826 Blog

by Lesley R

The streets of Greenwood crawled with well-disguised spies during the workshop “Eye Spyz” on a sunny Saturday in April.

About a dozen students donned stick-on mustaches, goofy hats and over-sized sunglasses as part of a covert operation to learn how to observe – secretly - the little details that make writing so interesting.

I helped instructor Bill McCarty (who has actually visited the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.) lead the class, and wasn’t sure what to expect. But all the kids seemed to get into the idea of costumes and the reconnaissance mission to gather information in the outside world.

One assignment was to watch people at the bus stop around the corner. Each student had to pick one person, write down a detailed description, and then combine the real-life details with their imagination. The result was funny, creative short stories. Was that woman actually a spy for the Canadians? What was really in the Safeway bag that man was holding?

The students also had a chance to do some undercover spying back at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co., where a group was conducting a reading of War and Peace. Some very suspicious characters there indeed.

Generally, we put student writing in our Studio section, but this was such a lovely and short piece written with tutor Jen K.’s help during Drop-in, that we decided to put it on our blog.

Me by Hannah — age 8

Me…
a crazy person.
A crazy person living among craziness and then just then when a jerky story begins just as any other once upon story….
it stops and tells itself what the heck am I doing?
Is that or does that ever happen?
In this crazy life?
But I just hold on.
Hold on to life and its problems.
Terrible problems but somehow wonderful craziness.

by Jen K.

It’s another quiet Thursday afternoon here at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. Outside our glass portals, sun filters down through the grayish cloud cover, creating a sense of warmth I wish was present inside. Quiet, except that there’s construction going on next door at the soon-to be-gelato stand and the occasional forceful pounding of a jackhammer vibrates the walls, making it seem like there’s a giant woodpecker trying to get through.

We’ve had several customers so far today in need of items for their space travel agendas. Things that bounce and emit light have been the most popular. A woman came in with her kids and bought her first Astronaut Ice Cream (Mint Chocolate Chip) and then shared some with her son and daughter. Everyone agreed it tasted exactly like it looks it might. The dog whimpered at being left out of the tasting.

The kids did a thorough test of our Alien Brain stock, making sure each was still pleasantly malleable. The daughter remarked that when squeezed just right, the Brain looks like a bouquet of bubbles. I think that’s a wonderful description and especially kind considering most folks just say, “EEWWWW!” or “GROSS!” upon discovering how the Brain reacts to a firm grip.

Now it’s quiet again and I’m watching cars sit patiently awaiting the light to turn green. Often I see drivers and passengers staring at our storefront and can tell they’re befuddled. Hopefully they’ll stop by sometime and ask that magic question, “Ok, what are you guys REALLY?” Then we’ll let them know.

by Kursten, age 15, 8th grade Whitman Middle School

Well, how should I start? First off, at 826 Seattle you can get help with homework like math, science, reading, writing or spelling. It really helps you a lot. And the tutors really do help you get everything done, and right!

What most of the students that come here really like about it is that you can get your homework done, play games at 5:30 (30 minutes of games until closing and then everyone has to go home), and chat! Yeah, we all know that everyone loves to chat at school and when you do it you get into trouble. But here at 826 Seattle you can chat as much as you want! (But you still have to work on something, like homework).

When you’re done with your homework you can go home, read, chat with friends, tutors or staff, or you can also go into the very back office and either chat with the people back there or help Alex with what she needs to get done because she’s “too busy”! Sometimes it is cool to do the tasks that Alex gives you, unless it’s just “work to be done!” like she usually says. But no matter what, it makes time fly by, and quickly!

Sometimes I personally do get annoyed by the staff and/or the tutors, but all I can say is that you will get over it. I have real close friends here and I’ll never forget them!

By Alex
Yesterday during drop-in tutoring, we had a first-time-ever-during-drop-in event occur right under our noses! Well, more specifically right under the nose of Leo, a 3rd grader who comes to us to get help with his homework. Leo was innocently eating some string cheese when one of his bottom teeth (a loose one in the front) fell out! Everyone got pretty excited. Leo got a few high fives and showed us the new open space where the tooth had been. Toffer helped him ceremoniously put the tooth in a Ziploc for safe keeping and he wrote the date and time in Sharpie on the front. Leo, unfazed, continued working on his homework almost immediately.

By Lynne

Finally finding a way to volunteer at 826 Seattle was a great way to kick off 2008. Those tutoring and store hours have been tough to fit in my schedule, but roller in hand, I happily joined a small but enthusiastic crew to tackle some painting over the weekend. There were tall ladders, flying paint chips, and very bold colors in small spaces to contend with, but we accomplished our mission and didn’t even break any of the hanging lamps. Teri kept us entertained and informed with tidbits of the latest 826 news and kept us fueled with coffee and pizza. As always it was great to meet a few more volunteers and especially easy to remember names because all of the guys were named Tim. I managed to avoid spending much time in the bathrooms, which left several painters with visions of powdered Mac ‘N Cheese packets dancing in their heads, but I did hone some important painting skills should I ever get around to my own list of home improvement projects. I hope everyone enjoys the new window box, tropical toilets, and minty fresh green office.

by Toffer

Unlike Kanye West, we don’t do it for the glory.

