Friday, September 29, 2006

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

What is the world coming to?

Or should I say, what is education coming to? I spent 30 minutes with a student today who was having some troubles with understanding her music appreciation assignment. The assignment consisted of listening to some music provided by the textbook's CDs and reading the material corresponding to the songs. Then, after much listening and some studying, there was to be a quiz ala the listening exams of olden days when a song is played, and they have to list the title, composer, and genre. For some reason, I thought this asignment was farily straight forward. I am not normally the type of person to toss around the phrase "straight forward" much preferring the "it's hard for some people, but with some work, I bet you can do it." However, in this case...

So, 'Tiffany' comes to my Office Hour, after MUCH cajoling and reassuring that I am not a mean, scary professor. Tiffany fits her name well. It's a very "cute" name that offers little trace of backbone. As she walked into my so-called office, she brought with her a very large sigh and said "I am ccompletely lost." Tiffany strikes me as the type who actually reads Cosmo and Seventeen for the articles. She looks constantly as if she has been air brushed for the runway of life. However, I am a "professor" and MUST conceal any contempt upon first glance. I smile and welcome her into my office.

She says she is having a hard time unsderstanding the music and memorizing the titles and genres of the pieces I assighned (please keep in mind that this is 30 min. before the quiz is given). The word Genre has almost a hint of a dipthong when she says it: Geaneria. I explain that the word isn't music specific and remind her that things such as sports and clothing could have genres (I should have mentioned our tri-genre blog of "classy, tacky stupid" as an example, but somehow, it slipped my mind). I asked her to describe to me how she studied, and she said that she thought the best way was by inserting the class tunes into her I-Pod and "Zoning Out." Yes, my friends, she actually said that she zoned out to the music. When I suggested to her that "zoning" may not be the best possible method of study, her response was to give me the worlds most vapid look. Imagine the expressions of Teletubbies.

Swallowing a scream, I explained how to actively listen to music and had her go through her book looking up terms and finding where the book actually defines everything and clarifies the points I make in class lecture. She repeatedly nods and apes whatever I say in almost a drone. Finally, she looks up and says "So, do you think it would help for me to read the book and listen to the music at the same time? And if there is a word I don't understand, would it help for me to look it up?" Through a clenched, toothy smile, I emphatically say, "YES."

I left that Office Hour feeling somewhat exhausted and yet satisfied. I now know that it is true that college isn't what it used to be. Not only do students give a damn, it doesn't even occur to them that they should. And, I am a mean, scary professor.

Scott's tattoo

Strangela and husband-who-doesn't-have-a-blog-name-yet:

I give you my vision of Scott's tattoo:

Where are they now?

Here is an email link that my mom gave me....http://www.animals-inc.com. For Josh, Scott and Stephene's info this was Tess's nemesis in middle school. This leads me to a conversation that I had with some friends here....what is the meanest thing anyone has ever said to you?? I have two meanest things ever said to me: 1. 7th grade standing around in the gym after lunch waiting for the bell to ring a boy came up to me (and Kirsten I think) and asked if I wanted to join the "itty bitty titty club". :( 2. College waiting in the music building lobby for band rehearsal to start with Max, Tess, and one or two other people. Now keep in mind I still at this point think, "maybe some day Max will ask me out". He stands up to leave the room and says "Come on Tess, [insert the names of the other two people waiting for rehearsal to start] we should go to the rehearsal room." Someone else points out "Max, you forgot Angela". Max looks at the person who said that and then looks at me and says, “Oh, Angela is easy to forget." UGH!!!! Anyway at least now it makes for a good story and I married someone who likes me despite my itty bitty titties!

Ode to Crockpot


My crockpot haiku:

MMM, it smells so good!
Meal is already ready -
I love my crockpot.


PS - we're having white chili. I'm drooling.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Oh no!

Further inspection of Julie's Tacky Treasures reveals a difference of opinion! My beloved tissue dispenser (thanks Tess & Scott) is listed on Julie's website!

TACKY and glorious!

Julie's Tacky Treasures

Definitely check out this site. There is a Random Tackiness section, which right now, has a three-legged deer lamp. Oh yeah.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Useless music

Spent a lovely day with my mom; first we went over to Rick & Judy Golden's to run a metal detector around their property in Holly. (Thanks, Ki-Ki, for providing that little hook-up!) Beautiful place, and supposedly the old post office/general store...but, sadly, very little in the way of treasure. Aside from the odd piece of snipped aluminum from recent window upgrades, the only things we found were 4 memorial cents (dates...who cares) and 2 wheat cents (1945 and '48D, respectively). I would say the place had been searched over already, probably before Rick owned it.

Afterwards we had a nice bar-burger in Grand Blanc, followed by some record shopping at an antique store near Birch Run. We've been there a lot, but today Redbeard had LOTS of "new" merchandise, including a large booth of used albums. My favorite! I selected, for $2, the 2nd EZO album (a shitty Japanese late-80s metal band that no one cares about) and a SEALED copy of the solo album Barry Gibb released in 1982 (leader of a 60s psychedelic/70s disco act...that no one cares about). MOM, on the other hand, scored BIG with two odd Bette Midler LPs: Songs for the New Depression and Broken Blossom, from 1976 and 1977. VERY cool! I love finding albums by favorite artists that were heretofore unknown to me, and now I seem to have my mom hooked on that groove as well. (Pun DEFINITELY intended!)

So: more useless music, and 6¢. That's our take for the day. Who KNOWS what tomorrow might bring...mwa-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Bleth-ther

So, bleth-ther. Kind of an average, even-keel kinda day. Nothing really sparked my interest or annoyed me today. Just truckin' on.

I was glad to see that the shuttle landed safely. I still get giddy about the space shuttles - a carryover from my childhood wish to be an astronaut. Hmm...I also wanted to be a bus driver for a little while. I liked my bus driver when I was in 1st or 2nd grade. An early role model, I guess.

Still at bleth-ther. I'm thinking it's about time to veg in front of the TV. Ahhh.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Looking for stress relief?

Here's my latest little piece of heaven in a website...

Virtual Bubble Wrap!

http://www.virtual-bubblewrap.com/popnow.shtml

Make sure you try Maniac Mode.

Pet pic required

Had to try the picture phone thing...