November 11, 2012
November 10, 2012
Reflection: a grad school luxury
A few years ago, I'm sure that I pictured my life at 25. I have no idea what I thought it would be like, though it probably included more money and maybe more fame than I have now. It certainly did not include spending four nights a week in an elementary school gym teaching Saudi guys how to play volleyball. But, here I am.
The volleyball phenomenon at PIE started on a whim this summer. Since then it has morphed into a fairly constant event. Especially now that the weather has changed and we've moved the net into the gym. Now we have a court with lines and we can fill the gym with pop music. By the way, our favorite song (yes, OUR, as in mine and the Saudi guys') is "Hotel Room Service." Pitbull, you write a dirty, though catchy tune! I'm having trouble finding the right way to describe how much I appreciate volleyball. In the endless work cycle of grad school, volleyball is the only time when I can think about something besides writing assessment or lesson planning or job searching.
Tonight marked a distinct shift in volleyball. I asked the students if they would rather just play, or if they wanted to learn. To my surprise, they voted for learning, so I taught them how to pass and set. It helped--that wasn't a surprise. I've proposed some type of volleyball-based instruction (VBI for you TESOL nerds--you know who you are) as my practicum assignment next spring. Pending some insurance issues, I'll get to design a language class based on volleyball. It's perfect.
I can't say enough good things about the people who come to volleyball. There is a core group of people who I would definitely consider friends (Facebook will back this up). Then, there are the people on my intramural team (a.k.a The Crocodiles or Krokotiili) many of whom also fall in the friend category. Finally, there are students who drop in occasionally. What's really great is that I get to know so many of the students who aren't in my class. Volleyball has made me very visible at PIE. Most of the time I really enjoy it. "Miss Jena!" "Hi, Miss! Volleyball today?" "Miss, kill them!" (the last one refers to my serves). I really enjoy having students know me and talk with me during the day. From a language learning point of view, I'm thrilled that they are talking with a native speaker for a real purpose (yes, volleyball is a real purpose). I'm also learning some useful (some not) Arabic phrases, such as "I swear on my mustache [I will do it]!" "I swear!" "Come on!" "Work harder!" etc. I still can't say "Hello" or anything like that, but if you want to talk volleyball in Arabic, bring it on.
Seriously, I feel so lucky to spend time with these guys. With all the turmoil between the US and the Middle East, it's nice to have such a positive view of Arabic-speaking cultures. I spend most of my free time with a bunch of Saudi guys, and I think that's pretty cool.
Grad school coupled with being a TA is totally distressing. There is too much to do, no time to do it, but that's no excuse for doing it poorly. We are under pressure from all sides. Our physical and mental health suffers the consequences of too much stress, not enough food or sleep, and no time to reflect on it all. Clearly, I have two incredible (and simultaneous) opportunities: attend a prestigious TESL program AND get teaching experience in a top-notch IEP.
Tonight, I grateful for the PIE and its volleyball net. I think bump-set-spike has saved my sanity in Flagstaff.
To Coach Genrich--wherever you are: your practices were killer, but I'm so glad you taught me these skills and gave me this love for the game. If you could see me now!
The volleyball phenomenon at PIE started on a whim this summer. Since then it has morphed into a fairly constant event. Especially now that the weather has changed and we've moved the net into the gym. Now we have a court with lines and we can fill the gym with pop music. By the way, our favorite song (yes, OUR, as in mine and the Saudi guys') is "Hotel Room Service." Pitbull, you write a dirty, though catchy tune! I'm having trouble finding the right way to describe how much I appreciate volleyball. In the endless work cycle of grad school, volleyball is the only time when I can think about something besides writing assessment or lesson planning or job searching.
Tonight marked a distinct shift in volleyball. I asked the students if they would rather just play, or if they wanted to learn. To my surprise, they voted for learning, so I taught them how to pass and set. It helped--that wasn't a surprise. I've proposed some type of volleyball-based instruction (VBI for you TESOL nerds--you know who you are) as my practicum assignment next spring. Pending some insurance issues, I'll get to design a language class based on volleyball. It's perfect.
I can't say enough good things about the people who come to volleyball. There is a core group of people who I would definitely consider friends (Facebook will back this up). Then, there are the people on my intramural team (a.k.a The Crocodiles or Krokotiili) many of whom also fall in the friend category. Finally, there are students who drop in occasionally. What's really great is that I get to know so many of the students who aren't in my class. Volleyball has made me very visible at PIE. Most of the time I really enjoy it. "Miss Jena!" "Hi, Miss! Volleyball today?" "Miss, kill them!" (the last one refers to my serves). I really enjoy having students know me and talk with me during the day. From a language learning point of view, I'm thrilled that they are talking with a native speaker for a real purpose (yes, volleyball is a real purpose). I'm also learning some useful (some not) Arabic phrases, such as "I swear on my mustache [I will do it]!" "I swear!" "Come on!" "Work harder!" etc. I still can't say "Hello" or anything like that, but if you want to talk volleyball in Arabic, bring it on.
Seriously, I feel so lucky to spend time with these guys. With all the turmoil between the US and the Middle East, it's nice to have such a positive view of Arabic-speaking cultures. I spend most of my free time with a bunch of Saudi guys, and I think that's pretty cool.
Grad school coupled with being a TA is totally distressing. There is too much to do, no time to do it, but that's no excuse for doing it poorly. We are under pressure from all sides. Our physical and mental health suffers the consequences of too much stress, not enough food or sleep, and no time to reflect on it all. Clearly, I have two incredible (and simultaneous) opportunities: attend a prestigious TESL program AND get teaching experience in a top-notch IEP.
Tonight, I grateful for the PIE and its volleyball net. I think bump-set-spike has saved my sanity in Flagstaff.
To Coach Genrich--wherever you are: your practices were killer, but I'm so glad you taught me these skills and gave me this love for the game. If you could see me now!
November 3, 2012
October 24, 2012
October 20, 2012
October 17, 2012
October 13, 2012
A link to my publication!
Here's the link to my first TESOL-type publication. Co-publication...whatever. Karen, you're the best.
http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume16/ej62/ej62r6/
http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume16/ej62/ej62r6/
October 10, 2012
Workee
Me and the gals chipping away at a table of specifications. If you don't know what that is, add it to your blessings.
