Monthly Archives: July 2014

What makes a teacher?

What makes a teacher?

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Do you remember any of your teachers? Who? What did he/she teach? How? Where, in which moment of your life were you? Where you a toddler? A school kid? Or maybe a rebel teen? An aspiring young adult? Perhaps a tired grown-up looking for a new horizon of knowledge? A wise old man/woman trying to keep up with the challenges of modern life?

I keep questioning things as a part of my reasoning and critical thinking processes. This is who I am, might I be annoyingly specific at times. One the one hand I WANT to know, and on the other hand, I KNOW already some things.

Since I started working with teachers, as a teacher, and not only, one question reappeared recurrently in mind, just like a vulture who is flying in circles to find its prey. What makes a teacher truly be… A TEACHER?

For sure not a bottle of Teacher’s, although once in while it might seem like the appropriate strategy in the face of multistressful situations. But then WHAT? I have read so many job descriptions that by now you would think I know exactly what makes a teacher. In reality, the duties and responsibilities of a teacher, moreover meeting them, does not necessarily make a teacher.

Do you believe that your students will bring you up fondly when conversing with their friends over time, because you did such a great job meeting all your deadlines and you were such a responsible teacher? You have to have been GREAT to become a memory for your students, and this greatness can go back and forth.

You can either be GREATly challenged as a human being & professional and communicate this unwillingly to all your students, making them loath your guts, or GREATly appreciated for your wits, jokes, humanity & intelligence that you seem to pass on to anyone you teach with so much gracefulness and ease.

What makes a (wo)man will most certainly make a teacher! Humbleness, humanity, humour, hospitality, honour. What breaks a (wo)man will break a teacher! In terms of breaking, the possibilities are endless, as we turn out to be creative not only in the good, but also in “the bad, the ugly and the evil”.

Far and foremost, I strongly think that decency should be a pre-requisite for anyone who wishes to travel on the rocky path of teachinghood. But what does decency exactly mean?

Does it refer to appearance? Partly…
Does it encompass a specific way of viewing life, people and children, most of all? Naturally!
Does it have anything to do with the ways in which you head towards your goals and objectives? Of course!

I love teaching because it always gives me the opportunity of hearing fresh ideas from growing brains!
I love teaching because it’s a team sport. It’s no fun if you do it all by yourself, just you with “your” children!
I love teaching because I learn from children everything that I’m missing!

Love it too, but keep an open and sincere mind on whether you have what it takes to be a teacher, and not just another teacher, but THE teacher. The one your students will remember over time with nostalgia and a smile on their face. A GREAT TEACHER!

Einstein_Mindlab

Bistarii Regelui

Bistarii Regelui

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Am dormit de dupa-amiaza cu Lana, mai pe romaneste Leana, cu cea mai desavarsita lene inventata vreodata de corpul si spiritul omenesc. Nu reusesc sa imi dau seama ce-i in capul meu, ca de fiecare data cand o savurez pe domnisoara del Rey, ma gandesc la Natural Born Killers, si implicit la Juliette Lewis. Dupa mintea mea, cele doo gagici seamana, numai ca-s la o generatie distanta, Lizzie avand fo’ 28 de ani (iacata ca suntem de-o seama mai Lizuca casta si anancasta), iar Juliette a sarit deja de 40.

Si daca ar fi sa o descos nitelus pe demoazela Grant as incepe cu faptul ca ceea ce ne arata ea noo e ca un soi de personaj creat de propriile-i manute, care poa’ sa faca, zica, simta ce vrea pana domniei sale, fara a se asocia direct cu facaturile, zicalele si simtamintele persoanei reale, pe care o cheama, in cazul in care nu stiati asta deja, Elizabeth Woolridge Grant. Ce nume lung si intesat de semnificatii!

Let’s break it down a little bit, doar de dragul recapitularii cunostintelor de lingvistica, bibliologie si istorie (pe alocuri). Elizabeth vine de la numele ebraic אֱלִישֶׁבַע care nu inseamna nici mai mult nici mai putin decat “my God is an oath”. In varianta ebraica a Vechiului Testament, Elisheba este nevasta lui Aaron (fratele mai mare al lu’ Moise), in timp ce in varianta elenica a Noului Testament, Elizabeta este mama lui Ioan Botezatorul. Unde mai pui si faptul ca Sheva in ebraica e numarul 7, deci alt misticism, alta distractie…

Exodus 6:23 “And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.” American Standard Version 1901.

Pentru cine are cunostinte minime de engleza si acces la un site de traducere, decriptarea numelui compus Woolridge devine o joaca de copii.

