"It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes. I suppose." Joseph Conrad
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kwitchery's LiveJournal:
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| Friday, March 16th, 2007 | | 5:44 pm |
Teacher Humour
SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE This is the message that the Pacific Palisades High School (California) staff voted unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine. This is not the actual answering machine message for the school. This came about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework. The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their children's failing grades changed to passing grades - even though those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not complete enough schoolwork to pass their classes. The outgoing message: "Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school. In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please listen to all the options before making a selection: * To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1 * To make excuses for why your child did not do his work- Press 2 * To complain about what we do - Press 3 * To swear at staff members - Press 4 * To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in your newsletter and several flyers mailed to you - Press 5 * If you want us to raise your child - Press 6 * If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7 * To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8 * To complain about bus transportation - Press 9 * To complain about school lunches - Press 0 * If you realize this is the real world and your child must be accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work, homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack of effort: Hang up and have a nice day! Current Mood:  crazyCurrent Music: Cranberries: Ridiculous Thoughts | | Thursday, March 15th, 2007 | | 9:26 am |
Weston Sailing Club
Manomanoman! I love watching sailing like this, but I don't think I'd have the guts to go out and do it. The British Spitfire club is an appropriate title, eh? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afSKI1RN9Cowatch and enjoy. They're wicked sailors! WOW Current Mood: crazyCurrent Music: from Youtube | | 9:09 am |
Old Emails
So I'm reading through my old emails and come across this one that I sent to myself... called Re: Tree *Names have been omitted to protect the bigot* >*M wrote: > It is the First of December. Time to START with the > Christmas hoopla. > > RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > > <> > Now let's get this straight once and for all shall > we? We celebrate > CHRISTMAS > IN CANADA!!!!!!!!!!! > We celebrate Christmas in Canada... one more time, > read below. > > > > > This is a Christmas tree. > It is not a Hanukkah bush, it is not an Allah plant, > it is not a Holiday hedge > nor a Holiday tree or a Seasonal tree. > It is a Christmas tree. > > Say it... CHRISTmas , CHRISTmas , CHRISTmas > > Yes. CHRISTmas - celebrating the Birth of Jesus > Christ!!! > > Do Not remove "Christ" from Christmas > > <>Take a stand and pass this on. This is Not only > Our Tradition, but > known world wide, just do NOT try to make US the > Canadian people, change > to your way of thinking. We do Not say you cannot > say or do as your > traditions, so PLEASE do NOT EXPECT US to change to > your ways. If you do > NOT like our ways then go back from where you came > from or shut up!! > > By the way it is Our custom here in Canada to say > and wish others a > "MERRY CHRISTMAS" not Happy Holidays nor Season's Greetings, but MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! > This is the Christmas season, not the Holiday season. > Oh yeah and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!!! > If your a Canadian and Proud of it then please pass this along, >so that we may stay the Great Nation we are. **************************************** ************************** *And now my reply* Happy Holidays M We live in a MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY YOU NEED TO SHUT UP WITH YOUR BIGOTED CHRISTIAN-CENTERED THINKING. REMEMBER YOU JUST SENT THIS TO A PAGAN-FEMINIST-EQUITYMINDED WOMAN. THIS EMAIL DISGUISTS ME. Maybe you should take other people's feelings into consideration and remember that Canada has anti-discrimination laws, which are in place for the good of the entire society. Unless you are Native Canadian, you are an immigrant, and the Native's don't celebrate CHRISTmas, so Maybe you should go back to the country that you came from, so that those of us who do choose to love this country and everyone in it, can have some peace. **************************************** ************************** I used to get a lot of emails from this guy, and I'm not really sure who he is, and some of them were even funny; however this one really pissed me off. So I thought I'd share with you all Current Mood:  pissed offCurrent Music: CBC Radio | | Wednesday, March 14th, 2007 | | 10:30 pm |
Babies
