Spring Break was enjoyable. I cleaned my house entirely and got some things done that needed to be done. I also did a lot of sleeping. That was lovely. Hung out with some friends (sometimes til early hours of the morning) which was nice. I really want to spend more quality time with people. Get to know people better.
Nothing really productive school-related happened despite my best intentions, but I'm not sure I really expected anything productive to actually happen.
I also spent part of it in Atlanta hanging out with my parents and some old friends. It was really good to hang out with Michael and Kathryn, Drew and Nicole...but it wasn't nearly enough time. I also enjoyed being at home and having free food and time with my parents. None of it really lasted as long as I would have liked. But that's just the way things are.
I have felt really weird all day. I'm not sure why. Mentally/Emotionally I've just been all over the place. I want to expand upon this but I don't know how.
Woah. Something I didn't realize until just now: I am in the white pages under my own name. How weird is that? Another reason why I'm an adult, I suppose, lol.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
It evens out
Today, so far, has been a mixture of emotions. A combinations of unusual highs and frustrating lows that have combined to balance me out somewhat.
For one, I found out yesterday that I am 99% sure I am going to Paris this summer. Which is awesome. To spend some 6 weeks teaching kids French (something I love to do, regardless of how dorky it may be), visiting the land of baguettes and escargot, la Seine and le Canal Saint-Martin, the Eiffel Tower and cobblestoned streets, the cafés and the architecture, the sights and sounds and smells and tastes and feel of that city is just kinda awesome, in my book.
I was also given an opportunity to teach over the Summer at UF. What an awesome combination, non? Unfortunately, the same half of the summer they want me at UF, they want me in Paris. Paris pays more, but costs more. Ideally (and kind of budget-wise) I need to teach half the summer at UF and half in Paris. Which means switching with one of the two people who are teaching the first half. I contacted one of them yesterday? No such luck. She can't switch because she is graduating afterwards. The other one? She really really really really prefers to teach that summer since her kids are still in school and then they would have the same time off in the second half of the summer instead of her kids being in school when she's not and vice-versa. I think she is my only hope though?
I woke up this morning actually quite happy. Perhaps it was the fact that I went to bed before midnight (woah!)? I don't know what the reason, exactly, but I just was quite happy. Unfortunately, this happiness led to me being late to school. Not good. It was only by 15 minutes, but still.
The weather this morning (er...late morning, I'm not sure what mornings are like anymore, lol) was kinda nice and a song I'm coming to like more and more came on randomly in my CD player on the way to school.
I also read my Bible for the first time in a while. I've been kinda slack in that area as of late because, well, I had not been getting much out of it before...I felt like I was reading because it was what I was 'supposed to do' but I got nothing out of it. I wanted to, I prayed for it to, but I just didn't get anything from it. But I felt like I should try a bit again, I read some, prayed for my understanding and for God to speak to me through it, read some more. I'm not sure if I got anything out of it or not. Perhaps.... But I think I'll try for a bit longer.
I had another thing to say but I forgot what. Oh well, I need to go to class anyway.
These are my hansd, these are my faults, these are my plans, and these are my nasty little thoughts...
For one, I found out yesterday that I am 99% sure I am going to Paris this summer. Which is awesome. To spend some 6 weeks teaching kids French (something I love to do, regardless of how dorky it may be), visiting the land of baguettes and escargot, la Seine and le Canal Saint-Martin, the Eiffel Tower and cobblestoned streets, the cafés and the architecture, the sights and sounds and smells and tastes and feel of that city is just kinda awesome, in my book.
I was also given an opportunity to teach over the Summer at UF. What an awesome combination, non? Unfortunately, the same half of the summer they want me at UF, they want me in Paris. Paris pays more, but costs more. Ideally (and kind of budget-wise) I need to teach half the summer at UF and half in Paris. Which means switching with one of the two people who are teaching the first half. I contacted one of them yesterday? No such luck. She can't switch because she is graduating afterwards. The other one? She really really really really prefers to teach that summer since her kids are still in school and then they would have the same time off in the second half of the summer instead of her kids being in school when she's not and vice-versa. I think she is my only hope though?
