Thanks for the good thoughts and the advice! Actually my Korean co-teacher disappeared and came back with some mysterious liquid (probably nail varnish remover!) and got it cleaned up.
Oh, sorry to hear that you had such a terrible day! (it sounds awful, really :( **hugs**). I'm glad you found that **absolutely awesome** video to cheer your spirit up! Thanks for reccing it! :D
Hee... Your little reflexion about the absurdity of cycle of time -I'm also in love with the concept and I hope that they will deal with it in BSG finale- made me smile... But as you say, being destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over doesn't necessarily imply that your actions are meaningless (I'm in my zen mode, too... We all will find our zen at the end of BSG, I guess xD).
Anyway, I have the feeling that the moral of BSG story will probably be that we can change destiny (free will, yeah). Maybe it is a cliche, but it works for me (I think). And let's hope that they don't do anything truly disappointing... I'll keep my fingers crossed! ;).
I also think there's strong potential in the message of BSG being about changing the cycle of time this time, although that has its own terrors: what if you change it for the worst? It could be a chance to explore the concept of free will as the frightening thing it is, even though we all also want it? Because there's not "cycle of time" sense of "it's meant to be," to fall back on when stuff gets tough?
You're welcome for the rec! The rec is totally deserved!
I'm also so glad you like the description of absurdity - I confess when I thought it up I was very pleased with myself because I think it's so apt.
Like, I love the cycle of time as much as the next person and spend more time than the average bear on the mythology of the show, and of course it matters a great deal while they’re living it. But if they’re just living a Billy Joel song over and over again on a meta-level how is that anything but ironic and utterly absurd?
YES YES YES! As usual you put it better than me.
As to the crack-not-crack-crack-again quandry, well, congratulations, you've just discovered why I love this 'genre'. Because, I really think that that just is what serious crack is. Like any genre, it's not entirely uniform. So probably this is more along the spectrum that involves humour than, say, the Hancock/BSG vidlet I just did. But I think that's partly to do with variety in the genre and partly to do with the fact that Hancock/BSG was a crazy
( ... )
I THINK MAYBE YOU HATE BILL ADAMA BECAUSE YOU ARE BILL ADAMA. I AM JUST SAYING. Except for the mustache. And the selfishness. Okay so maybe not exactly. BUT HE WOULD UNDERSTAND YOUR SOUL.
NO. NO YOU KEEP BILL ADAMA AWAY FROM MY SOUL!
He would hear me say that and nod deeply and pretend like he understood what it meant, all the time misunderstanding and thinking it meant something like, "I can ignore my actions as long as I believe, really hard that I'm everyone's Daddy. Because reality ITSELF will conform to my masquerade." He'd like, think I meant that the type of person we are while making those choices can somehow be divorced from the shittiness of the choices. Or something.
...and sadly, in the BSGverse, Bill Adama would probably be right, and I'd be wandering the Galactica hallways preaching some kind of "be honest with yourself and act with love," hippie bullshit.
Or something.
*shakes fist!*
also my vid is going very slowly. I blame the craptacularness of this
( ... )
So, you have utterly no idea who I am, but I followed veni_vidi_vids link to your BSG rec and was in for a pleasant surprise. Because O HAI THAR FELLOW TEACHER-IN-KOREA.
I'm sorry to hear about the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day, and yeah, my pipes froze last night, too. It's been a nice change from the swimming pool my bathroom turns into every time I take a shower because the drain won't work. Brett, the other American teacher at my school, hasn't had water in days - he's usually over at my apartment every morning, shaving into my sink. And ohgod, the permanent marker thing is why I refuse to let any of my little monsters touch anything but pencils and dry-erase markers. Because my first week, they drew all over the tables in permanent marker and my director was not a happy camper.
So, thanks for the rec, and I hope today's looking better than yesterday did.
Nice to know it's not just happening to us, and at least we aren't in a situation as bad as poor Brett! We have the swimming pool bathroom problem too - I think it's because they basically have open drains here so they get clogged with hair and all sorts. We have to dump bleach down the drain like all the damn time to stop the whole place from flooding. :/
Today was better and thanks for the good thoughts, but Tuesday (the day after this day) was pretty awful too. I got told that, the class of first graders I have to entertain for forty minutes with one page, which has, if I'm lucky, 6 lines of dialogue, shouldn't draw as an activity. I'm already not allowed to play games with them. I have no fucking clue what I'm supposed to do with them now. *sigh* /whinging.
The permanent marker thing was actually largely frustrating because it wasn't even my error! Some OTHER teacher left a permanent marker in the room which, to be fair, for some reason looked just like a dry-erase marker. So this kid who I cannot break
( ... )
Luckily, Brett's water is back on, and he can go back to shaving in his own bathroom. :P I think you're right about the drains getting clogged - I'll have to pick up some bleach assuming I ever get to E-mart or Dong-A this week (I've been so beyond tired I've just been crashing after teaching
( ... )
Me and my husband are in Incheon, near Seoul. It's our first year doing this too. We've been here for five and a half months, so nearly halfway, assuming we make it that far since I think the economy and a new hagwon that just opened and stole half our students might tank this sucker. *worries*
I am allowed to draw and play games with other classes. Why not this one, I have no idea. I think it's because I have a problem kid in the class who, when he loses, sometimes hits people or screams or, whatever, though I have no idea where this drawing edict came down from. They photocopy work sheets because they can't be arsed to make them proper books, and suddenly it's my job to make sure they don't draw on the backs in the five minutes at the end of class when all we're doing is playing (now apparently illegal) hangman? Like you say, these kids are six and seven years old. *flails
( ... )
Comments 17
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Argh! Poor Kev! Poor you!