I spent most of the afternoon hanging out with my friend Anne. She's having a baby girl (we think) on or abouts April 17. I can't wait to meet her. Anne's been my friend for a long time, one of the old gold ones! She even invited me to her wedding, and they eloped! I've been friends with her husband since, oh, grade four, and her since diapers! To be a part of this is so great! The rest of the day, I finished "Catcher in the Rye" and filed my Taxes on my own for the first time, did the dishes/cleaned the kitchen and planned some lessons. A highly productive day, if I do say so myself! Well that's all for tonight, I'm just finishing up some more lessons, then heading to bed. Tomorrow I have a dentist's appointment and I have to get a cavity filled, but I'm allergic to freezing, so I go without.... never look forward to it though. It only hurts for a bit when she is drilling, and then not for long. I just breathe and close my eyes and think of something else. Current Mood:  sleepyCurrent Music: Jimmy's Chicken Shack | | Tuesday, March 13th, 2007 | | 4:15 pm |
Medieval Times
Friday was an amazing day. Not only did I teach my students to like Shakespearean Sonnets but I got to go to Medieval Times with Ebl and Andrew for their birthdays! We had a lot of fun. I think that I'm going to be good at this teaching thing! Some times I've wondered, but now I'm certain and sure that I'll be a great teacher. My kids really like what I'm doing with them. At least they grow to enjoy it. I'm enjoying teaching English more than history and that might have something to do with it. At the beginning of the class on Friday, when I asked if they knew what sonnets were, the entire class groaned! By the end of the day, they were laughing and joking while they were reading out their sonnets! The Lesson wasn't perfect, but the next time I do it, I have the suggestions from my AT to improve it. I cannot wait to be a teacher, and have my own class! ~E~ Current Mood:  bouncyCurrent Music: jon-rae and the river | | Friday, March 9th, 2007 | | 4:59 pm |
Recent Books
Current: "Catcher In The Rye" - J.D. Salinger. (I don't know what I thought this book was about, but it's not what I thought.) ~"Day of the Triffids" - John Wyndham. (AMAZING! One of my new favourites - about 10 foot tall venus fly traps and biological weapons, the beginning is a bit slow, but you need to get through it for the rest of the book to make sense. Definately worth it!) ~"The Unwritten Girl" - James Bow. (Interesting new teen book, set in the 'fictional' town of Clarksburg [aka: Lion's Head] where a girl can't finish fiction books and therefore strands the characters in their worst possible moments - they then get rather upset and seek revenge.) ~"The Bell Jar" - Sylvia Plath. (Freeman kept asking me if I was okay when he saw me reading this. But it was my first time reading it, and I had not got to the depressing parts yet. I was confused there for awhile. On whole though, I think the book brings hope...hmm - does that say something about me?) ~and a lot of textbooks and teacher's manuals! I know I've read more books recently, but I can't remember what ones...... Current Mood: geekyCurrent Music: Jonny Lang | | Thursday, February 15th, 2007 | | 2:55 pm |
Snow
These poor Torontoians complaining about a couple inches of snow when it's been up over the window ledges at home. I swear the city wants to grind to a halt when the white stuff clouds the air. Even the subway is prone to problems. It took me 45 minutes to go 8 subway stops. We're underground? Snow is on the ground? But we're under it. Anyways, the point of my subway trip was to get on a bus and visit the Mary Ward C SS in Scarbourgh. A really interesting school where the students are responsible for their own learning, they practice carry-overs if they don't finish the credit in one year and the students make their own schedule. It was an amazing look at regular education with an alternative twist. Well I need to get back to work All the best to everyone. Current Mood: creativeCurrent Music: Ted Nugent | | Wednesday, December 13th, 2006 | | 4:15 pm |
Conference At School
Does this make any sense: We've got to go to the PPC to get forms to apply to teach. This conference is not mandatory. Yet you can only get the forms there. The PPC costs $55. But if you don't go, you don't get a job next year. But you don't have to go.... My question is: Why is this mandatory conference (it's mandatory if you need to go to actually do what your degree is for) not included as part of your tuition? I think that this, and the other conferences that we need to go to, the ones that fill in the gaps in our education that we've paid a lot of money for, should all be free. We've paid for an inclusive education and we are being nickled ($50) and dimed ($100) for extra conferences that we need to be teachers of any quality. Don't get me wrong, I've got a lot out of today's lectures on presenting ourselves the best and how to write resumes, but so far, not worth a 1/3 of my $55. It's a lot of common sense. Then there is the Employment Information Fair, that only has 44 booths, and doesn't include any, I have to repeat, any, of the school boards that I intend to apply to. Just because OISE is in Toronto, doesn't mean that there should be a focus on the TDSB. We need to have a more inclusive approach to employment. OISE stresses its inclusive nature, yet they don't seem willing to actually practice that. They make the assumption that because we are at OISE, we must be from Toronto AND want to teach here. I have nothing against Toronto, but I couldn't live here forever. It's a place I do want to visit, but it is difficult to find out where else to apply. Anyways. I'm at a conference for the next two days, and my protest at the price is to take my notes on my laptop and post them to the mailing list for those that couldn't afford it. ~E~ Current Mood: crankyCurrent Music: Semisonic - Who's stopping You | | Tuesday, December 12th, 2006 | | 6:25 pm |
