFnMeKIxSI4OQ9f25KqikK4VPGLGDWfu0WguZsOV3U/s4032/IMG_2920.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3M7VSfQC5ftGu45_S9_2YK7h70BCC3Xg6XD46sMOasPgByHQITJQFF0htzlxecB4sN7dOp_qZnn0fAc_s61tDdTjnH5aZKcO93YGHgtK_GzLa6iMlLILr1nuwN5TCxoALHrgQA10iI7NYHXOLqNFnMeKIxSI4OQ9f25KqikK4VPGLGDWfu0WguZsOV3U/w300-h400/IMG_2920.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not only my first time at Petra but also</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">my first cargo pants!<br /><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Mp882-5lt1W6YTFZTU_b3Ikp6l9ueDd2gJz8Q2KFJfnXFIzBOhC1_sgFpUppr_dUPFJBFaY3HiCMOuU4jTs168IKBSTDi0Mg5WQAczcJ6eFWe1MnjpIYqguyLnAzVTJ-QPBW0k_eb8U7gTmvH8s78ViODD2gi0MRJAYshD4_ialh_R0QUUp5AO5DrjPP/s4032/IMG_2958%20Starbucks%20Cave.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Mp882-5lt1W6YTFZTU_b3Ikp6l9ueDd2gJz8Q2KFJfnXFIzBOhC1_sgFpUppr_dUPFJBFaY3HiCMOuU4jTs168IKBSTDi0Mg5WQAczcJ6eFWe1MnjpIYqguyLnAzVTJ-QPBW0k_eb8U7gTmvH8s78ViODD2gi0MRJAYshD4_ialh_R0QUUp5AO5DrjPP/w300-h400/IMG_2958%20Starbucks%20Cave.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYu8TjiWfs2pxw4APcXOFdcq2E7Sa4IOF_pcEko59yNSuu6Mq30ELDMV1ueMrmN3xOVvSm74vgLucZIX_AvYzdz-gtAtKuanRdPiK42ec908EIzOhcXZ8dXQnZ7n4Gqv7pdafu__YwwgjAAZF9cDIpPTrRzv5yjPXHNbOHZUoko33wWbRUGzeU_ioAASc/s4032/IMG_2969.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYu8TjiWfs2pxw4APcXOFdcq2E7Sa4IOF_pcEko59yNSuu6Mq30ELDMV1ueMrmN3xOVvSm74vgLucZIX_AvYzdz-gtAtKuanRdPiK42ec908EIzOhcXZ8dXQnZ7n4Gqv7pdafu__YwwgjAAZF9cDIpPTrRzv5yjPXHNbOHZUoko33wWbRUGzeU_ioAASc/w400-h300/IMG_2969.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPfgEtmWEVOD7k8oqtkEUjSbp8H2YV-Jd188hyphenhyphen0syC2YEOcfY4YQ-LrMQt1izd78OzCg6IQIZ7Uxqw9ONk5gZ-KKUc9eMWkSmFSi90DxQe5P4EcowwCLHyU4KlB3k-G4PoG59oxjCmrgP7Svznje2XSkUf62OxOceiKMq1b4_GEcNLWOxaPAZhOJMoU0k/s4032/IMG_2984.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcPfgEtmWEVOD7k8oqtkEUjSbp8H2YV-Jd188hyphenhyphen0syC2YEOcfY4YQ-LrMQt1izd78OzCg6IQIZ7Uxqw9ONk5gZ-KKUc9eMWkSmFSi90DxQe5P4EcowwCLHyU4KlB3k-G4PoG59oxjCmrgP7Svznje2XSkUf62OxOceiKMq1b4_GEcNLWOxaPAZhOJMoU0k/w400-h300/IMG_2984.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">the Royal Tombs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyqMU2ZHBSZYNGcP-yOGG-ZTUjYANdb1i5OGzzHIlTH4ADoAIAnMIEL6uLDzFVs-W7nX6sz5LbrQ6nbYbgXqSyVH0vG9B7ZZ32xs-XhkOaRMd2stk_8foR-oJ7BCFCZGAYjjhUOIRwOpVrFaAU-o4hPp_7kHU3Bu4B4IcvfflClownlQNwom32F_LNeJR/s3003/IMG_2997.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2751" data-original-width="3003" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyqMU2ZHBSZYNGcP-yOGG-ZTUjYANdb1i5OGzzHIlTH4ADoAIAnMIEL6uLDzFVs-W7nX6sz5LbrQ6nbYbgXqSyVH0vG9B7ZZ32xs-XhkOaRMd2stk_8foR-oJ7BCFCZGAYjjhUOIRwOpVrFaAU-o4hPp_7kHU3Bu4B4IcvfflClownlQNwom32F_LNeJR/w400-h366/IMG_2997.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgol_-6kSP-LrsomighgPWCJBQ_pmfwYBoiLB5hnY_IslW85V_tu9NIQ9wcMTe91D-XYpry3-Gnsw1wgXZ-z3t6DNokZ8DbAasz0LvOUT-qHxLQe8Wzmh1TOPR0vN_AiqBSNK7__ktUDugK0VNAtvzzOQLWA90PMhg-SNNApcKRMFaUHo3oWneXvmC-7D6u/s4032/IMG_3037.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgol_-6kSP-LrsomighgPWCJBQ_pmfwYBoiLB5hnY_IslW85V_tu9NIQ9wcMTe91D-XYpry3-Gnsw1wgXZ-z3t6DNokZ8DbAasz0LvOUT-qHxLQe8Wzmh1TOPR0vN_AiqBSNK7__ktUDugK0VNAtvzzOQLWA90PMhg-SNNApcKRMFaUHo3oWneXvmC-7D6u/w400-h300/IMG_3037.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“big sale”</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1cZPAjUM3-tzWMLVvytfiSYWobxmGhcpo5p46aQf2JbYk_BUS_73KFFDl17P6OxOiymXSFnKC5GfHDKlM7w3rrg6pxY-d2R24yFPjwg0TS_wccpIRuk5Lhti1WHw3-1Ad3fG6Ukfd80F7kGziUuQhg69fd1Gaoo1X3Ib1QnOoJ4O7YljcAfWz9bNcATb/s4032/IMG_3040%20cat%20in%20food.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1cZPAjUM3-tzWMLVvytfiSYWobxmGhcpo5p46aQf2JbYk_BUS_73KFFDl17P6OxOiymXSFnKC5GfHDKlM7w3rrg6pxY-d2R24yFPjwg0TS_wccpIRuk5Lhti1WHw3-1Ad3fG6Ukfd80F7kGziUuQhg69fd1Gaoo1X3Ib1QnOoJ4O7YljcAfWz9bNcATb/w400-h300/IMG_3040%20cat%20in%20food.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjWyfUy6rqq_xM-rU_xddyBa5lWRxLZ2RdBmnU22h5LF2V8Kih6JUQ2x5KXl9s5bwv6QWSy8fteMpNtKl_518xv7FiAIv1DmwJKkwqrHpfjAUKbZozw6-Y7eRtW4w3WyA0nz_cAVWOitLwtvyx6FS89Ndz3YD1yM7oixLisLxCWbrCPHdtJdywI14l06G/s4032/IMG_3054.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjWyfUy6rqq_xM-rU_xddyBa5lWRxLZ2RdBmnU22h5LF2V8Kih6JUQ2x5KXl9s5bwv6QWSy8fteMpNtKl_518xv7FiAIv1DmwJKkwqrHpfjAUKbZozw6-Y7eRtW4w3WyA0nz_cAVWOitLwtvyx6FS89Ndz3YD1yM7oixLisLxCWbrCPHdtJdywI14l06G/w300-h400/IMG_3054.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">the Monastery largely to myself</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YbxJDKuOqQ317ChLnj7XhexSWgowDeyWzsyecFJ2NBm2doN7giHbQHuh0tKGlz3JBIg9sqxJt4kPf1YXnyXAbJQqS68BVsO2Z3egxkpL_84wwuCwX5xP3Z7y9mR7QOUxBwRJtnDCTuncv-5VMFgN-i1sFyfOqBuvVuGY5SEfG-3Q82s_1e0I5f-liw1M/s4032/IMG_3063.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YbxJDKuOqQ317ChLnj7XhexSWgowDeyWzsyecFJ2NBm2doN7giHbQHuh0tKGlz3JBIg9sqxJt4kPf1YXnyXAbJQqS68BVsO2Z3egxkpL_84wwuCwX5xP3Z7y9mR7QOUxBwRJtnDCTuncv-5VMFgN-i1sFyfOqBuvVuGY5SEfG-3Q82s_1e0I5f-liw1M/w400-h300/IMG_3063.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnN_EZfdNdvWAUMa_M08kuDpqcaJb3RzRY3ocQ_HAU458i9u0y-jXxnl0nTNyeed8W47UHKytp57EQjwmw2k7hhlANkq65wJREd84IAUmx6BKMqf1Bnt3FW0ZdIjhnz3QhneZtvIaR8oRdZkEB1fGP_SBsE8FNrFdPl2_5uXZNLhGPGG4EPSotJ8yXvtc-/s4032/IMG_3079.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnN_EZfdNdvWAUMa_M08kuDpqcaJb3RzRY3ocQ_HAU458i9u0y-jXxnl0nTNyeed8W47UHKytp57EQjwmw2k7hhlANkq65wJREd84IAUmx6BKMqf1Bnt3FW0ZdIjhnz3QhneZtvIaR8oRdZkEB1fGP_SBsE8FNrFdPl2_5uXZNLhGPGG4EPSotJ8yXvtc-/w400-h300/IMG_3079.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Across a sand plaza, facing the Monastery, are shops.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am assuming this boy is the child of one of the employees.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvcx5O3EkRuOqvn0Xv1pWhe7OcXMa0xrvQLxkfRkL5GKq4J9WJ74w74QInWPMIP9Xttu45p_j0RLnWN5Zusim1YIgp_mt2Tp2pYoBcxE6B47r9fQixwXHwuSkQmJo_ol56HparVde7GptCog_zyDTWHHeGKlM0UnpvCe8ODiVlcUv8UWM-q_1xmbZVmzC/s3713/IMG_3094.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3713" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvcx5O3EkRuOqvn0Xv1pWhe7OcXMa0xrvQLxkfRkL5GKq4J9WJ74w74QInWPMIP9Xttu45p_j0RLnWN5Zusim1YIgp_mt2Tp2pYoBcxE6B47r9fQixwXHwuSkQmJo_ol56HparVde7GptCog_zyDTWHHeGKlM0UnpvCe8ODiVlcUv8UWM-q_1xmbZVmzC/w400-h325/IMG_3094.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-UkcU10NGlxtFYA7Cfv7S3RJLOfrgQqFlxSFb_a9_06iOoZ_SLGnXJ6m4goqsJftGr1-rKG8NzgO9mnZRgR1hMlnvneLS4aKE5-8qo8UJC9fELbUB1HBOhg1W_ZIYivYLnnWKwzqn-nDiBGDWqueNQHDaPTu4Ntw_wYbpYGruB45PmjTvRxY8_LOTLp2/s3609/IMG_3138.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3609" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-UkcU10NGlxtFYA7Cfv7S3RJLOfrgQqFlxSFb_a9_06iOoZ_SLGnXJ6m4goqsJftGr1-rKG8NzgO9mnZRgR1hMlnvneLS4aKE5-8qo8UJC9fELbUB1HBOhg1W_ZIYivYLnnWKwzqn-nDiBGDWqueNQHDaPTu4Ntw_wYbpYGruB45PmjTvRxY8_LOTLp2/w400-h335/IMG_3138.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Visitors willing to climb have multiple options for </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">vantages like this...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxVtwqK89lYeA1gN_0xcaL0MIhlpz3OxJqR1YHhXOp1iQpVGFHHl3nDPVa1UqgBM5_1VwG3nCF01aDqI3vdSQDwzGfyubC4B1B2DHq9LGU0OcgETFAmKAWrU8VXtHfCNVboZjXYVlCwvKjB6czliz9t6XfGCny2bXkonlM6wua1KOG3W0krabsyrpYWgt/s3499/IMG_3180.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2770" data-original-width="3499" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxVtwqK89lYeA1gN_0xcaL0MIhlpz3OxJqR1YHhXOp1iQpVGFHHl3nDPVa1UqgBM5_1VwG3nCF01aDqI3vdSQDwzGfyubC4B1B2DHq9LGU0OcgETFAmKAWrU8VXtHfCNVboZjXYVlCwvKjB6czliz9t6XfGCny2bXkonlM6wua1KOG3W0krabsyrpYWgt/w400-h316/IMG_3180.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">...and this.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzMis6vViueEs_l5-J4TMOzW8R1VjUTqnyCMcGKDBK1Jtoz3aeqUQ7zZQGCI934eA28TZwF_91wmpqWwhZLDU-7hqczxPBHAviCGmGYZHLHNDlvIhyphenhyphentFcxJKtF5mS7S92yFv9PzgDK-eFFe1QsTACsyGMEDnmPgncsyxL2j1Zrjt3-U6wlyjHAOHSU4Vw/s16348/IMG_3190.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3672" data-original-width="16348" height="90" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOzMis6vViueEs_l5-J4TMOzW8R1VjUTqnyCMcGKDBK1Jtoz3aeqUQ7zZQGCI934eA28TZwF_91wmpqWwhZLDU-7hqczxPBHAviCGmGYZHLHNDlvIhyphenhyphentFcxJKtF5mS7S92yFv9PzgDK-eFFe1QsTACsyGMEDnmPgncsyxL2j1Zrjt3-U6wlyjHAOHSU4Vw/w400-h90/IMG_3190.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kx1WyNhOnihZnXhVNh_i0vK6qVeG1cD1a6-5u0wCDf4UdkLHVi5HQanP0zM5_kd93XpcqaJWhMuhDHfcq1KAn9fwr_EMRqpJECQXUcyzhocDHn0l12gW2KFrie8k3vcI-UxHy3QgbiJGdktMEM_vuFGDRK32p1WFBQPiB7QUy36Lgrybxd6LbEsKq7hr/s4032/IMG_3194.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kx1WyNhOnihZnXhVNh_i0vK6qVeG1cD1a6-5u0wCDf4UdkLHVi5HQanP0zM5_kd93XpcqaJWhMuhDHfcq1KAn9fwr_EMRqpJECQXUcyzhocDHn0l12gW2KFrie8k3vcI-UxHy3QgbiJGdktMEM_vuFGDRK32p1WFBQPiB7QUy36Lgrybxd6LbEsKq7hr/w400-h300/IMG_3194.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSc8L_BC0BDQViZtJxW30yH6dZMUrWaP2YYcjJb6PHm1iuatoq6JT7kZdWfW9qgZ3rTE__DrG5k361lK8w2Ae2SQqJDDJtHxMEdLhT19MzcLAdIBNVvcLxQ0UfOBBN_xZ85RiEIJtWBk8l0PHbsBNNiGPUXxI1BtgVcwVtg-BS0HIQsprDzlb1kgxzyS3/s4032/IMG_3213.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSc8L_BC0BDQViZtJxW30yH6dZMUrWaP2YYcjJb6PHm1iuatoq6JT7kZdWfW9qgZ3rTE__DrG5k361lK8w2Ae2SQqJDDJtHxMEdLhT19MzcLAdIBNVvcLxQ0UfOBBN_xZ85RiEIJtWBk8l0PHbsBNNiGPUXxI1BtgVcwVtg-BS0HIQsprDzlb1kgxzyS3/w400-h300/IMG_3213.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Fo-1j79V3tlecEe-Bg1U0yeyVXGQ_guZis2lnZDNfcOwkaFozL0GpqlBxqEzVycZLoGYk40dlEXofqv0sOcN6btHoWhqDq9jqMb0MRUJFpmFvkvSUW7BaxFNPNDLafUpcelL7kNjO1pyV3G4UpFPAQ6LdgWef7TUBD_PXmdmSbaYHmTDYwiiESlXAXOT/s4032/IMG_3217.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Fo-1j79V3tlecEe-Bg1U0yeyVXGQ_guZis2lnZDNfcOwkaFozL0GpqlBxqEzVycZLoGYk40dlEXofqv0sOcN6btHoWhqDq9jqMb0MRUJFpmFvkvSUW7BaxFNPNDLafUpcelL7kNjO1pyV3G4UpFPAQ6LdgWef7TUBD_PXmdmSbaYHmTDYwiiESlXAXOT/w400-h300/IMG_3217.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A visitor facing a formidable ravine (and Israel).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This Bedouin, who called himself <span style="text-align: left;">“Arab Jack Sparrow,” </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">lives in an open-air house <i>in </i>Petra, overlooking </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the ravine shown immediately above. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">He kindly lets tourists into his home throughout the day </span><span style="font-family: arial;">and offers drinks and trinkets for sale. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">He says he can get a cell signal from Israel and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">has wifi in a nearby cave, where he also retreats </span><span style="font-family: arial;">during inclement weather.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmwsSFB4lmlwJf1VlfgeImPCuRy13__7Ksow-mNTFN2YwaZSuRAXuYf0ULI6-Mk2OixTllxy4hcqYBgh2MVA7k-9z3TLed3z4OqvXnmtgjVT5zOWTsxl94fpjhvh1pwC0n5McklziLtpBuNtbiGuZM-2lVGU5NQaDJ6Qr099L8lL_h4pIh1Bh-VEtcG-9/s3236/IMG_3223%20Bedouin%20I%20bought%20coins%20from%20%5Bin%20his%20house%5D.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2653" data-original-width="3236" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmwsSFB4lmlwJf1VlfgeImPCuRy13__7Ksow-mNTFN2YwaZSuRAXuYf0ULI6-Mk2OixTllxy4hcqYBgh2MVA7k-9z3TLed3z4OqvXnmtgjVT5zOWTsxl94fpjhvh1pwC0n5McklziLtpBuNtbiGuZM-2lVGU5NQaDJ6Qr099L8lL_h4pIh1Bh-VEtcG-9/w400-h328/IMG_3223%20Bedouin%20I%20bought%20coins%20from%20%5Bin%20his%20house%5D.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNLgLqxtHWvBo5AZ4RXygjUKbSXySALJKIU3VSFi_iId0bGKnRt6QKE61DzAI6FfmdoNQFDgl30IGOAVCvZ_2Q13GKiCLmYHNZXH8rAvwtKQGzOtrT9CvteR0JcaHfHudVJFwEe_TGb-_ZuL3KiGv7rX2JOgf9zZce-ks7s5MkzOrd3LM-DuKSZ1oeZiG/s4032/IMG_3226%20Bedouin's%20house.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNLgLqxtHWvBo5AZ4RXygjUKbSXySALJKIU3VSFi_iId0bGKnRt6QKE61DzAI6FfmdoNQFDgl30IGOAVCvZ_2Q13GKiCLmYHNZXH8rAvwtKQGzOtrT9CvteR0JcaHfHudVJFwEe_TGb-_ZuL3KiGv7rX2JOgf9zZce-ks7s5MkzOrd3LM-DuKSZ1oeZiG/w400-h300/IMG_3226%20Bedouin's%20house.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">his house</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmARrB6Erhadi9NfsORrDCGzDPu4ck9KGBzSlzTY5wmNgyKxL4CBMX45-4u1q2vZGyK31G0JZH7AheZ7U-McjZwdTLkRb57uJ3ES0IQS_OaZVDpjtBDOYz5RHAPvhPds2iG8SZ28pYnKU-RpugVPzNKu6Yn2hCKggdWPT6kAMnp80Wwqyg91UHQJpN6IOq/s4032/IMG_3241%20local%20gazing.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmARrB6Erhadi9NfsORrDCGzDPu4ck9KGBzSlzTY5wmNgyKxL4CBMX45-4u1q2vZGyK31G0JZH7AheZ7U-McjZwdTLkRb57uJ3ES0IQS_OaZVDpjtBDOYz5RHAPvhPds2iG8SZ28pYnKU-RpugVPzNKu6Yn2hCKggdWPT6kAMnp80Wwqyg91UHQJpN6IOq/w300-h400/IMG_3241%20local%20gazing.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">admiring someone admiring the view</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBiqSJG3KFHJvA29mJt0KuotGNkTNl-nKAkUkk7trnWSYyG7ZS_kFvaha97Ecf6Gw6b9ImtwF7qQK6aLwM2bwY3HUYqrhMD9yPtiwR4vbxgiulzs661h3xYbUtD9O3e2vS0PhCo0ixpvf7t3tOa-wtutuJHTRgh7hcfZUgmdT_D6rhYuQGZG6Ownsp4m5/s4032/IMG_3244%20start%20of%20the%20800%20steps%20up.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBiqSJG3KFHJvA29mJt0KuotGNkTNl-nKAkUkk7trnWSYyG7ZS_kFvaha97Ecf6Gw6b9ImtwF7qQK6aLwM2bwY3HUYqrhMD9yPtiwR4vbxgiulzs661h3xYbUtD9O3e2vS0PhCo0ixpvf7t3tOa-wtutuJHTRgh7hcfZUgmdT_D6rhYuQGZG6Ownsp4m5/w300-h400/IMG_3244%20start%20of%20the%20800%20steps%20up.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Zoom in to see the start of the 800 steps to</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">the Monastery.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sEH-2AUlLFMZKX3Rvdkq22wDFG6r_qBACO4ru4rS55RYdY8woK1opmJpIO2PKxh8YS-NnDPyd9pFjUjr23AueaT9EJskZHjtRzF84r_MdVfSF_2r5WnMKA-qFumsKYlfgEaS6nvlFb5WY1VnRJm5mYxOWi8mQ7pqfdsU613uVEw0X0HP1vbaDTylJvtj/s4032/IMG_3257%20mob%20scene,%20good%20I%20got%20there%20first%20thing.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8sEH-2AUlLFMZKX3Rvdkq22wDFG6r_qBACO4ru4rS55RYdY8woK1opmJpIO2PKxh8YS-NnDPyd9pFjUjr23AueaT9EJskZHjtRzF84r_MdVfSF_2r5WnMKA-qFumsKYlfgEaS6nvlFb5WY1VnRJm5mYxOWi8mQ7pqfdsU613uVEw0X0HP1vbaDTylJvtj/w300-h400/IMG_3257%20mob%20scene,%20good%20I%20got%20there%20first%20thing.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is 11 am and this is why you want </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">to get to the Treasury first thing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim17q2PbVzsEcu3h40u50zb78-FEXXJwNsRXGXRQMzsGl84_41rRNNb3wCUFyP0P3xDyQvHWs_D1e72xCVcmbLEEeGEgt5NDlb64tRV2QJLBUfCnCzjkBJmRbJx06T_brm4_wEeIy7aYWRLnG70Qsd3Ljpz95RkhYeMoRaVwf9DaARtJVBIad3BeA5K3wx/s3088/IMG_3267.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim17q2PbVzsEcu3h40u50zb78-FEXXJwNsRXGXRQMzsGl84_41rRNNb3wCUFyP0P3xDyQvHWs_D1e72xCVcmbLEEeGEgt5NDlb64tRV2QJLBUfCnCzjkBJmRbJx06T_brm4_wEeIy7aYWRLnG70Qsd3Ljpz95RkhYeMoRaVwf9DaARtJVBIad3BeA5K3wx/w300-h400/IMG_3267.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvPfbLD_PIDQ_Ht2NIkuxjyfYMpMN0PdfIFgIvz3wLrLVuEkTwELXBeJ5K6D_RjH8PFhox0NUxQ3Nml0ljVdyXt3TL8BxAhXacr9BcSt-_vASg9KNSueUjpeakkwdtmLeaQbN3icAQxsCA-6HIBZF5nm4OvZm7SWrFzA9wC3MZSLJ1Up-HAUjUljY2iYc/s4026/what%20I%20brought%20to%20Petra%20(in%20my%20new%20cargo%20pants).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1839" data-original-width="4026" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvPfbLD_PIDQ_Ht2NIkuxjyfYMpMN0PdfIFgIvz3wLrLVuEkTwELXBeJ5K6D_RjH8PFhox0NUxQ3Nml0ljVdyXt3TL8BxAhXacr9BcSt-_vASg9KNSueUjpeakkwdtmLeaQbN3icAQxsCA-6HIBZF5nm4OvZm7SWrFzA9wC3MZSLJ1Up-HAUjUljY2iYc/w400-h183/what%20I%20brought%20to%20Petra%20(in%20my%20new%20cargo%20pants).JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">what I brought to Petra in my new desert cargo pants</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(except the water bottle, which I held)</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7ZrZKf0-QMpWTAEj7hALB_YM3WpD0HR-Z1vmsQqLzm0Bbk8y5LaSXkjGMpmBVrsrSr7xM8GBPXmLZDmX8_XWgI28cbn1H1BUAJFC4pOA48ihTWSgG2ZfPIOpAQs6etPSyzWNDeXKAJUgC21y5SREnWonyKJiitUO4negbpMJ5SysRgsPCpaXi5hH_Iil/s2532/IMG_3318%20steps%20Petra%20%5Bsee%20Wadi%20Rum%20for%20steps%20for%20whole%20day%5D.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2532" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7ZrZKf0-QMpWTAEj7hALB_YM3WpD0HR-Z1vmsQqLzm0Bbk8y5LaSXkjGMpmBVrsrSr7xM8GBPXmLZDmX8_XWgI28cbn1H1BUAJFC4pOA48ihTWSgG2ZfPIOpAQs6etPSyzWNDeXKAJUgC21y5SREnWonyKJiitUO4negbpMJ5SysRgsPCpaXi5hH_Iil/w185-h400/IMG_3318%20steps%20Petra%20%5Bsee%20Wadi%20Rum%20for%20steps%20for%20whole%20day%5D.PNG" width="185" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">my steps after Petra...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">but see also my steps for the <i>day</i>, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">i.e. after <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">Petra <i>and </i>Wadi Rum</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As I politely declined purchasing anything in a particular, the merchant popped her head out as I walked on and said “Good when you smile.” It was so sweet but also sad because it suggested that many others don’t smile when they pass—and some surely don’t acknowledge her at all. I asked if I could take this picture and she said yes...with a smile.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMdEDJ8IsAA-SqMA3iExIeO9_wt4wu2_qKW3de2BJ8D7B-jOBLppB2nFQOStvxFRqC5q_6sw0lT3mSvMO2nMYvCp0kNpc8mMIRJGCxlY4oYbbt4G8Lvxpx0jlzXGMPkRVjpF9wplud2n3hGt4AsNbV3CtIlNC01Y7d-Cv9o4ZHeyEyu796UssTWY3Gcdq/s4032/IMG_3255%20merchant%20who%20said%20'good%20when%20you%20smile'.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMdEDJ8IsAA-SqMA3iExIeO9_wt4wu2_qKW3de2BJ8D7B-jOBLppB2nFQOStvxFRqC5q_6sw0lT3mSvMO2nMYvCp0kNpc8mMIRJGCxlY4oYbbt4G8Lvxpx0jlzXGMPkRVjpF9wplud2n3hGt4AsNbV3CtIlNC01Y7d-Cv9o4ZHeyEyu796UssTWY3Gcdq/w400-h300/IMG_3255%20merchant%20who%20said%20'good%20when%20you%20smile'.