Equal Goes It Loose
The World Of Teaching & Learning English
Is It Normal To Be This Nervous???
[ No Comments ] Posted on 07.01.08 under 365 project, Germany, Quick Conversation Lessons
Everyone assumes I am nervous about the upcoming trip. I am not at all. I am just excited, I am really looking forward to it, and I derserve it. While I admit that in the past I didnt let money stop me, I just put whatever I needed on credit card, this past year has been hellish in equal parts as fantastic. Be it my Saturn’s return, that I am adjusting to life in a new country (as opposed to a short to long term jaunt, as I mentioned, I have never renewed a work visa before), accepting that I cant live on credit forever, or whatever it may be, this year I have paid off my credit cards, paid off a student loan, and this trip is paid for in cash. I put in 12 hour days, I did not decorate my apartment, I do not buy new clothes every paycheck, my books come from the library or an online swap account (mostly), and instead of eating out every week, I rarely eat out at all. (I also like to think all of this helps the environment as well, check out the story of stuff at the bottom of the post, on a tangent its great for an ESL lesson as well, the main site comes with a discussion handout that is perfect for advanced students, but you can modify the questions for an intermediate group).
BUT, what I am terrified of is failing the test on Saturday by doing something so utterly stupid like not looking long enough over my shoulder, or forgetting to check right before left when I am off a main street, or for the first time since my second lesson, dropping the bike.
GAAAAAA I am superstitious enough that even writing that makes me want to puke!
And the promised video:
Genius You Idiot
[ No Comments ] Posted on 06.13.08 under Germany, Quick Conversation Lessons, Wacky News
This man is going to be number one on a lot of people’s hate list that is for sure!
From The Local: German Football Reporter Makes Bomb Threat To Delay Plane
Is it just me, or would you refrain from going up and commenting that you heard the plane was no longer taking off before an announcement was made??? Better yet, find a different way to get your ass to Vienna? You can drive it in much less time than getting out of jail requires. 
I Love This!!!!!!!!
[ No Comments ] Posted on 04.20.08 under Germany, Quick Conversation Lessons, Wacky News
This is a great little story from DW that I have saved and use for when my lesson plan comes up short and I still have 15 or 20 minutes left to a lesson, too short to start something new, too early to let them go, and too long to just sit there and inanely chat till the end!.
The full article can be found here Deutsche Welle Squirrel Goes On Bloody Rampage:
A squirrel with aggression issues acted out in the southern German town of Passau, injuring three people before his last victim finished him off with a crutch.
The Bavarian town of Passau, on the Austrian border, is usually a fairly quiet place, with man and nature living in relative harmony. But this week, the bucolic balance was thrown off when a squirrel went berserk, terrorizing three in a biting rampage that ended only with his death.
His first victim was a 70-year-old woman, who was sitting peacefully in her living room when she was surprised by the sensation of small claws on her back. The squirrel had jumped through a window and onto the woman, soon sinking its teeth into her hand. Acorns weren’t on this little guy’s mind, arteries apparently were.
Terrified, the woman ran out into the street in a panic, managing to shake the squirrel off.
But the creature, whipped into a frenzy, immediately found another victim. He jumped onto a nearby construction worker, injuring him on the hand and arm. The fellow was finally able to fight the furry demon off with a measuring pole.
Still on the hunt for blood, the tiny terror then ran into the garden of a 72-year-old retiree.
“The squirrel massively attacked him on the arms, hand and thigh,” said a local police spokesperson. So the senior citizen used the only weapon at his disposal — his crutch.
He clubbed the ruthless rodent to death.
How the squirrel obtained his bloodlust is still unclear, although experts have said its behavior could be linked to the mating season or the squirrel could have been diseased.
Facebook & Lesson Ideas
[ No Comments ] Posted on 04.07.08 under Quick Conversation Lessons
Love it, or hate it, it makes for easy lesson fodder! Everyone has an opinion on Facebook, AND, even if they do not (some of my more senior students have never even heard of it) they still love to talk about privacy issues and the internet. So if you want a quick lesson that requires no effort - here is a link (with a Canadian slant, but free). If your subscribed to One Stop English you will find a nice handout to go with it as well.
