Okay, this is to anyone who reads my blog and also receives personal emails from me.
I somehow got a virus or spam or some sort of crap via my hotmail that went out to who knows who with a link, thinking you all had my email blocked. I have no idea what this is. I'm gathering it's like an invisible email virus thingy.
So, if you received a weird email from me with the text something like:
heyy
know what? i had been noticing something... seems its true :s
Oh, and the subject line is "Hiya".
And then there's a link that takes you to a web page to see if you've blocked my email address, I DID NOT SEND THAT TO YOU! I have no idea how you got it or why or where it came from, but it wasn't from me!
bastard sp@mers.
An Angry Maggie
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Summer session 1 over and out; gearing up for number 2!
My first summer session at Alcatraz is over. Each summer session is 10 days long and I finished the first one last Friday, and start the second one tomorrow.
I taught the School of Rock (AM class) and in the afternoons I taught Hollywood 101. Rock was the history of rock music. As anyone who has ever taught a class knows, it doesn't always go according to plan. And that class didn't. I think it was mainly because of my issue with technology and I felt like my re-done lesson plans weren't as fun as the first set I did. I have to say, I LOVED the kids in that class. They were all boys and they were awesome and funny. They participated, even when they didn't want to. I don't care that it's a reform school; no one is standing over them making them raise a hand and answer a question. They don't eve get grades for the summer classes, but these guys did everything I asked and gave me ZERO trouble.
As a reward, I enlisted Mac's help. We brought in his "Rock Band" video game set- 2 guitars, a drum set, and a mic to sing- on the last day and they could play it for 2 hours. They thought that was the coolest thing ever. I just reminded them to take turns and they did- they had a blast! I also rewarded them additionally with sodas and popcorn. This was a great group!
My afternoon film class was a little different. Half way through the session, one kid got kicked out of reform school so that meant he went into the prison system. The kid never gave me any problems at all, so I was really surprised. They say it's the quiet ones who get ya every time. Then another kid got released. He was allowed to go home, which was a good thing for him. So during a ten day period, I lost 2 kids, bringing my class of 7 down to 5. Then on the next to last day, I had to toss a kid out of my classroom. He went from zero to idiot really quickly and I just booted him; that's what we're supposed to do but I like to handle my own discipline. In this case, though, I followed the rules. The rest of the kids were also awesome and fun. We had a good time, so on the last day, the 4 remaining got soda and popcorn as well.
With this second session, I'm going to continue teaching the film class. I'm going to show all different films for three reasons: I don't want to see the same ones over again, I might have some of the same students again, and we might study different genres. I'm going to list genres on the board and let the kids vote on which one they want to learn about; I did that last time and it worked well and they had a high interest level. (We did war and history [The Patriot], sci -fi [Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the e1956 B&W original], kids [Jumanji], horror [The Birds, by Hitchcock], mafia [Public Enemies], parody [Spaceballs], and comedy [Monty Python and the Holy Grail] If you want to see my reviews of these films, go here.)
I decided to lose the music class and am going to teach study skills, which is more up my alley anyway. And to add a twist, all the study skills will be practiced on materials I give them- which will all be about American Gothic Horror. That way they won't seem so bored when I give them a study skills task to complete because it will be over horror stories.
Summer session 2 starts tomorrow and I am excited! So far, so good!
Mags
I taught the School of Rock (AM class) and in the afternoons I taught Hollywood 101. Rock was the history of rock music. As anyone who has ever taught a class knows, it doesn't always go according to plan. And that class didn't. I think it was mainly because of my issue with technology and I felt like my re-done lesson plans weren't as fun as the first set I did. I have to say, I LOVED the kids in that class. They were all boys and they were awesome and funny. They participated, even when they didn't want to. I don't care that it's a reform school; no one is standing over them making them raise a hand and answer a question. They don't eve get grades for the summer classes, but these guys did everything I asked and gave me ZERO trouble.
As a reward, I enlisted Mac's help. We brought in his "Rock Band" video game set- 2 guitars, a drum set, and a mic to sing- on the last day and they could play it for 2 hours. They thought that was the coolest thing ever. I just reminded them to take turns and they did- they had a blast! I also rewarded them additionally with sodas and popcorn. This was a great group!