I woke up this morning actually quite happy. Perhaps it was the fact that I went to bed before midnight (woah!)? I don't know what the reason, exactly, but I just was quite happy. Unfortunately, this happiness led to me being late to school. Not good. It was only by 15 minutes, but still.
The weather this morning (er...late morning, I'm not sure what mornings are like anymore, lol) was kinda nice and a song I'm coming to like more and more came on randomly in my CD player on the way to school.
I also read my Bible for the first time in a while. I've been kinda slack in that area as of late because, well, I had not been getting much out of it before...I felt like I was reading because it was what I was 'supposed to do' but I got nothing out of it. I wanted to, I prayed for it to, but I just didn't get anything from it. But I felt like I should try a bit again, I read some, prayed for my understanding and for God to speak to me through it, read some more. I'm not sure if I got anything out of it or not. Perhaps.... But I think I'll try for a bit longer.
I had another thing to say but I forgot what. Oh well, I need to go to class anyway.
These are my hansd, these are my faults, these are my plans, and these are my nasty little thoughts...
Monday, March 03, 2008
I think I'm officially on Hawaiian Time....
So I am very much thrown off with my sleep schedule now. After being up until around 6am the past two nights, I am not getting a good night's rest tonight, I can just tell. This weekend was full of unproductivty and awesomeness. I can't even remember all that happened this weekend. Friday night was Happy New Month chez Kyla. I got to play with legos and Caleb D. It was awesome. I also got to enjoy some good times with some awesome people. We should do this again next month :p
Saturday was a day of sleeping in and reading. I did a lot of reading for fun and enjoyed that. I also went out to Berto's Art show closing. It was also pretty awesome. Followed by a surprisingly good movie (Blood Diamond) and surprisingly confusing movie (The Darhjeeling Limited). I think at the end when Aux Champs Elysées came on for the credits music, I just about burst out laughing (waking up two awesome ladies that had fallen asleep watching the movie). Seriously? Seriously.
Sunday was Kristi's birthday surpriseness and some homework. I wish I could have come up with a song in time to get it on Kristi's birthday CD. It is a pretty awesome CD (for a pretty awesome person). I also spent some time on SimCity....probably not that productive. I got a great phone call from Jamie telling me that he is ENGAGED! Holy crap, yes! Apparently Meghan popped the question today and they are getting married. Details not hashed out yet (particularly the "we have different citizenships" problem)...but this means that a) one of my best friends is getting married and b) I get to take another trip to Washington State. Sweet. I guess I should start saving now.
I was slightly bummed before I wrote this entry about how my life is going so incredibly not where I thought I would be going (and not where I want it to go?) ...but after writing this entry to sum up the weekend, I don't want to dwell on the blah-ness.
Alright, it's off to bed.......
......maybe. lol.
Saturday was a day of sleeping in and reading. I did a lot of reading for fun and enjoyed that. I also went out to Berto's Art show closing. It was also pretty awesome. Followed by a surprisingly good movie (Blood Diamond) and surprisingly confusing movie (The Darhjeeling Limited). I think at the end when Aux Champs Elysées came on for the credits music, I just about burst out laughing (waking up two awesome ladies that had fallen asleep watching the movie). Seriously? Seriously.
Sunday was Kristi's birthday surpriseness and some homework. I wish I could have come up with a song in time to get it on Kristi's birthday CD. It is a pretty awesome CD (for a pretty awesome person). I also spent some time on SimCity....probably not that productive. I got a great phone call from Jamie telling me that he is ENGAGED! Holy crap, yes! Apparently Meghan popped the question today and they are getting married. Details not hashed out yet (particularly the "we have different citizenships" problem)...but this means that a) one of my best friends is getting married and b) I get to take another trip to Washington State. Sweet. I guess I should start saving now.
I was slightly bummed before I wrote this entry about how my life is going so incredibly not where I thought I would be going (and not where I want it to go?) ...but after writing this entry to sum up the weekend, I don't want to dwell on the blah-ness.
Alright, it's off to bed.......
