An Ode To My Favorite Teacher, Lois Orth-Lopes

 

Hello and welcome back to my monthly blog. Today we’re talk about the people that I once met and know ever since I first moved to Kansas to live in Lawrence.

My teacher Lois Orth-Lopes.

I’ve met her for the first time ever since I’ve first gone to Cordley Elementary School, and I bet she was really happy to meet me. And I’m really proud that she’s one of my favorite teachers in Kansas. It was the start of my first school year starting with kindergarten. We first got together learned a lot of things. See back in the day when she and I met, we played around, learned my ABCs and how to count, made some art projects, watch Disney movies, all that stuff. When Lois and I were at the computer lab using the computer to try new things, we looked at Thinkin Things.

I remember playing with Thinkin Things long time ago, I really liked the flying spheres and the flying shapes that make funny sounds. The best part of it is that I record sounds with those shapes in less than three seconds. It was amazing.

I love how those shapes are moving.

I also remember that time in the computer lab when I was using HyperStudio. I was creating a project for school, and of course I was using just to fool around. That was cool too. I also remember that time after school when she took me and my mom out to Dairy Queen to get some soft-serve ice cream. That was fun too.

During my school year, I learned about the two countries in South America, Bolivia & Peru. That project I did was called "Countries Around The World". And trust me, my sixth grade class really loved it.  The music I used for this school project was Inca Son because it sounded really soothing because of the pan flutes and beautiful vocals. The pictures in this video were authentic and cinematic like in documentaries on television. The llamas, the people, the plants, the dancing, they’re just fantastic. And you know what else is? The Andes Mountains! I remember learning about those in this project, it was majestic when I see them on the screen. After the credits rolled, there was a slideshow that I made combining all the pictures of Bolivia and Peru all in one show. Then after the slideshow came my name flying on the screen. We made this entire project right here was at Avalon Video here at 849 E 9th St. That was where it used it be located here. The end of the video project had the logo which said AJ/K/L Education Media on it. Then just before the video was done, it said the words “Adios Amigos!” As it flys away from the screen.  It was a great video project my school has ever seen before.

Lucky me.

During music class, my class and I were singing a medley of many songs heard on Share The Music. It was about the weekend, Aesop, yelling, the ants story, the fox and the crow, and the giving what you’re giving part. It was a practice of words that I’ve sang in my entire life. My folks were very proud of me when I sang my heart out. I was really happy when my parents and my teachers congratulated me with our performance. I always knew I wanted to be a singer in my own time in my younger years. Even Mrs. Sue Evans taught me how to do that along with the others.

Now here’s something that you might remember while during the school year. It was that time I invited all my friends from Cordley including my favorite teachers and Mrs. Orth-Lopes. We all got together at my house for my first dance party. We had a lot of fun, played a lot of good music, enjoyed all the good food and drink, and got down on the dance floor. Till then it was raining outside and there was a thunderstorm coming in, then the power went out and everything was dark. But the party continued when my dad started playing guitar for the kids. They really loved it as they were singing along with him. Especially me. At least it was fun!

Every Halloween when I was a kid, I went trick-or-treating all over downtown Lawrence while I was in costume. Everyone else was in costume too. I got a bunch of candy in my trick-or-treat bag and just as I suspected, we finally stopped at Lois’s house, knocked on her door and she gave me some candy too. She was happy to see me. Speaking of which, I remember that time during the summer season when I was pulling weeds out of the sidewalk for a small fee just to help her out. I even got to water her plants in the backyard and in her garden as I did a little gardening in the yard. I knew that I was sweating when I kept pulling them out. I really love the artwork that she has in her house. That piece of art is one from an artist Roger Shimomura.

His paintings were like really artistic and totally abstract like in a cartoon.

In fact, a couple of his paintings were seen at the Spencer Art Museum.

"Dinner Conversation with Nancy"

and

"Diary"

I like his artwork because it reminds me of my collage art work I make up of my own too. Way back when I was at Central Junior High, I was making collage art for a composition notebook of my own. Usually, I use cut out pieces of pictures printed on computer. But I currently prefer cutout pictures from magazines though. That way it can also fit my artistic style with my paintings. Make it more mixed media.

If I'd go to Lois's house to visit, I can talk about the time I came in here to celebrate a party for someone I remember in Cordley. Her name was Kris, and I gotta say she was always there for me since the summer season. And like Ms. Orth-Lopes, she will always be there for me. Like always. I remember that time when she made a copy of Nancy Cassidy's Jubilee tape. I really loved listening to that cassette tape from back in the day. It was really beautiful and yet somehow pretty cool.

