Fab40 foibles

The dumbest thing I've ever done

Yesterday I did something so incredibly dumb I have to share it with you.

I drove a couple of hours away to run the Lausanne 20km race, it goes up and down around Lausanne old town, it was raining too.

That's dumb I agree but it got worse, much worse.

I followed all the deviation parking signs and found a cozy space on the edge of a car park.

I left the car and joined a  joyous crowd heading towards the stadium where the race started.

I won't bore you with the details of dashing around the town under the pouring rain, although I was very pleased with my time, and also very pleased to find a bag of warm clothes waiting for me after the finishing line.

 

I then followed the other bedraggled runners shuffling back to their cars, until the group thinned... and thinned.

 

Just before I ended up following some lone guy into his house I realised I was lost.

 

I had no idea where exactly I'd parked the car.

 

How dumb.

 

An hour after the race finished I was wandering around the town still in the rain, in the dark, mentally kicking myself, blubbering and shivering.

 

When I finally  found it I nearly kissed the damn thing.

 

They say there's no such thing as failure, just a learning experience.

 

I learnt something very important last night.

 

 

Instant solution to be more efficient

 

As you probably know if a) you have met me, b) you’ve taken a look at this blog ( and especially the gaps between posts) I don’t have oodles of free time when I lay around, peeling grapes, thinking “ what can I do now?”

 

I also suffer from an organization syndrome known as “rush about like a headless chicken, shouting at spouse and offspring trying to find what I’ve just put down”. A long title for a syndrome I grant you, so we’ll just call it “faff” for short.

 

Anyway, I have come across a simple, cheap, easy to achieve way of adding hours to my day and increasing my concentration fivefold.

 

Want to know what?

 

Do you? Do you?

 

OK, here it is.

 

Ready?

 

*drumroll*

 

NO FACEBOOK ‘TIL 4

 

Even at weekends, no going there until 4pm.

 

I still have enough time to spend spying on friends and pretending to have a really fun, glam lifestyle, but now I find myself with lots of extra minutes hidden all through my day.

 

So now I have time to write posts like this.

How are your New Year's resolutions going?

 

 

(source)

 

Resolutions?  What resolutions?

What New year come to think about it. I've slipped back into real life so quickly that it's hard to think that this time last month I was a week away from work, whichever way you were looking.

So, while sparing a thought for how all those janupauseries out there will be celebrating tomorrow night, I'd thought I'd take a look at how my own resolutions are faring.

1. Run 

Well I haven't always done the 30km a week I promised this year, it's been hard in the ice and snow. However I've done more than usual and am finding it easier to get out of the door after work. 

If you want to know my total for this year it's on the left-hand bar, down here somewhere.

 

2. Read

 

Not a tough one, I grant you. The resolutions I've probably succeeded the best. I've read seven books this month, two were great - Oryx and Crake  and Bringing up the Bodies, andSalmon Fishing in the Yemen and quite nice with a good ending.

The rest weren't that great, but I reckon if I can read two excellent books a month then it'll be a pretty good year.

 

3. Not drink on school nights

 

This has been ammended to "not drink on school nights if nobody comes for dinner and it's not a friend's birthday" and so included what some might call "drinking" on what could officially be named "school nights", but only to the very finicky out there, which doesn't count...much.

 

4. Cook

 

This has definitely been happening, although I'm not sure it can be called a success, my son has developed an alergy to stew since I got a slow cooker, and I'm the only one eating the soups Iv'e made, from the yumpcious Covent Garden soup book I got recently.

 

5. Say No

 

I've just accepted another translation for the Mali charity I did work for over the last holidays so that will be a big no to saying no. However with the situation out there they probably need the odd yes.

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...and Hello 2013

... and a couple of extra resolutions!

How much do you weigh?

 

 

(source)

 

I was reading an article in today's Guardian (this is officially a VLW - very lazy weekend, so you'll have to find the link yourselves today) which was talking about how women snack in secret - fair enough I thought, who wants to share the chocolate with the kids? It's bad for them.

 

So far, so Guardian.

 

However I was taken aback by the fact that women lie about their weight.

 

To whom?

 

Why?

 

I have never dreamed of asking a friend, or of telling them how much I weigh, who cares?

 

Until now I've always asked them what they are reading, or told them about my latest classic teaching moment, e.g. -

 

We've obviously been having the wrong sort of conversation.

 

Apart from the anesthetist I have never thought to tell anyone my weight.

 

Oh well, now I know. I'll just sneak behind the sofa to finish this kitkat then I'll be back with the details.

 

 

 

 

Related articles

Women own up to guilt over eating habits

My dream hideaway

Do we still need teachers?

 

 

Today I attended a fantastic conference organised  by Geneva International school (the oldest in the world if you're interested).

