January 26, 2005
Wanda Shirk, Survivor
It's about time I've posted about this, seeing's how I've known for almost two weeks now: my old High School English teacher is going to be on the next Survivor.
Now I haven't paid attention to Survivor (this is the tenth series, fer criyin' out loud) since the infamous big, fat, naked guy was grossing everyone out, but it seems that there is still plenty of interest out there. There are zillions of internet forums about the show, and several devoted just to Wanda along with various biographies and linking sites.
Not that I want you to waste any of your time reading those forums. The consensus there seems to be that Wanda should get booted from the island based on her singing alone; although, those who have actually read her biography give her a better chance. Some even like her songs.
I myself remember sitting in class on the rare occasions that Wanda would indeed favor us with song. The same kind of unabashed glee came through in her expository style whenever she read to us from some text. We would sit in class cringing with naive, teenage cynicism at such displays, but deep down most of us respected and even liked Mrs. Shirk.
So I'll be watching Survivor on February 17th (not the 14th like I originally said [thanks, JP!]), rooting for that yearbook advisor, that lover of Dickinson, that sentence-diagrammer-extraordinaire: Wanda Shirk.
UPDATE: Seth's got a little something posted about Wanda on Cup O' Books (Jan. 27th entry).
Sad to say, we are big into Survivor at our house. God, I can't believe I just admitted that publicly. The kids make us watch it. No, really, they do.
We'll give Wanda special consideration as we decide who to root for and who to mock.
Good luck to her at any rate. As a class (no pun intended), I think English teachers are more deserving of a million dollars than lots of other professions regularly represented on Survivor. Such as college-aged hottie/bartender. That passes for a profession these days, does it not?
Sigh. I am such a middle-aged hag.
"you've never lived until you've tried....
hog-bellies with stuffing inside"
Ted
Posted by: Ted at January 27, 2005 10:57 PMThe saddest thing I ever did see,
Was a woodpecker peckin' at a plastic tree.
He looked an me
And "Friend", said he,
"Things aren't as sweet as they used to be."
One of many things I still remember from Mrs. Shirk's class is this Shel Silverstein poem. I picked to memorize because it was short. Mrs. Shirk knew exactly why I had picked it, and used the opportunity to teach me how much can be said in just a few words.
The poem isn't epic, but the lesson was and I still remember it.
I hope she wins a million dollars, she'll spend it better than the rest of them.
Posted by: Seth Hopkins at January 27, 2005 11:13 PMIf only I had known back when I was dropping out of grad school that hottie-bartending could be a lucrative profession. I coulda been a contendah.
Not.
Posted by: Ken at January 28, 2005 09:58 AMI will be watching Survivior this season. I never thaught that we'd be looking at Mrs. Shirk on a show such as this. My first reaction was "God I hope she isn't the next nude loving contestant on the show."
I hope she does well. If nothing eles she got her moment of fame.
Love the Hog Bellies!!!
Kay
Posted by: Kay at January 28, 2005 07:08 PMThe show premieres on Feb. 17, NOT Feb. 14, so make sure to watch it that day!!!
Posted by: JP at January 30, 2005 06:48 PMBen-Lag
Capitalism, Chinese-Style
Year of the Sleeping Dog
Learning from Each Other
Home at Last
We Are Family
Ladies Man
Feeling Blessed
Traveling in a Pack
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
