Good Grief (Myspace Blog)

Old story told again. For the first one, read THIS POST.

Now, I certainly don't mind people talking to me and having interesting conversations with me. And I welcome new friends, which is why my page is public. But come on... at least take a moment to READ my page. Obviously happily involved with someone, obviously not only literate but also eloquent enough that people want to read what I have to say. What could possibly make someone think that the way to my heart (a direct route through Stephen, may I point out) is through something like this:

hey u huni. wud love to have a chat with u sexy. du u have msn babes.x

Come on. Get real. Like I am going to just swoon and immediately give you my MSN because you call me sexy. And yes, that is copied and directly pasted from the message.

Today must be my lucky day, because not only do I get that one, but this one too!

how are you?can we meet?pls anser me.are u really 33 ?:))
u look like a model?

If I was 12 and received this, I certainly hope that in today's world I would already know that the answer is H**L NO I am not going to meet you! I don't even know you! Even if I am thought of as pretty (which some days is a very debatable thing...) I am most definitely not stupid. Messages like this are, and sadly people fall for them all the time. I feel it is my duty to point them out and say that these people are not worth even replying to. Perhaps being blatantly shown how silly they sound will convince them that English is a language to be salvaged, and perhaps the next people to message me will actually take the time to read what I have on my page.

Shesh. Just... shesh.

Oh my... It's already February?

When Gramy sends a comment that says I need to post more, that tells me something doesn't it?

It has been busy in this here house, and I am sure that you all want to hear all about it. I am in the midst of a 6 week student teaching placement... and I have distinctly mixed feelings. I am in a year 6 class (6th grade) and it is a particularly interesting place to be. Years 2 and 6 are the years of the SATS, which are significantly high pressure tests for both the kids and the schools. Year 2 they try quite hard to hide the tests, but Year 6 it is right there in the open. The kids know about them, know they will be judged, and most, actually, are told often that they will be found lacking.

At first I couldn't figure out why they placed me in a Year 6 classroom, as it was pretty obvious that they really didn't want me there. The administration has made it clear on more than one occasion that I am only to be teaching groups, and that the teacher needs to be responsible for things like lesson planning and whole group instruction. That doesn't work, though, since there are university requirements that must be met. That, and papers that I need to write afterwards that are based entirely on the process of planning, delivering, assessing, then planning from assessment.

While I could go on for quite a while... and I may still do, I want to give other things their fair shot to be spoken of.

Ashley is in the midst of a work placement thing, and is spending some time at the art store on the High Street. She spent yesterday running the till (that's the cash register), calculating change in her head, and unpacking canvases. She now knows more about canvases that anyone else I know. She will be there for another 2 days, and says she likes it. This morning, though, we ended up waking her. She had turned off her alarm for being too tired. Flashed me back to my much younger days when work was not nearly as important as things like hanging out with friends and going out and sleep. Made me feel surprisingly old.

Stephen has shaved his beard. It was lovely while it lasted. He is almost 2 different people. With the beard, he looks older, more dignified, more like the stereotypical Englishman, I think. Clean shaven, you can really see his baby face and he looks years younger than he actually is. Both ways, I had to take a few days to get used to it. He just didn't look like himself. I think he was glad to have shaved, though. His mum definitely likes him better clean shaven. I am happy either way, which I suppose it a good thing, as it is HIS face.

Quite a while ago, Dan and others asked me some questions, which I have yet to answer, So, because i have put them off for so long, I'll do it now.


1) What are you homesick for (besides Tristan)?

Hmm... this is a tough one. There are food items... green chile most especially, and corn tortillas, elk meat, and malt o meal. I miss the cactus. I miss the sunshine. I miss knowing my way around the town and larger grocery stores with familiar items in. I miss quarters. (They have 20p pieces, which seem just silly. I learned that 4 25's is 100 by using quarters. 20 p just seems like a waste.) [I learned that five 20s are 100 - Stephen] I miss my animals. I miss my family. More than missing my family is missing the ability I had to drop everything and go and see them. I have gone longer without seeing them, but the simple fact that I CANT go and see them if I wanted to makes it that much harder. I miss my friends. I am so cautious about making friends here. I am not comfortable opening up. So we do have friends, but they are Stephen's friends, or university colleagues. Not the same.

2) Are you feeling comfortable living in the UK? Are the cultural quirks working themselves out?

I have come to discover that Americans are prudes. I did not consider myself prudish in the States, as a matter of fact, I think I was quite the opposite... risqué, even. But here... commercials make me blush. Comments make me blush. People say things and I am offended, and it is no big deal to them. Sex is taboo in the US. Here it is something that is much more ok to tease people about. So... I am a prude. Knowing this means that I have to be very aware of the cultural lens that I look at things through, and often have to pick apart my response before sharing it with anyone else.

