Well, to recap on Monday first, a student-free PD day. I came away thinking, wow, that was a really inspiring day! The govt has given us $3 million to build a multi-function centre which will revolutionise all sorts of activities at school; they've stuck up lots more colourful shade-sails all over the place which have actually brightened the place up while simultaneously actually making my main classroom a little darker with the lights off, which is good when using the data projector - still no blinds or curtains on the horizon despite years of lobbying.
Our new Head of Library has redesigned and organised the renovation of the library into a bright, comfortable space which appeals to all; she's also created a new website which allows students and staff more interactivity and looks great.
Our new chaplain Lizzie has started us off with an outstanding first service which was professional, engaging, smooth and basically demonstrated the best of an Anglican service. I loved it.
Following some debates in HODs meetings last term, the school is simply getting smarter all the time and taking active steps towards emailing parents a link to the online weekly newsletter rather than tying up photocopiers for a whole day and creating literally hundreds of newsletters, dozens of which never make it home! The money we will save in this way is extraordinary, and should have happened a long time ago.
Yet more good news: the school is finally going to be able to tap into a fibre-optic cable for Internet purposes, kissing goodbye to painful years of dropouts and interference to microwave links and other cables. Teachers were literally punching the sky with that one!
So all in all, a day of tremendous progress and positivity! Just wish I was a little healthier at present to enjoy it more.
Classes have started OK and thank goodness tomorrow is my day of one duty and only one period of teaching, so my voice should get a good rest and I can get a lot of other DVD burning and photocopying done, fingers crossed.
Sitting here watching the end of 'He's Just Not That Into You' - well, a chick flick par excellence with a few funny scenes admittedly - still not really something I can see myself rewatching much!
Also just had a close chess win against a guy who lost on time but it could have gone either way. If you're playing a 30min or shorter game, it certainly helps to build up a time advantage if you can. 'Slow' players will suffer. No more chess tonight, though.
OK, bed time, dudes.
Showing posts with label Anglican. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anglican. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Out of the closet as an Anglican blogger
Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
Oh, that's right. You knew I was an Anglican all along - it must have been my tags that gave me away. Anyway, I like the sound of being an "Anglican blogger."
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Just a quickie...
Knee is going well - starting to feel a few little itches etc, so more ibuprofen going down. Had first shower ever with plastic bag tied around the bandages but all good. Meant to do about 100 leg lifts a day which seems a little weird - not sure how it works upon the knee, but I guess it's about thigh stabilising or something.
What else? More schoolwork - spent a fair amount of time on Youtube and got on to old Rowan Atkinson and Fry & Laurie clips which were a very pleasant memory or else brand new to me. Trying hard to see if I can use them in RAVE - if not, Yr 10 Satire for English will have to do. "A Warm Welcome", "Songs of Praise" and "Apostle's Creed" all have potential, but as they say, all need to be used "carefully". I really wanted a nice clip on Francis of Assisi for Yr 8, but as I feard, the clip which came up features good old Donovan in 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon' stripping off and I fear bare male buttocks won't fly in Yr 8 RAVE classes - I think. Same problem with Jesus of Montreal, probably my favourite movie of all time - just a couple of sequences which might get me some complaints - disappointing, but that's the reality of schools today.
Time to confess I did waste some time playing more online chess at www.chessmaniac.com but must immodestly report I played some of my best chess ever! I won my last three games and must say this site seems to be much more my speed than freechess. The next step is to join one of their teams and meet some other like-minded chess nuts. Looks like a team called the 'Chess Fiends' are seeking my services.
The only downside of Youtube I have yet found is the number of 'militant atheist' videos. There was one which has had more than 6 million hits by a particularly obnoxious sounding American who wants to know why God doesn't cure amputees (!) There was a rather nice rejoinder in another clip where a man asked why the first guy is so sure amputees need to be cured etc. So much of the atheist clip was asking why we can't just use our rational intellect and get over the delusions of religion. I guess if the original atheist had something positive to offer, we'd be onto something. Still, there are good arguments for all sides.
Watched Chaser again tonight - had a few chuckles. The scary part was when they showed genuine middle Eastern news clips featuring Arabs saying the most outrageous things about Israel and the US. I suppose the US Fox Network is almost as bad, really. It strikes me as crucial that 'sound' liberal Anglicans like myself try to become the voice of reason at these times, but will we be drowned out by the extremists on both sides?
Tomorrow, I vow - minimal chess, maximum school work. May even need to try to drive to school to get things, check the office, see if Lizzie has moved in OK, etc. Thanks God for friends and for you and all the good things you have to offer this world. Night night.
