call me a sap, but this song is really good! i love when he goes into falsetto at around 3:45! but i don't know why he's sitting on the toilet! lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Bp6RNSUVo&NR=1
this guy writes his own songs and plays covers of famous songs... i like the ones he writes better
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
being
now that i've been on summer break (it's easier to think of it that way, rather than being unemployed), for about 10 days, i've had some - lots of - free time. during the more hectic times of the school year, i coveted free time, i longed for it, i took random days off just to have some... but it just feels strange to have so much of it.
while i was stressed out of my mind during the school year, i was secretly proud that i could handle the little sleep and being so productive.
there's no way this is harder than teaching.. but in a way, it's really hard to just be with myself for such a long stretch of time. i'm not being called on every few seconds ("Ms. Wu, Ms. Wu!") or having to submit lesson plans, grading, etcetc... and i feel a bit directionless right now.
hopefully, this post ends redemptively! i think God is teaching me that if He was all that i had, He should be enough. i can't try to fill the emptiness with productivity, or even leisure time. even if i spend more time doing ministry work, in the end, only my relationship with Him is what matters.
i think of my grandma, who spends most of her day, every day, in the house with just my grandpa and her bible and sermons on tape. her life is singularly devoted to knowing God better, even in her old age. i want to be content with my relationship with God, to the extent of where not even having a job or a direction in life would be just fine.
while i was stressed out of my mind during the school year, i was secretly proud that i could handle the little sleep and being so productive.
there's no way this is harder than teaching.. but in a way, it's really hard to just be with myself for such a long stretch of time. i'm not being called on every few seconds ("Ms. Wu, Ms. Wu!") or having to submit lesson plans, grading, etcetc... and i feel a bit directionless right now.
hopefully, this post ends redemptively! i think God is teaching me that if He was all that i had, He should be enough. i can't try to fill the emptiness with productivity, or even leisure time. even if i spend more time doing ministry work, in the end, only my relationship with Him is what matters.
i think of my grandma, who spends most of her day, every day, in the house with just my grandpa and her bible and sermons on tape. her life is singularly devoted to knowing God better, even in her old age. i want to be content with my relationship with God, to the extent of where not even having a job or a direction in life would be just fine.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
direction
now that i am officially "funemployed," as dave choi calls it, i have been thinking a LOT about my future.
there is no doubt that God led me through the teaching route to discipline and grow me. i now have a much higher "work" tolerance and level of responsibility. also, there's something to be said about going to work while feeling completely crappy (pms cramps, headache, sore throat, or just the blues...) and making it through the day, doing what needs to be done. MAN, i feel like such a grown-up.
i recently watched "revolutionary road" with steph which, while on the whole, was completely depressing, was brilliant in its portrayal of the common malaises of life. there's a quote from it:
"You want to play house you got to have a job. You want to play nice house, very sweet house, you got to have a job you don't like. "
i don't think this quote is true for everyone..... but it is, kinda. i think, for me, because my love and my passions are worship, music, and ministry, (none of which are paying my bills right now) my job will have to be one that brings in the bucks, but gives me the time i need to pursue my passions.
i feel like i came upon this notion much later in life than everyone else.
i know that God didn't give me the teaching experience and my passions to leave me here to flounder in confusion. he "knows the plans he has for us, plans to prosper us, and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future."
so i shall pray and wait on God for each next step - and i ask for prayer from you if you think of me!
there is no doubt that God led me through the teaching route to discipline and grow me. i now have a much higher "work" tolerance and level of responsibility. also, there's something to be said about going to work while feeling completely crappy (pms cramps, headache, sore throat, or just the blues...) and making it through the day, doing what needs to be done. MAN, i feel like such a grown-up.
i recently watched "revolutionary road" with steph which, while on the whole, was completely depressing, was brilliant in its portrayal of the common malaises of life. there's a quote from it:
"You want to play house you got to have a job. You want to play nice house, very sweet house, you got to have a job you don't like. "
i don't think this quote is true for everyone..... but it is, kinda. i think, for me, because my love and my passions are worship, music, and ministry, (none of which are paying my bills right now) my job will have to be one that brings in the bucks, but gives me the time i need to pursue my passions.
i feel like i came upon this notion much later in life than everyone else.
i know that God didn't give me the teaching experience and my passions to leave me here to flounder in confusion. he "knows the plans he has for us, plans to prosper us, and not to harm us, to give us a hope and a future."
so i shall pray and wait on God for each next step - and i ask for prayer from you if you think of me!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
5th Grade Responsibilities
i was preparing some of the material from my years of teaching to hand off to the next teacher, so i made her a list of what she needs to do..... those of you who are interested in teaching, here ya go!
