I had a blog post all set to go about New Year's Resolutions (and my inability to keep the one that I really tried to keep this year - blogging more often). It was, in my opinion, somewhat funny, something people could find commonality in, but overall, something that I hoped would entertain. The problem is that it was taking me WAY too long to finish. I started it the week after New Year's Day and I kept abandoning it and coming back. I couldn't really get it just right, and it was really bothering me.
Then it hit me. I realized that I was having such a hard time with it because I have been getting away from the reason that I started this blog.
Showing posts with label Celebreality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celebreality. Show all posts
Monday, January 23, 2012
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Almost famous, again
Book signings and promotional interviews...
What did I almost have in common with Chelsea Handler, Kathy Griffin and Tina Fey?
Over the summer, I was almost an author of a major publication! Seriously!
Here's the story...early in the summer, an established author put out a call for co-authors through some academic circles. And while the premise of the book was engineering, it wasn't a textbook. Instead, it was meant to be a collection of nuggets of info that one learns as an engineering student.
It was a book about engineering for non-engineers!
Right away, I got excited. I felt like there was SO MUCH that I could contribute to this book. It seemed like the perfect fit.
So I reached out to the author, forwarded him my resume and told him what I thought I could bring to the table. He promptly put me on his short list. What followed were a few weeks (which felt like months) of back and forth, bouncing ideas off of each other. The further we got into the process, the more I felt like I was getting into a relationship.
First, the awkward getting-to-know you phase.
He called and we chatted and learned more about each other. Of course, I tried to charm him with my personality. And while he was a pretty serious guy, he still laughed at my jokes and sounded interested in my teaching philosophy. He's an architect so we talked about how we both had preconceived notions of the other's occupation. I listened to him talk about his journey as an author and why he wanted to write this book. In the end, I hung up the phone and thought my chances were great.
First writing dates, that is. I was one of about 5 finalists so for the next step, I had to come up with a few writing samples on the topic that we would work on together. The goal, of course was to see if we had the right "chemistry." I quickly came up with a few ideas and sent them along.
At first, it was great. He had a bunch of suggestions and ideas that he bounced right back to me. We were both excited. I agreed with some of his ideas and disagreed with others, but when I made revisions, I always thought they were vast improvements. We were working together to make ourselves collectively better!
But then the reality of being in a relationship sets in...
I thought my ideas were fantastic and I began to think that this could be my moment of greatness. We spoke a few times and we emailed each other frequently. Every time I gave him samples that I thought could not go wrong, he would come back wanting something more, or something less.
It got harder for me to predict what he would want from me. I would tweak my samples and think that this would be the edit that clicked and he would offer me the job. But after a day or two, he would come back with more changes. I was sometimes confused and other times frustrated by his directives, and I perceived that he was probably equally frustrated and confused by me. We were both still hopeful, but we didn't seem to be communicating on the same plane.
This was where I kind of felt like I was on The Bachelor. He was having a hard time making a decision so he decided to call all the candidates one more time to talk about where we were in the process. We re-connected. He talked about what I brought to the table that he really liked, but also expressed his concerns over the things that I lacked. His problem was that none of us (his finalists) really were the "perfect package" for him, so he was trying spark that additional something in all of us to see who could rise to the top.
I said that I understood and that I still wanted to make it work. We said we would re-group and I would send him yet another edit that would hopefully show that I could bring that extra quality that he was looking for. Still, I could feel myself getting more detatched.
Maybe it was the amount of time the process had taken. Maybe I panicked when I thought of how much time I had already spent on it and I didn't feel like we had made any progress. Most likely, it was because I came to understand that he and I did not have the same vision for this book. And since he was the primary author, I knew that if I did get the job, I would likely continue to be frustrated and confused for the duration of the collaboration.
The Break Up
I love a good challenge so I hated to quit, but I couldn't see the relationship going in a good direction. After much deliberation, I emailed him and withdrew my name from consideration. He said he was disappointed, tried to get me to change my mind, but in the end, he respected my wishes. We wished each other well and moved on.
I hope he found what he was looking for and I am disappointed that I couldn't find the "magic" with him, but it just wasn't a good fit. And so it wasn't meant to be! My brush with (almost) fame was just a brush.
Oh well, there's always that dream to be on Big Brother...
What did I almost have in common with Chelsea Handler, Kathy Griffin and Tina Fey?