 

It was great, the coffee and lunch were lovely too.

 

 I was especially interested in the speech  by this guy, Sugata Mitra. he described his "hole in the wall" experiment where he placed a couple of computers in an Indian slum.

 

He discovered that, left to their own devices, children learnt both computer skills and the necessary English in order to use the computer. 

 

Acording to Sugata the secret is to get the kids to work in groups, and especially, for the teacher to go away.

 

An interesting idea to bring up in front of two hundred odd teachers,  but I for one can definitely see his point.

 

His other great idea was The Granny cloud, a project where people in England (I don't think you really have to be a granny) give up one hour a week to teach and support kids in schools around the world, using skype.

 

It's strange to find a talk that would effectively put me out of a  job, so motivating, but I did.

 

I do feel education could be doing so much more, so differently for our kids. Do we really need so much rote learning when the answers a click away?

 

I especially feel our methods of testing knowledge are outdated, when in a job ( apart from at an interview perhaps) do you need to spew out random facts in the same way as a formal exam?

 

The conference also dealt with another question, should we be educating our children so they can find  a job? If so, what should we be teaching them? And if not, then why are we teaching them?

 

Or are teachers just glorified babysitters, and is school just somewhere safe to park the kids during the day?

 

What do you think we should be teaching our children, and how?

 

 

 

 

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10 talks from inspiring teachers

STEM Summit Interview: Sugata Mitra

...and Hello 2013

Fabbook Awards 2012

My dream hideaway

 

(source)

One of my favourite day dreams (apart from the one where I'm in solitary confinement for a month or so) is of my ideal study.

 

It's a secret room with a password/iris check entry system and sound proof walls so I couldn't hear the kids bickering.

It has a desk, but also a couple of comfy armchairs.

Most importantly, it is covered with the grooviest bookcases from floor to ceiling. Like this:

 

(source)

I'd maybe get rid of the bearded man though.

 

Or maybe  it would look like this:

 

(source)

Or this:

 

(source)

The stairs down to my secret lair :

(source)

 

In the garden I'd have a table for drinks  in the sun of course, but also this:

(source)

 

It's a  fantastic idea set up byBaufrachfrau Berlin

 

Or maybe I'll just have a treehouse instead?

(source)

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Goodbye 2012

Fabbook Awards 2012

...and Hello 2013

... and a couple of extra resolutions!

 

 

 

Is it too late for a couple of last minute resolutions?

 

I hope not.

 

To be honest I was too busy enjoying Christmas to think properly about New Year so it took me by surprise so to speak.

 

I've just read A Year of Doing Good and was briefly tempted to try and do a good deed every day, until I realized that my deeds would probably be things like not singing in front of people or not wearing my new Christmas hat to pick the kids up from school.

 

I read a great blog ( and lost it immediately) about a girl who didn't buy any clothes for a year, that would do my bank imbalance wonders, but I bought a T-shirt today so it's already too late.

 

However there are a couple of things that I'd like to try. 

 

One is the happiness jar, loads of blogs have mentioned it, have a look on google images - happiness jar to see some far prettier than ours.

 

The idea is to write down every happy moment of the year and then open the jar on New year's Eve and reread the best bits of 2013.

 

My other idea is to use this widget here, that's right this one at the bottom on the left, to count how many miles I run this year.

 

Perhaps I should make being more decisive a resolution too.

 

 

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...and Hello 2013

Goodbye 2012

Fabbook Awards 2012

 

(image source)

 

 

 

One of the good things about goodreads is that it’s easy to see what I’ve read this year; this is especially useful as I forget every book I’ve read, sometimes within minutes of reading it. One friend commented on Now You See It, when I said it sounded interesting and that I’d like to read it she pointed out that I had, and recommended it, it’s about concentration and memory.

 

So, now to the exciting part, the prizes; obviously there’s no big cheque, sales may not leap, but I’m sure someone somewhere cares vaguely, or disagrees intensely.

 

The fabbook prize for fiction:

 

Is awarded to The Night Circus. I read this totally devourable book in one sitting (a long one I grant you) while on holiday this summer.

 

The story of, amongst other things a travelling circus and a competition between magicians, it is just so beautiful, everything so exquisitely described that if you haven’t already, you must read it now.

 

Morgenstern’s style has been compared to Isabelle Allende and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, other authors I love. I plan on rereading it this year as I’m sure there are loads of gorgeous images that I missed last time.

 

The fabbook prize for non-fiction:

I have read quite a few interesting non-fiction books this year, in general I seem to read more than fiction in fact, what with work, (ex-)psychology studies and just curiosity in general (or nosiness if you prefer) there’s a lot of material out there for me to get through.

