One Week, One Week!!!

Hey, just one week to go and i'll be a free woman. Free, as in - not having to work. What a thought. looking forward to it but before i know it, i'll be back in the classroom for another term. I felt really appreciated yesterday: it's not often we get praise or positive feedback for anything we do but i got some yesterday. Not really in a way you'd expect. rather, the person i'm covering classes for came in to see the principal and decided not to come back - she'd rather be a full time mum.
So it took 10 minutes after she'd left for the principal to come into the room where i was teaching and ask me what my plans were next year. Since i'm on fixed term contract, i said my plan was to work till April and then see what happens. so he offers me a permanent job right there and then, carrying on past april and into my life full time. i was a wee bit speechless. mainly cos of the fact that i never have a clue if i'm in the right place at the right time or missing important meetings, or treating the kids properly, or teaching the right thing for the curriculum. he never acknowledges the good or bad and so i don't know if i'm any good at all. so i was chuffed to be asked if i wanted a permanent job. 'course, i turned him down cos i've got other plans from april onwards.
However, it was even more interesting when we discovered the permanent food tech person has left and the teacher who's been covering the last couple terms while she's been off sick has been offered a job for a term "while we advertise and interview for the position."
So, they'd keep me, but they wouldn't keep her. not quite sure how that works, but i'm flattered. i know i've improved over the last few months but heck, i've got a long way to go before i think i'd consider myself to be a 'good' teacher.

Man - i had choir today to practice a song they're singing next week. very interesting! i don't think i've heard a group of polynesians sing so badly!!! they try it on with me anyway with chatter and singing the wrong thing or just putting in no effort, but heck!!!!!!!! i don't think any choir could beat us. this is one reason why i don't think i'm a great music teacher. i like working with choirs, but when they sing stoopid things and talk all the way through it doesn't really prove my competence as a choir director. Band is going alright. not a bad achievement considering these students don't read music, have never played in a group before and don't understand the point of a conductor.

Three Weeks

just another three weeks. It's been one and a half weeks taking each day as it comes. Last monday i woke up and for some reason the thought wasn't "school again for another week, like it normally is. Nope - this time it was "just one day, one day to get through." that was over a week ago now. that day must've been the worst so far here in New Zealand. each day was "just one day to get through", and it seems to have carried on into this week too.

Today was a day closer to pay day and one day closer to the end of term :-)

I tidied up my room, set up for the first class. even had a moment of inspiration where i added extra into the lesson so the kids can learn different instruments in the lesson. They were pretty good at the activity too. Funnily enough, i'd left my brass instrument in the car after band practice so i brought it in and took a few minutes at the end of the lesson to introduce them to the 'baritone'. they loved it - definately better than just having pictures. Oh, and there's an audit being taken for all the instruments and i've discovered after 3 terms at the school and having searched all the cupboards to see what resources there are, discovered that the school owns some flutes, violins, a clarinet. Goodness knows where these instruments are hiding 'cos i've checked out all the music supplies in the place and there definately ain't no flutes or violins!!

i've started up a school band though and we had a practice today. the band consists of 5 keyboards, 2 guitars, two drums, one kit, one recorder. a bit random if you ask me. mind you, having had maybe 5 or 6 practices with them so far, they don't sound too bad. I think i must be the only music teacher who has a school band made up of people who don't read music - notes or rhythm - don't have anything to practice on, and don't know how to follow a conductor. Scrap that last one - i'm sure there's plenty professional musicians who don't know how to follow a conductor.

bit of excitement in the afternoon. Defence police were out, guns and all. seems there was a raid in a house, or something similar. that got the kids excited too seeing as they weren't allowed to stay outside and they also had to stay a little longer till the road was opened again. luckily it was only a few minutes.

i did a little learning this evening too. Been brushing up on Java skills and managed to get a program working that i'd been stuck on. very exciting. unfortunately, that was the exercise from week 1 of this course. hoping that i don't take so long on all the other weeks, otherwise i'll be here for a few years figuring out loops, booleans, etc. crazy stuff!

after tomorrow i'll just have one more day and then the week will end. oh joy!!

more of the same for me :0)

An Interesting Life??

figure i'll take more notes and leave it up to others to decide whether my life is interesting or not. Today's day is almost done...