My afternoon film class was a little different. Half way through the session, one kid got kicked out of reform school so that meant he went into the prison system. The kid never gave me any problems at all, so I was really surprised. They say it's the quiet ones who get ya every time. Then another kid got released. He was allowed to go home, which was a good thing for him. So during a ten day period, I lost 2 kids, bringing my class of 7 down to 5. Then on the next to last day, I had to toss a kid out of my classroom. He went from zero to idiot really quickly and I just booted him; that's what we're supposed to do but I like to handle my own discipline. In this case, though, I followed the rules. The rest of the kids were also awesome and fun. We had a good time, so on the last day, the 4 remaining got soda and popcorn as well.
With this second session, I'm going to continue teaching the film class. I'm going to show all different films for three reasons: I don't want to see the same ones over again, I might have some of the same students again, and we might study different genres. I'm going to list genres on the board and let the kids vote on which one they want to learn about; I did that last time and it worked well and they had a high interest level. (We did war and history [The Patriot], sci -fi [Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the e1956 B&W original], kids [Jumanji], horror [The Birds, by Hitchcock], mafia [Public Enemies], parody [Spaceballs], and comedy [Monty Python and the Holy Grail] If you want to see my reviews of these films, go here.)
I decided to lose the music class and am going to teach study skills, which is more up my alley anyway. And to add a twist, all the study skills will be practiced on materials I give them- which will all be about American Gothic Horror. That way they won't seem so bored when I give them a study skills task to complete because it will be over horror stories.
Summer session 2 starts tomorrow and I am excited! So far, so good!
Mags
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Food, books, women
So, I'm thinking about a "reading theme" for myself for the summer. I'll read other stuff, but I was thinking of trying to read several books of a particular type.
I really enjoyed the book Julie and Julia: 356 Days, 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment (and I also loved the movie!) last year. Another one of my favorite books I read last year was I Loved I Lost I Made Spaghetti. And earlier this week I finished The Sharper the Knife, The Less You Cry and enjoyed it immensely. What do all these have in common? They're memoirs of women who have made some life changes that usually revolve around food, cooking, eating, or all three. For some reason, this particular genre has hugely interested me. I don't know if it's the journeys these women take, if it's all the food, if it's their writing styles, their voices.... I don't know, but I do know that I really like this particular style. I usually enjoy a memoir by a woman (Eat Pray Love seems to be the exception to that rule since I hated that book- yeah, I'm the only woman in the world who hates that book, it seems. So, shoot me!) and I've read several. But the one's about food/ cooking and the woman searching for something in life really speak to me.
I have no desire to go to a cooking school but I do love food. I love to cook and I LOVE to eat. I like to be creative in the kitchen when time and resources allow for such. The food part is always interesting. And life and food always generate some wonderful metaphors and analogies from "Life is like a box of chocolates" to "people are like onions. Keep peeling back the layers.." sort of thinking.
The women who've written the three books I've read so far are pretty smart women, too. I like how they've written their stories, and they don't seem to take themselves too seriously. I also like that all these start at the adult point in their lives. Food may been important to them since they were children or someone in their childhood might have influenced their food love, but these are memoirs not biographies so I like forgoing the long drawn out family stories about food- blah blah blah. I like the here and now, "I am woman, hear me cook" sort of stories.
The one thought that gives me pause is that if I read several more of these books, will I burn myself out? Will I feel as if I've over indulged in this decadent dessert type of reading to the point where I'll be sick? (I said I like food metaphors and analogies.)
I've made a list of titles:
Now I just have to see what the local library has, what Half Price Books has and what I can get ILL and from Amazon. And if anyone here has any of these and wants to share, please let me know!
