Thursday, March 27, 2008

Mean people *suck*

Yes, they do. I want to know are people born with "mean streaks" or does it just happens spur the moment.

I will admit I am a sensitive person and my feelings get trampled on quite easily. I am working though on building a much thicker shell. I seem to have done so professionally, but personally I am still way lacking.

Two instances happened in the last week.

1) In NYC this weekend (yes, we finally took the plunge and went - it rocked - and I think my Peds has fallen in love all over again *s*) we were walking around through one of the nearby parks (Prospect Park I believe). Anyway, so we're walking around, Peds, GG and I. We were basically walking like we owned the sidewalk. But, whatever - there was plenty of room for everyone to get around us. Low and behold some biker as he speeds at us decided to yell and tell us we had the whole other half of the sidewalk to use - "so use it." As he yells the "so use it" bit he frickin' HIT ME. Hello -- we live in a world where you cannot touch a stranger, let alone hit a stranger. The whole yelling and touching me thing really threw me off course.

*Naturally I got over it. And, more importantly, I realized and accepted that not everyone is as nice as us Midwesterners ;). New Yorkers may not be the most friendly people, but then again their minute is half of ours. Anywho....

2) Picture this: It's raining, sleeting and snowing. I have two big bags strapped around my shoulders, as I am trying to balance an umbrella and find my bus pass. Mind you, one of these bags contains some very important paperwork, of which cannot get wet. I get my bus pass in order and then get to the stop and wait for my autobus. I knew I had a good 15 minutes to wait. No biggie. Well - one bus passes. I can't see if it is my number so I get closer to the road. It's not my bus, I step back. Bus #2 comes by, I repeat same step. Once I realize it is not my bus I look away and mind my own buz-nass. OR SO I THOUGHT. So the flipping bus driver decides that she'd pull the bus over and scold me on my bus catching etiquette. "Ma'am, when you don't want the bus to stop you should stand further back." (No one got on that bus, as it was just me at the stop. To top that off - no one got off because there was NO ONE on her bus). She made the point of having a stick up her ass my problem. Must be a huge inconvenience when you have to take an extra 10 seconds to stop the bus. Not to mention that you would have had to stop anyway since the traffic light was red.

#2 put me over the edge today. Do people try to make other people's lives miserable? Both these instances were totally uncalled for - not needed. It's like a peacock ruffling their feathers to show they are better and bigger that you. Disgusting.

Now - I know I have my bad days. I just really hope I have never set someone off, or ruined their day as much as some of these mean spirited people have the capability of doing.

It all goes back to that golden rule:
"Treat others as you want to be treated"

Momma had something right. Those are words to live by. Hope these two people find better ways to get their points across in the future... along with all the other meanies out there.


Monday, March 17, 2008

Oh to be Irish!

So says everyone on March 17th, aka Saint Patrick's Day (SPD).

It's funny actually because on SPD everyone is Irish. It doesn't matter if you even have an ounce of Irish blood in your body - as long as you have an irish brew in hand (on in-vitro) you're all good.

As I head to work this morning I was already amazed by the amount of people walking around, obviously not working, on a Monday morning. There was a street closed even, coned off and completed covered by an overhanging tent.

So here's my dilemma with SPD. Not everyone is Irish. And, more importantly, just because you are Irish doesn't mean you celebrate your heritage, or for that matter even know why you are celebrating your heritage on March 17. Most participate in the day solely to drink. I often wonder if the true Irishmen would shake their heads at the commodity it has become here. Then, again maybe they'd lift up their glasses and drink right along with you.

From my experience in the homelands, I'm pretty sure they would do they latter. They seems to be happy and very welcoming drunks. (At least they sure are during bachelor parties ;))

It's not that I frown upon those who use SPD as an excuse to get drunk, wear green and get drunk. I just have never understood why it matters so much. I'm 50% Irish. Proud of it. Then again, I'm just as proud of the other 50% mutt I am, it's just those days don't have a day to celebrate. It would be nice that amongst the madness of SPD if people cared about their heritage the other 364 days of the year. If you are so proud of being Irish, the why don't you plan a trip over there? Taste Guinness how it was meant to taste. Regardless, you can be 100% Irish, but it doesn't make you 100% Irish because when it all comes down to it - we're Irish AMERICAN here folks! We live in America, not Ireland.

Anyway - I do plan on enjoying a black&tan or something to that nature today. While doing it I'll reflect on the awesome time I had over there... :)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Maestra, maestra

I forget what movie I heard this in, or more importantly, what famous person said this, but I could not at times agree more.

"Those you can - do.
Those who can't - teach."

Now please allow me to disclaim this statement before we go into any further discussion.
I have all the compassion and respect for teachers that one could possibly have. I admire those who throw themselves into classrooms -of children and young adults of all ages- to inspire them to learn. This truly is a commendable act, and one that should not go unnoticed. Especially considered they are always facing cuts, lay offs, criticism and, not the mention, the hyper active/I want it now/ADHD/ selfish brats that comprise at least 20% of their classroom.