October 9, 2012
October 3, 2012
September 29, 2012
September 26, 2012
More wedding pictures
Since no one wants another picture of my desk and stacks of papers, here is Sandford Hall in Mitchell, NE.
September 25, 2012
Battleborn
September 23, 2012
September 21, 2012
September 18, 2012
September 17, 2012
What a weekend, or "what? A weekend?"
So, for once I was able to nearly execute a too ambitious plan of preparing not only for the coming week, but also the next. It did involve an alarm clock and two trips to Starbucks, but I was super productive, and I managed two rounds of sand volleyball and a picnic! Seriously, despite the intense reading and thinking, it was a great weekend in gorgeous late summer Flagstaff. I look forward to reaping the rewards of my hard work, and enjoying my good friends' wedding in Nebraska this weekend.
September 16, 2012
Working on a sunburn
Today was the beginning of zero-weekend mode in grad school. 6:15 alarm, at my desk by 8:00. Yet, an outdoor study study session at this elevation will immediately result in this type of sunburn, better known as farmer's tan. Eeww.
September 14, 2012
Veggie day!
Every Thursday this summer I have been picking up my veggie share from the Community Supported Agriculture. It's been a lot of fun trying new vegetables that I might have turned my nose up at otherwise. 
September 13, 2012
September 12, 2012
Workee, no coffee
I spent a few hours reading about language assessment today.
By the way, a book review that I coauthored will be available soon! I'll link it!
By the way, a book review that I coauthored will be available soon! I'll link it!
September 10, 2012
Sunday stroll
As a child, I definitely would have named this structure as "the naughty one" or something to that effect. I was fascinated by power lines and their supports.
September 8, 2012
What happened to my writing style?
What a week.
It would seem that a week shortened by Labor Day would go faster, not slower than a regular week, but not in my world. I made a few choices involving boyfriends and parking passes. I got swept up in the white water that is grad school. My TA position at the PIE is a big commitment. My grad classes are intellectually demanding, not to mention that I devote almost entire weekends to doing the readings and projects for them. The rest of my life (not that I know what that is) functions around eating, gym time and thinking about the PIE or my classes.
My aunt is notorious for coming home from volleyball with tears in her eyes. My grandma often quotes here as saying "If I didn't have swing choir, I don't know what I'd do." In an ironic twist of fate --as she and I had the same coach and same tears-- I now find myself wondering if I could survive without my weekly PIE volleyball fix. It's often the highlight of my week. I can destress, sweat and enjoy a little fame. It's nice to be able to just enjoy being a person. Not a teacher, not a student, just a person who likes to hang out with international students.
When I'm not playing volleyball, sometimes I'm ruining surprise parties. Today I did that. I showed up at exactly the wrong time, and I had to make the choice to run, hide, or just lose a lot of face. As I was walking up to the door, I hear the surprisee coming. Not being a close friend, I knew I would be extremely out of place. With nowhere to go, I just attempted to be as weird as possible, and get her to the real surprise as quickly as I could without doing too much explaining. OMG. How embarrassing for someone who is as punctual as I am. I was late one time, and this is what I get. Anyway, the party was a lot of fun, I made fun of myself, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Actually the surprise was still good. My presence was just disorienting enough to accentuate the whole mystery of it all.
Life isn't smooth sailing. Every single day, we have to handle situations with grace and humility. Unfortunately, we don't do the right thing every time. Sometimes I really want to put my foot in my mouth or time-travel back just a few minutes and try again, but I can't. We don't get a re-do, and I think that's something I'm working on this week. We can't re-do the situation, but we can learn something and do it better next time.
September 7, 2012
September 6, 2012
September 5, 2012
Clouds at my office
This giant cloud was peeking in my office window today. I miss NE thunderstorms.
September 4, 2012
No, we don't carry that as a size for WOMEN
Ways to embarrass a woman in a shoe store...
Actually, I like these men's shoes. They are the right size, even if society thinks that it's a size for men.
Actually, I like these men's shoes. They are the right size, even if society thinks that it's a size for men.
September 2, 2012
August 31, 2012
August 30, 2012
Love, Gratitude, and Liberal Arts
The picture today is of a classroom in the Liberal Arts building, where I take all my grad classes. Grad school, much of it in such a classroom, has been one of the best things I've ever done. I've met friends that have enriched my life so much, and I've found a passion for my life. I'm a lucky person to be able to experience this lifestyle. Just a little love and gratitude going back into the universe.
August 29, 2012
Overload
My picture today was inspired by the official return to grad school life. Jena's version anyway. The overstimulation is incredibly demanding, and makes it hard for me to pay attention when friends are talking. Things like required readings and lesson plans and practicum assignments take on lives of their own, and then come to dominate mine in a way that is intellectually stimulating, but that seems to sideline all other life-pursuits. The iPhone and MacBook don't do much to help the situation, as my email is just a few taps away. Yet, here I am, taking on the overload with a year's worth of practice. I think I'm in for one heck of a semester. By the way, these mini blogs are tough to spit out! It's a new genre for me. 
August 28, 2012
iCommunicating
So I bought an iPhone with my birthday money. It is awesome for sure. In fact, I have barely put it down tonight between my phone calls for advice and chatting, and the flurry of text messages asking for my advice on various things. It's amazing how connected we can be with these little things. Of course, the iPhone is a bit of a brain drain, but oh how I love it.
August 27, 2012
New Semester, Taking Refuge
Flagstaff turns into a giant parking lot at the beginning of each semester. The flood of new and returning students, plus their families, means that Target is a war zone, it takes 10 minutes to get through an intersection, and the youth of America invade my academic world with baseball caps, jean shorts, and chatter about house parties. I remember fondly my first days of college; yet I wouldn't want to relive the anxiety of figuring out how to survive with so much freedom. I'm fact, I'm grappling with my own prospects of freedom right now. The world post my graduation next spring, is wide open. I predict many a panicky blog about choosing from my infinite options. The picture today is of my refuge spot, Campus Coffee Beam. They have a delightful happy hour special. I came to love this place because of the hours and hours of comps preparation that I did here. Drink of choice? Fresh Americano. 
August 26, 2012
Industrial walking and Locks of Love
Today I got new tires and had plenty of time to enjoy the rugged beauty of industrial northeastern Flagstaff. Then my friend donated her ponytail to Locks of Love. Very cool! She let me watch because I love hair changes. A diverse Saturday!
