The reason there are practically no teaching blogs

So I've just finished my first full week of college, the week before I spent working in a primary school, observing lessons and helping out with IT when the teachers couldn't work the new computer suite they'd had installed.

Anyways, Friday was our keynote lecture on teachers' legal responsibilities. It was a really interesting half hour but it really hammered home what I'd been suspecting all week:

Unless they are completely anonymous teachers cannot have blogs.

Because of my Father and various other superfun ex stalkerish people my facebook profile is super private unless you are an accepted friend of mine, which is fine. When it comes to my blog however, this isn't the case.

I have always blogged under my own name and there are plenty of identifying details throughout these pages that make my identity completely obvious to anyone who has ever met me. That's fine. I'm not ashamed of anything I've done with my life and hence anything blogged about but the fact remains that most of the content is stuff that I would not want any pupils to see. Which is a shame, because I've loved running this place and running it under my real name too.

But kids are not only massively inventive but also incredibly persistent and I know from experience that if there's anything out there about you to find they will find it.

So now I have a decision to make, do I go back and edit my content to make this place completely anonymous or do I close it down entirey? To be honest, with the workload I'm facing even as a student and the other writing projects I have going on at the moment, keeping a blog up and running is kind of low down on my list of things I'd like to do when I have a spare moment (another reason there are practically no teaching blogs - they're too fucking tired to keep them going).

So that's why there aren't any new posts going up at the moment, I'm thinking it over for the time being.

Rocknrolla

I have a new review up at Pajiba, you muppet.

Go read and be my, be me little rock n roll queen.

a housekeeping note

I woke up today to a misty morning in the countryside and the sound of wolves howling.

My life is so awesome right now.

I am aware that this summer has been the summer of fluff, which is understandable as I haven't been teaching or doing anything of any interest. I've just been coasting and working out the last few weeks of my job and waiting for my life to start. Granted, while that was happening I managed to get a new writing gig, fall in love (with my wonderful J soldier boy and writing partner extraordinaire) and become oddly addicted to writing online interactive fiction so I haven't been too miserable!

But! Now I have finished my horrible job and have a blissful, totally non stressful week of moving house, registering early for college and getting to know New Boy, the nameless until he earns it new addition to the Odd household. But then I get to spend a week teaching littluns and the "apples" section of this blog begins in earnest.

That is, of course, if I am capable of ripping myself away from Spore for long enough to post.

Mmmmmm..... Spore.

reviewage

My first review for the fine folks at Pajiba is now up!

You can read (and comment on) it here should you so wish.

ugh... just ugh

This is one of the most mind bogglingly stupid and offensive things I have ever seen.

"Improve your willpower"? How about live life as a horrendously boring robot with no passion or joy? My favourite part is the "top tips" which I will paraphrase here for your hissing and spitting needs:

BAN JUNK FOOD.“If you want to buy sweets for the kids, buy a pack at a time,” says Marisa. “It will keep you and them healthier.”

CURB VARIETY. “The more varied our diet, the more stimulated our taste buds are and the more we crave various foods,” explains Marisa. “Try to stick to three food types in each meal.”


BE PREPARED. “If we feel peckish and have only a vending machine, we’ll be ordering a chocolate in no time,” says Marisa. “Always have a healthy snack to hand for emergencies.”


DON’T FALL FOR FREEBIES.“A free cake may seem irresistible but being overweight is the biggest expense of all,” warns Marisa.


REMEMBER FEELING GORGEOUS. “Think back to a time when you felt at your best,” says Marisa. “Store that feeling and remind yourself of it when you are feeling low or tempted.”


FOOD WILL ALWAYS TASTE GOOD. “You have a lifetime to taste good foods – but only about 30 years of your adult life to look truly sexy,” says Marisa. “Make the most of it now.”

Emphasis mine.

Yes, because what better way to "make the most of now" than living a life of deprivation and self abuse?

I fucking hate Sun Woman. I really, really do.

And of course this has been emailed to the fantastic folks over at Shapely Prose, as hopefully they will eviscerate it far more efficiently and in depth than I ever could.

to counteract

To act against the hideousness of that Cosmo video, ladies and gentlemen I give to you Margaret Cho and what I consider to be her finest ranting hour:

Can I get a "fuck yeah"?

because it's all your fault!

Remember ladies, if you happen to be dating a man who is incapable of decent human behaviour such as finishing with you before running off and sticking his dick into the next warm thing with ladyparts... it's not his fault.

It's yours!

I really fucking hate Cosmopolitan magazine. I hate it and all it stands for. I hate its "sex tips" (seriously, if you find a man who doesn't either laugh nervously or scream in horror when you suggest introducing pineapple rings and a scrunchie into the bedroom: you're already doing it wrong), I hate its "fashion spreads", I hate the adverts for plastic surgery interspersed with features on how to feel good about yourself. And now I hate its YouTube videos.

Aces.

Oh and from the comments:

dont understand how women can think u can actually be in a relationship with a man and not have sex as one of your priorities. thats like having a car with no car insurance or gasoline. u wanna keep a man?- then take it form a man, be adventurous in bed and FREQUENTLY, also dont nag us- let us drink our beer watch our porn and pursue our hobbies... do these two things and i guarantee your man will love your forever- trust me im a guy.

Yeah, not only is he a guy, he's a catch!

Slightly more heartening are the feministing comments:

I hate segments like this because it virtually erases any concept of a women's sex drive. I am by far the more sexual one in my relationship and it always pisses me off that it's never acknowledged that women want and love sex too. I don't have sex because my husband is hardwired to have sex and needs it a lot. I have sex because, damnit, I like orgasms.

Amen, MzBitca. A-freaking-men

If you need a week or two off work and think that stabbing your own eyes out through sheer frustration and the desire to make it fucking stop may be the way to do it you should go ahead and watch more of the drek the Cosmo channel on YouTube vomits out on a semi regular basis*

[Via Feministing]

*Note: This is not actually recommended. At all. Please don't.