Friends

Jan 2004

South Haven, MI

Baltimore City Public Schools

http://profiles.friendster.com/markmiazga

Michigan State University, South Haven High School

Michigan State University, Attended 1995 - 2000, Class of 1999, Bachelor's Degree, English Education

HS English Teacher - Baltimore City Public Schools

National Council of Teachers of English, American Baseball Coaches Association, Holden's Lair House Concerts, Ze Mean Bean Cafe

movies, live music, writing, reading, fitness, working out, pets, sports, baseball, Detroit Tigers

To Kill a Mockingbird, The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Moneyball, The Known World, In Cold Blood, Prep, Giovanni's Room, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, A Farewell to Arms, A Lesson Before Dying, The Color Purple, Bee Season, The Catcher in the Rye, Soft Maniacs, Life of Pi, Beloved

Magnolia, Heathers, Pump Up the Volume, Best of Show, Babe, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Adaptation, Being John Malkovich, Good Will Hunting, Three Kings, The Wizard of Oz, Bowling for Columbine, My Cousin Vinny, Signs, Slam, The Hours, The Squid and the Whale, Capote, The Royal Tenenbaums

Brenda Kahn, Bruce Springsteen, Weezer, Saul Williams, Jeff Buckley, Ray Charles, Tracy Chapman, Wally Pleasant, Ella Fitzgerald, Jill Scott, Melissa Ferrick, Patty Griffin, Sam Shaber, A Tribe Called Quest, Common, Ben Harper, John Mayer, Dan Bern, Mos Def, Counting Crows, Nelly, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Old 97s, Juliana Hatfield, Jay-Z, Kristin Plater

24, Six Feet Under, Alias, Friends, Will & Grace, Scrubs, The West Wing. The Wire. But, I don't have cable.

Leo

I'm a high school English teacher in Baltimore, a baseball coach, a waiter, and a house concert host. Life is good!

I grew up in Michigan, mostly in a SW corner beach town called South Haven, but a few years in the Detroit area. I went to college at Michigan State, where my big thing was probably residence life; I worked as an RA, ASAC, and Asst. Hall Director over four years. Being involved in all that was definitely influential in my becoming a teacher, and cemented some great friendships.

My time at MSU also got me involved in indie music, as I started a music venue in the basement of my dorm where a bunch of cool people played. Since I moved to Baltimore, I've had monthly house concerts with national artists performing in my living room. Check out http://holdenslair.blogspot.com - all invited!

After student teaching in Lansing City Public Schools and loving it, I knew I was most interested in urban education in my career pursuits. I threw a dart in a map, aiming in the south somewhere, and ended up in Baltimore. I got placed at a great school where I don't feel like I'm banging my head against the wall (great, flexible curriculum; sweet kids; superb colleagues), and have been there for five years. I also coach baseball and run Outward Bound, and was voted "Most Involved Teacher" by this year's seniors. And I truly love my job, even the year I was worried about getting laid off everyday or even this year when I don't even have a classroom, and live a pretty happy life.

I'm known for my Charlie Brown-esque misadventures and my triumphs over them. Like the time I got sued for $10,000 on a total BS case involving a fake dog bite and couldn't afford a lawyer and went to court to fight it and won while representing myself. Or the time my retinas detached and had major eye surgeries to prevent blindness and just put on my sunglasses afterwards and missed only three days of school. I just soldier on, my optimism and integrity intact.

I'm seeking interesting people, a workout partner, and anything else that might come my way via here. Pleasant surprises welcome. I love baseball, movies (The Charles), theater, live music, hanging out in chill bars (Brewer's Art, Thirsty Dog, Slainte), going to the gym, going out to eat, and animals.