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">* My personal list of New Seven Wonders (considering only places I’ve been):</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2012/03/santiago-and-easter-island-rapa-nui.html" target="_blank">Easter Island</a> (Chile, South America/Polynesia)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2018/05/machu-picchu-my-third-of-seven-wonders.html" target="_blank">Machu Picchu</a> </span>(Peru, South America)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Petra (Jordan, Asia/Middle East)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2015/07/monsoon-gandhis-final-walk-and-taj-mahal.html" target="_blank">Taj Mahal</a> (India, Asia)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2015/10/my-history-with-history-visiting-world.html" target="_blank">Colosseum</a> (Italy, Europe)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2015/10/my-history-with-history-visiting-world.html" target="_blank">Stonehenge</a> (United Kingdom, Europe)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/04/angkor-wat-and-other-historic-cambodian.html" target="_blank">Angkor Wat</a> (Cambodia, Asia)</span></li></ol></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Soon after noon, I went two hours south to Wadi Rum and had my second epic experience of the day touring the <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">sweeping desert</a>.</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-77629189986206813592023-11-01T07:00:00.022-04:002023-11-01T07:00:00.145-04:00The Dead Sea (Jordan side)<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Part of a series</i>: <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Middle East, October 2023</span>:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">Jordan—American Community School, Amman</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/jerashgreco-roman-ruins-near-amman.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Jerash (Greco-Roman ruins)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Jordan—Dead Sea</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Petra (Nabataean Arab city/archaeological site)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Wadi Rum (desert)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/american-international-school-of-muscat.html" target="_blank">Oman—American International School of Muscat</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-shaban-oman-hike-that-turns-into.html" target="_blank">Oman—Wadi Shab (hike/swim)</a></span></li></ul></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After four days of talks at the American Community School in Amman, Jordan, on 10/12/23, I headed straight from the school to the Dead Sea (about an hour away by car). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiX_KlEeAEHWUBm0CccTfFsfODrIzBPFPoxx4TZKjHpJNycs_W3uqT1J8hYgFliYjtWmgYhWfhUdW05-dmOI0QkS2EuaZvSNhvT4Ht9ngMMljZEaQIUKRho25zjc9XB_0kxnT183dvNtJCmaPS5-gwBUkcnpKFgGsYngkJckmARHlr6iDJj67zzZWHkSs/s3536/IMG_2738.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3536" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNiX_KlEeAEHWUBm0CccTfFsfODrIzBPFPoxx4TZKjHpJNycs_W3uqT1J8hYgFliYjtWmgYhWfhUdW05-dmOI0QkS2EuaZvSNhvT4Ht9ngMMljZEaQIUKRho25zjc9XB_0kxnT183dvNtJCmaPS5-gwBUkcnpKFgGsYngkJckmARHlr6iDJj67zzZWHkSs/w400-h341/IMG_2738.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz997GP4NeC93-jVZr2opalQsjCp-IXChh8aBJiJwDVHYJpqtGnS2p8XQ_WterQfRx3NucgUxX-D8SGFFrPT0uLMRUjd9pEiGgCUTkmRRSuRuI-prOZ4r6N13_bDVp_J5JlS1ph0aauHvv1ntH09KsXIWZiA_lJXEGqydFJEQ6HyYum2NlS3KSz87Fb5fl/s4032/IMG_2746.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz997GP4NeC93-jVZr2opalQsjCp-IXChh8aBJiJwDVHYJpqtGnS2p8XQ_WterQfRx3NucgUxX-D8SGFFrPT0uLMRUjd9pEiGgCUTkmRRSuRuI-prOZ4r6N13_bDVp_J5JlS1ph0aauHvv1ntH09KsXIWZiA_lJXEGqydFJEQ6HyYum2NlS3KSz87Fb5fl/w400-h300/IMG_2746.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpClAMZGH_3nH1Fel8Ydf424a41fJUgVk57euQZWBIHY-BoRpeLKVtTGytDtpVG1_GeyUgIsZ5sLrD3ieMvhxG-32_ofLy2pKqu_y9O5Tj40CSN0XOn-71-_K2jnnCT3daubX1Df1gt3xuIo29ueH2PLaR0EMWbrDT3ahbEVVN0GfNdQt8t-3oWateOn4/s3223/IMG_2755.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3223" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpClAMZGH_3nH1Fel8Ydf424a41fJUgVk57euQZWBIHY-BoRpeLKVtTGytDtpVG1_GeyUgIsZ5sLrD3ieMvhxG-32_ofLy2pKqu_y9O5Tj40CSN0XOn-71-_K2jnnCT3daubX1Df1gt3xuIo29ueH2PLaR0EMWbrDT3ahbEVVN0GfNdQt8t-3oWateOn4/w400-h375/IMG_2755.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In the distance is Israel.</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-78452423447476855582023-10-31T07:00:00.015-04:002023-10-31T09:30:17.104-04:00Jerash—Greco-Roman ruins near Amman, Jordan<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Part of a series</i>: <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Middle East, October 2023</span>:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/american-community-school-jordantwo.html" target="_blank">Jordan—American Community School, Amman</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Jordan—Jerash (Greco-Roman ruins)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/the-dead-sea-jordan-side.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Dead Sea</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Petra (Nabataean Arab city/archaeological site)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Wadi Rum (desert)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/american-international-school-of-muscat.html" target="_blank">Oman—American International School of Muscat</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-shaban-oman-hike-that-turns-into.html" target="_blank">Oman—Wadi Shab (hike/swim)</a></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I traveled to the Middle East for school visits, landing after midnight on 10/8/23. That afternoon, I explored Jerash, Greco-Roman ruins 45 minutes from Amman, Jordan. Technically, the modern city is called Jerash and the ruins are Gerasa. As a municipality, it may date as far back as 7500 BCE. Jesus allegedly passed through.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIcYnvShv9X6FSn9ZFHwJFZtWqBzDR0EBfzXxGggaa_3vrIw2fORQzzzwTtBUppGAnStL3HJ6WT5_xOqFRyXNfH_nKNXD-mZl6dqHXNIibwbTv8n8N0Wb5wNOFxmfS700ESpKJ-ANJtmxaYJJh3MY0RXuMhkwkADmNdBNpHqPPfuH8WT9wtblRgTHvoiK/s2918/IMG_2313.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2918" data-original-width="2068" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIcYnvShv9X6FSn9ZFHwJFZtWqBzDR0EBfzXxGggaa_3vrIw2fORQzzzwTtBUppGAnStL3HJ6WT5_xOqFRyXNfH_nKNXD-mZl6dqHXNIibwbTv8n8N0Wb5wNOFxmfS700ESpKJ-ANJtmxaYJJh3MY0RXuMhkwkADmNdBNpHqPPfuH8WT9wtblRgTHvoiK/w284-h400/IMG_2313.JPG" width="284" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Arch of Hadrian</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTW9tvV45uwJ1t7BWlcp1QEUskjvZM3tuqVzAncNad3E1hBKoHXDpVCICmyEgXovfH8KOMGsKvosQCf23-rKiMqGdafEn047Jaro7VQsnrx7IC1D2pcZI-nXzcAUILIM3kvlbR6SulCv16r-CbY3fBZPmlSXxJZKvrEP86tFk0LfOC-seDA3S_O73Ud3FN/s3719/IMG_2352%20gladiator%20arena.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2641" data-original-width="3719" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTW9tvV45uwJ1t7BWlcp1QEUskjvZM3tuqVzAncNad3E1hBKoHXDpVCICmyEgXovfH8KOMGsKvosQCf23-rKiMqGdafEn047Jaro7VQsnrx7IC1D2pcZI-nXzcAUILIM3kvlbR6SulCv16r-CbY3fBZPmlSXxJZKvrEP86tFk0LfOC-seDA3S_O73Ud3FN/w400-h284/IMG_2352%20gladiator%20arena.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">gladiator arena</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(I would have, but forgot my armor.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Yk6mxj1zUsHfmc81NYN2uetTKfO8HCw6GynFaC904JIfQc_LYEm1xt0pD0lPM3tA9oNS9ecv1DxxCbnW3o2dSYMLzY37Vd7kUorqF8rTzxVaOPf0pSfk_9wjbHBhAaUY7K2TMybctmUvlSbh3Vbzf-mPFjy6TOXAG4YJwUr-65X42rZfgyZXdeYIu2f2/s3088/IMG_2369.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Yk6mxj1zUsHfmc81NYN2uetTKfO8HCw6GynFaC904JIfQc_LYEm1xt0pD0lPM3tA9oNS9ecv1DxxCbnW3o2dSYMLzY37Vd7kUorqF8rTzxVaOPf0pSfk_9wjbHBhAaUY7K2TMybctmUvlSbh3Vbzf-mPFjy6TOXAG4YJwUr-65X42rZfgyZXdeYIu2f2/w300-h400/IMG_2369.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-mM-gWaMbSYUryZSrsfOkUKww4aIjZg3VQ0bPw0KhC9csh5yvfSDHVg7aaShvTDpjN7vlScDgiwpB-DhbwttBEDA3lBwd8YXeR3wIGNZ0HQCxXZijSOyOsw92cB4ARYgO-dKuojTPun96XkU6yc7xB118jKlAwE6vhaM-75K8o9_u5_95faCDfZWIxWu/s4032/IMG_2402%20Temple%20of%20Zeus.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-mM-gWaMbSYUryZSrsfOkUKww4aIjZg3VQ0bPw0KhC9csh5yvfSDHVg7aaShvTDpjN7vlScDgiwpB-DhbwttBEDA3lBwd8YXeR3wIGNZ0HQCxXZijSOyOsw92cB4ARYgO-dKuojTPun96XkU6yc7xB118jKlAwE6vhaM-75K8o9_u5_95faCDfZWIxWu/w400-h300/IMG_2402%20Temple%20of%20Zeus.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Temple of Zeus</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKF3Xbydqoe2l-DYSN4qd2PGEse52YRoSozCp7K7wbYmQS0ULtX5dDrFd1gyvra3x6e07VUe12E3YMSFtyUGjUAhYp72g1u1E37onIagSuCFv2UCeLoNbOhhncaB7JZp4_EYDaMk5Hotifh1WDEaM6unTlgjdB53DTVdTn2hREryM1PRogu1mNNd1Nyz9/s4032/IMG_2547.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKF3Xbydqoe2l-DYSN4qd2PGEse52YRoSozCp7K7wbYmQS0ULtX5dDrFd1gyvra3x6e07VUe12E3YMSFtyUGjUAhYp72g1u1E37onIagSuCFv2UCeLoNbOhhncaB7JZp4_EYDaMk5Hotifh1WDEaM6unTlgjdB53DTVdTn2hREryM1PRogu1mNNd1Nyz9/w400-h300/IMG_2547.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoO-I6px_DSBMLcuwQW06W6FKwWK0XWwQoA_-KgUGJqZ8roOAbKCacuEIjHFPOMJeq9pvkgMh6NJ95UkrtUm7ExGo165xaO-5_eOVBeAbrry8yuoecjaR9XWH62seqnem8jApwIfOkeQIqIhucFpznRKecB6Hy0Fc5KRfTnUZWHAui45SXFOjANKZgMnC/s10960/IMG_2581.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3826" data-original-width="10960" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAoO-I6px_DSBMLcuwQW06W6FKwWK0XWwQoA_-KgUGJqZ8roOAbKCacuEIjHFPOMJeq9pvkgMh6NJ95UkrtUm7ExGo165xaO-5_eOVBeAbrry8yuoecjaR9XWH62seqnem8jApwIfOkeQIqIhucFpznRKecB6Hy0Fc5KRfTnUZWHAui45SXFOjANKZgMnC/w400-h140/IMG_2581.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">South Theater</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(the largest and oldest of the three theaters at the site)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyByBSuCT-LrM0j7ahI5gohFQ-RXrUPxL3gRDD5H9ZoBj6ZWL0Nlh37qvdOrHaULAS-OZEZms9itdjZ0gZs3a2bA4NY1UUrY-Geu1hcVGvoBYlxR_Ktp3nfPVuELRZZsk7UraWTMaHfnQPBGZwQoVbbhpmeUxKT1IKBM_8Qg4nZoEnRWydZtBYXv57RYcN/s7538/IMG_2582.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3790" data-original-width="7538" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyByBSuCT-LrM0j7ahI5gohFQ-RXrUPxL3gRDD5H9ZoBj6ZWL0Nlh37qvdOrHaULAS-OZEZms9itdjZ0gZs3a2bA4NY1UUrY-Geu1hcVGvoBYlxR_Ktp3nfPVuELRZZsk7UraWTMaHfnQPBGZwQoVbbhpmeUxKT1IKBM_8Qg4nZoEnRWydZtBYXv57RYcN/w400-h201/IMG_2582.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">South Theater </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK8kUY6xhP_YRzh064W3BEU9-eZ26GwdvI57bodwrZBMJW7Cc2aK0yBa9yOMGfcfdjPJh-OHlYTUolhPH3Czx_iL4a1k-v4EbmEh9WtLUxk5hEj3khVJoV2PF34ECbyLxU9D2U-dcJOLUG7iRJaA1y_A3YalSHx1tf1ecRcG_IE_Ko_PBtRMdRte-Xs8v/s4032/IMG_2583.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK8kUY6xhP_YRzh064W3BEU9-eZ26GwdvI57bodwrZBMJW7Cc2aK0yBa9yOMGfcfdjPJh-OHlYTUolhPH3Czx_iL4a1k-v4EbmEh9WtLUxk5hEj3khVJoV2PF34ECbyLxU9D2U-dcJOLUG7iRJaA1y_A3YalSHx1tf1ecRcG_IE_Ko_PBtRMdRte-Xs8v/w400-h300/IMG_2583.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Some evidence suggests bagpipes originated not in Scotland </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">but rather the Middle East.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYd3eWOiLceavBhQiNQvKIHc7z8Vp-y8nl421dkDwgtvqW7HMbrccLHKYCJEKIFhiQbODDuhCxLzJ1Do-cWlJb5FBPBbRrKHyDqf4-3wtkCe18NqPZEcYjd-tjknk1kr23tq1p3Caci1qtSiXSmuKER-E06WQFUZIA_Jp2RAnL6-zKvAzK6dRxzlBGSlYy/s3746/IMG_2601.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2588" data-original-width="3746" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYd3eWOiLceavBhQiNQvKIHc7z8Vp-y8nl421dkDwgtvqW7HMbrccLHKYCJEKIFhiQbODDuhCxLzJ1Do-cWlJb5FBPBbRrKHyDqf4-3wtkCe18NqPZEcYjd-tjknk1kr23tq1p3Caci1qtSiXSmuKER-E06WQFUZIA_Jp2RAnL6-zKvAzK6dRxzlBGSlYy/w400-h276/IMG_2601.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">South Theater</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrR5FQ8RsBLQIkdFuJyAfznp7hTCtd6ygce9ReqPIxh8El7w6bYvOCgeU6fO5PygiJmleXSsJlmSOlITnVnjKRQTQ7IytBbwNUvdWnVAYuFd8-UyZ-Za6uFogD_wZmIXnXaXMw6Cihw_zhDwOxsKnhSf4bXxOa9SOsdl_zTaFxz5s1bjSTGtx3ERK8Zmo/s4032/IMG_2618%20oval%20plaza.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrR5FQ8RsBLQIkdFuJyAfznp7hTCtd6ygce9ReqPIxh8El7w6bYvOCgeU6fO5PygiJmleXSsJlmSOlITnVnjKRQTQ7IytBbwNUvdWnVAYuFd8-UyZ-Za6uFogD_wZmIXnXaXMw6Cihw_zhDwOxsKnhSf4bXxOa9SOsdl_zTaFxz5s1bjSTGtx3ERK8Zmo/w400-h300/IMG_2618%20oval%20plaza.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;">oval plaza</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzsm5lwd6YATTao-Z5bZPGhY-D4WH0OrXo5hEz8Iz0B36p-lNhVPCuM2cng03B9Khn9CWzLJufNdxR9-eSK8CF1q1zZwBqlBVb3nrtO2Vmq4e6kSbSdtbRDjmlMrNbz3lK5ZaQEUyDNmSCXMWBlngxn_sVju4LnTU-Ov5QjghMQkp-j82hWUEEHwEDmYB/s3628/IMG_2629.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3021" data-original-width="3628" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzsm5lwd6YATTao-Z5bZPGhY-D4WH0OrXo5hEz8Iz0B36p-lNhVPCuM2cng03B9Khn9CWzLJufNdxR9-eSK8CF1q1zZwBqlBVb3nrtO2Vmq4e6kSbSdtbRDjmlMrNbz3lK5ZaQEUyDNmSCXMWBlngxn_sVju4LnTU-Ov5QjghMQkp-j82hWUEEHwEDmYB/w400-h333/IMG_2629.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-9222488668113505962023-10-30T13:39:00.005-04:002023-11-21T10:04:31.651-05:00American Community School, Jordan—two days after Hamas attacked Israel<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Part of a series</i>: <span style="color: #2b00fe;">Middle East, October 2023</span>:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Jordan—American Community School, Amman</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/jerashgreco-roman-ruins-near-amman.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Jerash (Greco-Roman ruins)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/the-dead-sea-jordan-side.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Dead Sea</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/petra-one-of-new-seven-wonders-of-world.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Petra (Nabataean Arab city/archaeological site)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-rum-breathtaking-desert-valley-and.html" target="_blank">Jordan—Wadi Rum (desert)</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/american-international-school-of-muscat.html" target="_blank">Oman—American International School of Muscat</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/11/wadi-shaban-oman-hike-that-turns-into.html" target="_blank">Oman—Wadi Shab (hike/swim)</a></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Whew, what a year in school visits.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/03/my-2020-trip-to-taiwan-2023-style.html" target="_blank">Taiwan in March</a>, a trip in the works since before the pandemic, two of my three librarian hosts were unable to be there for my school visit because of unexpected, 11th hour developments—one due to a family matter, the other because she got COVID.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">Georgia in August</a> and <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/censored-for-saying-gay-in-texas.html" target="_blank">Texas in September</a>, schools canceled me when I refused to omit the word “gay” from talks to elementary students. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Then came an issue even more personal for me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I am sharing it here because I feel it has the potential to be insightful and inspiring, as it was for some people directly involved. For others, it may instead be infuriating. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The month before an October trip to speak at an American school in both Jordan and Oman and a side trip to see Israel for the first time, parents at the Jordan school were in a “fervor” when they discovered that I am on the board of an Israeli organization.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Except I’m not.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But I am <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/search/label/Judaism" target="_blank">Jewish</a>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The parents were referring to my time serving on the regional board of BBYO, a Jewish youth group—yes, <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2021/12/20-formative-moments-from-my-time-in.html" target="_blank">when I was a teenager</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This somewhat fraught situation was about to get even more complicated. I departed for Jordan the evening of 10/6/23, and while I was on the plane, Hamas attacked Israel, murdering more than 1,400 people (primarily civilians) in a day and seizing more than 200 hostages.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In the Middle East, the weekend is Friday and Saturday. I was scheduled to present for three days at the American Community School in Amman starting on Monday 10/10. This would include three assemblies (elementary, middle, and high), a professional development workshop, and writing/visual literacy workshops for smaller groups of high schoolers (meaning I would see every participating high schooler twice). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYj1IVmqofcwbhWwD6Ko1eS1jvswbpT3_OZxrvWVSMGASI4b-FKGiwXUhH22L7-auGkDfyPD-9ROuZ1U66y_Kx6vcfcd0UM29GR0NoTinMkWqsqS7Q_612-yOgYEeZBS_AM2CjcCez0k23xvOWVh0inV9ErufNsZUTdml5AbzkQ8ITLv4G8U-X20x9z_k/s3168/IMG_2691.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3168" data-original-width="2088" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYj1IVmqofcwbhWwD6Ko1eS1jvswbpT3_OZxrvWVSMGASI4b-FKGiwXUhH22L7-auGkDfyPD-9ROuZ1U66y_Kx6vcfcd0UM29GR0NoTinMkWqsqS7Q_612-yOgYEeZBS_AM2CjcCez0k23xvOWVh0inV9ErufNsZUTdml5AbzkQ8ITLv4G8U-X20x9z_k/w264-h400/IMG_2691.JPG" width="264" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The night before, I was asked to join a Zoom with heads of school, none of whom I’d been in touch with before. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">They wanted to check if I felt safe and wanted to update me on the rising tension at the school, which has a significant Palestinian population. They also—understandably—wanted to know if I planned to mention the geopolitical situation that had gotten even more volatile overnight. I said no. They asked how I would answer if a student asked me about it. I said I would say it’s a valid question, though not a topic I was there to discuss, nor one about which I have any authority.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I appreciated their sensitivity on both fronts.