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Thanksgiving - oh, the yum!
Nov. 28th, 2010 06:28 pmWe had two Thanksgivings this year. The one on Friday was the ultimate yum - my 86 y/o aunt's cooking, with all the recipes we'd enjoyed up until a few years ago when my grandmother died.
It was absolutely fantastic, even though it was day-old Thanksgiving leftovers. Whereas on the big day itself I ate slowly and took small portions, on Friday I loaded up my plate and stuffed it all in. It was awesome.
After it was done, I turned to my cousin's wife and said, "This food is so good! I feel like I'm twelve, except that your husband isn't saying something disgusting at the dinner table!" However, as I spoke, I realized that the cousin in question was coaching his son to say something with the word "poop" in it. Twelve years old again, indeed.
It was a bittersweet meal, however, because my aunt is not doing so well. In the spirit of the holiday, I'll be thankful for having this year.
I was also extraordinarily happy to get to see my friend who spent seven years in Scotland. The best part was that when we said good-bye, instead of saying "See you next year" we got to say "See you next month!" Squee!
It was absolutely fantastic, even though it was day-old Thanksgiving leftovers. Whereas on the big day itself I ate slowly and took small portions, on Friday I loaded up my plate and stuffed it all in. It was awesome.
After it was done, I turned to my cousin's wife and said, "This food is so good! I feel like I'm twelve, except that your husband isn't saying something disgusting at the dinner table!" However, as I spoke, I realized that the cousin in question was coaching his son to say something with the word "poop" in it. Twelve years old again, indeed.
It was a bittersweet meal, however, because my aunt is not doing so well. In the spirit of the holiday, I'll be thankful for having this year.
I was also extraordinarily happy to get to see my friend who spent seven years in Scotland. The best part was that when we said good-bye, instead of saying "See you next year" we got to say "See you next month!" Squee!
Recently read
Nov. 14th, 2010 05:08 pmMystic and Rider by Sharon Shinn. I was looking forward to it because I enjoyed the Samaria books (I still have to track down a copy of The Alleluia Files), but I can't say I enjoyed this one much. For one thing, Samaria was very originial, while Twelve Houses is very ... not. It sounds like a one-shot LARP. So there are these Twelve Houses, see, and some of them are plotting rebellion, and then there's this cult ... yes, I think I've played this before.
I also don't care much for the main character. I find her more than a little annoying and a very impractical spy.
The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis - a bit long-winded, but if you go slowly, is quite enjoyable. Set in ancient Rome and Roman-occupied Britian.
I also don't care much for the main character. I find her more than a little annoying and a very impractical spy.
The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis - a bit long-winded, but if you go slowly, is quite enjoyable. Set in ancient Rome and Roman-occupied Britian.
A few student stories:
Nov. 14th, 2010 05:02 pmIn a good vocab lesson a few days ago, the kids picked up the words and started riffing and making with them: Ms. Cardone, can you DEFER our quiz? You wouldn't want to become our ADVERSARY! Maybe we could have a PARLEY about it? Quiet, you VERMIN! (one kid to another kid, not me to the kid.) Guys, we need to TRANSCEND all this!
Once the first kid got going, it steamrolled. I only wish this had translated into better quiz grades.
In a not so good lesson on satire from a week or two ago, I wrote the word "satire" on the board, asked a student to define it, and wrote the definition on the board. One girl in the front woke up and said, "Hey! That's not what satire is! Satire is something you WEAR!"
*headdesk*
One thing I still need to work on, obviously, is getting students to raise their hands, not call out.
Another thing I need to work on is the mountain of grading that I perpetually seem to have. Smaller, more frequent assignments, may be one solution - I tested this out last week, and it worked out well. I graded the small assignment in one night, because I knew it was not going to take too long to do. Essays, on the other hand ...
Once the first kid got going, it steamrolled. I only wish this had translated into better quiz grades.
In a not so good lesson on satire from a week or two ago, I wrote the word "satire" on the board, asked a student to define it, and wrote the definition on the board. One girl in the front woke up and said, "Hey! That's not what satire is! Satire is something you WEAR!"
*headdesk*
One thing I still need to work on, obviously, is getting students to raise their hands, not call out.
Another thing I need to work on is the mountain of grading that I perpetually seem to have. Smaller, more frequent assignments, may be one solution - I tested this out last week, and it worked out well. I graded the small assignment in one night, because I knew it was not going to take too long to do. Essays, on the other hand ...
I can cook!
Nov. 14th, 2010 11:21 amCook, I say!