......maybe. lol.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Mid-term
This week has been a week of semi-productivity. I'm not completely neglecting anything, yet I'm not completely engulfed by a massive amount of responsibility. I'm just kinda gliding through this week. It feels kinda like Friday, but it's actually only Wednesday.
I'm enjoying teaching my students, as nearly always. I'm kinda ignoring the book a bit and focusing on just kinda teaching them. I think it is working out well. I even graded about 90% of their tests yesterday. Which is good because I already have 50 compositions I'm behind on grading. Oi. I'll get to them eventually. I had them do something very different for homework tonight. I hope it works out well and that they enjoy and learn from it.
I had a mid-term last week that I really bombed. D+. It's probably the lowest I've ever gotten on something in GradSchool...yet, I'm not as worried about this class as I was about my literature classes last semester. I am really not learning anything in this class...my interest is also way low because this class is not actually applicable to my future studies or my future career. The only motivation for this class is not failing...and that's a horrible motivation (albeit valid).
Sidenote: Albeit is a very cool word.
I have another mid-term tomorrow in another class (obviously), but I have no motivation to study for it. I'm not nearly as worried, but I really should look at some of this stuff. It's only 9PM. I have a few hours before I should go to bed. I have learned far more in this class than in the aforementioned one though.
My phonetics class doesn't have a midterm, but it's really cool. It's actually turned into physics and maths at this point, which--while I don't completely love maths--I am good at maths and can easily understand it. The physics of language is just cool.
Finally, I should probably find something to do for Spring Break. Maybe I can find a ridiculously cheap flight to somewhere or gather up some people for a road trip. Although, that will be hard for those friends of mine who don't have a spring break or not the same weekend. Ah well, we'll see, I suppose.
I'm enjoying teaching my students, as nearly always. I'm kinda ignoring the book a bit and focusing on just kinda teaching them. I think it is working out well. I even graded about 90% of their tests yesterday. Which is good because I already have 50 compositions I'm behind on grading. Oi. I'll get to them eventually. I had them do something very different for homework tonight. I hope it works out well and that they enjoy and learn from it.
I had a mid-term last week that I really bombed. D+. It's probably the lowest I've ever gotten on something in GradSchool...yet, I'm not as worried about this class as I was about my literature classes last semester. I am really not learning anything in this class...my interest is also way low because this class is not actually applicable to my future studies or my future career. The only motivation for this class is not failing...and that's a horrible motivation (albeit valid).
Sidenote: Albeit is a very cool word.
I have another mid-term tomorrow in another class (obviously), but I have no motivation to study for it. I'm not nearly as worried, but I really should look at some of this stuff. It's only 9PM. I have a few hours before I should go to bed. I have learned far more in this class than in the aforementioned one though.
My phonetics class doesn't have a midterm, but it's really cool. It's actually turned into physics and maths at this point, which--while I don't completely love maths--I am good at maths and can easily understand it. The physics of language is just cool.
Finally, I should probably find something to do for Spring Break. Maybe I can find a ridiculously cheap flight to somewhere or gather up some people for a road trip. Although, that will be hard for those friends of mine who don't have a spring break or not the same weekend. Ah well, we'll see, I suppose.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Apparently Five (or six...depending on how you want to look at it).
So I have gotten word about some of the stuff I'm going to be doing this summer.
I applied way back in the middle of January for teaching over the summer here at UF. I figure, I should probably find a job since I'm going to live here over the summer and I have 'real world' expenses. UF has two summer semesters, both about 7 weeks long. I was assigned to teach Summer B (July to Mid-August). I also applied two weeks ago for a position to teach French in Paris this summer. It would be held Mid-June to the end of July. I am still waiting to hear about that position this summer (hopefully sometime this next week). If I get in--which I hear from my 'secret sources' that I am up there as far as candidates go--then I'm going to hopefully try and switch teaching Summer B to Summer A (May to mid-June). Which means that my summer will be pretty full, but it will also be amazing. And I will have a steady flow of income and actually end up coming out slightly richer (which will be nice since I'm living pretty much paycheck to paycheck at this point...a little more financial security is always nice...for emergencies and such). Plus it will just be an awesome experience.