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Earlier that day, an administrative assistant, who is Palestinian, was asked to read several of my books to assess them for content that could be problematic for their population. (Page 1 of <i>Bill the Boy Wonder</i> mentions that Bill Finger was Jewish.) The assistant wondered if the mention of Hitler (in <i>Boys of Steel</i>) would upset their (few) Jewish students. Otherwise the assistant expressed no concerns.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That same Sunday night, more than one anonymous account posted “Free Palestine” or similar comments <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp-T1ahycow/?img_index=1" target="_blank">under my Instagram posts related to Judaism</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The following morning, my first at the school, the administration received a petition from a significant number of parents who did not want my visit to proceed. They had seen and disapproved of my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/marctylernobleman/posts/pfbid0Sqpy2Jeh6H5BM3FjzJ9bdvTBVkXy8hS9FHr5akiBGV3VaSN25GyoD9C7CNZ62vzel" target="_blank">Facebook post of 10/7</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSOytzMiC0q1LfThCEbhWrvakcICracFdC4xob966ZE9gPUAk9YRPX_n9R3oW4r4KMfc9pj62v531O5Sn5uxAR_r3HxnCZE6RDN1ns74ZatgDcgskx_6w7SANCGMcA51ZWWHIvV6ArYohn0Xr9f_7L5wns1x2sW85I7tKiGL-IL-FCOkwfDPDxuhDKnrh/s1179/Facebook%20post%20of%20New%20York%20Times%20screenshot%2010-7-23%20-%20Israel%20and%20Hamas%20at%20war.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSOytzMiC0q1LfThCEbhWrvakcICracFdC4xob966ZE9gPUAk9YRPX_n9R3oW4r4KMfc9pj62v531O5Sn5uxAR_r3HxnCZE6RDN1ns74ZatgDcgskx_6w7SANCGMcA51ZWWHIvV6ArYohn0Xr9f_7L5wns1x2sW85I7tKiGL-IL-FCOkwfDPDxuhDKnrh/w326-h640/Facebook%20post%20of%20New%20York%20Times%20screenshot%2010-7-23%20-%20Israel%20and%20Hamas%20at%20war.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(With great disappointment, I called off my trip to Israel.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Administration saw this as a chance for the school to live up to its stated commitment to </span><a href="https://www.acsamman.edu.jo/about/acs-diversity-and-equity-commitment-statement" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">inclusivity</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Unlike Georgia and Texas, ACS did not cancel my visit—which would have been the path of least resistance. And the stakes in Jordan were serious on a whole other level. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I, too, was eager to carry on and prepared to compartmentalize.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I applauded and thanked the school—not on my own behalf but rather for the kids. I told staff how much I appreciated their courage—which I would repeat numerous times over the next three days.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Before each assembly, school leaders reminded students how to treat a guest. At least one teacher cautioned against <i>ad hominem</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">However…students were allowed to opt out of attending. I said that I am not in favor of opt-out options. I believe we should require students to attend all events within a safe space, even those that may be beyond their comfort zone. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The world is challenging. We do students no favors by trying to shield them from this. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The subsequent discussions with teachers and parents are fertile opportunities for growth.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But due to the fragility of the circumstances, I felt in this case it was acceptable to offer an opt-out (not that it was up to me). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I was originally told that 30 high schoolers chose to skip my talk, but later learned it was more. A few tried to walk out <i>during </i>the assembly, but staff stopped them, saying “You already made your choice.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Some kids wore the Arabic headdress called a keffiyeh or hattah and/or shirts referencing Palestine. I did not feel threatened, but did not feel welcomed by that segment. I was told that students did <i>not </i>wear keffiyehs on Sunday, the first day of school after the attack, and instead started on Monday—the day I arrived. So it was indeed a statement aimed at me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course I am not an official ambassador of Israel or the Jewish people. That said, I understood—emotions were in overdrive and we all have the right to support our communities. Some students have family members in Gaza. (The following week, after the 10/17 explosion at a hospital in Gaza, ACS closed for three days of mourning.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The high school audience was virtually nonreactive. Typical teen behavior? More protest? Likely some of both. I was told that they would not get a Q&A session.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">(The middle and elementary audiences, however, let themselves enjoy the presentation. They laughed and applauded at the usual cues. And I was able to answer questions.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The high school breakout sessions were more charged—at first. Fewer kids, smaller space, nowhere to hide for them or me. But the material is engaging, if I may say so, and my approach, as always, shows kids I respect their intelligence and value their opinion. They warmed to me. We got our Q&A. I felt I had a few breakthroughs with Palestinian students.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After one session, a senior asked my advice on his college application essay. After another, a high schooler walking out with his friends turned back to me and placed his hand on his heart. This silent gesture moved me deeply.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Throughout my time at the school, to my surprise, none of the Jewish staff or students approached me and identified themselves as such. Indifference? Fear? Likely some of both.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A central element of who I am combined with highly distressing current events meant my hosts had to contend with more than they signed up for. I was frequently asked if I was still comfortable. My hosts answered hard questions and sometimes had to be the bearer of bad news. They thought of everything. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Example 1: my hosts suggested that the division heads hold their pre-assembly debrief with students <i>before </i>they enter the auditorium—in other words, before they see me. That probably wouldn’t have occurred to me but seemed like a good call. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Example 2: I used the same laptop for every workshop and one night we left it out in the library overnight; the next morning, my hosts suggested that I check my presentations before starting in case anyone had modified it. (No one had.)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">On my third and final day at the school, I was told that a high school student had told a staff member that after hearing her friends discuss the assembly, she regretted that she had opted out of it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite the underlying feeling of unease, I felt the visit went smoothly. I did not directly hear a single negative comment or see a single instance of inappropriate behavior. I realize I was not privy to all that happened behind the scenes, but that is all the more reason I hold this school in the highest regard. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite intense objection and fear of reprisal, they forged ahead as planned because they felt that was in the best interest of their students—and in the spirit of the school. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This was bravery. This was conviction. This was leadership. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you yet again to ACS for showing how it’s done. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I echo the sentiments of some of your staff who told me they feel my visit will have positive ripple effects beyond any academic boost from my sessions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A primary goal of my school visits is to inspire students to speak up for whatever cause is meaningful to them—even when that is difficult. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A primary goal of <i>this </i>school visit was to connect with kids one human to another and embolden them to view others not as symbols but as individuals.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmC21Mcx8_Lt2dZm_WKyTmYM6zSosr1AkA8ANACqXiZOOm2OTgUp81wauc_cQ44Buj3527e_p57LdLYSbUqBYJGZVTf4JXe7FJHmgb0N6gnV_JOH-VAVUPaiQWOwopRfaQht3KRsTx5eR0ZW2iE98r1VFZ-Cc1OXWIg-Ox-DOCqpigBxksWsq4nYWwSUb/s4032/IMG_2687.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpmC21Mcx8_Lt2dZm_WKyTmYM6zSosr1AkA8ANACqXiZOOm2OTgUp81wauc_cQ44Buj3527e_p57LdLYSbUqBYJGZVTf4JXe7FJHmgb0N6gnV_JOH-VAVUPaiQWOwopRfaQht3KRsTx5eR0ZW2iE98r1VFZ-Cc1OXWIg-Ox-DOCqpigBxksWsq4nYWwSUb/w400-h300/IMG_2687.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-8711731093347946952023-10-28T21:49:00.002-04:002023-10-28T21:49:38.186-04:00Meeting Ana Aranda, illustrator of "The Chupacabra Ate the Candelabra"...six years after the book was published<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Today, at a Day of the Dead event at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington DC, I met Mexican-born illustrator Ana Aranda for the first time.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiriYIEPFuKdoMavCP0xnifTKkfS-oiwB0xzqkWWpP761WCQV4tcnKqgHXC6sxbRQgx-qpsJC8SmKxsGsU8SHfNddLiwUUT-Tw7tsLivwcFa67BrJmtXZpG7Hy4Jyos_L0ija4EvDeQGIwdjLcvQ-_OlIGXNMEsL4VuH8QS7GwgREVhCHwNyTsZTmqMuKe/s3629/IMG_4060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3629" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiriYIEPFuKdoMavCP0xnifTKkfS-oiwB0xzqkWWpP761WCQV4tcnKqgHXC6sxbRQgx-qpsJC8SmKxsGsU8SHfNddLiwUUT-Tw7tsLivwcFa67BrJmtXZpG7Hy4Jyos_L0ija4EvDeQGIwdjLcvQ-_OlIGXNMEsL4VuH8QS7GwgREVhCHwNyTsZTmqMuKe/w334-h400/IMG_4060.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsP7DGtjtQ_xv9inqeP6FBxLv9uFDvk4PeHgKDY5Tql9wSMC54PorQ1Dcr0qpRBZiCBkpjnHEJy0kkfmPSN_QE6zuemPV830OZ7VjGFXPex8R7IIjCfBXijRpBzu0uTZRZvU5oFU2IwNF-gwYTVYXoo04NUnDVTkRJDJBsiDKXixEN-auXryrrRMfMEm2/s718/Mexican%20Cultural%20Institute%20DC%2010-28-23%20event%20-%20Ana%20Aranda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="718" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsP7DGtjtQ_xv9inqeP6FBxLv9uFDvk4PeHgKDY5Tql9wSMC54PorQ1Dcr0qpRBZiCBkpjnHEJy0kkfmPSN_QE6zuemPV830OZ7VjGFXPex8R7IIjCfBXijRpBzu0uTZRZvU5oFU2IwNF-gwYTVYXoo04NUnDVTkRJDJBsiDKXixEN-auXryrrRMfMEm2/w400-h266/Mexican%20Cultural%20Institute%20DC%2010-28-23%20event%20-%20Ana%20Aranda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">She exhibited/sold original art from her book </span><i style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/our-day-of-the-dead-celebration-ana-aranda/18056353?gclid=Cj0KCQjw4vKpBhCZARIsAOKHoWSFyzuqtna1A3-Hl5fAmmeDKC47OkdUaw4ojs6NQvRxpAf8pi-sYPMaAg8bEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Our Day of the Dead Celebration</a></i><span style="font-family: arial;"> and held court with a steady stream of fans of all ages.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Of note: Ana and I made a book together...six years ago.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jgYcrd1JPcetXUzcoMcGjjl3CyPfA5uihpq6OlomYvpQ7WfMKZL5k0hdpJwsjvAffrgsYGSICfpwUBZC3EiftIroCP2x7cBfFsp3xb5bX-bMTK19Wr4lDQaFOtWKUGwiZdWmOyqSlBMplaVh4GG7pEEblKgSYEzKsq4YzEAp_P7YF-yhhD8en-g557J5/s1200/cover%20-%20The%20Chupacabra%20Ate%20the%20Candelabra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="977" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jgYcrd1JPcetXUzcoMcGjjl3CyPfA5uihpq6OlomYvpQ7WfMKZL5k0hdpJwsjvAffrgsYGSICfpwUBZC3EiftIroCP2x7cBfFsp3xb5bX-bMTK19Wr4lDQaFOtWKUGwiZdWmOyqSlBMplaVh4GG7pEEblKgSYEzKsq4YzEAp_P7YF-yhhD8en-g557J5/w326-h400/cover%20-%20The%20Chupacabra%20Ate%20the%20Candelabra.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Meeting in person was such a long overdue pleasure!</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-43785180831909307902023-10-28T07:00:00.034-04:002023-12-04T11:19:03.355-05:00My first drag queen interview<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That could be the title of a picture book! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Or, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/us/scholastic-book-fair-race-gender.html" target="_blank">these days</a>, perhaps not.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">First, an unfortunately familiar recap:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">In August, in Georgia, the Forsyth County School District asked me to omit the word “gay” from assemblies for elementary students in grades 3 and up or leave. <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html " target="_blank">I left.</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">In September, on the eve of my tenth and final scheduled day of talks in Northside Independent School District (San Antonio), the <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/censored-for-saying-gay-in-texas.html" target="_blank">same thing happened</a>.</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Intolerance does have an upside: it gets people talking (and, hopefully, reflecting). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A drag queen named <a href="https://www.amberlive.tv/" target="_blank">Amber LeMay</a> invited me to <a href="https://www.amberlive.tv/lgbtq-rights-activism-and-history/batman-bill-finger-bob-kane-marc-tyler-nobleman-and-dont-say-gay" target="_blank">discuss these incidents</a> on her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/amberlive" target="_blank">YouTube show</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMJ4BU0fds07ugShyphenhyphenF7Gg6MoHJWPTjqyF9C9jyK-NJ6O3FEPmBTyxjvQID7p-TMFcXfFUM22I1-zJAeEEv7lJGD87DRUsrfoyMO1JSiOgSSstcPAxNM5Y2EAOaLHjZC2ug4RH7hDuFRGZOH7L0OEuWmpUT-j1liBTYJaqI7NcvLXFXba8ZFqQTUwXL27Y/s1920/Amber%20Live%20-%20drag%20queen%20interview%2010-8-23%20-%20promo%20image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1920" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMJ4BU0fds07ugShyphenhyphenF7Gg6MoHJWPTjqyF9C9jyK-NJ6O3FEPmBTyxjvQID7p-TMFcXfFUM22I1-zJAeEEv7lJGD87DRUsrfoyMO1JSiOgSSstcPAxNM5Y2EAOaLHjZC2ug4RH7hDuFRGZOH7L0OEuWmpUT-j1liBTYJaqI7NcvLXFXba8ZFqQTUwXL27Y/w400-h400/Amber%20Live%20-%20drag%20queen%20interview%2010-8-23%20-%20promo%20image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I rarely do podcasts or other streaming interview shows, especially on a topic that the press has already <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">widely covered</a>, but couldn’t resist this. Amber was a gracious host and a savvy interviewer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eRpkrOrlA7Q" width="420" youtube-src-id="eRpkrOrlA7Q"></iframe></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you, Amber, for your compassion and time!</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-17323448122910726352023-10-27T11:45:00.005-04:002024-03-12T13:58:20.656-04:00“San Antonio Express-News” says school district was right to cancel me<div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In August, in Georgia, the Forsyth County School District asked me to omit the word “gay” from assemblies for elementary students in grades 3 and up or leave. <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">I left.</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In September, on the eve of my tenth and final scheduled day of talks in Northside Independent School District (San Antonio), the <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/censored-for-saying-gay-in-texas.html" target="_blank">same thing happened</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://twitter.com/nancypjohnson" target="_blank">Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson</a>, Deputy Editorial Board Editor & Columnist for the <i>San Antonio Express-News</i>, reached out multiple times for comment. I naively thought her take, like most of the other mainstream press coverage (<a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">from the <i>New York Times</i> to the Associated Press</a>), would be in favor of treating all people with respect, as I did in her community, but I was wrong.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKRvSjrSYmLCyO8HsAq1BcEWF09B3WP_9hLW_FVMteiZYAHVecMoyE8QvD9yBRWvTng05620QDRfRWfqwA4B_3AGKUC9EP2XcZOCRP-OBs0D34ceEPUXfuFEARBXzR-GkpIfPlyJwQS1svdc97yNmnBdXPuefKWKrG0gA7iZyjWWWLOOxkwh3oxIzKNhD/s786/press%20-%20San%20Antonio%20Express-News%2010-6-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="746" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKRvSjrSYmLCyO8HsAq1BcEWF09B3WP_9hLW_FVMteiZYAHVecMoyE8QvD9yBRWvTng05620QDRfRWfqwA4B_3AGKUC9EP2XcZOCRP-OBs0D34ceEPUXfuFEARBXzR-GkpIfPlyJwQS1svdc97yNmnBdXPuefKWKrG0gA7iZyjWWWLOOxkwh3oxIzKNhD/w380-h400/press%20-%20San%20Antonio%20Express-News%2010-6-23.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Excerpt of my reply to Nancy:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">I find it unfortunate that, while you seem to agree with me, the headline (which is all many will read) gives no sign of that. It will fuel the hatefulness of the intolerant.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">I also find it unfortunate that your article fails to explain WHY it would be inappropriate to say “gay” to 8-10-year-olds in the context I do. Just because a minority of parents do not like gay people does not mean that gay people do not exist or that it is fine to refer to straight people but not gay people in equally nonsexual terms.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">I do appreciate you mentioning that members of the community DID see the value of my visit. </span></div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She replied that she respects me and mostly agrees with me, but that younger students <i>and their parents</i> (emphasis mine) need to be treated differently in conservative states. