Wednesday, October 12, 2011
This month the movie Anonymous comes out. It's about Shakespeare's authorship. My opinion--William Shakespeare wrote it all (take that Oxford). The movie looks compelling & I am for sure going to see it!The link is to a Stephen Colbert video, it's hilarious, interviewing Stephen Greenblatt, America's Shakespeare expert (he's like the Olivier & Branagh of the academic world), during the interview they compare McCain & Obama to Shakespeare characters.
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/186547/october-02-2008/shakespearean-candidates---stephen-greenblatt
Monday, September 5, 2011
What's Wrong With Kids These Days?
I've only been teaching for 3 weeks, and I've observed something about the kids today--they have no manners and they somehow feel entitled to everything. Really? What have you done in your life to deserve anything? I blame it on TV and the feminist movement.
I guess being disrespectful comes with the territory. Or teenagers aren't being shown respect at home, and so they don't know how to give it? Maybe? Well newsflash, "Teens, your brains are underdeveloped and you haven't matured beyond a teaspoon." It's like The Hungry Caterpillar. Adolescents are in the eating phase (literally and figuratively), not even in the cocoon yet. I think the cocoon comes during college, and then sometime between their 2nd and 3rd year of college they emerge as a butterfly. Even then, they still don't have things figured out, I know I don't, and I've been graduated for almost 4 years now. But, being a teacher in-and-of-itself deserves respect. Being an adult deserves respect. Being human deserves respect. But teenagers need to check themselves before they get any, they deserve it for being human, not because they actually accomplished anything. To me, just being kind and not obnoxious deserves respect because that's hard to do as a teenager, appearance means a lot to these kids and being a suck-up takes away their street-cred.
So here's what's been on my mind this weekend: an episode of Eureka and Bones, and some random kid banging on the piano.
In season 2 episode 4 Jack Carter's daughter Zoe is supposed to go live with her mom, but she doesn't want to and she exclaims "Don't I get a say in this?" Well, I've never been married and I don't have kids, but I don't think this is a decision that the parents made before the divorce, that Jack would get her for a year and his wife would get her for a year. Kids really don't know what is best for them, and adults don't really know either, but they do have more life experience. Being divorced obviously makes things more difficult, but they are trying to be amicable--that should count for something. I just don't think teens can think straight, they're too emotional, hormonal, and dramatic--ok so that was redundant, but it's clear, "it's a barbarity that clarity is a rarity." Why are teens portrayed as being smarter than adults, because it's just not true. I think it's because teens don't actually portray teens on TV or in the movies. They're usually 20something, only on the Disney Channel and Bella on Twilight (but that was cutting it close).
In an episode of Bones there was a little girl in a beauty pageant. Now those things are just messed up. The parents, kids, and judges. Yeah I want my future daughter be confident, to have good posture, speaking skills, and all the things that is expected of pageants, but I don't want my daughter to be mean, and a brat. Bones was a little disturbed by pageants, parents, and little girls dressing older than they should. Shouldn't that be a sign to anyone? Kids need to be kids.
The other day, I was playing beautiful music on the piano and some obnoxious kid banged on the bass keys really loud. It scared the bageegees out of me. I just looked at him, and had to pretend to not care, but I was boiling up inside. That is just rude. Didn't your mother teach you not to bang on the piano while someone else is playing it. Bang all you want when no one else is creating pleasant sounds. I wanted to tell him off, but he's not my kid, and if the mom was there she probably would have yelled at me. Why didn't she yell at him for doing something so ugly and bratty. You should have seen the look on his face when I stopped to see who he was. It was mischievous. Really? You think that's cute? Well right now you look like. . . . like some bad kid from the scriptures. . . . Laman! (Ok so that was the meanest thing I could say about someone else's child.)
So, I guess you're wondering what the feminist movement has to do with this. Well it's simple. There isn't a parent at home to teach kids the value of being a child. To be kind. To respect adults. And to tell them to turn the TV off, and read a book instead, like The Hungry Caterpillar.
Hopefully, I will have my students whipped into submission by Christmas, and then I get to start over again after Christmas break! The joys of being a teacher!
I guess being disrespectful comes with the territory. Or teenagers aren't being shown respect at home, and so they don't know how to give it? Maybe? Well newsflash, "Teens, your brains are underdeveloped and you haven't matured beyond a teaspoon." It's like The Hungry Caterpillar. Adolescents are in the eating phase (literally and figuratively), not even in the cocoon yet. I think the cocoon comes during college, and then sometime between their 2nd and 3rd year of college they emerge as a butterfly. Even then, they still don't have things figured out, I know I don't, and I've been graduated for almost 4 years now. But, being a teacher in-and-of-itself deserves respect. Being an adult deserves respect. Being human deserves respect. But teenagers need to check themselves before they get any, they deserve it for being human, not because they actually accomplished anything. To me, just being kind and not obnoxious deserves respect because that's hard to do as a teenager, appearance means a lot to these kids and being a suck-up takes away their street-cred.