5th Grade Responsibilities:
Update in the Database (FileMaker Pro on the computer)
- Reading Theme tests (by category) – paper booklets in closet
- Math Chapter tests (percentage) - in textbook
- English Unit tests (percentage) – in textbook
- TIMS labs per quarter? – on TIMS CD
- Writing Prompts (1 per quarter -Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, Creative) – choose the prompts with your partner teacher
Major events during the year
- Science Fair from October to December
- Creative Writing “Bemmys” in February
- Poetry Slam in February/ March
- Spelling Bee (time TBA)
- Hispanic Heritage Project (time TBA)
- ISAT – Reading (Multiple choice, extended response), Math (Multiple choice, extended response, short response), Writing (Expository essay)
Needs to be done by June
Health – Sex Ed – 700 minutes
- lesson plans at healthteacher.com
Per Quarter
- Grades updated for progress reports and report cards on IMPACT
-School Based Problem Solving (Red folders from Sue Colclasure)
- Updated for progress reports and report cards
- Lit Circles every other quarter – find 2 novels that the class can read and discuss in small groups
Per Week
- Lesson plans due Monday at 8 am
- Find time to meet with social workers and contact parents.
- Gradebook for all Reading grades (homework, tests, AR, etc.)
Daily
- Attendance submitted on paper AND on IMPACT
-AR – online
- Parent Contact Logs
- Anecdotes of the children’s behavior/ academics
Helpful Hints:
- A portfolio of students’ tests/ projects, kept at school
- Get all major tests signed by parents
- Delegate AR to the aid
- Parents are very interested to know how to help their child study at home (reading logs!)
- Work on times tables from Day 1
- 5th graders are terrible with adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions
- Reading and Math groups should be differentiated by specific skills
5th Grade Responsibilities:
Update in the Database (FileMaker Pro on the computer)
- Reading Theme tests (by category) – paper booklets in closet
- Math Chapter tests (percentage) - in textbook
- English Unit tests (percentage) – in textbook
- TIMS labs per quarter? – on TIMS CD
- Writing Prompts (1 per quarter -Narrative, Expository, Persuasive, Creative) – choose the prompts with your partner teacher
Major events during the year
- Science Fair from October to December
- Creative Writing “Bemmys” in February
- Poetry Slam in February/ March
- Spelling Bee (time TBA)
- Hispanic Heritage Project (time TBA)
- ISAT – Reading (Multiple choice, extended response), Math (Multiple choice, extended response, short response), Writing (Expository essay)
Needs to be done by June
Health – Sex Ed – 700 minutes
- lesson plans at healthteacher.com
Per Quarter
- Grades updated for progress reports and report cards on IMPACT
-School Based Problem Solving (Red folders from Sue Colclasure)
- Updated for progress reports and report cards
- Lit Circles every other quarter – find 2 novels that the class can read and discuss in small groups
Per Week
- Lesson plans due Monday at 8 am
- Find time to meet with social workers and contact parents.
- Gradebook for all Reading grades (homework, tests, AR, etc.)
Daily
- Attendance submitted on paper AND on IMPACT
-AR – online
- Parent Contact Logs
- Anecdotes of the children’s behavior/ academics
Helpful Hints:
- A portfolio of students’ tests/ projects, kept at school
- Get all major tests signed by parents
- Delegate AR to the aid
- Parents are very interested to know how to help their child study at home (reading logs!)
