"Was your break relaxing miss? You look so happy and refreshed today. Unlike before break when you used to drag yo ass in here like an old woman."
- student commenting on my return from my month-long December break.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
McMaturity?
I have long been an admitted fast-food lover. It has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, and I've tried my hardest to not be embarrassed by it (though there was this one time in Spain, having gotten back from a trip with friends, where I waited for them to walk out of the train station so I could turn around and have some McDs without them knowing. Sad fact.)
Last night, I realized it had been some weeks since I have had McDonald's. I was pretty proud of this, as I usually get creepy-cravings pretty regularly. However, boyfriend had brought home McD "snacks," which put it on my radar again. Not having much in my house to eat, I walked there for lunch today.
Guess what? I was not very satisfied!! I felt gross and bleh and blargh after eating it. How exciting! Normally I shovel that stuff down with a sick satisfaction, but, not today! Could it be? Could I really be getting over McDonald's? I mean, I'm definitely not cured (mmmm Wendy's Spicy Chicken...), but if I could wipe McD's from my list, that would definitely be progress. At least when I get Wendy's Spicy Chicken, I can tell it's real chicken breast... I don't even want to go into what the last chicken sandwich I got at McDonald's looked like... barf.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Smiling's my favorite
So, I am watching Ellen, because, you know, that's what people do when they are unemployed.
And she calls this girl up from the audience and asks her "What do you like to do?" and this broad grins and says, "I like to smile."
No, no no. The question was, "What MAKES you smile?"... or do you just walk around all day smiling about nothing, not deriving any joy from anything? Gah!
Don't get me wrong, kiddos, I'm all about smiling. Smiling's the best. However, you smile because something is making you happy. So, when someone asks you what you like to do, it generally means, what do you do that makes you smile. HellO. This is more evidence that people haven't been taught to look below the surface of things. Think about the WHY people. You don't just like to smile, I promise. There is more to it than that, I hope.
And she calls this girl up from the audience and asks her "What do you like to do?" and this broad grins and says, "I like to smile."
No, no no. The question was, "What MAKES you smile?"... or do you just walk around all day smiling about nothing, not deriving any joy from anything? Gah!
Don't get me wrong, kiddos, I'm all about smiling. Smiling's the best. However, you smile because something is making you happy. So, when someone asks you what you like to do, it generally means, what do you do that makes you smile. HellO. This is more evidence that people haven't been taught to look below the surface of things. Think about the WHY people. You don't just like to smile, I promise. There is more to it than that, I hope.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
This nature is soooo boring.
So, I've seen this commercial a few times, and it always strikes me as odd.
The first line says, "This is Finding Nemo while getting lost in the woods," and shows children watching Finding Nemo on a tablet while on a camping trip. Am I the only one disconcerted by this?
We live in an increasingly technological society, and I am as addicted to technology as the next guy, but I'm pretty sure if we need a tablet to get us through a camping trip or a hike, we have a huge problem. I commend these fictional parents for even taking the time to take their kids into the wilderness, but sticking them on a log with a cartoon to watch is no different than sticking them on a couch in front of a TV. I'm a little surprised that Xfinity would even go this route. As technology becomes more a part of our day-to-day lives, as a society we find ourselves needing to put more effort into finding moments of reflection. Children are especially susceptible because they want to have the best gadgets and can get completely sucked in by the bells and whistles. As adults who are raising children, we need to be conscious that they get their time outside, that they are able to develop who they are away from a screen so that they are smarter about how they interact with technology when it's appropriate.
Even as an adult who makes all her own choices, I find myself reading less. I have always been an avid reader, yet still, since I caved and got a smartphone, I read less. I used to read on buses, trains, planes, in waiting rooms; any time that I had a few minutes to spare, I was reading. Now that I have my smartphone, before I pull out my book, I check to see if I have any moves to make on any of the games where I am competing with friends to roll dice or find words or whatever is the game of the moment. It's super lame, reading is so much better, but I gravitate towards the stupid games because they are easier.
The point of the story is, we spend so much time in front of a screen, when we actually do go into the woods, out onto the water, or into nature in general, we should put the technology away and experience the actual world around us (and the people, there are real people out there!). I'm sure as a parent, it is easier to distract an antsy kid with a glowing screen, but sometimes it's better to let them get bored enough to find a way to entertain themselves, the old fashioned way.
The first line says, "This is Finding Nemo while getting lost in the woods," and shows children watching Finding Nemo on a tablet while on a camping trip. Am I the only one disconcerted by this?
(The original clip I posted here was taken off YouTube, it might happen again...)
We live in an increasingly technological society, and I am as addicted to technology as the next guy, but I'm pretty sure if we need a tablet to get us through a camping trip or a hike, we have a huge problem. I commend these fictional parents for even taking the time to take their kids into the wilderness, but sticking them on a log with a cartoon to watch is no different than sticking them on a couch in front of a TV. I'm a little surprised that Xfinity would even go this route. As technology becomes more a part of our day-to-day lives, as a society we find ourselves needing to put more effort into finding moments of reflection. Children are especially susceptible because they want to have the best gadgets and can get completely sucked in by the bells and whistles. As adults who are raising children, we need to be conscious that they get their time outside, that they are able to develop who they are away from a screen so that they are smarter about how they interact with technology when it's appropriate.
Even as an adult who makes all her own choices, I find myself reading less. I have always been an avid reader, yet still, since I caved and got a smartphone, I read less. I used to read on buses, trains, planes, in waiting rooms; any time that I had a few minutes to spare, I was reading. Now that I have my smartphone, before I pull out my book, I check to see if I have any moves to make on any of the games where I am competing with friends to roll dice or find words or whatever is the game of the moment. It's super lame, reading is so much better, but I gravitate towards the stupid games because they are easier.
The point of the story is, we spend so much time in front of a screen, when we actually do go into the woods, out onto the water, or into nature in general, we should put the technology away and experience the actual world around us (and the people, there are real people out there!). I'm sure as a parent, it is easier to distract an antsy kid with a glowing screen, but sometimes it's better to let them get bored enough to find a way to entertain themselves, the old fashioned way.
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