Maggie
I really enjoyed the book Julie and Julia: 356 Days, 524 recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment (and I also loved the movie!) last year. Another one of my favorite books I read last year was I Loved I Lost I Made Spaghetti. And earlier this week I finished The Sharper the Knife, The Less You Cry and enjoyed it immensely. What do all these have in common? They're memoirs of women who have made some life changes that usually revolve around food, cooking, eating, or all three. For some reason, this particular genre has hugely interested me. I don't know if it's the journeys these women take, if it's all the food, if it's their writing styles, their voices.... I don't know, but I do know that I really like this particular style. I usually enjoy a memoir by a woman (Eat Pray Love seems to be the exception to that rule since I hated that book- yeah, I'm the only woman in the world who hates that book, it seems. So, shoot me!) and I've read several. But the one's about food/ cooking and the woman searching for something in life really speak to me.
I have no desire to go to a cooking school but I do love food. I love to cook and I LOVE to eat. I like to be creative in the kitchen when time and resources allow for such. The food part is always interesting. And life and food always generate some wonderful metaphors and analogies from "Life is like a box of chocolates" to "people are like onions. Keep peeling back the layers.." sort of thinking.
The women who've written the three books I've read so far are pretty smart women, too. I like how they've written their stories, and they don't seem to take themselves too seriously. I also like that all these start at the adult point in their lives. Food may been important to them since they were children or someone in their childhood might have influenced their food love, but these are memoirs not biographies so I like forgoing the long drawn out family stories about food- blah blah blah. I like the here and now, "I am woman, hear me cook" sort of stories.
The one thought that gives me pause is that if I read several more of these books, will I burn myself out? Will I feel as if I've over indulged in this decadent dessert type of reading to the point where I'll be sick? (I said I like food metaphors and analogies.)
I've made a list of titles:
- Garlic and Sapphires: The secret life of a food critic in disguise
- Cakewalk: A Memoir
- Spoon Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life
- Spiced: A Pastry Chef's true stories of Trials by Fire, After Hours Exploits, and What really Goes on on the Kitchen
- Under the Table: Saucy tales from Culinary School
- Lunch in Paris: A love story, with recipes
Now I just have to see what the local library has, what Half Price Books has and what I can get ILL and from Amazon. And if anyone here has any of these and wants to share, please let me know!
Maggie
Friday, June 11, 2010
Small Pleasures
- Long hot showers
- Quiet time
- Air conditioning
- I found out that if I go to Half Price books, I can get magazines for 50 cents!!!! I can't buy the current issue, but if I don't mind waiting a WEEK for weeklys or merely a few weeks for a monthly, I can get them for 50 cents. That so rocks! I've let all my magazine subscriptions expire so this was an awesome find.
- Being able to take Rock Band to Alcatraz so the kids can play to celebrate their last day since they've had perfect behavior for me!
- Money from teaching summer school
- The nice guy who works at my local video store who lets me get free movies if I'm going to show them at Alcatraz
- Books
- libraries
- my niece and nephew
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Pity Party for One, please
The plan was to move back here to Civilization in December 2008 and have a full time job with benefits in or very near my hometown in about three months. I would then rent an apartment or a house and stay here until Mac graduated from high school. Then I would either continue, or I would see where my wanderlust took me next.
Well, as the title implies, things didn't go according to plan.
I have applied for at least 200 plus jobs in the last 18 months and none have come to full time fruition. I receive lash praise from colleagues and students each time I enter the teaching arena but I have no teaching license in my home state and need money to afford school to do this, which is a Catch 22= I can't afford school since I don't have a full time job and I can't get a full time job in teaching without a license. And, apparently, I can't seem to get a full time job OUT of education because everyone and their brother is still unemployed. Fuck that the experts say about employment being back on the rise; anyone unemployed in the Midwest will tell you otherwise.
And of that over 200 jobs I've applied for, about 90% are outside of education, so yes, I'm apply all over the place, trying just about anything as one might be known to do when one is desperate.
This summer I'm teaching at Alcatraz and I've applied for a job at a local mental health center, still having not heard anything. I was given a sterling recommendation so I hope that will at least merit an interview, IF they decide to look at people externally. But when the summer ends, it seems I'm back on the substitute teaching list if nothing else comes along.
This summer I had high hopes of living and working in Ireland, but that fell through; I was having help on that end to find a job and a place to live but to no avail. I would've been happy as a live in au pair or a house sitter and a bartender, but the person who was helping didn't seemed to inclined to really "help" so it just became another dream, another disappointment.
