March 5th, 2016

March 5th, 2016

9:46 am on the 11th, talking about the 4th

Did some push-ups then went for a jog, heading east through a weird back street until it became a blocked off parking lot with a narrow street exit to the south. This spat me out onto a main road which I followed until I had run for 15 minutes- my alarm was set for the 17 minute mark, but I didn't really want to go further south- instead, there was a steep hill on the east side of the street that I wanted to tackle. Up I went along the busted up road, passing a guy getting his haircut sitting out on the road (which is awesome). I took in my surroundings at the top of the hill- it was a park, a nice one, too, and there was some body weight exercise equipment being used by some older folks. I sat down on a leg press machine that lifted my whole body, got up and turned to go back home, when a buff old guy walked past. He gave me a headnod which, as you know, is one of the best parts about being an adult male.

I ran back home and prepared for work.

At Roosevelt I bought an almost translucent dumpling with purple highlights in some kind of cold soup with shredded green-things-that-taste-like-potato. Tasted good to me, but what didn't taste good was the fact that I was eating this instead of preparing my English Corner for the day, I didn't look up whatever strange and archaic Shakespeare words that were bound to come up. That was a seamless segue(sp?), right?

Ah, my first class was with Lydian, boss' wife, about the History of Einstein- I went off talking about the theory of relativity and one of Einstein's famous thought experiments, and talking about the recent observation of, what, gravity particles, yes? Basically I managed to sound like I knew a thing or two about science and impressed Lydian. Yes, yes, stay in the good books...

Today's Hamlet had us go over Polonius telling the King and Queen about  how Hamlet has been acting with Ophelia, and he reads a love letter which I read with appropriate gusto: "doubt that the stars are made of fire, but doubt not my love for thee" or however it goes. Ailsa said she enjoyed the love letter and found this to be an interesting class- that's good news, though I was trying to get the class to tell me the love letter was a bit over the top, coming on a little hard. Ah well.

During my break I walked with Steve for a while around the 4th floor, attracting the attention of the man who own the Indian food establishment on the north end of the mall. I don't want to make his acquaintance, because then I'd have to get India food- no thanks. Maybe the dessert will be okay. I grabbed food with Nikita while Steve left to meet Sylar, returning Sylar-less, but with some kind of drinks for all of us. Mine was a sort of spicy fruit punch, quite nice. Also, I intermitently waved to this little girl a few tables over that kept looking my way- she seemed to enjoy the attention, as do we all.

I left for a beginner class on the weather with Kelsi, Lareina, and Sundy before having a beginner salon with Kelsi, Iris, Daniel, Vic, David, and Steven. Of all the people I've mentioned just now, I'll take a moment to tell you about David: he's significantly older than most everyone else in the room, has to be in his 50's, always in that red plaid shirt, and he has a lot of metal hardware in his mouth, a filling, a cap, I don't know, but when he smiles there's a lot going on in there. And I get to see him smile a lot, because he's kind of a joker- but only in Chinese, so everyone is laughing at something he's said, and I have no clue. Which is okay! He's also always carrying a camera around his neck to photograph the whiteboard for notes, and he asks to take the class lesson plan from me to take a picture of that too. That last part is probably not kosher, but I don't care, go for it.

Finally there was a lower intermediate level salon with Zoe, Bob, Min, Queena, Sunny, Ian, and Jessi on characteristics, so we talked about describing different facial parts. I taught them the phrase "Hitler-stache" and somehow I got asked about using Miss, Ms., Mrs. or Madam- I told them it was up to the person you talked to, because I've heard every single one offend someone: Miss/Ms. - "I'm sorry, do I look like a little girl?" Mrs. - "Do I look like I'm married?" or "Do I look like an old woman?" and Madam - "Do I look like I run a brothel?"

"What's "Brothel"?"

"Uuuhhh" You've really done it this time, Isaac- "it's a place to... purchase... time, to... ah, it's where you buy sex."

Teenage Bob, delighted look on his face: "That's dirty!"

I wasn't about to get into this debate, so I just agreed. And there was young Zoe, eagerly copying the word "brothel" into her book, like she's what's-her-name from Bob's Burgers. Tina? I haven't watched much Bob's Burgers. Despite the delicate situation I'd stumbled into, I was glad to see both young men and women show an interest in the topic.

Speaking of delicate situations, outside of class Alona was upset- we had just got paid today and I think she was expecting more, and she was frustrated by all the English Corners they have her do, and that she isn't paid as much as a native English speaker (In my mind I was definitely tugging my collar awkwardly at this one), so I had to walk that tightrope of using my jokey inclinations to make her feel better without taking it too far that she feels I'm not respecting her problems, listening and trying to be helpful but without giving in to that impulse to explain away her problems, so, you know, trying to be helpful.

At one point she said how she thought she was strong, that she tries to be strong... before getting interrupted by Leo bluntly barging into the situation- but his tactlessness was actually amusing and did lighten the situation.

I walked Alona out, offered to go get coffee or even (blech) KFC, but she declined in favour of going home and sleeping. Fair enough, but, and this is what I told her (be ready, I'm about to throw everyone in Canada under the bus) "what you said before about not being strong, well, strong, weak, maybe I don't know what that is, but if you're comparing yourself to other people, let me tell you, I don't know ANYONE that has come to teach in China. I know a lot of people that have taught in Asia, but I didn't know anyone that taught in China until I came here- as far as I know you've lasted 8 months in China longer than anyone else in Canada!"

Well, I said something like that anyways. She appreciated the thought.

Aw man, I had to be all helpful and whatnot instead of reading an article about how Bale didn't think he quite nailed the role of Batman.

Spoiler alert, I read it the next day, and it didn't really have much insight at all. - 10:48 am