woke up this morning at 8.30 to get ready for the day. it's saturday - shouldn't i be having a lie in?? i guess you could class it as a lie in, 'cos i normally get up about 7am. mind you, i like to think of 9am the perfect time to get up on saturday.

so i leave at 9am to go meet people in the brass band. we're marching in the Henderson christmas parade and meeting at 9.45. the petrol tank is at it's lowest and i'm hoping not to have to make the phone call that says 'sorry, can't make it, i've run out of petrol and broken down on the motorway'!! managed to stop for petrol before that happened, thank goodness. found the meeting place, met some other band members and hung out for 10 mins with them before we all went to where we were marching from. we get to wear some lovely green uniform with a hat - it's a bit different from the fancy uniforms we wear in the UK.

so began the march - managed to keep in time and in step too. oh, and being 20km away from the school i work at, i stil managed to bump into one of my students who recognised me and said hi. weird.

finished that - walked back to where we started and where the cars are. then went to a mall with a few folk from band for lunch. If you want to know more about the band look up the website for waitakere city band. it's been updated recently with a whole load of stuff. after lunch we had a concert and social for 'silver friends'. That's the people who give money to the band for free. pretty good system going for sponsership in the band. i think it's great to have a bunch of followers of the band who bring friends to concerts and make the circle of sponsership (money) bigger.

bit of a social so that the silver friends know who they're helping out, then everyone leaves. it wasn't too bad actually. one guy who i spoke to at the concert we did last week managed to remember me and we spoke for a bit. also tried to speak to another lady who seemed to enjoy the concert, but she wasn't picking up on the conversation vibe that i was trying to emit.

chat, chat. for someone who doesn't have too much to say i don't do too bad when i have to. I had to stay 'cos i'd asked the conductor for a brass lesson so we were having it after the concert at his place. Nice drive - very nice drive. great view from the house too. and i learnt how to improve my playing better. hopefully i'll use it and practice more.

then straight on to do some visiting teaching with one of the girls from church. We go round to a couple of the ladies from church just to visit and see how they are. It's a great support system when people actually do it. means that everyone that goes to church will have someone they can speak to if they need to, or need any help with anything. or even just a friendly face in the middle of a hard life.

wow - that was a whole 12 hours of a day i've just mentioned. i got home just after 8.30pm and sat down to look up some stuff online. i've got an even earlier start tomorrow... will tell you about that one tomorrow :-)

photos

this is a cute guy i found a photo of :p
well, i realised the other day that i had a few photos that i can share with the world. one of the flatmates has a scanner/printer/fax so i made use of it the other day.
here's a couple pictures of lucerne and couple of other interesting ones:


making fondue in switzerland: heavy stuff!! where's the chocolate fondue?

a story that'll never be finished...

all because i'm too lazy. so many things i want to do and not enough hours in a day.

right! today i went into northland, i think. basically north of auckland - not quite up to wangerei. (not sure if i spelt that one right).
it was really nice - sun was hidden behind clouds but for some reason it was still really bright. had the chance to read the new curriculum document that i've had for about a month and never read. teachers only day and got to read it so i can comment on it.

actually, was thinking that teaching is just too complicated for me. from designing lessons, creating resources, researching subjects, crowd control, behaviour management, presentation skills using all learning styles... what else? organising day trips, doing extra playground duty during your official breaks (surely that's illegal?) ... and more.

i think i'd much rather be doing the same job in a high level company for $100,000 per year rather than the meager amount that i get. problem with that is - no managing director is stupid enough to employ anyone with little or no experience to do such a high level job. ...or are they?

...thinks.... scrathes head...?!!

nope! definately not stupid enough to do such a thing.

problem now is that i've got some experience working with people from all walks of life from teaching, sales, missionary work, even working in a medical practice for homeless people, but nothing that'll get me a decent job in a decent company that'd be willing to train me up. maybe there is but it'll be a bit of searching. who knows - will give you an update in a year and a half...or thereabouts.

week 4, day 4

boy doesn't time fly!

back at school for four weeks now (one more day of the week left) and i figure it's about time i logged back in and wrote a little something. Funny enough, this is one of those times when i should be doing something else much more important. Escapism, i think they call it!

life is good. Met a guy and we're still dating - that's a first for me. give it another couple of weeks and this'll be the longest relationship to date. hopefully i'll keep him for a tad longer than just a couple more weeks.
School is looking good - kids are a big pain in the backside but my job is secure since the person who i'm on maternity cover for is off until my fixed term contract completes itself next year. thank goodness!!!! if not, i'd be afraid that i'd end up turning into a classroom teacher rather than a specialist teacher. and being secondary trained, the idea of being with the same kids every day, all day freaks me out (to say the least)!!!!

