Oh, technology has never been a friend of mine, I'm not going to lie. I'm the kind of person who gets an iPod when they're old news (got my first one in July - and didn't buy it to myself, of course), didn't have a mobile until I was 19 (a fair while after everyone else, a hand-down) and prefers to do things the way I know how to do them, rather than taking the small step of learning how to use something that could probably save me a fair bit of time. We all take the piss out of my Dad for refusing to embrace anything that has it's origins beyond the 90's, but I know I'm going to be the same. In saying that, technology is NOT all it's cracked up to be. Tom Hodgkinson in How to be Free, uses the example of the much-heralded dishwasher. Oh what a godsend! No more horrible washing dishes by hand! Instead, damaged dishes, cleaning the washer, buying detergent, less space in the kitchen, another thing to buy, another thing that can/will break down PLUS the fact that it doesn't clean the really horrible pots and pans anyhow.
His thoughts came back to me earlier, as I battled, unsuccessfully, with the projector in three of the classrooms in the language center here on the second floor (I live on the sixth, classes on the second, faculty office on the first. Confusing, I know...). I had put together a lovely (I hope) lesson based around thanksgiving, with Chuseok next week in mind. I prepared the TV show I'd need (a once-in-a-blue moon event in my classes), picked out the vocabulary to cover, made an activity to do so, wrote up some comprehension questions and an activity to identify the speaker in a selection of quotes. I selected some discussion topics that I could get the students to expand upon if time allowed. Easy! All I had to do was check that I could get the episode I needed from my laptop onto the projector with sound. What could go wrong? I've used it so many times before, it was just a matter of being sure (to be sure). Right? Wrong. An hour and a half I spent plugging in sockets, untangling wires, trying different rooms, different laptops, doing things in a different order before I swallowed my pride and asked for help. Unfortunately, (or, secretly, I was glad as I could deflect the blame onto someone else) she (one of the girls from the office) couldn't work it out either. I'm sure we'll find a way round it before I need it (7.30am tomorrow morning), but my war with technology rages on regardless.
Other than that, it has been a nice, productive day (so far). Eight hours of sleep last night. What a luxury! With enough sleep I'm a slightly moody but manageable person; without sleep I can be a negative, self-immersed, grumpy little shit. Aside from getting my lessons prepped for tomorrow (but not yet for tonight, as is my logic), I made it over to the gym and did a bit of cycling to start building my leg muscles up again, as advised. So far, no pain, although I'm sure that won't be the case in the morning. The gym here is a funny experience. One of the perks of the job is free use of the Uni gym abut 2 minutes around the corner. The strange part is that it consists almost entirely of females. Hmm.
We might even be finally sorting out some rehearsal time with the band for next Monday. It has been so frustrating not being able to get it off the ground, but maybe this, our latest new dawn, will create some momentum. With John coming this weekend, I've been thinking a lot about how much fun the U R Seoul days were. I even searched for us on youtube and found this old video that I didn't even know existed. Having a band to look forward to on the weekends, you just can't beat it. Cross your fingers for me (and Jim, equally eager to get back on the road again). The quality isn't good, and that's not our regular drummer, but it brings the memories back...
There were other things I had intended to write about today but time waits for no man and these lessons aren't going to create themselves. Thank you for your recent comments be they public, private, online, or in person. Keep letting me know what you think, what you like, what you don't like, etc. If you have a few spare moments today I recommend that you check out Matt's blog because he has been dealing with facebook updates, something I often chuckle about myself. I'm not expecting to be too busy tomorrow so I'll tie up those loose ends I mentioned before the weekend. I hope you're all doing well, wherever you are.
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Wow, how long have I known you and this is the 1st time I have looked at one of your blogs. Good to hear you do actually do some work, I was getting jealous that you had an easier life than me.
ReplyDeleteLooking through this I have noticed the absence of a certain Irish friend, I doubt she is very pleased.... Put her in next time you hang out with her, I'm sure it will make for an eventful blog. xoxo
Well if I knew who she was, I might! ;)
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