How did they know?

You Should Be a Teacher

You are patient, optimistic, and good at explaining things. You work well with all types of people, and you are a good role model. Success and positive outcomes are extremely important to you. You are both a good leader and instructor. People look up to and depend on you. You do best when you: - Can see the results of your work - Are able to teach someone a new skill You would also be a good nurse or non fiction writer.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

But I just don't get the non fiction writer bit***CV

9 1/2 beats

Last night I went to the city to see a demonstration of Kathak dance. Kathak is a north Indian style of dance which involves storytelling, stylised movements, adherance to beat counts and the ability to improvise.

After the performance (which included a brief tale of Krishna and Radha celebrating Spring by covering each other in colored water and colored powders) there was a workshop in which the audience got to try and do four things at once :) Me I can't sing and clap at the same time let alone stamp, count and sing, so I all ready knew what it would be like for me. What made it even more challenging was they divided us into two groups so that one group counted to 16 aloud while stamping at various speeds at the same time that the other group counted to match their stamps: then we switched.

The dancers follow 16 beat cycles in their minds (sometimes 12 and sometimes 9 1/2), while keeping 4, 8, 12 or 16 with their feet, singing and playing musical instruments. As one of the perfomers said it is like patting your head while rubbing your belly and walking on a tightrope; oh, and wearing 3 pounds worth of bells on each ankle.

It really was fun to do. I also got the opportunity to revisit the Castro. Found out Peets was no longer there, that Starb*cks is really umm of the hood now but not much else seems changed.
**
This past week has been in service meaning days and days of meetings as well as first aid and CPR training. We were also slated to work on progress reports but the memory sticks weren't ready so that could not be done. They are supposed to be ready tomorrow but this just means instead of having free day times to do the reports we'll have to do them on work nights in order to have them out on time.

When is that you ask? The end of February.

Meanwhile we have a major parent event this Thursday and one at the end of March to prepare for.***CV

reincarnation

Oh yay, I belong two years before I was even born.......hmmmm what can it mean?

You Belong in 1965

You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too.

What Year Do You Belong In?

Cinque-Folios

Firebringer, David Clement-Davies (498pp) The saga of a group of Red Deer somewhat similar to Watership Down except told from the perspective of the Efrafran warren. That is, when the group leadership is taken over by a stag determined to control at the expense of decency and nature. Another difference is that their's is a mythology in which a hero is foretold, whereas in Watership Down the mythology was more tales of resourcefulness.
**
Book of Thousand Days, Shannon Hale (304pp) I first thought this to be a Rapunzel tale which in some ways it is, if a pricncess locked in a tower is all one requires for it to be so. However, Ms. Hale says that she based her story upon the Grimm's tale of the Maid Maleen which I have never read. Set in Mongolia the story is told from the perspective of an orphan Mucker from the steppes who unknowingly becomes tangled in the betrothal arrangements of a shining one. The book is her journal of all that befalls her as she does her best to make the best of a pretty odd turn of events. Werewolves, handsome kahns and uppity jilted princesses make for a fun story.
***
Un Lun Dun, China Mieville (471pp) Once the true heroine of this tale made her appearance I really had fun. Until then I kept wondering if I should continue reading. (And I must say: the Black Window of Webminster Abbey? Absolutely fabulous. ) However I am interested now in reading Perdido Station as soon as I can find a decent editon of it.
****
Stickeen, John Muir (79pp) The true adventure of a day on an Alaskan glacier with a tiny and devil may care dog.
*****
King of the Middle March (the Arthur Trilogy vol.III), Kevin Crossley-Holland The conclusion in which Arthur learns of his namesakes end, crusades may be better in hindsight and that love can change over time. ***CV

Ergo

The quiz result was funny considering what my week has been like.

It is very hard to imagine myself as this contemplative, centered individual when three co workers are out on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, one shows up but leaves early on Wednesday; parents are submitting recommendation forms at the last minute, observers drop by unexpectedly, you have to figure out what lessons children should practice to show their parents, your hairdryer decides to catch fire early one morning when you've already overslept and it's 40 degrees outside, you're the opener but never manage to leave school until 5 o'clock pm, and even though some lessons caught on incredibly well you still have to virtually sit on some people to get them to focus on work (which they started in October!) and they act as if you are this fiend from hell.

Oh, and some students who you figure, Of course they've had this material so I can move on ummm haven't. "No honey: neither a slug nor a worm nor a starfish is a vertebrate." "No, up and down is not a geometric term for the position of a line." " As far as I know the word 'upon' is not an adverb."

So yeah. The result was a bit of a hah!
**
In other news I finished knitting the stole (there were knots in the skein which flipped the colour sequence) and I need to block it. Also my kilt hose book has arrived so I hope to pick it up tomorrow.

Pardon me while I move like a cat and collapse into bed***CV

Ha!

**CV

two ringy dingies

I spent most of my weekend reviewing my lessons journal and transferring all the lessons from one notebook to another. Then I transfered those into an online system. Finally, I figured out how the online sytem enables lesson planning and did that too.

Found out today we may not be using this sytem at all.

*sigh*

Anyway when I arrived bright and early today I saw the first spring Robin! That sight kept me in spirits all through findng out that not one but two team members were out sick and a third arrived barely able to stand. So it was me and one other allll day with 40 children. I say 40 cause I consider two of the parents in that category what with their calls and emails and general tantrums of: serve me now!
**
But I am home and I had fun today. I got to parse poetry with a good sized group and they all have various moon poems to work with. So fun!

Currently we're reading four books(yes 4: as the opener I read one about Jesse Owens; for morning group I read Harriet Tubman; and then there is the fiction group with Watership Down and the History group with Gods, Graves, and Scholars).
***
I'm almost done with my Shale stole. About half a full colour repeat in the skein left***CV

Cross Quarter II

Weekend Glory

by Maya Angelou

Some clichty folks
don't know the facts,
posin' and preenin'and puttin' on acts,
stretchin' their backs.


They move into condos
up over the ranks,
pawn their souls
to the local banks.
Buying big cars
they can't afford,
ridin' around town
actin' bored.


If they want to learn
how to live life right
they ought to study me on Saturday night.
My job at the plant
ain't the biggest bet,
but I pay my bills
and stay out of debt.
I get my hair done
for my own self's sake,
so I don't have to pick
and I don't have to rake.


Take the church money out
and head cross town
to my friend girl's house
where we plan our round.
We meet our men and go to a joint
where the music is blue
and to the point.


Folks write about me.
They just can't see
how I work all week
at the factory.
Then get spruced up
and laugh and dance
And turn away from worry
with sassy glance.


They accuse me of livin'
from day to day,
but who are they kiddin'?
So are they.


My life ain't heaven
but it sure ain't hell.
I'm not on top
but I call it swell
if I'm able to work
and get paid right
and have the luck to be Black
on a Saturday night.

Cross Quarter

The Goose-Girl

Spring rides no horses down the hill,

But comes on foot, a goose-girl still.

And all the loveliest things there be

Come simply, so it seems to me.

If ever I said, in grief or pride,

I tired of honest things, I lied:

And should be cursed forever more

With Love in laces, like a whore,

And neighbours cold, and friends unsteady

And Spring on horseback, like a lady!

Edna St. Vincent Millay