What's more, there's one more day of week 4 and that'll be taken up with a trip to a concert in town with some kids. teaching on monday then away at camp with some kids on tues - friday. no teaching :) hopefully extra pay and no having to control crazy kids 'cos they'll be outside and able to run off their energy.
so that's week 5 over and done with. week 6 the second lot of camp people are away so less classes for me :) and a day off for choir practice on tuesday. week 7 ... looks to be fairly normal. week 8 normal - hang on. there's a friday in week 7 or 8 when there's a extra long assembly 'cos of visiting ensemble followed by a trip to a musical production in town, so another day off. week 9, normal. week 10 - work monday, tuesday and on wednesday fly with the brass band to britain for 10 days !!!! yey - three days off. that means i'll come back with a few days left of the holidays to relax and organise before the start of term 4.

how sad that i have to count the weeks like that - it's a teacher's life *sigh*.

oh - and a trip down south to go skiing or snowboarding to look forward to. you know, even if i do get a bit of a pay rise i think all my money's going to disappear pretty fast!!!!

bummer, eh.

Randomness of it all!

right now i'm in bed with laptop on me trying to type with one hand so's i can keep my other one warm. Was just thinking how weird it was that i can remember each post i've put up, and the situation surrounding it. Totally cool - i don't remember a huge lot of my life cos it goes by so bloomin' ... ooops, just sneezed on the screen ... fast, so it's nice to be aided in remembering things i've done, thought or said.

Had a nice date this evening with a very nice guy. Went to a chinese restaurant but it was the simplest looking place ever! food in buffet style at the front, bottles of juice lined up at the side. for a moment i was glad it wasn't anywhere fancy (i don't do fancy) and then i realised it wasn't just a buffet (serve yourself) it was also a 'cook yourself' place. It's got to be the most intersting food place i've been. i've seen places where you choose the raw food and take it to the chef to cook it for you, but this one had built in gas BBQ at every table and you got the dish which allowed you to fry or boil. Absolutely fantastic!

Anyway, just wanted to mention that cos it was really interesting for me. Very nice date :-)

Back to School

Back to school today after a two week break. What a great start - got up early, nice morning, got everything i need, early to school incase there's a meeting, get set up for lessons and stuff... then the principal wants a word. I'm never sure if that's good or not.

So he asks me what i forgot. I'm thinking if i'd forgotten anything then surely i'd have no idea?! He tries to help. '14th of July', 'been talking about it a lot last term'.

Nope - i'm completely blank!

And he doesn't even tell me what i must've 'forgotten', tells me to go and check the previous weeks notices from before the holidays.

I'm looking for something on the 14th - Ah yes, the TAP Conference. (somehow, i remember asking one of the other teachers what that was).

The principle then kindly informs me that the school has the right to take up to 10 days of my days off (holidays) and replace them with compulsory meetings/trainings/prep days. The 14th of July (TAP conference) was one of those.

What a start to the new term - on a bad foot straight away. Not to worry, i'm on fixed term contract and my visa's through so if all else fails i'll have plenty notice and time to kick back and enjoy freedom (Alright, that's not going to happen but you just never can tell...).

Missed an 'important' Conference, and ended the day with a question about the science lesson i'm supposed to teach tomorrow, which i'm sure would've been covered if i'd only been at that Conference! Felt like a fool.

Sum GREAT Films!!

nah! i didn't see any great film this evening.

Quick reference to my flatmate: the geek - We decided to get a DVD and munchies, invite some friends round and make a night of it. So three of the guys go to the video store to get a decent film. i'm thinking we're probably not going to get a chick flick so that's great. might get an action film or maybe a comedy. Great - i can cope with that quite happily.
So they come back with two films i've never heard of: 'Anchorman' and 'Munich'.