Over the summer, I was almost an author of a major publication! Seriously!
Here's the story...early in the summer, an established author put out a call for co-authors through some academic circles. And while the premise of the book was engineering, it wasn't a textbook. Instead, it was meant to be a collection of nuggets of info that one learns as an engineering student.
It was a book about engineering for non-engineers!
Right away, I got excited. I felt like there was SO MUCH that I could contribute to this book. It seemed like the perfect fit.
So I reached out to the author, forwarded him my resume and told him what I thought I could bring to the table. He promptly put me on his short list. What followed were a few weeks (which felt like months) of back and forth, bouncing ideas off of each other. The further we got into the process, the more I felt like I was getting into a relationship.
First, the awkward getting-to-know you phase.
He called and we chatted and learned more about each other. Of course, I tried to charm him with my personality. And while he was a pretty serious guy, he still laughed at my jokes and sounded interested in my teaching philosophy. He's an architect so we talked about how we both had preconceived notions of the other's occupation. I listened to him talk about his journey as an author and why he wanted to write this book. In the end, I hung up the phone and thought my chances were great.
Next, the bliss of the first dates.
First writing dates, that is. I was one of about 5 finalists so for the next step, I had to come up with a few writing samples on the topic that we would work on together. The goal, of course was to see if we had the right "chemistry." I quickly came up with a few ideas and sent them along.
At first, it was great. He had a bunch of suggestions and ideas that he bounced right back to me. We were both excited. I agreed with some of his ideas and disagreed with others, but when I made revisions, I always thought they were vast improvements. We were working together to make ourselves collectively better!
But then the reality of being in a relationship sets in...
I thought my ideas were fantastic and I began to think that this could be my moment of greatness. We spoke a few times and we emailed each other frequently. Every time I gave him samples that I thought could not go wrong, he would come back wanting something more, or something less.
It got harder for me to predict what he would want from me. I would tweak my samples and think that this would be the edit that clicked and he would offer me the job. But after a day or two, he would come back with more changes. I was sometimes confused and other times frustrated by his directives, and I perceived that he was probably equally frustrated and confused by me. We were both still hopeful, but we didn't seem to be communicating on the same plane.
We talk it out...
This was where I kind of felt like I was on The Bachelor. He was having a hard time making a decision so he decided to call all the candidates one more time to talk about where we were in the process. We re-connected. He talked about what I brought to the table that he really liked, but also expressed his concerns over the things that I lacked. His problem was that none of us (his finalists) really were the "perfect package" for him, so he was trying spark that additional something in all of us to see who could rise to the top.
I said that I understood and that I still wanted to make it work. We said we would re-group and I would send him yet another edit that would hopefully show that I could bring that extra quality that he was looking for. Still, I could feel myself getting more detatched.
 |
| Will I get the proverbial "final rose"?! |
...then I decide to end it
Maybe it was the amount of time the process had taken. Maybe I panicked when I thought of how much time I had already spent on it and I didn't feel like we had made any progress. Most likely, it was because I came to understand that he and I did not have the same vision for this book. And since he was the primary author, I knew that if I did get the job, I would likely continue to be frustrated and confused for the duration of the collaboration.
I love a good challenge so I hated to quit, but I couldn't see the relationship going in a good direction. After much deliberation, I emailed him and withdrew my name from consideration. He said he was disappointed, tried to get me to change my mind, but in the end, he respected my wishes. We wished each other well and moved on.
I hope he found what he was looking for and I am disappointed that I couldn't find the "magic" with him, but it just wasn't a good fit. And so it wasn't meant to be! My brush with (almost) fame was just a brush.
Oh well, there's always that dream to be on Big Brother...
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Cinematic
For as much as I love/am semi-obsessed with pop culture, I surprisingly have a difficult time getting into movies. There are many classics that I've never seen, though I could probably tell you the plot line and/or the stars of the movie.
I attribute a lot of this to the fact that anything too violent or scary was either banned by my parents or gave me too many nightmares to even think about. As a side note, I had a LOT of nightmares as a kid so the thought of watching any kind of suspense or horror flick was almost laughably ridiculous. I had nightmares about Freddy Krueger...which was even more terrifying because I was convinced I was therefore going to die in my sleep.
So as a result, I developed a love for comedies and love stories. Yes, your typical chick flicks and 80's comedies. Needless to say, John Hughes films were in heavy rotation for me and of course I wanted to dress like Molly Ringwald and date a Brat Pack-er (when I wasn't pining after Duran Duran, Ralph Macchio, or River Phoenix).
