Caveat: Narcissism With An Existential Crisis Right At The End

Students pass notes, as I’ve observed before. And then teachers – at least, curious and somewhat authoritarian teachers such as myself – confiscate notes, not to punish but more as a study in adolescent anthropology. But this student’s note (I’m not sure if he wrote it, or his friend, and I’m not sure it matters who wrote it) is quite incomprehensible.

picture

Without stating the boy’s name, I will only point out –  for those not familiar with Korean handwriting – that the boy’s name is the only writing in the note. It’s repeated between equals signs, except for the final not-equals sign. So you might say the content of the note, roughly, is as follows:

To Joe
Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe = Joe ≠ Joe
From Joe

As the title says, this seems like narcissism, with an existential crisis right at the end.


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Caveat: Pronunciation Guy Is Very Afraid

pictureThis picture at left is “Pronunciation Guy.” I have a few visual “mascots” that I use in teaching. The alligator is the most well-known, both in his toy version and his artistically rendered version. But “Pronunciation Guy” was created with his large mouth, seen from the side, for a specific reason. Sometimes I apply my knowledge of articulatory phonetics to try to help students sort out some of the mysteries of English pronunciation. Mostly L vs R, but also things like labiodental fricatives or schwas. I’m careful not to get too carried away, but Pronunciation Guy can be handy, because I can move his tongue and lips around in different drawings.

Work is so absorbing these days, I do very little else. A coworker asked me what I do in the mornings (since hagwon work is afternoon and evening work). I shrugged, and made something up, because lately, it seems like I just wake up and putter around and suddenly several hours have passed and I have to head off to work. I’m puzzled at my failure to use my own time effectively. More than puzzled – I’m distressed.


What I’m listening to right now.

The Black Keys, “Psychotic Girl.”


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