August 25, 2012
Monsoon
I took this photo outside PIE today after a monsoon storm drenched Flagstaff. The rains make everything better except for the soggy bike seats.
August 24, 2012
Popcorn and plans falling through
Today was just one of those days when it doesn't pay to plan ahead. I was reassigned to a new teaching position after two weeks of planning for the original, and my weekly volleyball stress relief got rained out. Indeed, ESL teachers often take on such challenges as last-minute switches, yet it's still tough to be thrown into a new mix right before the semester. Volleyball getting cancelled was a real shame since I look forward to that all week. Yet, amid the tribulations of student placement and monsoon season, I took comfort in a little treat from home. Colby Ridge popcorn. Nothing like calorie therapy, apparently. Much love!
August 23, 2012
View from the front door
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| When I step out of my apartment every morning, this is what I see: Trees, sunshine and a parking lot. Minus the cars, it's a pretty good view. By the way, the neighbors with the blue truck are hard-core snow shovelers. The two of them and I scooped almost the entire lot by hand last winter. |
August 22, 2012
Messy
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| Love that world map. It's m inspiration every single day, but my bed is a mess! I haven't slept much in the past three days thanks to comprehensive exams, extra-early teaching responsibilities and my birthday parties. I never said the pictures would be really interesting. They merely represent real life. Though in the future, I will try to find something cooler to take pictures of. Lots of love, Jena. |
My 25th Birthday!
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| Sarah, Me and Seonmin at Brews and Cues. You'd never guess that Seonmin and I took the Comps Exam about 12 hours before this photo. We are applied linguistics rockstars. |
August 12, 2012
Summer Wrap-up
It's official. Summer is over. That's my fun thought for today.
I just waved goodbye to my boyfriend as he pulled his packed-up car out of the parking lot. I survived a whole summer living with someone. It was a painful adjustment for someone who was used to doing whatever I want all the time, having enough personal space, and not having to justify my coffee and ice cream habits. By yesterday though, I had adjusted to companionship. I have to say that I liked it.
Am I ready to crawl back into my grad school hermit hole? Kind of.
No time to waste, really. I have a comprehensive exam next Monday, which is coincidentally my 25th birthday. My study group is meeting today.
Call me crazy, but studying for this test has actually been a good thing for me. Despite my near constant work last semester, lots of details and interesting stuff slipped through the cracks. Now I have had a chance to reread and rethink lots of materials.
When I wasn't nerding out with my Sociolinguistics articles, I was teaching, planning, or thinking about level 5 writing. I think it was a wonderful twist of fate that I got assigned the class that I really didn't want. I wanted to try something besides advanced writing, but I actually got the chance to explore new techniques and new ways to lesson plan (in a group!). Besides the coursework, I got the best group of students imaginable. Just yesterday, they invited me for dinner. They also showered me (and my boyfriend!) with presents. I will say that even the unbelievably rich scent of my new Burberry perfume can't complete with the tears-welling-up feeling that I had when I got the e-mail asking if I could come over for dinner. It's sort of weird, but the fact that they want me to hang out with them is a great feeling. They also ask me for advice on school stuff, which I love. I just want them to be successful, because I know they can do it. I hope they get good ENG 105 teachers who understand second language writing. In my own experience, the Writing Center can do a lot, but they can't un-do a teacher's de-motivating feedback.
Writing skills aside, my students wear a lot of cologne. Seriously. I can tell if there are any students in the school building just by taking a whiff. Moreover, as a writing teacher, I am lucky enough to get essay drafts that smell like a fabulous department store. Sometimes I close my eyes, grab an essay and try to guess whose it is, just by scent.
I guess it follows that they should outfit me and my boyfriend with big bottles of the good stuff so that we too can announce our presence via the olfactory glands.
Speaking of all the ways I get spoiled, I'm writing this blog from my *MacBook Pro*. Yes, indeed. I bought the ultimate machine. It's sleek, sexy and the keyboard lights up! It's seriously awesome. I'm not always one to gush about technology (though this blog may say otherwise), but this thing is 8000% better than my old laptop.
Words to sum up summer 2012: Essays, Boyfriend, Campus Coffee Bean, The Comps, Volleyball, Students, Burberry, MacBook, Total spoilage, Free time, The Dream Team, Ramadan, Kapsa, Study Group, Pilates, Google Doc, Yoga, Rec Center, Veggies!
This summer proves once again that I am the luckiest girl I know. And this blog proves that I have forgotten how to write a coherent piece.
I just waved goodbye to my boyfriend as he pulled his packed-up car out of the parking lot. I survived a whole summer living with someone. It was a painful adjustment for someone who was used to doing whatever I want all the time, having enough personal space, and not having to justify my coffee and ice cream habits. By yesterday though, I had adjusted to companionship. I have to say that I liked it.
Am I ready to crawl back into my grad school hermit hole? Kind of.
No time to waste, really. I have a comprehensive exam next Monday, which is coincidentally my 25th birthday. My study group is meeting today.
Call me crazy, but studying for this test has actually been a good thing for me. Despite my near constant work last semester, lots of details and interesting stuff slipped through the cracks. Now I have had a chance to reread and rethink lots of materials.
 |
| Me and The Guys in Level 5b |
Writing skills aside, my students wear a lot of cologne. Seriously. I can tell if there are any students in the school building just by taking a whiff. Moreover, as a writing teacher, I am lucky enough to get essay drafts that smell like a fabulous department store. Sometimes I close my eyes, grab an essay and try to guess whose it is, just by scent.
I guess it follows that they should outfit me and my boyfriend with big bottles of the good stuff so that we too can announce our presence via the olfactory glands.
Speaking of all the ways I get spoiled, I'm writing this blog from my *MacBook Pro*. Yes, indeed. I bought the ultimate machine. It's sleek, sexy and the keyboard lights up! It's seriously awesome. I'm not always one to gush about technology (though this blog may say otherwise), but this thing is 8000% better than my old laptop.
Words to sum up summer 2012: Essays, Boyfriend, Campus Coffee Bean, The Comps, Volleyball, Students, Burberry, MacBook, Total spoilage, Free time, The Dream Team, Ramadan, Kapsa, Study Group, Pilates, Google Doc, Yoga, Rec Center, Veggies!
This summer proves once again that I am the luckiest girl I know. And this blog proves that I have forgotten how to write a coherent piece.
