Busy Busy Times

Last night we had the Christmas concert in the park in the middle of town. It was great. I walked down, enjoyed the kids music making and walked home.

It's been frantic at work. My Digital Storytelling class are undertaking to make a short film for each homeroom to be shown to the whole school next week and as these things always happen, at the last minute, there are still some that aren't complete yet. I am rushing around to get that organised in lunchtimes and feeling very flustered about it.

I still haven't started my report writing yet, but am making a lot of progress with my marking, in snatches here and there. We have a public holiday on Friday for the local show, so I expect, I will spend it writing reports.

Today we went to an 'adventure' park with our year nines as part of a transition program. They are going to the senior campus next year. It was exhausting.

My team talked me into participating in a couple of things. So I did the 'Leap of Faith' which involved walking a plank with a harness on, up very very high.

I also did one of the team activities. We had to all as a team get over this really high wall. There was one student left who hadn't done it and as I was attempting to convince her it would be fine, some bright spark suggested I show her, for extra points for the team. I would have gladly disappeared, yet instead allowed my students to boost me up and drag me up over this wall.

Bruises galore! Why do I always fall for these things? The kids are younger and braver than me! I am so tired, but it was great to see the kids push their boundaries. Some of them are amazingly strong, brave and fit. One more day of teaching and then a marathon report writing weekend, including my birthday somehow. Oh, I have to make my wish list!

Go Around Twice If You're Happy

Thanks Christopher for this link. Made my day!

Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs by Michael Gerard Bauer

The latest offering from Michael Gerard Bauer is perhaps even more hilarious than "Don't Call Me Ishmael". I'm not sure though. Both novels contain laugh out loud parts.

In 'Ishmael and the Return of the Dugongs' the quest is to capture the heart of Kelly and Ishmael definitely finds himself in some scrapes in this adventure. 'The Dugongs' is the name of his fathers old uni rock band that attempts a 20th reunion. Enjoy the familiar characters in new and amusing scenario's. I especially loved the rivalry between maths nerd Prindabel and Zorzotto (self titled "Razzman") in the debating final. It was priceless.

I hope Michael Gerard Bauer has started on his next novel, because so far I have loved 3 out 3 novels I have read.

Ahhh...The weekend....nice

The 'Nice Blogger Awards' I would like to give to a blog I have only recently discovered. I really like Cellobella's 'SultanaBlog'. There are plenty of other blogger's that are nice, yet so many of them have already had this award, awarded!

My son's Myspace life has become busy as he was listed in the new ABC TV show 'Summer Heights High', character Ja'mie's top friends. He cracks me up with his ironic humour, both my son and Ja'mie, who is also actually a he. Speaking of son's, I notice that Meg's son wrote a post on Blogpond about Christian Indoctrination last weekend, and was still receiving comments, yesterday. Interesting.

Hand Sanitizer

I had no idea how widespread hand sanitizer is. Last time I visited my pa in the hospital, there were bottles of this hand sanitizer as you entered the wards and a sign asking you to clean your hands with this waterless hand cleaner before and after visiting in the hospital. I did.
My daughter tells me they have it at the primary school where she is working for the kids to use before they eat lunch. There is a small bottle on my desk. It says

"Instant Hand Sanitizer", subtitled "Kills 99.99% of germs"

I'm not sure why, but that seems really weird and sterile to me. I am not sure if I like it.
New Kills Germs Without Water
Are germs endangered species? That's a joke. I wonder are we taking clean to a new and bizarre level? Are there that many germs around that we need to maintain this kind of environment? These questions and more will never be asked by me again. In fact, I possibly will never mention this again.

Cows With Guns

On YouTube there is this comment for this video

"An epic musical tale about the great cow revolution. A 6 minute claymation by Guru Animations.
If you like this video please visit www.nescafebigbreak.com.au and vote for michael so we can start up an animation studio."

However when I went there, the link said the nescafe big break is over. I found this link though about a Michael Richards who was an animator, so I hope he won. I like the idea.

Smiling at This Right Now

Today I have felt very tired. It's a bit of a worry, it's only the first week of the term! I found this popular video and it brought a smile to my face and gave me hope for the future, so I have to share it.

A Social Life

I have had a very social weekend. I even went shopping with my little sister Kate this weekend. I love having Kate around, she's so generous and funny. My friend Rhonda came over yesterday afternoon and we all sat around and laughed till it hurt.

I had two events last night. My twin Auntie and Uncle's 50th Birthday party and a close friends engagement party. I wanted to attend both and managed it. I forgot to take my camera, which was a shame, but there were camera's around so I imagine I will see photo's.

I loved catching up with my family. They are such great fun and I had a few good memories. I saw a photo of my auntie and I, that was taken probably 30 years ago and I immediately remembered how much I idolised her. She was probably 20 and I was probably about 11 or 12. She was heading off to Malaysia with her partner and I was devastated. When she returned after a few years our relationship had changed, I was older, the gap had lessened. I forgot how much I adored her. All my brothers and sister were there and it is always good to catch up with them as well as most of my mum's 7 brothers and sisters and their families. It was great.

At the second party there were people I worked with and some who had left the school had returned for this party and I loved seeing them again. My work mates are a valued part of my life and it was lovely to catch up with those I've missed.

I feel very blessed and happy today. Both my children are home and safe, it is holidays and all is well in my world. I am grateful for the wonderful life I have.