So here's what's been on my mind this weekend: an episode of Eureka and Bones, and some random kid banging on the piano.
In season 2 episode 4 Jack Carter's daughter Zoe is supposed to go live with her mom, but she doesn't want to and she exclaims "Don't I get a say in this?" Well, I've never been married and I don't have kids, but I don't think this is a decision that the parents made before the divorce, that Jack would get her for a year and his wife would get her for a year. Kids really don't know what is best for them, and adults don't really know either, but they do have more life experience. Being divorced obviously makes things more difficult, but they are trying to be amicable--that should count for something. I just don't think teens can think straight, they're too emotional, hormonal, and dramatic--ok so that was redundant, but it's clear, "it's a barbarity that clarity is a rarity." Why are teens portrayed as being smarter than adults, because it's just not true. I think it's because teens don't actually portray teens on TV or in the movies. They're usually 20something, only on the Disney Channel and Bella on Twilight (but that was cutting it close).
In an episode of Bones there was a little girl in a beauty pageant. Now those things are just messed up. The parents, kids, and judges. Yeah I want my future daughter be confident, to have good posture, speaking skills, and all the things that is expected of pageants, but I don't want my daughter to be mean, and a brat. Bones was a little disturbed by pageants, parents, and little girls dressing older than they should. Shouldn't that be a sign to anyone? Kids need to be kids.
The other day, I was playing beautiful music on the piano and some obnoxious kid banged on the bass keys really loud. It scared the bageegees out of me. I just looked at him, and had to pretend to not care, but I was boiling up inside. That is just rude. Didn't your mother teach you not to bang on the piano while someone else is playing it. Bang all you want when no one else is creating pleasant sounds. I wanted to tell him off, but he's not my kid, and if the mom was there she probably would have yelled at me. Why didn't she yell at him for doing something so ugly and bratty. You should have seen the look on his face when I stopped to see who he was. It was mischievous. Really? You think that's cute? Well right now you look like. . . . like some bad kid from the scriptures. . . . Laman! (Ok so that was the meanest thing I could say about someone else's child.)
So, I guess you're wondering what the feminist movement has to do with this. Well it's simple. There isn't a parent at home to teach kids the value of being a child. To be kind. To respect adults. And to tell them to turn the TV off, and read a book instead, like The Hungry Caterpillar.
Hopefully, I will have my students whipped into submission by Christmas, and then I get to start over again after Christmas break! The joys of being a teacher!
Psych
Since I got Netflix I've been watching Psych. There are only 4 of the 6 seasons. I've watched all the episodes but one, so I started watching them again in random order. I don't want it to end. I love Psych too much, and seeing all the episodes watched would make me sad. Plus I'm afraid that if I do finish the final episode they will take it off "Instant Queue," and then I will have to add DVD to my account and pay an extra $2. No thanks. For now.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
When the Right Door Opens You Just Go Through
The story you have all been waiting for: "How I got my new job"
The story is actually kinda long, so I posted it in the "Pages" tab click on the link to your right (not mine) with the same title.
Monday, July 18, 2011
A Spell of Happiness
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison AllenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really love The Peachkeeper, and so I figured Garden Spells would be good, and it is, but I was surprised by a few things. The Peachkeeper has minimum to 0 swearing (as far as I can remember), and the "romance" scenes isn't as "romantic" or not as detailed as GS is (I know I'm somewhat naive, but that is why I figured GS would be just as good). I don't want to compare the books, they are both equally good and entertaining, but I was surprised by the language and "romance" in GS
I do enjoy third person narrative, especially an omniscient narrator, it's very rare these days, the narrator got into all the minds of several characters, and the reader is able to see different scenes in Bascom, North Carolina, and not just the Waverly home. The characters are lovable and jump off the page. Really, they are well developed and each character's presence affects the tone/setting, especially other characters.
The pacing of the story was just right. Sarah Addison Allen has a gift for detail, and conveying magic in the real world (I just got done reading the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and watching the film, so magic is stuck in my head right now), instead of a world created especially for magical beings. The past, present and future come together in a neat bouquet of flowers, herbs, thorns, and apples, which have a little magic of their own.
There were some funny moments, moments when I cried, felt anxious, and moments when I was just plain happy! A treat for the senses!
