How you keeping yourself busy?

[Ridgerunner]

Each kid is different and has different motivators. A teacher can't push all those different buttons with each kid and maintain control. I can remember some remarkable teachers, some not so much. When in a college English literature class, after my second essay the teacher said "you were one of Joanne XXXXXXXXXX's students weren't you? I can tell." Yes, Sophomore English. I'm sure she knew my high school so it wasn't a wild guess, but still. I still earned a C in that college class.

But the story I wanted to tell was that our schedule worked out that I'd get up and get ready to leave for work, then wake my wife as I left. She would then get our oldest, 3rd grade, ready to catch the school bus. She had trouble getting him to get dressed on time so one Monday morning when it was time she tossed his clothes out onto the front porch, tossed him out, and locked the door. The bus passed by the front door. Tuesday and Wednesday he was ready on time but Thursday he found himself on the front porch in his underwear again. That was the end of him not being dressed on time. She was consistent, something he was testing.

If a teacher did something like that they'd get fired if not sued. My wife was an elementary school librarian. My son and his wife are both teachers. It's a job I would not want.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Reminds my of my high school AP Physics teacher. At the time I HATED him for

1. Being PROUD he made the tests so hard even the best student could JUST pass (and I don't mean "the best student in my class, I mean the best student period, he would set up the tests so that someone who had studied everything he had taught and everything in the textbook could get a 65%, max.
2. Not having a problem testing us on stuff he hadn't taught and wasn't available in the textbook on the grounds that "the AP doesn't expect you to know everything to get a top grade."
3. BECAUSE the AP allows for some choices, only teaching us enough that we could do the test if we ALL made the exact same choices as to sections (i.e. removing all of the flexibility that is supposed to be there to allow for students not having mastered everything.)*

In retrospect, I am however glad because it taught me something invaluable for actual College, that NO ONE would help me with ANYTHING and that EVERYTHING no matter how apparently minor was life and death. You're perfect, or your worthless. **

* I heard, (but could never substantiate that if you DID do a section he hadn't taught, even if you got it right, he would STILL mark it incorrect.

** I did get my comeuppance however. The Following year was AP Biology, which I excelled at. As the highest graded AP biology student (well the highest going into a scientific career) I won the scientific scholar award, which as head of the science department, HE had to present to me.

 

[baymule]

Right now making creme brûlée with granddaughters, then angel food cake with the egg whites.

 

[seedcorn]

Way to get thread back on point.

 

[ducks4you]

How about movies?
Here are the ones we are watching bc we own copies, and my ratings.
The Scarlett Pimpernel

The Scarlet Pimpernel (TV Movie 1982) ⭐ 7.6 | Action, Drama, Romance

2h 22m | Not Rated

www.imdb.com

A personal "guilty pleasure", but it is really a well done little film on a tight budget, where all of the actors took their parts seriously.
Blazing Saddles

Blazing Saddles (1974) ⭐ 7.7 | Comedy, Western

1h 33m | R

www.imdb.com

The guy that sings the opening credits song, Frankie Lane, apparently didn't know that this was to be a comedy.
NO ONE will EVERY be able to re make this film, but Mel Brooks ridicules everything in Westerns, inCLUDING racism. If you have never watched it, you should. Madelein Kahn (RIP) does the very best Marlene Dietrich impersonation, including the 1930's style of low register female singing.
The Producers

