Thursday, 29 April 2010

homework

The life of a teacher abounds in surprising events. I hope to read some account of that in Frank McCourt's Teacher Man, the third part of his memoirs that I read at a breathtaking speed last year and mourned the author's death right on my birthday, on 19 July 2009. But at the moment I'm reading three other books in slow motion, unable to find the so called "free" time bewteen family, work and household.
I don't know for what reasons the other people like their jobs, but I can't imagine NOT teaching, and not teaching groups. A course group is like a chemical compound, to which every element adds some unique feature. And some sparkle of inventiveness, too.
Take yesterday, for instance. That's how one of my students sent me her homework. In the jpg format. I was impressed by that combination of old paper&pen tradition with high-tech.

Wednesday, 14 April 2010

Monday, 12 April 2010

saturday April 10 - the rest is silence

British news about the tragedy in Smoleńsk - here.

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

TLT, or total lifestyle transformation

What seems to be a recurrent topic of the last few days is the issue of transformation of habits and lifestyle - the coursebooks are packed with fresh ideas that nicley match the spring, sun and the like. I myself have been an owner of a monthly fitness club ticket which I got from my husband for the International Women's Day. I guess I'd prefer a book or a 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle, like this one for example:

Which does not mean I'm not an active person; perhaps I'm just more keen on cerebral activity than swinging your limbs in all possible directions in slow motion (take Pilates classes, for example - not much is going on except for the fact that you feel your every single muscle stretch to what seems to be its ultimate limit).


Anyway, because of that gift ticket, which includes all sorts of physical exercise classes three times a week, I've fallen victim to a total lifestyle transformation. Do I feel refreshed? Hard to say. I need painkillers to be able to walk because of very painful muscle sores, not to mention getting into and out of the car, which takes me quite a few minutes accompanied by moaning and swearing. In a way, I remember I used to be quite a fit person before I started practising TBC and all the rest; now I can barely move, my eyes are bloodshot and I'd be glad to spend most of my free time sleeping after the huge effort of following the fitness instructor.


So, don't exaggerate with changing your lives; atfer all, couch potatoes can be nice people, too;)


recurrent - powracający
and the like - i tym podobne
cerebral = connected with the brain
limbs - kończyny, członki
in slow motion - w zwolnionym tempie
to fall victim (to sth) - paść ofiarą (czegoś)
painkiller - środek przeciwbólowy
muscle sores - zakwasy
moan - jęczeć
TBC = total body condition
bloodshot - przekrwione