I hate it when nothing goes according to plan.
I'm trying to find work and it's not working. I'm stressed to the point of breaking. I'm on the verge of tears all the time. I get home from school and want nothing more than to sleep from 3pm until I have to get up the next day. My uncle (and aunt) where here a short time ago and my uncle adds to my stress... because I don't have a job. Well, duh. If I could get one, at this point, don't ya think I would? It's always on my mind and having it in my face doesn't help.
I worry about EVERYTHING. ALL the time. Sometimes I think it would be easier to crawl into the deep dark recesses of my mind and think about what it would be like to not have to worry about it all, and what I could do to make life easier for everyone, self included, eventually. Those thoughts aren't usually good. I feel like an inmate who's been left in charge of the asylum.
This isn't where I wanted to be or who I want to be. Sometimes, though, a person just doesn't have any means to control... anything.
Mags
Well, as the title implies, things didn't go according to plan.
I have applied for at least 200 plus jobs in the last 18 months and none have come to full time fruition. I receive lash praise from colleagues and students each time I enter the teaching arena but I have no teaching license in my home state and need money to afford school to do this, which is a Catch 22= I can't afford school since I don't have a full time job and I can't get a full time job in teaching without a license. And, apparently, I can't seem to get a full time job OUT of education because everyone and their brother is still unemployed. Fuck that the experts say about employment being back on the rise; anyone unemployed in the Midwest will tell you otherwise.
And of that over 200 jobs I've applied for, about 90% are outside of education, so yes, I'm apply all over the place, trying just about anything as one might be known to do when one is desperate.
This summer I'm teaching at Alcatraz and I've applied for a job at a local mental health center, still having not heard anything. I was given a sterling recommendation so I hope that will at least merit an interview, IF they decide to look at people externally. But when the summer ends, it seems I'm back on the substitute teaching list if nothing else comes along.
This summer I had high hopes of living and working in Ireland, but that fell through; I was having help on that end to find a job and a place to live but to no avail. I would've been happy as a live in au pair or a house sitter and a bartender, but the person who was helping didn't seemed to inclined to really "help" so it just became another dream, another disappointment.
I hate it when nothing goes according to plan.
I'm trying to find work and it's not working. I'm stressed to the point of breaking. I'm on the verge of tears all the time. I get home from school and want nothing more than to sleep from 3pm until I have to get up the next day. My uncle (and aunt) where here a short time ago and my uncle adds to my stress... because I don't have a job. Well, duh. If I could get one, at this point, don't ya think I would? It's always on my mind and having it in my face doesn't help.
I worry about EVERYTHING. ALL the time. Sometimes I think it would be easier to crawl into the deep dark recesses of my mind and think about what it would be like to not have to worry about it all, and what I could do to make life easier for everyone, self included, eventually. Those thoughts aren't usually good. I feel like an inmate who's been left in charge of the asylum.
This isn't where I wanted to be or who I want to be. Sometimes, though, a person just doesn't have any means to control... anything.
Mags
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Wednesday meme since I can't think straight right now
Wednesday meme stealing... I have a bunch of stuff inside my head and I need some time to sort it out, and get it from my head to paper- or blog. So, since I can't skip a day posting, though sometimes I wonder if it would be better to skip than post memes... oh who knows? But here's a meme until I figure that one out! Honor among thieves.... thanks to Sunday Stealing!
1. It's 2AM and you are not home. You are more than likely:
home. I don't have much of a social life.
2. What's the last thing you spent more than $100 on?
I got Mac an iPod touch for Christmas.
3. What do your bank checks look like?
the free ones that come with the account. Brown I think?
4. Where did the shirt you are currently wearing come from?
Wal-Mart
5. Name something that will be on your Christmas wish list:
books
6. What color is your toothbrush?
pink
7. Name something you collect and tell us about it.
I collect teacups with matching saucers. I like dainty ones that have pink flowers on them.
8. Last restaurant you ate at. Who were you with? How was it?
at a hot dog stand. I was alone, sat in my car, listened to music and read a book. Had 2 Spanish dogs with a small root beer- good stuff!