I cooked enough for thirteen people and still there were leftovers :)
Artichoke chicken, and tons of appetizers, none of which contained lactose. The chicken is very nice on a small scale, but on a large scale it meant I spent quite a bit of time in front of the stove. Baking recipes next time. The appetizers, however, were awesome and could all be done ahead of time, leaving me free to play Settlers.
Lu helped - she made soup and squash. The squash was yummy - baked. I have never had baked squash before but it was delish! And this morning when I got up, all the dishes were done, which is perhaps the best part :)
I cooked enough for thirteen people and still there were leftovers :)
Artichoke chicken, and tons of appetizers, none of which contained lactose. The chicken is very nice on a small scale, but on a large scale it meant I spent quite a bit of time in front of the stove. Baking recipes next time. The appetizers, however, were awesome and could all be done ahead of time, leaving me free to play Settlers.
Lu helped - she made soup and squash. The squash was yummy - baked. I have never had baked squash before but it was delish! And this morning when I got up, all the dishes were done, which is perhaps the best part :)
(no subject)
Oct. 8th, 2010 05:36 amWith drugs, I still woke up at 2am last night, then tossed and turned until 5. Yesterday, even with a full night of rest, I had to repeatedly ask what day it was.
I think the next step may be sleep clinic/specialists. Or perhaps a day of rest from work.
I think the next step may be sleep clinic/specialists. Or perhaps a day of rest from work.
(no subject)
Oct. 7th, 2010 06:37 amSo happy that I slept right through the night last night! Thanks, sedatives, for doing your damn job (finally.) Can we go for two? Dare I suggest even three, so that I am awake for Comic Con? Might I hope to start feeling my age again instead of like a premature geriatric? Might I be able to identify the day of the week without having to ask a co-worker? These questions and more, answered tomorrow morning!
(no subject)
Oct. 6th, 2010 06:06 pmToday the seniors had a themed dress-down day - Nerds. They all came in wearing Steve Urkle-style pants, bowties, mismatched knee socks, and Harry Potter glasses (complete with tape.) The best was the girl with the "Kick Me" sign on her back.
I didn't know if it should warm my nerdy heart or if I should frown upon the perpetuation of 50's stereotyping of nerds.
I didn't know if it should warm my nerdy heart or if I should frown upon the perpetuation of 50's stereotyping of nerds.
Thanks, everyone, for the advice regarding the lactose intolerance thing! I am relieved to hear that goat cheese should be okay - I actually like goat cheese :) But then, I like most cheese, swiss being the only notable exception that easily comes to mind.
Mostly, I have had the mild reaction of indigestion, with nausea being very rare, and the pills do help, so I will not be starving to death anytime soon.
Mostly, I have had the mild reaction of indigestion, with nausea being very rare, and the pills do help, so I will not be starving to death anytime soon.
*collapse*
Sep. 15th, 2010 09:26 pmStill mildly panic-stricken. Today went somewhat smoother, though I am recognizing that I have a serious problem student in one class that needs to be addressed ASAP. (She has been notorious in this school since she arrived.)
I finished grading the summer reading assignments and am about to assign essays. Must stagger the due dates, so that I don't get swamped. Based on what I saw in the summer assignments, I should be able to make grammar lessons suited to the level of the students this weekend. Why, why, why, in a college prep school, do we still have SENIORS who can't write a complete sentence? More importantly, do I go back and teach how to avoid run-ons and fragments to the entire class, or do I just pull the problem students aside and say, "okay, this is going to be your personal grammar goal for the quarter, please staple it to your forhead"?
The faculty is adjusting to the fact that EVERY. SINGLE. piece of technology in the school had a meltdown over the summer. We have to go to the school library to print from the computers and make copies for classes (we don't have to put money in the copy machine. Thank God.)
I have what is either the greatest or the most horrible schedule in the history of schedules - three classes in a row first thing in the morning (I have been force-feeding myself the coffee and it has proven helpful), followed by a string of plannings with a lunch duty, then two classes at the end of the day. By two-thirty, I am positively catatonic, my feet ache, and I am in dire need of water. For the future, I need to better plan my lessons so that I have some sitting-down time, and the students are doing more independent work.
I finished grading the summer reading assignments and am about to assign essays. Must stagger the due dates, so that I don't get swamped. Based on what I saw in the summer assignments, I should be able to make grammar lessons suited to the level of the students this weekend. Why, why, why, in a college prep school, do we still have SENIORS who can't write a complete sentence? More importantly, do I go back and teach how to avoid run-ons and fragments to the entire class, or do I just pull the problem students aside and say, "okay, this is going to be your personal grammar goal for the quarter, please staple it to your forhead"?
