Culinary Culture
I am fascinated by trends in popular food, mini-zeitgeist of society's peculiar and unpredictable loves. Here are some current trends, possible reasons for their inception, and what I predict will come next!
Fancy/athletic/pricey/healthy drinks
Americans, evolved past the banality of Perrier and Evian of the 1980's, are prepared to pay for "healthier" water. There is a resurgence of drink as accessory, beverage as status symbol. We have Smart Water, Gatorade's Propel Water, and now, even Coke is trying to add minerals. Fifty Cent has stock in Vitamin water, which blatantly sells the stories of its famous drinkers on little anecdotes on the labels. And there's proof of the effectiveness of its design and marketability to the American public: he's made millions.
The future: water enhanced with the only food celebrities are allowed to have, low-fat protein...da da da da: food water! It should be expensive, so people know it's good/cool.
Açai berry anything.
There's already a Haagen-Daaz flavor of this Brazilian berry, a Vitamin water blended flavor (with blueberry and pomegranate) and a seasonal drink at Caribou Coffee (a coffee shop chain). I think it tastes like a cross between a blueberry and an a raw potato- starchy but sweet. It's popular because not only does it exploit a new fruit (I thought I knew them all!) and it vaguely feels like you're supporting the rainforest by consuming it, since I think most people subconsciously connect use of anything from the rainforest (or purportedly from the rainforest) with conservation (i.e. "Look at my teak table...yes, I know; I just have to help if I can.")
The future: açai berries on desserts at fancy restaurants, in glazes for meat, and in very ritzy salad dressings. And the jackfruit will be the next weird fruit to be everywhere soon- I love it! It tastes like a cross between an orange and a kiwi!
Organic, grass-fed, all-natural, no trans-fat meat.
Oh my gosh: Kentucky Fried Chicken is promoting itself as a healthy choice! It's scary because it's obviously untrue and because despite that, the company has actually been compelled by popular sentiment to get rid of the trans-fats. So that's something. Even McDonald's is marketing McNuggets as chicken. I remember the days when they were unrecognizable, reconstituted meat, back in the days before it was considered appropriate to eat McDonald's for every meal.
The future: other fast food restaurants will promote their use of real meat. Maybe Taco Bell will stop serving dog food. That would be so nice.
Latino flavors
Not the flavors of Latinos, (spicy?) but tastes that have been part of Latino culture for centuries. Apparently, Miller Brewing Company thought that a slightly lime and salt flavored beer, called Miller Chill and packaged in a green beer bottle, was a good idea. Eww. Wrigley took a chance on Mojito-Lime gum, highlighted in this New York Times article, and Mayan chocolate is gaining popularity.
The future: quesadillas at McDonald's. Why hasn't that happened yet? Even though McDonald's owns Chipotle, they need to follow this trend, too. And possibly, eventually, popular culture will be ready for mole. Maybe.
What trends have you spotted? :)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
I've been thinking about patriotism recently. There is so much pessimism, defeatism, and resignation to the fact that our president seems be bogging us down in a quagmire of lies, secrecy, and worldwide hatred directed at all we hold so dear. There are suicide bombers killing soldiers and civilians daily, prompted, indirectly, by our country's involvement in Iraq. It's easy to be a bitter liberal and think that hope can only be found in a well-chosen democratic candidate. But today, I want to start a list of acts of Americanism that we see everyday, and overlook for how truly valuable they are to our country. More than our military, who make the biggest and least repayable service to us, these are small daily signs of our inner patriotism:
*People pulling their cars over for ambulances, not knowing the person who's inside, just that he or she is one of us and it's the small thing we can do to help.
*That our ambulances will save anyone who needs them.
*In my neighborhood, Muslim Somali women can walk unafraid in full hijab.
*My students, many of whom faced challenging lives in their native countries, can learn English, and hopefully, do whatever they want with their lives, because of the opportunities in our country.
I know there are many more aspects of truly American behavior. What else should I add to my list?
*People pulling their cars over for ambulances, not knowing the person who's inside, just that he or she is one of us and it's the small thing we can do to help.
*That our ambulances will save anyone who needs them.
*In my neighborhood, Muslim Somali women can walk unafraid in full hijab.
*My students, many of whom faced challenging lives in their native countries, can learn English, and hopefully, do whatever they want with their lives, because of the opportunities in our country.
I know there are many more aspects of truly American behavior. What else should I add to my list?
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Please see my new blog, where I'm starting to post literary proposals, pitches, and ideas, plus my favorite new words! (I'm a nerd, yes, but you are, too!) :)
Monday, May 28, 2007
Happy Memorial Day!
I've had so much fun this weekend...honestly, it was the perfect introduction to summer. On Friday night I went to the Radio K listener appreciation show, which I feel I deserved to be at for two reasons, even though I didn't have a supporter card:
1) I supported them even when I didn't listen
2) It's now #6 on my car radio, which, although it sounds like an unappreciated placement, is actually prime button property, since it's where I hit first (without looking) as I speed down the highway to work.