In the 25-ish years since my discovery of the sweet yet hilarious genius of Hughes films, I've acquired a list of films - most that came out in the 90's or early 2000's - that I don't think got the recognition they deserved, even if they are movies that everyone knows. So here are some of my superlative movies that I feel, for one reason or another, did not and have not gotten the recognition that they deserve as "classics" in their own way.
It can be argued that this, as every Disney movie, is a classic. But I had to include it on this list because in my mind this is the best. Disney. movie. EVER.
There is no other Disney movie that I sing along to more than The Little Mermaid. Maybe it's because it came out when I was in high school and really into show tunes. Maybe it's because the chaperone/crab sounded like the guy from the 7-Up commercials (look it up, kids). I can't pinpoint the reason I loved it so.
All I know is that when I got my wisdom teeth out in college, the only thing I wanted to do was snuggle with my stuffed "Flounder" toy and watch The Little Mermaid over and over and over again.
Farley. Spade. And the world-wide introduction of "fat guy in a little coat."
Before digital video recorders, my roommate LAF and I would pop this into the VCR at least once a week and watch it. It got to the point that I could not only quote the entire movie, but I perfected the fast forward/stop timing to hit the (numerous) scenes that would bring me to tears with laughter. There are too many hilarious moments in this movie for me to quote right now....but here are some of my favorites (besides the aforementioned "fat guy" comment):
"Did I hear a 'niner' in there? Are you on a walkie talkie?"
"Your head is a thick candy shell."
"Bees! They're everywhere! Save yourself!"
"Brothers don't shake hands. BROTHERS GOTTA HUG!"
"Shut up, Richard."
I do believe that this movie was the beginning of my obsession with Ashton Kutcher. While I enjoyed him in That 70's Show, I frankly preferred the nerdy, awkward character of Eric (Topher Grace) to the dim, vain Kelso.
So I never thought much of him until I saw him as the romantic lead in this movie. He and Amanda Peete had really good chemistry, and you were never quite sure where the story was going to take you. Both characters were funny, believable, and if you're a sap like me, made your heart ache a little throughout the movie. Rent it and see for yourself.
Here's one of my favorite moments. Bon Jovi? Ashton Kutcher? What's not to like?
I remember hearing about this movie when it came out because it had Mandy Moore in it and I think this may have been one of her first "lead actress" roles, plus it was based on a very popular book (which I of course had not read). Then I remember hearing how over-the-top cheesy it was and, as with any movie based on a book, how the book was "soooo much better."
So I didn't bother to try to watch it. Until one day when I was out of town for work, in my hotel room alone after a long day. I had just finished working and, knowing full well that I had to wake up at 4 AM the next day, I flipped to TBS or TNT and the movie had just started...at 11 PM. I was of course riveted immediately, HAD to stay up to watch the end and sobbed my way to sleep shortly after 1 AM.
I don't know if it it was the lack of sleep and exhaustion, the storyline (which I didn't know much about before I watched it) or Mandy Moore. But I was not just tearing up...I was HEAVING SOBS and went through probably about half a box of tissues. Tearjerker, indeed.
Long before Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph were the Bridesmaid and bride, we had Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate and Selma Blair as a seriously hysterical trio of friends. They were rude and crude but hilarious and believable. Maybe the situations they got themselves into weren't so plausible, but can't you say the same about The Hangover [what's less believable...taking a road trip to crash a wedding and meet up with some guy you randomly met at a club or stealing Mike Tyson's tiger?]? The appeal was that I saw and heard so many of my own conversations with my crazy friends in it.
They were who we were, who we wanted to be, and who we were glad that we weren't.
Here's one choice scene. Oh, gravity...
I love everything about this movie. It is hilarious. It makes me cry. The actresses have amazing chemistry and make the story so riveting. After Mystic Pizza but before Pretty Woman, this movie helped the world "discover" Julia Roberts. She was gorgeous and a fantastic actress, more than holding her own against the likes of Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis.
And best of all, it's almost as quotable for me as Tommy Boy! Granted, in a much different way, but quotable nonetheless.
"My colors are blush and bashful...Pink is my signature color."
"You know what they say, if you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me!"
"The only thing that separates us from animals is our ability to accessorize"
"Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion"
What would YOU add to this list? Tell me in the comments section!