If I could think about the time Ms. Orth-Lopes and the others did a funny musical show in the resource room downstairs, I can think of song parodies that they sang for me. Ones based on songs like "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", "My Boyfriend's Back", and "Every Breath You Take". It was extremely funny for me to watch in person. Sebastian Alfie played the guitar and Lois and the others did the vocals.

And if I were to visit Cordley again anytime soon, I can have her watch me entertain the kids with my puppetry in the classroom. That'll be really fun to do, and I hope that I can do that once again. Lois really loved my Buzzy the Bee puppet a lot, although I'm gonna need to upgrade him because one of his antenna was falling off. And I hope that my bee puppet will get fixed really soon because all of this needs to be done. And sometimes puppets like this can get worn out randomly.

Now get this one, I remember when I called Lois up on the phone to see what was going on. So I said hello. As we were talking on the phone, I asked her to meet her for lunch sometime, and she told me "yes". So she and I went out for lunch at The Mad Greek. We really love the pita bread, especially the Greek food there. I’ll never forget the time I visited Lawrence that Thanksgiving and met with her and Sebastian for lunch at The Mad Greek also. They were both happy to see me again. That was that last day of my vacation in Lawrence Kansas before we got back to Bluffton. It was also authentic and terrific too because I've been to The Mad Greek before when I was a kid, and I can only imagine what it looked like when Greece was the thing to check out in the future. I also thought about maybe putting together a special school play about a tribute to the music in Greece. I would think that might be a great idea to put on a play like that one.

Here’s yet another thing that I remember doing that St. Patrick’s Day right after I joined the parade. I met up with her at Dempseys Burgers and Pub for a special lunch together. We were talking about the time I joined the St. Patrick’s Day parade with the good folks at Americana Music Academy when I waving to the people, and she really liked it when I was doing that for them. It was that time while I was wearing green that day of the parade. We were having a really great time in that float. You know, I should’ve brought candy with me so I can give some to the people who are watching it downtown. While at Dempseys, I was really talking to her about some ideas for my next segment on my puppet show on my YouTube channel. Mine would be Buzzy talking about art and the paintings those artists made including Wayne Thiebald and his retrospective on his art. She would really like it a lot because it’s a really great idea. While planning on getting my puppet Buzzy upgraded and good as new, I might have somebody else like a substitute puppet host to fill in for him. Buzzy will appreciate it a lot.

Tell you what, I’ll come up with another cool idea for a puppet character later on in the bonus blog entry coming to you real soon.

Anyway, what I remember the most about my teacher Lois Orth-Lopes is that she helped me out with the stuff a learned from when I was in Cordley, and when she even helped me out with my things I’ve been having trouble with. In fact, what I really love the most is being there for me and spending some time with her for lunch. And I hope that I will get to do this once again when I’m finally back in Lawrence. So here’s one more thing that I remember in 2022 when I visited Lawrence the second time. It was during the 20th anniversary of Americana Music Academy when I got to see her at Liberty Hall. She was really happy to see me once again along with Sebastian. I got to say hi to her and talk to her for a while. She even got to see three of my videos I made for everyone to see. She really loved the ‘Pie’ video too. Even ‘Mama Don’t Know’. Did I also mention ‘Nolan On the Moors’ too? 

Now you know!

Before we stop for now, here’s one my honorable mentions of other teachers that I remember at Cordley.

Heidi Cokley

I remember the first time I met her on my next school year here at Cordley Elementary School. I remember that time when I was with her in the resource room with the other paras where the treadmill, the toys, the keyboard, and the board games use to be. She and I got together and played a game of cards, played a couple board games, and she helped me out with some English fill-in-the-blank assignments and math equations too. That was really nice of her to do that for me. Mrs. Cokley is also one of my other favorite teachers that I remember seeing as always. When I got together with Heidi, she and I would play around and see who would win. And I tell you, I’m always a pro at these board games. And she and Lois are really proud of me for that too. What a nice teacher, and a really great sport!

Well anyway, that was my ode to one of my favorite teachers. Lois, I'm giving the special blog to you as a moment of appreciation and for how much I care about you. You are one of my favorite teachers I've known in my entire life ever since I lived in Lawrence. Thank you for being a good friend to me, Lois. And I really miss you, but I'll promise you that when I come back to Lawrence Kansas again, we'll get together and have lunch some time. Oh, and I hope that maybe soon we can come up with a special new play for Cordley Elementary School. And this time, I'll direct it if you don't mind. Anyways, have a great day Lois and I'll see you soon.

And that's it for my special blog, check back later for more stories on my next Lawrence Kansas Monthly Blog. And don't forget to stay tuned for more great stories about the people I know and love, and who I can stay in touch with.

Have a good rest of your day, y'all! And peace out!