Comics, Cartoons and Graphic Novels

Head Trip - Don't Ya by *shinga on deviantART

David Bowie should definately have stayed! This cartoon captures the voice of the young people I teach.
In my 'Creative Writing' student group at school last year I had a couple of highly talented young people who expressed themselves wonderfully using this form. They created wonderful drawings and turned them into stories. This year not one. The group of young people enjoyed writing, but not in this form.
I must admit I haven't taken much of an interest in this form either, so I am going to challenge myself to read a graphic novel this year and to use more comics and cartoons in my teaching. I want to ensure I don't limit my students to my own tastes.
When I was a kid I remember my dad reading the 'funnies' in the newspapers and laughing and then passing them to me to share the laughs. I often didn't find it that funny. I think I found it annoying that he found things funny at that hour of the day. I was frequently tired and cranky in the mornings. Now I get up early and don't communicate much in the mornings and progress through it much better, not having to talk for a while.
I did like political cartoons though and often laughed at those. I need to give them a go and find out more.

Happy Valentines Day Andy

I know it's only the 13th, but I'll probably forget tomorrow. I know Andy never reads my blog, so he'll never get this greeting. I know I don't believe in Valentines Day, but this clip made me laugh.


In the event that you do read this Andy, I adore you, everyday. I didn't say I didn't believe in love.

McNaughts Comet

Last night we saw the comet in the sky and it was a thrill. My son was away from home so I phoned him and via our mobile phones heard the joy in his voice when he spotted it as he and his friends had also rushed outside and searched the skies. It was great.
I remember when the kids were little I would wake them in the early hours of the morning to go outside and look for this or that heavenly body passing in the night skies. It was fun. I adore seeing a shooting star.
This picture on flickr (which I have not participated in at all, but must one day!)captures what we saw brilliantly. There are a pile of pictures on flickr here. Some of them are quite amazing and wonderful.
I got out my binoculars Andy gave me for Christmas last year, they are great and had a good look at it. It was fun. It was a wow moment.
Jonathon Cainer discusses the astrological significance of the comet in his 2007 The Year Ahead Article among other things.

Zefrank's Learning Strategies

Zefrank has some seriously good ideas delivered in his usual frank and delightful way. I am a fan.

Interestingly he uses divorced people as a metaphor and after spending a really positive evening with my ex-husband, current family and friends and ex-in-laws last night to celebrate my wonderful 18 year old's birthday, I know it works, interestingly enough. Watch the video, it may make sense. If not - Oh well. It was a great night.

Was expecting 'The Fool'

You are The Empress

Beauty, happiness, pleasure, success, luxury, dissipation.

The Empress is associated with Venus, the feminine planet, so it represents,
beauty, charm, pleasure, luxury, and delight. You may be good at home
decorating, art or anything to do with making things beautiful.

The Empress is a creator, be it creation of life, of romance, of art or business. While the Magician is the primal spark, the idea made real, and the High Priestess is the one who gives the idea a form, the Empress is the womb where it gestates and grows till it is ready to be born. This is why her symbol is Venus, goddess of beautiful things as well as love. Even so, the Empress is more Demeter, goddess of abundance, then sensual Venus. She is the giver of Earthly gifts, yet at the same time, she can, in anger withhold, as Demeter did when her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped. In fury and grief, she kept the Earth barren till her child was returned to her.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Oh ZeFrank is good too

PS: Sorry, but this is really good too. Ze Frank too, TED is good. I know, I really should start saving posts as drafts until I am sure I am finished. As a bonus to you for your inconvenience, I am willing to put this other Ze Frank from Revver up, but make sure you watch the TED one, cause it's good....:

Stealing Stacey by Lynne Reid Banks

My latest YA read involved a child from London being kidnapped, without her own awareness for most of her ordeal, by her grandmother. She is taken to outback Australia and introduced to many new experiences. I enjoyed it as a light read. It was a fun read and quite a pleasant break from some of the heavier books I've read lately. There were some interesting characters.

Tamboritha 06 - 1st trip

It's almost a week since I've got the moment or ten that it takes to write a post. I have been to Tamboritha and it was great. We rode horses up past Licola and walked, as well of spending lots of time laughing and eating and just being away from it all. It was great. I enjoyed sitting in the creek in this video, whilst the water rushed by, however much slower and lower than it has been in the past. It is dry up there. As we walked across the snow plains there was very little squelch that makes it a big challenge. I love it up there though.
It is so refreshing to be away from it all. We had heaps of laughs and challenges and always when I return to school, it is tough.

Sunday Stumble

No, I didn't go out last night and have a big one and stumble in this morning.
Yesterday I went to a school reunion type function,which was more a work responsibility than something I wanted to attend, and a person from 20 years ago recognised me and was quite shocked to see that I am now a respectable human being. Quite funny really.
Anyway.....you have to see this site that I stumbled on with 'StumbleUpon' today called 'Lords of the Logistic', It is an awesome site that has photo's of people doing amazing things. I recommend it to you so you can consider it next time you think you don't have enough room in your car, or something like that!
Stumbleupon is really my favourite timewaster at present. The sites referred are often really excellent and I find it the best way to find random new things.

Camille lyrics

I love that song "Ta Douleur" and have been listening to it quite a bit. It occured to me the lyrics may not be great and not understanding French, my curiosity got the better of me. So of course I found the lyrics and went to babel fish. The translation was funny. Do it for a laugh.

[I know you're suffering, but trust me, I'm gonna take away your pain.]

The translation is funny. I get the gist of it though and it's ok.

Camille

I heard this artist on triple J so many times on my way to work and it has taken incredible effort to track down the name. I can't find much online about her but I discovered this clip on YouTube


Enjoy, I hadn't seen the clip, I quite like the naked knitting theme in the video. There is another cool clip of the song but can't put it here, so if you're interested click here. It's playful and I really like it.

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

AKA How to Kill Your Neighbours Dog in some places
If you are looking for it in Australia or New Zealand though, it is Mad Dogs and Englishmen. This film, starring Kenneth Branagh, who is one of my favourite actors. This film was fabulous. I laughed and cried frequently throughout it. I highly recommend it as entertainment.