Decent Class
No one died during my emergency class but they were hoping for automatic "A"s and not entirely happy that the administration found a substitute instructor. (I don't blame them--having a professor skip town is on the level of the legendary roommate suicide rule.)
There's a high percent of teenage males which typically makes for rough work with poetry. In my other class, a good chunk of the young males have kids which make Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein references work. A lot of 18 year olds have made up their minds to hate poetry and nobody's gonna change it.
There's at least one SF/Fantasy fan who knows literature well but, in typical SF fan style, doesn't say a word. My favorite lit class was with a crazy comic/SF fan who related everything to comic books. I hope this guy opens up but he has a "heavy shy" feel to him.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Judge Bans Sex
A judge in Texas ordered a teenage girl not to have sex as part of her sentence.
Is this just judicial showboating? How are they going to prove that one way or another? A chastity belt? Does oral sex count? (Strong precedent that it doesn't.) Does masturbation?
I'm not in favor of the girl having sex but this looks more like the judge was playing to the media than trying to work for justice.
A judge in Texas ordered a teenage girl not to have sex as part of her sentence.
Is this just judicial showboating? How are they going to prove that one way or another? A chastity belt? Does oral sex count? (Strong precedent that it doesn't.) Does masturbation?
I'm not in favor of the girl having sex but this looks more like the judge was playing to the media than trying to work for justice.
I'm Out of Here
I've been told where to go before but never like this:
What Places In The World Match Your Personality?
City Reviews at CityCulture.org
17
I've been told where to go before but never like this:
| #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### #################################################### |
| Your personality type is RCOAI |
| You are reserved, moderately calm, moderately organized, accommodating, and intellectual, and may prefer a city which matches those traits. |
| The largest representation of your personality type can be found in the these U.S. cities: Albuquerque/Santa Fe, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Nashville, Tucson, Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Indianapolis, Memphis, Milwaukee, Orange County, Los Angeles and these international countries/regions Indonesia, Ukraine, Denmark, Middle East, Czech Republic, India, Caribbean, Romania, Hungary, Greece, Guam, Israel, South Korea, Norway, Mexico |
City Reviews at CityCulture.org
17
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Oh, That's What He Does
I only include this link because up until this point I had no idea who Kanye West was or what he did for a living. Either the articles I read about him simply mentioned him by name or I just skimmed the headlines of the story. I'll sleep easier tonight knowing he's a Pepsi-endorsing rapper.
I only include this link because up until this point I had no idea who Kanye West was or what he did for a living. Either the articles I read about him simply mentioned him by name or I just skimmed the headlines of the story. I'll sleep easier tonight knowing he's a Pepsi-endorsing rapper.
More Class
Last Thursday one of the ENG 103 instructors never showed up for class and isn't answering phone calls. I was drafted as the replacement (now four days of classes and three days of Kroger).
I'm not sure what to expect. Thursday night classes in the fall are always compressed so condensing the syllabus even more might get rough for freshmen.
ENG 103 is the "Writing about Literature" sequence of College Writing. It's my favorite to teach but it's the hardest one to prune material out of.
Last Thursday one of the ENG 103 instructors never showed up for class and isn't answering phone calls. I was drafted as the replacement (now four days of classes and three days of Kroger).
I'm not sure what to expect. Thursday night classes in the fall are always compressed so condensing the syllabus even more might get rough for freshmen.
ENG 103 is the "Writing about Literature" sequence of College Writing. It's my favorite to teach but it's the hardest one to prune material out of.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
New Orleans Gator
A while back I showed a pro-Florida bias, insinuating that only alligators in the Sunshine State grow into true monsters. I just read an account of a seven-foot alligator in New Orleans but it looks like it was somebody's pet.
In the St. Augustine alligator farm, they've got a 15-foot alligator (and that's northern Florida).
A while back I showed a pro-Florida bias, insinuating that only alligators in the Sunshine State grow into true monsters. I just read an account of a seven-foot alligator in New Orleans but it looks like it was somebody's pet.
In the St. Augustine alligator farm, they've got a 15-foot alligator (and that's northern Florida).
Little Willy Sighting
This might not seem like a big deal but the poetic form of the "Little Willy" has been on a decline for quite some time. Similar to the grue, the Little Willy is generally a four-line poem that involves death or hideous cruelty, usually to an individual named Little Willy.
Little Willy has turned up in Australia and now librarians want him out.
This might not seem like a big deal but the poetic form of the "Little Willy" has been on a decline for quite some time. Similar to the grue, the Little Willy is generally a four-line poem that involves death or hideous cruelty, usually to an individual named Little Willy.