I attribute a lot of this to the fact that anything too violent or scary was either banned by my parents or gave me too many nightmares to even think about. As a side note, I had a LOT of nightmares as a kid so the thought of watching any kind of suspense or horror flick was almost laughably ridiculous. I had nightmares about Freddy Krueger...which was even more terrifying because I was convinced I was therefore going to die in my sleep.
So as a result, I developed a love for comedies and love stories. Yes, your typical chick flicks and 80's comedies. Needless to say, John Hughes films were in heavy rotation for me and of course I wanted to dress like Molly Ringwald and date a Brat Pack-er (when I wasn't pining after Duran Duran, Ralph Macchio, or River Phoenix).
 |
| The "Brat Pack" in their St. Elmo's Fire heyday |
In the 25-ish years since my discovery of the sweet yet hilarious genius of Hughes films, I've acquired a list of films - most that came out in the 90's or early 2000's - that I don't think got the recognition they deserved, even if they are movies that everyone knows. So here are some of my superlative movies that I feel, for one reason or another, did not and have not gotten the recognition that they deserve as "classics" in their own way.
Best sign of Disney's resurgence, pre-Pixar:
It can be argued that this, as every Disney movie, is a classic. But I had to include it on this list because in my mind this is the best. Disney. movie. EVER.
There is no other Disney movie that I sing along to more than The Little Mermaid. Maybe it's because it came out when I was in high school and really into show tunes. Maybe it's because the chaperone/crab sounded like the guy from the 7-Up commercials (look it up, kids). I can't pinpoint the reason I loved it so.
All I know is that when I got my wisdom teeth out in college, the only thing I wanted to do was snuggle with my stuffed "Flounder" toy and watch The Little Mermaid over and over and over again.
Best flashback at a tragic comic genius - 90's version:
Farley. Spade. And the world-wide introduction of "fat guy in a little coat."
Before digital video recorders, my roommate LAF and I would pop this into the VCR at least once a week and watch it. It got to the point that I could not only quote the entire movie, but I perfected the fast forward/stop timing to hit the (numerous) scenes that would bring me to tears with laughter. There are too many hilarious moments in this movie for me to quote right now....but here are some of my favorites (besides the aforementioned "fat guy" comment):
"Did I hear a 'niner' in there? Are you on a walkie talkie?"
"Your head is a thick candy shell."
"Bees! They're everywhere! Save yourself!"
"Brothers don't shake hands. BROTHERS GOTTA HUG!"
"Shut up, Richard."
Best rom-com you've never heard of: A Lot Like Love
I do believe that this movie was the beginning of my obsession with Ashton Kutcher. While I enjoyed him in That 70's Show, I frankly preferred the nerdy, awkward character of Eric (Topher Grace) to the dim, vain Kelso.
 |
| Hotties |
So I never thought much of him until I saw him as the romantic lead in this movie. He and Amanda Peete had really good chemistry, and you were never quite sure where the story was going to take you. Both characters were funny, believable, and if you're a sap like me, made your heart ache a little throughout the movie. Rent it and see for yourself.
Here's one of my favorite moments. Bon Jovi? Ashton Kutcher? What's not to like?
Cheesiest Tearjerker not called "The Notebook":
I remember hearing about this movie when it came out because it had Mandy Moore in it and I think this may have been one of her first "lead actress" roles, plus it was based on a very popular book (which I of course had not read). Then I remember hearing how over-the-top cheesy it was and, as with any movie based on a book, how the book was "soooo much better."
So I didn't bother to try to watch it. Until one day when I was out of town for work, in my hotel room alone after a long day. I had just finished working and, knowing full well that I had to wake up at 4 AM the next day, I flipped to TBS or TNT and the movie had just started...at 11 PM. I was of course riveted immediately, HAD to stay up to watch the end and sobbed my way to sleep shortly after 1 AM.
I don't know if it it was the lack of sleep and exhaustion, the storyline (which I didn't know much about before I watched it) or Mandy Moore. But I was not just tearing up...I was HEAVING SOBS and went through probably about half a box of tissues. Tearjerker, indeed.
