Intimidating words

Intimidating words I read in my first article assigned for my MEd class:

eulogistic
de jure
despotically
capricious
insuperable
incommensurability
flux
inure
antithetical
obverse

Since I spend my day with teenagers, I barely get to use a word above 2 or 3 syllables... so in a way, this is a refreshing change. Or at least that's what I was thinking by the end of the first page of the article. After a few more pages, when my eyes teared up and I had shaken my head to clear it before reading a paragraph over for the umpteenth time to try and ascertain some vague meaning from it.. I decided that plain language would be better. Hey, who knows, maybe this course will make me smarter?!! :P If not more intelligent, surely a more adept thesaurusizer (is that a real word? who cares, it's 5 syllables!!).

John Dewey: Democracy in Education

In response to John Dewey's Democracy in Education

Throughout his historical recounting of the examination of education, Dewey seems to criticize either the means or the aims with which society has attempted to find primary value in the educational process. Either the creative and unique nature of the individual is stifled in order to serve an economic or nationalistic purpose, or the societal framework is insufficient to support the kind of development needed to be in harmony with nature and “truth”.

Dewey leaves us with a challenge to reconcile our own aims and means. He promotes an open communication amongst all peoples and a dialogue that transcends borders and politics. Dewey also supports a system that will allow individuals to flourish and capitalize on their own strengths, which in turn would naturally support societal growth, change and progress:

“Accomplishment of this end demands not only adequate administrative provision of school facilities, and such supplementation of family resources as will enable youth to take advantage of them, but also such modification of traditional ideals of culture, traditional subjects of study and traditional methods of teaching and discipline as will retain all the youth under educational influences until they are equipped to be masters of their own economic and social careers.” (p. 11)

I have created a monster

I have created a monster. She may not look that scary, but boy is she ever predictable with her prey. At first when she seemed interested in the water dripping from the bathroom sink, I thought it was cute. Now I can't even walk PAST the bathroom and she's bounding in there meowing like crazy until I turn the tap on for her. And it has to be just so, as seen here.

Teen Angst

OMG, I found this poem that I wrote when I was still a teenager, it's so cheesy it cracks me up:


Untitled

Happiness, I had it once
not a worry on this earth
No upset or disappointment
could make me hide my mirth

The sun would shine on rainy days
and I was never without a doubt
That there was one reason, one reason only
why it had all come about

I must admit, it was because of him
that my dreary days were light
But now it's gone away forever
lost without even a fight

It still pains to think of my trust
and I can't even try
To think of wanting another man
to replace that shitty guy

But now I think it's better for us
to be so far apart
Cause if I wasn't so important to him
then he didn't deserve my heart

I know that when he talks to friends
he may try to laugh or boast
But me, I'll sit back and smile
cause he lost out the most.

Selections from "He's Just Not That Into You"

The following are excerpts taken from the little mini-book, "He's Just Not That Into You" -- some of them are funny, some of them reflect my own experiences, some are what I'd like my dearest girlfriends to realize, and some are ridiculously unrealistic. But I get a kick out of them nonetheless!

And yes, I know many super-nice guys who have been hurt by women who've done some of these things below... I know it goes both ways. But hey, I can't help if I am a girl and this book was written for women about men!

Having said that, at the moment I am quite happy and have no reason to read the book other than trying to find a piece of advice to pass on... or a funny anecdote anyways... :P


Here are my top 15 selections:

1. We are all beautiful, smart, funny women, and we shouldn't be wasting our time figuring out why a guy isn't calling us.

2. A man would rather be trampled by elephants that are on fire than tell you that he's just not that into you.

3. If he creates expectations for you, and then doesn't follow through on little things, he will do the same for big things. Be aware of this and realize that he's okay with disappointing you.

4. There are ways to travel and be in a relationship, and there are ways to travel and make sure you stay out of one. The easy way to know the difference is if the guy tells you all the time how bummed he is that he has to keep leaving you. If he is not making a serious effort to make sure that while he's out of town you don't go out and find someone else, then I think you've just boarded the he's-just-not-that-into-you jet. Buckle up.

5. Better than nothing is not good enough for you!

6. There's a guy out there who will want to tell everyone that he's your boyfriend.

7. Your lost self-esteem may take longer to find than a new boyfriend, so prioritize accordingly.

8. Drinking and drug use are not a path to one's innermost feelings. Otherwise people wouldn't smash empty beer cans against their skulls or stick their fingers in fire to see if they can feel anything.

9. He's just not that into you if he doesn't want to marry you. Loves cures commitment-phobia.

10. Don't spend your time on and give your heart to any guy who makes you wonder about anything related to his feelings for you.

11. One hundred percent of the guys polled told us they would have no problem marrying a woman whom they were positive was the love of their life. One man answered, "What kind of knucklehead has a problem marrying the love of his life?"

12. A guy says he doesn't want to be with you. Sometimes that guy realizes he's made the biggest mistake of his life. And then sometimes he doesn't. Either way, either way, your only job is to move on with your life, and fast.

13. There's a guy out there who's going to be really happy that you didn't get back together with your crappy ex-boyfriend.

14. The reason it's so painful when someone disappears is you have to face the fact that the person you loved had probably left you a long time before he grabbed his coat and scrammed.

15. Make a space in your life for the glorious things you deserve.

A New Start

School starts in less than a week. Believe it or not, I always look forward to going back to work after 2 months off. I don't know what it is, but by the end of the summer I am ready to get back to it. Usually that feeling wears off quickly after school begins though... ;)

I have been going in to work for a few days to set up my classroom, and it definitely feels like I am back at work. After all, I am working. I wish I could just lead a life of leisure! D'oh...

This year, not only am I taking on a major practicum student-teacher, but I am also going to be working toward my Masters degree in Educational Practice. I have had student teachers before, so I know what I am getting myself into in that regard, but I have no idea how much work I will have to do for the MEd. program... and I am starting to panic. It's easy to contemplate doing all these tasks outside of regular teaching when I am relaxing during the summer, but crunch-time is quickly approaching. Will I be able to handle it? Time will tell.