I haven’t done very well with coming up with what might be called “regular features” in my blog. I did really well over the summer with my “Notes for Korean,” but with the press of that nightmarish fall term, I abandoned it. It’s not even that I stopped posting notes… I simply stopped studying Korean altogether. I’ve been having a hard time getting back into a routine, now.
When I’m traveling, I like to say where I am. But that’s not really a feature.
And I love the idea of giving a “soundtrack,” although I haven’t figured out how to actually link in songs and all that… partly, I worry about copyright issues, and also, I’m so anti-Apple that the best online apps out there, which use Apple’s iTunes universe, are kind of off-limits for me.
Just for the sake of trying, today’s soundtrack, walking to work: Cat Stevens, Cafe Tacuba (mexi rock), 소녀시대 (k-pop), BigBang (k-rap), Cold (grunge / alt). “Shuffle” is awesome.
My student Tammy (2nd grade) sent me a message from her cellphone to mine which consisted only of a “cute” animated picture. I managed to capture it, but it’s not animated, now. See at right.
Anyway, I’m going to try for a weekly feature: an attitude barometer. Like most things in this blog, it’s vulnerable to the primary criticism I’ve received… it’s basically narcissistic. Of course. This is really just a diary, right? As long as we’re clear on that, hey, if you don’t want to read it, then don’t, OK?
The attitude barometer consists of a few questions that will have numerical answers. Some positive questions, some negative. Kind of like those questions in the Harper’s Index. The variation in numbers from week to week will provide an indication of my general mood and attitude, mostly about my work.
- Number of times I’ve opened my resignation letter and edited it: 1
- Barrier-surpassing moments of Korean-language usage (outside of work only): 0
- Spirit-destroying moments of Korean-language communication breakdown (outside of work only): 2
- Number of students that have said something to the effect of “teacher, you’re so funny” while fighting off an apoplectic fit of giggles: 3
- Number of times I’ve told someone that I am “much happier than when I was in L.A.”: 3
- Number of times I really meant it (as opposed to the “fake it till you make” approach I’m fond of): 2
- Days I was late to work this week: 2
- Total number of minutes I was late, minus total number of minutes I showed up early: 45