The original "female-version-of-The Hangover":
Long before Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph were the Bridesmaid and bride, we had Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate and Selma Blair as a seriously hysterical trio of friends. They were rude and crude but hilarious and believable. Maybe the situations they got themselves into weren't so plausible, but can't you say the same about The Hangover [what's less believable...taking a road trip to crash a wedding and meet up with some guy you randomly met at a club or stealing Mike Tyson's tiger?]? The appeal was that I saw and heard so many of my own conversations with my crazy friends in it.
They were who we were, who we wanted to be, and who we were glad that we weren't.
Here's one choice scene. Oh, gravity...
Movie that will always make me smile: Steel Magnolias
I love everything about this movie. It is hilarious. It makes me cry. The actresses have amazing chemistry and make the story so riveting. After Mystic Pizza but before Pretty Woman, this movie helped the world "discover" Julia Roberts. She was gorgeous and a fantastic actress, more than holding her own against the likes of Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis.
And best of all, it's almost as quotable for me as Tommy Boy! Granted, in a much different way, but quotable nonetheless.
"My colors are blush and bashful...Pink is my signature color."
"You know what they say, if you don't have anything nice to say, come sit by me!"
"The only thing that separates us from animals is our ability to accessorize"
"Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion"
What would YOU add to this list? Tell me in the comments section!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
So Moeny style and song
I have a post that I started last week and have worked on for a few days. BUT unfortunately, it isn't at the point where I feel like it's "just right." So in the meantime, I thought I'd share a couple of links to tide over any of you who may be looking for a little light summer entertainment. :)
Stylin' and profilin'
The first is my 15 minutes of not-exactly-fame! Back in the spring at the end of the semester, I was walking from my office to my car when I got stopped by a man with a camera who asked if he could take my picture. Now, when I get stopped on campus, it's usually because someone wants to ask for directions or a group of students are asking me to make a donation to some cause, so this was a little jarring for me. He then explained that he wrote a style blog for the local paper, the Roanoke Times. Never missing a chance for a photo op, I said sure! Here's the result:
http://blogs.roanoke.com/stylestreet/
A second listen
OK so...I am a bit of a Howard Stern fan. Have been since I lived in Hoboken. There, I said it.
We stopped listening to Howard out of necessity when he moved off of "terrestrial radio" and onto Sirius satellite radio. Living in Baltimore at the time, we didn't feel the need to splurge for satellite just to hear Howard. But once we moved here and realized that a good portion of our road trips were through radio "dead zones," we decide that satellite was a good option for us now. We love it for many reasons, but an added bonus we can listen to Howard again!
Anyway, this past week, there was a lot of buzz surrounding Howard's interview with Lady Gaga. I've listened to replays a couple of times throughout the weekend and I have to say that many of my opinions of her as a person and artist changed after this interview. And regardless of what your opinion of her may be, I urge you to view the video below.
This is the version of her song "Edge of Glory" that she performed in Howard's studio. It was simply her voice and a piano (which she played) but it completely changed my opinion of this song. I feel like the radio version of this song is extremely pop, nothing really unique or spectacular, and even its 80's influences (i.e. cheesy sax solo) couldn't really sway me.
Then I heard this version and the story behind it, and it was like a totally new song for me. I'm still not a 100% fan of the radio version, but now I can at least envision this and have a new appreciation for it.
Please please please...no matter what you think of Lady Gaga, I ask you to take about 5 minutes to watch this video!
As a background: she wrote this song as/after she was with her grandfather as he was dying. It was inspired by her (and her father's) feelings on watching her grandfather's last breaths and coming to terms with that moment. [You'll notice that she says, "That's about the tequila" after she sings the line "Another shot before we kiss the other side." This is in reference to the fact that she and her dad did a tequila shot when they took a moment to themselves and left the hospice just before (or after...I forget) her grandfather passed away.]
Stylin' and profilin'
The first is my 15 minutes of not-exactly-fame! Back in the spring at the end of the semester, I was walking from my office to my car when I got stopped by a man with a camera who asked if he could take my picture. Now, when I get stopped on campus, it's usually because someone wants to ask for directions or a group of students are asking me to make a donation to some cause, so this was a little jarring for me. He then explained that he wrote a style blog for the local paper, the Roanoke Times. Never missing a chance for a photo op, I said sure! Here's the result:
http://blogs.roanoke.com/stylestreet/
A second listen
OK so...I am a bit of a Howard Stern fan. Have been since I lived in Hoboken. There, I said it.
