What I learned today
McGuffin - A plot device that holds no meaning or purpose of its own except to motivate the characters and advance the story. -
This would be yet another word I learned from the TWOP forums. In case you haven't been following it, on 24 this season Jack & Cie. spent the first several hours searching for this override thingy that the baddies were using to try and melt down a bunch of nuclear reactors. In the recaps the device was nicknamed the McGuffin. I didn't think much about it since the thing had the initials MF on the side. I guess I assumed McGuffin was just the recapper's snarky nickname for it. Well, it was in fact, but it also happens to be a real thing, or I mean, an un-real thing.
Yeah yeah, say what you want about me only seeming to learn new stuff from a particular website, but honestly, where else am I gonna learn new words and stuff? My students? I think not.
What I did today
Lazed around a good part of the day. See I'm off the sugar (mostly) and I'm having some pretty freaky withdrawls. Headache, lethargy, moodiness. I decided to treat today as a sick day a la Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting. No babies crawling on the ceilling thanfully. Work was fine, though I wasn't nearly prepared enough for my teenaged group. The adults were better. When I told them my proposal for the end of the course I was afraid they would throw rocks at me. It's like this: They are unhappy they won't be able to finish the course with me. They want me to work all kinds of extra classes to spare them the untold horror of finishing the book with a Russian teacher. I considered it (I really honestly did), but finally decided it wasn't going to happen, mainly because finishing is a practical impossibility, and if they can do one unit with a Russian teacher, they can golly well do two. As a sort of compromise, I will work this Friday and next, and then on June 1st, one day after the technical end of my contract.
Bright ideas I've had
How much does it cost to fly to Helsinki from Moscow?
McGuffin - A plot device that holds no meaning or purpose of its own except to motivate the characters and advance the story. -
This would be yet another word I learned from the TWOP forums. In case you haven't been following it, on 24 this season Jack & Cie. spent the first several hours searching for this override thingy that the baddies were using to try and melt down a bunch of nuclear reactors. In the recaps the device was nicknamed the McGuffin. I didn't think much about it since the thing had the initials MF on the side. I guess I assumed McGuffin was just the recapper's snarky nickname for it. Well, it was in fact, but it also happens to be a real thing, or I mean, an un-real thing.
Yeah yeah, say what you want about me only seeming to learn new stuff from a particular website, but honestly, where else am I gonna learn new words and stuff? My students? I think not.
What I did today
Lazed around a good part of the day. See I'm off the sugar (mostly) and I'm having some pretty freaky withdrawls. Headache, lethargy, moodiness. I decided to treat today as a sick day a la Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting. No babies crawling on the ceilling thanfully. Work was fine, though I wasn't nearly prepared enough for my teenaged group. The adults were better. When I told them my proposal for the end of the course I was afraid they would throw rocks at me. It's like this: They are unhappy they won't be able to finish the course with me. They want me to work all kinds of extra classes to spare them the untold horror of finishing the book with a Russian teacher. I considered it (I really honestly did), but finally decided it wasn't going to happen, mainly because finishing is a practical impossibility, and if they can do one unit with a Russian teacher, they can golly well do two. As a sort of compromise, I will work this Friday and next, and then on June 1st, one day after the technical end of my contract.
Bright ideas I've had
How much does it cost to fly to Helsinki from Moscow?
Labels: EFL teaching, Life in Moscow
Wow!!!!!!
I can't believe the old blog is still here. Not that it ever amounted to much. Still, here I am again. Let me update as best I can in as few words as possible.
I've moved from Korea to Russia, and might possibly move back to the ROK again, haven't decided yet.
I've been having this ongoing crisis where I think my life doesn't mean anything. So a few nights ago I hit on some things I need so it does have meaning.
1) I need to produce something, a novel, screenplay, cheap film, art of some kind, ESL materials, whatever. The point it to create something lasting. Whether it is ever seen in public is not important. It's doing it that counts.
2) I need something to take care of, something that needs me in other words. A child or partner would be ideal, but even a pet would do for now. Hell, even a houseplant or a goldfish would count for something.
3) I need to perform acts of service for other people, to try and make the world a better place. I should be involved in a cause of some sort. I have some ideas about this, but I'll save that for another time.
So there's my declaration.
Today I had an opportunity to work on number three. When I finished my class today I noticed Tanya was in the office working on something. I hadn't expected to see her today because it is sort of a holiday. Turns out she was working on a project for her institute. I don't get it exactly, but as best as I can tell it's like a final thesis thing. It's a major requirement for graduation and it's like 100 pages or something. Well, so Murphy's law was in full effect today. Tanya only needed to print her work but the network was down today so she had no access to the printer. Right away I thought about offering her the use of my printer, but then I started thinking about what a pain it would be and how inconvenient, and how I'd get sucked into trying to figure out a bunch of little problems for her. Thankfully however, I remembered number three and realized this was my chance to put a least a little meaning into my day. So I sucked it up and told Tanya I'd help her. It went down like this: First I was going to use my ipod to transfer the file to my computer and print it at home. As it turned out she wasn't quite finished editing, also I knew there was no way my printer had enough ink to complete the job. Tanya sent her husband out to get a cartridge (750 rubles) and I went back home and just took my entire printer over to the office. This way she can work as late as she wants and I don't have to hang around. She hasn't called so I assume she was successful.
Ok, I realize I didn't exactly save the world today. All I'm trying to report is that I thought about someone other than myself and it was kinda nice.
There.
I can't believe the old blog is still here. Not that it ever amounted to much. Still, here I am again. Let me update as best I can in as few words as possible.
I've moved from Korea to Russia, and might possibly move back to the ROK again, haven't decided yet.
I've been having this ongoing crisis where I think my life doesn't mean anything. So a few nights ago I hit on some things I need so it does have meaning.
1) I need to produce something, a novel, screenplay, cheap film, art of some kind, ESL materials, whatever. The point it to create something lasting. Whether it is ever seen in public is not important. It's doing it that counts.
2) I need something to take care of, something that needs me in other words. A child or partner would be ideal, but even a pet would do for now. Hell, even a houseplant or a goldfish would count for something.
3) I need to perform acts of service for other people, to try and make the world a better place. I should be involved in a cause of some sort. I have some ideas about this, but I'll save that for another time.
So there's my declaration.
Today I had an opportunity to work on number three. When I finished my class today I noticed Tanya was in the office working on something. I hadn't expected to see her today because it is sort of a holiday. Turns out she was working on a project for her institute. I don't get it exactly, but as best as I can tell it's like a final thesis thing. It's a major requirement for graduation and it's like 100 pages or something. Well, so Murphy's law was in full effect today. Tanya only needed to print her work but the network was down today so she had no access to the printer. Right away I thought about offering her the use of my printer, but then I started thinking about what a pain it would be and how inconvenient, and how I'd get sucked into trying to figure out a bunch of little problems for her. Thankfully however, I remembered number three and realized this was my chance to put a least a little meaning into my day. So I sucked it up and told Tanya I'd help her. It went down like this: First I was going to use my ipod to transfer the file to my computer and print it at home. As it turned out she wasn't quite finished editing, also I knew there was no way my printer had enough ink to complete the job. Tanya sent her husband out to get a cartridge (750 rubles) and I went back home and just took my entire printer over to the office. This way she can work as late as she wants and I don't have to hang around. She hasn't called so I assume she was successful.
Ok, I realize I didn't exactly save the world today. All I'm trying to report is that I thought about someone other than myself and it was kinda nice.
There.
Labels: Deep introspection, Life in Moscow