July 20, 2012
Spoiled Teacher Life
"Miss Jena, do you want Starbucks?" My student asked me this morning when he showed up no less than 50 minutes before my class started. After my cursory hesitation and no-it's-ok hand gesture, he made the please-say-yes-I-want-to-get-it-for-you face. Then I said, "Sure, I'll take a small latte."
This conversation happened after he left a bag of Lindor Truffles on my desk with a giant smile. Yesterday it was Rafaello's (also a candy).
If you are thinking "suck up"--you have a point, but I don't think that's it. He likes to bring chocolate for our class to eat, and I appreciate the gesture. At least they are eating something for breakfast. These guys just seem to genuinely like to share stuff--especially delicious chocolate stuff.
The coffee was new today, but who am I to turn down such a nice offer? They all saw how tired I look last night--maybe that's it!
But, after all, I did play volleyball with the students for 3 hours yesterday and I made green bean casserole for their pre-Ramadan party. The candy and coffee guy is my volleyball buddy, too. We played two-on-two yesterday, and if you never played 2's volleyball on a large, open field, let me tell you: it's mostly running after shanked passes and any other ball that doesn't get touched.
At the party, my students fawned over the green beans, and insisted that I eat whatever they had made. They talked with me and introduced me to their cousins. One even made good on his promise to show me part of an Arabic soap opera. Then he showed me pictures of his hometown--Medina--a place I will never be allowed to visit (I'm not a Muslim). He also showed me pictures of best friends from home, previous haircuts, and some delicious wood-fired food from his camping trip.
Another student insisted on finding the missing soccer ball for me and helping clean up after the party. Others were concerned that I looked exhausted (and indeed I was after the volleyball match), and that I better sit down while they got me more lemonade and cake. It's a good life.
I really like my students. They invite me to do lots of things with them, which is very flattering for this nerdy grad student. I'm getting to know their personalities and their culture a lot better from seeing them outside of writing class.
I guess it's always risky to befriend students too much. I still have to grade them, possibly to the point of ending a scholarship, but that's my job. At this point, I feel that I am able to communicate much better with my students because I know them better. I really respect them and I can see better how my class and my coursework fits into their lives and future plans. It's pretty cool.
Ramadan begins tomorrow. That's the month when Muslims fast from sunup to sundown, then celebrate with family and friends at night. It's likely that Ramadan will change my class dynamic significantly (i.e. no coffee and chocolates to wire everyone up), yet I'm already looking forward to Ramadan feasts and late-night Ramadan volleyball matches. I hope they invite me!
Here's to the last weeks of summer, a wonderful group of students, and the feeling that I might have found a great career.
This conversation happened after he left a bag of Lindor Truffles on my desk with a giant smile. Yesterday it was Rafaello's (also a candy).
If you are thinking "suck up"--you have a point, but I don't think that's it. He likes to bring chocolate for our class to eat, and I appreciate the gesture. At least they are eating something for breakfast. These guys just seem to genuinely like to share stuff--especially delicious chocolate stuff.
The coffee was new today, but who am I to turn down such a nice offer? They all saw how tired I look last night--maybe that's it!
But, after all, I did play volleyball with the students for 3 hours yesterday and I made green bean casserole for their pre-Ramadan party. The candy and coffee guy is my volleyball buddy, too. We played two-on-two yesterday, and if you never played 2's volleyball on a large, open field, let me tell you: it's mostly running after shanked passes and any other ball that doesn't get touched.
At the party, my students fawned over the green beans, and insisted that I eat whatever they had made. They talked with me and introduced me to their cousins. One even made good on his promise to show me part of an Arabic soap opera. Then he showed me pictures of his hometown--Medina--a place I will never be allowed to visit (I'm not a Muslim). He also showed me pictures of best friends from home, previous haircuts, and some delicious wood-fired food from his camping trip.
Another student insisted on finding the missing soccer ball for me and helping clean up after the party. Others were concerned that I looked exhausted (and indeed I was after the volleyball match), and that I better sit down while they got me more lemonade and cake. It's a good life.
I really like my students. They invite me to do lots of things with them, which is very flattering for this nerdy grad student. I'm getting to know their personalities and their culture a lot better from seeing them outside of writing class.
I guess it's always risky to befriend students too much. I still have to grade them, possibly to the point of ending a scholarship, but that's my job. At this point, I feel that I am able to communicate much better with my students because I know them better. I really respect them and I can see better how my class and my coursework fits into their lives and future plans. It's pretty cool.
Ramadan begins tomorrow. That's the month when Muslims fast from sunup to sundown, then celebrate with family and friends at night. It's likely that Ramadan will change my class dynamic significantly (i.e. no coffee and chocolates to wire everyone up), yet I'm already looking forward to Ramadan feasts and late-night Ramadan volleyball matches. I hope they invite me!
Here's to the last weeks of summer, a wonderful group of students, and the feeling that I might have found a great career.
July 18, 2012
Turns out that I didn't really have anything to write about
Some people get cravings for chocolate and others for salty snacks. While I often crave these things, sometimes I also crave writing. I suppose there are few nerdier things that I could say, but it's true. Sometimes I just need to see my thoughts on the screen and send them off into cyberspace.
It's summer, but it feels strangely un-summer-ish because my job is on campus, I'm leading study groups, and I'm spending a solid 40 hours a week working on stuff--but my bank account doesn't show it. This must be what adult-summer is like. Boo.
The fresh air and warm evenings are summer-like, and I do appreciate them. I've even taken up after school pick-up volleyball games with students from the PIE (Program in Intensive English). My enthusiasm for volleyball has made a buzz around the school--it's a good thing! Even students who have never met me know that I'm the volleyball teacher. Of the many nerdy things I could be known for, I prefer this athletic prowess (no matter how contrived).
Teaching in the PIE is a good experience. That's a cliche. Anyway, I'm teaching advanced writing, which I am no stranger to. My students are the good the bad and poorly spelled. In fact, and I never saw this coming, spelling is a major issue. Some scholars call it "vowel blindness" that many Arabic speakers encounter as they learn English. Basically, in Arabic, the vowels are implied or otherwise understood; while in English, vowels are explicitly spelled, but the pronunciation is nothing short of random chance. So, words like "him" are spelled "hem", and words like "improve" are written "empruve". There are other, more baffling spelling choices that have come to amuse me very much. The word "barenc" for example, is a terrific misspelling of "parents". After reading these essays, I now appreciate the read-aloud strategy. In fact, I must read many words out loud to sound out "cost" from "casit". I blame English. The vowels in this language are useless.