We stopped listening to Howard out of necessity when he moved off of "terrestrial radio" and onto Sirius satellite radio. Living in Baltimore at the time, we didn't feel the need to splurge for satellite just to hear Howard. But once we moved here and realized that a good portion of our road trips were through radio "dead zones," we decide that satellite was a good option for us now. We love it for many reasons, but an added bonus we can listen to Howard again!
Anyway, this past week, there was a lot of buzz surrounding Howard's interview with Lady Gaga. I've listened to replays a couple of times throughout the weekend and I have to say that many of my opinions of her as a person and artist changed after this interview. And regardless of what your opinion of her may be, I urge you to view the video below.
This is the version of her song "Edge of Glory" that she performed in Howard's studio. It was simply her voice and a piano (which she played) but it completely changed my opinion of this song. I feel like the radio version of this song is extremely pop, nothing really unique or spectacular, and even its 80's influences (i.e. cheesy sax solo) couldn't really sway me.
Then I heard this version and the story behind it, and it was like a totally new song for me. I'm still not a 100% fan of the radio version, but now I can at least envision this and have a new appreciation for it.
Please please please...no matter what you think of Lady Gaga, I ask you to take about 5 minutes to watch this video!
As a background: she wrote this song as/after she was with her grandfather as he was dying. It was inspired by her (and her father's) feelings on watching her grandfather's last breaths and coming to terms with that moment. [You'll notice that she says, "That's about the tequila" after she sings the line "Another shot before we kiss the other side." This is in reference to the fact that she and her dad did a tequila shot when they took a moment to themselves and left the hospice just before (or after...I forget) her grandfather passed away.]
Simply beautiful!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Swiss Miss
2 blogs at once! Craziness!
I'll be making my first trips to Switzerland and Italy and I am excited, but as it is a "work trip" and not a vacation, I am on someone else's schedule. If you know me, you know how difficult it is for me to give up the reins so this is a major accomplishment for me. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to playing tourist and checking out some historical structures and just seeing some new countries.
I hope to get a chance to blog while I'm abroad but if not, don't miss me too much! :) In the meantime, here is my wish list for things to happen in the U.S. while I'm not here:
Well, that's all I've got for tonight. Ciao!
I'll be making my first trips to Switzerland and Italy and I am excited, but as it is a "work trip" and not a vacation, I am on someone else's schedule. If you know me, you know how difficult it is for me to give up the reins so this is a major accomplishment for me. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to playing tourist and checking out some historical structures and just seeing some new countries.
I hope to get a chance to blog while I'm abroad but if not, don't miss me too much! :) In the meantime, here is my wish list for things to happen in the U.S. while I'm not here:
- For no natural disasters or major domestic crises. (Gotta start with the serious one.)
- For Marlon and Eli to not (a) injure themselves or (b) cause too much trouble at Flying Fur! - the dog spa
For "King James" to lose in the NBA Finals.(Oops! Already got that one.)- For UVA to win the College World Series!!
- For that cute girl with the short pixie haircut and round face and that dude named Wadi to NOT be eliminated on So You Think You Can Dance. I want to see them when I get back!
- For Christina Aguilera to pull herself together, for goodness sake (hair brush, properly fitting clothing, easy on the spray tan. It's not hard.) and...
- For Britney Spears to not get injured or go crazy so I can see her, as scheduled, in July!
Well, that's all I've got for tonight. Ciao!
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| The villa in Riva San Vitale where we'll be! |
Monday, February 21, 2011
Everyone Could Use a Holiday
"Raise your hand if you think it's the engineer's fault? ... Raise your hand if you think it's the contractor's fault? ... Raise your hand if you're not paying attention? ..."
Yes folks, this actually came out of my mouth during class today.
And yes, everyone is ready for spring break.
As I looked out into the abyss that is my warehouse-like classroom, there were a lot of things that went through my head. I confess that most of these thoughts had absolutely nothing to do with what I was talking about. Honestly, this happens to me a lot. I mean, it's not so crippling that I lose my train of thought, but it happens often enough that I have (easily) come up with a list of my top 10 thoughts in class (outside of the material I'm teaching, of course). Here they are, in no particular order.
1. "Dude, wake up. I can see you sleeping."
Seriously? At least TRY to fake it.
2. "Wow - a packed house. They must think I'm giving a pop quiz today."
Because after 4 semesters, sometimes I truly believe that's the only reason they show up.
3. "They look bored. Why are they bored? Because I'm talking about the law? Should I crack a joke? Will they get it? Do I look as weird as I feel?"