As far as comfort, I don't think that I can yet say that I am comfortable. I know my way around much better than I used to. I feel at home in my house. I don't notice the accents any more (there are even times when I cant tell the difference in a TV program between an American and a British accent.) But I absolutely feel like a foreigner. I actually have a new understanding of how it must feel for immigrants in the US. Sometimes it is downright unintentionally hostile. All the talk about immigrants stealing British jobs, how immigrants should be kicked out, how no one wants immigrants, immigrants should pay more taxes, more tuition, have less pay... all things I heard in the US, but now I am on the other side of the fence. It is not that people are intentionally unwelcoming. They don't see how the rhetoric affects the atmosphere. I wonder if Mexican immigrants in El Paso feel as uncomfortable and lesser.

3) Have you had to go to the doctor yet? If so, was it easy to get in (RE: Sicko).

I have been to the doctor, but not because I was sick. When you register with the NHS, you have an appointment with the nurse for a history, etc. That went smoothly. I had piles and piles of medical records, since I brought copies of EVERYTHING with me (all right, I hear the "Obsessive-Compulsive!" shouts from the peanut gallery... hush!) I have not been sick enough to go to the doctor. Neither has Ash. There is much less an environment of go to the doctor. Most people don't, unless they are VERY ill. It is frowned on. You don't need a doctors note to leave work sick, unless you are out for more than 5 days. Herbs are a bit easier to get, though the raw unprocessed ones are harder to find. I feel very lucky that I brought all mine and they made it through customs ok.

4) How did you do your first semester?

The school year is not divided into semesters here. And the grading system is messy. So bear with me. This degree that I am doing is a 3 year degree. However, none of the grades from the first year are worth anything. But the second and third year, each piece of assessed work is actually a percentage of my final degree grade. Classes are the entire year long, and each class has between 1 and 3 pieces of assessed work. My classes this year are Professional Studies (2 pieces), Science (2 pieces), English (1 piece), Maths (3 pieces), Art (2 pieces), and Inclusion (2 pieces). So, 50% of my final degree grade is in these pieces of work (all of which are really really huge, 8-15 (and some even larger) page papers with appendices and 10-20 researched cited sources.) So, 6 classes, each class is worth 8 1/3 % of my final grade. Divide that into the number of pieces of assessed work and you have how much each piece is worth.

Like I said, grading is messy. Degrees have value. A first degree is the best you can get, then a 2-1, then a 2-2, then a third. [Actually there is a grade that sits under a third, there's a level that is just called a pass. If an honours degree is being studied, a pass may lose the honours label. - Stephen] (I know, it makes no sense. I still am not entirely clear on it.) Assessed work follows the same type of scale. Technically, I could get up to a 100, but no one EVER gets anything above an 80. EVER. A 70 to 80 is a first. 60 to 70 is a 2-1. A 50 to a 60 is a 2-2. 40 to 50 is a third, and below that is a fail. Most people end up with a 2-2. That is average. 2-1 is really good, and it is nigh-on impossible to get a first degree. It happens, but it is always to those ephemeral people who have no lives. (And quite possibly to a colleague named Cleander, who has 2 small children and apparently never sleeps. Or so she says. We still cant figure out what she is doing to get those grades.)

Before I actually answer the question, I have to point out that I have really struggled. The writing style is completely different here. I remember being taught how to write a 5 paragraph essay... 1 paragraph introduction with topic sentence and 3 main points. 1 paragraph for each point, with evidence. Conclusion states topic and 3 points again. I remember being taught this and then told to NEVER WRITE LIKE THAT AGAIN. That's how they write here. And there can be absolutely no independent thought or opinion in the realm of academic writing at my level. EVERYTHING must be backed up with evidence. Someone else must say everything that I want to say. No one has taught me what is expected, I have just been assumed to know. So this whole time has been a process of figuring out exactly what it is that they want. And it has been tough. and I am not sure that I like it. I am a good writer, but it hasn't seemed like it lately.

Ok, my grades. Professional Studies, I have turned in 1 assignment, but have not gotten it back. Science, I have turned in 1, and got a 60. English, none turned in. Maths, 2 turned in. 1 a 56 (that was the first paper I've turned in) and the other a 78. Art, 1 turned in, got a 73. Inclusion, 1 turned in, got a 66. So I do some figuring, and right now I am looking at a 66.84%. That is a 2-1. This is not final, it will depend on how well I do in the rest of my assessed work. But I seem to be on an upward trend.