The faculty is adjusting to the fact that EVERY. SINGLE. piece of technology in the school had a meltdown over the summer. We have to go to the school library to print from the computers and make copies for classes (we don't have to put money in the copy machine. Thank God.)
I have what is either the greatest or the most horrible schedule in the history of schedules - three classes in a row first thing in the morning (I have been force-feeding myself the coffee and it has proven helpful), followed by a string of plannings with a lunch duty, then two classes at the end of the day. By two-thirty, I am positively catatonic, my feet ache, and I am in dire need of water. For the future, I need to better plan my lessons so that I have some sitting-down time, and the students are doing more independent work.
Oh. My. God.
Sep. 14th, 2010 08:59 pmSo full of work. I am trying to get to the weekend so that I can regroup and revise my lesson plans.
I basically got told that three-fourths of what I wanted to do with my students was not available this week, could I just sort of talk about the summer reading all week, and by the way, I've quickly realized that most of my lesson plans include stuff that they already learned last year, but then geeze, why was it on the syllabus?
So basically, I need to write all-new lesson plans.
Sigh.
I basically got told that three-fourths of what I wanted to do with my students was not available this week, could I just sort of talk about the summer reading all week, and by the way, I've quickly realized that most of my lesson plans include stuff that they already learned last year, but then geeze, why was it on the syllabus?
So basically, I need to write all-new lesson plans.
Sigh.
Ticking down
Sep. 5th, 2010 08:48 pmTomorrow is the last day of summer vacation. I've got a lengthy list of cooking (freezing the leftovers) that I want to do, plus last minute lesson planning.
Looking back, I don't feel like I accomplished quite as much as I would have liked this summer, but I did lots of traveling to make up for it - almost two weeks in Virginia, a week and a half in CT and close to a week on Long Island. I also helped plan a surprise party that turned out awesome. It's the periods where I stayed home and pointedly ignored my to-do list in favor of Netflix and the internet that I'm not too proud of.
I also gained just enough weight to make my pants really tight and am going to have to bring salads to work for a month to make them fit correctly again (plus get back to the jogging!) I can no longer blame Jenny for this, since the gains continued even while I was home. I can only conclude that when I get a new place, it must have a pool so that I have no excuse for lack of exercise in the hot summer days.
Yes. Good excuse for a pool - exercise :)
Anyway, back to cooking ...
Looking back, I don't feel like I accomplished quite as much as I would have liked this summer, but I did lots of traveling to make up for it - almost two weeks in Virginia, a week and a half in CT and close to a week on Long Island. I also helped plan a surprise party that turned out awesome. It's the periods where I stayed home and pointedly ignored my to-do list in favor of Netflix and the internet that I'm not too proud of.
I also gained just enough weight to make my pants really tight and am going to have to bring salads to work for a month to make them fit correctly again (plus get back to the jogging!) I can no longer blame Jenny for this, since the gains continued even while I was home. I can only conclude that when I get a new place, it must have a pool so that I have no excuse for lack of exercise in the hot summer days.
Yes. Good excuse for a pool - exercise :)
Anyway, back to cooking ...
The yet to be released commercial for the iTouch features a song by the band downstairs. (To be more accurate, a song by one of the bands downstairs, the band that happened to move out a month ago.) Hear CHAPPO's "Come Home" here: http://www.chappomusic.com It's catchy.
I'm happy for them, but I'm even happier that they moved. They weren't a nuisance when they rehearsed during the day, but when they decided Sundays at 9pm were a good rehearsal time I was displeased.
EDIT: Here's the ad:
http://musicforants.com/blog/?p=5277
I'm happy for them, but I'm even happier that they moved. They weren't a nuisance when they rehearsed during the day, but when they decided Sundays at 9pm were a good rehearsal time I was displeased.
EDIT: Here's the ad:
http://musicforants.com/blog/?p=5277
(no subject)
Aug. 31st, 2010 03:38 pmI walked out of the house today with my shirt on inside out and backwards. I didn't notice until I got home that the tag was jutting out from under my chin.
Heat stroke? School-about-to-start-anxieties? Both?
Or possibly just normal behavior - I figure I'm not going anywhere else today and have let it stay as it is.
Heat stroke? School-about-to-start-anxieties? Both?
Or possibly just normal behavior - I figure I'm not going anywhere else today and have let it stay as it is.
Damn capitalism
Aug. 29th, 2010 11:56 pmThe local anarchist coffee house has been shut down for the third time in a year. Apparently the former owner was so anarchist that he neglected to pay his taxes.
I liked that place, so I am sad.
I liked that place, so I am sad.
