"It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes. I suppose." Joseph Conrad

Teacher Humour

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 21:47:21 GMT

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!

Weston Sailing Club

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:28:57 GMT

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=afSKI1RN9Co
watch and enjoy.
They're wicked sailors! WOW

Old Emails

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:16:01 GMT

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

Babies

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 03:37:53 GMT

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.

Medieval Times

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 21:21:02 GMT

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~

Snow

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 20:00:23 GMT

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.

Conference At School

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 21:15:48 GMT

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~

Best Book in a long time

Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:25:07 GMT

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~

Yea For Harry Potter

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 03:51:17 GMT

I'm just too nice

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 03:33:05 GMT

Conversation with Glenn

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 03:17:23 GMT

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

I'm Back

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 03:06:41 GMT

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.

Depressing But True

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 16:31:41 GMT

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.html

Erin
We may have lost, but I refuse to quit fighting.

Cough. Hack

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:32:44 GMT

<td align="center">

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com</td>

Current Books:

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 20:17:56 GMT

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.

This site is driving me crazy

Sat, 25 Mar 2006 23:06:19 GMT

My Aunt sent me this web site, it is like hacky-sack, but with a tennis ball
Definatly a tough one!
http://www.mcsaatchi.webcentral.com.au/tennischallenge/optus_tennis_site_edited.html
So far I've reached 15

I had to post this one, cause it's too close to real life

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 21:49:22 GMT

What would your WWE love life be like? by immortalangel
Name
Age
Hometown
Love Interest	Shane McMahon
How did you meet?	We were friends growing up
When did it start?	May 12, 1999
Was it ever true love?	No, but I faked it

Quiz created with MemeGen!

I have a polite Kiss

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 21:47:05 GMT

Your Love Life by lpfloatsmyboat
Name/username/nickname:
favorite color:
best physical quaility:	hair
best personality trait:	people person
will you marry your bf/gf that you have now?	no
when will you get married?	July 27, 2016
your kiss is:	polite
People date you because:	you're funny

Quiz created with MemeGen!

~PERSONALITY TEST ~

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 00:47:04 GMT

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

Friends

Thu, 23 Mar 2006 01:53:15 GMT

Friends are very important people. I'm having a problem saying that to certain people.
Erin, if you read this, please understand that I do love you, but one of your journal postings made me feel under attack, that I was demanding too much of you, when you were the one making plans with me, but all I needed was a shoulder to cry on for the evening - or for you to be there when you had time, and you said that you did, then attacked all your friends for being too demanding.
I just think that it's stupid that we are wasting time not talking now, when you are leaving so soon. We're going to be separated for so long, we might as well get this sorted now. I was hurt, but I'm hurting more by not talking to you. You are my best friend here, please, lets get this sorted?
I work 9-5 - but if the only time that you have for me right now is if I come over to walk you to work, I'll take it.
I miss you and hope that you can accept this as a kind of apology, and I hope to talk to you soon.
Toad

Hanging out With Mel

Sat, 11 Mar 2006 16:17:19 GMT

Last night I went out with a friend that I've had since High school. I had a good time, but it was a little disturbing. ALL the Guys looked the SAME - there were only one or two minor variations. I'm completely serious, every guy had the same plain white/striped white shirt and a hat. Seriously - how is a girl supposed to tell them apart? Don't get me wrong, I wasn't looking, I was just there to hang out with Mel - and drink too much beer - she's a great influence! I told them that I had a boyfriend and they left me alone. It turned out to be a great girls' night out, it was good to have some fun.

Grandfathers

Sun, 05 Mar 2006 02:18:20 GMT

On the bus today I saw a man who looked like my grandfather - just superficially but he still looked like him.
I miss him a lot, it makes me sad that my neice won't know him, and happy that we are going to take her to see her great-grandmother, although neither will remember it.
Appreciate those that you have, and remember those that you miss

Valentines and Welcome to St Goldie

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 17:21:27 GMT

I had to work yesterday, and no one understands why they didn't send people home. It was so slow. I had 22 calls yesterday, averaging 9.45 minutes.
After work Paul and I went grocery shopping, and he told me that he bought me a present, it was "hidden in plain sight"
When we got home he told me he would put away the groceries while i looked for it. There is a new addition to our house, something that I've wanted for a few years now. I wanted to introduce you all to St. Goldie - a red betta fish. He's so pretty!
I named him Goldie because that's what my grandma said I should name my fish when I was talking to her back in October 2005.

Bah Chocobos

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 00:42:20 GMT

So yeah, i've been playing FF7 for 5 years now, and i really just want to breed chocobos successfully to unlock the special features by getting a black chocobo. BUT I CAN'T! I try so hard, but I can't get the chocobos to turn green/blue/black when i breed them, and i can't race the yellow ones to upgrade them because the golden saucer is closed. Grumble.
This is why the internet is a wonderful resource, I guess I have to wait until the 3rd disc, apparently it takes too long in the second disc... Oh well I have the right ones. The site I got it from is http://www.louisville.edu/~jnhood01/chocobo.htm
Yeah for unwinding after work. I feel like it's my dirty little secret. I work for Xbox all day then come home and play on my Playstation!

One Year

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 22:01:01 GMT

Just over a year ago, I met Paul. And what a year it's been. We just celebrated our anniversary last night. He took me out to a nice resturant, we talked about the past, and the future, what we hope it will hold.
At the end of the meal, Paul got up to go to the bathroom, however he was trying to be sneaky about something so I was watching him. He took his cell with him, but I didn't know why, thinking that he was going to sneak a picture with it on his way back. We told our waiter that it was our anniversary when he took our picture for us. We got free cake!
There were some nice lion statues and the atmosphere was really nice. As we left the resturant Paul got a phone call, he walked ahead when he was on the phone and I said "Hey thanks for walking with me" and when he stopped he said that it was his sister and he'd call her back tomorrow.
We walked along King Street past the Wine Rack - I asked him if he wanted to stop and buy a bottle of wine. He said no and kept walking. When I pushed it he just winked at me. When we got home I could see a light on inside. I didn't think that we left a light on. Inside there were candles lit everywhere and a bottle of wine with two glasses. (Paul's got a good friend eh?)
We'd exchanged presents earlier, I got him "40 Years of The Amazing Spider-Man" Comics on CD-Rom, and he laughed like a little kid. He got me "The witches of Eastwick" and a good luck frog. So we sat down with a bottle of wine to watch the movie.

I love this man, he's been so patient with me this last year - even though we've spent 6 months of that with me in Lion's Head and him in the city. We moved pretty fast, but the time apart in the summer allowed us to work on actually having a relationship. Especially since we're both so independant. We're looking forward to finding out where I'm going to Teacher's College, and whether or not he's going on tour this summer. I'm going to work at home again for the summer, and go sailing! Isn't he amazing for putting up with me? I sure think so. He realizes that for the next few years I'll be in transient mode and then I'll settle down. Thats a Promise.

Paul - I love you, and I tell you that as often as I can.