View all my reviews
Monday, July 4, 2011
ภูมใจ to be American
Yay! It's the 4th of July. A day where BBQ's and swimming are a part of the celebrations (like turkey on Thanksgiving and presents at Christmas), eat watermelon and have seed spitting contests (and pee all night long), and watch fireworks into the night (and pee because you ate too many slices of watermelon, I swear watermelon is 99.9% water and .1% fruit). I guess it is also a good time to be thankful for how lucky we are as Americans. I'm not being "arrogant," but I just call it good ol' fashion pride (the good kind and there is a good kind despite what people say). In Thai, there are different words for pride, the good kind--not boasting, but feeling good about a sense of accomplishment, a healthy dose of sef-esteem/confidence-- ภูมิใจ (pronounced poomjai), and the bad kind--arrogant, obnoxious, "I want to pop your head like a pimple until you shut-up about yourself"-- อุทธัจ (ootat) or ความอหังการ (kwamahang gan). Around Bangkok, I would see banners that read "ภูมใจไนไทย" (or something like that), and it made me think of that great song "I'm Proud to be an American." ภูมใจ allows us to go out and make something of ourselves. To capture the American dream. To rise from the ashes and be a noble nation/people. It's why Americans love Kate, Her Royal Highness Duchess of Cambridge--a middle class girl who becomes a princess, I mean duchess--that is all I want! So, I think it's ok to be ภูมใจ, and it's ok to be ภูมใจ of America. We have accomplished a lot in our short existence.
Yes, we are lucky to live in America, and don't you forget. It took living in a foreign country for me to realize it. Not that where I lived was bad, it just wasn't America. Thailand is a free country (but with most free countries there are boundaries and laws to protect people from their own stupidity), the name does mean free, ประเทศไทย, not "land of smiles." There are some laws in Thailand that we don't have in America that are based on tradition and culture--like you can't talk bad about the king, but a taxi driver will go off on the prince/future king (???), or you can't sit on, or pose, like a Buddha statue in a picture to be a cute or funny tourist, because you will get arrested. I saw Brokedown Palace--you don't want to get arrested. (It's scary being in a foreign country and going to their jails, and facing their court system, and not really knowing what is going on around you because of a language barrier). Of course, I love Thailand (like I love America, it is my second home), and admire the people's devotion and respect to their culture, traditions, and laws (I try my best to respect their customs and beliefs--I never talk bad about the king, he's cool). We have things that we honor and respect--the flag.
So back to why I started writing this . . . ภูมใจ to be American
Yes, we are lucky to live in America, and don't you forget. It took living in a foreign country for me to realize it. Not that where I lived was bad, it just wasn't America. Thailand is a free country (but with most free countries there are boundaries and laws to protect people from their own stupidity), the name does mean free, ประเทศไทย, not "land of smiles." There are some laws in Thailand that we don't have in America that are based on tradition and culture--like you can't talk bad about the king, but a taxi driver will go off on the prince/future king (???), or you can't sit on, or pose, like a Buddha statue in a picture to be a cute or funny tourist, because you will get arrested. I saw Brokedown Palace--you don't want to get arrested. (It's scary being in a foreign country and going to their jails, and facing their court system, and not really knowing what is going on around you because of a language barrier). Of course, I love Thailand (like I love America, it is my second home), and admire the people's devotion and respect to their culture, traditions, and laws (I try my best to respect their customs and beliefs--I never talk bad about the king, he's cool). We have things that we honor and respect--the flag.
So back to why I started writing this . . . ภูมใจ to be American
- A little website called Facebook
- Freedom of Speech
- Freedom to not listen to others overusing (abusing) their freedom of speech
- Freedom to be Creative and innovative
- Decent education
- You can gossip about anyone in Hollywood to make money (i.e. Us and Star magazines)
- Fireworks on the 4th of July
- You can drink water from the faucet
Monday, June 13, 2011
Netflix Is a Very Bad Thing. . . For Me
For People like me Netflix is a very bad thing. Last week sometime, I discovered a show called Veronica Mars. After the first episode I was hooked. Blast those cliffhangers! I've basically been watching it nonstop--before bed, when I wake up. When I'm not at home, by my computer, I'm wishing I was so I could watch the next episode, and find out what really happened to Lily Kane. It's gotten to the point where Veronica Mars was in my dream.
This summer I planned on getting caught up on my reading and superseding my (too-low-set) goal for the year. (My goal is 12 books, I was looking forward to reading at least that this summer!) But no, I'm craving Veronica Mars. Before Veronica, I was watching Psych, what can I say I'm a sucker for snarky detectives.
Why am I obsessed with Netflix--I can watch episode after episode without waiting a week, and the perkiest perk of all, no commercials. I've also watched a few movies. So what is a girl like me (a girl who loves movies and tv) to do when Netflix is tempting me? Addictions can be such a waste of time, and so is writing this post.
This summer I planned on getting caught up on my reading and superseding my (too-low-set) goal for the year. (My goal is 12 books, I was looking forward to reading at least that this summer!) But no, I'm craving Veronica Mars. Before Veronica, I was watching Psych, what can I say I'm a sucker for snarky detectives.
Why am I obsessed with Netflix--I can watch episode after episode without waiting a week, and the perkiest perk of all, no commercials. I've also watched a few movies. So what is a girl like me (a girl who loves movies and tv) to do when Netflix is tempting me? Addictions can be such a waste of time, and so is writing this post.
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