Woolridge = Wool + Ridge.
Wool = lana
Ridge = coama.
=> Woolridge = Coama de lana

Cat despre Grant, mie imi cam seamana cu Grand, care se refera la ceva maret. Lingvistic, grant e cam verb sau substantiv, si inseamna acordare, admitere, alocare, cesiune, transfer, incuviintare, permisiune, bursa si tot asa. In principiu este despre dat, nu despre luat. Astfel, dragii babei, avem de-a face cu o domnita cu nume de mare preoteasa, caci Aaron a fost unul dintre primii mari preoti/profeti care propovaduiau invataturile lui Hristos in randul iudeilor, si implicit nevasta-sa era prin asociere si prestanta, si ea o Mare Preoteasa.

In aceste conditii Elizabeth Woolridge Grant este o Mare Preoteasa cu Coama de Lana care Da celor din jur.

Ce da? Treaba ei… Dar din moment ce ale sale sound-uri sunt cunoscute worldwide in prezent am primit cu varf si indesat ce ne-a dat. Si am si dat mai departe, caci nu suntem chiar atat de egoisti. Sau poate nu am putut cuprinde tot ce avea domnuca sa ne dea?

She seems like a Heroin Chic Powercase, cu o voce care te (ma) duce cu gandul la cantecele sirenelor care ademeneau marinari pe mare tocmai pentru a le pune capac, sau cu cantecele ielelor care ademeneau barbati in padurile intunecate pentru ca acestia sa nu se mai intoarca inapoi de unde au venit, fiind absorbiti de trilurile divine pe care fapturile acelea ireale le cantau cu atata gratie.

Acum ca am dezbracat-o de identitatea sa reala, incercand sa o patrundem pana in adancurile celor mai obscure intelesuri si asocieri, ma duc si spre aliasul sau atat de cozy de Lana del Rey. Nu m-am documentat inainte cu privire la motivatiile care au stat la baza adoptarii unui astfel de alias, deci imi voi da cu parerea in absenta oricaror informatii anterioare pe aceasta tema, asa ca fasten your seatbelts, please! 😉

Lana del Rey imi suna sud-american, pentru simplul fapt ca “lana” este un jargon folosit in America (atat de Sud, cat si de Nord – Mexic) pentru bani, adica se traduce pe linia bistari, lovele, parai, cascaval, malai sau parale. Del Rey e un genitiv… roial, care se traduce lesne, pentru cine are muzicalitate lingvistica hispanica, sub forma “a regelui”. Care rege? Pai daca e rege si nu-i print, mintea mea psihanalitica se duce spre taramul cu daddy issues, si daca ati ascultat versurile catorva dintre melodiile lui Lizzie, puteti deduce ca ceva-ceva tot exista pe acolo-sa in relatia fiica-tata.

Daca o luam la puricat dupa data nasterii, ne iese ca Lizuca noastra cea frumos cantatoare e la granita dintre Gemeni si Rac, fiind nascuta in ultima zi de Gemeni. Subiectiv vorbind (si sa ma scuzati Racilor pe aceasta cale, rogu-va!), io zic ca-i mai bine s-o consideram Gemeni. Ca duala e, dedublata e, histrionica e, talentata muzical e si frumoasa pana peste poate. Dar profunzimea interioara de Groapa Marianelor, emotionalitatea covarsitoare, dubioseniile bondage-dominance-sadism-masochism sau combinatiile artistice inedite o duc clar catre Rac. E o pereche de Gemeni-Rac, ca sa impacam si bondage-ul cu disciplina, sadismul cu masochismul, cat si capra cu varza…

O stim de cand “s-a nascut pentru a muri”, iar de atunci nu a incetat sa compuna si sa se descompuna in fata noastra, a publicului laaaaarg deschis la sugestiile sale muzicale mai ceva ca picioarele unei doamne respectabile la controlul ginecologic de rutina.

Discografia sa include 3 albume MARI si lateeeeee:

– Lana del Rey – 2010;
– Born to Die – 2012;
– Ultraviolence – 2014.

Din doi in doi ani, pana in fund la taxatoare.

