The Black Death

I think I have the plague.


Okay, not really but it's more interesting to say one as the plague than just a normal cold.

Idle Worry

I'm nervous as anything about the two papers that should be handed back tomorrow. I always feel like this over the first essays, in class or otherwise. All those lovely little what ifs come out to play and leaves me biting my nails to the quick and worrying my cuticals, which is just a lovely habit.

Also I'm slightly paranoid about suddenly having all these people seemingly reading this blog and not commenting. Its the same feeling you have when you get a paper back with no comments at all on it. Even if you got an A, you're still left wondering 'well what did you think'? I love peer reviews as much as I hate them because I love getting comments on my stuff. I want to be smacked when I have a stupid idea or am going up the wrong alley.

In general I worry to much about things I shouldn't worry about. The more I can't control it the more I worry over it. Though right now those butterflies in my stomach could have more to do with having not eaten all day then anything else. Whoops.

They're banning WHAT?

Tag. They're banning tag.

I'm sorry but what?

What?!

You know the way schools and many parents act you'd think a good deal more of us died in horrible way in the past few generation from games like tag, dogeball, and red rover.

Isn't it enough that most schools don't have separate recess periods anymore? Or that PE in many places in once a week for 30 minutes and that included the time it takes to dress out?

Kids LOVE chase games. I play a form of tag almost everyday I work aftercare, and those are four and five year olds. They love it. They're tug on my hands saying "Chase me, Ms. Geek. Catch me!"

Another Willett parent, Celeste D'Elia, said her son feels safer because of the rule. "I've witnessed enough near collisions," she said.

No, lady. YOU feel safer.

I've seen many collisions and the kids most of the time pick themselves up, laugh, and start running again. Sometimes they need a hug, a big smile, and a "hey your okay right?". But then they're nod give you a hug back and off they go again. After a few collisions they get better at avoiding them and actually like the 'near collision' part.

I expect to see kids playing little league with soft foam bats and balls, covered head to toe in padding at this rate.

Let kids be kids. Let them have their fun and learn from it. I mean I used to have sword fights with very large sticks with a boy down the street and I turned out just fine.

Random updates:

• Some of my midterm grades are back in! A on the Myth midterm, B on the Early Modern (must expand more on the next test).
• I'll have one of my two Chaucer essays back on Thursday
• What another Early Modern in-class essay next Friday? Ack!
• I either had A. Lice B. Termites C. Larva Tent Worms.
• Important: I was sitting under a tree when I discovered the little white ant like bugs on my shoulders and some in my hair.
• Important fact 2: I've been told more holistic lice treatments today then I've ever cared to know.
• Important face 3: I went with the chemical pesticides! Yay Chemicals!

Read My Result
Take the Test

Part of Being a Grownup

...is when you have to have your brakes rebuilt is telling your mum that no you'll pay for it yourself...

And still being lectured about taking better care of your car.

Oh, Texas...

For those of you that don't know some of the more curious aspects of Texas law and how much they like to poke into ones sex life, here's a little educational video (warning the video is NWS):

Don't Use the D-Word in Texas


What a lovely state I live in.

The Wife of Bath, Written Authority, and the Antifeminist Tradition

In one of my course this semester we are asked to write short one page double spaced essays from prompts about different texts. While I'm not happy with all of this piece I do like some it and its been my best so far.

Chaucer suggests in the prologue of the Wife of Bath’s tale that written authority in his time strengthens and perpetuates antifeminist stereotypes. The Wife of Bath’s fifth husband’s book of bad wives is a perfect example of this written authority. Though there are many good wives and women in biblical and classical stories, the bad women were the ones mostly written about. Men were in control of what was written and copied. Chaucer, through the Wife of Bath, points out if the women wrote such books they’d be filled with tales of "men more wikkednesse than al the merk of Adam may redresse". Chaucer seems to be implying that while some of the stereotypes might be true, it is unwise to assume all women act the same way.

Janekin, it can be argued, represents all clerks, and his Book of Bad Wives represents their authority of written word. Janekin’s continual reading of the lives of bad wives every night to his wife and her reaction to it can be read as an allegory of the struggle women had against the authority of the written word. Examples of wicked women are thrust upon them while their voices often are ignored. While the written word holds power in the marriage of Janekin and the Wife of Bath there is no peace between them. Only when Janekin’s accepts the authority of his wife’s experience over the written word do they reach an accord. When taken in account with the Wife of Bath’s tale, Chaucer shows us that a man is most happy when his wife rules him.

The Wife of Bath’s rebellion against her husband and, in effect, the authority of the written word can be seen as having a duel effect. Stereotypes are both overturned and enforced. Some of the stereotypes that are enforced are stubbornness, pride, and violable emotions. Examples of this are her refusal to submit to her husband, her pride in her experience, and her emotional outburst of tearing out the pages. Some of the stereotypes that are overturned are untruth, lack of honor, and lack of restraint. This can be shown with the closing of the lines. Chaucer is showing that women are more than the sum of their stereotypes.

The BIBLE....

....in lego form!

This is second the best thing EVER!*

I'm cracking up over some of the lego characters that have used in the different stories. Like Snape's head used for the Devil.


*The best thing ever being Chaucer hath a blog.

Midterms

It must be October because Midterms are here!

This week I have two tests (one essay) and one short essay.

Next week I have two essays due a day apart from each other.

It isn't all that much, but I feel like it sort of sneaked up on me. I really wish I didn't have this essay test before the papers are due. I've been concentrating so much on my prep for this weeks tests (along with last weeks test and short essay) that haven't been able to really work on either essay.

At least my marks on my last two short essays were A's. I might post a bit of my Wife of Bath one up here since I'm rather proud of it.

Back to Fig Leaves Then?

Art Teacher Loses Job After Kids See Nude Sculpture

I'm both ashamed and not at all shocked that this happened in Texas. I hope the teacher in question is reinstated and the Principal gets his ass handed to him by the school board for being such a doormat. Sadly that probably won't happen.

Bloody hell, are we going to cover all the 'naughty bits' with fig leaves again? Had that parent never been to the DMA before or did they think the teacher would cover the kids eyes or something?

The parents signed permission forms, the principal approved the field trip.

They're in fifth grade! I saw more in fifth grade health films back in the eighties, for crying out loud.

What is WRONG with these people?