Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Back to Shambolic College!
I'm starting the new term with a new attitude. Having now fully digested the fact that my boss is a maniac and this college a nuthouse, I am working to preserve my sanity. I'm not joking, by the way (in that 'you don't have to be crazy to work here, but if you are, it helps' manner)... Kaveh is totally illogical and by listening to him you begin to doubt your own sanity in persisting working here. My new way of dealing with things will involve going with the flow, avoiding rage against the machine, plus a hefty dose of laughter - if not with, then certainly at, the students. My high points so far:
1) When asked by a student (who failed my class last term) if he could leave early on the first day of class in order to meet his friend I replied smilingly, and with a shrug, "Why not? It's your decision." He scarpered, I marked him absent. Easy!
2) The students filled in the end of conversational questions to ask their classmates, by way of getting to know them. To finish 'Where do you usually...?' a dead-pan Vietnamese boy wrote '...hide when you are being hunted'. Without a glimmer of a smirk he wrote down my reply 'In the closet'.
3) Further to the above, a dappy Iranian girl completed 'Are you...?' with '...going out with my grandfather.' What?
1) When asked by a student (who failed my class last term) if he could leave early on the first day of class in order to meet his friend I replied smilingly, and with a shrug, "Why not? It's your decision." He scarpered, I marked him absent. Easy!
2) The students filled in the end of conversational questions to ask their classmates, by way of getting to know them. To finish 'Where do you usually...?' a dead-pan Vietnamese boy wrote '...hide when you are being hunted'. Without a glimmer of a smirk he wrote down my reply 'In the closet'.
3) Further to the above, a dappy Iranian girl completed 'Are you...?' with '...going out with my grandfather.' What?
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu
Happy New Year! January 1st found myself and Tito, for the first time in memory, completely without hangovers. It was quite pleasant to look forward to the challenges of the year ahead without waves of nausea and cold sweats, in fact I'd highly recommend it. I'd also recommend the superb rack of lamb we found ourselves devouring as midnight struck... courtesy of friends Liz and Jason, who, along with their new baby Marcus, we were staying with. Now we are at my dad and Carol's, in sunny Lancs. Relaxing and scoffing - though I dared to weigh myself yesterday and have concluded from henceforth this will have to stop.
My New Year's Resolution:
TO WRITE A NOVEL!
My New Year's Resolution:
TO WRITE A NOVEL!
