Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Walking with Wolves
Hi All! Here some of my better shots from Sunday's trip to Wales area...it was a beautiful place to visit; not sure if my photos do it justice! I had a lot of fun hiking, feeding the wolves and seeing the wildlife there. It's a place that takes in wolves that have been held in captivity but were no longer wanted. So he lets them live out their lives in an environment closer to a natural setting. They were all magnificant animals.
Debbie
Friday, February 22, 2008
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah
Well, to bring you up to snuff on my life. I must be a glutton for punishment. I have decided to take on the teaching practicum I was offered. I was hoping to be able to drop one of my classes in Albany and just do one there and this practicum. But, as it turns out, transferring the credits was not approved. SO, I am going to do all three after all. That's okay, though. I am thoroughly enjoying the practicum so far. I am learning more than I expected and mostly about myself and my perspective. You see I took a teaching methodology class for teaching in the foreign language classroom last Spring semester. I really enjoyed it and I did well. But, this is one on one, and I am having to keep a journal in which I am required to analyze what I observe. So I am getting great feedback. And, so far, I have learned that I am not as scared to be in front of the class as I thought. As a matter of fact, I really think I could get to like it once I get some more experience.
Today proved to be another "learning experience". What I learned was: always make sure your pants are zipped. Yes, indeed!! If I can expose my "granny panties" to a class full of people, I can conquer the world!! I noticed a slight breeze about the middle of class time. I quite nearly burst out laughing in the middle of class. I had everything I could do to discretely zip my pants and stifle the laughter inside me. So, I ask you, what do you do in that situation? Sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
This makes me recall back in grade school the moment when a teacher would ask you to tell about your most embarrassing moment. Well, I was hard-pressed to think of one back then, but gave some lame answer instead. I can now go to my grave with the realization that I now have the "most embarrassing moment" story that every human life should not do without. LOL. It just makes me want to sing. C'mon everyone! Join me in an old Disney favorite.
Any of you care to share YOUR most embarrassing moment? No pressure, but I just had to offer. (I need to have the spotlight taken off me!)
Today proved to be another "learning experience". What I learned was: always make sure your pants are zipped. Yes, indeed!! If I can expose my "granny panties" to a class full of people, I can conquer the world!! I noticed a slight breeze about the middle of class time. I quite nearly burst out laughing in the middle of class. I had everything I could do to discretely zip my pants and stifle the laughter inside me. So, I ask you, what do you do in that situation? Sometimes, all you can do is laugh.
This makes me recall back in grade school the moment when a teacher would ask you to tell about your most embarrassing moment. Well, I was hard-pressed to think of one back then, but gave some lame answer instead. I can now go to my grave with the realization that I now have the "most embarrassing moment" story that every human life should not do without. LOL. It just makes me want to sing. C'mon everyone! Join me in an old Disney favorite.
Any of you care to share YOUR most embarrassing moment? No pressure, but I just had to offer. (I need to have the spotlight taken off me!)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
"I can name that tune in ___ notes."
Do you guys remember the gameshow "Name That Tune"? I was always amazed when they had people on there that could name a song after only hearing one or two notes from it. I might be able to do that with SOME songs now that I am older and have heard and remember more music, but they would be very few if that.
For as much as I enjoy music, I never seriously learned to play any instrument. The clarinet interests me, and I actually own one. I bought it with intention of learning, but that is on the back burner since my schedule is complicated. One day I may still learn to play the thing. In the meantime, I continue to expand the collection of songs I have on my Ipod to get my daily fix of music. If that thing is not one of the greatest inventions for the music lover in the technology age, I don't know what is.
I remember one of the first record albums I ever got was The Bee Gees Greatest Hits. Keith, I think you bought it for me for Christmas one year, didn't you. I LOVE that album, which has since been replaced with a CD and subsequently been added to my Ipod tunes. (As an aside, I even love the "music" made by the trains that go through town here not far from my apartment. I've written a couple of poems about it.) I remember the first album I ever bought on my own was Styx "Paradise Theatre" which, along with my other albums, I played incessantly.
Nowaways, my musical tastes have expanded greatly, and except for what I would consider hard rock or heavy metal, I enjoy a great variety of music. Music in French from Teri Moise (she has such a sultry voice), Music in Spanish from Luis Miguel and the Gipsy Kings and others. Some flamenco, some salsa, lots and lots of romantic ballads. My taste for classical and jazz have expanded as well. I have a friend that used to be a dj who has introduced me to an endless variety of music as well as piquing my nostalgia for lots of old tunes I loved but had forgotten over the years.