On Saturday I can't remember what I did. Oh, right. I woke up at 7 a.m. and did all my organization work for school, then walked up and down all of Nicollet all afternoon searching for candy from around the world. This whole week all my students will do is a pinata project involving international candy, so it was an essential errand. However, it's impossible to find African candy. I even hit the local Somali "mall" (the best place to find long dresses), but all I ended up with was a huge box of Saudi Arabian chewing gum, which I think is supercool anyway. That evening, I drove to a friend's family's house in the suburbans to hang out and eat cake:)
On Sunday, I went to early church with my grandma in Edina, but the church had a very different demographic than mine and wasn't as warm and welcoming. After that, I met my friends (and more of their friends) for brunch at Maria's, which is a pretty good brunch spot, but no Barbette:) French fries beat burritos in any taste test. Then I went back to my apartment and whipped myself into a cleaning frenzy! I cleaned everything, plus finally found the elusive technique to get my wood floors clean: it turns out is a vacuum, swiffer wet-jet, vacuum pattern that catches the elusive cat hair.
Then I spent Sunday night in NE Minneapolis, at a house where one of my friends was housesitting. All of my friends grilled out, talked, drank, and spent the night. Then in the morning, I actually turned into my mother, got up early, and got coffee for everyone (which is exactly what she always does- and I did it too, even though it drives me crazy!) I also realized that my parents would love living in NE. The new Lunds is so beautiful;) Plus, there's so much to walk to, and so much going on...and if my dad needs his skyway fix, the city is very close. Now I'm at my twin cousins' 4th birthday party; I can't believe they're that old!
Anyway, I have four more days of teaching this school year! I'm so exciting to have a relaxing, friend-filled (and hopefully soon to be guy-filled) summer.
I've had so much fun this weekend...honestly, it was the perfect introduction to summer. On Friday night I went to the Radio K listener appreciation show, which I feel I deserved to be at for two reasons, even though I didn't have a supporter card:
1) I supported them even when I didn't listen
2) It's now #6 on my car radio, which, although it sounds like an unappreciated placement, is actually prime button property, since it's where I hit first (without looking) as I speed down the highway to work.
On Saturday I can't remember what I did. Oh, right. I woke up at 7 a.m. and did all my organization work for school, then walked up and down all of Nicollet all afternoon searching for candy from around the world. This whole week all my students will do is a pinata project involving international candy, so it was an essential errand. However, it's impossible to find African candy. I even hit the local Somali "mall" (the best place to find long dresses), but all I ended up with was a huge box of Saudi Arabian chewing gum, which I think is supercool anyway. That evening, I drove to a friend's family's house in the suburbans to hang out and eat cake:)
On Sunday, I went to early church with my grandma in Edina, but the church had a very different demographic than mine and wasn't as warm and welcoming. After that, I met my friends (and more of their friends) for brunch at Maria's, which is a pretty good brunch spot, but no Barbette:) French fries beat burritos in any taste test. Then I went back to my apartment and whipped myself into a cleaning frenzy! I cleaned everything, plus finally found the elusive technique to get my wood floors clean: it turns out is a vacuum, swiffer wet-jet, vacuum pattern that catches the elusive cat hair.
Then I spent Sunday night in NE Minneapolis, at a house where one of my friends was housesitting. All of my friends grilled out, talked, drank, and spent the night. Then in the morning, I actually turned into my mother, got up early, and got coffee for everyone (which is exactly what she always does- and I did it too, even though it drives me crazy!) I also realized that my parents would love living in NE. The new Lunds is so beautiful;) Plus, there's so much to walk to, and so much going on...and if my dad needs his skyway fix, the city is very close. Now I'm at my twin cousins' 4th birthday party; I can't believe they're that old!
Anyway, I have four more days of teaching this school year! I'm so exciting to have a relaxing, friend-filled (and hopefully soon to be guy-filled) summer.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
This is what I read when I'm bored at work :)
"What is especially disturbing about [pluralistic ignorance] is that it lends itself to control by the noisiest and most visible. Psychologists have noted that students who are the heaviest drinkers, for example, tend to speak out most strongly against proposed measures to curb drinking, and act as “subculture custodians” in support of their own minority views. Their strong vocalization can produce “false consensus” against such measures, as others, who think they’re part of the minority, keep quiet. As a consequence, the extremists gain influence out of all proportion to their numbers, while the views of the silent majority end up being suppressed."
-"A New Silent Majority" by Mark Buchanan (The New York Times, May 23, 2007).
I wonder how much of school culture is controlled by pluralistic ignorance. There are many attitudes (both positive and negative) that I may overextend to include more teachers than the number that actual subscribe to them. For example, I usually feel like everyone worships the teacher union and that I am the only one who feels like it's actually holding back the progress of modern education. But, that belief hasn't coerced me into liking them more, just inhibited me from speaking up against it (mostly for fear that nasty union members will whack me, like in those tales of teamsters...but that's probably wrong, too, I hope.) Buchanan explains that feeling like one is the member of a minority (whether one truly is or not), leads to a desire for social separation from that perceived majority group. This is probably why I don't hang out very much with other teachers...also because they drive me crazy! This is a direct quote from a teacher (today):
(Preface: a student had broken a pencil in half. When the teacher told him not to do that anymore, he had replied- rudely, I admit- "There's more where that came from." So the teacher comes into a room I'm in and tells the kid's classroom teacher about it, followed by...)
"Shit. I just wanted to drop-kick him."
Honestly, when you start feeling that way about any human being, it's time to check into anger management. And when you're a teacher, there's no excuse. That's the reason why I avoid teachers (pluralistic ignorance or not!) and why I definitely don't hang out with them at Applebee's for happy hour.