9. Who was the last person you bought a birthday card for?
Daddy-O
10. What is your worst bad habit?
I have several. I can't list them all here, or even any, lest you think I'm perfect
11. Name a magazine you subscribe to?
Vanity Fair
12. Your favorite pizza toppings?
cheese and mushroom
13. Whose number were you looking up the last time you used a phone book?
a funeral home
14. Other than family, who is the person that you love most?
I dunno
15. What is the last thing you cooked?
homemade veggie beef soup
16. Name something you wouldn't want to buy used?
underwear
17. Which shoe do you put on first?
which ever I grab first. Usually right
18. What is the last thing you remember losing?
my mind
19. What is the ugliest piece of furniture in your house?
I live with Daddy-O and his furniture is awesome
20. Last thing you bought and ended up returning?
I can't remember... it happened at Wal-Mart, though
21. What perfume/cologne do you wear? If none, why?
Chanel No. 5, when I can afford it
22. Your favorite board game?
Scrabble or Monopoly
23. What was the last board game you played?
Scrabble
24. Where did your vehicle come from?
A lady and her husband
25. If a movie was made about your life what would the theme song be?
"She's a Rebel" by Green Day
26. You're sad, who can cheer you up easily?
no one, really
27. What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to?
Funny, I can't remember the last time I even went to a wedding. My friends have either been married for awhile or are single
28. What house cleaning chore do you hate to do the most?
emptying the dishwasher and dusting and vacuuming are all equally tied for first place
29. What is your favorite way to eat chicken?
with a fork
30. It is your birthday. You hope the cake is?
this year I would love a flashback to my childhood when my cousin who I think of as an aunt, Aunt R made a cherry chip 2 layer cake and them frosted it with cream cheese frosting and then covered it in cherry pie filling. I want that
1. It's 2AM and you are not home. You are more than likely:
home. I don't have much of a social life.
2. What's the last thing you spent more than $100 on?
I got Mac an iPod touch for Christmas.
3. What do your bank checks look like?
the free ones that come with the account. Brown I think?
4. Where did the shirt you are currently wearing come from?
Wal-Mart
5. Name something that will be on your Christmas wish list:
books
6. What color is your toothbrush?
pink
7. Name something you collect and tell us about it.
I collect teacups with matching saucers. I like dainty ones that have pink flowers on them.
8. Last restaurant you ate at. Who were you with? How was it?
at a hot dog stand. I was alone, sat in my car, listened to music and read a book. Had 2 Spanish dogs with a small root beer- good stuff!
9. Who was the last person you bought a birthday card for?
Daddy-O
10. What is your worst bad habit?
I have several. I can't list them all here, or even any, lest you think I'm perfect
11. Name a magazine you subscribe to?
Vanity Fair
12. Your favorite pizza toppings?
cheese and mushroom
13. Whose number were you looking up the last time you used a phone book?
a funeral home
14. Other than family, who is the person that you love most?
I dunno
15. What is the last thing you cooked?
homemade veggie beef soup
16. Name something you wouldn't want to buy used?
underwear
17. Which shoe do you put on first?
which ever I grab first. Usually right
18. What is the last thing you remember losing?
my mind
19. What is the ugliest piece of furniture in your house?
I live with Daddy-O and his furniture is awesome
20. Last thing you bought and ended up returning?
I can't remember... it happened at Wal-Mart, though
21. What perfume/cologne do you wear? If none, why?
Chanel No. 5, when I can afford it
22. Your favorite board game?
Scrabble or Monopoly
23. What was the last board game you played?
Scrabble
24. Where did your vehicle come from?
A lady and her husband
25. If a movie was made about your life what would the theme song be?
"She's a Rebel" by Green Day
26. You're sad, who can cheer you up easily?
no one, really
27. What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to?
Funny, I can't remember the last time I even went to a wedding. My friends have either been married for awhile or are single
28. What house cleaning chore do you hate to do the most?
emptying the dishwasher and dusting and vacuuming are all equally tied for first place
29. What is your favorite way to eat chicken?
with a fork
30. It is your birthday. You hope the cake is?
this year I would love a flashback to my childhood when my cousin who I think of as an aunt, Aunt R made a cherry chip 2 layer cake and them frosted it with cream cheese frosting and then covered it in cherry pie filling. I want that
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Add it to the list of icky sounds
So, yesterday at lunch, I was was sitting with some faculty. Notice, I said I was sitting with them, not having lunch with them. It was all men, they've all known each other for a LONG time so I was just eating near them so I didn't look pathetic sitting at a table alone. AND they did ask me to join them, so I did. But teacher"cliques" is a post for another day.