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My reply:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">They don’t. Precisely my point. Who gay people love is not political to them, just like who you love is not political to you.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: arial;">Your article could’ve done some good in a community that is not fully living in the 21st century, but instead it will embolden harmful prejudices and make LGBTQ people feel unsafe and unwanted in San Antonio.</span></div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By the by, here are reactions to my talks from NISD educators (i.e. people who heard me present and who have the best interest of the kids at heart):</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8d45UosaD-s4_7YBSjv205TlPOkB6yKLiXgz88j9rKdnz4J8wy0zpLIEOhU_jaQ-S_oDlDx2AypvRtmOSv_exsvbfm17ycCT8bIFiknRdjSvBb2qcs0kfBHCQQntUKGBSaOjpHNpFJKbeJY7ENmVpqWs4hIvh326VHHFwmoXDFEXjHyfYJ0oVh-DWPm3/s980/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20phenomenal,%20impact.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="598" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8d45UosaD-s4_7YBSjv205TlPOkB6yKLiXgz88j9rKdnz4J8wy0zpLIEOhU_jaQ-S_oDlDx2AypvRtmOSv_exsvbfm17ycCT8bIFiknRdjSvBb2qcs0kfBHCQQntUKGBSaOjpHNpFJKbeJY7ENmVpqWs4hIvh326VHHFwmoXDFEXjHyfYJ0oVh-DWPm3/w390-h640/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20phenomenal,%20impact.jpg" width="390" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDMhiF_8qMcz5B3fvkb3n9HBph4dkYHYe-xqarBBO_UtvF24utAtfLIifJamTXUrf3aOHcpG450x3oDq0EdaJbEbC8-mJf8X7gm86Ex49KvHLYWs2rK720mefa6IUJaSOWSw0Dn8p2nJjx23nmt6777HZPXz6DTdxDXeJmpLoTFlbfMCerxcgF9It7uAF/s1709/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20so%20intriguing,%20now%20to%20watch%20doc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1709" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDMhiF_8qMcz5B3fvkb3n9HBph4dkYHYe-xqarBBO_UtvF24utAtfLIifJamTXUrf3aOHcpG450x3oDq0EdaJbEbC8-mJf8X7gm86Ex49KvHLYWs2rK720mefa6IUJaSOWSw0Dn8p2nJjx23nmt6777HZPXz6DTdxDXeJmpLoTFlbfMCerxcgF9It7uAF/w274-h400/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20so%20intriguing,%20now%20to%20watch%20doc.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsvYHZEd5OusIld7nc_Re4_8-wzS8S21Pr9xZW90n3OEU_83Oh6aw0D84kTLZiFP7qO3X3CEHnlB7K_ZC7clg7vYKs3gR0wE6CUlg_6TwJ37mUihH9Cl3ApM_-F6Q1LT_9K2cL8PlrCbR630uHi-tYie812vxU382T672ILZLpGbtRic0bP_CiCeEIXwU/s1458/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20amazing,%20captivated.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsvYHZEd5OusIld7nc_Re4_8-wzS8S21Pr9xZW90n3OEU_83Oh6aw0D84kTLZiFP7qO3X3CEHnlB7K_ZC7clg7vYKs3gR0wE6CUlg_6TwJ37mUihH9Cl3ApM_-F6Q1LT_9K2cL8PlrCbR630uHi-tYie812vxU382T672ILZLpGbtRic0bP_CiCeEIXwU/w321-h400/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20amazing,%20captivated.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPf-5FCZu8vmU06LeaYSu2FyLk2klui-YBqeMuYAha-ouho2E0jjhou2MtPlxXRn4BUvu0P3AL7pNN41jIXF-Hu_r5YWJAZqjdg8_rxfDT45pmzFR9ZY3QQj-XldQI5rlwwJ40Y3JU27nbzWArxJ5e-sKtAzLDftkVGk_O2M_0-jg8qi7y7hKwNmOQ6Oi/s1842/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20inspiring.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1842" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPf-5FCZu8vmU06LeaYSu2FyLk2klui-YBqeMuYAha-ouho2E0jjhou2MtPlxXRn4BUvu0P3AL7pNN41jIXF-Hu_r5YWJAZqjdg8_rxfDT45pmzFR9ZY3QQj-XldQI5rlwwJ40Y3JU27nbzWArxJ5e-sKtAzLDftkVGk_O2M_0-jg8qi7y7hKwNmOQ6Oi/w254-h400/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20inspiring.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycNbgB6IjNOe4P9D7i5MUvruYXhdZYUgIMto9fJz84EBpjgdvKiqUFDNL2MyclJv10osTUMWc_9a2usKxxGO4nQQqRNve-A0MDqrobR7i44yAuVSbOmNUZEuJPiR-XGCqwq7_ZUlBHiuSlCh31xv__PNaacUlEPWZ30e4v3_Lhyphenhyphen3nGeuA2WiLv0cQejDh/s1776/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20amazing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhycNbgB6IjNOe4P9D7i5MUvruYXhdZYUgIMto9fJz84EBpjgdvKiqUFDNL2MyclJv10osTUMWc_9a2usKxxGO4nQQqRNve-A0MDqrobR7i44yAuVSbOmNUZEuJPiR-XGCqwq7_ZUlBHiuSlCh31xv__PNaacUlEPWZ30e4v3_Lhyphenhyphen3nGeuA2WiLv0cQejDh/w264-h400/Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20tweet%20-%20amazing.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht-8Nd4R_ZaZSSdfmCtRZRF7NbEeIJr97WqKHCtPW99R164Ik_iPtBGFknPAQ9a5clJZJ9JXNL82fz_LiSbYtH77RM3JJjlK2z_OGMufiMhIpbtKuyq_D8ZlRzUgv7KAP1dHKXeP6mHPhWd3cXmqoKns0yJrIrjEp71deSNmQNA7WNth5LJGLHbqexgMiL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="614" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht-8Nd4R_ZaZSSdfmCtRZRF7NbEeIJr97WqKHCtPW99R164Ik_iPtBGFknPAQ9a5clJZJ9JXNL82fz_LiSbYtH77RM3JJjlK2z_OGMufiMhIpbtKuyq_D8ZlRzUgv7KAP1dHKXeP6mHPhWd3cXmqoKns0yJrIrjEp71deSNmQNA7WNth5LJGLHbqexgMiL=w400-h319" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-78135112742528415852023-10-04T15:46:00.004-04:002023-10-18T00:21:12.857-04:00Stories of Hope: Kidlit Against Book Bans<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Last year, I created a show called <i>Stories of Hope: Kidlit for Ukraine</i> and produced it with KidLit TV. It was an unprecedented and <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2022/03/kidlitforukraine-benefit-raised-nearly.html" target="_blank">emotional benefit</a> starring 28 kidlit authors that raised $15,000 (in a week!) for the children of Ukraine.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In August 2023, while speaking at elementary schools in Forsyth County, GA, administrators asked me to leave out the word “gay” from my presentations or leave. <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">I left.</a> This made national news including the <i><a href="https://nyti.ms/3qJ6kCB" target="_blank">New York Times</a></i>, <i><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/i-was-told-stop-saying-gay-school-kids-i-refused-1826295" target="_blank">Newsweek</a> </i>(I wrote this one), <i><a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-09-03/batman-fred-finger-dc-entertainment-warner-bros-lgbtq-rights" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a></i>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/dont-say-gay-georgia-batman-187446af4b03ac9a4b8fc4757852b446" target="_blank">AP</a>, and more.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I had already been intending to do a benefit to fight back against book bans and censorship, but this fast-tracked it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">On 8/24/23, I asked Julie Gribble of KidLit TV, my partner for #KidlitForUkraine, if she was up for this spiritual sequel, including the tight deadline—aiming for Banned Book Weeks (first week of October). She said yes immediately. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">We chose PEN America as the organization to which we’d donate 100% of proceeds.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I tapped Lauren Castillo to design the luminescent logo (her graciousness also glowed!). It is the colorful image within this graphic:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkS4PfMi61GZibZCMM8Xr3eneg2CJcdViAWeKUwMsXoy_4kpuT8XsHT9iiXuN3O6gT232fZk7gs9iC2O68X8VJZHbhtLr1gIKNV16k-fTKWubmVpn1ULseTAHN3qCQLutP9lxupsDPCqlUtGq7gB5LX4M3reK9n9S1OkUv6JAMz2tlb5OWeliO8ypqfqP/s666/%23KidlitAgainstBookBans%20graphic%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="666" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkS4PfMi61GZibZCMM8Xr3eneg2CJcdViAWeKUwMsXoy_4kpuT8XsHT9iiXuN3O6gT232fZk7gs9iC2O68X8VJZHbhtLr1gIKNV16k-fTKWubmVpn1ULseTAHN3qCQLutP9lxupsDPCqlUtGq7gB5LX4M3reK9n9S1OkUv6JAMz2tlb5OWeliO8ypqfqP/w400-h253/%23KidlitAgainstBookBans%20graphic%204.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I set out to follow the template of the first show but with an all-new group of 30 children’s authors and allies. Over the next couple of weeks, I lined up a cast that includes the following:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">the first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">a Newbery winner</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">two Newbery honorees</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">numerous other award winners</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">a <i>30 Rock </i>star</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">#KidlitAgainstBookBans stars the following:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Anika Aldamuy Denise</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Lesa Cline-Ransome</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Lisa Fipps</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Daniel Handler</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Kimberly Latrice Jones</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Erin Entrada Kelly</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Hena Khan</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Adib Khorram</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jo Knowles</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Gail Carson Levine</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Alex London</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Andrea Loney</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jessica Love</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Yuyi Morales</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Maulik Pancholy</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Andrea Davis Pinkney</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Toby Price (MI assistant principal <b><span style="color: red;">fired </span></b>for reading <i>I Need a New Butt!</i> to 2nd graders)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">NoNieqa Ramos</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Raul the Third</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jewell Parker Rhodes</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Katie Rinderle (GA teacher <b><span style="color: red;">fired </span></b>for reading <i>My Shadow Is Purple</i> to 5th graders)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Alex Sanchez</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Eliot Schrefer</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jon Scieszka</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Laurel Snyder</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Christina Soontornvat</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Don Tate</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Mychal Threets (CA supervising librarian and influencer)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Andrea Wang</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Paul O. Zelinsky</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Unlike the Ukraine benefit, this got no coverage in kidlit press.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The $4,000 we raised fell short of my goal to match the $15,000 for Ukraine, but I’m happy we were able to contribute something to the ongoing campaign.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I think it was easier to raise money for Ukraine at least in part because we announced that benefit soon after the war started, and it was not just any war—it was the first war in Europe in our lifetime. It was raw, scary, and making headlines daily. (So is book banning, but as we know, many don’t see fighting it as a priority...)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Among the ways I tried to boost the total:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">emailed the 300+ who donated to the Ukraine effort</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">asked author/illustrator friends to hand out flyers promoting the benefit at the heavily attended Chappaqua Book Festival on 9/30/23</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">because <i>Star Trek</i> actor George Takei posted about <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cxnu9LJsgrA/" target="_blank">my Georgia fracas</a> to his 1.4 million Instagram followers, I asked if he would spread word (if even 1% of his followers contributed, it would add 14,000 donors!)</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">asked PEN if they’d ask big names who have supported them if they would plug it on social media </span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Unfortunately, I thought of the Chappaqua idea the night before the book fest and the Takei/PEN ideas the day before the show premiered…in other words, too late. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I hit other roadblocks—KidLit TV backed out a little over a week before the world premiere (so I switched from live streaming to posting the benefit as a video to be removed immediately after), the donation link on the platform I chose to host the fundraiser (Facebook) didn’t work for some people—but in the end, the show went on.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v9lov9o0I5E" width="420" youtube-src-id="v9lov9o0I5E"></iframe></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Thank you again to all who donated, spread word, helped behind the scenes, and, of course, told a story of hope.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2MBDryVhNI4zwvvR3IQJoPOFeIGB6ZvehT9rFY6OohaZTN-_sWXVyVzYKcTfVhKN7U4n1u_fUoyUSiFDV24Cusx3AnqI5du-Nmv-UcGbBJViC6gRXKlctHIYF_ActvRyVjktjnR7ooceJxdSJpaj2mRjIclGfJZa2KDpy0sYbbf3t67UanK9c4TQK1ZB/s1379/1%20screenshot%20-%20Eliot%20Schrefer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1379" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2MBDryVhNI4zwvvR3IQJoPOFeIGB6ZvehT9rFY6OohaZTN-_sWXVyVzYKcTfVhKN7U4n1u_fUoyUSiFDV24Cusx3AnqI5du-Nmv-UcGbBJViC6gRXKlctHIYF_ActvRyVjktjnR7ooceJxdSJpaj2mRjIclGfJZa2KDpy0sYbbf3t67UanK9c4TQK1ZB/w400-h223/1%20screenshot%20-%20Eliot%20Schrefer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBHwGcvNFK6IhJSZ2iH9HS6IacZqx7xjRwWHNyviBzV9EoTnVsQgfJvmOhKt5EGgV1YwLUJ4PBDJqYnVSO_6cDVAP2VwYe5XSd9moSlIOscLW7nFLT4ATvSsCH7iWRhaOdYDFNefagbbM4VQxStZlzD0lDShNlUseygzHylFvKKSb1N7vayvwvLxVqRXg/s1381/29%20screenshot%20-%20Maulik%20Pancholy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1381" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBHwGcvNFK6IhJSZ2iH9HS6IacZqx7xjRwWHNyviBzV9EoTnVsQgfJvmOhKt5EGgV1YwLUJ4PBDJqYnVSO_6cDVAP2VwYe5XSd9moSlIOscLW7nFLT4ATvSsCH7iWRhaOdYDFNefagbbM4VQxStZlzD0lDShNlUseygzHylFvKKSb1N7vayvwvLxVqRXg/w400-h224/29%20screenshot%20-%20Maulik%20Pancholy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDHsaEC_2ObY-dU2C_-LCzveLnDO5uS8HSigiyxs6HMnuOkmq5Dxmd0d0wc7WxfIvIkSaw08r7hB1SOWm3avuzdaQAHbm099c075IkYE5uLKp-g3R6d7EYOPpT7eyViCHQy9cJVntOoT-vhmVwTTHKr0VBZzkxG1gxyRSxTMA3JIZWSHax23-1y8wPLn8/s1379/30%20screenshot%20-%20Jon%20Scieszka.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1379" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDHsaEC_2ObY-dU2C_-LCzveLnDO5uS8HSigiyxs6HMnuOkmq5Dxmd0d0wc7WxfIvIkSaw08r7hB1SOWm3avuzdaQAHbm099c075IkYE5uLKp-g3R6d7EYOPpT7eyViCHQy9cJVntOoT-vhmVwTTHKr0VBZzkxG1gxyRSxTMA3JIZWSHax23-1y8wPLn8/w400-h224/30%20screenshot%20-%20Jon%20Scieszka.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-8827385603867210062023-10-01T13:55:00.010-04:002024-03-12T13:55:26.863-04:00Censored for saying "gay" in Texas elementary schools (one month after Georgia)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A month after I was <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">censored for saying "gay" during elementary school visits in Georgia</a>, it happened again in Texas.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I must make clear that my experience in the schools themselves (as you will see below) was 100% positive.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Which makes the decision that superintendents made all the more misguided.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b style="background-color: #ffa400;">The letter I sent to administrators of Northside Independent School District (San Antonio):<br /></b><br /><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">Hope you are all well. <br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">I am the children's author who had the privilege of speaking at 11 eleven NISD schools from 9/18-28, but whose final visit scheduled for 9/29 (Henderson ES) was canceled the night before because two parents complained that I say the word "gay."</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Neither the two parents who complained nor whichever of you canceled my talk have <i>heard </i>my talk, read my book, seen my documentary, or met me.</span></b></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">I came in good faith to your district<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>and hundreds of other communities in 30+ states and almost 20 countries over the past 20 years<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">—</span>to share a <b>multi-layered inspirational message</b>. Hundreds of your kids will attest that I more than delivered on that. So did your staff:</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsnAZ1dGYwRfhYOXJEEPP4gp-yXAC0tZ4DNi12W1kkooRoCOWgJKlAbalQhuSP3k5b9axsaAknnLbcccU1qRDa5U9It8ug0Ndp_F0SU4GhdBH9Ua-H8ztjKyF2KEm-rOqXwW-cI_zgy_EH1MxdtkD8PtYY4yOBwJi_2HB_C07mtvd6-9KBY44HUuh-eYt/s980/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20phenomenal,%20impact.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="598" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsnAZ1dGYwRfhYOXJEEPP4gp-yXAC0tZ4DNi12W1kkooRoCOWgJKlAbalQhuSP3k5b9axsaAknnLbcccU1qRDa5U9It8ug0Ndp_F0SU4GhdBH9Ua-H8ztjKyF2KEm-rOqXwW-cI_zgy_EH1MxdtkD8PtYY4yOBwJi_2HB_C07mtvd6-9KBY44HUuh-eYt/w390-h640/tweet%20-%20Northside%20(San%20Antonio)%20-%20phenomenal,%20impact.jpg" width="390" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibE38rdOFbbwluswA1ErI5Ylu2GKFe8Yiu3xvVGPPHjJP1bJzE5yYaMFG0JzftxvY7WF8xpKQyS4fQpw3xRciAOZMqu3z1H0l4NXWAow6JBs-eWRdCiAxTfq9gF4mQAf1IF5NdWOhyphenhyphenBtug9A_PZIL9O8HhXKItaG3Nyx8m81uUCsEzBqggGs3BGtXTCkRj/s1709/IMG_2191.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1709" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibE38rdOFbbwluswA1ErI5Ylu2GKFe8Yiu3xvVGPPHjJP1bJzE5yYaMFG0JzftxvY7WF8xpKQyS4fQpw3xRciAOZMqu3z1H0l4NXWAow6JBs-eWRdCiAxTfq9gF4mQAf1IF5NdWOhyphenhyphenBtug9A_PZIL9O8HhXKItaG3Nyx8m81uUCsEzBqggGs3BGtXTCkRj/w274-h400/IMG_2191.jpg" width="274" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_M_qWPJXPMT99hEWoxwG9KQ4y7CSfwcjdjL8HHS0JsgPJvk2bFUnum73duVciXUN_0YOf9VHPTWNrN3urdSITl6zZe7R2Hr2PKnzHlETsg75HYvOrlw6pq0Gntstd9LnhucClmJFx0JbFAIpmuKVpgT0wqDU3FL3G3HUVG3o98NJ8pqJf1h6XiZEKcOl/s1458/IMG_2195.