The hardest part of it all has been combating my own feeling of having poor grades. A 58 % looks terrible when you are used to that being a failing grade.

5) What language differences have you found?

Tons. Just for ease, the first word will be American English, and the second British English. And Ill provide the more daring of you a link to an American/British English dictionary. Whoever said that we speak the same language is WRONG.

• period - full stop
• quotation marks - speech marks
• parenthesis - brackets
• gas - petrol
• big rig - lorry
• tylenol or acetaminophen - paracetamol
• pants - trousers
• underwear - pants
• trash can - rubbish bin

There are so many, I almost don't know where to start. And this doesn't touch on words we spell differently (fetus/foetus or center/centre, for two) or words that we spell the same but say differently. (herb and route, off the top of my head.)

For far more than I can or will give, check out here. If you want to know the slang terms and see the site I use most often, then check out here. And for a website that points out cultural differences, go here.

All I want for christmas is my two front teeth...

I have SO much to tell you all, so hold tight for this super-long edition of the Family Blog!

PART 1: Cinderella ain't got nothin' on me!

Some friends of Stephen's got married just recently, and as his invitation was for him and his partner, I got to go! (Never mind his repeated threats to take his former colleague. heehee.) We had an ongoing thing... I had been pestering him for a dress up night while he had been calling me a silly girl and telling me that only girls like doing the dress-up thing. Needless to say, a wedding was a perfect opportunity. We both had to dress up.

The wedding was to be held... wait for it... in a castle! And there was going to be dancing! It was a masked ball! I can't help but wriggle with excitement right now, and all this happened a few weeks ago. There was a rush to make masks, because Amy apparantly does not buy masks, and looks for any and every opportunity to play with plaster of paris. Stephen's mask was Herne the hunter, a fur covered stags face with a leather nose, and mine was a dryad, covered in ivy, moss, and bark. I made an ivy boutonniere for his suit, and an ivy coronet with tendrils for me. I curled my hair and wore it long.


His suit was gorgeous; it even had a waistcoat, and his tie matched my dress perfectly. My dress was a green floor length gown (which had to be taken in 2 inches!) that looks purple in the right light.


The castle is called Lympne (pronounced Limb) castle, and is in Kent, about 45 minutes from where I live. It is lovely. It was dark and cold when we arrived... so I didn't get to see the outside from a distance, but we did a little bit of sneaking around the empty parts of the castle.

Parts of the castle are as old as the 13th century. If you want to look at their website, go HERE.

The dancing was a Céilidh (pronounced Kay-lee), which is an Irish-Gaelic Barn Dance. Stephen, of course, said that he doesn't dance. He was the most handsome man at the wedding, he took my breath away all night, and he did so dance with me. At one point, during a dance that sent us off in 2 different directions, he hunted me down so that I would end up dancing with him. As much as I couldn't keep my eyes off of him, he couldn't keep his eyes off of me, either.

We drank A LOT of wine, got home very very late, and could not stop commenting on how wonderful the other had looked. It was a magical night. I must be a princess.


PART 2: The Craziness Lead-Up and Tamale Goodness

The last time he wwent to London, Stephen went out of his way to hunt down a little shop that carries Mexican items, and bought me some masa harina and dried New Mexican red chiles. All so I could make tamales for Christmas. I decided that it would be even more fun if I invited along some friends, so the Sunday before Christmas, I invited Sam and Rob to come and make cookies and tamales with me. We ended up with 2 dozen tamales, berlinerkranzen, vanilla kipferls, peanut butter cookies, gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies (decorated, of course), and ladies fingers. There was so such, even after they had been split 3 ways. The tamales were sweet, with coconut, pecans, pineapple, and raisins. Having never made masa preparada before, it was an adventure. Of the 3 batches we made, we actually got 2 of them to float. The third... well, we just pretended it floated when Stephen took a drop of it and squished it flat and lay it across the top of the water. Even Ashley got in on the fun, by helping to paint sugar cookies, and of course, eating them.

That means that there were all of those cookies, tamales, an apple pie, and a sweet potatoe pie for Christmas dinner. Yum.

Now if I could just get over the homesick bit.

PART 3: Merry (insert holiday here) to All...

Merry Christmas to all of my family and friends. I miss you all. A lot.

Ok, so maybe this wasnt as long as I thought it would be.

This Message will Self-Distruct in 5 minutes...

I have exactly 5 minutes to post to the blog. 5 minutes, and I carved that out with a very sharp knife.

Tonight is my first yoga session here. Yay!