Now, it is your turn to tell me what music has touched your lives. What was the first album/record you bought? Do you have particular songs that you've associated with certain memories in your past? What sort of music do you prefer to listen to? And any other bit of musical information you'd care to contribute is welcome too.
For as much as I enjoy music, I never seriously learned to play any instrument. The clarinet interests me, and I actually own one. I bought it with intention of learning, but that is on the back burner since my schedule is complicated. One day I may still learn to play the thing. In the meantime, I continue to expand the collection of songs I have on my Ipod to get my daily fix of music. If that thing is not one of the greatest inventions for the music lover in the technology age, I don't know what is.
I remember one of the first record albums I ever got was The Bee Gees Greatest Hits. Keith, I think you bought it for me for Christmas one year, didn't you. I LOVE that album, which has since been replaced with a CD and subsequently been added to my Ipod tunes. (As an aside, I even love the "music" made by the trains that go through town here not far from my apartment. I've written a couple of poems about it.) I remember the first album I ever bought on my own was Styx "Paradise Theatre" which, along with my other albums, I played incessantly.
Nowaways, my musical tastes have expanded greatly, and except for what I would consider hard rock or heavy metal, I enjoy a great variety of music. Music in French from Teri Moise (she has such a sultry voice), Music in Spanish from Luis Miguel and the Gipsy Kings and others. Some flamenco, some salsa, lots and lots of romantic ballads. My taste for classical and jazz have expanded as well. I have a friend that used to be a dj who has introduced me to an endless variety of music as well as piquing my nostalgia for lots of old tunes I loved but had forgotten over the years.
Now, it is your turn to tell me what music has touched your lives. What was the first album/record you bought? Do you have particular songs that you've associated with certain memories in your past? What sort of music do you prefer to listen to? And any other bit of musical information you'd care to contribute is welcome too.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Norwich "Habitat"
Hi Mic,
I went to Norwich a little while back with a friend and we saw this neat shot...I just think it says a lot so I thought you'd get a kick out of this...
Friday, February 8, 2008
Hello from Texas
Kristen wanted me to share some of her professional photos with all of you...ain't she cute??? Also, a nice photo of Kris and Telle...enjoy. Love, Debbie
Sunday, February 3, 2008
It crept up on me.
Hi All!
Well as it turns out, I will be graduating with my master's (God willing) in December of 2008 and not May 2009. Good and bad. Somehow I let it creep up on me and must bury myself in my books for the remainder of this year in preparation for the comprehensive exams I must take this coming October and pass in order to have the Master's degree conferred on me. No small task, given that they are, respectively 6 and 4 hours in length. The first of which will be in my primary area of study (i.e. Latin American Literature), the second in my secondary area of study (i.e. Spanish Peninsular Literature).
So, I am neglectful with this blog as a result because I also have my coursework in progress to complete. I will try to contribute whenever I can find a free moment, but the contributions on my part may be sparse for a few months.
I have, additionally, been offered the opportunity to teach with a professor/friend of mine at Plattsburgh State. It will give me the chance to get my feet wet at the front of a Spanish language classroom, which is something I have yet to experience in depth. I am thrilled because, being a part-time student due to work and having to commute to Albany for class I was missing out on the experience that my peers in the same program at Albany have as full-time students with teaching assistantships. They start teaching the same semester they enter the program and therefore many of them have been teaching for a few semesters already. I am still having to work out the details in order to do this, but I will keep you all posted on it.
Take care for now
Love to all
Mic
Well as it turns out, I will be graduating with my master's (God willing) in December of 2008 and not May 2009. Good and bad. Somehow I let it creep up on me and must bury myself in my books for the remainder of this year in preparation for the comprehensive exams I must take this coming October and pass in order to have the Master's degree conferred on me. No small task, given that they are, respectively 6 and 4 hours in length. The first of which will be in my primary area of study (i.e. Latin American Literature), the second in my secondary area of study (i.e. Spanish Peninsular Literature).
So, I am neglectful with this blog as a result because I also have my coursework in progress to complete. I will try to contribute whenever I can find a free moment, but the contributions on my part may be sparse for a few months.
I have, additionally, been offered the opportunity to teach with a professor/friend of mine at Plattsburgh State. It will give me the chance to get my feet wet at the front of a Spanish language classroom, which is something I have yet to experience in depth. I am thrilled because, being a part-time student due to work and having to commute to Albany for class I was missing out on the experience that my peers in the same program at Albany have as full-time students with teaching assistantships. They start teaching the same semester they enter the program and therefore many of them have been teaching for a few semesters already. I am still having to work out the details in order to do this, but I will keep you all posted on it.
Take care for now
Love to all
Mic
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