Wow, I'm a lowsy poster lately!

I think about posting all the time - normally when I cannot. I have decided to try something new this week though - when class gets too boring for words, I will post instead of daydreaming about coffee and a paying job.

We were asked a few weeks ago if it was ok for undergrads to come observe the classrooms we are in, and I said sure. So the girl they had contact me is only available to come to the high school during actual school hours one day a week. Right. And, that one day being Fridays, and having no school the next few Fridays, I wasn't sure she was going to make it. But she did decide to come this past week, and emailed me Thursday to let me know.

In said email, she indicated that she didn't know where the school was. So she felt I should give her directions. Seriously.

My reaction, not the kindest I ever had, but the only witnesses were Mr Duck and the kitties, was "Oh, for FUCK'S sake!" Said in a voice loud enough to concern Mr Duck out in the living room. The chick is in college and she hasn't mastered the art of Mapquest? It's not like this is a big, confusing town. You can get to any part of this town, from any part of this town, in under 15 minutes. She needs directions? She needs them typed out by me?

My reply was "head North on xx road until you hit yy road. Turn left, it's 2 blocks down on your left." I reeeeeaaaaaalllllllyyyyyyyy wanted to say "hope you don't get lost," or "get in your car. put on seatbelt. turn key in ignition. head north until you see signs saying 'HS next left. at that point, go left. watch for large public institution, with underage people smoking out front."

Honestly, the town in so small I didn't even have to know where she was coming from to give her directions.

Turns out, of course, that she was suuuuper nice and sweet and competant-seeming when she got to the classroom. Never can tell. But I totally stand by my overreaction.

PS - the kids ate the crickets (and all of my ginormous pumkin pie dish). It was so gross, I couldn't even cut them (there were only 7, so we cut them in half for the kids who wanted to all have a head or butt. They are all much, much braver than I.

COFLT

I went to my first ever Teacher's conference this weekend, in pdx. The Confederation of Oregon Foreign Language Teachers met up with its Washington counterpart for a conference on Friday and Saturday, so I went to meet some people in the field.

First, I looked up and there, across the lobby, was my high school Japanese teacher! So I had to go give her a hug, and catch up. It wasn't surprising per se, as she is obviously a language teacher in this state, but I just hadn't thought about it.

At lunch, I saw my Japanese teacher from my undergrad days. Small world, right?

That afternoon, while browsing the tables set up with book vendors, etc, I looked up, and saw Shizuka. She and I went to Portland State together years ago, and were close until she moved and I didn't have her new number, about 5 years ago. I tried looking her up, to no avail, but always thought about her.

Well, it turns out she's a Japanese teacher in Washington now! I had no idea she was even going into teaching. So we had our own little reunion there at the conference, and I am just tickled pink! I'm already planning to spend a day shopping with her at x-mas.

I also got some fried crickets from one of the tables, because some of the boys in class had been declaring how they would try ants and grasshoppers etc last week when we were talking about ethnic foods last week. They are so gross to even look at. I bought the box that was "cheese and bacon" flavored. I assume that the flavoring is supposed to make them taste better, bomehow, that makes it even more revolting to me...

And today, I actually managed to get a lot of homework done, so I feel pretty productive! All in all, a good weekend.

The Divinity of Shoes

Every day lately we have been getting mailers from Jim Torrey and his opponent, Nancy something. Whatever. I really hate political season. What has been getting me about these ads is that both sides' arguments consists of "I am great! I support our schools! Here's some pics of me with kids!!!!!!"

I have NO IDEA what party either is affilitated with, what their actual positions on actual issues are, whether or not they win the fight against halitosis, any of the criteria I usually apply when picking candidates to single-handidly place in office. All I know is they think kids are important to me. As if. I teach because I like breaking their shiny little spirits, like most teachers.

If my Battlestar Galactica is interupted by one more of their "ooh, ohh, the OTHER one is all partisan!!!!" ads, I might just shoot my tv. And if I bust a cap in my telly, and miss the next installment of Lost, I might just have to take it out on Mr and Mrs Senate "I love kids more than you do" Hopefuls 2006. Violently. Bloodily. The severing of important appendages could be involved. And the feeding of said newly liberated body parts to drunken frat boys. How long til November?

On a nicer note, this week I got shoes shoes and more shoes. 4 fabulous pairs of flats, for which to work in. All on sale, one pair for $6! Don'tcha wish your girlfriend was cheap like me? I love new shoes. Really really really. I especially love when my favorite pair is in stock in my size. Somehow, the stores still feel it prudent to order 10 pairs of size 6, and only one 10. I know I gripe about this all the time, but for the love of America, it's not like I'm even that tall. You can tell their ordering is crappy, because when things go on clearance, they have 6 racks of size 7, and half a rack of 10s left. Hmmmm, maybe all those customers you turn away with the magic words "we already sold our 10" would give you more money if you sold them something? You think?

I'm just on this kick because this was the first time since junior high that I went shoe shopping and they had the shoes I liked in stock in my size. Cute, and flattering, and fun. New shoes make me fell so fabulous and feminine. Cute shoes are good for the soul. Almost enough to turn a girl religious. But only if they are all in stock next time, too. Don't hold your breathe.

Weekend

I dragged Mr. Duck to a play for the first time this weekend. We have been to concerts and the symphony, but he has never seemed too keen on the theater. But there was an encore of a very popular presentation of Midsummer Night's Dream from campus theater, and I know the young woman playing Hippolyta/Oberon (they had some fun with the traditional gender roles in the casting), so I insisted he come.

Hands down, the funniest play I have ever seen. They had so much fun with the delivery and characters, we were laughing the whole time. The set was almost bare of props, mostly just a few narrow curtains that doubled as walls/trees, and a rolling bed for Titania's fairies (played by a man, Titania was a fairy in several senses... very over-the-top in a pink velvet bustier/codpiece... loved it). They also made songs of many of Puck's interludes, and just generally had a blast. Mr. Duck even liked it. Which, of course, just encourages me to drag him to more!

In other news, the first week of classes is over (we celebrated at a BBQ at Nordy's house yesterday). It will be a busy term, naturally. But this marks the start of my very last year in school (as a student anyway)!!!!!!!!! This clearly makes me happy. Very happy indeed.