"What is especially disturbing about [pluralistic ignorance] is that it lends itself to control by the noisiest and most visible. Psychologists have noted that students who are the heaviest drinkers, for example, tend to speak out most strongly against proposed measures to curb drinking, and act as “subculture custodians” in support of their own minority views. Their strong vocalization can produce “false consensus” against such measures, as others, who think they’re part of the minority, keep quiet. As a consequence, the extremists gain influence out of all proportion to their numbers, while the views of the silent majority end up being suppressed."
-"A New Silent Majority" by Mark Buchanan (The New York Times, May 23, 2007).
I wonder how much of school culture is controlled by pluralistic ignorance. There are many attitudes (both positive and negative) that I may overextend to include more teachers than the number that actual subscribe to them. For example, I usually feel like everyone worships the teacher union and that I am the only one who feels like it's actually holding back the progress of modern education. But, that belief hasn't coerced me into liking them more, just inhibited me from speaking up against it (mostly for fear that nasty union members will whack me, like in those tales of teamsters...but that's probably wrong, too, I hope.) Buchanan explains that feeling like one is the member of a minority (whether one truly is or not), leads to a desire for social separation from that perceived majority group. This is probably why I don't hang out very much with other teachers...also because they drive me crazy! This is a direct quote from a teacher (today):
(Preface: a student had broken a pencil in half. When the teacher told him not to do that anymore, he had replied- rudely, I admit- "There's more where that came from." So the teacher comes into a room I'm in and tells the kid's classroom teacher about it, followed by...)
"Shit. I just wanted to drop-kick him."
Honestly, when you start feeling that way about any human being, it's time to check into anger management. And when you're a teacher, there's no excuse. That's the reason why I avoid teachers (pluralistic ignorance or not!) and why I definitely don't hang out with them at Applebee's for happy hour.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Quick hits:
*Correlation between a drop in barometric pressure and obstreperous students: it's true! They're crazy!
*Yesterday, I ran out in the street to retrieve a blind man's shoe that had fallen off. Since I am the clutziest person this side of Mr. Magoo, I always drop things in the streets (especially right before a green light) and have to race around to pick everything up and balance it awkwardly in my arms. Once, it was an entire bag of groceries, including a redbull, which exploded all over me, to the amusement of the first row of cars. I can't imagine how prepared that man must always need to be to simply get by.
*The most romantic song I've ever heard is this.
*I can't wait to have the summer off. I desperately want to work on my writing, but I need huge blocks of time to sit, read it aloud, check and double check, etc. And all the researching! Yay! I'm going to bring back the ever-ready notecards and re-establish my amazing organizational system. Look out Starbucks:)
*7 more days of teaching! My brother is definitely going to be a coerced volunteer at track and field day.
*The first annual lock-out! You know what it is. But, it needs to happen soon, like this weekend or next, when we're all still fresh and happy. I think some of the night should include the skyways, because I've been there before and it's eerie...like the ghosts of accountants are walking the halls.
*I LOVE running. I went for a run yesterday and counted off the feelings I missed: the wind on my face, the sense of freedom, smiling at depressed corporate cronies and children, speedy window shopping, the dehydration shivers! I missed it all, so I'm going to take up my running routine from less summer, only less rigorous. I'm going to do yoga 3-5 days per week and run two days. I hope that keeps my shin splits at bay.
*Correlation between a drop in barometric pressure and obstreperous students: it's true! They're crazy!
*Yesterday, I ran out in the street to retrieve a blind man's shoe that had fallen off. Since I am the clutziest person this side of Mr. Magoo, I always drop things in the streets (especially right before a green light) and have to race around to pick everything up and balance it awkwardly in my arms. Once, it was an entire bag of groceries, including a redbull, which exploded all over me, to the amusement of the first row of cars. I can't imagine how prepared that man must always need to be to simply get by.
*The most romantic song I've ever heard is this.
*I can't wait to have the summer off. I desperately want to work on my writing, but I need huge blocks of time to sit, read it aloud, check and double check, etc. And all the researching! Yay! I'm going to bring back the ever-ready notecards and re-establish my amazing organizational system. Look out Starbucks:)
*7 more days of teaching! My brother is definitely going to be a coerced volunteer at track and field day.
*The first annual lock-out! You know what it is. But, it needs to happen soon, like this weekend or next, when we're all still fresh and happy. I think some of the night should include the skyways, because I've been there before and it's eerie...like the ghosts of accountants are walking the halls.
*I LOVE running. I went for a run yesterday and counted off the feelings I missed: the wind on my face, the sense of freedom, smiling at depressed corporate cronies and children, speedy window shopping, the dehydration shivers! I missed it all, so I'm going to take up my running routine from less summer, only less rigorous. I'm going to do yoga 3-5 days per week and run two days. I hope that keeps my shin splits at bay.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
May
I've been so busy lately. Busy, tired, sleepy, and otherwise satiated with malaise. Did I mention the ennui? Yes, I love that word and that's what it is. I'm bored with all the busywork. And arguments with friends and family have left me mentally exhausted, too (even though they are over). I need a vacation from emotions, just to check out to a deserted island for a while...which is why I do yoga, I guess.
*Big questions: where did my favorite radio station go? Drive 105- amor of my FM dial- is suddenly gone. And replaced by LOVE 105, which almost made me sick. I didn't want to abandon my sacred 105.5, but after listening to a whole Bryan Adams song, I was over it. I have no loyalty when cheesy, lite pop is involved. Number 5 on my radio programming buttons is now the Current. I'm sorry, my friends...at least I held out that long, right?