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1458" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_M_qWPJXPMT99hEWoxwG9KQ4y7CSfwcjdjL8HHS0JsgPJvk2bFUnum73duVciXUN_0YOf9VHPTWNrN3urdSITl6zZe7R2Hr2PKnzHlETsg75HYvOrlw6pq0Gntstd9LnhucClmJFx0JbFAIpmuKVpgT0wqDU3FL3G3HUVG3o98NJ8pqJf1h6XiZEKcOl/w321-h400/IMG_2195.jpg" width="321" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX93ck23hk45970htl6QHPsjemnqK_srhe8sQ-U5bcD7zQViPkLnVzr0uqvZU8G3nf1K9iOy1pCiXdHpinjBUirWmfRdLR_84wUDpFQIzfZxv2bqQ_Qx_BgT9y7ndU-e7qZ_2MD0z4h0bW_FvdI2NaxneYzsLUW-BpLijofaF5cma8nr-gFIG20NuCvKH-/s1842/IMG_2194.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1842" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX93ck23hk45970htl6QHPsjemnqK_srhe8sQ-U5bcD7zQViPkLnVzr0uqvZU8G3nf1K9iOy1pCiXdHpinjBUirWmfRdLR_84wUDpFQIzfZxv2bqQ_Qx_BgT9y7ndU-e7qZ_2MD0z4h0bW_FvdI2NaxneYzsLUW-BpLijofaF5cma8nr-gFIG20NuCvKH-/w254-h400/IMG_2194.jpg" width="254" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcw5YZKYUkhx5upoDaYcJjR3BT_aZrDNzKLu-HWT_MCyxw_IF7StFwj1A0Yb9jij255aYAhvv-oujjseGA8jjilet75D517a0sJUhHwWN4koX8vESWU1Chxt6yezL_KIcEYvecfXvm6qJRwVm96Dz9CLCp3ufKHIvGgXH7Kx-PK-o8IAqcKK3AhluJMTK8/s1776/IMG_2198.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="1170" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcw5YZKYUkhx5upoDaYcJjR3BT_aZrDNzKLu-HWT_MCyxw_IF7StFwj1A0Yb9jij255aYAhvv-oujjseGA8jjilet75D517a0sJUhHwWN4koX8vESWU1Chxt6yezL_KIcEYvecfXvm6qJRwVm96Dz9CLCp3ufKHIvGgXH7Kx-PK-o8IAqcKK3AhluJMTK8/w264-h400/IMG_2198.jpg" width="264" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZUvckqRPlBFgT08w-o8G3kv5taSFPuRTn_hDi_sV1M-TfegigVIixjrkpvXyVOT2gYIRLvAoy_59EJgiffQAPc8WZ-cJ2e2_Up2JTC9FbKjcbHZmPBNxy5s46rlX_KPgctuV7H7eyCsTp2PkZukKBVOEplEpLaZM_nsD767wBVdxxcnH2Cc53ov0WSaq/s614/5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="614" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZUvckqRPlBFgT08w-o8G3kv5taSFPuRTn_hDi_sV1M-TfegigVIixjrkpvXyVOT2gYIRLvAoy_59EJgiffQAPc8WZ-cJ2e2_Up2JTC9FbKjcbHZmPBNxy5s46rlX_KPgctuV7H7eyCsTp2PkZukKBVOEplEpLaZM_nsD767wBVdxxcnH2Cc53ov0WSaq/w400-h319/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">(this tweet discovered/added here after emailing administrators)<br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><div style="text-align: left;">"Gay" is simply a way to refer to a kind of love, as appropriate as mentioning a straight relationship (which I did <b>multiple times, with no pushback</b>).</div></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">The two parents whose ignorance you prioritized over a "amazing/inspiring/intriguing/captivating" presentation are <b><i>not </i>the victims</b>. They have not and will never suffer because other people love differently than they do.</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">The victims are the LBGTQ members of your community because your action signals to them that their very existence is taboo to mention. <b>You make them feel unsafe and unwanted.</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">I spoke with one of the parents who complained. I appreciated that he was willing to connect by phone, but he mostly raged and did not try to reflect on the bigger picture. He could not distinguish between sexual orientation (again, a topic kids as young as two understand) and sex. He said his kid does not need to hear about "Batman fucking Spider-Man." He said this will not end well for me. He said "You messed with the wrong person." <b>This is the person you are defending.</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">When you have to choose between catering to tolerant or intolerant people, <b>there is no choice</b>. </span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">You gave in to the wrong side, and if you continue to do that, your legacy will be on the wrong side of history. Upholding <b>discriminatory </b>practices like this will drive more and more good educators and families from your district.</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">This happened to me in Georgia in August, and the national response was <i>not </i>favorable to people in your position. Here is just some of the press:</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="https://nyti.ms/3qJ6kCB" target="_blank">New York Times</a></span> </i></li><li><i><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/i-was-told-stop-saying-gay-school-kids-i-refused-1826295" target="_blank">Newsweek</a></span></i></li><li><i><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-09-03/batman-fred-finger-dc-entertainment-warner-bros-lgbtq-rights" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times</a></span></i></li><li><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/dont-say-gay-georgia-batman-187446af4b03ac9a4b8fc4757852b446" target="_blank">AP</a> (Associated Press)</span></li><li><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/08/28/forsyth-county-schools-cancel-talks-after-author-says-the-word-gay-elementary" target="_blank">NPR</a></span></li><li><i><span style="color: #bf9000;"><a href="https://www.ajc.com/education/get-schooled-blog/opinion-saying-gay-in-forsyth-schools-cancels-childrens-author/7T62JOL7XFFH5GX2IQCQUW7UTA/" target="_blank">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a></span></i></li><li><span style="color: #bf9000;"><i>The Daily Beast</i> podcast <i><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-elon-musk-can-change-the-world-with-one-flick-of-a-switch/id1508202790?i=1000627158575" target="_blank">The New Abnormal</a></i></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">It is about to make the San Antonio press as well.</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">But you can still turn this into a positive by doing the following:</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: #bf9000;">apologizing to your community for putting the comfort of two people over the enrichment of an entire school by censoring an established author</span></li><li><span style="color: #bf9000;">changing your (unwritten?) policy that stigmatizes the word "gay" in a country where same-sex marriage is legal and a district where gay people live, teach, and learn</span></li></ol></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">I have also posted this letter publicly.</span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">I remain optimistic that I can return to NISD to continue to share my messages of persistence, the adventure of primary research, the thrill of reading, the calling of speaking up for others, the need to give credit where it's due, and tolerance. </span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #bf9000;">Toward the end of my talks, I say: "Every change in history, no matter how big, starts with one person."<br /><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Which of you will be that person in Northside?</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: #bf9000;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span><b>10/6/23 addendum</b>: Here is <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/10/san-antonio-express-news-says-school.html" target="_blank">local press coverage</a>. It is not good.</span></div></span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-91054825007375548132023-09-22T21:58:00.005-04:002023-09-22T23:47:09.022-04:00Georgia schools censoring the word "gay": reaction continues<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In August 2023, elementary schools in Forsyth County, GA, asked me to leave out the word "gay" from my presentation or leave.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I left.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The incident made <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2023/09/what-hath-gay-wrought-georgia-schools.html" target="_blank">national news</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">After the Associated Press story posted 9/20/23, many other major outlets picked it up. A sampling (sorry for so many shots of my punim):</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBV7WbQbNHpMoxYYnuxxm3NLsRkxrMA9QSIk3nZo1o0ZTHW71PIRszh3qQ-VrChJpngLY_wephZoBLne5m1ag0UDcqzRMK3KCDopCOR3BFO8pigXcvQH_JgIaTo71F_xN95UmRX9scT2hcsnPOTGGhtF5eoykKmfem9SaCojlBY0P0gYQN2VjD6IT2NBk/s690/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20AP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="587" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBV7WbQbNHpMoxYYnuxxm3NLsRkxrMA9QSIk3nZo1o0ZTHW71PIRszh3qQ-VrChJpngLY_wephZoBLne5m1ag0UDcqzRMK3KCDopCOR3BFO8pigXcvQH_JgIaTo71F_xN95UmRX9scT2hcsnPOTGGhtF5eoykKmfem9SaCojlBY0P0gYQN2VjD6IT2NBk/w340-h400/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20AP.jpg" width="340" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ9EryY7t9pP5ibywMMuyUrRQbKtXwq5FLjj0L0RpqAq5_CotVCA7E3DANMce-WXhI3meFgqQtpfGpnkGI-yiAjBCB6Ky6bBu5KFbvsT3Qo6xr-q3oVoHDnm2Rll6R8nybhWbaQUDdqsSPGJjsAjJp8rQhmx5CQgi0VGGIF-28d4nVcOtmjVxTbJBqWoc/s656/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20ABC%20News.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="587" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ9EryY7t9pP5ibywMMuyUrRQbKtXwq5FLjj0L0RpqAq5_CotVCA7E3DANMce-WXhI3meFgqQtpfGpnkGI-yiAjBCB6Ky6bBu5KFbvsT3Qo6xr-q3oVoHDnm2Rll6R8nybhWbaQUDdqsSPGJjsAjJp8rQhmx5CQgi0VGGIF-28d4nVcOtmjVxTbJBqWoc/w358-h400/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20ABC%20News.jpg" width="358" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZV48FLbU3QDFsUxxDBRQOZRCHf2Ge653cAo-sw5AtSnCmVTJQ45gIyqwWJ3blvcdUlPnnHAhkIBqZH8UOwZQ0fpTbBsIeiZpwmO-eu4FYZKXv3Z9kC6s96Xi-FQYiwn7uzmKTkcwhjVCojF4GuZ-GilE2eAj-AGfGrCRSoK2uZW_kqXrWl18pn_jjWHKm/s585/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20NBC%20News.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="585" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZV48FLbU3QDFsUxxDBRQOZRCHf2Ge653cAo-sw5AtSnCmVTJQ45gIyqwWJ3blvcdUlPnnHAhkIBqZH8UOwZQ0fpTbBsIeiZpwmO-eu4FYZKXv3Z9kC6s96Xi-FQYiwn7uzmKTkcwhjVCojF4GuZ-GilE2eAj-AGfGrCRSoK2uZW_kqXrWl18pn_jjWHKm/w400-h376/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20NBC%20News.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3PIiMOgGsyC0q70Cq9tBYKiB4G4bd02CzDyY0LsyWv66VjPepuPu7KzJOSSH-7sxhuG2dlOVrDUvV5iHw-Oocwqr6Cdr1siDBzhTF4rq5Iq3mkyICcRECSikW2Mai35iNxqCjKOHPvY0kLU0FYzrAxXtPX_Xm8p_r-KADeS10o7rtRPR4dWtC5JHlQuq/s679/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20PBS%20NewsHour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="587" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3PIiMOgGsyC0q70Cq9tBYKiB4G4bd02CzDyY0LsyWv66VjPepuPu7KzJOSSH-7sxhuG2dlOVrDUvV5iHw-Oocwqr6Cdr1siDBzhTF4rq5Iq3mkyICcRECSikW2Mai35iNxqCjKOHPvY0kLU0FYzrAxXtPX_Xm8p_r-KADeS10o7rtRPR4dWtC5JHlQuq/w346-h400/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20PBS%20NewsHour.jpg" width="346" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFAW28Ryog-6TQgLxXvFz8IhYpLJ21cmqdzynHsveQH4GFgFe4QV4JxTeAwGF3MMAE9uFAdN1_b-jlGB-OP1F_PuELoyN2QQINT9ks_eP1T1xyk_Z3V3rnTNZqguGzfkp7DrleC2cbS7oQzFpOvkE6G9QK5mu1eqH66WkN7Fc5olnS_3z7LgsKq5gH4ch/s589/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20Fortune.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="589" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFAW28Ryog-6TQgLxXvFz8IhYpLJ21cmqdzynHsveQH4GFgFe4QV4JxTeAwGF3MMAE9uFAdN1_b-jlGB-OP1F_PuELoyN2QQINT9ks_eP1T1xyk_Z3V3rnTNZqguGzfkp7DrleC2cbS7oQzFpOvkE6G9QK5mu1eqH66WkN7Fc5olnS_3z7LgsKq5gH4ch/w400-h348/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20Fortune.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuxT07kL5ys64VvxLrAn8oNLuN2Tg240qwnz-mHgv0YBKP3IEyniNcS52uwZQX9EcEKDE4F1zg1dwZlSDma3XXxXyHF4DPGarQXhNiex9xt05SNou7px-HYOLk6thJ42YRLPhTmXMShKhfeeeE0OatCSSSO0v4z6YmpAcE0aTH2cSfllrCrn1ioXXCWn8/s592/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20HuffPost.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="592" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuxT07kL5ys64VvxLrAn8oNLuN2Tg240qwnz-mHgv0YBKP3IEyniNcS52uwZQX9EcEKDE4F1zg1dwZlSDma3XXxXyHF4DPGarQXhNiex9xt05SNou7px-HYOLk6thJ42YRLPhTmXMShKhfeeeE0OatCSSSO0v4z6YmpAcE0aTH2cSfllrCrn1ioXXCWn8/w400-h348/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20HuffPost.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxVux54qMtXGKjlcGMHHUt8CcQkthn4LFoy7gbkXkpqvAeVqOz0fxewuE0n7n6QaHKl8dQV07uJSt3mxdTqitlKnsTQDalwpRPdofoBaqkfemIbWXGlb3JAKEJEVMibGYIJeoD1u4coNdcepB4ARzZIf8Z3dnSVRrJoEwamqaJgql6H56voJ-Moq9E293/s589/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20Advocate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="589" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxVux54qMtXGKjlcGMHHUt8CcQkthn4LFoy7gbkXkpqvAeVqOz0fxewuE0n7n6QaHKl8dQV07uJSt3mxdTqitlKnsTQDalwpRPdofoBaqkfemIbWXGlb3JAKEJEVMibGYIJeoD1u4coNdcepB4ARzZIf8Z3dnSVRrJoEwamqaJgql6H56voJ-Moq9E293/w400-h330/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20Advocate.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqxmqc0qwQs9WH5a5KEn-92yPYNIASoMppfACq4jatGt98Nt9-rmHae7wY5WZTWw5QYZnJ6UR4ztKeFgvqv6wo6TljTWShWnA5GOTMKmx-CkEV7aUZA8x67ZQyJyPybKglq6qibs08QGA9v8oDP8yK-eZ85qfIBp-0dS8855-7mG1MtV7smfmMudhCV8G/s587/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20NBC%20Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="587" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqxmqc0qwQs9WH5a5KEn-92yPYNIASoMppfACq4jatGt98Nt9-rmHae7wY5WZTWw5QYZnJ6UR4ztKeFgvqv6wo6TljTWShWnA5GOTMKmx-CkEV7aUZA8x67ZQyJyPybKglq6qibs08QGA9v8oDP8yK-eZ85qfIBp-0dS8855-7mG1MtV7smfmMudhCV8G/w400-h374/press%20-%20AP%20tweet%20-%20NBC%20Out.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAO5pvMKfKUKzLaJOzRPy8aXt4HWTlbT92X9I4YE8HjEQHCsmIMayko23_P4EyIRY7Id3ovurIyso3U8ib3hUFrm7VRSmDeB0oXcoOCOxUVthW5e0-A4reNi1-Msg-5Qtk6pw5zjPBjSZFarP7kF_W6FoD9EUPGsbxj8siLjcvLcjjUSrUVorZ-aqTEjT/s1134/press%20-%20Upworthy%209-20-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1134" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAO5pvMKfKUKzLaJOzRPy8aXt4HWTlbT92X9I4YE8HjEQHCsmIMayko23_P4EyIRY7Id3ovurIyso3U8ib3hUFrm7VRSmDeB0oXcoOCOxUVthW5e0-A4reNi1-Msg-5Qtk6pw5zjPBjSZFarP7kF_W6FoD9EUPGsbxj8siLjcvLcjjUSrUVorZ-aqTEjT/w400-h224/press%20-%20Upworthy%209-20-23.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The night before, the </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.fc4ed.org/" target="_blank">Forsyth County Board of Education</a> held its first meeting since my school visits, and four members of the community spoke about inclusiveness and censorship. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The first video is the complete meeting, cued to the comments from the four advocates for compassion. The second video is a highlight reel of those comments.</span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-rjEIj_BgXk" title="Forsyth County Board of Education Regular Meeting, September 19, 2023" width="460"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bAU9x6x6jxw?si=tdfY-ty81UCKDoBU" title="YouTube video player" width="460"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One Forsyth County Instagrammer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CwizZdPOeEj/" target="_blank">said this</a>:<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"Schools are not the place for what he is promoting. Take it somewhere else."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I rarely reply in such cases, but did this time:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">"I was promoting persistence, primary research, reading, speaking up for others, giving credit where it's due, and tolerance. Which topic in particular do you think I should take somewhere besides schools?"</span></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-25316031582249519872023-09-18T21:03:00.001-04:002023-09-18T21:03:16.982-04:00Tim Bush, artist/kind soul, RIP<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In 2011, in trying to convince editors that a widely rejected nonfiction picture book manuscript I wrote was marketable, I called upon both kids and professional illustrators to read it and then create a mock cover for what would become <i>Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story</i>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the seven generous artists who agreed to do this was <a href="https://www.timothybush.com/" target="_blank">Timothy Bush</a>, whom I had met in person only once or twice. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">His contribution was striking, and one that kids routinely single out. (Every summer I teach creative writing camps, tell the story/backstory, and show the <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2011/09/picture-book-for-sale.html" target="_blank">mock covers</a>.)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5cGq_H08rNv7YA82SINQAOfiqci7TkCcx_H3bX3efNcnDXmBD0XIDYr38hSGW-LFCIvcB2qHsywP6loL3IYk08BIw1X1AK9N76x0rv2k1A6L7WJnxi2pFkRdswqBDuIosZEOphNCXZC_9AtDfwx7mClRuDYV7tZ4tF4u5Q-tilAi43tMIt6vlMv4b3Wh/s877/Thirty%20Minutes%20Over%20Oregon%20-%20Nobleman%20-%20Bush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="737" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5cGq_H08rNv7YA82SINQAOfiqci7TkCcx_H3bX3efNcnDXmBD0XIDYr38hSGW-LFCIvcB2qHsywP6loL3IYk08BIw1X1AK9N76x0rv2k1A6L7WJnxi2pFkRdswqBDuIosZEOphNCXZC_9AtDfwx7mClRuDYV7tZ4tF4u5Q-tilAi43tMIt6vlMv4b3Wh/w336-h400/Thirty%20Minutes%20Over%20Oregon%20-%20Nobleman%20-%20Bush.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I recently learned that Tim passed away. He and I had not been in touch in years. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I was always be grateful to Tim for taking time to create a work of art for no pay and for me, a person he barely knew.</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-34330741846828608952023-09-07T16:45:00.023-04:002024-02-27T11:11:15.048-05:00What hath “gay” wrought: Georgia schools censor me and harm their own community<div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Here we gay again.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsttQpEQBjhHyr1RdDahtYrW2FiZ6iPCv_bgI3uwPjeIBKJEOGvxOLiNQBtt6882BQTkfndnKQ3TAd507_qua-U7XuFl3xyxJoxY8fbpmxuMDxEHdelp1ibIbvfIoOECoXGrF5EnU8Tudg70n6lCPOu3cY3QnSxRwY8V5lOYrUJ5OeEXYsq4wTIwhlMyfD/s819/press%20-%20New%20York%20Times%208-29-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsttQpEQBjhHyr1RdDahtYrW2FiZ6iPCv_bgI3uwPjeIBKJEOGvxOLiNQBtt6882BQTkfndnKQ3TAd507_qua-U7XuFl3xyxJoxY8fbpmxuMDxEHdelp1ibIbvfIoOECoXGrF5EnU8Tudg70n6lCPOu3cY3QnSxRwY8V5lOYrUJ5OeEXYsq4wTIwhlMyfD/w316-h400/press%20-%20New%20York%20Times%208-29-23.