Oh, and I should also say that the kids at this "prison school" where I'm teaching eat with their house parents and the other kids in their house, each house assigned to one table area. The kids can't mix with other kids. Furthermore, boys and girls are separated. So the cafeteria is gigantic with the north end full of boy tables, the middle with staff and faculty, and the south end full of the girl's tables. And houses can have anywhere from 6-15 kids. So the ratio is about that many kids to two house parents per table.
So I'm sitting there in the middle, when a boy's table, straight across from me, I don't even have to turn my head to see anything, it's right IN FRONT OF ME, has a "situation". What I see is one boy abruptly stand up, with his chair flying out behind him as he yells at another kid sitting across from him, "You fucking want a piece of me?"
Apparently the kid being yelled at, must have made a remark that made the standing kid even more angry because he drew back his fist and PUNCHED the sitting kid in the face.
It made a loud thwacking sound, like punching a watermelon really hard. (Like the dude who used to kick watermelons in the Ginsu knife commercials? You remember that sound?) And sickening flesh upon flesh smacking smushy icky sound. The kid hit him. Really, he just punched him right in the face, reaching over the dinner table full of tray of ribs and scalloped potatoes, he smucked the other boy in the face!! At lunch! Damn heathens.
And know what? Most kids didn't even see it happen, most adults didn't pay attention, the kids at that table scooted back from the table, holding their food trays and eating and watching. Kids at the surrounding tables were watching and still carrying on conversations. The house parents were moving and holding back the hitter and the nurse came over to collect the hitee, who had blood gushing down his face. Did I mention lunch was BBQ rib sandwiches?
I don't think I've heard seen and heard someone hit someone else like that. Or at least make that sort of sound when it happened. And to have a room full of people barely flinch. It's scary to find out what can become "the norm".
Oh, and I didn't finish my lunch,
Maggie
Oh, and I should also say that the kids at this "prison school" where I'm teaching eat with their house parents and the other kids in their house, each house assigned to one table area. The kids can't mix with other kids. Furthermore, boys and girls are separated. So the cafeteria is gigantic with the north end full of boy tables, the middle with staff and faculty, and the south end full of the girl's tables. And houses can have anywhere from 6-15 kids. So the ratio is about that many kids to two house parents per table.
So I'm sitting there in the middle, when a boy's table, straight across from me, I don't even have to turn my head to see anything, it's right IN FRONT OF ME, has a "situation". What I see is one boy abruptly stand up, with his chair flying out behind him as he yells at another kid sitting across from him, "You fucking want a piece of me?"
Apparently the kid being yelled at, must have made a remark that made the standing kid even more angry because he drew back his fist and PUNCHED the sitting kid in the face.
It made a loud thwacking sound, like punching a watermelon really hard. (Like the dude who used to kick watermelons in the Ginsu knife commercials? You remember that sound?) And sickening flesh upon flesh smacking smushy icky sound. The kid hit him. Really, he just punched him right in the face, reaching over the dinner table full of tray of ribs and scalloped potatoes, he smucked the other boy in the face!! At lunch! Damn heathens.
And know what? Most kids didn't even see it happen, most adults didn't pay attention, the kids at that table scooted back from the table, holding their food trays and eating and watching. Kids at the surrounding tables were watching and still carrying on conversations. The house parents were moving and holding back the hitter and the nurse came over to collect the hitee, who had blood gushing down his face. Did I mention lunch was BBQ rib sandwiches?
I don't think I've heard seen and heard someone hit someone else like that. Or at least make that sort of sound when it happened. And to have a room full of people barely flinch. It's scary to find out what can become "the norm".
Oh, and I didn't finish my lunch,
Maggie
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