This last month of teaching is difficult. Last year I did a fun video essay project with all of my classes ("This is what we learned in 3rd grade..."). But this year, there are some students who have basic English needs I need to address, so I made the ridiculous choice of developing personalized goals for each student, hoping that they learn these needed skills in the next three weeks. Grr. I have a pattern and it's called "killing myself with unnecessary work." Well, not totally unnecessary, but overwhelming. For example, I opted out of a conference last week and managed to finish all of my report cards and filing in one day! But this week I'm a mess. I have a bad summer cold (I sound like Barry White when I wake up), I'm not getting much done at home, and I completely forgot about a meeting today; the substitute showed up and I had nothing written down! I felt like such a space cadet! I just gave her mad libs and told her to ad lib. Haha. As much as I'll miss my amazing students, I can't wait for the end of the school year.
I've been so busy lately. Busy, tired, sleepy, and otherwise satiated with malaise. Did I mention the ennui? Yes, I love that word and that's what it is. I'm bored with all the busywork. And arguments with friends and family have left me mentally exhausted, too (even though they are over). I need a vacation from emotions, just to check out to a deserted island for a while...which is why I do yoga, I guess.
*Big questions: where did my favorite radio station go? Drive 105- amor of my FM dial- is suddenly gone. And replaced by LOVE 105, which almost made me sick. I didn't want to abandon my sacred 105.5, but after listening to a whole Bryan Adams song, I was over it. I have no loyalty when cheesy, lite pop is involved. Number 5 on my radio programming buttons is now the Current. I'm sorry, my friends...at least I held out that long, right?
This last month of teaching is difficult. Last year I did a fun video essay project with all of my classes ("This is what we learned in 3rd grade..."). But this year, there are some students who have basic English needs I need to address, so I made the ridiculous choice of developing personalized goals for each student, hoping that they learn these needed skills in the next three weeks. Grr. I have a pattern and it's called "killing myself with unnecessary work." Well, not totally unnecessary, but overwhelming. For example, I opted out of a conference last week and managed to finish all of my report cards and filing in one day! But this week I'm a mess. I have a bad summer cold (I sound like Barry White when I wake up), I'm not getting much done at home, and I completely forgot about a meeting today; the substitute showed up and I had nothing written down! I felt like such a space cadet! I just gave her mad libs and told her to ad lib. Haha. As much as I'll miss my amazing students, I can't wait for the end of the school year.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Springtime!
It's finally starting to feel like Spring in Minnesota. Honestly, the snow last week was just mean. And it made me even more frustrated that I had a 12-hour work day when it was 80 degrees two weeks ago...but now it's Spring! Today is supposed to be in the 60's, which is my ideal temperature, as long as it's coupled with the smell of grass and flowers, undeniable signs that the horrid Minnesota winter is finally over:)
I haven't posted for so long mostly because I don't have internet at home, which is the same reason I don't watch movies over the internet: because I'd have to do it at Caribou coffee, which is kind of embarrassing. Anyway, here's a quick list of changes since last time I posted:
*I registered for two summer classes at The Loft, an adult education center for literature. I'm going to try to be a freelance magazine writer! :) I'm so excited about it and hope my future looks something like Judith Warner or Adam Gopnick's current careers!
*I'm teaching an afterschool ballet course starting on Tuesday, for kindergarten, first, and second grade students. I am wary about getting them to focus and maintain ballet etiquette (we'll see how long that dream lasts) but excited about the potential for cuteness and increasing cultural awareness. I'm planning on having 10 minutes of free dance to a different composer's music every session, as well as mini lessons on the history, personalities, and language of ballet. For example, I'm going to introduce them to Mikail Baryshnikov on the first day, so there will be absolutely no taunting of the only boy, one six-year-old named Armando:) He's going to get to play the Sun in my interpretive choreography of Vivaldi's "Spring" from the Four Seasons compositions:) I will update this blog about the extent to which I over-thought this and how over-ambitious these expectations truly are...
*My parents are moving here! I'm enthusiastic because I love them and they don't irritate me as much as I feel I should expect them to. My parents are fun.
*I got gorgeous new business cards. You can get some too, for free, at Vistaprint.com. You can design them yourself and get 250 nice, well-made cards for the cost of shipping (about $5).
*My tax return is big! Yay. I'm going to start saving...and maybe plan for a trip to Paris sometime soon.
It's finally starting to feel like Spring in Minnesota. Honestly, the snow last week was just mean. And it made me even more frustrated that I had a 12-hour work day when it was 80 degrees two weeks ago...but now it's Spring! Today is supposed to be in the 60's, which is my ideal temperature, as long as it's coupled with the smell of grass and flowers, undeniable signs that the horrid Minnesota winter is finally over:)
I haven't posted for so long mostly because I don't have internet at home, which is the same reason I don't watch movies over the internet: because I'd have to do it at Caribou coffee, which is kind of embarrassing. Anyway, here's a quick list of changes since last time I posted:
*I registered for two summer classes at The Loft, an adult education center for literature. I'm going to try to be a freelance magazine writer! :) I'm so excited about it and hope my future looks something like Judith Warner or Adam Gopnick's current careers!
*I'm teaching an afterschool ballet course starting on Tuesday, for kindergarten, first, and second grade students. I am wary about getting them to focus and maintain ballet etiquette (we'll see how long that dream lasts) but excited about the potential for cuteness and increasing cultural awareness. I'm planning on having 10 minutes of free dance to a different composer's music every session, as well as mini lessons on the history, personalities, and language of ballet. For example, I'm going to introduce them to Mikail Baryshnikov on the first day, so there will be absolutely no taunting of the only boy, one six-year-old named Armando:) He's going to get to play the Sun in my interpretive choreography of Vivaldi's "Spring" from the Four Seasons compositions:) I will update this blog about the extent to which I over-thought this and how over-ambitious these expectations truly are...