Best Book in a long time
So I took this book out of the Library. I've been expanding my general SF reading to include more things that will help me when I'm a "real" teacher. Hmmm. SO AMAZING. Here's the stats; Levithan, David and Billy Merrel, ed. "The Full Spectrum: a new genteration of writing about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and other identities." Random House Children's Books, New York (2006). I can't even begin to explain the fact that it was hard to go to bed at night because I couldn't put the book down, that I'd promise myself that I'd just finish one more story, that these people could have been me if I was gay. I know that sentence sounds weird, but it's true. When I chose to become who I am, I chose to be an Ally. Capital A there, because I knew that I could not hate someone because other people did. I love PEOPLE. (unless they are bigoted - and even then - One day I'll teach their children). I'm being called for supper. but the love-rant will continue!!! Yum, good soup - anyways. Some of my favourite quotes: From "A Fairy's Tale" by Travis Stanton "Like all things, I suppose my fairy tale started at the beginning. Pardon the cliche, but for me, it really did. People often ask when I first knew I was gay. My answer: since I was a fetus.... But for me, knowing I was different and realizing I was gay came at two distinctly different moments in my life...." From: "Without a Trace" by Anthony Rella "The fourteen-to-eighteen-year-old boys who comprised the Scouting crews provided numerous distractions to my political angst. I had a group from Big Clifty, Kentucky, who liked to climb all over the Ponderosa pines getting butterscotch-scented sap all over their clothes. They also supplemented their weak vocabularies with heavy doses of 'fag' and 'gay,' which began to sound like George Orwell's Newspeak: 'You are a faghiker. this is a gaybackpack. This is a doubleplusgaymountain.' Their crew leader was an eighteen-year-old bulk of fat and muscle whos face suggested a fairy tale in which the frog prince didn't quite complete the transition either way...." This last one was especially important to me, just coming from student teaching at a school where anything stupid was remarked with "That's so gay" If I had a nickle for everytime I heard that, I could pay my rent. If I had a dime for every time I gave my speach about why it's WRONG to say that, I'd pay my rent for 2 months. Anyways this is an amazing book. WOW ~E~ Current Mood:  cheerfulCurrent Music: none | | Wednesday, December 6th, 2006 | | 10:51 pm |
| | 10:33 pm |
| | 10:17 pm |
Conversation with Glenn
Yes this is a real conversation I had tonight with Glenn. He works nights, and we don't get to see each other that often...grumble... thats long distance for you (not really that long. but oh well) We're just too damn mushy sometimes. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ erin says: heya hun Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: hi sweetie. how have you been erin says: alright erin says: you? erin says: i talked to my mum and Jennifer about next saturday. Jennifer said that you can stay over Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: thats cool Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: I've been working mainly. I was listening to christmas music and putting up my christmas tree earlier today erin says: very festive erin says: we decorated here tonite erin says: last night i mean Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: i didn't feel like doing that at 2 am erin says: no, i don't imagine you would erin says: I'm thinking about you Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: i'm thinking of you too Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: are we doing a movie sunday? erin says: sure what do you want to see? Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: we'll have to decide that on friday because the current listing are only good until thursday erin says: sounds good to me erin says: nahnah, i get to watch Jericho Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: my tree is so geeky Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: i'm jealous erin says: but i think it's the first one again Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: i still have that on my pc erin says: will you copy it for me? erin says: I LOVE THIS SHOW erin says: did you know that the blonde love interest is a high school teacher and the brunette is a elementary school teacher..... there goes my theory about going for the school teacher Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: i still like the theory erin says: i'm almost a teacher Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: you are my school teacher girl friend and i love you erin says: you're so sweet. I guess that's just one of the reasons that I fell in love with you... Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: and the fact that i'm hot to trott erin - says: of course hun, that too erin - says: it's a good thing you're cute Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: you keep saying that erin - says: i do, and it's true (and I can rhyme) Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: you are pretty cute too erin - says: all we do is trade compliments erin - says: we're so mushy Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: were in love Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: i'm hungry, i'm going to get food erin - says: okay erin - says: i'm on the internet on the house pc, and i'm writing my essay on my laptop, and i keep looking at my laptop and using the pc keyboard/mouse (and i don't even have a mouse on my laptop) I just get confused..... Office Glenn - XBox Supervisor says: i've done that before Current Mood: dorkyCurrent Music: kilted generation - still | | 10:06 pm |