Besides the spelling, my students entertain me with their essays. Just today, I read two narratives about the disappointing love lives of two students. Brave of them to write these stories and to admit defeat on paper, but hey, I appreciated the honesty. They are very sweet. Like a Little Debbie Zebra Cake. By the way, I could not get these guys to make an analogy for the life of me! I even said, "these make great pick-up lines!" They liked that part, but I guess it didn't translate into the essay. Pick up lines are usually not for essays, but that's not what I meant.
Besides leading vowel-blind lovebirds into the terrifying world of correct English spelling (though I refrain from dating advice), I am once again teaching Pilates. Some PIE teachers offer fitness classes for other teachers. It's wonderful. The resident Yogi is a fabulous teacher, but while he is on vacation in Japan, I'm filling the void with Pilates--the fitness regime no one wants to do. Actually, that isn't true. I've had good attendance so far. I was certified a few years ago, but time has a cruel effect on the body, and I feel once again like a novice.
Pilates may be unappealing to many--it is ab work after all--but studying for the comprehensive exam (a.k.a. the COMPS) has got to be the least palatable of my summer activities. I took it upon myself to organize a weekly study group to cover the seemingly infinite amount of information that we may need to know for the test. Somewhere between my uber-authoritative personality and my weekly motivational emails, I became, for lack of a better word: "Comps-god". Members or wanna-be members of the study group are constantly confessing to me how much or how little they've managed to study during the week, or how much they've been wanting to start studying, but just can't give up the Law and Order/Parks and Recreation/Portlandia marathons. Honestly, I tell them, it's none of my business. If you want to study and come to the group, that's awesome. If you don't want to, that's your decision. To me, it's strange to have people feeling so accountable for an optional thing that I set up. But I like it!
So, I've run down the basic stuff. PIE all the time, Pilates and the Comps. My boyfriend is there too (a summer highlight!). I may not feel like summer, but I am loving this lifestyle.
Ug. Another posts ends this way. It must be true. :)
It's summer, but it feels strangely un-summer-ish because my job is on campus, I'm leading study groups, and I'm spending a solid 40 hours a week working on stuff--but my bank account doesn't show it. This must be what adult-summer is like. Boo.
The fresh air and warm evenings are summer-like, and I do appreciate them. I've even taken up after school pick-up volleyball games with students from the PIE (Program in Intensive English). My enthusiasm for volleyball has made a buzz around the school--it's a good thing! Even students who have never met me know that I'm the volleyball teacher. Of the many nerdy things I could be known for, I prefer this athletic prowess (no matter how contrived).
Teaching in the PIE is a good experience. That's a cliche. Anyway, I'm teaching advanced writing, which I am no stranger to. My students are the good the bad and poorly spelled. In fact, and I never saw this coming, spelling is a major issue. Some scholars call it "vowel blindness" that many Arabic speakers encounter as they learn English. Basically, in Arabic, the vowels are implied or otherwise understood; while in English, vowels are explicitly spelled, but the pronunciation is nothing short of random chance. So, words like "him" are spelled "hem", and words like "improve" are written "empruve". There are other, more baffling spelling choices that have come to amuse me very much. The word "barenc" for example, is a terrific misspelling of "parents". After reading these essays, I now appreciate the read-aloud strategy. In fact, I must read many words out loud to sound out "cost" from "casit". I blame English. The vowels in this language are useless.
Besides the spelling, my students entertain me with their essays. Just today, I read two narratives about the disappointing love lives of two students. Brave of them to write these stories and to admit defeat on paper, but hey, I appreciated the honesty. They are very sweet. Like a Little Debbie Zebra Cake. By the way, I could not get these guys to make an analogy for the life of me! I even said, "these make great pick-up lines!" They liked that part, but I guess it didn't translate into the essay. Pick up lines are usually not for essays, but that's not what I meant.
Besides leading vowel-blind lovebirds into the terrifying world of correct English spelling (though I refrain from dating advice), I am once again teaching Pilates. Some PIE teachers offer fitness classes for other teachers. It's wonderful. The resident Yogi is a fabulous teacher, but while he is on vacation in Japan, I'm filling the void with Pilates--the fitness regime no one wants to do. Actually, that isn't true. I've had good attendance so far. I was certified a few years ago, but time has a cruel effect on the body, and I feel once again like a novice.
Pilates may be unappealing to many--it is ab work after all--but studying for the comprehensive exam (a.k.a. the COMPS) has got to be the least palatable of my summer activities. I took it upon myself to organize a weekly study group to cover the seemingly infinite amount of information that we may need to know for the test. Somewhere between my uber-authoritative personality and my weekly motivational emails, I became, for lack of a better word: "Comps-god". Members or wanna-be members of the study group are constantly confessing to me how much or how little they've managed to study during the week, or how much they've been wanting to start studying, but just can't give up the Law and Order/Parks and Recreation/Portlandia marathons. Honestly, I tell them, it's none of my business. If you want to study and come to the group, that's awesome. If you don't want to, that's your decision. To me, it's strange to have people feeling so accountable for an optional thing that I set up. But I like it!
So, I've run down the basic stuff. PIE all the time, Pilates and the Comps. My boyfriend is there too (a summer highlight!). I may not feel like summer, but I am loving this lifestyle.
Ug. Another posts ends this way. It must be true. :)
June 19, 2012
Welcome to Fabulous...Las Vegas
 |
| Glamorous me and friends |
I spent last weekend on a pilgrimage of sorts--a bachelorette party in Las Vegas. A best friend from college is getting married this fall, and she's asked me to be a part of her wedding.
My fascination with Las Vegas began with The Killers--one of my favorite bands hails from Sin City. Yet it wasn't until the lead singer put out a solo album about finding himself, God, and everything in between in Las Vegas that I became fixed on moving to the Southwest. His entire album pays homage to the contradictions of Las Vegas--the fabulous and the sleezy, the cheap and the lux, God and the devil. I fell in love with the album "Flamingo", and now here I am in...well, Flagstaff. It's not Vegas, but it is the Southwest.
My friend's finance is from Henderson, Nevada, so Las Vegas actually wasn't that bizarre for his side. I feel that I lucked out in that Vegas is only about four hours away by car. The other bridesmaids needed plan tickets.