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://nyti.ms/3qJ6kCB" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank"><i>New York Times</i> 8/29/23</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">During my first elementary school assembly of the 2023-24 school year, in Forsyth County, GA, I (as usual) told the audience that the son of Batman co-creator Bill Finger was gay—and the batshit immediately hit the fan.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Intolerance of this nature is <a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/05/23/civil-rights-investigation-forsyth-county-schools-wraps" target="_blank">not new for Forsyth County schools</a>…or for me:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">A parent complained after a talk in <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2017/09/the-problem-with-mentioning-sexual.html" target="_blank">Illinois</a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Ugliness erupted </span><i style="font-family: arial;">during </i><span style="font-family: arial;">a talk in </span><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2018/04/kids-speaking-upand-apologizing.html" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Maryland</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">A principal in </span><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2020/02/from-dispiriting-to-uplifting-tale-of.html" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Michigan</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> tried to censor me.</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">However, I’ve also seen growth:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">A Virginia school asked me to omit the word…then <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2017/12/mentioning-sexual-orientation-during.html" target="_blank">reconsidered</a>.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The incident in Maryland inspired a moving community-wide </span><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2018/10/from-being-hurt-publicly-to-changing.html" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">healing campaign</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">The incident in Michigan led to </span><a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2020/02/from-dispiriting-to-uplifting-tale-of.html" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">one of the most powerful moments</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> from the many hundreds of assemblies I’ve done.</span></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">But in Forsyth County, the situation escalated as it never had before.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The gay play-by-play, day-by-day:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I went to Georgia to speak at three Forsyth elementary schools, one per day, three talks per school, one grade per talk (3rd, 4th, 5th). </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><u style="background-color: #fcff01;">Monday 8/21/23, school 1: Sharon Elementary</u></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As mentioned above, in my first talk here, I said “gay.” </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Afterward, my host, the librarian, expressed concern due to the intolerant history of the community. I asked her to invite the principal, Brian Nelson, to the second talk, which she did. He came shortly after I’d started. He and other staff conferred in the back of the room.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Midway through my presentation, he handed me this note:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aRyetJ96TWWk6l8s6FGI7g-834mARzGn_F9mkMzM7bJ7kZvCv6mFyekqF-m5CRlTdMXiiXohUj-wW3EmMx_z49IxB0L6ZbhJ63z1QIIKC_POmiAe-YF2PMHUrEQw88uUvzA5OHPP-EFAWx5KVKuAy1QLNHGtcXe62uBkZu-u2wIuy7GHPRj1quyC7qg4/s3016/don't%20say%20gay%20note%20from%20principal%20-%20Sharon%20ES,%20Forsyth%20County,%20GA.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1651" data-original-width="3016" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aRyetJ96TWWk6l8s6FGI7g-834mARzGn_F9mkMzM7bJ7kZvCv6mFyekqF-m5CRlTdMXiiXohUj-wW3EmMx_z49IxB0L6ZbhJ63z1QIIKC_POmiAe-YF2PMHUrEQw88uUvzA5OHPP-EFAWx5KVKuAy1QLNHGtcXe62uBkZu-u2wIuy7GHPRj1quyC7qg4/w400-h219/don't%20say%20gay%20note%20from%20principal%20-%20Sharon%20ES,%20Forsyth%20County,%20GA.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I was not surprised. I was infuriated. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Because I did not want to create a stir in front of the kids, I acquiesced. Then I was infuriated at myself.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Afterward, the principal and I had a civil 40-minute conversation in the library. He asked me not to say “gay” in the last talk, citing heated school board meetings. Like the librarian, he exuded nervousness.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I said we cannot kowtow to those who hate/negate/discriminate, no matter how loud and unrelenting that faction is. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I gestured to a displayed book about professional baseball players and trotted out the refrain that exposing kids to that book does not mean you are trying to turn them into baseball players.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He was not swayed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He is Black (in the south) and I am Jewish; I said that our people have been persecuted throughout history, and we cannot let it happen to others now.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He was not swayed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I said that in my 20 years speaking to kids of all ages in 30+ states and almost 20 countries, I’ve been asked to leave out the word “gay” a handful of times but did so (again against my better judgment) only once, due to extenuating circumstances. I said you don’t want your school to join this shameful list.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He was not swayed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So because I was already on site and some kids had already heard my presentation, I said I would skip “gay” one more time, emphasizing that I was vehemently morally against it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">He seemed deeply relieved. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">That night, Principal Eric Ashton from school 2 called to ask me not to say “gay” at his school. When I pushed back, he said I’d already agreed at Sharon. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><u style="background-color: #fcff01;">Tuesday 8/22/23, school 2: Daves Creek Elementary</u></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I did not say “gay.” I was not okay with it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><u style="background-color: #fcff01;">Wednesday 8/23/23: before school</u></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I woke up to a journalist request for an interview about my “recent reading at an elementary school and the school’s subsequent apology to parents after your (factual) comment about Bill Finger’s life.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">How did the press know? And what apology?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I searched online to find not one but two stories about this had already run—and neither source had contacted me for a statement:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/forsyth-county-principal-apology-guest-author-marc-tyler-nobleman-gay" target="_blank">Fox 5 Atlanta</a> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/metro-principal-apologizes-parents-batman-book-guest-author-saying-co-creator-was-gay/XH2NTH4TSFDALFF5OMWK3KG7IE/" target="_blank">WSB-TV</a> (a Georgia ABC affiliate; includes video)</span></li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I tweeted (Xed) both outlets: “When you are covering a story of an author being censored at a school, it’s journalism 101 to SPEAK TO THE AUTHOR WHO WAS CENSORED.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is that apology, which the Sharon Elementary principal had sent to his school families (which obviously include people in the LGBTQ community) on Monday:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p5h1rW0Yz0ZcXZIhLFEirq9kFM6PN2emE991LuYBvgnE87QBjpFLlvtAJvOxpAmAOiGogvHq2rtAQf_VCUk11V_ZX5zNM1ff8Sqkac7UntCenbhX6qXE7nlxrRwlx0weHCKgyO_yP8lXZ_-FmskPaVuc5ItRlOrSOf72xJkRcD5E4Dw5KxnIEXVeZNeR/s1275/1%20Sharon%20ES%20principal%20apology.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1275" data-original-width="734" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6p5h1rW0Yz0ZcXZIhLFEirq9kFM6PN2emE991LuYBvgnE87QBjpFLlvtAJvOxpAmAOiGogvHq2rtAQf_VCUk11V_ZX5zNM1ff8Sqkac7UntCenbhX6qXE7nlxrRwlx0weHCKgyO_yP8lXZ_-FmskPaVuc5ItRlOrSOf72xJkRcD5E4Dw5KxnIEXVeZNeR/w368-h640/1%20Sharon%20ES%20principal%20apology.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is a progressive group called the Forsyth Coalition for Education condemning the apology:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtj7E2ydS_rc8zlczJ20AM21HyQ70aCHk9B0pf9zi_Tuc7s4r_kuS891H2FluWtktvEryqonjsxDGLMysuVdLDyz8uggANXhyNxmSM2rNxkM7bNb78HQQHmf4l0x4-eB-N34Zs8zdDMsVAlzTSmEZxxYTJjzpHHEgu0RRVZVFjUnxvp_0sX8WsYSOj_ET/s1276/2%20Forsyth%20Coalition%20for%20Education%20response%201%20of%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="703" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtj7E2ydS_rc8zlczJ20AM21HyQ70aCHk9B0pf9zi_Tuc7s4r_kuS891H2FluWtktvEryqonjsxDGLMysuVdLDyz8uggANXhyNxmSM2rNxkM7bNb78HQQHmf4l0x4-eB-N34Zs8zdDMsVAlzTSmEZxxYTJjzpHHEgu0RRVZVFjUnxvp_0sX8WsYSOj_ET/w352-h640/2%20Forsyth%20Coalition%20for%20Education%20response%201%20of%202.jpg" width="352" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuB9hDvcC9jk7s5Fh0WrQdBmzinIJLW7dGZ_uCb2fLK8RoXgGQyAZ7MxEckAiQMp7OWSdS3gxMgQ848MLqM47fQr2843W0Wid4V2eYXc9zW968CDlIy3CrdvAcWyuQnrihukdw21eVNCHqsQe0DcGPhO4hJc3j2R-Ipk_KpQH_-vaurNZViy1NS0456eEo/s875/2%20Forsyth%20Coalition%20for%20Education%20response%202%20of%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="685" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuB9hDvcC9jk7s5Fh0WrQdBmzinIJLW7dGZ_uCb2fLK8RoXgGQyAZ7MxEckAiQMp7OWSdS3gxMgQ848MLqM47fQr2843W0Wid4V2eYXc9zW968CDlIy3CrdvAcWyuQnrihukdw21eVNCHqsQe0DcGPhO4hJc3j2R-Ipk_KpQH_-vaurNZViy1NS0456eEo/w314-h400/2%20Forsyth%20Coalition%20for%20Education%20response%202%20of%202.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Here is Forsyth superintendent Jeff Bearden backing up the principal:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-dKuprwEKXwYV0cQyMtLmALUrItjYQv-QHda56wPFep8wWwuHXNB9wn3J_CgCD-HIC8-aVdgri8RXb1neMZU5PdNVLCfkLVCKOiw8G1bTjF_6X73Jv-XFicNIVw5CDnaGS9liIiZIg6dUgTHmV4eT8DJcKRF0R8jp4pDDvCQ0bsZSfAULfzY5WP4M5zD/s1096/3%20Forsyth%20superintendent%20backing%20up%20principal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="698" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-dKuprwEKXwYV0cQyMtLmALUrItjYQv-QHda56wPFep8wWwuHXNB9wn3J_CgCD-HIC8-aVdgri8RXb1neMZU5PdNVLCfkLVCKOiw8G1bTjF_6X73Jv-XFicNIVw5CDnaGS9liIiZIg6dUgTHmV4eT8DJcKRF0R8jp4pDDvCQ0bsZSfAULfzY5WP4M5zD/w408-h640/3%20Forsyth%20superintendent%20backing%20up%20principal.jpg" width="408" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I was livid.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Sharon principal <i>apologized </i>that I said “gay,” as if I hurt people. That was backwards. What hurt people was his apology.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Before heading to school 3, I emailed the superintendent and Jennifer Caracciolo, Forsyth schools Chief Communications Officer, to invite them to attend one of my talks that day. Jennifer replied that she would be at talk 2.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><u style="background-color: #fcff01;">Wednesday 8/23/23, school 3: Settles Bridge Elementary</u></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Immediately after arriving, Principal Amber Lamb pulled me aside to ask me to follow the same procedure I did at Daves Creek. I asked if she meant don’t say “gay” and she indicated yes. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I asked “If one of your students asks me if I’m married, may I say I have a wife?” </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She didn’t say no.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In my regretful effort to be a “respectful” guest at Sharon, I had a momentary lapse of backbone and agreed to prioritize the objections of a vocal and virulent adult minority over the well-being of their kids. But my conscience had come roaring back and I said I won’t be doing that again.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She said that they’d invited me to promote a love of reading, writing, and research. I said that’s precisely what I was there to do.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Then, somehow, we were walking down the hallway to the gym and soon after, I was delivering the first of my three scheduled talks. It was an emotionally intelligent, enthusiastic audience. They cheered and applauded not only when I finished but also at various reveals throughout. They got it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I said “gay.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I noticed no reaction.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My presentations conclude with a Q&A session; it’s built into the schedule. When the kids were applauding at the end, the principal stood beside me. I asked her if we had time for questions—knowing we did—and she said no. Sensing more (preemptive) censorship, I turned to the kids and asked “Y’all want to ask questions?” The room screamed “<i>Yes</i>!” and hands shot up. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The principal—who, you may recall, had asked me to promote a love of reading, writing, and research—stuck with no. It’s harder to promote a love of reading, writing, and research in kids when you can’t answer their questions about those topics.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This group of kids left and the second group did not arrive as scheduled. I was told they were sorting out a scheduling glitch. Amber, Jennifer, and I were alone in the gym.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Amber reiterated that I would have to adhere to their “standards.” I said “You just saw how these kids responded to my story. And <i>that’s </i>your first comment?” She seemed flustered.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I pointed out that her students clapped wildly when I showed an image of a <i>police report</i>. A dusty old document. Handwritten. You wanted to pump them up about research, right?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She complimented the talk, then again said (paraphrasing) “don’t say ‘gay.’”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I said I will no longer agree to that.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jennifer said it’s about standards—sexual orientation is not part of curriculum for elementary students. I said neither is Batman—but more to the point, I reminded them that I did not give a talk on sexual orientation, and that sexual orientation is not sex. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">They were hiding behind “standards” to deflect that prohibiting the word “gay” is discriminatory.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Jennifer also said it’s about age appropriateness. She gave an example—which she would later repeat to press—that we adults would not describe the horrors of the Holocaust to kindergartners. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As if their talk track wasn’t already misguided enough.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I shut that down without mercy, asking her not to compare how one person loves another to genocide. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I tried to convey what I thought was already obvious: the benefit of my presentation for hundreds of kids should far outweigh the time and energy required to field outraged calls they would invariably get from two or three or even a dozen parents. I felt terrible that these big-hearted students would be denied a special experience due to the prejudices of their supposed caretakers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Yet open-minded people must go into communities where intolerance is legislated or otherwise encoded and speak up within that community. We can’t stay away in protest or out of disgust, because then people who need our message may never get it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The two administrators and I spoke for what felt like ten minutes. When I finally accepted that I would not be able to assure them that my content is fully appropriate, as I’d managed to do in other scenarios, I said that I could not give my talks. They agreed. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Whether my presentations were censored or cancelled, it would shortchange the kids. Ultimately I felt that the best way to help those kids would be to leave.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So I left.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My parting shot to the adults: you are on the wrong side of history.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">By the end of that day, I’d met with four of the many members of the Forsyth Coalition for Education and spoken to reporters from four outlets including the <i><a href="https://www.ajc.com/education/get-schooled-blog/opinion-saying-gay-in-forsyth-schools-cancels-childrens-author/7T62JOL7XFFH5GX2IQCQUW7UTA/" target="_blank">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a></i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ9rCm4JhtUHUxQkKMvgw2M0xzuYK13zKcTCsqlCBdrJ9Exm_YsABNTyo-ed_TZp993lt1yITCr6vHdRr4tAzj6RRpsBOep-L1TpptAcJoffDnrrBe6r5wlZgaCXmOlxoEAa95pWE-GA4O4iMpXg3Ei3KGJjl5S7T1v-0Lk6Ad1kwf5xigkx1K1z2Ckuz/s2347/Forsyth%20Coalition%20for%20Education.