I'm Back
Well guys, and wonderful WOMEN, I guess I'm back. So much good and bad has been happening and I just want to give a brief update, more to be posted when I, you know, actually finish all my assignments. Wait did I say assignments? YUP i'm in teachers college. Almost finished the first semester, during which I taught at my Mum's old high school, met some amazing people and learned what to do and what not to do in my classroom. but i felt like banging my head against the wall today trying to convince one student that Global Warming was Real, and another that sexism was bad... Today being December 6th. Moment of Silence Please... ... "Feminism exists so that no woman ever has to face her oppressor in a vacuum, alone. It exists to break down the privacy in which men rape, beat and kill women." (Andrea Dworkin) ... I CAN'T WAIT TO BE A TEACHER!!! I also can't stop thinking about sailing next summer. I might just quit my job and sail all summer. but then I won't have any money, which would be bad when it comes to getting a job and needing to pay rent. so i'm going to work a little to save up rent. It's almost time to go home for the holiday. I can't wait to see my sister, neice and Rick. They're flying in from the west coast. It's been months. I'm also spending the holidays with my boyfriend's family. Glenn is so amazing, and his family really likes me. I'm meeting his father's family on Boxing Day. And I'm nervous as hell, but It Will Be Fine. Always is. I guess I'm likeable or something :P Well I'm going to finish my paper that was due on monday... opps. Current Mood:  contemplativeCurrent Music: Kilted Generation | | Friday, April 21st, 2006 | | 12:29 pm |
Depressing But True
This website is depressing. But it is something that we ALL need to be aware of. Our world has a debt to pay because of our culture. As individuals we can still make a difference, slow things down until we can find a solution. Please, let everyone you know read this, and read it yourself. http://bostonreview.net/BR29.2/meyer.htmlErin We may have lost, but I refuse to quit fighting. | | Wednesday, April 19th, 2006 | | 8:32 pm |
| | Sunday, April 2nd, 2006 | | 3:58 pm |
Current Books:
Some friends have posted their all time favourite books, but I thought I'd post the books I've read recently and enjoyed. "The Prince and the Pauper" - Mark Twain "A Gathering of Cranes: Bringing the Tao to the West" - Solala Towler "The Family Trade" and "The Hidden Family" (books one and two of the Merchant Princes)- Charles Stross "Waywalkers" - Catherine Webb I've been doing a lot of reading lately, haven't been in the mood to do much else. A Gathering of Cranes is a bunch of interviews and practices - very interesting and informative. If you read and enjoy the Merchant Princes I have some good news about another couple of books in the series; The Clan Corporate is due for publication in hardcover in May 2006. That is really soon, and there will be at least a couple of other books out in 12 month intervals. Waywalkers was written by a girl born in 1987! It is extremely well written and I'm going to be on the look out for it's sequel "Timekeepers". I've always thought Lucifer had a bad rap - he gets a chance to tell his own story and you actually trust him as a character. hmm. Anyways, that's what I've been up to. Current Mood: sleepyCurrent Music: Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban | | Saturday, March 25th, 2006 | | 6:04 pm |
| | Friday, March 24th, 2006 | | 4:48 pm |
| | 4:46 pm |
| | Thursday, March 23rd, 2006 | | 7:45 pm |
~PERSONALITY TEST ~
My godbrother sent me this email, here are my answers: (1 ) Put the following 5 animals in the order of your preference: Cow, Tiger, Sheep, Horse, Pig Sheep, tiger, horse, cow, pig (2 ) Write one word that describes each one of the following: Dog, Cat, Rat, Coffee, Sea Dog – loyal; Cat – warm; Rat – intelligence; Coffee – creamy; Sea – mother (3 ) Think of someone, who also knows you and is important to you, which you can relate them to the following colors. Do not repeat your answer twice. Name just one person for each color: Yellow, Orange, Red, White, Green. Yellow - Mum; Orange - Paul; Red - Erin; White - Anne; Green - Lindsay; ANSWERS: ( 1 ) This will define your priorities in your life. Cow Signifies CAREER Tiger Signifies PRIDE Sheep Signifies LOVE Horse Signifies FAMILY Pig Signifies MONEY (2 ) Your description of dog implies your own personality. Your description of cat implies the personality of your partner. Your description of rat implies the personality of your enemies. Your description of coffee is how you interpret sex. Your description of the sea implies your own life. (3 ) Yellow: Someone you will never forget Orange: Someone you consider your true friend Red: Someone that you really love White: Your twin soul Green: Someone that you will remember for the rest of your life Current Mood:  okay |
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