Memoirs of a Lame Duck
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Tuesday, January 8, 2008
I AM IN LOVE WITH JENNIE!!!
SHE ACCEPTED MY RING!!! GOOD TIMES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!!
Monday, August 20, 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEAUTIFUL!!!! WE'LL HAVE AN AWESOME DAY AHEAD!!!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Holy long time since my last post Batman.
I just finished school. PERMANENTLY. It is highly doubtful that I will ever again be a full-time student. Part-time? Sure. In fact, I'm taking a course over the summer but the days of having absolutely NO money and focussing all my attention on going to school is over.
NOw the days of having NO money and looking for teaching jobs starts.
I didn't get the job at White Oaks. I'm not overly surprised. Felt really down yesterday. Today was just bizarre for a variety of reasons.
I was worried that there wouldn't be much more opportunities after the burst of activity last week. I was wrong!!! A bunch of jobs just opened up in Halton. And a few are HISTORY!!! It has been a crazy ride this year. I cannot wait to land my job whatever it is and wherever it is. I just want to know there is something waiting for me after my trip with Jenn in July.
The ROM was wicked awesome. I feel like ice cream. Sushi with Jenn tomorrow. I don't feel blue no more!
Current music: Early November
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Two more days. Then I can relax and focus on what's really important.
My SUPER HOT SEX-KITTEN OF A JENNIE!!!!!!
I can't wait
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Happy Valentine's Day everyone. What a crazy, unexpected day. Hope everyone enjoys the snow outside.
Jennie, no better time than now to ask this. I've been pretty nervous. It will feel better once this is over with. Ok. Here goes..
WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE???
Sunday, February 11, 2007
7:12PM
I am so looking forward to valentine's day!!!
Current music: Battlestar Galactica
Monday, January 15, 2007
I AM SO HAPPY, LUCKY AND BLESSED TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE!!!
FORGET JULY, I CAN'T WAIT TILL THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU AND THE PRECIOUS YEARS AHEAD!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
WOW!
This christmas was unbelievable. My family reunited. It was like three years of in-fighting and bickering never happened. I managed to visit three famillies in two days and work two shifts too. Lots of terrific food. I have leftovers for two weeks in my fridge.
Last night was the topper. I spent the night at Jenn's. We opened presents and watched TV together. I ate a plate of turkey at 3 in the morning. Her whole family pitched in and bought me a laptop computer. Basically, this is the biggest and kindest gift i think i've ever received. I was going to start to save for one myself. I need one now that I share a room and PC with my brother. I have no privacy at all. This family got together and got me this gift they knew I needed but would never ask anyone to get for me. It meant the world to me. I still wish Jenn's dad would take some money from me.
So this entry is the first of hopefully many typed up on the first computer I've ever had that is truly mine. I now have three wonderful famillies (my mom's, my dad's and jenn's) that I love unconditionally. Truly an amazing christmas.
I hope everyone else had a terrific christmas as well.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
So I'm done school for the year 2006. I'm really big on year-end reviews and lists and the like. I think I will be doing something in the next week or so. But overall this has been a wonderful year. I graduated at the top of my class with my hounours BA, started teacher's college. Jennie graduated too and moved back home, which has absolutely changed my life for the better. I'm having a great time in the faculty of education. My family is basically reuniting. And I didn't have a terrible car accident that required me to buy a new shitty vehicle and go into further debt. So thumbs up all around.
Last night was great. Me and Jenn watched A Christmas Story. That movie brings back such wonderful memories. We watched Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer. We watched a snippet of Santa Claus is coming to town to which I added my breathtaking rendition of "put one foot in front of the other" and We did all this under the watchful eye of HITLER SANTA.
I really feel like I have the christmas spirit. I'm so looking forward to the next few days. I'm going to see friends, family and everyone that means anything to me in this world. Last year I was so frustrated over money concerns. Those concerns are still there but fuck it. I'm happy right now. I'm going to be a teacher soon. I'm spending the holidays with exactly the people I want to be around.
So in case I have another LJ dry spell:
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
[insert religious holdiay] EVERYONE!