*My parents are moving here! I'm enthusiastic because I love them and they don't irritate me as much as I feel I should expect them to. My parents are fun.
*I got gorgeous new business cards. You can get some too, for free, at Vistaprint.com. You can design them yourself and get 250 nice, well-made cards for the cost of shipping (about $5).
*My tax return is big! Yay. I'm going to start saving...and maybe plan for a trip to Paris sometime soon.
Monday, March 26, 2007
This weekend was fun, but so busy that I'm exhausted and my head is foggy this morning. On Friday, I left work at 3:30, which I almost never do, and went home to get ready for my triple birthday party. Jess and Chris came over to help make my cake, which turned out too bulky, and the top layer slid right off when it was put on the table. My party also didn't have ice or much to eat or drink...I think hosting parties in general makes me a little bit stressed, so I might just do simple gatherings of friends from now on...I just take on so much responsibility and wear myself out! Anyway, I got wonderful presents from my friends and it was fun to see all of them. We went for drinks and appetizers at Chino Latino, but of course I couldn't order any martinis since I still don't have a driver's license. I hate the DMV! I just know when I go tomorrow after school (tonight we have conferences until 7:30pm) that I'm going to be there for hours.
On Saturday, I woke up at 8 a.m., which wasn't actually that hard, and met my dad to go house-hunting. We saw some beautiful condos and bungalows, but I was shocked at how expensive even small houses are. I may need to live in a van down by the river.
My dad is really excited about this job: he'll have so much freedom and power, as well as being part of a new department from the ground up at the University of Minnesota. I hope the position is offered to him. I think it would be so nice to have my family closer, especially for holidays and when I have major car issues, etc.
I'm getting excited for Easter! It's my favorite holiday because it's all about rebirth, Springtime, marshmallow peeps, and sunshine. It has the anticipation of Christmas without all the commercialism and greed (I've become a little bit of a Christmas cynic, at least about the secular parts). I have Spring break during holy week, so I'm going to go to church as much as possible. My brother will be here for the weekend, so I'll have someone to sit with, which is nice, especially on Good Friday, when I usually get really emotional and cry in church!
I've been in a mood lately, mostly because I feel like it's time to grow up, get my finances in order, and make real and lasting decisions about my career. Unfortunately, I don't know exactly how to accomplish either aspect of that goal. I think the rest of my Spring break is going to be spent updating my resume and consulting credit counselors :(
On Saturday, I woke up at 8 a.m., which wasn't actually that hard, and met my dad to go house-hunting. We saw some beautiful condos and bungalows, but I was shocked at how expensive even small houses are. I may need to live in a van down by the river.
My dad is really excited about this job: he'll have so much freedom and power, as well as being part of a new department from the ground up at the University of Minnesota. I hope the position is offered to him. I think it would be so nice to have my family closer, especially for holidays and when I have major car issues, etc.
I'm getting excited for Easter! It's my favorite holiday because it's all about rebirth, Springtime, marshmallow peeps, and sunshine. It has the anticipation of Christmas without all the commercialism and greed (I've become a little bit of a Christmas cynic, at least about the secular parts). I have Spring break during holy week, so I'm going to go to church as much as possible. My brother will be here for the weekend, so I'll have someone to sit with, which is nice, especially on Good Friday, when I usually get really emotional and cry in church!
I've been in a mood lately, mostly because I feel like it's time to grow up, get my finances in order, and make real and lasting decisions about my career. Unfortunately, I don't know exactly how to accomplish either aspect of that goal. I think the rest of my Spring break is going to be spent updating my resume and consulting credit counselors :(
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
The wonderful part of my job
I spent all Saturday at a competition for the afterschool gifted and talented team that I work with. It was an effort to wake up at 5:45 a.m. on a non-work day and to spend all of it the same way I spend every workday, carrying around bags and bags of books and supplies, all the while trying to make my students behave...especially since one had forgotten to take his medication.
Afterwards, after our team performed poorly, didn't place, and anticlimatically walked out in the middle of the award ceremony, I tried to placate my little troops. I told them the usual schpiel "it's not about winning or losing, but how you play the game," and "if they were judging our teamwork, we'd be winners!" statements that I realize now completely oppose each other. At the end of my speech, punctuated by many forced "Right?" 's to make sure they were paying attention, my youngest team member piped up. (He's a very thin Somali-American boy who's brilliant and adorable).
"Ms. _______? I think it's not about winning a prize, it's about winning in our hearts!"
It was such a Tiny Tim moment! I had to pause and refrain myself from effusive praise of his maturity and rationality, since that always embarrasses students when they make unconsciously profound statements...and so I just said, "Yes, that's right."
I spent all Saturday at a competition for the afterschool gifted and talented team that I work with. It was an effort to wake up at 5:45 a.m. on a non-work day and to spend all of it the same way I spend every workday, carrying around bags and bags of books and supplies, all the while trying to make my students behave...especially since one had forgotten to take his medication.