What else? More schoolwork - spent a fair amount of time on Youtube and got on to old Rowan Atkinson and Fry & Laurie clips which were a very pleasant memory or else brand new to me. Trying hard to see if I can use them in RAVE - if not, Yr 10 Satire for English will have to do. "A Warm Welcome", "Songs of Praise" and "Apostle's Creed" all have potential, but as they say, all need to be used "carefully". I really wanted a nice clip on Francis of Assisi for Yr 8, but as I feard, the clip which came up features good old Donovan in 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon' stripping off and I fear bare male buttocks won't fly in Yr 8 RAVE classes - I think. Same problem with Jesus of Montreal, probably my favourite movie of all time - just a couple of sequences which might get me some complaints - disappointing, but that's the reality of schools today.
Time to confess I did waste some time playing more online chess at www.chessmaniac.com but must immodestly report I played some of my best chess ever! I won my last three games and must say this site seems to be much more my speed than freechess. The next step is to join one of their teams and meet some other like-minded chess nuts. Looks like a team called the 'Chess Fiends' are seeking my services.
The only downside of Youtube I have yet found is the number of 'militant atheist' videos. There was one which has had more than 6 million hits by a particularly obnoxious sounding American who wants to know why God doesn't cure amputees (!) There was a rather nice rejoinder in another clip where a man asked why the first guy is so sure amputees need to be cured etc. So much of the atheist clip was asking why we can't just use our rational intellect and get over the delusions of religion. I guess if the original atheist had something positive to offer, we'd be onto something. Still, there are good arguments for all sides.
Watched Chaser again tonight - had a few chuckles. The scary part was when they showed genuine middle Eastern news clips featuring Arabs saying the most outrageous things about Israel and the US. I suppose the US Fox Network is almost as bad, really. It strikes me as crucial that 'sound' liberal Anglicans like myself try to become the voice of reason at these times, but will we be drowned out by the extremists on both sides?
Tomorrow, I vow - minimal chess, maximum school work. May even need to try to drive to school to get things, check the office, see if Lizzie has moved in OK, etc. Thanks God for friends and for you and all the good things you have to offer this world. Night night.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Happy again - well, mostly
Hi ho everybody,
Well, I'm sitting here blogging and playing chess while fam watches final of HomeMade, the latest reality show which the other 75% of my family seem to love but I fear I don't. Oh yes, and I also have a big bandage wrapped around my knee to remind me of the day's events.
Woke up 5.30 (actually Verity achieved that yet again at 4.30 but that's another rant), quick shower (trying not to drink too much water) and off to hospital at Everton Pk. Hospital under renovation but easy to get in, get registered, say goodbye to fam etc. Sent off to next waiting room where each person went off for another quick chat then returned to go into the very public bathroom right there in the waiting room, and got changed into our paper undies, gown, dressing gown, etc. A nice young nurse then came in to shave my knee area all around which I don't think has ever been done before, but no dramas.
Then off to a bed for a little more waiting then basically straight to the theatre door. Met more staff including very nice anaesthetist Martina who made life pretty easy and did a good job with the needle into my arm, a) giving me a magazine to read beforehand which I could then use to shield my eyes as I winced and b) getting me to cough as it went in, which I turned into more of a laugh, a technique I often use at the chiropractor when he is really crunching me hard. Admittedly, part of that chiropractic laugh on my part is always laughter that I'm paying someone lots of money to basically hurt me, and maybe that was also the case today. I think she took a couple of goes to find the vein, but hey, it was still a lot better than I expected. I saw Dr Tuff (my godfather) for about, oh, 30 seconds before he got down to business, but that's fine. I'll go see him for a follow-up in a week or two, and I won't be too worried about it.
Still no pain and it's been probably 9 hrs or so since op. They say they use Marcain, a long-lasting local anaesthetic and by golly, it must be pretty good stuff. I also took panadol and ibuprofen as directed, and will give myself a another dose tonight to see what happens. It certainly seems good to have done this on holidays to prevent more walking around and other hassles. We'll see how I feel on Monday when school resumes though. Was pleased with number of people who responded to my Facebook mention of my op - not that I was going out of my way to get some sympathy, but it's nice anyway.
Other matters: still trying to jazz up these RAVE programs - must do whatever I can not to make them boring and enthuse staff and students - I really feel some weight of responsibility in that regard.
Formally mentioned this blog on the Facebook group for Anglican bloggers so in case anyone reading those posts ever feels called to check out each one, I guess I may actually get a visitor sooner or later. On other Anglican matters, I'm very disappointed with the English bishop who has apparently decided to do some more gay bashing, or 'calling upon them to repent' which is the Anglican equivalent... the younger generation simply cannot fathom this kind of approach, and there is no surer way of dispatching our Church to the historical scrapheap... Anglicanism is about intellectual honesty - why is it not possible there is a genetic component to homosexuality? Even if there wasn't a genetic basis, what is there to be appalled about? If a bishop wants to target sexual immorality, that's another matter, I think, but just going after gays for being gay is really ridiculous. Reminds me of the time during a theology oral on the life of Paul that I intimated there had been a case made for St Paul being gay - the lack of evidence of his marrying, the references to hating his body, etc. Some of my audience wanted to hear all about it afterwards!
All righty then, see you tomorrow.