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1759" data-original-width="2347" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ9rCm4JhtUHUxQkKMvgw2M0xzuYK13zKcTCsqlCBdrJ9Exm_YsABNTyo-ed_TZp993lt1yITCr6vHdRr4tAzj6RRpsBOep-L1TpptAcJoffDnrrBe6r5wlZgaCXmOlxoEAa95pWE-GA4O4iMpXg3Ei3KGJjl5S7T1v-0Lk6Ad1kwf5xigkx1K1z2Ckuz/w400-h300/Forsyth%20Coalition%20for%20Education.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivX6e2Jgn4Gb2V85BMQamF6DFWzp1nZykzCJdqx_sq1O1yaPzCB6QFCApnTwJqJcUCYQTwNi5BV3m-s5YdngQCkXoyRCNxjL7ArS_AEJazLDDg_B1-LlT1evJF8AEY9fyvWjn62GswWahs8sqTuPNE99RKpmLPsdiaYC3xanxNfQ2ir2_3qYYyjs9BqYA8/s977/press%20-%20Atlanta%20Journal-Constitution%20-%20desktop%208-25-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="876" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivX6e2Jgn4Gb2V85BMQamF6DFWzp1nZykzCJdqx_sq1O1yaPzCB6QFCApnTwJqJcUCYQTwNi5BV3m-s5YdngQCkXoyRCNxjL7ArS_AEJazLDDg_B1-LlT1evJF8AEY9fyvWjn62GswWahs8sqTuPNE99RKpmLPsdiaYC3xanxNfQ2ir2_3qYYyjs9BqYA8/w359-h400/press%20-%20Atlanta%20Journal-Constitution%20-%20desktop%208-25-23.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Then came the public response:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlsvf22GAPjjo8ZTXs_8KzGQcPRyWIiawaQ7XLxCMkgB9l8Tz6UopWyV9ae_gIq9dIs7Fp_RoKKSy6YWB1B6v4wyNecGtIeAOvjL8mSyig7li2eyzyuinBBPtQP1Mqtbqt_XxIKvPZbtJ4rml9zqfSkPnW7sqNegWiT0aVsny2_7XAA4_HS2mzhn1TgDk/s599/comment%20under%20Forsyth%20County%20News%20Facebook%20article%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="599" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlsvf22GAPjjo8ZTXs_8KzGQcPRyWIiawaQ7XLxCMkgB9l8Tz6UopWyV9ae_gIq9dIs7Fp_RoKKSy6YWB1B6v4wyNecGtIeAOvjL8mSyig7li2eyzyuinBBPtQP1Mqtbqt_XxIKvPZbtJ4rml9zqfSkPnW7sqNegWiT0aVsny2_7XAA4_HS2mzhn1TgDk/w400-h188/comment%20under%20Forsyth%20County%20News%20Facebook%20article%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Hww28P48SZMCXN0HLQclZQyMCrjRU1BakiA6REWXrh5yYsC_kpSCdfJQbsO4xrd4YhK_XGk1cxhCCUz3MzSDI5MF696tI8yvq10kTL7TjgRVLRKHxKokoNRaj0Fh_uRwtZo26D5AxDK3NJE6HPhsCxqTH6vpXXk0pLi25Kos5jTyP86bcQayxBh2j-qJ/s906/comment%20under%20Forsyth%20County%20News%20Facebook%20article%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="625" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Hww28P48SZMCXN0HLQclZQyMCrjRU1BakiA6REWXrh5yYsC_kpSCdfJQbsO4xrd4YhK_XGk1cxhCCUz3MzSDI5MF696tI8yvq10kTL7TjgRVLRKHxKokoNRaj0Fh_uRwtZo26D5AxDK3NJE6HPhsCxqTH6vpXXk0pLi25Kos5jTyP86bcQayxBh2j-qJ/w442-h640/comment%20under%20Forsyth%20County%20News%20Facebook%20article%202.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ckwNBoiZGykbJMZh-bX_S3a0b291wf8VzPf-cAyfCuitTa-ZJHAcUwEF6AHr0m_HVI6OCQ_95YuSl7iJnvS8lQyf6cjTHiTEJFpbgM-4527NoyfTs1eK-rQcM_OvS-yTIp5RBOc6zchp8v2kPqhcP_m9X7Dz5oW5ujJvDZ67lhSfg_XZU1KU3ComjbgY/s1009/comment%20under%20Forsyth%20County%20News%20Facebook%20article%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="623" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ckwNBoiZGykbJMZh-bX_S3a0b291wf8VzPf-cAyfCuitTa-ZJHAcUwEF6AHr0m_HVI6OCQ_95YuSl7iJnvS8lQyf6cjTHiTEJFpbgM-4527NoyfTs1eK-rQcM_OvS-yTIp5RBOc6zchp8v2kPqhcP_m9X7Dz5oW5ujJvDZ67lhSfg_XZU1KU3ComjbgY/w396-h640/comment%20under%20Forsyth%20County%20News%20Facebook%20article%201.jpg" width="396" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>(grammatically corrected) excerpt from a direct message on Facebook:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">Do you have a criminal record? Do you get some kind of satisfaction from talking to 8-year-olds behind their parents’ back? Some people are calling you a groomer. Is that what you are? </span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">You are a villain. </span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">Here’s an idea: instead of sneaking your bizarre, obsessive view on sexuality into your speeches, why don’t you ask parents for permission to have a conversation about sexuality with their child while they aren’t around. How do you think that will go? </span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">It wouldn’t go well. Because only perverts would ask that.</span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Several Forsyth folks showed their disapproval by reacting to dozens of my Facebook posts with the laughing emoji, till I blocked them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I directly replied to none of the vitriol—except this Instagram comment:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: red;">Schools are not the place for what he is promoting. Take it somewhere else.</span></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">me:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">I was promoting persistence, primary research, reading, speaking up for others, giving credit where it’s due, and tolerance. Which topic in particular do you think I should take somewhere besides schools?</span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">On the Facebook page for the first of at least two <i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/forsythcountynews/posts/pfbid02LiKNdNpD1GZ1ZhT1f33Av4QxSCWHe8VYH8uUVNXK9HEWq1SqQr89APbprTK91PJdl" target="_blank">Forsyth County News</a></i> articles about this, I posted this comment:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">I’m the author who said </span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">“</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">gay</span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">”</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> in talks to elementary students. I also said </span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">“</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Every change in history, no matter how big, starts with one person.</span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">”</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> I’m glad to see there are <i>many </i>people in this conversation who are speaking up for marginalized communities.</span></span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: arial;">message from a Forsyth County parent:</b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">You gave a presentation at my son’s school (Sharon Elementary). He came home raving about you/your book. Literally, he dropped his backpack and then proceeded to deliver a 15+ minute speech to me about the amazing author visit. I don’t think he’s ever connected that much with an author. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">I replied to the principal[‘s email] with my concerns that the word “gay” required an apology (especially in light of the fact that my kid hears it at school about five times a day on average—spend 10 minutes in the classroom and one will know that it seems to be the insult of choice amongst the upper elementary set: “that’s so gay,” “your mom is gay,” etc.). At least I know that one of the times he heard it on Monday, it was delivered in the manner in which it should be: a harmless fact.</span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>message from a Forsyth County resident:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">Hey, buddy…I see you’ve become infamous in FoCo. :) I know what it’s like…I’m a drag queen here. I hope you know we’re not all insane people…</span> </div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">message from a stranger from parts unknown:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoHf5h0G7s54zeT8BA7m42eLrXqQpZtZK2i6d3x1qruCm8FJLxXri4Uzs0QXvtpIMaDJ53UTMTcQXnqZ_wYNwyrRU9b2lQ57nZo7OaJbIX126CmbnmF3pEFJ70oTpEcsuZ40ZjRfsm5F1XXg5pN1jOb0RFkjE5nrDCpNUW1bMapFQUOeBMCeO0tgEb0mH/s542/thank%20you.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="542" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoHf5h0G7s54zeT8BA7m42eLrXqQpZtZK2i6d3x1qruCm8FJLxXri4Uzs0QXvtpIMaDJ53UTMTcQXnqZ_wYNwyrRU9b2lQ57nZo7OaJbIX126CmbnmF3pEFJ70oTpEcsuZ40ZjRfsm5F1XXg5pN1jOb0RFkjE5nrDCpNUW1bMapFQUOeBMCeO0tgEb0mH/w400-h229/thank%20you.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">other coverage:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYH0skYtgGacY5ZnbGy8DcwJDFMphKa7uEayH1qGpiZ0Lekvt6Y0f-wzhtuYecQHVuUhcTenkKGwPx1syWF_D4aqfyWvtjrImgFrl7WvCLzGE0oxNV87miu9FjdhVq7AWzU94zfM0uXCMrZhOrL-5hJkLGLS5DpqCFOE5eYvCMQe_8hOZ37bRbfQTrHVc/s749/press%20-%20Newsweek%209-12-23.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-weight: 400; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="749" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYH0skYtgGacY5ZnbGy8DcwJDFMphKa7uEayH1qGpiZ0Lekvt6Y0f-wzhtuYecQHVuUhcTenkKGwPx1syWF_D4aqfyWvtjrImgFrl7WvCLzGE0oxNV87miu9FjdhVq7AWzU94zfM0uXCMrZhOrL-5hJkLGLS5DpqCFOE5eYvCMQe_8hOZ37bRbfQTrHVc/w400-h241/press%20-%20Newsweek%209-12-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/i-was-told-stop-saying-gay-school-kids-i-refused-1826295" target="_blank"><i>Newsweek </i>9/12/23</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlsbyNpDjqKKBRzivvQogNPbw3Uvx1WETF9Yq3n9Fy97xEIEWH9VFEm1XA9VP7F80TTBQ82vMvFDq_EGmQ8GwViD1QdrTH8QPcCgwvNONGgRJQvOhch0yxSFPsbHGN4gAq5h07xGXY8Dq_wlwd8Ygo62jFlNtnudC6p4FCdO66y17v94nDGf6aLb5XF8g/s542/press%20-%20Associated%20Press%20(AP)%209-20-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="477" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlsbyNpDjqKKBRzivvQogNPbw3Uvx1WETF9Yq3n9Fy97xEIEWH9VFEm1XA9VP7F80TTBQ82vMvFDq_EGmQ8GwViD1QdrTH8QPcCgwvNONGgRJQvOhch0yxSFPsbHGN4gAq5h07xGXY8Dq_wlwd8Ygo62jFlNtnudC6p4FCdO66y17v94nDGf6aLb5XF8g/w353-h400/press%20-%20Associated%20Press%20(AP)%209-20-23.jpg" width="353" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/dont-say-gay-georgia-batman-187446af4b03ac9a4b8fc4757852b446" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">Associated Press (AP) 9/20/23</a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-yOhQYZyvYmVSjT6YcXADZR-vBkXG7VTbdywhzWGuHLPWPEtu_m74Q2_QSZR5WMnWF8XudrZg173XzUQSivlWVxOctLl7YzaKY61G_SZonAp92W_qB2LN2GNteZJhWSdq1D9GSqm7Q8Fx8Oh5d8fIFje73osbUZ_T3n9eYfnLqcvV60Szq7OV2HV7P6k/s1075/press%20-%20Los%20Angeles%20Times%209-3-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1075" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-yOhQYZyvYmVSjT6YcXADZR-vBkXG7VTbdywhzWGuHLPWPEtu_m74Q2_QSZR5WMnWF8XudrZg173XzUQSivlWVxOctLl7YzaKY61G_SZonAp92W_qB2LN2GNteZJhWSdq1D9GSqm7Q8Fx8Oh5d8fIFje73osbUZ_T3n9eYfnLqcvV60Szq7OV2HV7P6k/w400-h315/press%20-%20Los%20Angeles%20Times%209-3-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-09-03/batman-fred-finger-dc-entertainment-warner-bros-lgbtq-rights" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank"><i>Los Angeles Times</i> 9/3/23</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcaz4m973b2a3AgF0Z35F8wWkG-stTgQORoFoJGiD_lk4UI0XhNCy64mIUUyiMlgtsTM2gOMlEDpO5_Q-ocQm0s0YxLfOPsFA55hWIkhm7wrKb4I8fb32rdCFdyxU_L4vp6mVcaMvwZ3Pm2BlZ3enQ-Bs01oFy71EHBpb6qm75kA8Y2nQfI9TLhytWlEb/s835/press%20-%20NPR%20%5BGPB%20-%20GA%5D%208-28-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="835" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLcaz4m973b2a3AgF0Z35F8wWkG-stTgQORoFoJGiD_lk4UI0XhNCy64mIUUyiMlgtsTM2gOMlEDpO5_Q-ocQm0s0YxLfOPsFA55hWIkhm7wrKb4I8fb32rdCFdyxU_L4vp6mVcaMvwZ3Pm2BlZ3enQ-Bs01oFy71EHBpb6qm75kA8Y2nQfI9TLhytWlEb/w400-h195/press%20-%20NPR%20%5BGPB%20-%20GA%5D%208-28-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gpb.org/news/2023/08/28/forsyth-county-schools-cancel-talks-after-author-says-the-word-gay-elementary" style="font-family: arial;" target="_blank">NPR 8/28/23</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopGs5dIFo67TLpxmUibax-fiHpT3iPboTuihW0_MKaMnbx8JBNzuLIWACDdrZZdwlqcexif0x5iNK-v0gZJPcPa1FsUzgrh5nesB7UWMq6SHvxcOLouGJmAVc-KLy4G8_tQzJ_GJZPgOYsY-YOaZLMHsNdtucA7S8mNnAOO7KsqDeyZ-1dsYPaWF-xsFF/s1629/press%20-%20Daily%20Beast%20'New%20Abnormal'%209-8-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="1629" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopGs5dIFo67TLpxmUibax-fiHpT3iPboTuihW0_MKaMnbx8JBNzuLIWACDdrZZdwlqcexif0x5iNK-v0gZJPcPa1FsUzgrh5nesB7UWMq6SHvxcOLouGJmAVc-KLy4G8_tQzJ_GJZPgOYsY-YOaZLMHsNdtucA7S8mNnAOO7KsqDeyZ-1dsYPaWF-xsFF/w400-h108/press%20-%20Daily%20Beast%20'New%20Abnormal'%209-8-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">T</span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">he New Abnormal</span></i><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> (<i>The Daily Beast</i>)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">available wherever you stream podcasts; <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-elon-musk-can-change-the-world-with-one-flick-of-a-switch/id1508202790?i=1000627158575" target="_blank">here</a>, my segment begins at 40:57</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipXq8Wjr0FSZHoeaATQadIe8NEQPvNF0ts5_E9yhY0JH4frGASiioooWOwv_yMyAmg3tdGY7V_Raurbze0ce5XeDXWYqPixrrJ00OzMHWJdLkuY6peEJEQLNJ29lklOyJ_GesqCCBcJiMAuebHm9mCNy0rlLBC9u6VDoJkK35Y5m12fWsVWzFnpvwPOPC/s848/press%20-%20Guardian%2012-22-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="641" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipXq8Wjr0FSZHoeaATQadIe8NEQPvNF0ts5_E9yhY0JH4frGASiioooWOwv_yMyAmg3tdGY7V_Raurbze0ce5XeDXWYqPixrrJ00OzMHWJdLkuY6peEJEQLNJ29lklOyJ_GesqCCBcJiMAuebHm9mCNy0rlLBC9u6VDoJkK35Y5m12fWsVWzFnpvwPOPC/w303-h400/press%20-%20Guardian%2012-22-23.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/22/banned-books-censorship-lgbtq-teachers-authors-respond" target="_blank">The Guardian</a></i><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"> 12/22/23</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">(part of a year-end round-up of censorship in education)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">And twice in the <i>New York Times</i> daily newsletter </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;">“The Morning”:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEXfcuUhzP98KRW6VKLhq4yLbFcWwmDFMGm6minjCrlXG8CNUFn9zVHHg8zYxY6Bmn8uX5-KmsIIh-5TzEaaQsbp8PNbBJ4GtmVL4o_A6aEayUf_NZbUwIcmVlVIC-3jWyywl_L17xafAkUMVCtyTi9Hv8M24BwDr278VDOpDmumOsGfNk3mkbCcREN_6/s648/press%20-%20New%20York%20Times%20'The%20Morning'%208-31-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="648" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEXfcuUhzP98KRW6VKLhq4yLbFcWwmDFMGm6minjCrlXG8CNUFn9zVHHg8zYxY6Bmn8uX5-KmsIIh-5TzEaaQsbp8PNbBJ4GtmVL4o_A6aEayUf_NZbUwIcmVlVIC-3jWyywl_L17xafAkUMVCtyTi9Hv8M24BwDr278VDOpDmumOsGfNk3mkbCcREN_6/w400-h110/press%20-%20New%20York%20Times%20'The%20Morning'%208-31-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/31/briefing/crime.html" target="_blank">8/31/23</a></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgJSAw4j2Re1R6AJZikJEVX_j0Z0d7IpV-Zqk3Nl-9ipY7YEple7zfIXyCVDCpYgmk_ZSXbA7MMTJIqHhdEzwqxlyRFNROAlUMue_c332HMgOfUOQJhG32atyKlfveqHRlpjqm1Ep2JDoTtYOinuE-g5oOHCBM0BCaWONIy4Y3KWcDAC3K0L6YbxH7EEf/s612/press%20-%20New%20York%20Times%20'The%20Morning'%2010-6-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="612" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgJSAw4j2Re1R6AJZikJEVX_j0Z0d7IpV-Zqk3Nl-9ipY7YEple7zfIXyCVDCpYgmk_ZSXbA7MMTJIqHhdEzwqxlyRFNROAlUMue_c332HMgOfUOQJhG32atyKlfveqHRlpjqm1Ep2JDoTtYOinuE-g5oOHCBM0BCaWONIy4Y3KWcDAC3K0L6YbxH7EEf/w400-h305/press%20-%20New%20York%20Times%20'The%20Morning'%2010-6-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/06/briefing/kevin-mccarthy.html" target="_blank">10/6/23</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I emailed this to the five leaders involved:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">Hello Jeff, Jennifer, Brian, Eric, and Amber,</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">The response to you putting standards over empathy and honesty in Forsyth County schools has been overwhelming—and overwhelmingly condemned, from both friends and strangers, Forsyth parents and people <i>worldwide</i>. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">Here, however, are comments I’m getting from a small group of people who agree with your decision (none of whom heard my talk, read my book, saw my film, or met me):</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">[see above for images of the negative messages]</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><b>Groomer. Villain. Pervert. Creep. “Who raised you?”</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">I came to your community in good faith to share an inspirational message. Brian, Eric, and Amber: you experienced that firsthand and saw the enthusiastic way the kids reacted. Even the kids who heard “gay.”</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">The inaction of Forsyth County leadership sanctions the defamatory (and, objectively, unhinged) accusations your supporters are publicly making about me.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><i>These </i>are the people whose position you are protecting, even though these are <i>not </i>the people whom you make feel unwelcome in your district?</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">These are not the victims. They have not and will never suffer because other people love differently than they do. Apparently the Forsyth County standards also prohibit the Golden Rule.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">When you have to choose between the comfort of tolerant or intolerant people, and when one of those groups is in real danger, there is no choice. </span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">You gave in to the wrong side, and if you continue to do that, your legacy will be on the wrong side of history. Plus upholding discriminatory practices like you did this week will drive more and more good educators and families from your district.</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">But you can still turn this around by doing the following:</span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><ul><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">apologizing to your community for the apology </span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">apologizing to your community for censoring an established author who’s been doing this sensitively across 30 states and nearly 20 countries for 20+ years</span></li><li><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">challenging the standards that stigmatize the word “gay” in a country where same-sex marriage is legal and a county where gay people live</span></li></ul></ul></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: arial;">If your own conscience is not screaming at you to try to heal the wounds you’ve created, hopefully the compassionate perspective of the majority will.