Afterwards, after our team performed poorly, didn't place, and anticlimatically walked out in the middle of the award ceremony, I tried to placate my little troops. I told them the usual schpiel "it's not about winning or losing, but how you play the game," and "if they were judging our teamwork, we'd be winners!" statements that I realize now completely oppose each other. At the end of my speech, punctuated by many forced "Right?" 's to make sure they were paying attention, my youngest team member piped up. (He's a very thin Somali-American boy who's brilliant and adorable).
"Ms. _______? I think it's not about winning a prize, it's about winning in our hearts!"
It was such a Tiny Tim moment! I had to pause and refrain myself from effusive praise of his maturity and rationality, since that always embarrasses students when they make unconsciously profound statements...and so I just said, "Yes, that's right."
Friday, March 09, 2007
I've decided that my next career, whenever it begins, will be as a writer. I love writing, and I actually miss the looooong days of writing at Starbucks on Clayton and Forsythe! I once wrote 30 pages in 3 days back in my salad days...
In pursuit of that dream, and because I'm slightly putting off the actual writing until I decide on numerous subjects and finally narrow my focus, I've decided to start building my vocabulary (and reviewing my SAT words). I think my love of words led me to my current job; unfortunately, the linguistic ability of the students I work with restricts the number of challenging words I actually get to practice! So, my new weekly challenge is to understand every word in The New Yorker and New York Times. Here's my list for this week: -I definitely won't be doing this every week:)-
Lacuna- a missing piece (as in a manuscript or an argument)...this explains an aspect of "Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind" that I didn't understand!
Indemnity- protection against damages.
Sartorial- pertaining to style, clothing, or tailors' work.
Anachronistic- chronologically misplaced; belonging to another time.
Sactimonious- hypocritcal or feigned show of religious devotion, piety, or righteousness.
Ossuaries- receptacle for bones of the dead.
Sepulcher- tomb.
Knäckebrot- very dry Swedish cracker-bread (I swear, a New Yorker writer used this to describe a dry, cracked argument. They are so pretentious! ...and I wish I was that pretentious!)
Schist- multi-grain, metamorphic rock. I remembered this, but I swear it wasn't used in reference to rocks.
Elision- omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation.
Precepts- rules prescribing a course of action or conduct.
Axioms- universally recognized truths, rules, or laws.
I hope you have a good weekend..I'm enjoying the 40 degree weather!
In pursuit of that dream, and because I'm slightly putting off the actual writing until I decide on numerous subjects and finally narrow my focus, I've decided to start building my vocabulary (and reviewing my SAT words). I think my love of words led me to my current job; unfortunately, the linguistic ability of the students I work with restricts the number of challenging words I actually get to practice! So, my new weekly challenge is to understand every word in The New Yorker and New York Times. Here's my list for this week: -I definitely won't be doing this every week:)-
Lacuna- a missing piece (as in a manuscript or an argument)...this explains an aspect of "Eternal Sunshine and the Spotless Mind" that I didn't understand!
Indemnity- protection against damages.
Sartorial- pertaining to style, clothing, or tailors' work.
Anachronistic- chronologically misplaced; belonging to another time.
Sactimonious- hypocritcal or feigned show of religious devotion, piety, or righteousness.
Ossuaries- receptacle for bones of the dead.
Sepulcher- tomb.
Knäckebrot- very dry Swedish cracker-bread (I swear, a New Yorker writer used this to describe a dry, cracked argument. They are so pretentious! ...and I wish I was that pretentious!)
Schist- multi-grain, metamorphic rock. I remembered this, but I swear it wasn't used in reference to rocks.
Elision- omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation.
Precepts- rules prescribing a course of action or conduct.
Axioms- universally recognized truths, rules, or laws.
I hope you have a good weekend..I'm enjoying the 40 degree weather!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The Oscars!
I love the academy awards and they were twice as fun this year since I've become as cynical as my friends...so we could mock them all together:)
I liked...
*The Will Ferrell, Jack Black, John D. Reilly trio about the downside of comedic acting. First, they can all sing pretty well, next "John C. Reilly- huh?," finally they made Ryan Gosling blush and that's cute.
*Helen Mirren's dress. I can only pray that I'll look like that when I'm in my 60's. My other choice for best-dressed was Abigail Breslin, because her dress was so age-appropriate.
*The bizarre dance troupe. For me, that never got old. It must have been so funny when they were practicing...there probably had to have been someone who could see them from a distance yelling how they needed to move while they hung on to each other!
*The acceptance speech for "West Bank Story." I saw the nominated short films with my friends, and while the beginning WAS pretty funny (with sterotypical Jewish and Muslim people snapping like in "West Side Story"), the rest was banal and obnoxious. But, the speech was so touching, even though it makes me jealous that the film was his senior thesis and he won an Oscar...talk about an auspicious start.
*Ellen's joke about boxed wine. Really, who hasn't drunk it and liked it, too?
I got mad when...
*Binka's Big Idea didn't win for best live action short. It was a sweet story about a girl who helps other girls who aren't allowed to go to school in Africa because of their parents' beliefs in gender roles.
*The Danish animated short film won. Honestly, I saw it and it was a simplistic story about a woman with incredibly long hair. The movie about the squirrel from "Ice Age" was so cute! But, my favorite was a movie that wasn't even nominated: it's called "One Rat Short" and it has the most beautiful and realistic animation that I've ever seen. It's kind of "Watership Down" meets "Lady and the Tramp" meets a movie about animal testing meets "2001: A Space Odyssey."
*Ellen vacuumed near people's thousand-dollar couture dresses. Maybe that's nothing to movie stars, but I would have kicked that vacuum away with my $500 stilettos.