I for one could never (even if I started college with the mind-set I would be a K-12 teacher) ever teach. I have my swing at the most bratty, spoiled, self-centered (and might I add STUPID) young whippersnappers when I was in Spain. It was obvious these children did not want to learn English. It was also obvious that their parents didn't want them around - shopping, eating and socializing was much more important than *gasp* parenting. To make a long story short - I hated it.

Although -- I have always thought about teaching in a college setting. Something about having students in your class that actually want to be there has some real sex appeal. It also seems like it would much more rewarding, and that you could build a much stronger bond. Hell, maybe even make a difference in one of their lives. Oh my!

So here's where the going gets rough.

In order to teach at an university level should you first be a professional. Can a law professor teach law students without ever having worked? Should a med student be taught by someone who was only ever a student? Should an English professor teach without ever having had been published?

At first my inclination would be to say - why yes! By golly, if they are trained and skilled (and take continuing ed courses) then yes, yes they should. Well --- turns out I don't feel that way anymore.

Bless the hearts of my teachers in college for all they did. Truly, I mean that. But, there may have been some instances that what I am doing now in my career have absolutely nothing to do with my college education. In fact, some skills I learned in college weren't taught to me how it would be effective in the real world. Let's take PR for example. How to Write a Press Release 101. If the teacher has never actually done this in the real-world, pitched it in the real-world and done the nasty job of making the damn clip book in the real-world then I don't think they should be accessing a student's work. (*Please note this is only an example*)

You don't know how green the grass is on the other side until you get there. So friggin' get there! For the benefit of the feeble minds of your students - get there! (okay, that was over the top, but still....).

I've secretly always wanted to teach college (or at least H.S) Spanish classes. Well, may the truth be told, until the day comes when maybe I actually consider doing it - I am going to be a master in my field. I am going to know the inner working of every irregular verb, the meaning of "old Spanish" and even have the accent down. That is what is fair to students - what they deserve. Especially at the university level. Students pay for expert knowledge.

If they wanted to hear what the textbook said (even if it was updated yearly in this ever-changing world of ours) they could get that on their own. Teachers should be the ones who offer personal insights and "real-world' examples. Because in the end, most students don't become professors - they go out and do. They don't go out and teach (in a classroom that is).

This would have been way too advanced for my limited Spanish to write. Maybe I'll try though and post it to Pedro's blog... ;)

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Political distress?

This post is for Alvaro - the political blogger ;)
A ver si escribo un poquito en espanol, pq la verdad es que creo saber lo que piensan en el otro lado del mar de lo que esta pasando aqui de momento con las elecciones.

I am going to disclaim this post. I am not interested, neither uninterested in politics. I just never have found the time to get involved or really find a reason to care to get involved. Es que realmente no me importa mucho. Dicen que cada persona tiene la oportunidad de cambiar el mundo con su voto. Pues, va a ser que esto es una mentira enorme. Se llama Florida. (Por lo cual, se llama Sr. W).

Bueno, me parece estupendo que por fin hemos avanzados como pais para poder tener una mujer y un hombre negro que quieren ser el/la presidente/presidenta ;). Pero, pregunto - estamos preparados para esto? Hay muchos machuistas que no creen que una mujer puede hacer un trabajo como un hombre. Tal vez, hay muchas mujeres que no creen que una mujer puede hacer el mismo trabajo que un hombre.

El hecho de que tenemos a un negro en las elecciones es una novedad. Pero me temo que el sur no piensa lo mismo - es que todavia hay mucho racismo. Y por mi experiencia en los EEUU no creo que somos tan cerrados sobre la raza como otros paises.

El problema es este: No me parecce que estemos preparados para este cambio. Y lo peor de esto es que si no ganan los democratas (dems), volveremos otra vez a tener a los republicanos. Tampoco me parece mal, porque ya todo el pais dice que cualquier presidente que tengamos en 2008 va a ser muchisimo mejor de lo que tenemos ahora. Punto.

Tengo mucha curiosidad por saber lo que piensan en el resto del mundo de los politicos de aqui. Se que Sr. W no tiene relaciones buenas con nadie - pero como es visto desde fuera un presidente negro o una mujer como presidente?

Si siempre decimos que somos algunos de los paises mas fuertes y poderosos del mundo (que tampoco es verdad, pero es la imagen) porque la gente aqui no se siente comoda en tener un cambio radical de candidato? Pues yo no lo se.

Dire que me importa lo que pasa, pero la verdad es que en estos momentos me parece una gilipollez que esta gente esta gastando tanto dinero para "ser presidente" en vez de usar este dinero para algo mucho mas importante -- como nuestra puta economia (por ejemplo).

Pues, va a ser que no he escrito casi nada en ingles y se que mi espanol esta hecho una mierda. Perdonadme, pero es que ya apenas escribo espanol, y ya casi no lo hablamos.... :(