Friday, November 3, 2006

   Assault. Sick bastard.
I was watching the news, and boy was I appalled when there was a report about a woman who was sexually assualted. It gets worse. She found him in her bed, and he set her lower body on fire (probably to erase evidence).

She is 90 years old. Her body suffered burns on 10-15% of her body.

...Sick, pathetic muther f*cker. Poor lady.



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Saturday, October 28, 2006

Oni-Con 2006 Surprise-- (REVISED)
Hm. The video didn't work in my last post, so I tried to edit some things, hopefully it works this time!

Here's the link:


Something interesting happened at Onicon!


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Monday, October 23, 2006

   Oni-Con 2006!
Wow. This weekend was great! I went to my very first anime convention-- Oni-Con at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. It was all worth the work I had to complete in college so that I could reserve time to take off.

It lasts 3 days, and we got there pretty late at 5 pm. We went through the dealer's room pretty quickly, then got in line for the cosplay contest and skits. I was so excited every time I saw a cosplayer with an accurate costume. It was so fun, and I was such a giddy anime geek. =D

I think my favorite costume was the pyramid guy from Silent Hill. He really did look like a total killer, and I asked him to pretend to kill me in the picture.

I only saw one Rock Lee there! I also got to take a picture with a Gai cosplayer. Rock Lee and Gai cosplayers rock so much! XD

The cosplay competition lasted way too long, and I took off back to the hotel which was conveniently connected to the huge convention. Seriously, that convention center is huge. By the time I headed back, it was for the concert at 9, but it didn't get started until 11! This was probably because the cosplay contest lasted so long. I waited for 2 months since I found out about the convention to see a J-Rock band, so I was really looking forward to this event.




It was all worth the wait because the band, 12012 rocked so hard. They were everything I hoped they were. The vocalist sang his heart out, and he was so entertaining and engrossing. The music was hella loud, too. I sat in the back for the concert, and the seats vibrated. I wasn't sure how firm they were about the "No Cameras" rule, and didn't want to be removed from the concert, so I used a camera phone discreetly, and I didn't get really good pictures, just some blurs. Since it started so late, I could only stay for an hour, but it's okay, I was still very pleased. I wonder when it ended because it's supposed to last for 3-4 hours... so I'm guessing around 2 or 3 am.


All in all, I had so much fun even though I was only there for 7 hours and mostly walked around. I'll be back next year, and I might even be there for 2 or 3 days.

Good times.


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Thursday, October 19, 2006

   Ideas!
I will be teaching a lesson on writing dialogue in my interning class soon-- and I need ideas!

I am thinking about first giving several examples and having the class give examples, then modeling writing by using examples on the overhead. I want to do an activity with the students, but I don't have anything interesting.

All I can think of is cutting up sentences and have them reconstruct them, and present it to the class. I'm also thinking of bringing in pictures of people conversing that I want them to make up dialogue for.

PLEASE SUGGEST ANY IDEAS, ANYTHING WOULD BE APPRECIATED! Thanks!!!!!


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Wednesday, October 18, 2006

   Student From the Black Lagoon.


I accidentally snapped at my professor right after the tutoring today, because I was so tense. I didn't realize this until I noticed the whole class got quiet and stared at me.

Every time I'm with this kid, it's like my blood pressure sky rockets. Seriously if my life span decreases, it'll be because of this kid.

Fortunately, we got some work done today. Unfortunately, every day seems to end in conflict. Today's conflict was that he wanted to wander off back to his class. When he returned, he decided to take off and not even let his teacher know he's going to another class! She's yelling at him, and I'm trying to stop him from running away. He is so disrespectful.

I think that the only reason why I'm still with him is because I feel sorry for him. Nobody wants him, and it seems like all he does is make people dislike him. He recently got removed to another classs. You know, I don't even know if I should feel sorry for him, if he even deserves for me to feel sorry for him, because I feel like he's doing all this to himself. The teachers try to help him, but he fights them. I ask myself about him: Why do you go out of your way to disrespect your teacher, not cooperate with others? I don't get it. It's not even a matter of disagreement, the matter is that he wants to get what he wants with disregard to others; that's not how the world works.

Now all these tutors are planning a Halloween party, and all I'm thinking is, I am going to be so screwed. It's going to be great with him running around causing havoc.

Damn.

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Wednesday, October 11, 2006

   I've had a frustrating day today. The student that I tutor in this college reading program was being very uncooperative today. If you've read my posts, he's the one that wrote about his parents being in jail.