The Strip is fantastic. Though disorienting, expensive and pretentious, there is something magnificent about the glamorous, enormous buildings that loom like gods above the crowds. The lyrics comparing the worship of the sins of Vegas to the worship of God suddenly make more sense.
Las Vegas is the perfect escape. For a weekend, anyone can pretend to have the money, time and class to live it up. It's a right of passage in Vegas to pay too much for sashimi and cocktails, blow money on slots, and wait in line for exclusive clubs. Women can wear too short, too sparkly, too tight clothing and heels that only Gaga could love. Even as a self-described "frugal-ass broad", I could pretend for two days that I was a classy, well-paid, well-vacationed woman.
I wish I had a more articulate explanation of Vegas. I reconnected with old friends, made new friends, and escaped for a weekend. Las Vegas is nothing like I expected, yet "Flamingo" makes more sense now that I've experienced the muse myself.
Here's to Vegas, big dreams and getting married.
Give us your dreamers, your harlots and your sins
Las Vegas
Didn't nobody tell you?
The house will always win.
June 9, 2012
Photo from my Mom
May 29, 2012
Beyond Finals
It's weird how I feel somehow bad that I haven't posted much in the past year--as though I haven't contributed my two cents to the blogosphere--which I guess I technically haven't--and I wouldn't say the world is any worse off for it.
My last post, lamenting the agonies of finals and the lust for expensive products made by Apple was pleasing at the time. Now, however, I think I have a few more interesting (and less expensive) things to write about. By the way, I'm writing this on my hefty Dell, which is still working...
So I survived Finals, if not with a few deeper lines in my forehead and a few more red lines showing in my eyes. I successfully completed my first year of grad school with a 4.0 GPA (I would expect nothing less). Many of my colleagues did the same--and this is the reason I love grad school so much. So many motivated and intelligent people working together. Compared with my undersgraduate coursework, in this Master's program, feel much more accomplished. I think many grad students have the experience that it is the students who run grad courses by contributing thoguhts and summaries of the textbooks and articles choosen by thte professor. It's more pressure, but more rewarding for those, who, like me, are willing to put in the extra effort (i.e. reading time). I will say that modesty may not be the virtue of my blog.
As though finals were not enough, I also finished up ENG 105. Toward the end of a hard day of grading, I had to call my Grandpa for some advice. I lamented the poor students, the no-shows, the good-students-gone-bad. I complained (as you might guess from the way I write) about almost every aspect of teaching. My Grandpa listened patientiently and diagnosed me as a novice teacher. You'll toughen up, he said. It's hard to give out unlikeable grades to kids you like. Teachers, especially at the beginning, want everyone to succeed, and take it very personally when some students don't make it. Stick to the standards. Use your rubric. Give them the grade they earned. That's your job. They might not be successful in your class, but that's ok. As a long-time teacher, administrator, and coach, my Grandpa is a good mentor for a novice like me. After talking with him, I felt ready to dole out final grades, difficult as it was to know that I might have the power to end someone's student visa.
The sharp drop-off of activity since finals caught me off guard. My boyfriend has moved in for the summer--which is a huge change from our nightly telephone calls. I think I drove him a little nuts the first few days because I wanted to stay so busy. We painted a few rooms in my apartment and drove all over town looking for a new dining room table. We also drove all over town trying to find him some temporary employment. I think I've blogged several times about how tough it is to get temporary employment. It's the same story here in Flagstaff. He must have filled out 20 applications in one week. We've been scouring the city for possibilities, but no luck yet.
The highlight of the summer so far was the solar eclipse. If you are an astronomy junkie, or if you listen to NPR, you might know that last Sunday, there was a total eclipse of the sun, visible in the US southwest, along a line passing very near the Grand Canyon. I had been eager to get our of Flagstaff for a day trip somewhere, so I decided that we should make an event out of this eclipse. We bought special eclipse glasses and drove up to Page, AZ, hoping for an optimal view. By chance we happened upon a dusty desert hiking trail that had perfect views of the expanses of land around Page. We got to watch the moon slowly eat away the sun for nearly an hour before all that remained was a thin ring of fire. It was a very bizarre experience because the sky didn't actually darken as I thought it might, but it did seem to cool off by about 20 degrees once the moon blocked the sun. It's a rare event to have a total eclipse slide through your backyard, so I'm thrilled that we made a fun day out of it.
Okay, I feel better about my cyber contributions for this month. Tomorrow I start my summer gig at the Program in Intensive English. I forecast some interesting posts in the near future...
My last post, lamenting the agonies of finals and the lust for expensive products made by Apple was pleasing at the time. Now, however, I think I have a few more interesting (and less expensive) things to write about. By the way, I'm writing this on my hefty Dell, which is still working...
So I survived Finals, if not with a few deeper lines in my forehead and a few more red lines showing in my eyes. I successfully completed my first year of grad school with a 4.0 GPA (I would expect nothing less). Many of my colleagues did the same--and this is the reason I love grad school so much. So many motivated and intelligent people working together. Compared with my undersgraduate coursework, in this Master's program, feel much more accomplished. I think many grad students have the experience that it is the students who run grad courses by contributing thoguhts and summaries of the textbooks and articles choosen by thte professor. It's more pressure, but more rewarding for those, who, like me, are willing to put in the extra effort (i.e. reading time). I will say that modesty may not be the virtue of my blog.
As though finals were not enough, I also finished up ENG 105. Toward the end of a hard day of grading, I had to call my Grandpa for some advice. I lamented the poor students, the no-shows, the good-students-gone-bad. I complained (as you might guess from the way I write) about almost every aspect of teaching. My Grandpa listened patientiently and diagnosed me as a novice teacher. You'll toughen up, he said. It's hard to give out unlikeable grades to kids you like. Teachers, especially at the beginning, want everyone to succeed, and take it very personally when some students don't make it. Stick to the standards. Use your rubric. Give them the grade they earned. That's your job. They might not be successful in your class, but that's ok. As a long-time teacher, administrator, and coach, my Grandpa is a good mentor for a novice like me. After talking with him, I felt ready to dole out final grades, difficult as it was to know that I might have the power to end someone's student visa.
