Eddis, Attolia, Sounis

No, but hi anyway, Filkferengi. I always get warm fuzzies when I see you (and how you always seem to be trying to give books to people here-it's so cool).

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checkers65477.livejournal.com

filkferengi has sent me a book, too! Through www.paperbackswap.com, which if you all don't know about is a great place to trade books. Only in the US, unfortunately.

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filkferengi

Books to a librarian is kind of coals to Newcastle-ish, but still lots of fun. But then, the checkers is known for bringing the fun.

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checkers65477.livejournal.com

But we lust after books! Must have more books.

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filkferengi

That's kind of you to say so, but you should take me up on it. I have book credits, you have kids; sounds like a match to me.

Have you ever heard Robert Lund's version of the BYU fight song?

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I will, thanks! I was thinking it had expired, but since it obviously hasn't, I'll get the info from the pm you sent me way back when and go for it. Again, thanks.

I have not heard that version. I tried googling it to no avail. Nothing on youtube either. Is it funny? Or something?

Oh, and THANK YOU for the heads up on the Pat Wrede blog! I can't believe I didn't know about it. I'm so looking forward to stalking her.

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filkferengi

His albums are lots of fun; here you go:

Robert Lund--Workin' The Glory 15 Rise And Shout.mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/uwh8vi

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filkferengi

Do you follow her blog? It's full of all sorts of writing tips. The feed's on my profile page [along with Tamora Pierce, Elizabeth Moon, Tanya Huff, & Suzette Haden Elgin].

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rosaleeluann.livejournal.com

Filkferengi is MADE OF AWESOME. She is currenty My Favorite Person.

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filkferengi

Tee hee hee.

Further deponent [or affiant] sayeth not.

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helle-d.livejournal.com

I am also studying French! I'm in my second year of an English and French degree at university so, yes, I guess you could say I'm pretty into it. It's a brilliant language (as much as I despair of ever understanding it).

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filkferengi

What kind of degree? Business, literature, education, translation?

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kanzeon.livejournal.com

I'm learning French at the moment too, just beginner's level though.

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filkferengi

Why French? Have you already learned Japanese?

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kanzeon.livejournal.com

I took beginner's Japanese class during high school but I couldn't cope with my other studies so I quit... would probably continue learning it one of these days XD

I took French because I've always been fascinated with French culture, and my middle name is French (though I am not *lol* Asian parents and their love for European names).

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filkferengi

You know how, in some classes, they have you adopt names from that culture? I took Russian once, & the girl named Whitney had a difficult time adapting her name. You're already covered.

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kanzeon.livejournal.com

*lol* I heard about that. In fact, because I learnt Mandarin as a second language, I also have a Chinese name, a very funny sounding Sino-version of my first name XD

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filkferengi

That's impressive!

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I had to do that in Spanish class and my teacher couldn't do it with my first name, so she had to butcher my middle name instead. I HATED that.

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filkferengi

They butchered my name in the Russian class, so I sympathize.

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I'm a French Immersion Middle Years (grades 6-8) teacher here in Canada. ;)

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filkferengi

Wow; that's awesome! Do they make teachers do bus duty, field day, plans of remediation, & other bureaucratic paperasserie up there, like they do down here?

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Oh my goodness! Here, each school division has its own teachers' union - I'm in Seven Oaks school division in Winnipeg, and in my division we have duty-free lunch hours and all extra-curriculars are voluntary. So, no bus duty, and I'm afraid I don't know what field days and plans of remediation are!

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filkferengi

Usually in the spring of the year, the elementary school has a couple of field days, when there are competitions in athletic events, & they try to get everyone to participate. The teachers have to oversee & judge running, jumping, etc. events.

Plans of remediation are when the student gets below a C, the teacher has to prepare elaborate paperwork explaining how the *teacher* has come up with a plan to improve the student's grade. Iow, when the student screws up [or around], the teacher gets lots of extra effort and paperwork. And they complain about grade inflation...

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Ah, I see. We have to do field days - each school does their own, generally (although I believe some of the smaller schools group together) and we only have to do it fir our own school. We call it Track and Field day. Last year we got rained out and had to do it twice.

The remediation thing sounds insane! Talk about incentive to fake-pass a student... we don't fail students in elementary or middle school in my division. In fact, we don't have grades in my school. We use reflections, portfolios, teacher-student conversations (on paper) and student-led conferences to report to parents. Unfortunately, they take a lot of time - I lose two 40 minute periods a day for a month to get those ready.

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hazelwillow.livejournal.com

Yay! I'm from Canada too! Early french immersion (although it was at a waldorf school so a bit different...)
yay for mwt fans in Canada!

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Yay for Waldorf schools! I just finished teaching an eight week dance course at a Waldorf school in my neighborhood. I really love that school.

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filkferengi

What's a Waldorf school?

What kind[s] of dancing were you teaching?

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education

Creative. But I call it Movement Experience because some boys have a real problem doing "dance" class. They're always surprised at how much fun they have and how cool it is. Actually, pretty much everyone is surprised. I had the parents who came to watch on the first day join in--two or three came back every week to participate. I had two Russian families come almost every week (just hearing them talk made me really want to learn Russian!).

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filkferengi

Russian is fun. There's a nifty vowel they do, sort of like saying ee & closing your throat at the same time. It's not quite swallowing or gulping, but close.

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filkferengi

If y'all are within half a continent or so, you could plan a meet-up. I like reading about them.

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(Yeah, we still have to do one of our own, right? East Coast US? Somewhere? Maybe in the New Year? You know, The YEAR OF AWESOME, 2010, The Year The Conspiracy of Kings comes out?)

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filkferengi

I'm still rooting for the Nasfic in Raleigh. If nothing else, food should be good.

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August, right? What is Nasfic again?

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filkferengi

It's what we have in North America when the WorldCon [World Science Fiction Convention] is overseas; in 2010, it's in Australia. It tends to be small [2,000-3,000], but have a good art show & a fair number of authors. Typically, they piggyback on a local convention.

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OOOOOOhhhh. AAWWWEESOMME. Art, authors. Yum. Ooh, we're putting in vacation requests for next year now. When is this Nasfic? Can you email me at misskrister@aol.com? I'm headed for bed right now (Steelers! last night. Tired.) but this sounds very intriguing.

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filkferengi

The website is here:

http://www.reconstructionsf.org/

It's worth going just to see Juanita Coulson. She's got an awesome voice & is a living repository of fannish history.

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