Stephen, as much as I'm sure he will deny it, is a nerd. And I found a wonderful article that supports me as I live with him. Its funny, too, so you should read it. HERE.

The holidays are coming way too fast, they put Christmas lights on the High street this week. They haven't lit them yet, but it is inevitable. I don't know just what we are doing for the holiday yet. The way it is going, maybe only studying.

What with homecomings and misspellings, my 5 minutes is up. I miss you all... and WILL find time to give you a longer post. Even if I have to use a MUCH sharper knife.

Finally... Work I'm Used To.

I had to write a paper for my English class. Well, a kind-of paper. An author study, limited to 400 words. I have never had to limit myself to 400 words before. In the US, they want more, to make you work. 400 words, they think, is easy to BS your way through. Here, concisity is key. Short and sweet. Let me tell you, to an Amy that likes to talk, 400 words is TOUGH, especially when they give you so much to cram into those paltry 400 words.

I shouldn't complain - this is the first assignment they have given me that feels comfortable at all. The only one that has been anything like what I am used to having to do. And, to be honest, I'm proud of it, so I'm going to share it with you. I'll even throw in the bibliography, because the articles and websites are interesting. And if you have small ones, CHECK OUT THE ROBERT MUNSCH OFFICIAL WEBSITE. I didn't want to leave. He is fun, there is so much to do...and he reads his stories and puts them online in a downloadable format. You could spend hours clicking and listening to awesome stories.

Every single one of you go HERE and pick at least one story to listen to. Take no more than 7 minutes and be a kid again. You can pick your favourite and comment on this blog; tell me which one it is. I'll tell you mine first, so you can't pick the same one. It is "Purple Green and Yellow" with the super-indelible-never-come-off-til-you're-dead-or-maybe-even-later colouring markers.

And now, without further ado, here is my paper:

Robert Munsch

A Critical Look

Robert Munsch is an American-born Canadian who Earned a BA in History at Fordham University, an MA in Anthropology at Boston University, and an Ma in Child Studies at Tufts University. He writes award-winning children’s books and poetry based on oral storytelling and readers’ letters, and really wants to be asked the question, “How has being a manic-depressive, obsessive-compulsive, recovered-alcoholic nut case changed your writing?" (WIZNURA, 2007; Munsch, unknown date)

Robert Munsch can easily be considered a high quality children’s author. He appeals to young readers. Children in his stories are portrayed as being smart, capable, and powerful heroes. His stories are relevant, adventurous, funny, touching, and often have twist endings. The illustrations are colourful and enticing; though the stories don’t need illustrations to be effective or appealing. They beg to be read and re-read: alone, together, or in a group.

His language varies from nonsensical to advanced; facilitating working with words in context, development of complexity and structure in the English language, pre-reading skills, and support for ESL learners through bilingual books translated into home languages. His simplistic stories follow a frame, fostering re-telling skills: and all his stories feature diverse characters and settings; enhancing inclusion and multi-culturalism in the classroom. They are child-centred, to the point of being written with the continuing input of children during oral storytelling sessions, and leading to ideal read-aloud books which can easily be used to bridge the gap between literacy in the classroom and in the home (Senechal, et al., 1998.) His story structures often bend conventions and can be used to foster understanding of genre and methods of writing outside the genre (Dean, 2000.) His books are humorous, interesting, and empower children by their pro-child, pro-equality stance.
Munsch’s books can be used at any primary stage, from Foundation to Key Stage 3. Some of his books are situationally relevant (i.e. ‘Andrew’s Loose Tooth’) or geared specifically towards older readers (i.e. ‘I’m So Embarrassed’). His official website can be used to encourage ICT skills and contains many stories/poems written in response to reader letters as well as stories written, furthered, or illustrated by children worldwide; incentivising bookmaking, letter writing, creative argument, persuasion, and other real-life skills. Books such as ‘the Paper Bag Princess’, heralded as the “feminist fairy tale” (Wiznura, 2007) can be used in upper primary classrooms to teach socio-studies.

Based on the above, it is easy to see Robert Munsch’s place in the diverse, quality book-rich primary classroom.

Bibliography

Annick Press. (2006). Available at: http://www.annickpress.com/authors/munsch.asp?author=257
(Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

Dean, D. (2000). ‘Muddying Boundaries: Mixing Genres with Five Paragraphs’,
The English Journal, Vol. 90, No. 1, Teaching Writing in the Twenty-First Century
(Sept.), pp. 53-56.