*When the cameras cut to minority actors whenever there was mention of minorities in any way. Honestly, pointing it out misses the point.
This was the best Academy Awards I've seen in such a long time, though. Thoroughly enjoyable, fine holiday fun.
I love the academy awards and they were twice as fun this year since I've become as cynical as my friends...so we could mock them all together:)
I liked...
*The Will Ferrell, Jack Black, John D. Reilly trio about the downside of comedic acting. First, they can all sing pretty well, next "John C. Reilly- huh?," finally they made Ryan Gosling blush and that's cute.
*Helen Mirren's dress. I can only pray that I'll look like that when I'm in my 60's. My other choice for best-dressed was Abigail Breslin, because her dress was so age-appropriate.
*The bizarre dance troupe. For me, that never got old. It must have been so funny when they were practicing...there probably had to have been someone who could see them from a distance yelling how they needed to move while they hung on to each other!
*The acceptance speech for "West Bank Story." I saw the nominated short films with my friends, and while the beginning WAS pretty funny (with sterotypical Jewish and Muslim people snapping like in "West Side Story"), the rest was banal and obnoxious. But, the speech was so touching, even though it makes me jealous that the film was his senior thesis and he won an Oscar...talk about an auspicious start.
*Ellen's joke about boxed wine. Really, who hasn't drunk it and liked it, too?
I got mad when...
*Binka's Big Idea didn't win for best live action short. It was a sweet story about a girl who helps other girls who aren't allowed to go to school in Africa because of their parents' beliefs in gender roles.
*The Danish animated short film won. Honestly, I saw it and it was a simplistic story about a woman with incredibly long hair. The movie about the squirrel from "Ice Age" was so cute! But, my favorite was a movie that wasn't even nominated: it's called "One Rat Short" and it has the most beautiful and realistic animation that I've ever seen. It's kind of "Watership Down" meets "Lady and the Tramp" meets a movie about animal testing meets "2001: A Space Odyssey."
*Ellen vacuumed near people's thousand-dollar couture dresses. Maybe that's nothing to movie stars, but I would have kicked that vacuum away with my $500 stilettos.
*When the cameras cut to minority actors whenever there was mention of minorities in any way. Honestly, pointing it out misses the point.
This was the best Academy Awards I've seen in such a long time, though. Thoroughly enjoyable, fine holiday fun.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
So, I'm currently in a financial crisis...my loans caught up with me :(
I finally did all the math and added up all of my monthly expenses and it turns out that I have $8 of spending money each day, not including gas money. $8! That's less than my lunch today. This is not good. At all. So I'm currently looking for a part-time job for weekends. I wish I had had some financial foresight in college.
I finally did all the math and added up all of my monthly expenses and it turns out that I have $8 of spending money each day, not including gas money. $8! That's less than my lunch today. This is not good. At all. So I'm currently looking for a part-time job for weekends. I wish I had had some financial foresight in college.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Whenever I watch the news, I always wonder how Iraqi people really feel, not the muslim commentators who seem to speak for them here, or the opinions voiced in small snippets of civilian diatribe. It can't be all just blind hatred or desperate fear. Here, finally, is an online journal from an Iraqi living in Iraq:
http://gorillasguides.com/
http://gorillasguides.com/
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
I empathize whole-heartedly with this sentiment, which is making me very confused- at the moment- about my career:
"If you’ve found something you really like to do – say write beautiful sentences – not because of the possible benefits to the world of doing it, but because doing it brings you the satisfaction and sense of completeness nothing else can, then do it at the highest level of performance you are capable of, and leave the world and its problems to others. This is a lesson I have preached before in these columns when the subject was teaching, and it is a lesson that can be applied, I believe, to any project that offers as a prime reason for prosecuting it the pleasure, a wholly internal pleasure, of its own accomplishment. And if your project doesn’t offer that pleasure (perhaps among others) you might want to think again about your commitment to it."
-From "Why Do Writers Write?" by Stanley Fish, The New York Times, 2/11/07
What do you do when your devotion to a career that helps others changes from a passion to a sacrifice? What is noble then, and should it matter? Who am I letting down by not being happy as a teacher- me, the students, the dream of public education as the great equalizer, the women's rights movement that lets me choose to be a teacher without guilt (well, in a progressive- or maybe regressive?- sense)? I am more profoundly uncertain than I was as a freshman at Washington University. And then my dream was to be a fashion designer working for Prada in Milan.
When is giving up not actually the choice to stop trying, but a measure of rationality? I want to do something that helps others, of course...I can't imagine working as a toner purchaser, or a business person, without some element of human interaction, some sense that my dedication is not in isolation. But then again, the cynicism of staying in a career that is personally unfufilling is quite dangerous...I never want this feeling to rub off on my students. The only thing that is certain is that I need to resolve how I feel, because until then, I can't make any choices.
And, in the spirit of having some stability in my thoughts, here is something I'm certain of:
Maple sugar candy is absolutely delicious, and reminds me of complete childhood happiness!
ps- I am still doing my job everyday to the best of my ability and using my generous ECM funding to support student projects. For example, we are mailing a big box of supplies and kind letters to kids at a school in Louisiana this week...most of the supplies were bought with Episcobuxx! :)
"If you’ve found something you really like to do – say write beautiful sentences – not because of the possible benefits to the world of doing it, but because doing it brings you the satisfaction and sense of completeness nothing else can, then do it at the highest level of performance you are capable of, and leave the world and its problems to others. This is a lesson I have preached before in these columns when the subject was teaching, and it is a lesson that can be applied, I believe, to any project that offers as a prime reason for prosecuting it the pleasure, a wholly internal pleasure, of its own accomplishment. And if your project doesn’t offer that pleasure (perhaps among others) you might want to think again about your commitment to it."