Pe langa cele 3 albume, femeia mai are:

– 4 Extended Plays: Kill Kill, Lana del Rey, Paradise & Tropico;

– 18 Single-uri:

Video Games – okish, nu m-a prins foarte tare;
Born to Die – l-am ascultat pe repeat pana cand am zgariat Youtube-ul;
Off to the Races – nu-l stiu dupa nume;
Carmen – smooth and kinky, just the way I like my music and… other things;
Blue Jeans – de-o muzicalitate obsesiva;
Summertime Sadness – venit tocmai intr-o vara in care emotionalitatea fluctuanta era la ordinea zilei si soarelui;
National Anthem – hmmm, okish;
Blue Velvet – David Lynch would be proud;
Dark Paradise – dark and kinky… ;
Ride – brain-splashing, nerve-convulsing & soul-searching;
Burning Desire – cool and silky;
Young and Beautiful – foarte potrivita pentru OST-ul de la varianta psot-moderna a lui “The Great Gatsby”;
2 Remix-uri ale lui Cedric Gervais dupa Summertime Sadness & Young and Beautiful – nu stiu, nu cunosc;
Once Upon a Dream – modern fairytale-like;
Shades of Cool – daca din asta nu reies her daddy issues, poate trebuie sa ascultati si “You can be the boss”;
Ultraviolence – excelenta S&M;
Brooklyn Baby – urban-ghetto-fabulous-vicious.

– 16 Music Videos:

2011: Video Games, Blue Jeans, Born to Die;
2012: Blue Jeans, Carmen, National Anthem, Summertime Sadness, Blue Velvet, Ride;
2013: Burning Desire, Chelsea Hotel No. 2, Summer Wine” (with Barrie-James O’Neill), Young and Beautiful, Tropico;
2014: West Coast, Shades of Cool.

Pe tot parcursul tastarii sacadate, in fundal am avut asta. Ultraviolence este, ca mai toate albumele ei, o stare de spirit si de fapt. E bestial si bestiar in acelasi timp. Am dormit pe el, m-am trezit pe el, am creat pe el. E tare fain si presimt ca-l voi mai asculta si de acum incolo, cam la fel de… constiincios. E greu sa-mi aleg some of my favourite songs, dar raportandu-ma doar la Ultraviolence as zice Cruel World si Old Money.

Where have you been? Where did you go?
Those summer nights seem long ago,
And so is the girl you used to call,
The Queen of New York City.

But if you send for me you know I’ll come,
And if you call for me you know I’ll run.
I’ll run to you, I’ll run to you, I’ll run, run, run.
I’ll come to you, I’ll come to you, I’ll come, come, come.

My father’s love was always strong,
My mother’s glamour lives on and on,
Yet still inside I felt alone,
For reasons unknown to me.

IntrE Ritm

IntrE Ritm

Levierul sedea molcom la capul

Recamierului cu tapiserie stacojiu abatut, umbrit de un

Palmier de plastic in miniatura, posedat pesemne

Carnasier de un tanc fara de astampar care se ascundea strengar dupa

Sifonier, punandu-si la munci prelungi adultul vigilent care respira cu pofta aerul

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Iernatic ce se furisa improspator prin crapatura ferestrei, tinuta-n loc de pervazul cu

Ierburi mii si mii, muscate aramii, zorele rele si trandafiri japonezi de cerut

Iertare atunci cand arunci vorba care doare pana la M(o)arte de tare, pana la

Ieremiada, strigatura, trantitura, pocnitura si lovitura de

Ieruga pe punctul de a fi in vecii vecilor asanata.

DEAD_END_by_gilad

Lex Perplex

Lex Perplex

CE

De-ar fi ca totul sa fi fost in zadar…

Sa stii ca te iubesc fara sa-ti marturisesc,
Iar dragul ce ti-l port mai ceva ca frigul
Dus de ierni cu zapada si pomi terni,
Ma va duce catre visele cele nauce…

In care noi doi nu suntem doar niste oi,
Ci fiinte mitice preapline de stiinte,
Iar nurii mei invesmantati in blanuri
Se-ntalnesc cu al tau piept drept,

Pe cand uitatura-ti imi scalda-n adoratie faptura,

Cu ochi caprui care nu-s de deochi.

Asa ca, dragul meu, arunca zarul
Sa vedem incotro o vom lua in tandem…

Zarva-n varza

Zarva-n varza

O gogonica, cam cat o gogoasa dolofana,

S-a cocotat tocmai sus in varful unui cocostarc,
Si-a dat nas in nas c-un hipopotam poposit,
Langa un babalac baban,
Care tocmai ce bause cacao cu lapte si-avea o cacacioasa treaba mare,

Dupa inca o portie de mamaliga facuta de-a sa mamaruta.
Toto cel tolomac a gasit un totolotz,
Fix in dudul cel semet, si dintr-o saritura s-a lasat c-o duduiala

Iar flacaul s-a infofolit precum o … fofoloanca pe timp de ger,
Mai ceva la alaltaieri… Halal, om!

Si-a sfarsit precum ca un huhurez care face: Buhuhu!!!