Well, I'm sitting here blogging and playing chess while fam watches final of HomeMade, the latest reality show which the other 75% of my family seem to love but I fear I don't. Oh yes, and I also have a big bandage wrapped around my knee to remind me of the day's events.
Woke up 5.30 (actually Verity achieved that yet again at 4.30 but that's another rant), quick shower (trying not to drink too much water) and off to hospital at Everton Pk. Hospital under renovation but easy to get in, get registered, say goodbye to fam etc. Sent off to next waiting room where each person went off for another quick chat then returned to go into the very public bathroom right there in the waiting room, and got changed into our paper undies, gown, dressing gown, etc. A nice young nurse then came in to shave my knee area all around which I don't think has ever been done before, but no dramas.
Then off to a bed for a little more waiting then basically straight to the theatre door. Met more staff including very nice anaesthetist Martina who made life pretty easy and did a good job with the needle into my arm, a) giving me a magazine to read beforehand which I could then use to shield my eyes as I winced and b) getting me to cough as it went in, which I turned into more of a laugh, a technique I often use at the chiropractor when he is really crunching me hard. Admittedly, part of that chiropractic laugh on my part is always laughter that I'm paying someone lots of money to basically hurt me, and maybe that was also the case today. I think she took a couple of goes to find the vein, but hey, it was still a lot better than I expected. I saw Dr Tuff (my godfather) for about, oh, 30 seconds before he got down to business, but that's fine. I'll go see him for a follow-up in a week or two, and I won't be too worried about it.
Still no pain and it's been probably 9 hrs or so since op. They say they use Marcain, a long-lasting local anaesthetic and by golly, it must be pretty good stuff. I also took panadol and ibuprofen as directed, and will give myself a another dose tonight to see what happens. It certainly seems good to have done this on holidays to prevent more walking around and other hassles. We'll see how I feel on Monday when school resumes though. Was pleased with number of people who responded to my Facebook mention of my op - not that I was going out of my way to get some sympathy, but it's nice anyway.
Other matters: still trying to jazz up these RAVE programs - must do whatever I can not to make them boring and enthuse staff and students - I really feel some weight of responsibility in that regard.
Formally mentioned this blog on the Facebook group for Anglican bloggers so in case anyone reading those posts ever feels called to check out each one, I guess I may actually get a visitor sooner or later. On other Anglican matters, I'm very disappointed with the English bishop who has apparently decided to do some more gay bashing, or 'calling upon them to repent' which is the Anglican equivalent... the younger generation simply cannot fathom this kind of approach, and there is no surer way of dispatching our Church to the historical scrapheap... Anglicanism is about intellectual honesty - why is it not possible there is a genetic component to homosexuality? Even if there wasn't a genetic basis, what is there to be appalled about? If a bishop wants to target sexual immorality, that's another matter, I think, but just going after gays for being gay is really ridiculous. Reminds me of the time during a theology oral on the life of Paul that I intimated there had been a case made for St Paul being gay - the lack of evidence of his marrying, the references to hating his body, etc. Some of my audience wanted to hear all about it afterwards!
All righty then, see you tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Hotting up
OK, more home alone time today in which to accomplish miracles. Foremost is the Yr 10 RAVE course which needs to be created from almost scratch - topic: Anglican Church basics. I normally teach this by myself as a rotating unit to Yr 12s, but the Year 10 course really needs something "Anglican" and thus I am attempting to clone myself, so to speak. I'm also looking for any A/V assistance possible and am a little miffed that I know that there is a video sequence around somewhere of the Primate in his office, looking relaxed and chatting to unseen questioner about the role of Archbishop etc. This would be ideal as a school resource - so where the heck is the footage? I'm going looking for it - and when this detective gets on the case, I mean business.
I'm also looking for Youtube or other clips from films to help tell the Anglican story - maybe from Elizabeth or Golden Age. I didn't see The Other Boleyn Girl or whatever it was called but even with Aussie Eric Bana involved, I suspect it would be more about sex/nudity than the Anglican history I'm looking for, though I guess I should try to see it, just to rule it in or out.
(I got out Evan Almighty last night as well, with the idea of showing to all Yr 8 - will try to watch it today along with my other miracles.)
Looked up good sites re: basics of Anglicanism esp. some from Dunedin NZ and Texas. Need to combine these (with permission) and use stuff from Rev. Gillian M as well. Good luck to me.
I'm also looking for Youtube or other clips from films to help tell the Anglican story - maybe from Elizabeth or Golden Age. I didn't see The Other Boleyn Girl or whatever it was called but even with Aussie Eric Bana involved, I suspect it would be more about sex/nudity than the Anglican history I'm looking for, though I guess I should try to see it, just to rule it in or out.
(I got out Evan Almighty last night as well, with the idea of showing to all Yr 8 - will try to watch it today along with my other miracles.)
Looked up good sites re: basics of Anglicanism esp. some from Dunedin NZ and Texas. Need to combine these (with permission) and use stuff from Rev. Gillian M as well. Good luck to me.
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