-From "Why Do Writers Write?" by Stanley Fish, The New York Times, 2/11/07
What do you do when your devotion to a career that helps others changes from a passion to a sacrifice? What is noble then, and should it matter? Who am I letting down by not being happy as a teacher- me, the students, the dream of public education as the great equalizer, the women's rights movement that lets me choose to be a teacher without guilt (well, in a progressive- or maybe regressive?- sense)? I am more profoundly uncertain than I was as a freshman at Washington University. And then my dream was to be a fashion designer working for Prada in Milan.
When is giving up not actually the choice to stop trying, but a measure of rationality? I want to do something that helps others, of course...I can't imagine working as a toner purchaser, or a business person, without some element of human interaction, some sense that my dedication is not in isolation. But then again, the cynicism of staying in a career that is personally unfufilling is quite dangerous...I never want this feeling to rub off on my students. The only thing that is certain is that I need to resolve how I feel, because until then, I can't make any choices.
And, in the spirit of having some stability in my thoughts, here is something I'm certain of:
Maple sugar candy is absolutely delicious, and reminds me of complete childhood happiness!
ps- I am still doing my job everyday to the best of my ability and using my generous ECM funding to support student projects. For example, we are mailing a big box of supplies and kind letters to kids at a school in Louisiana this week...most of the supplies were bought with Episcobuxx! :)
Sunday, February 11, 2007
A- Available or Single? Single.
B- Best Friend? I've never had a best friend, but I have the best group of friends.
C- Cake or Pie? Cake.
D- Drink of Choice? Caramel Apple Pie shake from the Tea Garden. It's a mixture of wintermellon, green apple, and spice chai.
E- Essential Item? Cell phone, my only phone now.
F- Favorite Color? Burgundy.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Sour patch gummy worms.
H- Hometown? Hanover, New Hampshire. No matter how long I'm away, that will always be my hometown.
I- Indulgence? Chipotle!
J- January or February? February. January is all post-Christmas blah.
K- Kids and names? I kind of want to adopt children from a different country. I definitely don't want a lot of kids, because I would completely stress out. My only name rules are not Dwayne or Kaydee.
L- Life is incomplete without...? My family.
M- Marriage Date? I have no idea.
N- Number of Siblings? 1... my hermancito.
O- Oranges or Apples? Clementines.
P- Phobias/Fears? Big bugs, like centipedes...so I've already lived that phobia, which was horrible. Otherwise, probably people I love dying. And regret, although I try not to have regrets.
Q- Favorite Quote? "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Gandhi
R- Reasons to smile? Fun with friends.
S- Season? Springtime, especially when the warm wind starts and it smells like grass and flowers outside.
T- Tag 3 people? I don't like anything that feels like a chain letter.
U- Unknown Fact About Me? I have genetically curved pinkies, which kept me from being a piano prodigy (according to my first teacher), but most people know that already.
V- Vegetable You Hate? Pickled beets make me sick.
W-Worst Habit? Needing to be in control all the time.
X- Xrays You've Had? I had a CAT scan to check for appendicitous.
Y- Your Favorite Foods? Hummus and toasted pita with greek pepperochinis, or creme bruleé.
Z- Zodiac? Pisces, and even though I don't believe in it, almost all of the traits are true about me.
B- Best Friend? I've never had a best friend, but I have the best group of friends.
C- Cake or Pie? Cake.
D- Drink of Choice? Caramel Apple Pie shake from the Tea Garden. It's a mixture of wintermellon, green apple, and spice chai.
E- Essential Item? Cell phone, my only phone now.
F- Favorite Color? Burgundy.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Sour patch gummy worms.
H- Hometown? Hanover, New Hampshire. No matter how long I'm away, that will always be my hometown.
I- Indulgence? Chipotle!
J- January or February? February. January is all post-Christmas blah.
K- Kids and names? I kind of want to adopt children from a different country. I definitely don't want a lot of kids, because I would completely stress out. My only name rules are not Dwayne or Kaydee.
L- Life is incomplete without...? My family.
M- Marriage Date? I have no idea.
N- Number of Siblings? 1... my hermancito.
O- Oranges or Apples? Clementines.
P- Phobias/Fears? Big bugs, like centipedes...so I've already lived that phobia, which was horrible. Otherwise, probably people I love dying. And regret, although I try not to have regrets.
Q- Favorite Quote? "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Gandhi
R- Reasons to smile? Fun with friends.
S- Season? Springtime, especially when the warm wind starts and it smells like grass and flowers outside.
T- Tag 3 people? I don't like anything that feels like a chain letter.
U- Unknown Fact About Me? I have genetically curved pinkies, which kept me from being a piano prodigy (according to my first teacher), but most people know that already.
V- Vegetable You Hate? Pickled beets make me sick.
W-Worst Habit? Needing to be in control all the time.
X- Xrays You've Had? I had a CAT scan to check for appendicitous.
Y- Your Favorite Foods? Hummus and toasted pita with greek pepperochinis, or creme bruleé.
Z- Zodiac? Pisces, and even though I don't believe in it, almost all of the traits are true about me.
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