- Work on times tables from Day 1
- 5th graders are terrible with adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions
- Reading and Math groups should be differentiated by specific skills
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Hi Ms Wu Its me Rene!!!
hey M.S Wu thank you so much for making this the best year ever for me and my classmates you did so much for us like the Christmas party end of the quarter parties and you even gave us all our pictures from the year thanks you were really fun im sorry that not all of us listened to you when you told us to pay attention i will miss you because you were so nice i will continue to do my very best Bye Ms Wu
Saturday, June 6, 2009
biking on the lsd
nancy, kevin, and steph were visiting me last weekend, and we rented bikes from bike 'n' roll and rode down lake shore drive! i recommend doing the half day or full day to get your money's worth out of the bikes.
this is me trying to ride and film at the same time...
movie review: the wrestler
i wanted to see if it deserved all the academy awards and the 98% rottentomatoes.com rating...
warning: it is not a movie to watch while eating. there is lots of wince-inducing violence and blood.
warning #2: it is quite sexually vulgar, which i didn't realize until it was too late and i wanted to see how it ended.
so there are a few issues he works through, which are, that he is a super-senior in the wrestling world, but since it's all he knows and loves, he kills himself by taking steriods, tanning, bleaching his hair, working out like a madman, until one day after a grueling match, he has a heart attack. after the heart attack, he stops wrestling per the doctor's orders, and is miserable, which leads to him making a last hurrah. he also has an estranged daughter with whom he is trying to revive a relationship after years of terrible neglect. and he's trying to court a stripper that he has become friends with.
but the main message that won him the awards, maybe, is to do what you love - and that life is not worth living if you're not doing what you love. and that encapsulating this message in a wrestling movie is unique.
so my review... considering that the content of the movie is about wrestling and strip-dancing, i would think that there are other movies that have the same message, but with a more wholesome backdrop (like walk the line). i wonder why there had to be a stripper (and lots of inappropriate scenes) in it.... because while the movie is moving and the filming technique is interesting, i can't, for example, recommend it to people because of the content. sometimes i think hollywood just throws that stuff in there to be pseudo-artsy/ raw... but i guess it's my fault for not being more careful to read the synopsis.
on a last note, IS doing what you love worth ruining the rest of your life?
warning: it is not a movie to watch while eating. there is lots of wince-inducing violence and blood.
warning #2: it is quite sexually vulgar, which i didn't realize until it was too late and i wanted to see how it ended.
so there are a few issues he works through, which are, that he is a super-senior in the wrestling world, but since it's all he knows and loves, he kills himself by taking steriods, tanning, bleaching his hair, working out like a madman, until one day after a grueling match, he has a heart attack. after the heart attack, he stops wrestling per the doctor's orders, and is miserable, which leads to him making a last hurrah. he also has an estranged daughter with whom he is trying to revive a relationship after years of terrible neglect. and he's trying to court a stripper that he has become friends with.
but the main message that won him the awards, maybe, is to do what you love - and that life is not worth living if you're not doing what you love. and that encapsulating this message in a wrestling movie is unique.
so my review... considering that the content of the movie is about wrestling and strip-dancing, i would think that there are other movies that have the same message, but with a more wholesome backdrop (like walk the line). i wonder why there had to be a stripper (and lots of inappropriate scenes) in it.... because while the movie is moving and the filming technique is interesting, i can't, for example, recommend it to people because of the content. sometimes i think hollywood just throws that stuff in there to be pseudo-artsy/ raw... but i guess it's my fault for not being more careful to read the synopsis.
on a last note, IS doing what you love worth ruining the rest of your life?
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Logic question
for those of you who have not yet seen Star Trek, stop reading and go see it!
'
for those of you who have, i have a question about the movie.....
why is it that when the romulan ship and spock (from the future) go through the black hole, they go back in time, and when the vulcan planet goes through the black hole, they are destroyed forever?
other than this logical conundrum, it is a fabulous movie - i cried when kirk the father sacrificed himself in the first 5 minutes of the movie! and i thought kirk the son was the dad from august rush, but he is not. i actually thought he was not as good-looking or as heart-throbby as others might... because bad boys are not worth the trouble, ladies!!! sylar as spock was great casting, but kinda creepy. i kept expecting him to slice someone's forehead open.
'
for those of you who have, i have a question about the movie.....
why is it that when the romulan ship and spock (from the future) go through the black hole, they go back in time, and when the vulcan planet goes through the black hole, they are destroyed forever?
other than this logical conundrum, it is a fabulous movie - i cried when kirk the father sacrificed himself in the first 5 minutes of the movie! and i thought kirk the son was the dad from august rush, but he is not. i actually thought he was not as good-looking or as heart-throbby as others might... because bad boys are not worth the trouble, ladies!!! sylar as spock was great casting, but kinda creepy. i kept expecting him to slice someone's forehead open.
