Thursday Tidbits

Posted on November 26, 2020 under Thursday Tidbits with no comments yet

You need running shoes to teach in elementary

 

“Running on, running on empty,

Running on, running blind,

Running on, running into the sun,

But I’m running behind.

Running on Empty – Jackson Browne

I never thought I would be chasing a bunch of 11- year olds around a school at the age of 69. This might be one reason why I seem to be perpetually ‘running on empty’.

I had planned to write a serious piece today about “Eskimo Tags”, a program ushered in by the Federal Government in the 1940s as a way of identifying Inuit people. Looking through the lens of history, this was yet another example of “colonialism on steroids”. I plan to interview someone with intimate knowledge of this topic and hope to post the story next week.

In the meantime, I have absolutely nothing to write about which I seem to do well with this, my 1,169^th post. So, I’’ just ramble on about nothing for 500-600 words.

Will I start with a rant about Bell? I have done several already but this one takes the cake. My faithful readers already know about my debacle getting a landline from Bell and then trying unsuccessfully for three months to pay my bill until they threatened to cut me off. Then they took three months’ worth of payments out of two different accounts which should result in a credit. However, my November bill hasn’t shown up so I’m expecting more drama and confusion.

But this is not why I just wasted about 62 words. You see, the fine workers at Bell were in the village a week and a half ago doing some line repairs. Somehow, they managed to sever the competitor’s main line that provides cable to just about every household in the village. I’m not suggesting subterfuge but the only other provider of cable in the community (drum roll….) is none other than Bell. They provide satellite TV. I am not a subscriber! We’ve been without cable for 10 days. Did Joe Biden win the presidency? Has Coronavirus been eradicated? Did the Leafs win the Stanley Cup? Oooh. That was a cheap shot. Sorry Leaf fans.

I must say that I have been missing my daily fix of news and sports reports but not all the ads. Honestly, I think that TSN has more ads and promos than CNN, and that’s saying something. Truth be told, I don’t get CNN or Fox which suits me fine. The only thing more annoying than ads are the talking heads. The networks are probably very sad to see Trump leave office although it looks like he’ll have to be dragged out of the White House kicking and screaming…once they get him off the golf course.

No television and very sketchy internet. I was mentioning this to some colleagues when one couple came to the rescue. “You can have our DVD player and several hundred movies.” This sounded like an amazing offer. The bad news is that my television, given to me last year is ancient… like me. No, it doesn’t have rabbit ears but the screen is small and the picture isn’t the best. My friends tried to hook up the DVD player but the TV was so old that there were no ports to plug in the cords. One of these friends suggested that I up my game and treat myself to a new flat screen television. As fate would have it, my neighbor in the upstairs apartment (who is away on paternity leave) has a 50’ flat screen TV. With his return to the north uncertain, I reached out to him and within 10 minutes, I bought his television. Some people would call this purchase impulsive, but I choose to use the word decisive!

I am NOT a movie buff. I think the last movie I saw was ET. I’m joking, sort of, but I don’t go to a lot of movies and the names of actors and actresses don’t come easily especially when I’m looking for a solution in a crossword puzzle.

The first evening that I had my new (used) TV, I binged and watched two full length movies back to back – Collateral with Tom Cruise and Rainmaker based on the book of the same name by John Grisham. Over the past several days I have watched Pulp Fiction , possibly one of he worst movies I have ever seen along with Silver Linings (Bradley Cooper), Notes on a Scandal (Dench and Blanchett) and Goodfellows (De Niro and Pesci). And one of my all time favourites, Forrest Gump. Tom Hanks is masterful in this role. Do you have any recommendations?

I rarely talk about school for reasons of discretion and privacy, but I don’t mind telling you that my students have been very excited lately receiving the very first letters of their lives from pen pals across Canada. Many of you reached out when I came begging for stamps a month or so ago and several of you also agreed to correspond with my students. Getting a real handwritten letter in the year 2020 is a rarity. Thanks to all of you for this act of kindness.

My students are incredibly artistic, their teacher, not so much but I do my best to bring an art project to class once every few weeks. While they create, I always have music on in the background. Sometimes it’s even live! I usually let them choose the music. Lately I have been combining classical music with art. Mozart and art, anyone? The other day, I gave them a taste of Beethoven. They tell me it’s “boring” but then again, they say that about everything I do. It does seem to have a calming effect.

Wow! I’ve outdone myself. Just about 1000 words on nothing at all.

I’m running on empty. Have a great weekend and see you next Monday.

P.S. Thinking about doing a Christmas Pillow Talk someday soon. Any takers?