Anywayz, I've been having trouble with this student lately because he's comparing his experience to others, specifically the fact that he saw other students having a camera, and he doesn't. The thing is, some of the tutors choose to give their students take home disposable cameras to bring back. The pictures are developed, and the student and teacher create a book with this. I've done this before, and I just don't like how long it takes. My student is jealous that others have cameras and he doesn't. So what does he do? He complains. Then he practically rolls into a ball and refuses to talk to me.

OK, what he really does is puts his head down, covers his face up, and refuses to talk to me. Big difference. =P. At first I showed a lot of concern, because I thought he was really bothered about something. Since I've found out the issue I'm choosing to wait for him until he's ready to get to work again. Not only that, but when I read aloud, he sometimes gets really mad and does the same thing. I decided to read differently, and I think I might know why. He doesn't like it when I stop and do a reading strategy called Think Alouds. That's when the reader stops to comment about the reading. His reaction to that is way too immature for me. I don't know what to do now.

Then there are times when it's his turn to read and he refuses.

Today we finally began teaming up with another tutor and student. What happens? It turns out that the two students are mortal enemies! He completely refuses to work with her. Then she wants to take a picture of us with the camera her tutor gave her. This made him withdraw, and my professor and TA had to attend to us. I was glad they got to see what I had to deal with. I brought a camera for him today, and he freaked out before I got to take it out. I told him this when I returned him to class but all he could say was "But you told me you'll bring me a camera!" I don't even want to bring the camera anymore! I don't want him to think I'll bring a camera, then he'll comply. No. HELL, NO. This isn't a matter of you doing something and I'll reward you for it.

He also thinks he gets to keep the camera. I want to make this book with him, but if I bring the camera, I'm going to have to tell him it's my sister's DIGITAL camera, and he can't take it home. Gee, I wonder how he's going to react to that?

I am getting really agitated, but I don't want to drop this kid. My professor is suggesting that I talk to him about our plans for the day and my expectations clearly. I understand this, and I will try this next time. If all else fails, he might have to give me a new student to tutor. How horrible is that? You're so bad that your tutor doesn't want to tutor you anymore!!!!!

I really don't want to result to changing my student. That would basically mean this kid won't have a tutor and be out of the program. That's sad. My issue is that I'm here to practice on strategies to become a better teacher, but I'm wasting my time dealing with behavioral issues. I'm going to give it another try, maybe two more tries at max. We'll see.


Sometimes you got to cut off a finger to save the hand.


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Sunday, October 1, 2006

A letter.

I am dazzled by you, by your natural gifts, your steady growth, your unique perspectives and interpretations, your insights and uncommon wisdom. Now that you are a young man, it is a good time to take stock, to reflect on what you have made of what you have been made, to choose consciously where you will go next.

When you were ten you pointed out an interesting mystery about life: these past ten years went by quickly, like a flash, you said, but the next ten seem to stretch out before me endlessly. Now that you are thirteen, is it any different? Life does that, tricks you that way, and so it is important to be a thoughtful and caring choice-maker.

Choosing is the work of life. I’m certain the project you choose will be a large one, for it will have to contain your considerable intelligence, energy, and goodness over a long time. Only a big plan will have room for you in it.

Sometimes I like to think about questions in a weird way. Sometimes I ask myself, what are three things I must do before I die? And then I figure out how to do them. Or I ask, what epitaph would I want for myself? And so I ask you: What do you need to do before you die? What would you want people to say about your life? What would they say now, and what in a few years? What would your family say, your brothers, and what would your friends say, Elena and Thai, for example, Bear and BJ and Efrem, your teachers, say Steve or John or Lisa, or more distant acquaintances like Coretta, Julie, or Herb? Asking questions this way lends a certain urgency to the discussion. It’s easy to coast, to be conventionally decent by ignoring society, much harder to pay attention to life, to stay wide-awake, to choose to be moral and just and caring in an indifferent and sometimes hostile or evil world.

When we met thirteen years ago, it was love at first sight I thought I would teach you a lot, but right from the start you taught me. Another one of life’s paradoxes, I guess. You taught me about unqualified love. You taught me the art of holding on and letting go. You taught me courage and creativity. What will you teach me next?


-- To Teach, William Ayers



I read this letter in a book, and it took my breath away.

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Thursday, September 28, 2006

On the Side...
Besides the interning, etc, I'm also in this tutoring program where I meet up with this kid for twice a week 45 minutes each time. I wanted to get to know him more, so I gave him a notebook, and told him to write down 3 things about him that I don't know.