The Producers (1967) ⭐ 7.5 | Comedy, Music

1h 28m | PG

www.imdb.com

NOT the recent watered down version, but the original.
This is by FAR my favorite Mel Brooks film. I first saw it in 1969 on the 10:30PM late show, as a kid. Mel Brooks won "Best Writer, Story & Screenplay" Oscar in 1967 for this, and Gene Wilder was nominated for Best Actor, supporting Role. Golden Globes gave Zero Mostel "Best Actor," and Mel Brooks, "Best Screenplay."
It's about a down and out NYC Play producer, Max Bialystock, (Zero Mostel),whose books are audited by shy, introverted Leo Bloom, (Gene Wilder), and Leo suggests that instead of the $2K that Max just lost in his last play, he could make a ton of money with a stinker play, by raising a ton of money, then keeping everything after it folds with it's first performance. Max has been raising money from little old ladies, at 25%, 50%, 75% of play profits, and he does the same here.
He picks the worst script, "Springtime for Hitler, a Gay Romp with Adolf & Eva at Bertesgarten," worst director, worst star--Dick Shawn, who is a hippy ballad singer--"Love Power,"-- and cast as Hitler. How could he go wrong?
They REALLY bungled the stage version and subsequent new film.
It is an absolute stitch!

Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo (1959) ⭐ 8.0 | Western

2h 21m | Approved

www.imdb.com

DH and DD love this film. Me, not so much, but I guess everybody could use a little bit of John Wayne. I personally prefer either "The Quiet Man," or "Fort Apache."
Tommy

Tommy (1975) ⭐ 6.6 | Drama, Musical

1h 51m | PG

www.imdb.com

It wasn't my copy, but I couldn't decide whether it needed to be burned, or smashed into tiny pieces.
This is probably the worst film I have ever seen. DD's were over to paint upstairs, so we watched it.
Never show this to me again!!
Kung Pow

Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002) ⭐ 6.2 | Action, Comedy

1h 21m | PG-13

www.imdb.com

LOVE this little film! Steven Oedekerk, still writes films today, and is a big martial arts film geek. He cut up a 1960's martial arts movie, and greenscreened himself and others into it. Full of terrible dubbing and ridiculous fun stuff. I had missed the whale going down the waterfall before, stuff like that. LOTS of good detail. Definitely a labor of love.
Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing (1993) ⭐ 7.3 | Comedy, Drama, Romance

1h 51m | PG-13

www.imdb.com

I know that there are versions people prefer, but this one is pretty good, too. I understand that the version with David Tennet and Catherine Tate is superb, but I can't buy it, so this one, already in my library, will have to suffice.

Digital Theatre

Digital Theatre

www.digitaltheatre.com

 

[ducks4you]

Another gem. SNL hardly ever lets these be posted. I saw this live, btw.

 

[ducks4you]

Another favorite of mine:

 

[Chiknoodle]

Hi all

Well, with more and more of us in some version of lock-down/shelter at home/ whatever you call not being able to leave the house regularly. How are you all keeping yourself busy (besides gardening of course!)

On my side:

Gardening (first as one would expect) This is actually very difficult around here since it is JUST beginning to be spring, (or at least the form of spring defined by things being available) so there isn't all that much to BUY yet. Add on the fact that, by Sunday EVERYTHING non essential in NY is being shut down indefinitely ( and I rather doubt they will consider plant nurseries "essential") at it looks like it's going to be a kind of bleak gardening year (it doesn't help that most of the seed companies are getting overwhelmed and shutting down temporarily). In fact my plans tomorrow (assuming they are open) involves doing basically a Hail Mary run to one local nursery to load up on peat pellets, since I need them to get the cucumbers started. I probably have to give up on my coveted red violas (they weren't in when I went today, and as I said, by next week, they'll be no way to get them)

Crafting I've been doing quite a lot of jewelry making to keep my hands busy. But this of course needs supplies, and with the craft stores closed, I have to use mail order and wait a week or so for each thing I need. Plus most of the supplies I use are in extremely limited supply. (Plus it would be nice if a few more of my things sold online, but that is another matter)

It's just getting sort of boring. The next book I want to really read isn't due out until mid May, there aren't THAT many TV programs I want to catch up on.

Normally I'd also do some cleaning, but every time I do that too much I get bronchitis, and this is definitely NOT a time to have lung trouble.

So over to you

TAKING CARE OF ANIMALS

 

[RebeccaRN]

Been watching The Chosen, its fantastic.

 

[ducks4you]

Just got a DVD of the first season!!!