The first was major slapstick comedy. I could cope with it, but made mental note never to watch it again. The second was unbelievably ...umm... Wrong!!! Just wasn't right that films like that are made. Something about athletes taken hostage and killed - the action is over in the first ten minutes. And then this guy is told to go kill the 11 guys who were responsible for the original killings.
It's set in the 70's with weird shirts and tight jeans. It shows a pregnant woman having sex, a guy getting his face blown out but staying alive and having to hold it together. More unneccesary deaths which aren't explained at all, Stabbing of people in the head...URGH!!!!

And i'm bored stiff - really not my type of film AT ALL!
I asked one of the guys who chose the films ('cos they're both really pants) and i'm told Dan the Man - the Geekster himself - was the one who chose them.

Mental Note - NEVER...EVER...let him choose a dvd for a flat night in.

(are you seeing how shallow my life is at the minute??!! i'm LOVING it!)

Maggoted

Today was a weird day - not feeling great but can only stay in bed for so long before feeling the need to move.

Went to town, got some food at the supermarket, picked up drill and other crazy stuff that my sister needed for the farm. I was craving cake and custard but decided to make the cake myself seeing as i'm pretty good when making sweet stuff and fresh out the oven is always lovely!

She goes off to milk the one cow that needs milking and i set to with making dinner. Wasn't bad, even if i do say so myself :)

Then pudding: I decide on fudge brownies cos i'm a bit of a brownie addict. Ingredients include butter, vanilla essence, sugar, flour, eggs. That was pretty much it, mix it all together, chuck it in the oven and: Viola!! it would be ready.

Get on making the custard - i'm not quite sure what went wrong but there seemed to be an awful lot of pretty huge lumps. not only that but the custard here must have some serious colouring cos it was a nice bright yellow colour. (Reminds me of other not nice things that aren't supposed to be eaten), Not my favourite colour for food.

Tried adding milk and the lumps spread a bit more evenly but no way i could eat it now.

Never mind, there's cream in the fridge - that'll go nicely with warm brownies. I check the oven and the mix is bubbling noisily in the bottom of the oven. I'm sure i've never seen any kind of cake mix do that before!

Remove the cake, gather a couple plates, a fishslice...i'm really looking forward to a nice gooey piece of chocolate brownie.

Manage to scrape out some of the stickymess for me Sis but it's looking a bit interesting and not easily slicable.

I'm on to pulling a slice out for me when i spot what i think looks a tad like a small, see-through caterpiller. I see eyes looking up at me. Is it a maggot?

I make noise enough for my sister to see if it's a maggot or just some chocolatey substance, but my fear is confirmed: it is indeed a maggot. Obviously trying to escape from the sticky mess it found itself bound into and not lucky enough to make it out alive.

I'm glad that one made it to the surface - i might have tried a whole slice and eaten a few hidden maggots if this one hadn't been discovered (great big massive thing it was too :-O ). Of course, i don't need to tell all that my sister carried on eating hers heartily, bugs an' all!!

Moral of the story - don't use flour where the owner says, 'this one needs used up.'

I was really glad for that big bar of chocolate we picked up seeing as I no longer had neither cake OR custard to finish the evening with!

Driving Rain

Today i drove.

Actually, if you're thinking i drove a long way today maybe i shouldn't begin my post with that statement. i drove a long way on Tuesday. From the Coromandel down to Wanga...wotsit. I'm really not good with these names yet. (somewhere near Hawera).

Today i only drove a couple hundred km. Not a huge amount really.

I really have nothing much to say but once i get started i normally don't stop. On occasion, the reader gets a bit of a laugh too so that's not bad. in fact, maybe i should use this thing instead of sending emails to people...then i'd only have to write something once. (that would work if i actually emailed people in the first place).

Back to my driving thing! so i'm towards the bottom half of the north Island. we've had fantastic weather recently up north but after a couple of hours here visiting family, the rain starts. And keeps on going... and on ... and on ...
Not only rain but wind too.
If there's any kind of weather i hate, it's wind. a breeze i can cope with if it's warm but wind is the worst thing us humans are expected to bear!!!
i'm on to my third day here and the rain is still pouring. It's managed to stop a couple of times for a significant space of time, such as 3 hours. Stopped once when we were in Hawera on the way to the cinema and started up again 15 mins after we'd left. Today it was good enough to stop for an hour, half of which was spent inside a shopping centre.