Current mood: Christmassy Current music: Spending Galore by Socratic
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
You
You are the depth of my soul.
You are the twinkle in my eye.
You are the angel on my shoulder.
You are the greatest gift of all time.
Your beauty is incomparable.
You are truly one of a kind.
Your heart warms me like butter.
I could never get a better find.
Your worst day is my hell.
Your smile is my only pleasure.
Your sadness is mine, a hundred fold.
Your happiness, my one desire.
For you I would die a thousand times.
For you I would defy any rule of the day.
For you I would lose, and in helping you I’d win.
My world only works, knowing you’ll be okay.
You are my world,
My land, my sea, my air.
You are my friend.
I need you to know I'm there.
I will never lose sight,
Of what’s important to me.
Not wealth, power, or respect,
But you, my love, Jennie.
Sunday, December 3, 2006
November has been possibly my busiest month in years. I just wrapped up my first practice teaching block. Some ideas are going to follow:
-I love teaching poetry.
-My professional relationship with my associate totally got better as the placement moved on.
-I like wearing ties.
-I still have a lot of work ahead of me to become the teacher I want to be
-Marking gets easier but will always be annoying
-Fridays will become so so pivotal once I become a teacher
-The amount of prep work and paperwork involved in teaching is extraordinary. I just took two days to recover from my block.
-I hope I get a good school and that it's in Dufferin-Peel for my next block.
I'm looking forward to becoming the "student" again. I love being a teacher but it's still very new to me and I grow frustrated when I'm not awesome at something right away. I know how to do well and I know everything i need to do as a student. I'm good at it and it comes naturally. I look forward to the day when I can say the same thing about being a teacher.
I hope it's not too far away.
Current mood: Stoic Current music: Pleasant silence
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Why I love Teacher's College?
-lots of support
-Nice people
-Free resources
-Talking about poetry
-Learning strategies
-Class discussions
-My lowest mark so far has been an 85%
-Going to a bar on my lunch break
-Helpful tips
-Tons of energy
This is going to be a great year. I just need to learn how to actually TEACH. I'm getting there.
Sunday, November 5, 2006
So I'm off to see the cousins. This is history in the making.
I have a bunch of new reviews up on www.comixfan.com. Daredevil #90 and She-Hulk #13 are up right now on the right side of the homepage. Check it out!
I am slowly on my way to becoming a teacher. I hit a few snags but this past week at teacher's college has been great fun and a great confidence booster for me.
I've mapped out an entire unit and tomorrow i'm going to approach my associate on taking over another class on my own. I'm worried about the workload but I need the experience. I suck balls when presenting in front of ppl. Everything seems good in my mind and then I become a stuttering, nervous, bumbling oaf in front of ppl. I need to fix this pronto.
Halloween wasn't hell again this year. YAY!
Off to bowl and eat now. Double Yay.
Current music: K-OS- Crabbucket
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Jennie, thanks for always being there for me. In both the good and the bad. I appreciate nothing more than knowing that your are at my side, that you got my back, and that, well, fill in the blanks about my front [ ;) ] I can't even begin to describe how much you mean to me and how much I NEED you in my life. You are as necessary to my everyday life as the air I breathe, the blood that keeps my heart pumping and the food that I really like and need to survive. In sum and incredibly understated: I like you. :)
Current mood: okay, but still frustrated Current music: Absolute Silence
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
So today I made a purchase. Not a big one but not a small one. I'm happy about it and I'm not happy about it. Let's go back a bit.
There's this story that I absolutely adore. As you guessed, it's a comic book story. As you might have further guessed, it's about Spider-man.
I first read "Kraven's Last Hunt" five years ago or so. I bought it when I was trying to figure out what school I'd be going to for university. Me and Jenn were still a relatively new item and I had years and years of university awaiting me.
This story was so awesome. It was dark, sophisticated and powerful. It spoke about death (both murder and suicide as well as emotional/symbolic types of dying,)insanity, love, hope, despair and many more provocative themes very rare to a spider-man comic. I read it in one sitting, enthralled with the text. Any problems or thoughts I had going on was permanently subdued as I was lost in a trance while reading.