Anyway, other than that things are going relatively well in my life. I mean, I could complain (we could always find things to complain about) but I shouldn't complain. I've been really lucky and blessed over the past few months.
[Maybe I should tackle one of those things I said I would write about....ok, here goes]
As many of you know there are, in various languages, different ways to say "you". There is a familiar version (French: tu, Spanish: tú, etc.) and a formal version (French: vous, Spanish: vosotros/Usted, etc.) Because I speak French quite a lot throughout the day and I often find myself thinking in French and therefore praying in French, I wonder how I should address God. I mean, the almighty creater of the universe you would think should receive the upmost formality as possible--vous is the obvious choice. However, he is my father, my
Αββα, my אבא, so shouldn't I refer to him as tu? It's such a big deal in the French language and culture to use the right term and I think I just never knew which one. What if it applies in both ways?
Anyway, one day when I wasn't even thinking about it, I found myself on wikipedia (Quelle surprise!) and found out that many languages have two words for "you" including English. It turns out that English--back in the day--used to have a familiar and formal version of 'you'. I, honestly, had no idea.
It seems that back in the days of Thou and Thy these words were, in fact, the familiar versions of "you"; You and your were actually more formal. So when the King James version was being penned back in the ages of...well, King James, they realized that the all three, the Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew referenced God in a very familiar way...not distanced at all from his people as a more formal tone would suggest. We think of the KJV having a very formal tone because Thee and Thou and Thine and Thy all seem very archaic and formal to us, but they are actually showing a more closeness with our God.
I dunno, I thought that was really interesting, so I thought I'd share.
Man, how many languages can I put in one entry? lol...
I applied way back in the middle of January for teaching over the summer here at UF. I figure, I should probably find a job since I'm going to live here over the summer and I have 'real world' expenses. UF has two summer semesters, both about 7 weeks long. I was assigned to teach Summer B (July to Mid-August). I also applied two weeks ago for a position to teach French in Paris this summer. It would be held Mid-June to the end of July. I am still waiting to hear about that position this summer (hopefully sometime this next week). If I get in--which I hear from my 'secret sources' that I am up there as far as candidates go--then I'm going to hopefully try and switch teaching Summer B to Summer A (May to mid-June). Which means that my summer will be pretty full, but it will also be amazing. And I will have a steady flow of income and actually end up coming out slightly richer (which will be nice since I'm living pretty much paycheck to paycheck at this point...a little more financial security is always nice...for emergencies and such). Plus it will just be an awesome experience.
Anyway, other than that things are going relatively well in my life. I mean, I could complain (we could always find things to complain about) but I shouldn't complain. I've been really lucky and blessed over the past few months.
[Maybe I should tackle one of those things I said I would write about....ok, here goes]
As many of you know there are, in various languages, different ways to say "you". There is a familiar version (French: tu, Spanish: tú, etc.) and a formal version (French: vous, Spanish: vosotros/Usted, etc.) Because I speak French quite a lot throughout the day and I often find myself thinking in French and therefore praying in French, I wonder how I should address God. I mean, the almighty creater of the universe you would think should receive the upmost formality as possible--vous is the obvious choice. However, he is my father, my
Αββα, my אבא, so shouldn't I refer to him as tu? It's such a big deal in the French language and culture to use the right term and I think I just never knew which one. What if it applies in both ways?
Anyway, one day when I wasn't even thinking about it, I found myself on wikipedia (Quelle surprise!) and found out that many languages have two words for "you" including English. It turns out that English--back in the day--used to have a familiar and formal version of 'you'. I, honestly, had no idea.
It seems that back in the days of Thou and Thy these words were, in fact, the familiar versions of "you"; You and your were actually more formal. So when the King James version was being penned back in the ages of...well, King James, they realized that the all three, the Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew referenced God in a very familiar way...not distanced at all from his people as a more formal tone would suggest. We think of the KJV having a very formal tone because Thee and Thou and Thine and Thy all seem very archaic and formal to us, but they are actually showing a more closeness with our God.
I dunno, I thought that was really interesting, so I thought I'd share.
Man, how many languages can I put in one entry? lol...
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