I love driving but driving through some deep water on the road, i realised i was no longer driving my lovely 2 litre diesel engine Rover, but instead have to think about my 1.4 petrol engine nissan. That means i can no longer go ploughing through flooded roads like i used to. Instead, i'll be one of those unlucky cars on the side of the road whose engine got too much water in them and cut out.
Woe is ME!!

I'm home safe after a long drive around the coast and down the county but part of the main road just down the way is closed 'cos it's flooded a tad too much. I'm wondering if i'll be able to make it back to Auckland if this rain keeps on going. Also for consideration - how long will it take me? if i'm flying through flooded roads it'll take me twice as long seeing as there won't be any speeding involved.

I think for me, the only option is to enjoy the sound of the rain, be glad i changed all the tyres before i came, surf the net and eat all the food in the house. That sounds like a great holiday to me!

FlatMate

so I was out with some folk from work and one of the girls - her husband is an IT person and all the other IT guys socialise by playing networked games and eating crap on a friday after work. Oh Boy, what a life!!! Those are Geeks, she said. i'd forgotten all about that term - i'm not into labelling people.
However, for the occasion i'm afraid i'm going to have to label the new flatmate. Yup, put him into a box, stereotype him.
He's a GEEK!! Through and through! (glad i have other flatmates to communicate with).
Not only does this guy hide in his room to play XBox games, or spend too much money on a massive TV (we don't mind) and appear to make a point of collecting remote controls for all his useless systems, but he's also IT teacher in high school. Head of the department and in charge of all gadgets, big and small.
So why am i bothered? i'm not really, except that there seems to be a small percentage of people who grate on my nerves and he's one of them. At least if I have a reason for it then i don't appear so heartless.
Yup, i think that's it. My excuse :)
Maybe I'll become more accepting of his annoying habits over time (I've already got him to rinse the sink properly after he shaves)

Prison Break

Am i the only Prison Break addict?
it's fantastic! i got hooked in Britain after taking note of the third episode. It's now out in New Zealand on it's second week and i'm able to catch up and see what i missed on the previous episodes that i never paid any attention to. There was a song used in the UK ad for prison break that i've tried to find and download 'cos it's well cool, but no luck! can't find it anywhere. in fact, i don't think i found any song for playing related to the program.
i have to admit, i much prefer the older brother rather than the sexy michael who's probably supposed to take all the female attention.
really glad to say this is the only program i take note of when it's on. a flatmate of mine seems to revolve his spare time between playstation and TV. boy - and i thought i was a bum!!

My Car

Alright, so it's not my car anymore. SHAME!!!!
I was a tad disappointed to leave my beautiful car behind. i figure a car tells a lot about someones personality so i'm introducing you to my car. it's a rover 420, diesel, 2.0 litre engine with a sunroof and electric windows and all that wonderful stuff.
I like big cars and i'm a bit miffed to have picked up a cheap little WHITE car (urgh!!), nissan sentra, 1.4 litre engine. petrol. nothing like the power in my rover and the colour's definately nothing to be proud of. no sunroof. and no electrics either. never mind. i'll replace it once i can afford something better.
Yes - i am sad enough to be obsessed with my car. I'm not the type to give a car a name though. i just referred to it as 'my beautiful car'.

One day i plan to have a BMW or mercedes. i'm more or a BMW person but i'd quite happily have a mercedes 'cos they move real good and are well comfy (you should be impressed at my wonderful use of english)!
i'll let you kinow when i find one :)

Tuesday again :)

and it's the last tuesday before holidays. a whole big two weeks!
you know - i only went into teacher for the holidays and i go a do the most stupid thing. started working in the UK in september at the beginning of the academic year. The academic year ends in July and they're off for 6 weeks. I moved to New Zealand in April the following year and start work term 2 New Zealand time. That means I work straight through without any big phat summer holidays until december. I'm definately overworked.
looking forward to next term - i get to teach music and ICT. Fantastic, eh! i don't think anyone should be stuck teaching one subject all the time. the NZ teaching diploma is better cos you focus on two subjects rather than just one...that appears to be the case, anyways.
i had my hair cut last night - a friend who's a hairdresser. what a good person to have as a friend :) i think my hair was the longest it's been and was just annoying me a tad too much and now i've lost about two thirds of it. fantastic!!!! The kids seemed to like it and they have no qualms about saying when something looks ugly so i'm guessing that's a good sign.