I've revisted that story probably two more times or so over the last five years and I've lent it out to some friends. Since then I've read many other works that have spoken to me in a similar way.
So today, beyond my normal judgment I bought "kraven's last hunt" again. This time in hardcover form. I did some research and i found out it had 20 pages of extra stuff and I really wanted some incentive for my boring work. I felt like a kid again. I felt exactly like I did five years ago. I felt young and excited.
I read the story again. I loved the intro (brand new,) I loved many of the same parts i got to see and read again, I loved the themes and symbols that only now after a degree in English I could extract and interpret. I loved all that.
I didn't love that it wasn't the same. The book was the same but I was different. I didn't feel like a kid but an adult reading a book and trying to remember what it felt like to be a kid again. I couldn't shut off the "critical" part of my brain. I kept asking questions, analyzing this or that and critiquing things. I enjoyed this and intellectually it was fun but emotionally it wasn't the same as five years ago.
When you are kid everything is filled with wonder and awe. Every day is an adventure because everyday is NEW. Everything is New. No one lies. The future is scary but limitless. There is nothing behind you and everything ahead.
Now, I'm not 80 years old or anything but I do miss that childhood innocence and naivete. Sometimes my brain won't shut down and I analyze everything around me. It is hard to take a compliment or a look or a smile because I try to gather what was behind that. Why was that done? As a kid you just take it because that's the way life is.
As a kid you can run around in circles and that in of itself is its own reward. As an adult you ask why? Why don't we run around in circles anymore? Now I drive every day in a straight line on the same road, to the same place.
I'm happy with my purchase. I can get a lot out of an old story. What I didn't think I would learn was to think less with my head and try just to be, lost in a trance, running around in circles, running around in circles, running around in circles...
Friday, October 6, 2006
This is Simple:
I have a wedding coming up. Should I lose the beard?
YES or NO
Current mood: Really Great Current music: EBAY by "weird Al" Yankovic
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
You Hot, You Fine.
You put it all out on the line.
You're genuine, you're kind.
answer me baby. one last thing,
why you so hot. why you so Fine.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
I took this from the Brian K Vaughan board. It interested me for some reason. Now back to work.
How to beat anyone at Rock Paper Scissors
With the 2006 World Rock Paper Scissors Championships coming up in November in Toronto and $10,000.00 on the line (not to mention bragging rights of being able to call yourself "World Champion of RPS"), trying to get some sort of edge on your competition is becoming a focal point for a lot of players.
Little bit of background. Contrary to what you might think RPS is not simply a game of luck or chance. While it is true that from a mathematical perspective the 'optimum' strategy is to play randomly, it still is not a winning strategy for two reasons. First, 'optimum' in this case means you should win, lose and draw an equal number of times (hardly a winning strategy over the long term). Second, Humans, try as they might, are terrible at trying to be random, in fact often humans in trying to approximate randomness become quite predictable. So knowing that there is always something motivating your opponent's actions, there are a couple of tricks and techniques that you can use to tip the balance in your favour.
The secret to winning at RPS
Basically, there are two ways to win at RPS. First is to take one throw away from your opponent options. ie - If you can get your opponent to not play rock, then you can safely go with scissors as it will win against paper and stalemate against itself. Seems impossible right? Not if you know the subtle ways you can manipulate someone. The art is to not let them know you are eliminating one of their options. The second way is to force you opponent into making a predictable move. Obviously, the key is that it has to be done without them realizing that you are manipulating them.
Most of the following techniques use variations on these basic principles. How well it works for you depends upon how well you can subtly manipulate your opponent without them figuring out what you are doing. So, now that the background is out of the way, let's get into these techniques:
1 - Rock is for Rookies
In RPS circles a common mantra is "Rock is for Rookies" because males have a tendency to lead with Rock on their opening throw. It has a lot to do with idea that Rock is perceived as "strong" and forceful", so guys tend to fall back on it. Use this knowledge to take an easy first win by playing Paper. This tactic is best done in pedestrian matches against someone who doesn't play that much and generally won't work in tournament play.
