Yesterday I was helping a student with his English homework. The assignment was on reading comprehension; he was supposed to cut an article out of the newspaper, and then answer a whole bunch of questions about it. Les came up to my desk with what he had, and it was a big headline, a big picture, two scant paragraphs, and then "continued on A12". Of...
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Today I listened with great satisfaction as two of the ghettoest hoodrats I've ever had the pleasure of knowing spent forty-five minutes debating the nature of God and Self. They put motherfucking Nietsche to shame. I wish I could have recorded it for posterity.
It's amazing how these kids will rise to my expectations, no matter how high I set them. It gives me hope...
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It's amazing how these kids will rise to my expectations, no matter how high I set them. It gives me hope...
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VIEW 7 of 7 COMMENTS
unravled:
You know, now that I'm at work, I've discovered that you were right all along.
shad:
I've always said, discourse is the path to enlightenment. They probably just need someone to push them, to expect something of them. Yay!
My birthday party was great. Everyone came, except two of my friends who had a baby. I told them it was a valid excuse.
I'm not going to wax philosophical or anything. I just want to say that every year gets better. I'm a better person than I was last year, and I appreciate the goodness of the people around me more than I did...
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I'm not going to wax philosophical or anything. I just want to say that every year gets better. I'm a better person than I was last year, and I appreciate the goodness of the people around me more than I did...
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shad:
Happy belated birthday, oh wise yarn woman.
shad:
I'll call it "fairly well" because I can't think of an accurate way to describe my process. I got to 50k words in the book and, about a month ago, stalled the fuck out. I have no idea if the narrative is coherent, or if the characters make any sense, or anything. I also think I might be about 1/3 of the way through the book, which is alarming. So I'm taking time off, writing short stories and just trying to clear my mind. Next week I'm going to World Fantasy Con in Austin, where I will eat grits and get drunk with editors and agents and pray to god I don't get too drunk and make a fool of myself in front of the people who could well change my career. And then I will come home, read the book and then start working on it again. Or not.
But yeah, it's good to be back.
But yeah, it's good to be back.
Let's talk about something that has me by the proverbial nutsack right now. Let's talk about a little thing called Merit Based Pay. Merit based pay is the idea that teachers should get raises and bonuses that are equivalent to the work they do; do a good job, get a bigger raise. Sounds great, right? Sounds like someone like me, who's all fired up...
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VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
unravled:
Neither does he.
whaa:
Wow. I really hope things work out for you. Are the elected officials and the parents in your area aware of the merit program...maybe they could help?
Today a coworker and I spent an hour and a half making a PowerPoint presentation of Batman villains. The best thing is he's actually using it in his class tomorrow.
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
freakpirate:
I haven't worn a party hat in a long time. I should work on that.
adjunct:
As an educator, you probably dislike weak verbs as much as I do. All of these GA, TA, _A jobs are so nondescript and passive (both in name and nature). This is my way of turning that on its head.
And from the description of the position, I'd probably be guiding the direction of the paper that will be produced much more than your average weak-verb assistant.
And from the description of the position, I'd probably be guiding the direction of the paper that will be produced much more than your average weak-verb assistant.
Did you know there are people who run marathons through Death Valley? How stupid are those people? Pretty fucking stupid, if you ask me. Did you know that in Death Valley it does rain, but the rain evaporates before it hits the ground? Did you know that the KGB in Romania used to use tiny poisoned umbrella pellet guns to kill people who disagreed with...
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VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
ninjatoes:
do you take orders for custom hats?
ninjatoes:
well, the peapod hat is excellent and if you decide to do another, please let me know. 
Sunday morning, watching Sesame Street. Bert's arms can't reach the top of his head. Today is going to be a day I will enjoy thoroughly, I have decided. I'm going to think about who to invite to my birthday party, I'm going to take my beautiful little MacBook out to write on my comic book, and I'm going to read a psychological exploration of Godzilla....
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freakpirate:
Bert certainly did have a massive head.
Where does one go about finding a psychological exploration of Godzilla?
Where does one go about finding a psychological exploration of Godzilla?
I think the cheese guy at Whole Foods was making moves today. If I weren't already spoken for, I might be tempted. He sure does know a lot about cheese.
rxdxt:
never underestimate the power of a good aged blue gouda.
in romania they don't have crackers.
now isn't that the weirdest thing you've ever heard of?
in romania they don't have crackers.
now isn't that the weirdest thing you've ever heard of?
freakpirate:
I could easily be wooed by a girl with cheese.
In a moment of heightened conflict, I've found it to be an effective plot device to have a character say, "Ooh, lookie! A waffle!" That should tell you a little something about my writing style.
I'm three pages short of a finished script for my first issue. I'll be done tomorrow morning. Now I need to light a fire under my artist.
I'm three pages short of a finished script for my first issue. I'll be done tomorrow morning. Now I need to light a fire under my artist.
VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
mistersatan:
Okay, you seriously need some new material.
mistersatan:
It's broke.
One of my students said to me today, "Keri, you're way cooler than you dress."
I'm deciding to take that as a compliment.
I'm deciding to take that as a compliment.
freakpirate:
I sincerely hope I'm cooler than I dress.
freakpirate:
That is all kinds of fantastic. I sincerely hope that if I ever have a daughter she is as cool as you.