My sister's been looking at feminist arguments on other people's blogs. I'm a bit of a feminist (that's a bit of an understatement) and I haven't even decided if my sister's a feminist or not. I guess she is if i'm using my own definition, but there's so many different definitions! i even checked the dictionary and it can't decide either. Says that "Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies, largely motivated by or concerning the experiences of women."
Right, so it began with the whole political suffragette thing...or WAIT!! maybe it began with the revolte against expectations of woman. Who knows...? Either way, We're where we are today because some forward thinking ladies spoke back. Good on them, I say.

Back to Normal!

hey - so, this has been an interesting week. heck of a lot has happened including all my paperwork for the visa being sorted out with three different companies within a matter of days. this means i eventually have my qualifications assessed, i'll soon have professional registration, i'm also gonna get my visa through (although i'll still be illegal for a miniscule period of time, hence i'm not telling anyone who i am), and to top it all i'll be able to get paid something more than minimum rate as soon as i get that final application form in. can't wait!!!

yup - i'm a bit side tracked at the moment. that visa's been a bit of a bum, to say the least!
and its been a fun couple days: went to a concert this evening after a heck of a long time. i think the last time i went to a 'proper' concert was way back in 2000. that was when i helped out in the concert as a music student - meant i got a free ticket. So i'm sat at the back listening to the music, noticing the bits i like. impressed at the playing but not really too excited by the music. Thinking of nothing and falling asleep at the back i again wonder to myself why i ever decided to do music? Interval comes and i figure there's no point staying for the rest of the concert.

That was the end! No more classical music concerts for me. Figure there was no point seeing i wasn't interested in having a life revolving round music like most of these musicians. I did go to one concert since then - Gladys Knight. didn't even know who she was, but really enjoyed it and am now converted to Gospel Music.

It's now halfway through 2006 and just began a new era in my life. An era where i can go to a concert and not be put into the box which looks like, is shaped like, and even has a sign over the top of it saying, "MUSICIAN RESIDES HERE!!"
It was well fun...and i got it for next to nothing 'cos i happen to know one of the people who were performing :) AH, Life is Good.

To continue the theme, i've also just joined up with a pretty decent brass band. it's a good few years since i've played properly and i sound pants!! But, I'm all for getting myself back up to a decent level and this'll give me the motivation that i don't have in me.

Life to date

Now, since i have nothing to talk about, perhaps i can share some of my boring life? this is definately the wrong time to be starting a blog - i've just been through a good few years of fun activity (life/career decisions and cool philisophical insights) and just now all i really want to do is have a steady job, earn a decent wage and watch TV in the evenings between any sports that i decide to take up.
i moved to New Zealand a couple months ago - best decision ever!! i think i've spent about 5 years going from place to place in england, from university course to job to volunteer work to university course and back to job, from holiday to holiday, and not finding a place anywhere that i feel comfortable enough to settle. Everytime i moved there was nothing to hold me or engage me and i spent the whole time looking for alternate solutions to the current life i was leading.

well, here i am in New Zealand...loving it!!!!
i feel free :) goodness knows why people stay in Britain - oh wait, i forget: young people keep on leaving Britain for other countries. You think the government ever stopped to think about WHY their citizens insist on leaving? Population in the UK has increased massively thanks to the freedom of the European Union. seems to me the only reason why people go to the UK is for the money.
well, enough of that gripe. If Tony Blair feels the need to let the money of the UK be sucked out of the country and sent overseas by foreign travellers, then i guess that's his problem.

1st blog!!!

so today is a monumental day!! i've just opened my first blog :)
hmm - sounds like i plan to open more...probably will depending on what ideas or information i fancy sharing over the course of time.
right - it's 18th June 2006 and i actually don't know what on earth to put on here. does anyone have any suggestions as to what you might like to see on my blog?
and is a blog just a bunch of posts that people can read and enjoy or reply to? is that it? or am i missing something with all this blog mania. feel free to fill me in.