Little Willy has turned up in Australia and now librarians want him out.
"Look Up in the Sky! It's a--"
Remember the idiot who claimed that Hurricane Katrina took the shape of an unborn fetus to punish sinners for abortions?
Snopes is claiming that this shape of Rita is legit. What the hell's the message here?
Remember the idiot who claimed that Hurricane Katrina took the shape of an unborn fetus to punish sinners for abortions?
Snopes is claiming that this shape of Rita is legit. What the hell's the message here?
Slavic Gods
I'm a month and a half late bringing Myroslava T. Znayenko's The Gods of the Ancient Slavs: Tatishchev and the Beginning of Slavic Mythology back to the NKU library. Before I drop it off, I might as well post something from it.
From the Primary Chronicle of Vladimir (980AD), we get that the primary pagan gods of Russia included Perun, the chief god; Xors Dazbog; Stribog; Simargl; and Mokos.
Other sources include Volos, god of animals; Pozvizd (called Poxvist in Poland), god of air; Lado, god of the underworld (like Pluto but cheerful) who was appealed to for success in marriage; Kupalo, god of abundance; and Koljada, "honored in evil ceremonies on December 24."
Later sources (Russia became Christian about AD 1000) began to include "new and improved" gods that probably were distortions or outright lies including Zuarasici, the new chief Slavic god; Jesza, equivalent to Jupiter; Lada, Mars; Dzidzileyla, goddess of marriage; Dziewanna, Diana; Nya, Pluto; Marzanna, Ceres; Pogoda, weather god;) and Zywie, God of life.
The worship of Norse/Germanic gods invaded Russia so devotions to Thor, Wotan, and Frikko (god of peace and pleasure) were common, particularly in the west.
Some of the old gods were incorporated into Orthodox beliefs but nowhere near the extent that the Irish converted old gods into Catholic saints. Devotions to the spirit world (leaving food and milk to supernatural creatures) was well documented before the Russian Revolution and some of the stories still survive in modern folklore.
I'm a month and a half late bringing Myroslava T. Znayenko's The Gods of the Ancient Slavs: Tatishchev and the Beginning of Slavic Mythology back to the NKU library. Before I drop it off, I might as well post something from it.
From the Primary Chronicle of Vladimir (980AD), we get that the primary pagan gods of Russia included Perun, the chief god; Xors Dazbog; Stribog; Simargl; and Mokos.
Other sources include Volos, god of animals; Pozvizd (called Poxvist in Poland), god of air; Lado, god of the underworld (like Pluto but cheerful) who was appealed to for success in marriage; Kupalo, god of abundance; and Koljada, "honored in evil ceremonies on December 24."
Later sources (Russia became Christian about AD 1000) began to include "new and improved" gods that probably were distortions or outright lies including Zuarasici, the new chief Slavic god; Jesza, equivalent to Jupiter; Lada, Mars; Dzidzileyla, goddess of marriage; Dziewanna, Diana; Nya, Pluto; Marzanna, Ceres; Pogoda, weather god;) and Zywie, God of life.
The worship of Norse/Germanic gods invaded Russia so devotions to Thor, Wotan, and Frikko (god of peace and pleasure) were common, particularly in the west.
Some of the old gods were incorporated into Orthodox beliefs but nowhere near the extent that the Irish converted old gods into Catholic saints. Devotions to the spirit world (leaving food and milk to supernatural creatures) was well documented before the Russian Revolution and some of the stories still survive in modern folklore.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
The Hamsters are Crying
Last night my wife called me at Krogers to tell me the cat died. He was in the shower stall and must have gone through convulsions so that his back foot was caught in the drain cover.
My wife and daughter were in tears. According to D-girl, all her hamsters were crying too. D-boy didn't pay the slightest attention. My step-daughter said to my daughter (but probably really intended for my wife), "I don't see what's you're so sad about. Cats die every day." Gotta love those 12-year olds.
I buried him at Woodland Mound park this morning. The cat bit the hell out of all three kids and I can't honestly say I was ever very fond of him but I wish he hadn't died that way.
Last night my wife called me at Krogers to tell me the cat died. He was in the shower stall and must have gone through convulsions so that his back foot was caught in the drain cover.
My wife and daughter were in tears. According to D-girl, all her hamsters were crying too. D-boy didn't pay the slightest attention. My step-daughter said to my daughter (but probably really intended for my wife), "I don't see what's you're so sad about. Cats die every day." Gotta love those 12-year olds.