It is a cold, overcast Seattle day, and our tutors are here working with kids on a variety of assignments. It is hard work that often goes unappreciated at the time. Tutors rarely learn about how a kid does on a homework assignment. Or the score of a test that they helped a kid study for. They show up each day and, no matter what the assignment, give it their best try. I don’t want to take a turn for the sentimental, but this is the week of Thanksgiving. So, here goes: I’m thankful for all of my tutors that come here once a week for three hours (a couple tutors help out more than that) and work hard to make 826 Seattle an engaging and exciting place for kids.

They don’t do it for the glory.

by Toffer

I’ve been running the drop-in program at 826 Seattle for a month and a half now, but only today did they tell me about this blog. I know that blogs are “filthy” and “hip”, so I figured that 826 Seattle had one but . . .

Anyways, they trust me with the blog now. In my new role as a blogger for 826 Seattle, I decided to get the lay of the land. I thought blogging was a daily thing, but (like always) 826 Seattle goes its own way. I know they were waiting for the once-a-month update to catch on, but I think we can update this more often without seeming too desperate for readers.

So, that’s it for the first post. For future posts, let’s just wait and see what happens.

If they don’t revoke my blogging privileges, I’ll be back soon enough.

by Stephanie Chacharon

For the past few months, I’ve spent my Monday and Tuesday afternoons at 826 Seattle for drop-in tutoring. At first I was a little overwhelmed by the many new names, of the tutors and tutees alike and, not to mention, the sheer fact that everyone actually wanted to be there. Kids wanted to be tutored at a non-mandatory after school program. Whoa. It still blows my mind a little bit.

Now we’ve all settled into the drop-in groove, and things are running like a well oiled academic machine. Kids noisily make their way through the Teleporter, sign in, find a tutor and get to work (more or less in that order). Tutors try their best to look able and willing to help, and as non-threatening as humanly possible. It just works. Looking back, however, it would have been helpful to know a few key things from día número uno:

1. Nobody likes the chocolate brownie bars. Nobody.
2. Math is hard.
3. If you lay on the couch, you will fall asleep.
4. Come 6 PM, nobody wants to leave. Make them.
5. Nine year olds can lead creative writing table just as well as, if not better than, twenty-nine year olds.
6. As a rule, kids love aliens, robots and other such sci-fi wonders.
7. People who say they don’t like playing with Photo Booth are lying.
8. Children are now given cell phones at birth, and will not part with them even during a highly engaging tutoring session
9. Given the right mix of encouragement and assistance, any child can finish a creative writing exercise And enjoy themselves (but the finished product will invariably contain aliens, robots and other such sci-fi wonders).

Drop-in is now the thing that gets me through the beginning of the work week; it’s that fun. You should join us sometime. Interested? Stop on in.

by Jen Koogler

To some, being in an enclosed ten foot-by-ten-foot booth for twelve hours a day isn’t exactly the definition of a holiday weekend, but there was nothing I’d rather do than watch kids freak out over Alien Brains and spread the word about 826 Seattle.

Our booth by Key Arena was an excellent spot for people watching (and was right next door to the fine folks at McSweeney’s, who tempted us with their literary wares). We set out the best products from the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. (including the brand new t-shirt design) and waited for the curious crowds to arrive. Most of our time was then spent answering the question, “What is this?” This year I found that many more people had heard of us, or at least knew of other 826 chapters and were happy to discover there was one here in town. I spoke to parents from Greenwood who had only driven by the store and never knew what was inside. They now know their kids can stop buy not only for a Planetary Puppy, but also for some haiku.

My favorite booth moment: Some time Sunday afternoon, one of the many roaming groups of teenagers decked out in many things that start with the B (blazers, bandanas, buttons, bracelets) stopped at our booth. For a good amount of time they tested our products, particularly delighting in the Near Death Ray and the Mostly Harmless Combat Training Devices*. They staged skirmishes amongst themselves and ended up buying several of each, then were absorbed back into the crowd as they gleefully dodged each other’s foam rubber assaults. Monday afternoon they returned to replenish their supplies. As they walked up to the booth, one of us remarked, “Hey, you’re back!” One of the boys replied, “Duh, that’s because your store is bomb.”

Thanks. We like to think so.

*You can ask for a demonstration of these items at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Store.

by Rebecca Brinson
After two years of boothin’ it for 826 at Bumbershoot, I’ve got my elevator speech about why 826 Seattle rocks the world down pat. One of the best things about an 826-er out in the world is how, occasionally, when you tell someone about the super-fun-brilliance going on at 8414 Greenwood Ave N, they get just as excited as you are. At Bumbershoot, responses ranged from, “Oh…neat,” to “I drive by you guys all the time…I always wondered what was going on there,” to “Really?!?” That last one usually came from teachers, enjoying the one last summer hurrah of Bumbershoot before school started again. They were excited and a little taken aback - free? Like, FREE free? Yep. FREE free.

Other personal highlights for me: samosas and the last-minute Blue Scholars show, roasted corn, the new, quilted lunch bag made out of recycled Safeway bags I got from our Indie Market booth neighbor Don’t Quilt Your Day Job. Ha! Don’t quilt your day job….