Kasper, J. (1998). ‘Circling with Robert Munsch’. Available at: http://www.stf.sk.ca/teaching_res/library/teach_mat_centre/tmc/P11233/P11233.htm
tmc/P11233/P11233.htm (Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

Munsch, R. (unknown date). Video interview by Annick Press,
O’Keefe, S., producer. Available at:
http://www.annickpress.com/videos/munsch.mov
(Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

Munsch, R. (1999). Interview by Scholastic Students. Available at:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=1325_type=Contributor_typeId=3299
Contributor_typeId=3299 (Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

Munsch, R. (unknown date). Interview by Khan, I. and Hörner, J.
Available at:
http://www.canadiancontent.ca/issues/0499munsch.html
(Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

Robert Munsch Official Web Site. (unknown date). Available at:
http://robertmunsch.com/ (Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

Scholastic. (unknown date). Available at:
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3299
(Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

Senechal, M., et al. (1998). ‘Differential Effects of Home Literacy Experiences
on the Development of Oral and Written Language’,
Reading Research Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Jan. - Feb. - Mar.), pp. 96-116.

Wiznura, R. (2007). ‘Robert Munsch’. Available at:
http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0010686
TCE&Params=A1ARTA0010686 (Accessed: 15 October, 2007).

In Which Amy Sees Stigmata... (Myspace Blog)

I don't know how it happened... I wasn't actually looking... but I found this. And I NEVER post videos, so you KNOW this has to be beeping hilarious.

You have to watch it before you read on. Trust me, it gets better!

Army of Pandas - Stigmata On

Check out this funny sketch from the Army of Pandas! Stigmata On

Oh my god!!!

And even funnier... I watched it, then drug Hija out of her bedroom. She watched and, halfway through the clip, said "Is that a tampon?" I think I died! Oh god oh god... I'm still laughing.

In Which Amy Takes a Stand... (Read this...) (Myspace Blog)

I know this post will be controversial. I know you may not agree with me at all. And that is ok. I love the fact that you and I can have separate opinions and share them... and agree to disagree. I also love the fact that I finally get an opportunity to show hija, and all the other children to whom I have said 'Back your shit up', exactly what it looks like to do so. (Note: some link names have been shortened... so if you copy the address, make sure you follow the link and copy the actual address)

A very big thing has happened in this world of ours... a turning of a page, perhaps. Saddam Hussein. Hanged. And the world watched it on YouTube... and laughed.

I have to preempt any sort of speculation right away - I am adamantly in disagreement with the Death Penalty. I do not agree with Capital Punishment. I do not believe that we have any more right to take away a life than anyone else does. I actually think the Death Penalty is barbaric... and inhumane. I accept that there are many who disagree with me... I am not seeking someone to change my mind, nor am I trying to change yours.

This particular execution is extremely chilling to me. There are so many reasons why. First, because of the facts that point to an injust trial: including only 4 days between loss of appeal and execution, that there was another, ongoing trial for crimes of far more sevarity, and the many flaws in the trial in which Hussein was sentenced to die.

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=36028
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/12/30/iraq14950.htm
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1885354,00050004.htm

Second, because this potential misuse of the budding Iraqi judicial system was APPLAUDED by our government's highest representative as a "fair trial", even while other government officials questioned the speed at which the sentence was carried out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/01/world

Third, for the fact that Saddam Hussein was hanged, which has the potential to be a very inhumane way to be executed if done improperly. To be fair, part of this is based on the fact that I do not, in any circumstance, support the death penalty. I believe that it is inhumane in its inherence.

http://deathpenaltyinfo.msu.edu/c/about/methods/hanging.htm

Fourth, and I think this may be the most chilling to me, for the truth of the human response to this act. It is so chilling to me, that I cannot even find words to express it. The facts speak for themselves.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/30/AR2006123000743.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/01/world/middleeast/
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-woiraq0101,0,3647273.story?coll=ny-top-headlines

We live in a country which glorifies violence in response to violence, even while condemning it. It is the way. However, there is a worldwide movement expressing concern over the Death Penalty... and I agree. Governments, nor people, have the right, ever, to take the life of a person in response to their crimes.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3346225,00.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/30/world/europe/30cnd-react.html

I strongly believe in the sanctity of human rights, to which I add the banishment of the Death Penalty. I feel that I must end this blog post with the UN recognized "Universal Statement of Human Rights". Granted, it does not speak out against Capital Punishment... but I believe that it should.

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

In Which Amy Says READ THIS... (Myspace Blog)

This is something that everyone one of you should read.

I didn't write it... Kristin did. But just pretend that I have had time right now to write it - the sentiment is pretty much what I would hope that I would say.

Except that I can't say I have never been married.

Finals is next week... 10 more days before I have time to do something besides study!

Ok - here it is... READ IT!!!

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=59974752&blogID=200424701&indicate=1