The sharp drop-off of activity since finals caught me off guard. My boyfriend has moved in for the summer--which is a huge change from our nightly telephone calls. I think I drove him a little nuts the first few days because I wanted to stay so busy. We painted a few rooms in my apartment and drove all over town looking for a new dining room table. We also drove all over town trying to find him some temporary employment. I think I've blogged several times about how tough it is to get temporary employment. It's the same story here in Flagstaff. He must have filled out 20 applications in one week. We've been scouring the city for possibilities, but no luck yet.
The highlight of the summer so far was the solar eclipse. If you are an astronomy junkie, or if you listen to NPR, you might know that last Sunday, there was a total eclipse of the sun, visible in the US southwest, along a line passing very near the Grand Canyon. I had been eager to get our of Flagstaff for a day trip somewhere, so I decided that we should make an event out of this eclipse. We bought special eclipse glasses and drove up to Page, AZ, hoping for an optimal view. By chance we happened upon a dusty desert hiking trail that had perfect views of the expanses of land around Page. We got to watch the moon slowly eat away the sun for nearly an hour before all that remained was a thin ring of fire. It was a very bizarre experience because the sky didn't actually darken as I thought it might, but it did seem to cool off by about 20 degrees once the moon blocked the sun. It's a rare event to have a total eclipse slide through your backyard, so I'm thrilled that we made a fun day out of it.
Okay, I feel better about my cyber contributions for this month. Tomorrow I start my summer gig at the Program in Intensive English. I forecast some interesting posts in the near future...
May 7, 2012
"Thoughts on technology" or "Waste some time while studying for Finals"
At the end of every semester, it seems, I get the urge to make a major change.
The psychologist in me says that I am seeking control during a time when everything is chaotic and mostly out of my control.
Last semester, during Finals Week, I decided to try being vegetarian. A good choice, I think--except for Diablo Burger and the delicious food made by my Chinese Scholars. I had to convert back for a few hours to sample their dishes.
This semester, I am fixated on getting new technology. "Retail Therapy" you may be thinking. I too, think that such a phenomenon may be contributing to my desire, but I also think that the 6-inch stack of articles I have printed for my classes this semester might have something to do with it.
My hearty Dell laptop survived my entire undergraduate career (including Study Abroad), and went on the fritz just before my finals in December, 2009. I tried to replace the trusty (albeit weighty) Dell with a netbook. Yes, I needed something lightweight for my trip to Cambodia, and December 2009 may have been the peak of the netbook. Babytop, my tiny, red companion, got me through hundreds of Cambodian Adventure Lady blogs, but definitely falls short as a primary computer. It's small, does not have a common OS, and somehow the speakers and headphone jack do not work any more (thanks probably to the humidity in Phnom Penh).
Before grad school, I grudgingly agreed not to purchase a new laptop, and instead had a new hard drive installed in the now seriously old-school Dell.
I admit, the longevity of this machine is usual. In these times of rapidly changing technologies, few machines can keep up.
I found out today that mine has trouble keeping up, too. Google Docs. If you've never use these magical, yet devious devices, let me explain. A Google Doc is very similar to an word-processing program, except that it is stored online. In addition, you can invite anyone to co-author the document. Two or more people can even work on the document simultaneously, which eliminates the need for sending drafts of revisions back and forth (a tedious and almost traumatic experience for someone like me, who usually struggles with the revisions that others make--or don't).
Back to the Google Doc, today I organized a study session for our Sociolinguistics class. I prepared a Google Doc with all of the study guide questions so that we could all upload our existing work, and continue working simultaneously to get this study guide finished. Let me just say that nine people sitting around a library table with laptops, six-inch stacks of articles, textbooks, flash drives, chai teas, and cell phones is a bit chaotic to begin with. Once we started working on the Google Doc, things got even crazier. At first, it was sort of like magic. Answers started popping up. Little bits of knowledge from our respective brains coming together. Then it got crazy. People started uploading study guides from last year (borrowed in good faith from nice 2nd-year MA's).
Our once pristine study guide quickly turned into a 50-page festering wound of text. I'm the kind of person who takes one look a document like that (by the way, we are allowed only 2 pages of notes for the test) and wants to blow chunks.
Seriously. I'm all about compiling info and then cutting it down later, but what am I supposed to do with 50 pages of other people's stuff? The answer is of course: delete, delete, delete; but where do I start?
I think my computer and I had some sort of ESP, because the nine-person simultaneous edit kept shutting down my Internet Explorer, and my computer became unresponsive three times before I gave up.
I don't think I can blame the old technology for me giving up, as I also became unresponsive several times...yet, I do think that things like Google Docs and other online "cloud" storage is probably the next big thing. It can be wildly convenient if your computer or other device can keep up. I wanted to participate a little better in the brain and file dump this afternoon, and I couldn't keep up with the fiesty Macbooks and Lenovos.
So if you will remember back to the beginning of this post, I wrote about my obsession with getting new technology. I've been researching the iPad. It's not a laptop, but it could be a nice tool when I don't have access to a computer, but need connectivity and access to my documents.The iPad has been dominating my wish list for a number of reasons:
1) Most important, it looks so cool. I think I have just blown my credibility entirely, but hear me out or skip to #2. When I see others with iPads, I assume they are not only cool, but also very smart and organized--though it is more likely the case that they are spoiled brats (undergraduates) or are eating Ramen every night to make up for the cost (graduate students). Moreover, neither smarter nor more organized than me, they probably just think iPads are cool, so they got one.
2) Lightweight. I ride my bike to school (to save the $500 parking pass for people with extra money) and my Goliath laptop would make the ride more difficult and contribute to my already crappy posture. As of now, I almost never bring my laptop (I have my own computer in my office), but next year, I won't have my own computer and I will have just as much computer work to do, so I think I will want my laptop more often. Hence, I need a lightweight alternative.
3) Read, store, organize PDF's and e-books. My discipline loves PDF articles, as evidenced in the mind-blowing stacks I have been lugging around the past couple days in preparation for finals. Put these in combination with my overweight laptop, and I need a backpack and another bag to haul all of my materials to the library (or nearest chai tea location). Beyond the heavy-factor, it's a task just to find the right article in the stack. For each question, I have to look through 30-40 articles. Not efficient. Once I find the article I want, I still have to look for the term or specific information that I need. Not that this is too difficult a task, but in an e-format, a quick document search would save loads of time! I'm imagining the utopian grad school experience in which I can easily access the rich knowledge (and the minutia) of TESL with the tap of a screen and spend the time I would have spent rifling through my files on thinking deeply about the concepts most salient to my field.