</span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">German Lutheran pastor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came" target="_blank">Martin Niemöller</a>, 1946:<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;">First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—</span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;">Because I was not a socialist.</span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;">Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—</span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;">Because I was not a trade unionist.</span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;">Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—</span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;">Because I was not a Jew.</span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: arial;">Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.</span></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">With apologies to Olivia Rodrigo:<br /></span><br /><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw5ZqW-JxGv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); 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font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw5ZqW-JxGv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Marc Tyler Nobleman (@marctnobleman)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><br /></p> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-47297390885449092432023-09-03T10:12:00.004-04:002023-09-03T22:17:25.187-04:00Obituary: Nedra Nobleman, my mom, 1944-2023<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Nedra Nobleman, 79, a technicolor dreamcoat of a woman, passed away in Hamden, CT, on August 28, 2023, with her two children by her side, loving her deeply.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6vM_V4A2CzO3Ek4XqPAOqrIbvc74KdweyYZs2fLS3YMr6fwov9GpJbwxsQYM7-S4-FwJZiv2-mMIlqjMfCnKkUstO41Yg0ZetadYUAq_xHLrDkqUeSsqBzN8xu18f3rVJRIbBb4EG86Q7x7Bqa_c1p_a636Od6Fe7c-2zkc4lb9af1514ijxsac4Ll2v/s4032/mom%202021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6vM_V4A2CzO3Ek4XqPAOqrIbvc74KdweyYZs2fLS3YMr6fwov9GpJbwxsQYM7-S4-FwJZiv2-mMIlqjMfCnKkUstO41Yg0ZetadYUAq_xHLrDkqUeSsqBzN8xu18f3rVJRIbBb4EG86Q7x7Bqa_c1p_a636Od6Fe7c-2zkc4lb9af1514ijxsac4Ll2v/w400-h300/mom%202021.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The upbeat attitude she maintained despite considerable challenges throughout her life was all the more inspirational because she was charmingly unaware of the willpower this took.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Born Nedra Michel in New Haven, CT, on May 27, 1944, she was only three when she lost her mother Beatrice. She attended Hillhouse High School and graduated Wheelock College in 1966 with a BS in Early Childhood Education. That summer, she visited Europe for the first time, keeping a travel journal peppered with choice comments including “By mistake, we sat through a Greek lecture. On what? Who knows.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGGhMjVCSY6Lc2S2i5zN3Tuyyv9Oo1Tj5WXUrUe9V07uOP_NN-H1vSGDh77aRuUIiDCOPVVuTwZXmEzKJ4DSAYCOP5fFAaxh_Qr3xDhyvA6rj-99sOWv-Mnw0rL_VH2YfXNfk_fFHMw_EZQa1YkjCqAavKann6FrrZrXEj4eoWdVjJbwlRjFMRyr2jC90/s760/mom%20sketching%20friend.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="691" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGGhMjVCSY6Lc2S2i5zN3Tuyyv9Oo1Tj5WXUrUe9V07uOP_NN-H1vSGDh77aRuUIiDCOPVVuTwZXmEzKJ4DSAYCOP5fFAaxh_Qr3xDhyvA6rj-99sOWv-Mnw0rL_VH2YfXNfk_fFHMw_EZQa1YkjCqAavKann6FrrZrXEj4eoWdVjJbwlRjFMRyr2jC90/w364-h400/mom%20sketching%20friend.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Her father Morris, who owned Michel’s Art Shop in New Haven, passed away in 1970. After working as a freelance portrait artist, teaching elementary school for several years, and writing and illustrating a <a href="https://www.noblemania.com/2014/05/the-odd-shaped-object-unpublished-1968.html" target="_blank">picture book that was never published</a>, Nedra and then-husband Howard had a son, Marc, and a daughter, Darby. Nedra took them to Sears to get their photos taken <i>a lot</i>. She believed the act of artistic creation should start from nothing, so she gave her kids blank paper rather than coloring books.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27n6l3GjKVaWFaVzEG8GeRoTaEVXUAVZ2tzy3R4KQoXPFwmeHixXpUS5EIxj0vQn1kNahGXiymwO2jhXqqEgc5qRFPudr8zvexQfjzqeXO_FJxe7yKOXLehm8waLfIqnnafGMHvmfFqw7_LaGRbiqvb3ZNy_Y1XOl967GyBrHyrFRMX3uCoGBeT70z9Fl/s695/mom%20and%20MTN%20sitting.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="673" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27n6l3GjKVaWFaVzEG8GeRoTaEVXUAVZ2tzy3R4KQoXPFwmeHixXpUS5EIxj0vQn1kNahGXiymwO2jhXqqEgc5qRFPudr8zvexQfjzqeXO_FJxe7yKOXLehm8waLfIqnnafGMHvmfFqw7_LaGRbiqvb3ZNy_Y1XOl967GyBrHyrFRMX3uCoGBeT70z9Fl/w388-h400/mom%20and%20MTN%20sitting.jpg" width="388" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK694Qfpo8pXKaeqL48cA3nOYUY9BDwPx9wMzvSuXl2eI9rMmwYQ9xiJzowpOopWH9P1ATyaGmNnBfmXh0gNReMkIJHReCkQ_tmxBhOydfCz9HQLJ_PTmx929ygnNKiguFalddLbNxMcacZK-BEbkZblJ2NvfNkqml1Dlz7Aj8SerOch0b0TnwPhjOd1aG/s3784/IMG_2017.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3784" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK694Qfpo8pXKaeqL48cA3nOYUY9BDwPx9wMzvSuXl2eI9rMmwYQ9xiJzowpOopWH9P1ATyaGmNnBfmXh0gNReMkIJHReCkQ_tmxBhOydfCz9HQLJ_PTmx929ygnNKiguFalddLbNxMcacZK-BEbkZblJ2NvfNkqml1Dlz7Aj8SerOch0b0TnwPhjOd1aG/w320-h400/IMG_2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">When she returned to work, she reinvented herself as a top salesperson for high-end jewelers (Peter Indorf, Sykes-Libby) and eclectic galleries (Wave, Endleman) in the New Haven area. At the same time, she designed and sold note cards and custom jewelry. Her workshop was the dining room table, except on Passover and Thanksgiving.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKg26rFz7js8sHmvBfkVB1sXQ15v23LfmtBbQCENE9-ueG6KZBsI_tRf-8QaHHGVPJ_uS6D8Z7BU7B7x1fFKJ6iSROb5SQt7mfmvpVWxwYMQJpdiDVaOtJGupaueHdS5BLQxFyGZsgWZHBK49z43eafJnIP_GIvWx-5yeOdLweftwZz-lewxFVEShy1YKL/s3130/mom%20glam%20ladies%20notecards.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3130" data-original-width="2414" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKg26rFz7js8sHmvBfkVB1sXQ15v23LfmtBbQCENE9-ueG6KZBsI_tRf-8QaHHGVPJ_uS6D8Z7BU7B7x1fFKJ6iSROb5SQt7mfmvpVWxwYMQJpdiDVaOtJGupaueHdS5BLQxFyGZsgWZHBK49z43eafJnIP_GIvWx-5yeOdLweftwZz-lewxFVEShy1YKL/w309-h400/mom%20glam%20ladies%20notecards.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">She was a gem brighter than any she wore.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUoP56ThfHVDgG3NNhjw1J5eYc9bRLC7UHhRk_zkUZrNP7uRzoi20O2Vx32JP7zRl5_XVAcCMAoQeFsnZcjXZPABoJtf0O4Y4MU7JuNXPHM0Kg0Tsu72vLuFm9AMX2JCSk6CGmUvPPZ7WJPlw5ScC7XOebSTWpyrs-sGf6_r-BqI7J8iNLY1VcU8p814x/s1057/mom%20'80s.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1017" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUoP56ThfHVDgG3NNhjw1J5eYc9bRLC7UHhRk_zkUZrNP7uRzoi20O2Vx32JP7zRl5_XVAcCMAoQeFsnZcjXZPABoJtf0O4Y4MU7JuNXPHM0Kg0Tsu72vLuFm9AMX2JCSk6CGmUvPPZ7WJPlw5ScC7XOebSTWpyrs-sGf6_r-BqI7J8iNLY1VcU8p814x/s320/mom%20'80s.JPG" width="308" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She nicely ran a mean garage sale.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She could beat you at Scrabble.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She habitually scribbled often indecipherable notes on any scrap of paper within reach, clipped them together in arbitrary groupings, then rarely if ever looked at them again.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She pursued a rich array of cultural activities, from finding treasures at crafts shows to ushering at Long Wharf Theatre. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She didn’t like cats till she loved them and opened her home to several, starting with Teva.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">HSN really stands for “Here Spends Nedra.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">T.J. Maxx should name an aisle after her.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Think of 20 colors. Her signature outfit featured all of them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Emotionally intelligent, she was willing to learn from her children and laugh at herself. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8vb-l6LA_JUFUVRa4Uj1TISkQoFuq4_hTQaydfGu6UqxVfUReGNr5zlUysaAp9_2o352zKBPrcZ6csBNLCDOLQnZRBwRjc2jtUgqti4mjAgKXVL0fYlhkTtNYJbkXbnNgwhX8AWnYHsmkCvvx7renLa880ea2IOQEAlydUKVRYfT_jPsMS64sbLXZT32/s856/mom%20Coca-Cola%20Coke%20pants%201977.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="467" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8vb-l6LA_JUFUVRa4Uj1TISkQoFuq4_hTQaydfGu6UqxVfUReGNr5zlUysaAp9_2o352zKBPrcZ6csBNLCDOLQnZRBwRjc2jtUgqti4mjAgKXVL0fYlhkTtNYJbkXbnNgwhX8AWnYHsmkCvvx7renLa880ea2IOQEAlydUKVRYfT_jPsMS64sbLXZT32/w219-h400/mom%20Coca-Cola%20Coke%20pants%201977.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She outlived most of her best friends, losing several way too young: Mickey, Andrea, Sandy, Colleen, Barbara.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">May her memory be a blessing…and a beacon. She did not think of herself as a leader but led by example her whole life. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat79VZXdxhENsqJ482YWpylGOKb9_zVLeiD6VSq2Buxj0b5k_jI3JzQtRt7Y7_QcBsLLnketnVC9BbjZCpIQFyKSkgoWdoSOWETC5AaKwMlHEQ-5s1GZzazTU6eCO6jz0IDgZ8M4R56ZFNe0dV6euBe3bVAf0PWEvGHLzabLKSvdk2s6AhKRG8vx3A3Jt/s3081/IMG_8865%20mom.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3081" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat79VZXdxhENsqJ482YWpylGOKb9_zVLeiD6VSq2Buxj0b5k_jI3JzQtRt7Y7_QcBsLLnketnVC9BbjZCpIQFyKSkgoWdoSOWETC5AaKwMlHEQ-5s1GZzazTU6eCO6jz0IDgZ8M4R56ZFNe0dV6euBe3bVAf0PWEvGHLzabLKSvdk2s6AhKRG8vx3A3Jt/w400-h393/IMG_8865%20mom.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Nedra will be kept alive by Marc and Darby, Marc’s wife Daniela, Darby’s husband David, and grandchildren Lara, Asher, Rafael, and Jonah.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJdY06b_9Rr3JXRQtZSFHANLXnSWaLgUPko8pKnsj8vfl72S_uYWI4UdBbO5lIHYCsUmrhlRz-1Iiaxq_5kneZVwCsOsQcvvaywBLukq5CLPsgXJTclXDSxjQI1Ux-pWT1ht1SJkn41pWhQf8Fsrzd2NinHe4w-tn9IBK2kYjvXiVOTLEBA0pKUb6VAIN/s4032/IMG_0920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJdY06b_9Rr3JXRQtZSFHANLXnSWaLgUPko8pKnsj8vfl72S_uYWI4UdBbO5lIHYCsUmrhlRz-1Iiaxq_5kneZVwCsOsQcvvaywBLukq5CLPsgXJTclXDSxjQI1Ux-pWT1ht1SJkn41pWhQf8Fsrzd2NinHe4w-tn9IBK2kYjvXiVOTLEBA0pKUb6VAIN/w400-h300/IMG_0920.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">last photo of Darby and me with our mom, 8/9/23</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She would not miss the chance to buy herself a chair shaped like a giant shoe or a third Kindle though the first two were unopened, but she took even more pleasure in giving gifts. The best one was her presence among us for nearly 80 years, which was not nearly long enough.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjqfLvD5rlPbSMnwVcwVb1umUbOnHlIUG4QDbOq5nRMvYjfkrsRR0PippXsxrnZT-XGtkcXrzOxcXSDcGTJBZ3LONvzD766rEXY-mHv__i-tWAsG3QkNywAndgXTug7WTyP1xfjcwIFFNF0uKpGOPhIRdRknJ2yAERcRthFFecP1iOm_Zc3UMRqymCPJC/s136/Nedra%20license%20plate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="72" data-original-width="136" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjqfLvD5rlPbSMnwVcwVb1umUbOnHlIUG4QDbOq5nRMvYjfkrsRR0PippXsxrnZT-XGtkcXrzOxcXSDcGTJBZ3LONvzD766rEXY-mHv__i-tWAsG3QkNywAndgXTug7WTyP1xfjcwIFFNF0uKpGOPhIRdRknJ2yAERcRthFFecP1iOm_Zc3UMRqymCPJC/w320-h170/Nedra%20license%20plate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-86752959244392833932023-07-03T11:21:00.007-04:002023-07-16T08:42:08.871-04:00#KidlitForUkraine author killed in Ukraine<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Victoria Amelina was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/03/world/europe/ukraine-writer-kramatorsk-victoria-amelina.html?unlocked_article_code=nF1cpzEU88h8dXC-rg2awrFnTVKt38mwMyYT78g8HXuPAOhEUy8ED5X-mJC15y73z0B25rPUDPeD6BKpIZw62t3TB2oQYOscSNrLhxqK4ZS7-S9IdMOHPKUK5vi44wDD6DN71OaR6LaVspO5VKZ0bEHIbwdktYSrUKhii79nMRR4Ier-NgmZjTrLGH0UoudCspiKcqhu0rMSZWqNuWsrn9dZ4nCJIyMxD3ubADiIBJCugp13i3TMtruNM0iZ78Yd1Qlv3VOI-nHDVBBD1JRRlmghPQQSjnYrJz042xMhT4DF_L3XsZmRW8rQAT1YZbITt26sk2z2VO0ZBtUFhgn-2NGpayyd2pvIBfP-sd0IDv2vhelocA5n2LA&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare" target="_blank">killed in Ukraine</a> last week. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She was one of the authors who participated in our #KidlitForUkraine <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=009WocqZXSA" target="_blank">Stories of Hope benefit</a> last year. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN-bp_m4AZLwm0TiQ8PdDXVgEl68s5JLZhOUMzvjvTMJI40dskf0b4bCsAVP0RADMyS4LnTlYqL9n6czb_TA_knfHiGzAiJA3JFMzMoEX7pnEYLQ_YIyYdZDCMpEy1wjtL3UOF8APlfgSRyjONNtPj2tHcyVLdH8TCZ2IWLuhS_nRcZO23_pnP7B2ceGO/s1666/10%20Victoria%20Amelina.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1666" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDN-bp_m4AZLwm0TiQ8PdDXVgEl68s5JLZhOUMzvjvTMJI40dskf0b4bCsAVP0RADMyS4LnTlYqL9n6czb_TA_knfHiGzAiJA3JFMzMoEX7pnEYLQ_YIyYdZDCMpEy1wjtL3UOF8APlfgSRyjONNtPj2tHcyVLdH8TCZ2IWLuhS_nRcZO23_pnP7B2ceGO/w400-h246/10%20Victoria%20Amelina.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I knew little about her and it adds to the sadness that we learn <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/07/15/1187498040/russia-ukraine-war-writers-killed" target="_blank">more of her greatness</a> because of tragedy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Despite grim news left, right, and sideways, hope you are all finding ways to focus on the positive.</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-24012090184878962272023-06-22T23:00:00.003-04:002023-07-16T08:42:39.193-04:00"CBS Evening News" announces Superman creators will receive benefits, restored credit (12/23/75)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Introduced by Walter Cronkite, the closing segment of the 12/23/75 <i>CBS Evening News</i> announced that after decades of lawsuits, humilliation, and other hardships, writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster (then age 61) would finally receive yearly benefits and restored credit for Superman, who debuted in 1938.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2bU4-Tqr8W4" width="380" youtube-src-id="2bU4-Tqr8W4"></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Segment from the Television News Archive at Vanderbilt University.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtPfCV3Gn-P5rSwS54-OqQ8miJRRBGcqV85_b2QKrwmnZRr1AMDN3QpMZQ2O4SNkU-qTVjkA1EzSfcC0dt4na4fZ2-nrd9QpdZ21JB-39u8tToE88kIL_TiH2Fes_IMmVRv8XY1nWy1EXyGYYJ8dJ4PZEc5BxaQBH1-BzWpV7-DRzcWV12pAE6Q-BjTsd/s1352/CBS%20Evening%20News%2012-23-75%20-%20Siegel%20and%20Shuster%20signing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="1352" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtPfCV3Gn-P5rSwS54-OqQ8miJRRBGcqV85_b2QKrwmnZRr1AMDN3QpMZQ2O4SNkU-qTVjkA1EzSfcC0dt4na4fZ2-nrd9QpdZ21JB-39u8tToE88kIL_TiH2Fes_IMmVRv8XY1nWy1EXyGYYJ8dJ4PZEc5BxaQBH1-BzWpV7-DRzcWV12pAE6Q-BjTsd/w400-h286/CBS%20Evening%20News%2012-23-75%20-%20Siegel%20and%20Shuster%20signing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6611875170009784219.post-83719067783555460992023-05-21T20:30:00.001-04:002023-05-21T20:30:12.139-04:00“Geek, and You Shall Find” (2019 documentary about comic books)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That post title misses the key point. The <a href="https://www.geekandyoushallfind.com/" target="_blank">film</a> is about the power of comics in the real world. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7lCqUDlZyIiqSHzomCN0GerXJGF70LTc8m-fNg45sJ9aSh5GrbE0Cqk-4f3TUxjdY2iOgBhc4lV3W9ceZaSab31WybDdtyIOEn1E67emjrg0wxKPnN8OHY9j2lBpyO_hQTj8Klmgf9J2COZWsIwK9BmWhncJNEwMBwLwnonr_P73-ev53jBefQ87vA/s773/Geek%20and%20You%20Shall%20Find%20-%20poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="512" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7lCqUDlZyIiqSHzomCN0GerXJGF70LTc8m-fNg45sJ9aSh5GrbE0Cqk-4f3TUxjdY2iOgBhc4lV3W9ceZaSab31WybDdtyIOEn1E67emjrg0wxKPnN8OHY9j2lBpyO_hQTj8Klmgf9J2COZWsIwK9BmWhncJNEwMBwLwnonr_P73-ev53jBefQ87vA/w265-h400/Geek%20and%20You%20Shall%20Find%20-%20poster.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="font-family: arial;">Geek, and You Shall Find</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> starts off winning with that clever name (though I suspect that phrase predates the doc). But its depth took me by pleasant surprise. It touches on an eclectic yet trenchant range of topics, from Stetson Kennedy’s use of the Superman radio show to expose the Ku Klux Klan in the 1940s to the 2010s character Priya, an Indian woman who survives a rape and becomes a superhero. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I was tipped off about the film by an educator at a school that may bring me in to speak. Not only did I not know till this month that <i>Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman</i> is mentioned in this 2019 release (</span><span style="font-family: arial;">around the 4:37 mark)</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, but when I thanked the person who was thoughtful to credit me on screen—Arlen Schumer—he </span><span style="font-family: arial;">didn’t remember participating!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84-Q1ngTdaIXYXzb0rwMAx1i_dWc7YFkoYcx3NvF1lcb-aDX3JcofccBDEni6XqpFCGr9NyCBpy2mPyj9uv3rn16uajlxsKHcFd8XwK5Fu8QcBgNccxpb4iGbdHAtLDEMmX-l5TsahQQzR7YjA-4-IjQT4mKWul9onU_3N-3Bzn-g468NANP-IVvVbw/s1920/Geek%20and%20You%20Shall%20Find%20-%20screen%20capture%20of%20BOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84-Q1ngTdaIXYXzb0rwMAx1i_dWc7YFkoYcx3NvF1lcb-aDX3JcofccBDEni6XqpFCGr9NyCBpy2mPyj9uv3rn16uajlxsKHcFd8XwK5Fu8QcBgNccxpb4iGbdHAtLDEMmX-l5TsahQQzR7YjA-4-IjQT4mKWul9onU_3N-3Bzn-g468NANP-IVvVbw/w400-h225/Geek%20and%20You%20Shall%20Find%20-%20screen%20capture%20of%20BOS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">To quote lots of comics: is this real, or is it an imaginary story?</span></div>Marc Tyler Noblemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10732005290440645718noreply@blogger.com0