This probably goes through my head about 80% of the time that I look up.
4. "Oh my gosh...I just made a reference to something that happened when I was in high school and they weren't even born yet."
Yet another reminder that I am sadly not as young as I feel or look.
5. "Are they gonna get this OJ Simpson reference? Do the words, 'If the glove don't fit, you must acquit' mean anything to them?"
See #4
6. "Hey kid. Get off of Facebook."
Self explanatory. Although in their defense, I probably would have done the same thing in my class...if Facebook, twitter, email (hell, even laptops) were as widespread then as they are now.
7. "I hear you talking and I know you're not talking about proximate cause, vicarious liability or supervening illegality."
I get that it's not the most interesting stuff. And I know you're dying to talk about something else with your buddies. But the least you can do is IM, gchat, tweet, etc. etc. Don't talk to each other in a volume so loud that I can hear you across the room. It's not that hard people.
8. "I wish I knew more people's names."
I know some faces, I know most names, but it makes me sad that I can't always put them together. I feel really strongly that the students don't go through college feeling anonymous, so this one makes me pretty sad.
9. "Please pay attention to me. This is on the exam and I will feel guilty when/if you all don't get it right."
At the end of the day, I know I can only do so much to get them to actually listen. But I get a MAJOR guilt complex if students don't do well on my exams. Rather than blaming it on them not paying attention in class, I blame it on myself. I need to get over this.
10. "I hope I'm getting through to them and they're actually learning."
Despite, (or maybe because of) all the goofing off, I have to say the most gratifying thing for me is when they say thanks or say that they actually enjoyed the class. At times, I know it's difficult to sit through...I even bore myself. But I think that makes it even better when they email me after they've graduated with a story about how they handled an ethical dilemma at work or how they used some of my resume and interview tips to land a job. I know I've actually gotten through to them. And that's a really great feeling. :)
AAANNNDDD... just to cap it off, a GLEE reference!! When I originally saw this particular episode I found Gwyneth Paltrow's character, Holly Holiday, pretty irritating. Then I realized that I may just want to be like her. Aside from hanging out w/Mr. Schuster (which is incentive enough), she gets to spend class time busting out in Top 40 songs and dancing around the room with the students, then going out for tacos!
You go, Holly Holiday!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
South of which border?
Despite what some people on the streets of NYC and the employees of Chipotle think, I am filipina, not hispanic. [True story...Chipotle employees always start talking to me in Spanish. OK, maybe not in the 'burg because they're all white here. But seriously, everywhere else.]
Traditionally, filipinos are known as asian. I do find the term "pacific islander" a little more exotic, but I've been told that this term is meant for people from Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, etc. and not filipinos. Hmph.
Apparently this distinction is not just confusing for me. For example, take this actual exchange between me and one of my closest friends (who I will not expose, though she may out herself):
The Setting: The Mill, aka "Best Bar in DC," circa 2008, T-Pain playing in the background
Friend: Did you know that Jeremy [Mill bartender and CLEARLY asian] is asian?
Me: [blink]
Friend: [smile, sip of drink]
Me: Are you serious?
Friend: Yeah! Did you know that?
Me: Um...yeah. I did. [staring. sip of drink.]
Friend: Oh. [blink]
Me: Wait, you know that I'm asian right?
Friend: Oh come on! You're not asian. [Sip of drink. Exasperated look.] You're a pacific islander.
Fair enough.
Regardless, I do believe that filipinos do get a little confused about our heritage. Things are distinctly filipino, but their roots are in both asian (noodle and rice based dishes) and spanish (meat, meat and more meat dishes) culture. For example, we have eggrolls, which we call "lumpia." However, instead of being filled with cabbage and veggies like chinese eggrolls, they are primarily filled with meat (beef or pork), potatoes and carrots.
Here are four of my favorite, most distinctive filipino traits. I've seen a lot of these lists, but not for a while. So if you know or love a filipino, feel free to comment and add!
1. At least one of following three wooden carvings will be hanging on the home of a filipino: a large fork and spoon, a set of tinikling dancers, a portrait carving of the last supper. My parents had all 3. Promo and I have the fork and spoon.
2. We love to sing and dance. I could tell you the obvious which is that most of us have our own karaoke (or "Magic Sing"), but I prefer to illustrate this fact by giving you a list of famous filipino entertainers, who sing, dance, or both:
3. We have a very distinct way of getting someone's attention. To type it does not do it justice. It is a very terse, loud, "Pssshht!" As a follow up, we will sometimes say "Oy" but usually "Pssshht!" does the trick.