(side note: yikes on my writing style. I can tell I've been writing academic papers all year. I just identified an appositive noun phrase earlier in this post. Gag! Grammar class has ruined me.)
4) Netflix. You bet I watch Netflix! I'm just finishing Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race (America's Next Top Model for Drag Queens). I would love to have a clearer picture for my indulgence in crap TV. Maybe if I become more cool with an iPad, I would watch cooler shows. Doubtful, but maybe I will!
5) Who cares. I've made you read a ton of blabbing (again).
To review, my old laptop is heavy and can't keep up with the changes in technology or my life, Google Docs can be a hot mess, an iPads are the ticket to utopia.
The psychologist in me says that I am seeking control during a time when everything is chaotic and mostly out of my control.
Last semester, during Finals Week, I decided to try being vegetarian. A good choice, I think--except for Diablo Burger and the delicious food made by my Chinese Scholars. I had to convert back for a few hours to sample their dishes.
This semester, I am fixated on getting new technology. "Retail Therapy" you may be thinking. I too, think that such a phenomenon may be contributing to my desire, but I also think that the 6-inch stack of articles I have printed for my classes this semester might have something to do with it.
My hearty Dell laptop survived my entire undergraduate career (including Study Abroad), and went on the fritz just before my finals in December, 2009. I tried to replace the trusty (albeit weighty) Dell with a netbook. Yes, I needed something lightweight for my trip to Cambodia, and December 2009 may have been the peak of the netbook. Babytop, my tiny, red companion, got me through hundreds of Cambodian Adventure Lady blogs, but definitely falls short as a primary computer. It's small, does not have a common OS, and somehow the speakers and headphone jack do not work any more (thanks probably to the humidity in Phnom Penh).
Before grad school, I grudgingly agreed not to purchase a new laptop, and instead had a new hard drive installed in the now seriously old-school Dell.
I admit, the longevity of this machine is usual. In these times of rapidly changing technologies, few machines can keep up.
I found out today that mine has trouble keeping up, too. Google Docs. If you've never use these magical, yet devious devices, let me explain. A Google Doc is very similar to an word-processing program, except that it is stored online. In addition, you can invite anyone to co-author the document. Two or more people can even work on the document simultaneously, which eliminates the need for sending drafts of revisions back and forth (a tedious and almost traumatic experience for someone like me, who usually struggles with the revisions that others make--or don't).
Back to the Google Doc, today I organized a study session for our Sociolinguistics class. I prepared a Google Doc with all of the study guide questions so that we could all upload our existing work, and continue working simultaneously to get this study guide finished. Let me just say that nine people sitting around a library table with laptops, six-inch stacks of articles, textbooks, flash drives, chai teas, and cell phones is a bit chaotic to begin with. Once we started working on the Google Doc, things got even crazier. At first, it was sort of like magic. Answers started popping up. Little bits of knowledge from our respective brains coming together. Then it got crazy. People started uploading study guides from last year (borrowed in good faith from nice 2nd-year MA's).
Our once pristine study guide quickly turned into a 50-page festering wound of text. I'm the kind of person who takes one look a document like that (by the way, we are allowed only 2 pages of notes for the test) and wants to blow chunks.
Seriously. I'm all about compiling info and then cutting it down later, but what am I supposed to do with 50 pages of other people's stuff? The answer is of course: delete, delete, delete; but where do I start?
I think my computer and I had some sort of ESP, because the nine-person simultaneous edit kept shutting down my Internet Explorer, and my computer became unresponsive three times before I gave up.
I don't think I can blame the old technology for me giving up, as I also became unresponsive several times...yet, I do think that things like Google Docs and other online "cloud" storage is probably the next big thing. It can be wildly convenient if your computer or other device can keep up. I wanted to participate a little better in the brain and file dump this afternoon, and I couldn't keep up with the fiesty Macbooks and Lenovos.
So if you will remember back to the beginning of this post, I wrote about my obsession with getting new technology. I've been researching the iPad. It's not a laptop, but it could be a nice tool when I don't have access to a computer, but need connectivity and access to my documents.The iPad has been dominating my wish list for a number of reasons:
1) Most important, it looks so cool. I think I have just blown my credibility entirely, but hear me out or skip to #2. When I see others with iPads, I assume they are not only cool, but also very smart and organized--though it is more likely the case that they are spoiled brats (undergraduates) or are eating Ramen every night to make up for the cost (graduate students). Moreover, neither smarter nor more organized than me, they probably just think iPads are cool, so they got one.
2) Lightweight. I ride my bike to school (to save the $500 parking pass for people with extra money) and my Goliath laptop would make the ride more difficult and contribute to my already crappy posture. As of now, I almost never bring my laptop (I have my own computer in my office), but next year, I won't have my own computer and I will have just as much computer work to do, so I think I will want my laptop more often. Hence, I need a lightweight alternative.
3) Read, store, organize PDF's and e-books. My discipline loves PDF articles, as evidenced in the mind-blowing stacks I have been lugging around the past couple days in preparation for finals. Put these in combination with my overweight laptop, and I need a backpack and another bag to haul all of my materials to the library (or nearest chai tea location). Beyond the heavy-factor, it's a task just to find the right article in the stack. For each question, I have to look through 30-40 articles. Not efficient. Once I find the article I want, I still have to look for the term or specific information that I need. Not that this is too difficult a task, but in an e-format, a quick document search would save loads of time! I'm imagining the utopian grad school experience in which I can easily access the rich knowledge (and the minutia) of TESL with the tap of a screen and spend the time I would have spent rifling through my files on thinking deeply about the concepts most salient to my field.
(side note: yikes on my writing style. I can tell I've been writing academic papers all year. I just identified an appositive noun phrase earlier in this post. Gag! Grammar class has ruined me.)
4) Netflix. You bet I watch Netflix! I'm just finishing Season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race (America's Next Top Model for Drag Queens). I would love to have a clearer picture for my indulgence in crap TV. Maybe if I become more cool with an iPad, I would watch cooler shows. Doubtful, but maybe I will!
5) Who cares. I've made you read a ton of blabbing (again).
To review, my old laptop is heavy and can't keep up with the changes in technology or my life, Google Docs can be a hot mess, an iPads are the ticket to utopia.
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