I buried him at Woodland Mound park this morning. The cat bit the hell out of all three kids and I can't honestly say I was ever very fond of him but I wish he hadn't died that way.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Deli Update
Ron just made me remember a couple of the stupid things that happened in the deli.
A third employee since mid-May went into a berserk screaming fit and quit/was fired. The one before this was the 19-year old who couldn't tell time ("I can tell time but not from those kinds [analog] of clocks.") She was also the one who had her crack dealer come to the store and threaten her for owing $300. She is expecting a baby in the next couple of months. Neither she or the father have any sort of legal employment.
Another employee had a "mini-stroke" on the job but was back working within a few days. Another just had surgery and will be out for the next few weeks. Another lost her dentures while waiting on a customer.
Over in the produce department, a customer began to shout at an elderly deaf mute employee over a question about celery. When another worker explained that the old woman could not hear or speak, the customer responded, "Then why did they hire her?" Again, the PRODUCE department with a job description of stacking and sorting vegetables. I think we can all agree that putting her in customer service would be an abuse of the ADA but I'd think paying her own way and not living off the government is a good thing. Maybe that's just me.
Ron just made me remember a couple of the stupid things that happened in the deli.
A third employee since mid-May went into a berserk screaming fit and quit/was fired. The one before this was the 19-year old who couldn't tell time ("I can tell time but not from those kinds [analog] of clocks.") She was also the one who had her crack dealer come to the store and threaten her for owing $300. She is expecting a baby in the next couple of months. Neither she or the father have any sort of legal employment.
Another employee had a "mini-stroke" on the job but was back working within a few days. Another just had surgery and will be out for the next few weeks. Another lost her dentures while waiting on a customer.
Over in the produce department, a customer began to shout at an elderly deaf mute employee over a question about celery. When another worker explained that the old woman could not hear or speak, the customer responded, "Then why did they hire her?" Again, the PRODUCE department with a job description of stacking and sorting vegetables. I think we can all agree that putting her in customer service would be an abuse of the ADA but I'd think paying her own way and not living off the government is a good thing. Maybe that's just me.
Update
Actually my computer is up and running. I'm the one with the virus.
Big news is that right after I made my last post two weeks ago, I went home and found that my stepdaughter got in an argument with her mom and ran away.
My instincts were to give her a few hours and she'd be back but my wife went out searching for her and had me call the police.
An officer came by and took information about her but, before we'd finished, guess who was at the door?
He grilled her a little which seemed to help. Things have been calm since then but considering she's only 12 now, it should be an exciting six years.
My home computer is running again but I didn't get much of a chance to use it. The kids picked up a stomach virus that they both got over in a couple days. I've had it for nine days now and it's still going strong. On the bright side, at least I lost some weight.
D-boy and D-girl started the Early Childhoold program at Mercer Elementary this Monday. Other than losing his backpack on Tuesday (found on the bus on Wednesday), nothing major to report. It would be a great three hour break if I didn't have to spend it all in the bathroom.
UC is starting this week. I'm teaching two classes at Nagel Middle School, fairly close to my house. Last fall, they offered classes at Anderson High School--within a few quarters, I'll get moved to a day-care center.
Actually my computer is up and running. I'm the one with the virus.
Big news is that right after I made my last post two weeks ago, I went home and found that my stepdaughter got in an argument with her mom and ran away.
My instincts were to give her a few hours and she'd be back but my wife went out searching for her and had me call the police.
An officer came by and took information about her but, before we'd finished, guess who was at the door?
He grilled her a little which seemed to help. Things have been calm since then but considering she's only 12 now, it should be an exciting six years.
My home computer is running again but I didn't get much of a chance to use it. The kids picked up a stomach virus that they both got over in a couple days. I've had it for nine days now and it's still going strong. On the bright side, at least I lost some weight.
D-boy and D-girl started the Early Childhoold program at Mercer Elementary this Monday. Other than losing his backpack on Tuesday (found on the bus on Wednesday), nothing major to report. It would be a great three hour break if I didn't have to spend it all in the bathroom.
UC is starting this week. I'm teaching two classes at Nagel Middle School, fairly close to my house. Last fall, they offered classes at Anderson High School--within a few quarters, I'll get moved to a day-care center.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Thanks, Nana
With all the misery in the world right now, this shouldn't be a big deal. But I'd love to work this idiot over with a tire iron.
With all the misery in the world right now, this shouldn't be a big deal. But I'd love to work this idiot over with a tire iron.
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