1. My aunt is blind.


We discussed a little about this, and how she must be quite capable despite this physicality.


2. My dad is in jail.


I was a little surprised that he would reveal this to me. We talked a little about the situation, and my concern was his feeling about his pops. He says he visits him sometimes, along with his dad's girlfriend, although his mom doesn't come along.

Now the third one really took me by surprised.


3. My mom was in jail.


It wasn't so much the fact that she was in jail before that shocked me a little, but the extra stuff he told me about this. I asked him who he was with, his guardian, basically, during this time. He replied that no one else was with him, and he took care of himself... AND his dog. I was in disbelief, and he added, "I'm EIGHT years old!" As if normal 8 year old kids are usually home alone when their parents are incarcerated. I decided that was that.

Now there's two things I'm thinking. 1. He could be lying or exagerating, or 2. He's telling the truth. Either way, that's tough. Is it just me that's running into these kids? Is it the location, where I'm at, East Austin's inner city schools. Or am I just becoming more aware that there are neglected kids everywhere?

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

   Substitute
Today, I got to substitute the class for two hours because the teacher had to leave early to take her son to the doctor. Well, I actually wanted to sub because that meant I got to do a read-aloud and uphold the class, even for a brief time. I really needed to be more comfortable managing the class by myself, and I figured this would help me.

When I did the Read Aloud on The Giver, the class was a little fidgety. During discussion, they were also a little out of control because they weren't taking turns discussing, but I was glad they weren't misbehaving. Then a girl accidentally got hit in the eye, began crying, and had to leave to go to the nurse.

After this, I allowed everyone to go to their desks to work in their response journals, read books, and work on their book projects. I was so pleased because they worked quietly and diligently for a straight hour, until I asked them to stop and share their response journals. Then everyone gathered in a group to share interesting tidbits from their books. I talked about their homework, and we all scurried out for dismissal. I asked all the children to make sure to tell me before they left campus that their parents were there. It was such chaos (and it's the same way during dismissal every day), so my only worry is that some might have run off without letting me know.

Overall, it was a good experience, and the children are such angels.

=]

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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Happen
Today I walked out of the elementary school, to my car, ready to go home and get work done, but it didn't start. Toyota, only about 30,000 miles. Yes, 30,000 and 3 years old. I felt a little hopeless. I was in a city far from home, no friends that could really help me out here. My headlights were working, and so did they lights inside my car, so I figured it wasn't a battery problem. I dug into my glove compartment, found some warranty road assistance information, went to the office, called up some company. They had someone on their way to tow my car. Estimated 90 minutes they said. Wah!

I sat in the school office. Dug into my backpack, realized I had my phone afterall! First thing, I called my cousin to tell him what happened, and if he had any suggestions. Then I went outside, and tried starting the car while stepping on the pedal. At the same time I was calling the towing place to let them know to call me on my cel phone. While doing this, the towing guy comes early, within 30 minutes! And passes me up. I got out and tried to wave him back. After being on hold, someone finally picks up, and I was able to give my number. I went to the front of the school, and waited a few minutes, and the towing guy comes, I direct him to my car, then ran back to the office to get my stuff.

I freaked when I saw the office lights were off, and the door was locked with my stuff inside! Then I saw a lady in and realized I could get in through another door. Relief.

With my stuff outside, the tow guy was about to lift my car, then he decided to test it out himself. He finds out it's actually the battery all along. Popped open my hood-- battery was leaking. He jump-started my car, and advised me to get my battery changed immediately.

So here I am, at the dealership. I'm just really glad it wasn't a serious problem! Not only that, but I have my earphones and laptop almost fully charged with me, and a long sleeved shirt to keep me warm for the next 1.5-2 hours, hopefully.

I've been to this dealership twice, and twice, they pissed me off. First time, they took out the stuff in my car and didn't replace it. Second time, they ignored my name on the list, and I ended up waiting 4 hours for an oil change. And the bitch behind the customer service counter gave me an attitude, EVEN THOUGH I WAS CALMLY ASKING FOR THE FUCKING STATUS OF MY CAR! Is it wrong for me to ask more than once because I've been waiting here longer than everyone else???!!! NO. Dammit.

Anywayz, USA, TX, Austin, Champion Toyota-- Don't come here unless under desperate conditions. I don't think I'll come here, except that my warranty only covers things at a Toyota dealership.

Afternoon wasted, and still waiting to be dissapointed...


-VK





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