4. That said, we are very friendly, loving people. Close family friends are called "auntie and uncle" (or "tita and tito" if we're going full pinoy) and we legit use the term "godbrother/sister" to describe the child of our godparents (or our parents' godchildren). In truth, my godsisters and godbrothers are truly like family to me. To even call them cousins isn't descriptive enough.
So I don't know tagalog (but my goal is to learn it this year!). And my southern accent still creeps out every now and then. And I may or may not have been pulled into the Puerto Rican Day parade in NYC...
But I am definitely a proud filipina! Mabuhay!
Traditionally, filipinos are known as asian. I do find the term "pacific islander" a little more exotic, but I've been told that this term is meant for people from Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, etc. and not filipinos. Hmph.
Apparently this distinction is not just confusing for me. For example, take this actual exchange between me and one of my closest friends (who I will not expose, though she may out herself):
The Setting: The Mill, aka "Best Bar in DC," circa 2008, T-Pain playing in the background
Friend: Did you know that Jeremy [Mill bartender and CLEARLY asian] is asian?
Me: [blink]
Friend: [smile, sip of drink]
Me: Are you serious?
Friend: Yeah! Did you know that?
Me: Um...yeah. I did. [staring. sip of drink.]
Friend: Oh. [blink]
Me: Wait, you know that I'm asian right?
Friend: Oh come on! You're not asian. [Sip of drink. Exasperated look.] You're a pacific islander.
Fair enough.
 |
| The two non-asian bartenders at the Mill, circa 2008. |
Regardless, I do believe that filipinos do get a little confused about our heritage. Things are distinctly filipino, but their roots are in both asian (noodle and rice based dishes) and spanish (meat, meat and more meat dishes) culture. For example, we have eggrolls, which we call "lumpia." However, instead of being filled with cabbage and veggies like chinese eggrolls, they are primarily filled with meat (beef or pork), potatoes and carrots.
 |
| mmm...lumpia |
Here are four of my favorite, most distinctive filipino traits. I've seen a lot of these lists, but not for a while. So if you know or love a filipino, feel free to comment and add!
1. At least one of following three wooden carvings will be hanging on the home of a filipino: a large fork and spoon, a set of tinikling dancers, a portrait carving of the last supper. My parents had all 3. Promo and I have the fork and spoon.
2. We love to sing and dance. I could tell you the obvious which is that most of us have our own karaoke (or "Magic Sing"), but I prefer to illustrate this fact by giving you a list of famous filipino entertainers, who sing, dance, or both:
- Bruno Mars (who wants to be a billionaire so f'in bad, but will catch a grenade for ya)
- apl.de.ap. (from the Black Eyed Peas. dirty bit.)
- Nicole Scherzinger (Pussycat Doll, and all-around hottie. Dontcha wish your girlfriend was hot like her?)
- Charice (cute pop singer in her own right, most recently seen on Glee defecting to Vocal Adrenaline)
- Darren Criss (hot Blaine from Glee. A Teenage Dream.)
- Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical ex of the dreamy Zach Efron)
- Cheryl Burke (Dancing with the Stars, object of Ochocinco's affection for 5 minutes)
- Napoleon D'umo (from Tabitha & Napoleon, aka Nappytabs, aka kick-ass choreographers)
- ...and pretty much every act on America's Best Dance Crew
3. We have a very distinct way of getting someone's attention. To type it does not do it justice. It is a very terse, loud, "Pssshht!" As a follow up, we will sometimes say "Oy" but usually "Pssshht!" does the trick.
4. That said, we are very friendly, loving people. Close family friends are called "auntie and uncle" (or "tita and tito" if we're going full pinoy) and we legit use the term "godbrother/sister" to describe the child of our godparents (or our parents' godchildren). In truth, my godsisters and godbrothers are truly like family to me. To even call them cousins isn't descriptive enough.
 |
| The fam at a beach in the Philippines, December 1976. Yes, I am topless. Don't judge. |
So I don't know tagalog (but my goal is to learn it this year!). And my southern accent still creeps out every now and then. And I may or may not have been pulled into the Puerto Rican Day parade in NYC...
But I am definitely a proud filipina! Mabuhay!
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