2 - Scissors on First
The second step in the 'Rock is for Rookies' line of thinking is to play scissors as your opening move against a more experienced player. Since you know they won't come out with rock (since it is too obvious), scissors is your obvious safe move to win against paper or stalemate to itself.
3 - The Double Run
When playing with someone who is not experienced at the RPS, look out for double runs or in other words, the same throw twice. When this happens you can safely eliminate that throw and guarantee yourself at worst a stalemate in the next game. So, when you see a two-Scissor run, you know their next move will be Rock or Paper, so Paper is your best move. Why does this work? People hate being predictable and the perceived hallmark of predictability is to come out with the same throw three times in row.
4 - Telegraph Your Throw
Tell your opponent what you are going to throw and then actually throw what you said. Why? As long as you are not playing someone who actually thinks you are bold enough to telegraph your throw and then actually deliver it, you can eliminate the throw that beats the throw you are telegraphing. So, if you announce rock, your opponent won't play paper which means coming out with that scissors will give you at worst a stalemate and at best the win.
5 - Step Ahead Thinking
Don't know what to do for your next throw? Try playing the throw that would have lost to your opponents last throw? Sounds weird but it works more often than not, why? Inexperienced (or flustered) players will often subconsciously deliver the throw that beat their last one. Therefore, if your opponent played paper, they will very often play Scissors, so you go Rock. This is a good tactic in a stalemate situation or when your opponent lost their last game. It is not as successful after a player has won the last game as they are generally in a more confident state of mind which causes them to be more active in choosing their next throw.
6 - Suggest A Throw
When playing against someone who asks you to remind them about the rules, take the opportunity to subtly "suggest a throw" as you explain to them by physically showing them the throw you want them to play. ie "Paper beats Rock, Rock beats scissors (show scissors), Scissors (show scissors again) beats paper." Believe it or not, when people are not paying attention their subconscious mind will often accept your "suggestion". A very similar technique is used by magicians to get someone to take a specific card from the deck.
7 - When All Else Fails Go With Paper
Haven't a clue what to throw next? Then go with Paper. Why? Statistically, in competition play, it has been observed that scissors is thrown the least often. Specifically, it gets delivered 29.6% of the time, so it slightly under-indexes against the expected average of 33.33% by 3.73%. Obviously, knowing this only gives you a slight advantage, but in a situation where you just don't know what to do, even a slight edge is better than none at all.
8 - The Rounder's Ploy
This technique falls into more of a 'cheating' category, but if you have no honour and can live with yourself the next day, you can use it to get an edge. The way it works is when you suggest a game with someone, make no mention of the number of rounds you are going to play. Play the first match and if you win, take it is as a win. If you lose, without missing a beat start playing the 'next' round on the assumption that it was a best 2 out of 3. No doubt you will hear protests from your opponent but stay firm and remind them that 'no one plays best of one for a kind of decision that you two are making'. No this devious technique won't guarantee you the win, but it will give you a chance to battle back to even and start again.
About the author: Graham Walker
As a co-author of the Official Rock Paper Scissors Strategy Guide (published by Simon and Schuster) and five-time organizer of the World Rock Paper Scissors Championships, Graham Walker is one of the few people who is actually a credible authority on the strategy and cultural significance on the game of Rock Paper Scissors.
Current mood: Restless Current music: All American Rejects
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Stupid people make my head spin. They are just so STUPID!
School is very long and there is a ton of work.
I feel young at 23 for the first time in a long time.
I miss Big Brother all ready.
Feeling the need to write a review but I don't have time this week
:( Next week though I'll be putting up a Runaways review at www.comixfan.com
Eating pepperoni . There are still some small pleasures in life.
Looking forward to: Eating more Pepperoni , sleeping, seeing Jennie.
If you dislike "Ice Breaker" activities don't go to teacher's college. I haven't broken the ice this much ever. I know more info about my classmates than I do about my own family.
Robbo Out!
Monday, September 11, 2006
I LOVE HER. TRULY, MADLY DEEPLY. AND I ALWAYS WILL.
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