::lots of warm virtual hugs::
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Here's hoping today goes better. ;)
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And yay, for BSG zen! And I think nail polish remover gets permanent marker off white boards. I think.
Hope tomorrow is better!
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I'm glad you found that **absolutely awesome** video to cheer your spirit up! Thanks for reccing it! :D
Hee... Your little reflexion about the absurdity of cycle of time -I'm also in love with the concept and I hope that they will deal with it in BSG finale- made me smile... But as you say, being destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over doesn't necessarily imply that your actions are meaningless (I'm in my zen mode, too... We all will find our zen at the end of BSG, I guess xD).
Anyway, I have the feeling that the moral of BSG story will probably be that we can change destiny (free will, yeah). Maybe it is a cliche, but it works for me (I think).
And let's hope that they don't do anything truly disappointing... I'll keep my fingers crossed! ;).
Reply
I also think there's strong potential in the message of BSG being about changing the cycle of time this time, although that has its own terrors: what if you change it for the worst? It could be a chance to explore the concept of free will as the frightening thing it is, even though we all also want it? Because there's not "cycle of time" sense of "it's meant to be," to fall back on when stuff gets tough?
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(The comment has been removed)
I'm also so glad you like the description of absurdity - I confess when I thought it up I was very pleased with myself because I think it's so apt.
Like, I love the cycle of time as much as the next person and spend more time than the average bear on the mythology of the show, and of course it matters a great deal while they’re living it. But if they’re just living a Billy Joel song over and over again on a meta-level how is that anything but ironic and utterly absurd?
YES YES YES! As usual you put it better than me.
As to the crack-not-crack-crack-again quandry, well, congratulations, you've just discovered why I love this 'genre'. Because, I really think that that just is what serious crack is. Like any genre, it's not entirely uniform. So probably this is more along the spectrum that involves humour than, say, the Hancock/BSG vidlet I just did. But I think that's partly to do with variety in the genre and partly to do with the fact that Hancock/BSG was a crazy ( ... )
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
AND ME!
I THINK MAYBE YOU HATE BILL ADAMA BECAUSE YOU ARE BILL ADAMA. I AM JUST SAYING. Except for the mustache. And the selfishness. Okay so maybe not exactly. BUT HE WOULD UNDERSTAND YOUR SOUL.
NO. NO YOU KEEP BILL ADAMA AWAY FROM MY SOUL!
He would hear me say that and nod deeply and pretend like he understood what it meant, all the time misunderstanding and thinking it meant something like, "I can ignore my actions as long as I believe, really hard that I'm everyone's Daddy. Because reality ITSELF will conform to my masquerade." He'd like, think I meant that the type of person we are while making those choices can somehow be divorced from the shittiness of the choices. Or something.
...and sadly, in the BSGverse, Bill Adama would probably be right, and I'd be wandering the Galactica hallways preaching some kind of "be honest with yourself and act with love," hippie bullshit.
Or something.
*shakes fist!*
also my vid is going very slowly. I blame the craptacularness of this ( ... )
Reply
I'm sorry to hear about the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day, and yeah, my pipes froze last night, too. It's been a nice change from the swimming pool my bathroom turns into every time I take a shower because the drain won't work. Brett, the other American teacher at my school, hasn't had water in days - he's usually over at my apartment every morning, shaving into my sink. And ohgod, the permanent marker thing is why I refuse to let any of my little monsters touch anything but pencils and dry-erase markers. Because my first week, they drew all over the tables in permanent marker and my director was not a happy camper.
So, thanks for the rec, and I hope today's looking better than yesterday did.
Reply
Nice to know it's not just happening to us, and at least we aren't in a situation as bad as poor Brett! We have the swimming pool bathroom problem too - I think it's because they basically have open drains here so they get clogged with hair and all sorts. We have to dump bleach down the drain like all the damn time to stop the whole place from flooding. :/
Today was better and thanks for the good thoughts, but Tuesday (the day after this day) was pretty awful too. I got told that, the class of first graders I have to entertain for forty minutes with one page, which has, if I'm lucky, 6 lines of dialogue, shouldn't draw as an activity. I'm already not allowed to play games with them. I have no fucking clue what I'm supposed to do with them now. *sigh* /whinging.
The permanent marker thing was actually largely frustrating because it wasn't even my error! Some OTHER teacher left a permanent marker in the room which, to be fair, for some reason looked just like a dry-erase marker. So this kid who I cannot break ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Me and my husband are in Incheon, near Seoul. It's our first year doing this too. We've been here for five and a half months, so nearly halfway, assuming we make it that far since I think the economy and a new hagwon that just opened and stole half our students might tank this sucker. *worries*
I am allowed to draw and play games with other classes. Why not this one, I have no idea. I think it's because I have a problem kid in the class who, when he loses, sometimes hits people or screams or, whatever, though I have no idea where this drawing edict came down from. They photocopy work sheets because they can't be arsed to make them proper books, and suddenly it's my job to make sure they don't draw on the backs in the five minutes at the end of class when all we're doing is playing (now apparently illegal) hangman? Like you say, these kids are six and seven years old. *flails ( ... )
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