No Parent Left Behind
This is a forward from Kevin Shan... who obviously has too much time on his hands... notice #3, 11, and 14
NO PARENT LEFT BEHIND... These are real notes written by parents in the Memphis school district. Spellings have been left intact.
1. My son is under a doctor's care and should not take PE today Please execute him.
2. Please exkuce lisa for being absent she was sick and i had her shot.
3. Dear school: please ecsc's john being absent on jan. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and also 33.
4. Please excuse gloria from jim today. She is administrating.
5. Please excuse roland from p.e. for a few days. Yesterday he fell out of a tree and misplaced his hip.
6. John has been absent because he had two teeth taken out of his face.
7. Carlos was absent yesterday because he was playing football. He was hurt in the growing part.
8. Megan could not come to school today because she has been bothered by very close veins.
9. Chris will not be in school cus he has an acre in his side.
10. Please 20 excuse ray friday from school. He has very loose vowels.
11. Please excuse Lesli from being absent yesterday. She had diahre dyrea direathe the shits.
12. Please excuse tommy for being absent yesterday. He had diarrhea, and his boots leak.
13. Irving was absent yesterday because he missed his bust.
14. Please excuse jimmy for being. It was his father's fault.
15. I kept Billie home because she had to go Christmas shopping because i don't know what size she wear.
16. Please excuse jennifer for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it monday. We thought it was sunday.
17. Sally won't be in school a week from friday. We have to attend her funeral.
18. My daughter was absent yesterday because she was tired. She spent a weekend with the marines.
19. Please excuse Jason for being absent yesterday. He had a cold and could not breed well.
20. Please excuse mary for being absent yesterday. She was in bed with gramps.
21. Gloria was absent yesterday as she was having a gangover.
22. Please excuse brenda. She has been sick and under the doctor
23. Maryann was absent december 11-16, because she had a fever, sorethroat, headache and upset stomach. Her sister was also sick, fever an sore throat, her brother had a low grade fever and ached all over. I wasn't the best either, sore throat and fever.. There must be something going around, her father even got hot last night.
Now we know why parents are screaming for better education for our kids.
NO PARENT LEFT BEHIND... These are real notes written by parents in the Memphis school district. Spellings have been left intact.
1. My son is under a doctor's care and should not take PE today Please execute him.
2. Please exkuce lisa for being absent she was sick and i had her shot.
3. Dear school: please ecsc's john being absent on jan. 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and also 33.
4. Please excuse gloria from jim today. She is administrating.
5. Please excuse roland from p.e. for a few days. Yesterday he fell out of a tree and misplaced his hip.
6. John has been absent because he had two teeth taken out of his face.
7. Carlos was absent yesterday because he was playing football. He was hurt in the growing part.
8. Megan could not come to school today because she has been bothered by very close veins.
9. Chris will not be in school cus he has an acre in his side.
10. Please 20 excuse ray friday from school. He has very loose vowels.
11. Please excuse Lesli from being absent yesterday. She had diahre dyrea direathe the shits.
12. Please excuse tommy for being absent yesterday. He had diarrhea, and his boots leak.
13. Irving was absent yesterday because he missed his bust.
14. Please excuse jimmy for being. It was his father's fault.
15. I kept Billie home because she had to go Christmas shopping because i don't know what size she wear.
16. Please excuse jennifer for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the sunday paper off the porch, and when we found it monday. We thought it was sunday.
17. Sally won't be in school a week from friday. We have to attend her funeral.
18. My daughter was absent yesterday because she was tired. She spent a weekend with the marines.
19. Please excuse Jason for being absent yesterday. He had a cold and could not breed well.
20. Please excuse mary for being absent yesterday. She was in bed with gramps.
21. Gloria was absent yesterday as she was having a gangover.
22. Please excuse brenda. She has been sick and under the doctor
23. Maryann was absent december 11-16, because she had a fever, sorethroat, headache and upset stomach. Her sister was also sick, fever an sore throat, her brother had a low grade fever and ached all over. I wasn't the best either, sore throat and fever.. There must be something going around, her father even got hot last night.
Now we know why parents are screaming for better education for our kids.
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