 

I enjoy anything by Scott Thornbury, if TEFL teaching and English grammar rock you boat then this is the man to follow.

 

I’m not sure if How to be a Woman is considered fiction or not, but it was a smashing read whatever it is, not only snort-out-loud funny but informative and thought-provoking too. It would get the award if its genre was clearer.

 

So this year’s prize goes to Sisters, I’m a biography fan, my nosy  curious side again, and this story of the Mitford sisters was fascinating, it’s amazing to think that one family could have been present in so many important places and moments of their time. In an age of hot-housing and mummy Olympics it’s incredible to see where the sisters ended up when you take into account their (lack of) education and upbringing.

 

The fabbook prize for children’ literature:

(image source)

I’m a total sucker for kidslit, and this year has been a pretty good one. The Chaos walking saga by Patrick Ness was great, I enjoyed Enders game, but the best, by far, must be the Hunger Games trilogy, ooh, I do love a dystopian society.

 

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I’m including books I read over the last twelve months, notwithstanding when they were written.

 

I can’t wait to get started on my reading list for next year’s prizes, and as always I’m open to suggestions, in fact I’d quite like to spend a year reading only books that have been recommended by other people.

...and Hello 2013

 

 

 

 

(source)

 

So, as I'm sure you're dying to hear all about my New Year's Resolutions, here they are:

 

 

1. Run - at least 30km a week and improve my time in the Paris marathon this April.

 

 

2. Read - more books than last year, when I read 78 books according to my goodreads challenge, not the 100 I'd rashly promised when I started the challenge, but not too bad I feel. I'll aim for more this year but more about that later.

 

 

3. Not drink on school nights - I think I have made this resolution every year since I left school, and never kept it!

 

 

4. Cook - a new entry into the resolution hit parade and big surprise for anyone who knows me, but as dad bought us a slow cooker for Christmas I feel it my filial duty to use it at least once a week, watch out Nigella – here I come.

 

5.  Last and probably least, just to please my friend Karen, say NO  more often, to which I replied, obviously... NO.

 

 

What about you? Did you keep last year's?

 

If you’re looking for something more challenging than the usual “stop biting my nails and leaving the bits on the passenger seat of the car”, then why not check out day zero project ? It’s a site where people save their lists of a 101 things I want to do before… 

 

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Goodbye 2012

Goodbye 2012

Wow, what a year. This time last year I was thinking about how to make the year I turned forty count. I think I've managed that.

Every, well most, nights when I put the kids to bed we do "best bit, worst bit", and talk about the high - and lowlights of our days. So here's the equivalent for 2012.

 

Best Bits

1. Running a Marathon

One of my resolutions, not just for 2011 but for ever, since I would watch the London marathon with my dad, he so admired those that made it round, I knew I had to one day, to make him proud.

2. Making over 500 euros for charity.

While running aforementioned marathon. Not as much as I raised for the semi-marathon I ran the year before, but it's getting to the point when my friends flinch and subconsciously place their hands over their wallets when I tell them I have another cunning plan. which brings me to number 3.

3. Running with courir...ensemble

This local charity runs with children with cancer, for children with cancer. We raise money to pay for activities, projects, and healthcare when needed. I am very proud, not only of running with them, but also of representing them at a local charity night, where I had to give a speech ( unprepared I might add) in French too. 

It also means I can do my bit without begging everyone for money.

 

4. Training kids & helping to organise the village race

... and  giving out the trophies, especially this one to my son!

The rest...

There have been loads of other fantastic moments, not least my fortieth birthday, starting a local running club, going on my first ever weekend away with a friend and no kids or husband inParis, a great school trip to Seville, becoming a great aunt, spending a wonderful christmas getting to know my adorable niece Louise, etc.

 

The Worst bits

1. Stopping my on-line pychology diploma

Even though, in my defense, an appalling administration error meant I had to restart the whole thing, while half way through my final coursework, I still don't like giving  something up unfinished. 

I don't regret it enough to start it again, it was just too demotivating. I would like to start a TEFL MA however, if I find the time (and money) later in the year.

 

2. Work

While not exactly a "worst bit", I still love my job, the extra hours, new classes, and bigger class sizes meant that this school year has been a manic, and very steep learning curve, with me getting half of my work in on time by the skin of my pants, not a situation that I enjoy.

3. being a bitch

Yet again I have got angry and said really horrible things to people close to me. Things that hurt, a lot. I don't know why, when I'm so controlled at work - I would never, ever say anything to a challenging pupil or a colleague when I want to punch him for example, I can't just learn to keep my mouth shut.

The rest...

I won't go into all the times I've snapped at my husband and the kids, not had time for people who count for me, the speeding fine(s), spending money I shouldn't,  and maybe the greatest sin of all...

...all those books I left half-read and didn't finish.